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10200 Preparation for Adult Living (PAL)

10210 Preparation for Adult Living Program

CPS October 2017

The Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program prepares youth for adult life when they leave foster care. The program provides services, benefits, resources, and supports to help youth become healthy, productive adults. The program makes efforts to connect youth to community resources they will need in their transition to a successful adulthood.

DFPS Rules, 40 TAC §§700.1601–700.1604

10211 Targeted and Eligible Population for PAL

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must provide PAL services based on targeted and eligibility population criteria.

10211.1 Targeted Priority Population

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must provide PAL services to:

  •   youth in DFPS paid-substitute care who are age 16 or older and likely to remain in care until age 18; and

  •   young adults who have aged out of DFPS conservatorship at age 18 or have left the Extended Foster Care Program. Services can be provided up to the young adult’s 21st birthday as long as he or she is meeting the required qualifications.

10211.2 Additional Eligible Population

CPS October 2017

PAL staff may provide PAL services, based upon funding availability, to the following additional eligible population:

  •   youth age 16, who are likely to remain in DFPS conservatorship until age 18, and who are in a non-paid substitute care placement (relative or kinship placement);

  •   youth as young as age 14 in DFPS conservatorship, who are likely to remain in care until age 18, for age-appropriate services;

  •   youth who have been legally emancipated while in DFPS conservatorship;

  •   youth age 16 and 17 in DFPS conservatorship while living with a parent or guardian, and who are likely to remain in care until age 18; and

  •   youth or young adults who are undocumented, who may qualify if they meet eligibility criteria.

See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for information on funding PAL services for youth and young adults who move to Texas from another state.

10212 PAL Eligibility for Youth Placed in a Title IV-E Placement by the TJJD or a CJPD

CPS October 2017

DFPS provides PAL Life Skills training for youth who:

  •   are not in DFPS conservatorship;

  •   are placed in a Title IV-E placement by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) or a county juvenile probation department (CJPD);

  •   are age 16 or older and receiving Title IV-E foster care maintenance payments (Title IV-E placement);

  •   are likely to remain in a Title IV-E placement until they turn age 18 or older; and

  •   meet all other eligibility requirements.

See 6234.4 Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement.

Youth Who Age Out

DFPS provides Aftercare Room and Board services for youth who:

  •   are placed in a Title IV-E placement by the TJJD or by a CJPD and receive Title IV-E foster care maintenance payments;

  •   age out of the Title IV-E placement at age 18 or older; and

  •   meet all other eligibility requirements. See 10251 Qualifications for PAL Aftercare Room and Board.

See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for information on who provides PAL services for youth and young adults who move to Texas from another state.

10213 How PAL Services Should Be Provided

10213.1 Age PAL Services Must Begin

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must provide PAL services for the targeted priority population beginning on the youth’s 16th birthday, or as soon as possible if the youth enters DFPS-paid substitute care after turning 16. See 10211 Targeted and Eligible Population for PAL.

PAL staff must ensure services to youth age 16 and older take priority over services to youth under age 16. PAL staff must coordinate services with the caseworker.

10213.2 Youth Under Age 16

CPS October 2017

PAL staff may provide PAL services beginning as early as age 14 if the youth is in DFPS conservatorship and it is likely that the youth will stay in DFPS care until age 18 or older. Examples of such services include age-appropriate Life Skills training or forums if regional funds are available.

PAL staff can access or coordinate services or experiential activities for youth under age 16 through community partners, networking, or through donations.

10213.3 PAL Services Not Affected by Permanency Goal

CPS October 2017

PAL services must be available to eligible youth regardless of the youth’s permanency goal, as there is no guarantee that the youth will achieve permanency before aging out of care.

PAL staff must provide or arrange for a PAL contract provider to provide appropriate services concurrently with efforts to achieve adoption or other permanency goals for the youth. The youth’s plan of service must address the types of services and activities to be provided.

PAL staff must provide youth and young adults with opportunities to design their own program activities. Youth and young adults must accept personal responsibility for living up to their obligations in the program.

10214 Review of the Texas Foster Care Handbook

CPS May 2024

A PAL staff member reviews the Texas Foster Care Handbook for Children, Youth and Young Adults with each youth on the staff member’s workload when the youth is at least age 15 and 6 months but no later than the youth’s 16th birthday. If a youth comes into foster care after turning 16, a PAL staff member reviews the Texas Foster Care Handbook with the youth within 60 days after the youth is assigned to the staff member’s workload.

The review occurs in person. Exception: For youth who live outside the legal region, a PAL staff member reviews the Texas Foster Care Handbook with the youth virtually or by phone.

The PAL staff member gives the youth a copy of the Texas Foster Care Handbook if the youth does not already have one. The PAL staff member documents the review in IMPACT.

See also 6421 Texas Foster Care Handbook.

10220 Required Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Services

CPS March 2023

A youth in DFPS-paid substitute care, who is age 16 or older, must receive a Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) independent life skills assessment and life skills training, unless the youth refuses to do so. PAL staff must document efforts to encourage the youth to accept these services.

PAL staff must inform a youth eligible to receive these services that participation in PAL Life Skills Training (for a youth able to participate in training) is a prerequisite for receiving the transitional living allowance. See 10241 Qualifications for PAL Transitional Living Allowance.

PAL services are available to all eligible youth regardless of disability. For youth with disabilities, PAL staff, or equivalent Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) staff, must work with the following:

  • Conservatorship caseworker
  • Education specialist
  • Developmental disability specialist
  • Local permanency specialist
  • Other equivalent SSCC staff

This is to help coordinate and ensure receipt of any of the following:

  • PAL program documents
  • Life Skills Training verification documents
  • Eligible payments
  • All available services that should be provided to youth

10221 Life Skills Assessment

CPS March 2023

PAL staff must ensure that a life skills assessment, appropriate to the youth’s individual needs, is conducted to assess the youth’s general readiness to live independently. DFPS and SSCC staff use the Casey Life Skills Assessment instrument.

PAL staff or a PAL contract provider must administer the assessment according to the following time frames:

  • If DFPS obtained permanent managing conservatorship before the youth turned 14 years old, within six months after the youth’s 14th birthday.
  • If DFPS obtained permanent managing conservatorship after the youth’s 14th birthday, within six months after obtaining permanent managing conservatorship.
  • If the youth is in DFPS temporary managing conservatorship, within six months after the youth’s 16th birthday.
  • If the youth enters care at age 16 or older, within six months after the youth enters care.

PAL staff must ensure that an assessment is completed no later than the end of the PAL Life Skills training for each youth.

PAL staff or a PAL contract provider (depending on who administered the assessment) must explain the life skills assessment results to the youth. PAL staff must ensure the caseworker receives a copy of the youth’s assessment results.

The conservatorship caseworker collaborates with PAL staff to include the needs of the youth, identified in the assessment, in the Child’s Plan of Service (CPOS). The caseworker also conducts an annual update of the independent living skills the youth learned the preceding year to ensure the youth is being prepared for a successful transition to adulthood. As part of the annual update, the conservatorship caseworker must review the original assessment responses and document the youth’s progress and continued needs in the youth’s CPOS.

See 6241 The Child’s Plan of Service (CPOS).

10222 Life Skills Training

CPS March 2023

A youth or young adult receives PAL Life Skills Training if the youth or young adult is in DFPS conservatorship and age 16 or older, or in extended foster care. PAL staff works with the caseworker to make sure the youth or young adult receives the training.

If the youth or young adult refuses to participate, PAL staff or the caseworker must ask the youth or young adult to sign Form 2546 PAL Life Skills Training Refusal. In the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide, see Preparation for Adult Living Life Skills Training Refusal for more information.

The training includes the following core areas:

  • Financial management
  • Health and safety
  • Housing and transportation
  • Job readiness
  • Life decisions and responsibilities
  • Personal and social relationships

PAL staff must ensure the youth or young adult completes the financial management core area as well as four of the five other core areas. The youth or young adult must receive at least five hours of training in a core area to complete it.

For youth with a developmental or intellectual disability that precludes them from participation in Life Skills Training classes, PAL staff works with the caseworker, education specialist, and developmental disability specialist, and utilizes such documents as the following:

  • Admission Review Dismissal (ARD) meeting notes.
  • Individual Education Plan (IEP).
  • Individual Transition Plan (ITP).
  • Plans of service.
  • Other similar documents to document life skills training that the youth has received, in order to provide equivalent credit for completion of Life Skills Training.

The caseworker makes sure the youth or young adult has the opportunity, within the youth’s placement or through other experiential activities, to use the skills learned in the training.

PAL staff must ensure that the youth meets the training requirement and all other qualifications to be eligible for the transitional living allowance.

See 10241 Qualifications for PAL Transitional Living Allowance.

For a list of the issues that each core area must cover, see the Preparation for Adult Living Life Skills Training Curriculum Outline section of the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide.

10223 Life Skills Independent Study Guide

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must pre-approve requests for a youth and caregiver to use the PAL Life Skills Independent Study Guide instead of attending PAL Life Skills training. PAL staff must also approve credit for completing any or all of the six core areas of PAL life skills using the guide. See Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for reasons PAL staff may approve use of the guide.

10224 PAL Case Management Services

CPS October 2017

PAL case management is an essential part of service delivery to help youth and young adults transition into a successful adulthood. In PAL case management, an individual youth or young adult has a case manager who is usually a contract provider, but may be a PAL staff. The PAL case manager must determine the youth’s or young adult’s needs, arrange for services, and monitor the youth’s or young adult’s progress.

The case manager, in coordination with PAL staff, must network with community resources that address a wide range of transitional needs for youth and young adults. Case management includes referrals, as appropriate and when available to meet the youth or young adult’s needs, to:

  •   public and private agencies;

  •   community resources transition centers;

  •   workforce centers; and

  •   faith-based organizations.

PAL case management may begin before age 18, as appropriate, to engage the youth in transition planning. The case manager (typically the PAL contract provider) must involve the youth or young adult in developing a plan for self-sufficiency and must monitor the youth or young adult’s progress meeting the plan goals.

The youth or young adult participates in case management services voluntarily; however, if financial assistance is provided, participation is required.

The case manager must conduct a financial needs assessment before providing Aftercare Room and Board funds or other financial assistance.

10224.1 Trafficking Awareness

CPS October 2017

PAL case management must also include providing information to youth and young adults about the dangers of human sex trafficking and labor trafficking.

If a PAL case manager has reason to believe that a youth or young adult has been or is at risk of being a victim of trafficking, the case manager must interview the youth or young adult to determine if he or he is a victim of trafficking.

If a case manager identifies a youth or young adult who is a victim of trafficking, the case manager must report to law enforcement immediately or no later than 24 hours after the identification. When a youth or young adult has been identified as being a victim of trafficking or is at risk of becoming a victim of trafficking, the case manager must assess the community resources available to help the youth or young adult.

The case manager must document his or her efforts to identify and address human sex trafficking or labor trafficking situations. PAL staff must document the case manager’s efforts in IMPACT.

10230 Optional Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Services

CPS October 2017

Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) staff may provide optional services and benefits to targeted and eligible populations when funds are available. PAL staff must ensure that the PAL contract provider arranges for these services to be provided when funds are available and there is a need. See Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for a listing of Optional PAL Services.

See:

10211 Targeted and Eligible Populations for PAL

10220 Required Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Services

PAL staff must ensure all additional services and stipends are directed to preparing eligible youth to live independently when they become adults, and to support training or other services.

10231 Young Adults Residing With a Designated Perpetrator of Abuse or Neglect

CPS October 2017

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider must not provide services to a young adult who is residing with a perpetrator of abuse or neglect, unless DFPS determines the perpetrator is not a threat to the young adult’s health and safety.

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider must make this determination before providing services. If the PAL staff determines there is a threat to the health and safety of the youth, he or she must contact the state office PAL staff with a description of the situation so a final determination can be made.

Texas Family Code §264.121(d)

10232 Age-Appropriate Activities

CPS October 2017

In addition to the age-appropriate services provided through PAL optional services, PAL staff must coordinate with community partners to provide regional conferences and celebration events to youth and young adults. These conferences or events may include statewide and regional teen conferences, college conferences, back to school events, prom events, graduation celebrations, or holiday celebrations.

10240 Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Transitional Living Allowance (TLA)

CPS October 2017

The Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Transitional Living Allowance (TLA) provides funds to help with expenses for a successful adulthood. Young adults may receive up to $1000.

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider may provide a PAL Transitional Living Allowance when:

  •   funding is available;

  •   the young adult demonstrates a need; and

  •   the young adult meets all requirements in 10241 Qualifications for PAL Transitional Living Allowance.

PAL staff may provide the TLA immediately before the individual turns 18.

10241 Qualifications for PAL Transitional Living Allowance

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must inform youth and young adults of the following requirements for receiving the transitional living allowance, and ensure that all requirements are met before providing the Transitional Living Allowance (TLA):

  •   Funds must be available.

  •   The young adult must:

  •   have been in DFPS conservatorship and;

  •   aged out of foster care at age 18;

  •   left the Extended Foster Care Program; or

  •   be legally emancipated;

  •   have been in DFPS-paid or Medicaid-paid substitute care, such as a hospital or Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) home, at some time within the 24 months before initiating the allowance. If a youth has been out of DFPS-paid or Medicaid-paid substitute care for more than 24 months, the youth’s eligibility should be reviewed on a case by case basis. The PAL supervisor may approve a waiver;

  •   have moved or be in the process of moving into an independent living arrangement or a supervised or semi-supervised setting;

  •   not be incarcerated;

  •   meet one of these requirements:

  •   be employed or actively seeking employment (for those youth who are able to work);

  •   be enrolled and attending school or college; or

  •   receiving pre-vocational or vocational training services;

  •   not be living with a designated perpetrator who committed abuse or neglect, unless DFPS determines the perpetrator does not pose a threat to the young adult’s health and safety;

  •   provide all required verification information, which may include a rental agreement, or work or pay stubs; and

  •   have completed at least five hours of training in five of the six core areas. One of these five hour trainings must be financial management. See 10220 Required Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Services.

The regional PAL supervisor must approve any substitution of training hours or variance. PAL staff must document if a youth is unable to participate in training because of his or her level of functioning.

10242 Payment Limits for the PAL Transitional Living Allowance

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must ensure that the maximum allowance amount for eligible young adults does not exceed established criteria. See Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for information on the maximum total allowance criteria.

10243 Payment Method for the PAL Transitional Living Allowance

CPS October 2017

The PAL transitional living allowance is provided as part of the young adult’s financial management skills development. PAL staff or the PAL contractor must deliver the allowance to the young adult in person unless the young adult lives outside Texas or has a designated payee.

Payment is usually provided after the young adult has aged out or emancipated from care, but may begin before the young adult leaves care, if needed for items such as rent or room deposits.

If PAL staff suspends a young adult’s allowance, then reinstates it, the last payment must take place within 12 months of the first payment before the suspension. All payments must be made within the 12-month period. See 10245 Suspending PAL Transitional Living Allowance Payments.

Each PAL allowance payment must not exceed $500 and may be distributed over several months.

All payments must be made before the young adult’s 21st birthday.

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider must use the PAL Aftercare Report in IMPACT to designate how the young adult is spending the money. If during case management activities PAL staff or the PAL contract provider determines that the funds are not being used as intended, they must suspend funding. See 10245 Suspending PAL Transitional Living Allowance Payments for information on suspending and reinstating funding.

10244 PAL Transitional Living Allowance When a Young Adult Will Be Living With a Parent After Aging Out of Foster Care

CPS October 2017

If a youth’s transition plan is to return to a parent after aging out of DFPS care, the transition plan must address this decision, and discuss any other options or safety concerns that must be considered. PAL staff must make efforts to engage the parent in the process of helping youth move toward independence, if applicable.

If the young adult is receiving the transitional living allowance (TLA), the parent must be involved in assisting the young adult with financial management. PAL staff or the PAL contract provider must verify that there is a written agreement between the parent and young adult that ensures the funds will be spent on transitional living costs, such as a reasonable amount of the allowance being used for rent and other living expenses. See 10241 Qualifications for PAL Transitional Living Allowance.

10245 Suspending PAL Transitional Living Allowance Payments

CPS October 2017

PAL staff or the PAL contractor must suspend the PAL transitional living allowance (TLA) if the young adult:

  •   is living with a designated perpetrator of abuse or neglect and DFPS determines this person poses a threat to the health and safety of the young adult;

  •   is incarcerated;

  •   is not:

  •   employed or actively seeking employment (for those youth who are able to work);

  •   in school; or

  •   receiving vocational or pre-vocational training services;

  •   refuses to provide required information; or

  •   is using the allowance for illegal activities or purchasing items for other persons.

If transitional living allowance payments are suspended, PAL staff must inform youth and young adults of the reasons for the suspension.

If any of the above situations change and the youth is otherwise eligible, the payments must be reinstated.

10250 Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Aftercare Room and Board

CPS October 2017

The purpose of Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Aftercare Room and Board is to prevent or alleviate homelessness, and help young adults achieve more positive outcomes in adulthood. Young adults who have no other community resources must have priority for this service.

42 USC §677

While PAL Aftercare Room and Board assistance is not an automatic benefit, PAL staff or the PAL contract provider may provide assistance to a young adult who:

  •   has aged out of foster care but has not yet reached age 21; and

  •   shows a need for emergency or stabilizing assistance in the transition from foster care to a successful adulthood.

Case Management

While a young adult is receiving this assistance, the PAL staff or PAL contract provider (aftercare case manager) must work with the young adult to develop a plan for a successful adulthood after assistance ends. The case manager must develop strategies to help the young adult take on more responsibility and increase problem-solving skills so that the young adult learns to advocate for himself or herself in the future.

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider must refer youth to a transition center if one is available in the area.

10251 Qualifications for PAL Aftercare Room and Board

CPS October 2017

Before authorizing PAL Aftercare Room and Board, PAL staff or the PAL contractor must ensure the young adult:

  •   is between ages 18 and 21;

  •   is in DFPS conservatorship the day before turning 18;

  •   is not living with a designated perpetrator of abuse or neglect, unless DFPS determines the perpetrator does not pose a threat to the young adult’s health and safety;

  •   can prove financial need. DFPS gives priority to young adults who do not receive adequate assistance from another source to meet minimal room and board needs; and

  •   is in an educational program, employed, or actively seeking employment (for those who are able to work), or receiving pre-vocational or vocational training services. On a case-by-case basis, a youth or young adult who is homeless, in a homeless shelter, has a special medical condition, or other emergency situation may receive assistance for up to two months without meeting this requirement. The youth or young adult must meet this requirement within two months in order to receive additional assistance.

PAL staff or the PAL contractor must ensure the young adult meets the qualifications listed above before authorizing PAL Aftercare Room and Board payments and case management for a young adult who:

  •   was placed in a Title IV-E by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) or a county juvenile probation department and receives Title IV-E foster care maintenance payments; and

  •   aged out of care in that placement.

10252 Limitations While Receiving ETV or in Extended Foster Care for PAL Aftercare Room and Board

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must determine if a young adult is in the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program, or in an extended foster care placement, as this may limit the young adult’s access to PAL Aftercare Room and Board funds.

In the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide, see PAL Aftercare Room and Board for information on limitations.

10253 Assessing the Amount for PAL Aftercare Room and Board Payment

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must ensure the PAL contract provider (or in special circumstances PAL staff) assesses the young adult’s current situation to determine:

  •   if he or she will receive assistance; and

  •   the amount he or she will receive.

When assessing the young adult’s financial need, PAL staff must consider the young adult’s:

  •   living arrangement;

  •   employment status;

  •   living expenses and needs;

  •   sources of income such as an earnings statement or tax return;

  •   use of community resources for financial assistance; and

  •   savings or checking account bank statement.

10254 Allowable Expenditures and Payment Limits for PAL Aftercare Room and Board

CPS October 2017

PAL staff or the PAL contractor must ensure only allowable expenditures are paid for. See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for allowable expenditures and payment limits.

DFPS must not use federal PAL funds to replace room and board foster care payments while youth are in foster care. The cost of lodging and meals at camps, conferences, and retreats are not considered room and board.

10255 Payment Limits for PAL Aftercare Room and Board

CPS October 2017

Payments must not exceed $500 per month per young adult. At times there may be a justifiable cause for the monthly amount to exceed $500 (such as when the rent payment and rent deposit are due the same month.) The regional PAL supervisor must approve exceptions to the per-month amount.

The total amount of accumulated payments for PAL Aftercare Room and Board assistance to a young adult between the ages of 18 and 21 must not exceed $3,000. Exceptions may be considered in an emergency or in special circumstances. The regional PAL supervisor must approve these exceptions and notify the state office PAL staff.

Payments must be made in the form of checks or vouchers to the landlord, vendor, apartment complex, utility company, or host home. The PAL contractor or PAL staff must maintain receipts. The PAL contractor or PAL staff may use vouchers or gift certificates for grocery stores.

PAL staff or the PAL contract provider may make a payment directly to the young adult in emergency situations on a one-time-basis per young adult, if a payment is for $100 or less. The regional lead PAL staff must approve a direct payment of this type that is over $50.

See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for information on the gradual decrease of PAL Aftercare payments.

10256 Host Home for PAL Aftercare Room and Board Payment

CPS October 2017

A host home is a time-limited setting in which a young adult rents a room in a family or single adult’s home, sharing basic facilities and agreeing on basic rules while taking on more responsibility for his or her life. See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for more information on host homes, such as planning for how long the youth should stay in the host home.

Background Check Requirements

To be eligible for payment, an individual providing a host home must meet the background check requirements for a verified foster home under the DFPS Child Care Licensing Minimum Standards for Child Placing Agencies.

DFPS must run a DPS criminal background check and Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check on all adults in the home. All individuals in the home who must have a criminal check and central registry check must consent to both checks initially and every six months thereafter as long as the host home is being paid.

PAL staff must ensure that, if a PAL contract provider performs this service, the contractor:

  •   determines and documents eligibility for the host home payment before any disbursement;

  •   submits a copy of the results of all Texas DPS criminal background checks and Central Registry checks to PAL staff; and

  •   does not make a disbursement, even if the DPS or Central Registry Check history is returned, until the contractor receives written approval from PAL staff.

To submit a Central Registry Check, the contract provider must submit Form 2970 Central Registry Check.

10260 Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Data Entry

CPS October 2017

DFPS maintains data on all youth while they are in the PAL stage of service. The assigned PAL staff must close the PAL stage if the youth is on unauthorized absence status for three months or longer, or is no longer available for services. PAL stage closures occur at least quarterly to keep PAL workloads accurate. If a PAL stage is closed, but then the youth becomes available for services, the PAL stage can easily be re-opened with the Re-open PAL stage feature in IMPACT.

If a youth in the targeted priority population refuses PAL services, PAL staff must document DFPS’s efforts to encourage the youth to participate and the youth’s decision not to do so. Caseworkers and PAL staff must continue to make efforts to encourage participation in PAL services while a youth is in care. PAL staff checks Other in the PAL Services and Training page in IMPACT and notes the youth’s refusal in the Comments section.

10261 PAL Responsibilities When Youth or Young Adults Are Placed Cross-Regionally

10261.1 PAL Services and Payments When Youth or Young Adults Are Placed Cross-Regionally

CPS October 2017

PAL Services

When a region places a youth or young adult who must receive PAL services into foster care in another region, the conservatorship region’s PAL staff must notify the placement region’s PAL staff through a referral, so that the placement region can provide PAL training and services. If the PAL staff in the conservatorship region has progressed the youth’s case to the PAL stage in IMPACT, the PAL staff must include that information in the referral.

The placement region must ensure that PAL services are available to eligible youth or young adults placed in the region.

The conservatorship region’s PAL staff must document the PAL services that the conservatorship region has already provided to the youth or young adult, and must ensure that all appropriate data is entered in IMPACT. When forwarding documentation, the PAL staff must indicate if the information has been entered into IMPACT.

The placement region’s PAL staff must provide the conservatorship region’s PAL staff with documentation of PAL services to the youth or young adult occurring in the placement region. The PAL staff in the region providing services must enter PAL information in IMPACT, unless negotiated with the other PAL staff. The responsible PAL staff must complete data entry monthly.

Once the substitute care (SUB) stage of service closes, if a young adult is receiving PAL aftercare services, the PAL staff in the region where the young adult resides must document and enter PAL services in IMPACT.

PAL Payments

The conservatorship region must pay for the PAL transitional living allowance. The conservatorship region may pay the transitional living allowance and optional services if funding is not available in the placement region.

The placement region must pay for:

  •   Independent Life Skills Assessment;

  •   PAL Life Skills training;

  •   incentive to attend PAL Life Skills training sessions (if provided in the region);

  •   Case Management services; and

  •   Aftercare Room and Board expenses.

10262 National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)

CPS October 2017

DFPS must collect certain data on young adults and report this data to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the federal bureau that regulates foster care. The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) data collection system was created to meet this requirement. PAL staff must ensure data is collected and reported. See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for NYTD requirements and reporting.

10263 NYTD Independent Living Services

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must enter into IMPACT the Independent Living Services received by youth and young adults within the designated times for each reporting period. PAL staff should refer to the chart of Independent Living Services in the NYTD Manual called PAL and Other IMPACT Data Mapped to an NYTD Reportable Service.

10264 NYTD Survey

CPS October 2017

The NYTD survey is a federal survey that states administer to certain youth and young adults. PAL staff must track completion of and assist youth with taking the survey. See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for information on completing the survey.

10264.1 Reporting Periods and Data Due Dates

CPS October 2017

Reporting Period

There are two reporting periods per calendar year for the NYTD survey and data.

  •   The first reporting period “A” is October 1 to March 31 of each calendar year.

  •   The second reporting period “B” is April 1 to September 30 of each calendar year.

Data Due Dates

For reporting period “A”, PAL staff must have data entered and any errors corrected by May 6th. The date for submitting the data file to the federal government is May 15th.

For reporting period “B”, PAL staff must have data entered and any errors corrected by November 6th. The date for submitting the data file to the federal government is November 14th.

10264.2 Outcome Reporting Status

CPS October 2017

If data is not entered timely, the reporting status in the system becomes LATE. Within two working days after the reporting status becomes LATE, PAL staff must select an option explaining why the survey was not completed. In the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide see Outcome Reporting Status. Entering this information is critical. PAL staff must report why a survey was not completed for a young adult.

PAL staff must also enter a narrative under support services. The narrative must describe the efforts made to complete the survey. PAL staff must complete one narrative listing the efforts over the 45-day period for the baseline survey population, and must complete at least one narrative that lists ongoing efforts to locate youth for the follow-up survey population.

10264.3 Designating a National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Primary Contact

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must enter a designated NYTD contact in IMPACT for a youth who completes the survey at age 17, if the youth provides one. In the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide see Designating a National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Primary Contact.

10264.4 IMPACT Data and Information Alerts

CPS October 2017

PAL staff, or in some cases the caseworker, must make efforts to correct data and information alerts received by PAL staff. See the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide for more information on Data and Information alerts.

10264.5 Use of Diligent Search to Locate Youth in the Survey Population

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must explore all options to locate youth and young adults in the survey population. This may include using assistance for a diligent search, following all leads, and consulting with the caseworker for further leads. PAL staff must complete Form 2004 Request for “Quick Find” Online Records Search Assistance, for each person being located.

If PAL staff is unsuccessful in attempting to locate youth or young adults using information provided as a result of submitting Form 2004, they must complete Form 2277 Request for Diligent Search to further search for youth or young adults by identifying possible known family members or fictive kin.

10265 Special Populations

CPS October 2017

PAL staff must enter service data for youth from a different state and survey responses for youth in a Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) placement for NYTD. In the Transitional Living Services Resource Guide see Special Populations.

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