A GAL’s Role in Independent

Living and Life Skills

Planning

When a child is 16 years old and is

removed from their parents by the

WHO IS REQUIRED TO HAVE

AN INDEPENDENT LIVING

PLAN?

state, the state acts in place of the

parents and it is the state’s legal

responsibility to provide independent

living services to the youth.

“an addendum to the discrete case

plan that includes those services

DEFINITION OF AN INDEPENDENT

LIVING PLAN (ILP)

Is defined in Regulation 7.305.2 as:

plan that includes those services

designed to promote or enhance a

youth’s capacity to make a

successful transition from out-of-

home care to living independently

and maintaining self-sufficiency.”

An ILP that complies with the law will

enhance the youth’s capacity to

make a successful transition from

PURPOSE OF THE

INDEPENDENT LIVING PLAN

make a successful transition from

out-of-home care to living

independently and maintaining self-

sufficiency. Of course, for an ILP to

be meaningful, it must be

implemented.

OVERVIEW OF INDEPENDENT LIVING

PLAN (ILP) LAW AND REGULATIONS

At age 16 the Permanency Plan must

include Independent Living Services

C.R.S. 19-3-702(3.5)(b)C.R.S. 19-3-702(3.5)(b)

DHS Regulations require the Independent

Living Plan (ILP) to be part of the Family

Service Plan/Treatment Plan

DHS Regulation 7.305.1 - 7.305.2 – 7.305.3

The plan for independent living

services shall be completed within

ILP TIMELINE REQUIREMENT

services shall be completed within

60 days of the child’s 16th birthday

and it must be part of the

Treatment Plan (Family Service

Plan).

Reg. 7.305.3

Regulation 7.305.3 requires that the

county department of human services

shall assess all youth in foster care who

have reached the age of 16 for

independent living services and complete

ASSESSMENT

independent living services and complete

the independent living section of the

Family Services Plan. This assessment

and planning for independent living is

required regardless of the specified

goal of the Treatment Plan.

DEFINITION OF ASSESSMENT

An Independent Living Assessment is

defined in Regulation 7.305.2 as “an

evaluation of the youth’s daily living

skills.”: “This assessment should

document the youth’s strengths, needsdocument the youth’s strengths, needs

as well as capacity and motivation to

learn the appropriate skills.”

(The assessment must be state approved. Those approved

are: Ansell Casey Assessment, Chafee Assessment

Instrument or the CANS Assessment)

DOCUMENTATION OF

ASSESSMENT

The assessment shall include

documentation of the youth’s capacity for

self-sufficiency and self-support by reviewing self-sufficiency and self-support by reviewing

daily living skills. The assessment must also

include an evaluation of individual, family,

community and financial resources available

to promote emancipation or semi-

independent living.

P la c e m e n t T h e r a p is t C h a f fe e A D I S c h o o l O th e r

DOMAI� #1: CAREER PLA��I�G

W o rk G o a ls * Em p lo ym en t *

W o rk P la c e C om m un ic a tio n C om m en ts :

DOMAI� #2: COMMU�ICATIO� P e rso n a l D ev e lo pm en t *

In te rp e rso n a l C om m un ic a tio n *

C om m en ts :

DOMAI� #3: DAILY LIVI�G

N u tr i tio n M enu P la n n in g

G ro c e ry S h o p p in g

ILP CATEGORIES

M ea l P re p a ra tio n

D in in g K itc h e n C le a n U p & S to ra g e

H om e M an agem en t H om e S a fe ty B e lie fs A bo u t M o n ey *

S av in g *

B an k in g & C re d i t *

B ud g e t in g /S p e n d in g P lan * C on sum in g *

L e isu re T im e L eg a l Is su e s

C om m en ts :

DOMAI� #4: HOME LIFE H om e L ife

C om m en ts :

DOMAI� #5: HOUSI�G & MO�EY

MA�AGEME�T

Placement Therapist Chaffee ADI School Other

Housing

Transportation

Community Resources

Beliefs About Money * Saving *

Income Tax Banking & Credit *

Budgeting/Spending Plan * Consuming *

Work Goals * Comments:

DOMAI� #6: SELF CARE

Personal Hygiene Personal Hygiene Health

Alcohol, Drugs & Tobacco Sexuality

Relationships * Comments:

DOMAI� #7: SOCIAL

RELATIO�SHIPS

Personal Development *

Cultural Awareness

Interpersonal Communication * Relationships *

Comments:

DOMAI� #8: WORK LIFE Placement Therapist Chaffee ADI School Other

Work Life Comments:

DOMAI� #9: WORK & STUDY

SKILLS

Work Goals * Employment * Decision Making Study Skills Comments:

FAMILY SERVICES PLAN PART 4D

(INCORRECT)

FAMILY SERVICES PLAN PART 4D

(CORRECT)

WHO IS REQUIRED TO

DEVELOP INDEPENDENT

LIVING PLAN?

Following the Assessment, the Independent

Living Plan shall be developed jointly by Living Plan shall be developed jointly by

the youth, caseworker, care providers and

other significant persons or agencies.

(Often the Independent Living Plan is not developed at

all or is developed in isolation.)

STATE ADMINISTRATIVE

REVIEW QUESTIONS

The Administrative Review Questions

provide an outline of the legal requirements provide an outline of the legal requirements

for an Independent Living Plan.

The law requires the

Court to exercise judicial

JUDICIAL LEADERSHIP AND

OVERSIGHT

Court to exercise judicial

leadership and oversight

to make sure that an ILP

is developed and

implemented in the

manner provided for in

the law.

At the time of the Treatment Plan hearing the Independent

Living Plan, should be reviewed and approved or disapproved

by the Court. At Appearance Reviews and the Permanency

Planning Hearing progress on the Independent Living Plan

should be reviewed.

The issues before the Court are:

ILP LEGAL CHECKLIST

The issues before the Court are:

• Is there an ILP that is completed within the 60 days of the 16th

birthday?

• Is the ILP based on a state approved assessment?

• Was the ILP jointly developed by the youth, caseworker, care

providers and other significant persons or agencies?

• Is the Independent Living skills provider named in the plan and is

the youth receiving services to address the needs identified by

the assessment and the ILP?

• What is the progress on the plan?

NON-COMPLIANCE WITH ILP

LAW

If the Independent Living

Plan does not comply with

the law a Court Order

should be sought to rectify

the problem with the Plan.