Transitional Housing Program Plus (THP+)

The THP+ program is sometimes referred to as THP+ Aftercare. This reference indicates that the youth was a former non-minor dependent in Extended Foster Care before entering THP+. This is a transitional housing placement opportunity for aged-out foster youths. This program services youths ages 18 through 25 years old. The goal of the program is to provide a safe living environment while helping youths achieve self-sufficiency so that they can learn life skills upon leaving the foster care support system. Counties participating in the program provide supervised independent living housing and support services.

Participants may live alone or with roommates in apartments and single-family dwellings with regular support provided by THP+ agency staff, county social workers and the ILP coordinators. Support services include regular visits to participants’ residences, educational guidance, employment counseling and assistance reaching goals outlined in participants’ case plan readiness document or TILP.

Participation Requirements

THP+ eligible participants are young adults who have emancipated from foster/probation care at the age of 18 or up to 21 and are between the ages 18 through 24 years old (a youth cannot be placed in THP+ at 25 years old, however, they may remain in the program until they reach 25 years of age). These non-minors must pursue county-approved goals they have developed in the STEP TILP or STEP 8. The maximum time for THP+ participation is 36 cumulative months. These youths can exit and re-enter the program as long as they have not exceeded the 36 month limit and under the age of 25.

The term Emancipated Foster Youth is defined as “Young adults who are former foster/probation youths who have left foster care because they have reached at least 18 years of age and up to the day prior to their 21st birthday”. For THP+ purposes, the upper age limit has been extended to their 25th birthday.

Emancipated youths must meet the following requirements:

The completion of the STEP TILP (STEP 8).
The STEP 8 must be signed and dated within 30 days of the start date by the Participant, Service Provider, and County Representative (SW/PO).
The STEP 8 must include the Service Provider.
The non-minor must have been in foster care in the state of California and have aged-out at the age of 18 years old.
The applicant must have been in foster care (court dependency) with DFCS or JPD on the day before their 18th birthday
Includes youths that are AWOL when they turned 18 but remain dependents of court or wards.
Participants must inform the county of any changes to conditions specified in the STEP 8 that effect eligibility including changes in address, living circumstances and the educational or training program.
The STEP 8 must be reviewed and updated annually by the participant, the County SW/PO, Provider and other appropriate individuals needed to reflect necessary changes.

Participation in THP+ is subject to county participation in the program, the availability of safe and affordable housing, and the availability of program providers.

THP+ participants who are parenting are eligible for THP+ provided they meet all eligibility requirements.

Note: Non-minor parenting participants cannot receive the parenting rate if their child is court dependent and a provider is receiving a foster care or Kin-GAP payment.

THP+ participants may have aged-out of foster/probation care outside of Santa Clara County but within the State of California. THP+ youth may reside in or out of Santa Clara County. It is the SW’s/PO’s responsibility to provide proof of exiting from foster/probation care. This is especially important for non-minors who received foster care or were court dependent outside of Santa Clara County.

Not Eligible for THP+

Youth who age-out of foster care from another state are not considered eligible for THP+.

There are three models to THP+ in Santa Clara County:

Host Family: In this model the non-minor lives with their former foster family or other life-long, durable connection.
San Jose State University: In this model non-minors are full-time students and live in the SJSU residence halls while they attend an accredited college program.
Scattered Sites via Contracted Providers: In this model the non-minor can live in a variety of “scattered sites,” including their own apartments, shared housing or facilities/buildings owned by a provider with whom DFCS has contracted.

Note: Available slots are subject to change at the discretion of the county.

The THP+ contractors in Santa Clara County are:

Bill Wilson Center (BWC)
- 45 Slots
HomeFirst (formerly EHC Lifebuilders (EHC))
- 25 slots
Unity Care Group, Inc. (UCG)
- 23 Slots

Provider Requirements

A THP+ placement provider must be certified by the County of Santa Clara and meet program requirements per the MOU for THP+.

Note: The THP+ youth may live in or out of the County of Santa Clara.

Termination of THP+

Upon termination, the provider must call for a meeting with the ILP Coordinator to discuss the issues. A termination referral must be sent to the ILP Coordinator including but not limited to 30-day notification and a reason for the termination. The ILP Coordinator will provide Fiscal with the termination date and the last day of payment. At this time payment is not being processed by FCE.

When THP+ is terminating, Medi-Cal must continue until the age of 26 unless otherwise ineligible. The continuation of Medi-Cal benefits remains in effect as long as the non-minor is under the age of 26 and is a California resident.

Affordable Care Act

Foster care youths that have aged-out of the foster care system and are under the age of 26 are eligible for Zero-Share-Of Cost Medi-Cal under the FFY program (Medi-Cal aid code 4M). Effective January 1, 2014, youths that are participating in the THP+ program are eligible and will remain eligible for FFY during their eligibility for THP+. If their Medi-Cal is discontinued because they turned 21, it must be reinstated as explained in Foster Care Update 2013-06.

When the non-minor has no existing Medi-Cal, because the foster care was not in Santa Clara County, a new Medi-Cal case must be created. Refer to BEnDS 2014-03 for instructions.

THP+ Rates

Providers will be reimbursed based on the following rate schedule, per participant, per month with no gender distinction. The rates are determined by SSA’s MOU between the SSA and the providers. Rates may change July 1, 2015. The rates are listed below.

Table 27-1: THP+ Aftercare Providers Rates

Type & Rate
- Single Participant
  - $2400
- Parenting Participant
  - $2800

Emancipation Fund

An emancipated fund is established for a youth when accepted in the THP+ program. The provider must deposit $50 a month into the participant’s fund account. The monthly $50 payment may come from the THP+ monthly payment. The youth is entitled to these funds upon completion of the THP+ program.

For CalWORKs and CalFRESH purposes, money deposited to the emancipation fund would be counted as unearned income.

THP+ Surplus

All net program gains must be reinvested in the THP+ program for eligible non-minors. The funds are reviewed at the end of the each fiscal year normally before June 30 of each year. When there is a surplus the funds are distributed to the eligible youths.

Fiscal Services will be provided with amounts of reimbursement once a year between July 1, and August 31 of each year.

Documentation Required for Payment

The STEP 8 must be completed. An invoice is forwarded to the ILP Coordinator with the admit and termination dates for the billing month. The ILP coordinator will provide an invoice listing to FC MA and FC SSPM with the beginning and end dates during the month. Payments are pro-rated based on the number of days serviced for the month.

When a non-minor participates in THP+ and has aged-out of foster care from another county, the SW/PO must provide FCE with documentation that the youth aged-out of foster care at age 18. This information is needed for both the THP+ program and the FFY Medi-Cal.

The provider will submit an invoice by the 10th day of the month for the previous month of service (similar to wraparound payments).

The ILP Coordinator will provide Fiscal an invoice listing of payments to make each month.

The payments are made each month through CalWIN using NSDI. The payments are to be made on Open or Closed Foster Care cases. The payments are only made on closed foster care cases when the THP+ participant is also on CalWORKs. For payments instructions refer to BEnDS 2014-03.

Note: When the non-minor is on CalWORKs, the THP+ benefits are paid on a closed foster care case. This will allow tracking for the THP+ program as THP+ benefits cannot be paid on a CalWORKs case. Also, when CalWORKs is terminated, Medi-Cal benefits for the non-minor must be re-instated in the foster care case.

Overpayments

An overpayment is any funds the provider has received in which they were not eligible to receive. The ILP coordinator will make the determination. The provider must repay SSA disallowed costs which includes overpayments, violation and/or default amount. The repayment must be made within ninety (90) days of discovery of disallowed costs.

The overpayment claims are generated manually through NSDC in CalWIN under the foster care case. Claims must be manually referred to Recovery and Legal.