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Once you turn 16, you should meet with your caseworker to begin planning to leave foster care. If your caseworker does not bring up the issue, you should! If you are locked up in juvenile detention or the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) and you entered the facility while you were in foster care, you should still receive Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program services. You are eligible for these services even if you are released after turning 18 and cannot return to extended foster care. Contact Disability Rights Texas at (800) 252-9108 if no PAL services are offered in your facility or you need other assistance while you are locked up. For more information, see Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Program.
Your caseworker should also meet with your foster parents or caregivers, attorney, CASA, PAL staff, and transition support case manager. During these meetings, you and your caseworker should figure out the things you need to plan for, talk about staying in foster care after your 18th birthday, and go over what is involved in the PAL program. You and your caseworker will also create your transition plan through a permanency planning meeting or a Circle of Support meeting.
Getting a place to live after you leave foster care is often a huge challenge. CPS is required to take steps when you are 17 years old to help prevent you from becoming homeless. CPS should do the following:
- Find out if you can stay at your current placement after you turn 18,
- Help you complete any paperwork for transitional or Supervised Independent Living (SIL) programs at least six months before your 18th birthday, and
- Try to make sure that you are not living in a residential treatment center (RTC) when you are 17.
The restrictions of an RTC make it very challenging for older youth to prepare for a successful transition to life outside of foster care or transitional/supervised independent living programs.
Your PAL staff should complete a housing plan document with you to help you plan for the options you will have after you turn 18 if you choose to remain in extended foster care or exit to trial independence. If you have not completed this form six months before your 18th birthday, talk to your PAL staff or caseworker right away. These are things that should not wait until the last minute.
Unhappy About the Process?
Contact the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project at (877) 313-3688 if you are unhappy about the planning process or if there is no planning underway by the time you are 16 and a half.