Youth Services Bureau Independent Living Program
Interruption or Termination of Services:
Interruption or termination of services may occur as a result of a participating
youth being incarcerated or detained in a correctional facility, or if a youth
decides to discontinue participation.
Services terminate when a youth reaches his or her 21st birthday, or whenever
he or she declines further services prior to reaching 21 years of age. Services
may also be terminated by CYFD when a youth fails to comply with the terms
of their ILPS agreement. The youth's Permanency Planning Worker and Youth Services
Consultant will work with the youth where challenges occur in meeting the requirements
of the ILPS agreement.
In some cases, Independent Living Placement Status Services may be reinstated
for a young person who has terminated their agreement or whose agreement was
previously terminated by CYFD prior to their 21st birthday.
Start Up Funds:
Start Up funds are provided to eligible youth age 18-21 who have aged out of foster care. Start Up funds are provided to assist the youth in establishing a household and youth under 18 in CYFD legal custody when it is determined the youth will be placed in an Independent Living Placement.
Education and Training Vouchers:
Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) provide financial assistance to eligible
youth who are enrolled in an accredited post-secondary educational or vocational
program.
- A. Eligible youth are youth who graduated from high school or obtained a GED who emancipated from foster care or were adopted at age 16 or older. Youth who have graduated from high school or obtained a GED who are still in CYFD Protective Services custody may also be eligible for ETV funds.
- B. Youth 21 and older may still be eligible for ETV funds until age 23 provided he or she continues to be enrolled in a post-secondary educational or vocational program and is making progress in that program.
Chafee Medicaid:
Youth age 18 through 20 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday are eligible for Medicaid through the provisions of the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. Before the youth’s 18th birthday, or upon request for Medicaid benefits, the youth must complete and sign the application for Chafee Medicaid. To be eligible, the youth must receive at least one additional form of Independent Living Program assistance.
Youth Advocates of New Mexico :
We the Youth Advocates of New Mexico (YANM), as current and former youth in foster care will make sure the concerns, opinions, and experiences of peers are heard by helping, supporting, educating, and training the child welfare community to influence positive change and promote success in the lives of foster youth.