Bakersfield (Main Office)
100 E California Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93307
(661) 631-6000
all locations
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Foster Care Transitional and Supportive Services

The Department of Human Services has many supportive services available to assist youth preparing to transition from the foster care system or young adults in foster care eligible for the emancipated youth program.

Independent Living Program

The Independent Living Program (ILP) is a federally funded program that provides services to assist eligible youth and young adults in making a successful transition from foster care to independent living. The goal of the program is to enable youth to achieve self-sufficiency prior to exiting the foster care system by providing independent living skills assessment, training and services, as well as a written transition independent living plan for every participant.

Youth 16 and older who are in foster care, or youth who have been in foster care after their 16th birthday are eligible for services up to the age of 21.

Services:

  • Transitional Independent Living Plan
  • Education Planning
  • College and Financial Aid Applications
  • ILP Employment Counselors
  • Career Planning, Job Leads, Resumes
  • Transitional Housing for Emancipated Youth
  • Emancipation Conferences and Special Life Skills Workshops
  • Transportation Assistance
  • Resource Directory
  • ILP Scholarships
  • Introduction to California Youth Connection (CYC)
  • Incentives for ILP participation
  • Mentoring
  • Assistance in Obtaining Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, California Identification Card and Savings Account
  • Viewing Your Child Welfare Case Files

ILP offers activities such as computer camp, a ropes course outing, a GPA Incentive outing, Independent City, Kern County CYC meetings/activities, Statewide CYC conferences, Statewide ILP/Teen Conferences, and ILP classes.

The classes are a series of nine, offered three times a year through the California Community College system at Bakersfield College. Classes will teach students how to utilize resources, solve problems, maintain healthy relationships, make safe and responsible decisions about sexuality, find and keep a job, choose a college or vocational program and find a place to live after foster care placement. High school and college credits can be earned for completing these classes. [An annual three-day retreat is offered to students living outside the Bakersfield area as an alternative to attending regular classes held at Bakersfield College.] Upon completion of the course, the participants receive a graduation dinner celebration.

Housing Assistance

Building Blocks Transitional Housing Program:

Building Blocks is a collaborative project with the Department of Human Services and the Housing Authority of Kern County, and is available to youth 18-21 years old who are homeless, or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. It is a comprehensive on-site program that teaches youth how to pursue educational and employment goals, get acclimated to the community, develop and maintain a budget, enhance daily living skills and reach personal goals. Participating youth will be required to work full or part-time and may also attend school.

The housing complex itself is a rehabilitated residential facility in Southwest Bakersfield which can accommodate a maximum of 14 youth, who each share a furnished apartment with a roommate. There are laundry facilities on-site, rent is subsidized, and youth are allowed to reside there for a period of up to 18 months.

To be considered for admission, participants will complete a program application, return it to the Independent Living Program at the Department of Human Services, who will refer them for participation. Once the application is received, an interview will be scheduled and if accepted, the participant will sign a contract with the Independent Living Program accepting rules of participation and acknowledging residence regulation.

Transitional Housing Placement Plus Program: H.O.S.T. Families

In this program youth live with a HOST family who is either pre-approved as a HOST family, or a family the youth has an established relationship with. Participants may live with a host family for up to one year while receiving a $300 monthly stipend.

Scattered-Site Housing Program

This program requires that the youth obtain or currently reside in an apartment or rental arrangement, and for a period of 1 year a stipend in the amount of $300 will be provided to the youth.

Emancipated Youth Services

There are many Emancipated Youth Services available through the Kern County Independent Living Program to emancipated foster youth between the ages of 18 and 21 who were in the foster care system after their 16th birthday. These services enable youth to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency, give them the ability to live on their own and educate them as to how to deal with the issues and demands independent living can present.

  • Through Family to Family Mentoring, Foster Care youth who are ready to leave foster care and live independently are matched with a caring mentor to guide them through the emancipation process.
  • Transportation assistance is available through the distribution of bus passes, or by enabling eligible youth to earn their driver's license.
  • Medical insurance is available to emancipated youth through the Medi-Cal program until the age of 21. An ILP worker can provide further information and details about the program.

Educational Assistance

The California Chaffee Grant Program gives up to $5000 in “free money” annually to foster youth and former foster youth for use toward college courses or vocational school training. We help participants to complete financial aid and scholarship applications for programs such as this, as well as provide assistance in completing the FAFSA application for college. Book vouchers and/or reimbursements for college textbooks are also available.

Employment Assistance

A variety of services are available to assist emancipated youth in finding employment, such as career goal setting, job search/interview coaching, interview clothing assistance, job search/interview transportation and job retention services.

Stipend Program

This program provides eligible youth with a monetary stipend to pay for first month's rent and security deposit on rental housing. Other assistance for miscellaneous needs such as utilities is also available. To learn more, please speak with an ILP worker.