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TN STIMULUS FOR FOSTER YOUTH APPLICATION IS LIVE- VISIT THE DEPT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES WEBSITE TO APPLY BY 7/31
I'm a Guardian Ad Litem, Defender, or CASA- what can I do to help?
1) Spread the word about pandemic relief for youth in foster care!
2) Reach out to former clients, especially those who you think may be eligible for extended foster care, and assist them with re-entry.
3) Help youth apply for pandemic relief through DCS, and ask them if they're experiencing difficulty with any other issues, for instance, evictions and housing insecurity, access to food, and lack of health insurance. You can refer youth experiencing those issues to Legal Aid Organizations. Tennessee Justice Center can take referrals for youth applying for TennCare. Note that many foster youth may also have missed out on stimulus payments (Economic Impact Payments) from the federal government due to not filing for taxes. Information on taxes is below.
See also the Tip Sheet for GALS and CASAs below.
If you have technical assistance or policy questions, email youth.opportunity@vanderbilt.edu.
I'm a Civil Legal Aid Attorney- what can I do to help?
1) Spread the word about pandemic relief for current and former foster youth! If you work closely with any community based organizations or other programs that serve youth 18-26, make sure that they know about this assistance targeted at current and former foster youth.
2) Screen your clients for eligibility. Often, civil legal aid attorneys are serving youth who have been impacted by the foster care and/or delinquency systems, and don't know it. Youth experiencing homelessness and youth who have been impacted by the justice system may be less likely to know about opportunities like the stimulus payment, or TennCare for youth who age out of foster care.
3) Reach out to CASAs, the Juvenile Court, and defenders to make sure they are aware of the kinds of assistance you can offer- for instance, a youth's dependency attorney or defender may know that their client is experiencing a housing issue or needs to apply for benefits, but may not have the subject matter expertise to assist with those issues.
If you have technical assistance, policy questions, or would like to share informational resources that you think would be helpful for foster youth, email youth.opportunity@vanderbilt.edu.
I work with youth who have exited foster care and youth with experience in the juvenile justice system- what can I do to help?
1) Spread the word about pandemic relief for current and former foster youth! If you work closely with any community based organizations or other programs that serve youth 18-26, make sure that they know about this assistance targeted at current and former foster youth.
2) Talk to youth to see if they are eligible for the stimulus payment or other resources, and help them fill out applications. Youth experiencing homelessness and youth who have been impacted by the justice system may be less likely to know about opportunities like the stimulus payment, or TennCare for youth who age out of foster care.
3) If youth are having trouble getting resources, connect them to someone who can help, like their GAL, or CASA (for issues related to the stimulus, re-entry, or moratorium), or a Legal Aid Organization (for issues related to TennCare, SNAP, or other benefits). Note that Tennessee Justice Center can take referrals for former foster youth applying for TennCare.
If you have questions or are running into problems, email youth.opportunity@vanderbilt.edu.
Tips and Sample Letters for GALS and CASAs
Tips and Sample Letters for GALS and CASAs
CASAs, GALs, and other attorneys who wish to assist youth can use these sample letters to document requests for Chafee Funds and Extended Foster Care services.
Note that youth may require assistance following up on the stimulus application- current policy appears to require that youth fill out and return a W9 form in order to be eligible for a relief check. Checks are anticipated to take at least 6 weeks to process. There is supposed to be a process for expedited assistance for youth with emergency needs, however, that process has not yet been publicized.
Sample Letter: Request for Assistance with Chafee Funds_May 3.docxChafee Funds Request
Sample Letter to Child Welfare Agency to Request Re-entry_March 5.docxRe-entry/Moratorium Sample Letter
TN GALCASA.pdfTip Sheet
Tax Preparation for Transition Aged Youth
Tax Preparation for Transition Aged Youth
Many current and former foster youth may qualify for the general pandemic stimulus payments (Economic Impact Payments), the Earned Income Tax Credit, or Child Tax Credit, but did not receive them, due to not filing taxes. The below document includes information to help youth and advocates with filling out their taxes.
EIPS_CTC_EITC_Youth_June 29.docxGeneral Information about the Consolidated Appropriations Act
General Information about the Consolidated Appropriations Act
The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) is the law that authorized specific pandemic relief for foster youth, as well as the re-entry and moratorium requirements. The Program Instructions from the Children's Bureau and an FAQ Compiled by National Advocates are below.
General TN Policies and Forms
General TN Policies and Forms
Relevant policies from TN DCS are below.
Due to the pandemic relief bill, the maximum award for Chafee ETV (money for college) is increased to $12,000, and former foster youth under the age of 27 are eligible for assistance. Note that the DCS may be working on a new application for pandemic-related Chafee ETV funds (money for college)- we have included the existing application for Chafee ETV and Bright Futures so that people can see the information that is usually required to complete the application. Contact ILP or dave.shonts@tn.gov for information about the process.
Services_Available_under_TN_DCS_IL.pdfIDandAccessingILSManual.pdf0599 Instructions (1).docInstructions for 0599 Form (Application for Post Secondary Funding). NOTE: we are unsure if DCS is using this application or planning to develop a new one.
0599 (2).doc0599 Form (Application for Post Secondary Funding). NOTE: we are unsure if DCS is using this application or planning to develop a new one.
The content on this website has been collected by Vanderbilt Law School's Youth Opportunity Clinic and Youth Law Center. It is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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