Chafee Program Purpose and Services
Chafee Program Purpose # 1:
To ensure that children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age are provided education, training, financial support, and other needed services.
Services Available through Purpose #1:
- Independent Living Services - Preparing youth age 14 and over for independence through life skills training. Please see a list of Transitional Living Providers.
- Transitional Living Placement - Preparing youth age 17 through age 20 for independence through monitored experiential community living.
- Educational Benefits - Assist youths' educational attainment through tutoring, provision of computers, tuition and tuition waivers. Please see the Tuition Waiver Fact Sheet and the Education and Training Voucher Fact Sheet.
- Job Preparation - Provide tools to help youth become employable through classroom instruction, hands on experience and job coaching. Please see the Employment Fact Sheet.
Chafee Program Purpose # 2:
To support and serve former foster care recipients between 18 and 20 years of age to complement their own efforts toward self-sufficiency and to assure that program participants recognize and accept their personal responsibility for preparing to make the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Services Available through Purpose #2:
- Community Support Services - Providing housing assistance and general support services to those youth age 18 through age 20 who have aged out of the foster care system after age 18. Please see the Community Support Services Fact Sheet.
- SED Transition Services - Providing general support services as well as extensive case management to former foster care youths with severe emotional disorders age 18 to 20. Please see the SED Fact Sheet.
For further information contact:
Christina Bertelli, Program Manager
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program
Bureau for Children and Families
Children and Adult Services
350 Capitol St. Room 691
Phone: (304) 558-6067
Toll Free: (866) 720-3605
E-mail: Chafee@hsc.wvu.edu
