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Michigan

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State Coordinator

Michigan Department of Human Services
Jessica Kincaid
Independent Living Coordinator
Health, Education and Youth Unit, Permanency Division
235 South Grand, Suite 514
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 373-9219
Fax: (517) 335-7789
Email: Kincaidj@michigan.gov

State's Chafee Mission Statement

Information is currently unavailable

Who is eligible for Chafee services?

All youth in foster care age 14 until age 21.Youth eligible for YIT funded services include:

Young adults (age 14 to age 21) who are or have been (on or after their 14th birthday) in a foster care placement based on abuse or neglect through the State of Michigan (open or closed foster care cases).
Foster care means 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians and for whom the state agency has placement and care responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, placements in foster family homes, kinship placements, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, childcare institutions and pre-adoptive placements.
Regardless of meeting other eligibility criteria, no youth is eligible for YIT funded services while (s)he is in a detention facility or other state operated facilities.
The eligibility criteria have recently been expanded to include tribal youth who were supervised by the tribe from the time of removal.

What is the state's definition of room and board?

The State of Michigan defines “room and board” as first month’s rent and security/damage deposit for those eligible youth, ages 18 to 21, that have aged out of the foster care system.

Maximum age that youth may remain in state funded foster care

The advocacy efforts of young people from foster care, Michigan's Governor Rick Snyder has signed into law the extension of foster care from 18 to 21. The bill will also allow young adults who decide to leave foster care at 18 to reenter the system anytime up to their 21st birthday.

Under what conditions can a youth remain in state funded foster care beyond 18?

Limited term and emergency foster care, permits the continuation of foster care payments for former foster youth who have reached age 19 yet are still in a school or training program, whether in family foster care or independent living.

Does the state have an approved plan to extend Title IV-E (Federal foster care) beyond 18?

Yes

Age of extension: 21

Conditions used to extend title IV-E foster care:

Secondary Education: Yes
Postsecondary Education: Yes
Barriers to Employment: Yes
Employed 80 Hours: Yes
Incapable of Activities: Yes

Is the Extended Medicaid Option available for youth until 21?

Yes

Before reaching their 21st birthday, youth residing in Michigan have the following Medicaid programs available to them: Michigan Child covers youth to age 19 whose income is at 200 percent of the poverty level; the Medicaid Q program is available to youth up to age 21 (this program has an income test which may prevent some youth from automatic eligibility, but would serve them in times of high medical costs after a spend down (co-pay) is met); and, the Medicaid L program which is available to low income clients who are pregnant or parenting a child during the child’s first year. The Department of Community Health (DCH) administers the state’s Medicaid program. Renewal is automatic. The state of Michigan will be checking in on youth to make sure they still live in Michigan.

Can youth in care get driver’s licenses?

Yes

No additional information is available.

Does the state offer tuition waivers for foster youth?

No additional information is available.

Does the state have a youth leadership program?

Yes

Michigan currently has 13 youth boards in 17 counties, comprised of and led by 200 youth through the Michigan Youth Opportunity Initative (formerly Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Initiative). Michigan has committed to a roll-out of Youth Leadership Boards statewide by 2010.Michigan has a State Youth Policy Board that is involved in developing and changing policy and practice that affects Michigan youth in care. The State Youth Policy Board developed the Voice document with an action agenda of priority issues that have been raised with the Department of Human Services and the legislature.