Web-based Agency Survey – PCWA

22

^Public Child Welfare Agency (PCWA) Survey

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has contracted with the Urban Institute and with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, as their subcontractor, to learn how communities are using the Family Unification Program– Family Self Sufficiency (FUP-FSS) Demonstration to serve youth who were formerly in foster care. The Urban Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that conducts research and program evaluations on social policy and practice. The information gathered for the evaluation will be used to help HUD understand how FUP-FSS has been implemented, the effectiveness of partnerships among the participating housing authorities, public child welfare agencies, and other organizations that collaborate on the demonstration, the agencies’ experiences with implementation, and short-term outcomes for participating youth. We are not evaluating your agency or its programs.

As part of this project, the research team is conducting a voluntary web-based survey of public housing agencies (PHAs) and public child welfare agencies (PCWAs) in communities that are participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration. Your partnering PHA indicated that it is currently collaborating with your agency to serve youth through the FUP-FSS Demonstration. All responses will be kept confidential, meaning we will not disclose them in any way that would identify you.

The purpose of this survey is to learn how FUP vouchers are being used with self-sufficiency services to address the needs of youth who were formerly in foster care, and to identify any unique benefits or challenges your agency has experienced implementing FUP-FSS and serving this population in partnership with your PHA, CoC, and/or other community service partners. It includes questions about how you have implemented the FUP-FSS Demonstration, your agency’s collaboration with your PHA and other partners, the way FUP and FUP-FSS eligible youth are identified and referred, and your experiences administering services for youth participants.

If your agency has contracted with separate organization(s) to provide services to FUP youth or FUP-FSS participants, please note that some questions may be better addressed by your contractors. You may wish to ask them to provide you with the relevant information.

This survey should take about 30 minutes to complete. If you cannot complete the survey in one sitting, you may save your place in the survey and finish it at a later time. Please note, however, that the survey needs to be completed by _________________. Participation in this survey is voluntary. Responses will be kept confidential.

If you decide to participate, thank you in advance. Your responses will help HUD better understand how communities are using the FUP-FSS Demonstration to address the needs of youth who have aged out of foster care.

Please contact Michael Pergamit at (202) 261-5276 or [email protected] at the Urban Institute with any questions about the survey.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is -2528 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

PCWA SURVEY

1. Public Child Welfare Agency (PCWA) Name:

2. State in which PCWA is located:

3. So that we know who in [FILL WITH Q1] is responding to this survey, please provide your contact information:

Name

Position

Phone Number

Email

4. For how many years have you been employed by [FILL WITH Q1] (in any position or title)?

5. A single PCWA may partner with multiple PHAs to administer the Family Unification Program (FUP) - Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Demonstration. How many PHAs does your PCWA currently partner with to administer the FUP-FSS Demonstration?

6. What are the names of that/those PHA(s)?

2. 

3. 

4. 

We will ask you a series of questions about each of the PHAs your agency partners with to administer the FUP-FSS Demonstration.

7. In what year did your agency first partner with [PHA(n)] to serve FUP-eligible youth? Drop down with years

8. In what year did your agency first partner with [PHA(n)] to serve FUP-eligible families? Drop down with years

For the next few questions, please think about the number of youth in foster care in the jurisdiction(s) served by the [PHA(n)]. If you do not have information about the number of youth in foster care in the jurisdiction, please provide information about the number of youth in foster care at the county or state level.

9. What jurisdiction are you reporting on?

10. Approximately how many youth currently in foster care in [JURISDICTION] are 16-17 years old?

11. Approximately how many youth currently in foster care in [JURISDICTION] are 18-20 years old?

12. During your state’s most recent fiscal year, approximately how many youth in [JURISDICTION] “aged out” of foster care? By “aged out,” we mean exited foster care at age 18 or older without achieving permanency through reunification, adoption or legal guardianship.

SET UP LOOP: Q13-Q26 ASK ABOUT EACH PHA NAMED IN Q6A—Q6E. LOOP THROUGH EACH PHA(n).

The next few questions are about your agency’s collaboration with [PHA(n)].

13. Do your agency and [PHA(n)] set aside a specific number of FUP vouchers for youth?

• Yes

• No SKIP TO Q15

• Don’t know SKIP TO Q15

14. How many FUP vouchers does your agency and [PHA(n)] set aside for youth?

15. Does [PHA(n)] provide your staff with training on the following?

	YES	NO
FUP eligibility	1 	0 
b. FUP voucher briefings	1 	0 
c. Tracking and reporting requirements associated with the FUP	1 	0 
d. Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program eligibility	1 	0 
e. Housing search and lease-up processes within the Section 8 HCV Program	1 	0 
f. Overview of the FSS program	1 	0 
g. FSS Contract of Participation (CoP)	1 	0 
h. Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP)	1 	0 
i. FSS escrow account	1 	0 
j. OTHER Specify	1 	0 

16. [If ANY OF Q15a THROUGH Q15j=YES, THEN ASK] How often does this training occur?

 Once after vouchers were awarded

 Annually

 Twice a year

 Quarterly

 More than once per quarter

 Don’t know

17. Does your staff provide [PHA(n)] with training on the following?

	YES	NO
a. Characteristics of youth who age out of foster care and their housing needs	1 	0 
b. How your agency identifies FUP-eligible youth	1 	0 
c. How your agency refers FUP-eligible youth to [PHA(n)]	1 	0 
d. Types of housing search assistance provided to FUP-eligible youth by your agency or a partner agency	1 	0 
e. Types of supportive services provided to FUP-eligible youth by your agency or a partner agency	1 	0 
f. OTHER Specify	1 	0 

18. [FOR ANY OF Q17a THROUGH Q17f=YES, THEN ASK] How often does this training occur?

 Once after vouchers were awarded

 Annually

 Twice a year

 Quarterly

 More than once per quarter

 Don’t know

19. Does your agency meet regularly with [PHA(n)] about serving FUP-eligible youth?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q21

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q21

20. How often are these meetings held?

 Weekly

 Monthly

 Quarterly

 Twice a year

 Annually

 Don’t know

21. Apart from any regular meetings, how often does your agency communicate with [PHA(n)] about serving FUP-eligible youth (either by phone, email, or in-person)?

 Daily

 Weekly

 Monthly

 Quarterly

 Other (SPECIFY)

 Don’t know

22. Does [PHA(n)] notify your agency once youth have been issued a FUP voucher?

 Yes

 No

23. Has the way the partnership between your agency and [PHA(n)] operate(s) changed since the FUP-FSS Demonstration began?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

24. Has there been more communication between your agency and [PHA(n)] since the FUP-FSS Demonstration began?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

25. Have there been more meetings between your agency and [PHA(n)] since the FUP-FSS Demonstration began?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

26. Have there been more cross-agency trainings involving your agency and [PHA(n)] since the FUP-FSS Demonstration began?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

END OF LOOP

The next few questions are about the process your agency uses to identify FUP-eligible youth.

27. How does your agency identify FUP-eligible youth?

Select all that apply

• Youth are referred by child welfare caseworkers

• Youth are referred by independent living workers

 Youth are referred by your partner CoC

 Youth are referred by a Public Housing Authority

 Youth are referred by youth housing programs

 Youth are referred by aftercare service providers

 Youth are referred by juvenile justice system

 Youth are referred by other state or local agencies

 Youth are referred by other community-based agencies

 Youth refer themselves

 Other (SPECIFY)

28. Please rank order the THREE most common ways your agency identifies FUP-eligible youth. Assign a rank of 1 to the most common way, a rank of 2 to the second most common way and a rank of 3 to the third most common way. [SHOW ONLY SELECTED ITEMS FROM Q27]

___Youth are referred by child welfare caseworkers

___Youth are referred by independent living workers

___Youth are referred by your partner CoC

___Youth are referred by a Public Housing Authority

___Youth are referred by youth housing programs

___Youth are referred by aftercare service providers

___Youth are referred by juvenile justice system

___Youth are referred by other state or local agencies

___Youth are referred by other community-based agencies

___Youth refer themselves

___Other (SPECIFY)

29. Are ALL FUP-eligible youth identified by your agency referred to the Public Housing Authority for FUP?

 Yes SKIP TO Q32

 No

 Don’t know

30. What percentage of the FUP-eligible youth your agency identifies are referred to the Public Housing Authority for FUP?

• Less than 25%

• 25-50%

• 51-75%

• 76-100%

• Don’t know

31. Below is a list of factors that could affect the likelihood that your agency will refer a youth for FUP. For each factor, please indicate if it would make your agency (1) more likely to refer a youth for FUP, (2) less likely to refer a youth for FUP, or (3) if it would have no effect.

	MORE LIKELY	LESS LIKELY	NO EFFECT
a. Youth is homeless or precariously housed	1 	2 	0 
b. Youth has never held a job	1 	2 	0 
c. Youth is age 21 or older	1 	2 	0 
d. Youth has a mental health condition	1 	2 	0 
e. Youth has NOT completed high school	1 	2 	0 
f. Youth identifies as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender	1 	2 	0 
g. Youth is pregnant or parenting	1 	2 	0 
h. Youth has a disability	1 	2 	0 
i. Youth is enrolled in an education or training program	1 	2 	0 
j. Youth is involved with the juvenile justice system	1 	2 	0 
k. Youth is currently employed	1 	2 	0 
l. Youth has a criminal record	1 	2 	0 
m. Youth has a substance use problem	1 	2 	0 

32. Before issuing a FUP voucher, the PHA must inform youth how the FUP works and what its requirements are. They must also provide information about the availability of the FUP-FSS Demonstration. This meeting is called a briefing. How frequently does someone from your agency attend this briefing with the youth?

 Almost always

 More than half of the time

 About half of the time

 Less than half of the time

 Almost never

33. Does your agency do anything to market or promote the FUP-FSS Demonstration to potential youth participants?

• Yes

• No SKIP TO Q35

• Don’t know SKIP TO Q35

34. What does your agency do to market or promote the FUP-FSS Demonstration to potential youth participants? Select all that apply

• Share information about the FUP-FSS Demonstration during discharge planning meetings

• Share information about the FUP-FSS Demonstration when youth are referred

• Child welfare caseworkers share information about the FUP-FSS Demonstration

• Independent living workers share information about the FUP-FSS Demonstration

• Other (Specify)

The next set of questions is about the period just before and after FUP-eligible youth reach their time limit on the receipt of housing assistance payments. If youth are participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration, that time limit is the length of the FSS Contract of Participation (typically five years). Otherwise that time limit is 36 months.

35. Which of the following does your agency (or a partner agency) do for youth NOT participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration as they approach their 36-month limit? Please do NOT include transitional counseling or other assistance that a Public Housing Authority] provides.

	YES	NO
a. Provide information about other housing programs available through your agency	1 	0 
b. Provide information about housing programs administered by community-based agencies	1 	0 
c. Provide information about different neighborhoods	1 	0 
d. Take youth on neighborhood tours	1 	0 
e. Transport youth to visit housing units	1 	0 
f. Provide a listing of vacant rental units	1 	0 
g. Refer youth to property managers/landlords	1 	0 
h. Other (SPECIFY)	1 	0 

36. [IF Q35a – Q35h = 1] Does your agency or another entity with which your agency contracts provide that same transitional counseling or other assistance to youth who ARE participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration as they approach the end of their FSS Contract of Participation?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

We are interested in learning more about options other than the FUP-FSS Demonstration available to youth who have aged out of foster care in [JURISDICTION]. FOR EACH OF THE QUESTIONS IN THIS SECTION WE ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOUTH WHO ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE FUP-FSS DEMONSTRATION.

37. Are youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration eligible for any type of ONGOING ASSISTANCE from your agency to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q41

 Don’t SKIP TO Q41

38. What type of ONGOING ASSISTANCE are they eligible for to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

Select all that apply

 Help paying for rent

 Help paying for utilities

 Help paying for food

 Other (SPECIFY)

39. For how many months of ongoing assistance are they eligible for to help them with their housing or other living expenses? MONTHS

40. At what age do youth become ineligible for ONGOING ASSISTANCE from your agency to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

 21^st birthday

 22^nd birthday

 23^rd birthday

 Other (SPECIFY)

41. Are youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration eligible for any type of ONE-TIME OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE from your agency to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q44

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q44

42. What type of ONE-TIME OR EMERGENCY assistance are they eligible for to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

Select all that apply

 Help paying for rent

 Help paying for utilities

 Help paying for food

• First-month’s rent

• Security deposit

• Utility deposit

• Moving expenses

 Other (SPECIFY)

43. At what age do youth become ineligible for ONE-TIME OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE from your agency to help them with their housing or other living expenses?

 21^st birthday

 22^nd birthday

 23^rd birthday

 Other (SPECIFY)

44. Are youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration eligible for any type of housing advocacy or housing search assistance provided by your agency or another agency with which your agency contracts?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q46

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q46

45. Which of the following types of housing advocacy or housing search assistance does your agency or another entity your agency contracts with provide to youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration?

	YES	NO
a. Provide information about different neighborhoods/communities	1 	0 
b. Take youth on neighborhood tours	1 	0 
c. Transport youth to visit housing units	1 	0 
d. Provide a listing of vacant rental units	1 	0 
e. Refer youth to property managers/landlords known to accept FUP vouchers	1 	0 
f. Work with landlords/property managers to help youth secure housing	1 	0 
g. Provide information about tenant rights and responsibilities	1 	0 
h. Provide information about subsidized housing including eligibility requirements	1 	0 
i. Provide information about public transportation services	1 	0 
j. Help youth locate housing near school or work	1 	0 
k. Other (SPECIFY)	1 	0 

46. Are youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration eligible for any type of supportive services provided by your agency or another entity with which your agency contracts?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q49

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q49

47. Which of the following types of supportive services are they eligible for?

• Case management

• Independent living skills training

• Other (SPECIFY)

48. Which of the following housing options are available to youth who are not participating in the FUP-FSS Demonstration?

	Available within the next six months	Available, but waiting list is more than six months	Not available	Don’t know
a. Scattered-site or semi-supervised apartments (Youth live alone or with a roommate in an apartment rented from a private landlord).	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. Clustered or supervised apartments (youth live alone or with a roommate in an apartment located in an agency-owned building with 24/7 supervision).	1 	2 	3 	4 
c. Shared homes (several youth live together in and take responsibility for an agency-owned or –rented house, with minimal supervision or live-in adults).	1 	2 	3 	4 
d. Adult-roommate apartments (youth share an apartment with an adult who serves as a mentor).	1 	2 	3 	4 
e. Host homes (youth rent a room and share facilities in a home that is not licensed for foster care).	1 	2 	3 	4 
f. Boarding homes (youth live in a room and share kitchen facilities with minimal supervision).	1 	2 	3 	4 
g. Subsidized housing (youth live in an apartment and the government covers part of the rent).	1 	2 	3 	4 
h. Public housing	1 	2 	3 	4 
i. Other (SPECIFY)	1 	2 	3 	4 

The next few questions ask for your opinion about how well the FUP-FSS Demonstration is working for youth who have aged out of foster care.

49. In your opinion, is the FUP-FSS Demonstration working as intend for youth who have aged out of foster care?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

50. In your opinion, how effective is the FUP-FSS Demonstration at helping youth achieve stable housing?

 Very effective

 Somewhat effective

 Not at all effective

 Don’t know

51. In your opinion, how effective is the FUP-FSS Demonstration at helping youth become self-sufficient?

 Very effective

 Somewhat effective

 Not at all effective

 Don’t know

The final set of questions is about the child welfare system in your state.

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 extended the age of Title IV-E–eligibility from 18 to 21 years old for foster youth who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential;

• Enrolled in an institution which provides postsecondary or vocational education;

• Participating in a program or activity designed to promote, or remove barriers to, employment;

• Employed for at least 80 hours per month

• Incapable of doing any of the above due to a medical condition

52. Does your state have an approved plan to extend Title IV-E (federal) foster care beyond age 18?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q54

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q54

53. To what age does your state extend Title IV-E (federal) foster care?

 19^th birthday

 20^th birthday

 21^st birthday

54. Does your state extend state-funded foster care beyond age 18?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q57

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q57

55. To what age does your state extend state-funded foster care?

 19^th birthday

 20^th birthday

 21^st birthday

 22^nd birthday

 23^rd birthday

56. Under what conditions does your state extend state foster care?

Select all that apply

 Youth is completing high school

 Youth has a physical or mental disability or other special needs

 Youth is receiving treatment for a mental health or substance abuse problem

 Youth is pregnant or parenting

 Court has determined that it is in the best interest of the youth

 Other (SPECIFY)

57. Are there any circumstances under which your state allows young people who have been emancipated or discharged to independent living to re-enter foster care before their 21st birthday?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

58. Federal law requires that youth receive assistance with transition planning during the 90 days prior to the date on which they will age out of foster care.

Does this transition planning typically begin more than 90 days prior to the date on which youth will age out?

 Yes

 No SKIP TO Q60

 Don’t know SKIP TO Q60

59. How many months before a youth ages out of care does this transition planning typically begin?

 3 to 6 months

 7 to 12 months

 13 to 18 months

 More than 18 months

 Don’t know

60. Does your agency use federal Chafee funds to cover the cost of housing for youth who are no longer in foster care?

• Yes

• No SKIP TO Q62

• Don’t know SKIP TO Q62

61. What percentage of your agency’s Chafee funds are used to cover housing costs?

• 10 or less%

• 11-20%

• 21-30%

• Don’t know

62. Does your agency allow youth who have an Education and Training Voucher (ETV) to help them pay for their possecondary education use that voucher to cover their housing costs?

• Yes

• No SKIP TO END

• Don’t know SKIP TO END

63. What percentage of the youth who receive ETVs use their ETVs to cover housing costs?

• 0%

• 1% to 24%

• 25-50%

• 51-75%

• 76-100%

• Don’t know

64. Do youth ever combine ETVs and FUP vouchers to cover their housing costs while going to school?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

END Thank you for your time. We appreciate your responses. They will help HUD better understand how communities that are using the FUP-FSS Demonstration to serve youth who were in foster care.

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Author	Park, Yuju
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2021-01-14