Greetings ILP providers,

As you are aware, the FY22 RBWO Minimum Standards included a re-design of Independent Living Program (ILP) requirements and expectations.  This notification serves a friendly reminder of some of the key changes to pre-placement requirements for ILP programs.  Please review the FY22 RBWO Minimum Standards to become familiar with all new changes to ILP.

• RBWO Standard 21.0: “Before a young person can be considered for ILP admission, GA RYSE/Chafee must complete a Scattered Site Placement Youth Readiness Assessment.”
• RBWO Standard 21.2: “Based on the results of this assessment, the youth may be approved or denied for ILP placement on/after the youth’s 18^th birthday.”
• RBWO Standard 21.5: “The provider may not accept any young person who does not have a completed, signed, and approved Scattered site Placement Youth Readiness Assessment as indicated in Standard 21.0.”  *Please note that the assessment must contain the signature of the ILS, the young person and DFCS.
• RBWO Standard 21.6: “The youth readiness assessment should be utilized by Independent Living Programs as the sole referral documentation to determine whether a potential placement match exists. The provider may not require any documentation other than the assessment to determine whether a potential placement match exists. The Universal Application is no longer required for Independent Living Placements.”
• RBWO Standard 21.7: “All young people accepted into placement must be at least 18 years of age and have elected to participate in Extended Youth Support Services.”  *Please note that age exception waivers are no longer available.
• Youth entering an independent living placement must have a high school diploma or a GED and a completed readiness assessment prior to admission. To maintain eligibility for extended foster care, youth must be:
  1. Attending high school or earning their GED; OR
  2. Enrolled in and attending college, community college, or a vocational education program; OR
  3. Participating in a program designed to help find and keep a job (for example: job search, job training, career counseling, etc.); OR
  4. Working for at least 120 hours each month; OR
  5. Working for 80 hours per month and engaged in a., b., or c. above or being unable to work for more than 80 hours per month due to a verified medical condition; OR
  6. Being unable to satisfy any of the above criteria due to a verified medical condition (documentation must be provided from medical provider)

*Please note that the new ILP requirements apply to all new placements that occurred on or after August 1, 2021. 

If you have any questions regarding the ILP standards and expectations, please reach out to your Monitoring team.

The Office of Provider Management