At the 3rd Annual Youth Leadership Summit in February 2000 one of the things that our youth leaders wanted to address was the need for revising the Department of Human Services Voluntary Extended Care Agreement policy (V9). A number of Department supervisors and caseworkers had also indicated that there was a need to revise the V9 policy as well. The original V9 policy was put into effect in December 1982; 18 years ago! At the Youth Summit, the Independent Living Program Manager and the Department’s Life Skills caseworkers made a commitment to the youth leaders to directly involve them in the process of revising the V9; to give them a “voice” in the process. Our youth leaders felt that this was particularly important because the policy significantly affected them as young adults between the ages of 18 and 21. We also felt that the revised V9 would be a greatly improved policy as a result of our youth leader’s input.

The Life Skills caseworkers and Independent Living Program Manager scheduled meetings with 3 different groups of youth leaders beginning in March 2000 and ending in early October 2000. Seventeen youth leaders between the ages of 17 and 21 provided valuable information with regard to what should be incorporated into the revised V9 policy. This was a meaningful and powerful process for both our youth leaders and the adult staff. The youth leaders made a number of excellent, insightful suggestions which would become part of the final revised V9 policy.

All of the youth leaders felt that any decisions about their V9 Agreement should be a “team decision” directly involving the youth, their caseworker, and the casework supervisor. The youth expressed their opinion that V9 Agreements not be terminated without the youth first having the opportunity to be involved in that decision.

Our youth leaders also felt that V9 Agreements should take into account “individual circumstances.” For example, not every youth would be able to manage a full time educational program, or necessarily be ready to make the decision about higher educational goals immediately upon graduation from high school. They felt that there should be at least some reasonable amount of time for them to think about and explore their options. All youth leaders agreed that the V9 agreement needed to set fair expectations with some degree of flexibility to making any necessary changes to the agreement based on the individual’s needs and circumstances. They also felt that it was important to expect older youth begin making progress on their life goals.

A significant point the youth leaders raised was how it is for youth who are living with their own families. Young adults living with their own families often experience times of “indecision” with regard to their future. For youth in care under the old V9 policy, it often seemed to them like “one strike and you’re out!” This particular point was underlying much of the discussion with the youth about how they wanted to be treated on a V9 Agreement and “hit home” with the adults who listened to what they were saying in this regard. As a result of these particular comments a 90 “grace period” was built into the revised V9 policy. The option of being able to come back and negotiate, or renegotiate a V9 agreement was probably the most important change made to the V9 policy.

In late October 2000, the revised V9 policy was distributed to all Department offices statewide for comments. A number of caseworkers, supervisors, and some District Program Administrators responded with helpful comments. Some of these comments resulted in making a few further revisions to the V9 policy. In late December 2000, the final version of the revised V9 policy was mailed to all Department district offices.

We are very proud of the youth leaders who offered fair and extremely valuable insights into what has now become part of new V9 policy. It was truly an honor to work with these youth! We feel that we now have the best V9 policy possible as a result of their participation in the process.