Transitioning Youth to Adulthood

The Iowa Department of Human Services offers several options for youth that are preparing to exit the system. Below you will find a brief description of the available resources and links to related sites.

Transition Planning Specialists

The Department has seven Transition Planning Specialists (TPS), who focus on resources available to teens in foster care. As teens prepare to exit the foster care system at age 18, there are numerous issues to take into consideration, such as

The TPS is prepared to assist with these issues and many more. Please view the chart below to locate the Transition Planning Specialist in your area. To view the TPS on an Iowa map and see the counties they cover, click here.

DHS Transition Planning Specialists
TPS Name & Contact Information Counties They Cover
Mark Lanning, TPS
Woodbury County DHS Office
822 Douglas St, 3rd Floor - Sioux City, IA 51101
712-255-2913x2119 - mlannin@dhs.state.ia.us 		Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Ida, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Sioux, Woodbury
Kim Gapinski, TPS
Cerro Gordo County DHS Office
22 North Georgia Ave, Suite 1
Mason City, IA 50401
641-421-1222 - kgapins@dhs.state.ia.us 		Calhoun, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Flyod, Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Mitchell, Pocahontas, Webster, Winnebago, Worth, Wright
Kim Marks, TPS
Council Bluffs Area DHS Office
417 Kanesville Blvd - Council Bluffs, IA 51503
712-328-4861 - kmarks@dhs.state.ia.us 		Adair, Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Clarke, Crawford, Decatur, Fremont, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Sac, Shelby, Taylor, Union, Wayne
Kathy Berns, TPS
Black Hawk County DHS Office
1407 Independence Ave (PO Box 7500)
Waterloo, IA 50704
319-292-2368 - kberns@dhs.state.ia.us 		Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Franklin, Grundy, Howard, Jackson, Winneshiek
Dan Myers, TPS
Polk County DHS Office
2309 Euclid Ave - Des Moines, IA 50310
515-725-2740 -dmyers@dhs.state.ia.us 		Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Polk, Warren
Teresa Sea, TPS
Johnson County DHS Office
855 S. Dubuque St, Suite 102
Iowa City, IA 52240
319-688-5756 - tsea@dhs.state.ia.us 		Appanoose, Benton, Cedar, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama, Wapello, Van Buren, Washington
Bob Peterson, TPS
Polk County DHS Office
2309 Euclid Ave - Des Moines, IA 50310
515-725-2751 -bpeters@dhs.state.ia.us 		Boone, Dallas, Hardin, Marshall, Polk, Story
Holli Miller, Transition Planning Program Manager
DHS Central Office - Division of Child & Family Services
5th Floor - Hoover Building - 1305 East Walnut - Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-6786 - hmiller@dhs.state.ia.us

 

 

IFAPA Trainings

IFAPA offers the following trainings on transitioning youth to adulthood.

Transitioning Resources: A Toolbox for Transitioning
Mentoring Teenage Men Into Adulthood

View the IFAPA Training Schedule to find the upcoming dates and locations for these trainings.

 

Resources to Help Youth Successfully Transition to Adulthood

50 Ways to Help Youth Transition to Adulthood
Resources for Youth Transitioning to Adulthood see resources listed below
Eligibility for Various Youth Programs see resources listed below
My Transition Iowa
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/ Youth Involved in Foster Care
Great Schools - Helping Kids with Learning Disabilities Focus After High School
Developing a Permanency Pact for Foster Youth
Brighter Tomorrows Better Future

 

Iowa Aftercare Services Network (IASN)

The purpose of aftercare services is to provide services and supports to youth aged 18, 19 or 20 who were formerly in foster care. The primary goal of the program is for participants to achieve self-sufficiency and to recognize and accept their personal responsibility for the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Iowa DHS contracted a private agency to administer the Iowa Aftercare Services Network (IASN). IASN is a network of private agencies across the state to assist youth as they leave foster care and enter adulthood. More info on Aftercare

PAL (Preparation for Adult Living)

Aftercare participants who participate in work or school full-time may be eligible for a PAL living stipend. While the PAL stipend will not start until the youth leaves state paid foster care, Pre-PAL services can start before youth age out to help build a relationship with the Self-Sufficiency Advocate or rent an apartment. Pre-PAL consists of up to ten meetings with the Self-Sufficiency Advocate. A youth must be signed up for pre-PAL prior to turning 18 and/or graduating or exiting foster care. More info on PAL

Joanie Havel, Aftercare Coordinator
Youth Policy Institue of Iowa
7025 Hickman Road, Suite 4 - Urbandale, IA 50322
515-727-4220 - jhavel@ypii.org

Doug Wolfe, Aftercare Program Manager
DHS Central Office - Division of Child & Family Services
5th Floor - Hoover Building - 1305 East Walnut - Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-8164 - dwolfe@dhs.state.ia.us

 

Medicaid for Independent Young Adults (MIYA)

The purpose of the Medicaid for Independent Young Adults (MIYA) program is to provide continued health coverage to young adults transitioning to independency from state care and custody.

MIYA Eligibility Definitions - MIYA currently provides Medicaid coverage to eligible youth who are:

Youth covered under the MIYA program receive the same services as any other child under 21 who is eligible for Medicaid. Youth covered by the MIYA program receive covered services through existing Medicaid provider networks. For this program annual eligibility determination is required.

 

Iowa Youth Dream Teams

Iowa has eight Community Partnership for Protecting Children (CPPC) sites involved in the Transitioning Youth Initiative (TYI) that have created shared decision-making teams to focus on issues that youth face as they “age out” of foster care and transition into adulthood. Through the TYI efforts, the Iowa Youth Dream Team (IYDT) planning process has been developed. The process is a youth-centered practice model that empowers youth to take control of their lives and dreams. Supportive adults and peers create a team that helps the youth make connections to resources, education, employment, health care, housing and supportive personal and community relationships. Through these connections and relationships, young people are better able to gain access to and take advantage of the resources, knowledge, and skills to support themselves and realize their life’s dreams.
 
Youth that want to start an Iowa Youth Dream Team, will visit with a Formal Facilitator to get to know one another, put together an “All About Me” presentation to share with their team, and decide who the youth wants to invite to be team members. Iowa Youth Dream Team’s first gathering involves:

The gatherings are lead by the youth with the support of a Formal Facilitator and “best” friend. A “Coach” may emerge from the team as a natural adult support and team coordinator after the “formal facilitator” steps out.
 
The youth can decide how many gatherings to have depending upon their needs and wishes. The hope is that long-term relationships will be developed between the youth and the team members.
 
Currently, youth living in or supported by the 8 CPPC sites involved in TYI can request an Iowa Youth Dream Team. Beginning this fall and winter four additional areas of the state will begin the start-up phase.  Right now in most of the eight areas, IYDTs can be funded as a Family Team Meeting (FTM) for youth under age 18 who are in the system.  The criteria for the formal facilitator is that they attend our one and a half day training and are coached, evaluated, approved, and are also DHS approved FTM facilitators. 
 
To find contact information for the various community partnership sites, click here.

 

College Planning / Student Aid

The financial aid office at the school your teen plans to attend is the best place to get information about federal, state, school and other sources of student financial aid.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities and career schools for the awarding of federal student aid and most state and college aid. The FAFSA is the application for federal grants and scholarships (like the Pell Grant) and must be completed if the student is to receive any financial aid. The results of the FAFSA determine how much financial aid each student will receive.

Students who are in foster care anytime after their 13th birthday can answer ‘yes’ to question #55 which asks, “At anytime since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?” By answering ‘yes’ to this question, the student will be treated as an independent student and no parental (biological or adoptive) information is required. Students who answer ‘yes’ to this question should expect that the college/university will require proof of the student’s foster care status. Most colleges/universities will accept a copy of the court order placing them into the care of DHS or a letter from a social worker on DHS letterhead.

The FAFSA should be completed in January for students intending to start college in August. For assistance completing the FAFSA, please contact your Transition Planning Specialist. To apply, visit: www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Iowa College Aid is a state agency that advocates for Iowa students and administers scholarship, grant, loan and related programs to help students finance education expenses at colleges and universities of their choice. www.iowacollegeaid.gov

Iowa College Access Network
Find downloadable documents to help plan, apply pay for and succeed in college (i.e. college planning guide for juniors and seniors, list of current tuitions costs at Iowa colleges, and a financial aid guide). www.icansucceed.org

34 Ways to Reduce College Costs
The typical cost of attendance includes not just tuition, but room and board, fees for special programs or activities, books, personal items, and traveling to and from college. To read article, visit: https://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/pay_for_college/cost_35.html

Federal Law Expands Access to College Financial Aid for Former Foster Youth
Voice for Adoption (VFA) has developed a factsheet on the new college financial aid provisions for foster youth that will go into effect in 2009. The new provisions remove a financial disincentive to adopting teens from foster care by disregarding adoptive parents' income when calculating a youth's need for financial aid for youth adopted after their 13th birthday. The factsheet, which explains the details of the Fostering Adoption to Further Student Achievement Act (FAFSA) that was signed into law in September 2007. To learn more, visit: www.voice-for-adoption.org/downloads/FAFSA%20factsheet.pdf

TRIO Programs
TRIO Programs: Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Educational Opportunity Centers are federally funded programs through the US Department of Education and are designed to encourage students to seek higher education. Services may include career exploration, choosing a college, financial aid, and support to increase success in college. The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes six outreach and support programs targeted to serve and assist low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities, to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs. Contact your local college to obtain the name of the contact person for the TRIO program in your area. This program can offer iInstruction in basic study skills, tutorial services, guidance on career options, academic, financial, and personal counseling. www.ed.gov/programs/trioupbound/index.html

 

College Scholarships 

Information about scholarships may be available at your high school counselor's office or local library. You may also find scholarship opportunities through foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, and civic groups, as well as organizations related to your teen’s field of interest. Also check with your employer or union to see if they award scholarships or have tuition payment plans.

ETV (Iowa Education & Training Voucher) Grant
Up to $5,000 per year per student. Youth must have a high school credential (either a GED or diploma) and must:

To apply, visit: www.iowacollegeaid.gov/commissioncentral/fostercare.html
For more info contact: Julie Molenburg 515-281-0336 or jmolenb@dhs.state.ia.us.

All Iowa Opportunity Foster Care Grant
Youth must have high school credential (either a GED or diploma) and must:

To apply, visit: www.iowacollegeaid.gov/commissioncentral/fostercare.html
For more info contact: Julie Molenburg 515-281-0336 or jmolenb@dhs.state.ia.us.

National Foster Parent Association/University of Phoenix
The NFPA offers scholarships for foster youth who wish to further their education beyond high school, including college or university studies, vocational and job training, and correspondence courses, including the GED. Scholarships are also available for birth and adopted youth in foster homes. Application deadline: March 27, Decision Date: April 13. www.nfpainc.org

Capital One Fostering a Future Scholarships
Capital One Credit Card is offering scholarships through the Children’s Action Network. The Capital One Fostering a Future Scholarship, which is open to children adopted from foster care, seeks to provide increased opportunities for advanced education. Please click on the link below for further eligibility and application requirements. www.childrensactionnetwork.org/NAS2010.pdf

The Orphan Foundation of America
Must have been in foster care for one consecutive year before age 18 or have been adopted out of foster care after their 16th birthday. Application Deadline: March 31, Decision Date: May 31. www.orphan.org

Casey Family Scholarships
This scholarship (up to $10,000) is offered to foster youth under the age of 25. It gives foster youth the opportunity to attend the national college or university of their choice. www.casey.org

Morency Foster Youth Scholarship
The Morency Foster Youth Scholarship helps young adults in the foster care system continue their education and pursue their lifetime goals. Applicant must have been in the foster care system for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday, or 12 consecutive months prior to beginning their post-secondary education. Applicant must graduate from a high school located in one of the following counties: Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Jackson, Lee, Louisa, Scott, Muscatine, Johnson, Washington, or Van Buren. Applicant must be 21 years of age or younger. Applicant must be enrolled in, or have been accepted into an educational institution for the purpose of earning a degree, diploma, certificate of completion, etc. A minimum of one $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an individual in Iowa. The Morency Foster Youth Scholarship application can be found on www.cfgrb.org.

Horatio Alger Iowa Scholarship
The Horatio Alger Iowa Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to students in the State of Iowa who have exhibited integrity and perseverance in overcoming personal adversity and who aspire to pursue higher education at the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa has generously agreed to match the Horatio Alger Scholarship, making the $3,000 Horatio Alger Award worth $6,000. Applicants must pursue a bachelor's degree at the University of Iowa (proof of enrollment will be required, students may start their studies at a two-year institution & then transfer to a four-year institution). Application deadline for this scholarship is typically at the end of October. More info: www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/program_iowa.cfm

Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa Scholarships
The Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa will award three scholarships to high school seniors planning to obtain post-secondary education (college or vocational) for the 2009-2010 school year. Information will be posted on their website typically during the month of February. For more information, visit: www.lda-ia.org

National Center for Learning Disabilities Scholarship
The Anne Ford $10,000 Scholarship is given to a high school senior with an identified learning disability who is pursuing an undergraduate degree. To learn more and to find a list of other scholarships for student with learning disabilities, visit: www.ncld.org/about-us/scholarships-aamp-awards/the-anne-ford-and-allegra-ford-scholarship-award

Eychaner Foundation - Iowa's Matthew Shepard Scholarship
The Matthew Shepard Scholarship Program assists lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Iowa high school students with college financial aid. All scholarships are renewable annually for up to four years upon evidence of academic achievement, continued service to the LGBT community and an interview with the scholarship committee. For more info, visit: www.eychanerfoundation.org

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is the nation’s largest, oldest, and most successful minority higher education assistance organization. UNCF provides scholarships and internships for students at about 900 institutions. www.uncf.org/

Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. HSF provides the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During the 2007-2008 academic year, HSF awarded almost 4,100 scholarships. http://www.hsf.net

American Indian College Fund
The AICF raises funds to support student scholarships and other developmental needs at the nation's tribal colleges and universities across the U.S. AICF administers several scholarship programs offered to American Indian students attending both tribal colleges and selected mainstream universities. www.collegefund.org/scholarships/main.html

Association on American Indian Affairs
The Association of American Indian Affairs offers several scholarship opportunities to Native Americans. Application information for the following school year, is available on their website in February/March. www.indian-affairs.org/scholarships/aaia_scholarships.htm

National Indian Education Association
This website listed many scholarships available to Native Americans. For more info, visit: www.niea.org/media/scholarships.php

Coca-Cola Scholarships
The Coca−Cola Scholars Foundation supports over 1,400 college students each year, with annual scholarships of $3.4 million through two nationally recognized programs on behalf of the Coca−Cola System. https://www.coca-colascholars.org/cokeWeb/index.jsp

Scholarship Finder
Browse student scholarships available on the FAFSA website. Search by key word(s), such as: music, law enforcement, biology, community service, etc.
https://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/scholarship/v3browse.asp

 

Internships

Congressional Foster Youth Internship Program
The Congressional Foster Youth Internship (FYI) Program provides talented college students, who have spent their formative years in foster care, an opportunity to intern in Congressional offices for the summer. Supplemental to the interns’ work on Capitol Hill, CCAI enhances the experiences of the interns by organizing an orientation and training program, bimonthly educational sessions, and a mid-summer retreat. In addition, CCAI provides a stipend, covers all housing and travel expenses, and acts as an ongoing support network for the FYI program participants. The Dave Thomas Foundation, as the founding sponsor, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation provide funding to make this program possible. The application deadline is typically at the beginning of January. To learn more, visit: www.ccainstitute.org/how-we-do-it/apply-on-line-foster-youth-internship/

Orphan Foundation of America – InternAmerica Program
OFA’s InternAmerica Program brings the experience of a lifetime to foster teens. Students can challenge themselves in Washington D.C. for a six-week internship tailored to their academic and career interests. Visit the following website in November/December for to apply online for the following summer internship program. The application deadline is typically at the beginning of January. For eligibility guidelines and more info, visit: www.orphan.org/index.php?id=26

Foster Care Alumni of America - Internship/Employment/Volunteer Opportunities
The mission of Foster Care Alumni of America is to connect the alumni community and to transform policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care. This website posts employment, volunteer and educational opportunities, including internships for foster care alumni. www.fostercarealumni.org/get_involved/member_opportunities.htm

 

 

 

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