Please note that this transcript was auto-generated. We apologize for any minor errors in spelling or grammar.

Stephanie Wells: [00:00:00] Hello everybody. My name is Stephanie Wells here from MEFA. Thanks for joining us today. We have an amazing, uh, set of speakers today from DCF who are experts in their field, and we’re so happy to be able to bring them to you as an additional resource here at MEFA for the MEFA Institute. Um, if you wanna go to the next slide, Seth.

Uh, I know that for a couple of you who have already logged in, we. We let you know that everybody is on mute. So if you have questions, feel free to type those in the q and a and we might answer them live if it’s a good one for everybody here, or we might just type the answer in the q and a. All of us have access to the q and a, uh, but we are recording today, so we will share that with all the registrants.

So I’m gonna turn it over to our, uh, friends over at DCF. Just a reminder, today’s webinar is worth one PDP point, so make sure that you, um. Access those credits after watching the webinar today. And I will turn it over to [00:01:00] starting with Seth and I’ll let you all introduce yourself.

Seth Riker: Hello everyone. Uh, my name is Seth Riker.

Um, I’m the supervisor on our central office, the adolescent Young adult services unit that oversees all the financial aid programs that DCF has for youth that are, or were formerly in foster care that are going on to college or vocational school after completing high school or a high set program. Um, so I work.

With Lori and Kristen Atch, who are on with us as well. Um, they are actually our education training voucher social workers, and they process all those applications for the tuition of ewa, our foster child grant, our education training voucher, um, applications. And we also have a really more scholarship. Um, in addition to that, they also would do, will do some problem solving with students sometimes during the course of the year, um, if they’re struggling in school or they’re having issues that are coming up or.

Issues with funding. Sometimes we’re able to help problem solve with some of that, depending on what funds are accessible for them, um, and as the budget allows. Uh, but they do a [00:02:00] lot of that work throughout their school year, so it’s not just the beginning or during the summer. It actually carries out throughout the year.

Um, so they do a lot of work trying to, trying to help them and offer additional support. So these are objective, all of our objectives for today. It’s important, you know, to make sure that we are, when we’re working with you, that we are trying to, um, help them being mindful that there are a lot of people that are in their lives.

It’s not just one person. It’s not just DCF, you know, even if the case is still open, it’s not just the social worker or an outreach worker, but everyone who’s in their life. Really is part of this process. So it’s an adoptive parent, it’s a foster parent, it’s a guardian, um, that everyone is part of this process.

And it’s not just one person’s responsibility to really have this conversation that we all need to make sure that it’s being had, that, that even if there’s social workers already talked to them about it, and also someone else did too, it doesn’t hurt also for the foster parent, guardian or adoptive parent to also have the conversation because.

I really for our youth, the more you can talk about it, the more they can understand it and you reinforce it and you [00:03:00] flesh out the conversation, the better off they’re gonna be. Um, there are, there are times where we have conversations and or we send emails and they say, you know, they understand and, and some of our teens still don’t understand.

So it’s important to always, like I said, continue those conversations. So one of our, our goals for today is really to make sure that you understand, so the post-secondary options for youth that are, are, or were formally in foster care. Um, is become the academic planning for them as far as higher education.

Understand the financial aid process, um, at least from the DCF perspective and how that works, and a little bit for the school and be able to assist with accessing DCF support. So those are our, our goals that we have going on.

There we go. So before senior year, DCF is doing a lot that maybe you don’t always see behind the scenes to help them prepare for, um, for college or vocational school, that post-secondary education. Um, you know, there was a lot of discussion that is going on. It starts with our youth right assessment tool, where we’re really assessing where are they, [00:04:00] what are their goals, because that’s when some, those conversations first start, what do they wanna do after high school or after they earn the high set?

What do they see in their future? Do they, is college for them? Are they not sure? Are they thinking about a trade? Do they wanna do, go directly to work? And really having that conversation to flesh that out and figuring out what those goals are. So DCF is doing our youth writing assessment tools. Um, and that actually continues every six months.

It’s renewed. So that is going on right until, you know, 16, 17, 18, and right through, it’s all through high school. Um, that is being, um, evaluated. We’re trying to figure that out. That’s where our open cases. Um, we also do some life skills training. What was, um, what was referred to as pi, which is Preparing Adolescents and youth for young adulthood.

We have another program that’s called Life Skills Reimagined, which is a hybrid version that we offer, but it’s still the same life skills training. Um, and we are also having discussions with youth as far as like post-secondary education supports. Um, and then that’s, this is one part that’s really important for everyone to always have that and talk about like what do they need, what are they thinking about?

And to really. [00:05:00] Flesh that out because they may think they know what they want, or perhaps all their friends are going to college. Other people say they’re going to college. So they say that, but what does that mean for them? What kind of goals have they set for themselves? And we are all part of that team to really ensure that they’re making sure that they’re taking their Ps, SATs, their SATs, if they’re going to college.

Not all colleges require those, but many of them still do. So it’s important to make sure that they’re, they’re engaging in that, that they’re. Paying attention to those dates, um, when they get the flyers as far as the test days that they’re paying attention to that at school or emails. I don’t think anything is really done in a flyer very much these days.

Um. But for our year, you know, prosecute those. It’s, it’s important to keep in mind that when someone has been through trauma, that they need additional support, more than just your average teenager, your average student, but they need a little extra support, a little more handholding to help them get through that.

I. Because it will take them a little bit longer to learn sometimes and to understand what’s going on. So just that [00:06:00] extra support, um, be, you know, above and beyond what your typical student may require. I mean, that may not be for every foster youth, but for, for a number of youth that experience certificate trauma, especially, you know, a lot of complex trauma, it’s important to make sure they’re having the extra support.

And that’s one of the considerations that we think of when they’re getting ready for school is are they ready? You know, emotionally, mentally, are they, are they in the game? Is this really what they want? Do they have the support services they need in place? We’ve had a number of foster youth over the years where.

As soon as they go to school, they’re stopping therapy. They stop their medication. It’s something that they took during high school and they think they don’t need it now, and they’re going from high school from a place where everyone knew they were a foster child to college and they are taking on a new persona for themselves.

And I. Sometimes forgetting that, you know, these issues, the depression, anxiety, it wasn’t just something that was from high school or from the past, but those are things they may need help with into the future. And trying to support them in making sure that those supports and services are in [00:07:00] place. You know, if you don’t think you need it.

Keep it for your freshman year. See how it goes. And if you really don’t need it after your freshman year and things are going fine, then you make your decision, or perhaps after the first semester, but really make sure that support is there because you don’t wanna start something new and not have that support that you, that has been very helpful all along.

Um, you know, it’s important for ’em to think about academics, you know, what, what are their goals? What do they wanna study? Um, we actually do have, you know, some of you that they’re looking at. Looking at, um, some schools and thinking about pursuing something that they wanna become, say a police officer or they wanna get their criminal justice degree.

You know, realizing it, you know, what does that mean as you know, do I need to have it from, um, a very expensive private college where I’ll not get as much aid from DCF or should I consider a state school? Uh, because the job at the end is going to be the same. But to really think about that, think about how they’re doing in school.

If they say that they wanna. Uh, they wanna become a lawyer, but their reading and writing, um, and their, [00:08:00] the skill, their grades in high school have not been great. That’s something to think about and there maybe some foundational work they’ll have to do, but to really, you know, think about, you know, what?

What is working for them now and what are the areas where they do well? You know, what are their interests are, are those aligned? Uh, then you’ll need support as far as research in college colleges, doing tours. Um, the costs or the return on investment is what I was talking about as far as, you know, someone who wants to become a police officer and, and get the, getting the criminal justice degree because for the same degree you get the same job.

Because that, that’s one of those jobs that doesn’t require a college degree. So having that is already a bonus. So does it make sense for them to take on college loans when they get most of recovered through the state? So we wanna make sure they’re always kind of weighing that out, um, and trying to figure out what makes sense for them.

And in some fields. You may wanna have a degree that is from a premier school, from an Ivy League school, if you, um, so I mean, for each youth it’s gotta be different. The conversation will be different. Um, some youth [00:09:00] are trying to figure out whether they wanna ational school or whether they wanna go to college.

As long as it’s a FAFSA eligible program. DCF does have support for that. Um, if their case is open and it’s not a FAFSA eligible program, there may be some funding through some of our life skills, um, that’ll be able to help out with, with some of that. Um, but we’re really here just focus on, on the college or vocational school that is FAFSA eligible.

’cause that’s really where we have the greatest amount of support. Um, if there are, there are unclear as far as careers, I. High schools do have their own career assessment tools. Um, there are also centers like Mass edco has that are able to do career assessments. So if they leave high school and they have not gone on to college, educational school, it’s never too late for them to do another career assessment.

Um, they can always go to, um, mass edco or a lot of community centers also have, um, or employment centers also have the career assessments so they can get that support, trying to figure out what direction they wanna go in. Yeah, I think one of the, the [00:10:00] biggest things that we, we try to reinforce is, um, is that college is not free.

And that has been a misconception that has been communicated by many people throughout the years, reinforced by attorneys and other people who, and even some social workers who don’t fully understand how the process works for DCF A, that we don’t guarantee that college is free. But we do have programs that can cover most in some, in some cases.

All of the costs if they’re going to a stay school. Uh, it all depends on what they qualify for and what school they’re going to. Um, but there are other things that we can’t always account for, like summer housing, um, winter housing, um, if they’re taking winter courses or summer courses. Um, so some of those on-campus living costs, like that’s.

That’s one place where we can’t guarantee that’s gonna be covered. It depends on what programs we have that they qualify for. With aid they get, um, is from federal aid. And also there’s, um, and for private schools, that’s a real big issue too. Sometimes they get large grants or, [00:11:00] um, they get large scholarships from, from private schools.

And really looking at, you know, how does this match up with the. Overall cost, what DCF can supply, what the federal government offers. You know, does this, you know, am I able to make this? If not, what’s the balance? What am I taking out in loans and how, what will they add up to over the course of the year?

And then looking at four or five years, depending on how many classes they take a semester. So it’s important to really, to think about that and, and weigh that. Um. There is, you know, there are always work study options. Um, and we have our William Warren scholarship, but there are also lots of other scholarships that are out there.

There are a lot of scholarship databases that are available out there to help find them. Um, like I said, uh, mass Edco, who I mentioned earlier, they have their own scholarship database. There are a lot of different ones out there that are free to access. Um, some, I’m sure that there are always gonna be some paid for services, of course, but there, I mean there are a number that I’ve been able to, um, that you can see it.

Um, that you can actually find a lot of free [00:12:00] scholarship resources or if just a general search online.

So it all starts out as far as, uh, the fafsa either doing the FAFSA or the fafsa. So for, for youth that qualify for the fafsa, that’s the federal application, excuse me, for free student aid. And then we have the mass post, the Massachusetts application for state financial aid. So if a youth is undocumented.

But they qualify as a high school completer. We’ll go over that a little bit later. Um, they can file the MASA and still have access to Massachusetts Funds for Education, which that includes some of our programs, and we’ll go over to that. But there, one of our programs is a federal program that does require the fafsa.

Um, but there are, there are different types of, of aid that our students can access. Um, high school guidance counselors, um, sometimes information about local scholarships that are available. There are school aid that’s available from the institution, but we’re also called the institutional aid. And then we have the, you know, DCF financial aid services that we’ll we’ll get [00:13:00] into.

Um, the, but with the tuition equity law that did open up for undocumented students that do qualify for the sspa, um, access to, to all our state funds. So anything that is state funded, they have access to that. If they qualify for the mafa and they qual they meet the guidelines for those individual programs.

We’re looking at as far as applications, I mean, we’re looking at our mass for fafsa, looking at deadlines, um, making sure that they’re completing those. We’re, there’re also applications for our DCF programs that are completed. We do have a new online portal where they can complete that. Um, where the applications are done online.

They’re submitted online. There’s nothing for them to download to print up. Or to email separately. It’s all completed online. Uh, but there are a lot of resources, you know, from DCF, uh, from MEFA. Uh, there’s also the FAFSA Day in Massachusetts. I know Gear Up does a lot of work around helping to, um, [00:14:00] really, or you make sure that all youth, whether they’re going to college or not, that they complete that fafsa.

So at least that door is open. So if they wanna go to vocational school or college, um, afterwards, that that’s, that’s an option. So it’s always good that, you know, we always wanna encourage them complete the application. There’s no harm, there’s no cost in completing it. It’s a lot easier. It’s not the application that I know I had to complete when I was in, in college.

Um, you don’t need all of your tax records and your bank statements and all the rest of it. It is much simpler. It’s much easier. Um, and I, I think our, even our youth in foster care are surprised how much faster it is it got from last year. And last year was faster than the previous years. Um, so it is a much simpler,

Stephanie Wells: sorry, just wanted to pipe in.

Um, before you switch to the next screen, um, just to put in a plug for the FAFSA day programs, either whether it’s a MEFA FAFSA festival or a FAFSA day FAFSA program. Um, for example, tonight from four to six, we do a virtual FAFSA [00:15:00] festival where folks can log in, they get put in a private zoom room with someone like myself or a financial aid administrator.

We can literally, they can share their screen, we can help them fill it out. Um, and there’s usually somebody from Osfa who’s there if someone needs help with the Mafa application. Um, and then on the MEFA website, there’s a school counselor page. I. It’s a family page of webinars where we have all these programs listed.

Again, we have one tonight, but we have one every month. So feel free. I just wanted to put a plugin for those resources because they are fairly new. We started really doing a lot of these last year when the FAFSA was difficult. Um, thankfully now the FAFSA is much easier this year to fill out so easy that some folks think they made a mistake ’cause it only took ’em 10 minutes to complete.

So I just want to pipe in and put a plugin for those FAFSA programs.

Seth Riker: Um, so we, we have our, our the FAFSA app application, um, [00:16:00] this year. I mean, the requirement for that and something that some of our, uh, foster youth have missed is the requirement that they actually link the IRS records. They have to give permission to link it so that way they don’t need the W2. They don’t need their bank statements, they don’t need the rest of it.

They allow permission for that link and it’s done. They have access to it. When they, before they start filling that out, you know, make sure they have their social security number or if they, if they’re a non-citizen that qualifies for the fafsa, they have the alien registration number. Um, for Masa, they do not have to have any kind of number.

They don’t need a social security number, ITIN number or alien registration number. Um, a number is assigned to them, um, internally by the, um, with the system. When they complete the mafa, it does require the second part, they complete an affidavit with the school, which that’s part of the verification of the financial aid office.

Um, but the, the application itself is, um, it’s a lot easier and simpler for those that complet the maa. I think one of the, the biggest things for, for a lot of our youth that [00:17:00] are in foster care when they’re answering questions on FAFSA or maa, is that. When they’re in foster care and they’re in, they’re determined to be able to file as an independent person that they don’t need to fill in those questions.

Do you know if one of your parents went to college? Do you know what their income is? Do you know what state they live in? You don’t need to have that information when they’re completing it.

This is actually a copy of the dependency question that’s, um, available. This is for this year’s, um, fafsa. So there are a lot of, it’s very simple as when looking for c special circumstances, there are check boxes, and if they select any one of these check boxes, I’ve highlighted here with the yellow arrows that will, these are ones that are youth in foster care or that have been adopted or placed in guardianship would select.

Um, so it would actually. Bypass a bunch of other questions ’cause determined to be able to file is an independent filer and the school will do a verification, uh, where the school will ask for a ward of the court letter or documentation of the [00:18:00] guardianship or adoption. And DCF social worker can, um, provide that if they have an open case, if the case is closed.

Um, then they can also contact us at, um, youth support services and we’re able to help them get that documentation. They need to make sure that they provide that with any other tuition, fee, waivers, et cetera, to the financial aid office. We’re not sending it to the financial aid office directly. We don’t have, um, the FERPA sign, so that’s why we’re not mailing it to the school or emailing it to the school.

Um, but we can provide those letters that they then in turn have to provide to the school.

The, this is one of the questions as far as like, for parent educational status, they could just check, don’t know. Even if they do know. Just check. Don’t know. I know, especially for the mafa. It’s created, it created a lot of issues last year when, um, they were giving answers to some of these questions, but they were determined to be able to be independent.

Um, they were in DCF Care and they’re answering questions and it, [00:19:00] it was a point of confusion for the masa. The system was not developed in order to handle some of those nuanced cases. Um, so for some those we, some just check, don’t know, because once you’re determined to be independent, the rest of the information doesn’t matter.

It’s not really relevant. Um, for, for your application. Um, this just is an ex explanation as far as the different definitions that there are any questions as far as what an orphan is, ward of the court, foster care, emancipation, uh, we don’t. We don’t really see a lot of emancipation. There are a lot of 17 year olds that are, or 16 year olds that are, be emancipated from their parents.

Um, usually they end up, um, with DCF or in foster care or adopted, um, or a private guardianship with family. Um, but if any questions or email is right here, any questions, they can always, anyone can feel free to just email us if they’re not sure. We’re always willing to help out and, um, figure out this process with you.[00:20:00]

Um, as far as the, the mass, um, we have the high school completer, um, was part of the tuition equity law, so expanded the access the estate rate. Um, say one of the things that is, is important to keep in mind is that they have to attend high school in Massachusetts for three years. They don’t have, they could be a freshman or a sophomore or junior, you know, once or twice or three times, but as long as they do three years in Massachusetts high school.

And they get their, um, high school diploma or do a high set in Massachusetts, then they would qualify as a high school completer. This is for undocumented students that are completing the Master Spa. Um, but they’re the same. The Department of higher ed or the Office of of Financial Student Aid, they have the, the application, but there’s also more information there.

Uh, but that’s one of the key things to keep in mind. I know when this is rolled out. We’ve had a few cases that have come up, um, and really happy them to look through, um, some of the record and try to get the information from the school as far as their prior involvement in the [00:21:00] high school before DCF became involved.

And we’ve had a, a number of youth that have been able to take advantage of the the MassPAT application.

So the, the type of aid that a youth, uh, is able to receive through DCF is gonna depend upon the type of custody, the aid that came into care, the, the age of a guardianship, adoption, and the type of custody. Um, when they came into care, I. I know in DCF world, a lot of us are, you know, this seems very straightforward, but it’s not, um, for a lot of our youth, we do have a lot of youth that are in foster care that don’t quite understand how they came into care.

Because, because for them it’s all the same. They were in foster care and the experience for them is the same. They were out of their homes, they’re away from their communities. Their friends or their relatives, and the experience is all the same for them, but it does have an impact on our end as far as what they’re eligible for for services.

Um, what’s been approved by a legislature, um, as far as funding. Um, so we have, uh, protective [00:22:00] custody is when there’s issues of abuse and neglect, and that’s why they come into care. I. There’s the CRA or child requiring assistance, and that’s when there are issues with school truancy or issues with, um, following the parents’ rules and, um, and, uh, behavior.

The parents are unable to control and that’s when they’re put in the, in the court because of behavioral issues or school attendance. Um, sometimes youth are placed in an adoption with another family or in a guardianship. Most youth do return home, so majority of our youth. Return home back to the parents, but it’s for those two that do stay in care or are placed in a guardianship or adoption.

That, that we have to really look at this and figure out what type of custody, because that’ll help us to figure out the, the next steps. Um, a voluntary placement agreement is when a parent. Approaches DC, F and ask to have their child placed into custody instead of going through the courts or anywhere else.

They ask for assistance. Maybe they’re going through something. Um, there’s some life circumstances where they, they need support and they don’t have family or someone they can rely [00:23:00] upon. So they will approach DCF and find, sign a voluntary placement agreement. Um, so that will also impact what they’re eligible for as well.

Um, sometimes the court will order custody to us, um, but then there are a lot of other situations as far as like DYS custody, which is not DCF, um, or youth, maybe runaway or homeless. But if they don’t enter DCF care or custody, then that’s gonna impact the aid that we’re, the aid that’s available to them.

Um, so it will impact as far as. Uh, where things are. But I mean, those are, they could also be independent if there were homeless or runaways or, um, in DYS or if they’re in a place in a guardianship through probate court, they could still be independent, but that’s outside of DCF.

So one of the, the biggest things to really keep in mind is the proof of custody letter. So when colleges want, they will ask report documentation that a youth was in foster care. And what that really is, it’s a letter from DCF stating when they entered care [00:24:00] and whether they stayed in care until they were 18 or placed in a DCF supported guardianship or placed in the DCF supported guardianship.

And or if they were in care sometime after age 13, and if they were, if they were and they return home at some point, they may still qualify to be an independent, um, filer for the fafsa and they’ll, but they’ll want that documentation that the youth was in care during, during part of their adolescence. Um, so we’re able to help out with that, I guess if they have an open case.

They should talk to their social worker. If they have an open case with an adolescent outreach worker, they should talk to that person. Um, ’cause either the social worker or the outreach worker can provide that because we don’t have the manpower to provide all those letters for everyone in the state. Um, so that’s why, you know, if they don’t have an open case, those are the ones that you know, we are there for.

Um, but if they have an open case, it’s really important to refer them to the social worker ’cause they can get that letter, um, for them. And it does, uh, give us a little more time to work on, on the rest of of the cases. [00:25:00] Um, if someone is placed in a guardianship, whether it’s a, if it’s a private one that was never through DCF or perhaps DCF was involved, but a guardian, um, a relative got third party custody and it’s not a DCF supported guardianship, they can still get a copy of that guardianship from the court.

So that documentation could also go to the school to verify their, that they were in foster care for a period or at least outside of the home, um, and in a guardianship instead of living with their parents, and that they’re able to file as independent filers.

So, as I mentioned, the um, for the, after the fast forward mass was filed and a youth accepts, um, an offer for. Um, for school this, the financial aid department will ask for that ward of, um, court letter or other documentation depending on the circumstances. Um, sometimes income verification, uh, with the ability to file for independent status and that I said that a lot of that is the ward of court proof of residency, which is [00:26:00] usually a license state Id.

Sometimes they’ll ask for verification of a social security number. Um, perhaps the number entered on the FAFSA application. A master application was not correct, or perhaps there’s an issue with it, and they will ask sometimes for a copy of that card so they can see it and they’ll photocopy that for their records.

The biggest thing I really wanna enforce for, for all, um, that are here today and for anyone who watches this at a later point, making sure that youth. Read their email and any letters that they’re sent and that they read that email fully. Um, it’s not unusual. Or we get calls or emails from, from students and they’re asking us the same question repeatedly because they don’t read the email.

Um, I had someone, I wrote a very de, very detailed email and they were calling and calling. And I called him back and I said, everything’s right there in that email. It was very specific for you. It was not written for as a generic email. This, you know, we send emails, just read it all. [00:27:00] Uh, very often there’s also emails from the school asking for verification or, um, maybe this email from the school where they’re asking for other, other documentation or forms that they need to make sure they take care of that if they’ve, we’ve had some youth who’ve started school and it’s November that they’re filing their FAFSA because they thought DCF would take care of it.

Even though it says that on our website everywhere that they have to complete the fafsa, they still can’t quite understand that they had to complete the fafsa, so they complete that late. And then the bill is, you know, we’re trying to resolve the bill and rushing before the end of the semester to get that bill resolved.

Um, that’s why it’s important to read all the letters, read the email when they’re filling the applications out, read those applications, uh, make sure that they are, that you understand what they’re filling out and what they need to do. And sometimes for some youth, this may be a great time to learn to unsubscribe from a lot of emails or block senders, or if you receive a lot of spam email and you know, maybe [00:28:00] they’ve had, you know, plants, you know, plant grower or you know, or.

Christmas lover as their email address, it’s a time to maybe change and have a professional email that’s separate from the one they use for Amazon shopping or for, or to subscribe to lists that it’s a great time to create something that’s gonna be professional. They can use for employers, they can use for the school, they can use for DCF, they can use for their high school.

Um, that way they know anything that shows up in that email. It’s just for them, it’s something that they need to read, that it’s not spam, it’s not junk mail. So it’s, you know, it’s important to, you know, really have the conversation that they have one or two options, weed out the email or go through all, all through email, um, or create the separate account.

Once they receive their financial aid package, um, it’s important that someone that, that there isn’t adult in their life who’s helping them to review their financial aid advocate, uh, package they receive from a school. Because sometimes if they do receive the [00:29:00] tuition fee waiver and they gave it to the school, it’s not always showing up.

I. Right away. So making sure that some of those things are on there. We have youth that don’t know they need to complete the yearly, um, health insurance waiver, and that just because they complete that one year, you know, that doesn’t, you know, preclude the need to complete it each following year after that.

So every year they need to complete that waiver, you know, the fall of every year, um, if they’re starting the spring complete before that spring semester starts. Right, make sure they’re going through that. Sometimes we have youth that are taking out loans and there is no need to take out loans because between federal aid and what’s offered through DCF, everything is covered.

But they still accept the loans because they don’t know that they can decline them. Or perhaps they clicked accept, and then the bill was reso resolved. They can still decline them as long as they’ve, they’ve not taken a refund. If they’ve taken a refund, then that’s, that’s usually have to, uh, so the matter where they can either pay back the school or they pay payback the loan, um, the loan provider, but it’s [00:30:00] important that someone is reviewing that with them if there’s a bill.

The, you know, great example is the youth did not do do their FAFSA until November. The bill came, no one reviewed it and his assumption was it would be taken care of by DCF. No one actually looked at that to see if was any financial aid, to see if anything had been completed. Um, so that bill persisted until November until we had that conversation.

They reached out.

Um, we, these are the programs that we do have available. Uh, one of them, the adoption tuition fee waiver is actually handled by our adoption subsidy unit. The email is right there, subsidy [email protected]. They handle all the adoption. I. Um, waivers for youth adopted through DCF in Massachusetts, the foster care child tuition fee waiver, the Foster Child Grant, um, and the education training voucher.

Um, those applications are all handled through us, and the William Warren Scholarship is also available on our site as well. Um, we’ll get into that. [00:31:00] They all have the different requirements, um, and eligibility, uh, needs. But we have updated our site. So when someone visits our site, you see our three large main programs right here.

The education training voucher, the tuition fee waiver, and Foster Child Grant. It has a very quick of what it is, what it provides, um, what the requirements are, if any. Um. For the post child grant, they have to be full-time, but for ETV and the tuition fee waiver, it can be part-time as well. Um, age requirements are all listed here.

Citizenship, where they, they can get it with a MAA or fafsa. That’s all explained right here. Then there’s a link for full eligibility. For each of the programs and the application link as well. Um, I’ll put a QR code. So if, um, if you were to receive this by email, even right now, if you took a picture of it, it’d bring you right to that page.

So we simplified that everything is filled out online. It’ll take them five minutes to fill out any of our applications. They’re very quick. Um, so it’s, it’s a lot easier, it’s a lot more streamlined. [00:32:00] We’re finally getting up with the age and not setting out paper forms or emailing separate word forms or, uh, PDFs.

I’m gonna turn it over to Lori to talk about the tuition and fee waiver.

Kristen Cumberbatch: Hi. Good afternoon. Um, so the DCF tuition and fee waiver is for students who are, who were in DCF custody until the age of 18. They were either adopted or guardian, um, and they’re eligible for. The federal, federal funding, um, DCF certifies eligibility, but it’s actually Osfa who disperses the funding.

We don’t always know when they’re gonna disperse the funding, so that can be tricky. Um, students will be cur waiting till last minute for funding, and they might be something on their, on their bill. Um. Usually, typically the Massachusetts schools will hold, um, put a place mark on there so they know it’s coming.

Um, the waiver can be used at any Massachusetts public college or a [00:33:00] university. It’s not for certificate programs, it’s just for bachelor and associate’s programs. And it’s not for winter classes, summer classes, or non-state supported classes. Um. It’s also just used for the tuition and fees. It’s not for books, um, to, um.

It’s not for books and supplies or any of the, any other additional fees that they may have. It’s not for housing. Um, it’s important that students, once they receive the waiver, uh, we will email it to them, that they give it to the school. There are so many students that are not doing that one step and submitting it to the school, and then they have a bill and come November or December, they’re freaking out that there’s a huge bill on their account and that they can’t register for classes.

Um, as Seth said, the adoption WA adoption waiver is through the subsidy unit, but we handle all the other waivers. I think that’s about it, right? Seth?

Seth Riker: If they start out at one [00:34:00] school and they transfer to let, let’s say start out at community college and they go to what, um, one of the UMass schools, or Bridgewater State University or one of the other state universities, they need to give a copy of that tuition v waiver they received and they gave to the first school, to the second school financial aid office as well, because it’s not part of a generalized, uh, record like the IRS, that they don’t have access to each other’s records and support.

The student does keep a copy of them. Of that for themselves. And that’s good until they turn 25 or they finish the bachelor’s degree. So if they get, get a bachelor’s degree, they can’t go and get a second bachelor’s degree with it. They have their bachelor’s degree, the certificate expires, and then that, that part is done.

Um, for the foster child grant I required for this is that it is they’re, they’re in care under a care and protection petition. If they’re there because of truancy or behavioral issues in the home under the CRA, it doesn’t apply. If it’s through probate court, it doesn’t apply. Um, if they’re in with a voluntary placement agreement, it doesn’t apply.

This is only for care and [00:35:00] protection cases. Um, and they have to be a mass, um, resident. So if they are going outta state for school. They qualify for the foster child Grant. They can continue to receive that while they’re in school until the 25th birthday. But it is important that they maintain their Massachusetts residency.

So as soon as they get their license in New York or Connecticut or wherever else they’re going, um, and it happens. They get, they get their license somewhere. They get a, or state id, they register to vote in another state. They filed their taxes with a different state’s address. They’re no longer Massachusetts residents, and then they can’t get this until they reestablish Massachusetts residents.

Um, so they do have to be enrolled full time. So that’s 12 credits. So if they drop a. Very often, like they, this may not be awarded if it’s already gone past, um, that period for, for ad drop that they, they won’t get this award. They could lose financial aid. Um, they can get this, they complete the MASA or the fafsa, so both the tuition fee waiver and the [00:36:00] foster child grant.

Are accessible if they do the, the MAFA or fafsa. Um, and they have to make, make sure that they’re maintaining the school’s, um, requirements for satisfactory academic progress. If they do not qualify for financial aid because of the GPA has slipped and slipped for consecutive semesters and they do not get an appeal approved, then this will not apply.

So it does require that they are eligible for financial aid in order to get any of our programs.

I’ll turn over to Kristen for the education Training voucher program.

Laurie Hernande: Hi, so I’ll be covering the education and training voucher. Um, so the ETV can assist with any education related expenses. Initially, this would be going towards unmet need of a direct cost of attendance, which typically include tuition fees, dorms, as well as meal plans after that was met.

The needs would then go to address the indirect costs, which would, would include books, supplies, transportation, [00:37:00] as well as they’re entitled to a one-time tech award, which they could utilize for a laptop. Um, this would typically require a receipt. Um, these awards usually cover the entire academic year, but it’s a needs space, so if they did need additional funding, they could put in another request.

This typically covers up to $5,000 a year, and then it is subject to funding availability. In order for a youth to be eligible for this, they would have to be in our custody until the age 18. They would’ve been able to not return home and they’re eligible until the age of 26. Youth who were adopted or had guardianship after the age of 16 are eligible as well as they must have received a as well as, or A GED, and they also have to complete the fafsa.

I think that

Seth Riker: was it, right? Yep. You did great job. Um, we have our William Warren scholarship, which there’s, um, greater avail, variability, I’m sorry, variability as far as, [00:38:00] um, who that can cover. So for anyone who has been in DCF foster care for at least one year. They’re able to apply for the William Warren scholarship, whether they return home or not.

But if they were in foster care for the year, that is the deciding factor. So they could have gone home, they could have been adopted, a guardianship, they could still be with DCF, but they can still qualify for the William Warren scholarship. Those awards go anywhere from uh, 500 to 2000. It varies. It depends upon what is available for funding.

We do have limited funds, so we don’t have enough to give everyone. Funds. Um, so it is competitive scholarship. Um, they get it one year. They can get it the next year as well if there’s, if there are funds available. Um, that’s always a possibility. The application is done. Um, we can take our applications, um, starting July into August.

Then awards are done. Um, if we have any remaining funds for that year that we’ve not used up, we will entertain looking at, um, late, um, applications or ones that come in, um, even in the [00:39:00] spring. But if we don’t have everything left, anything left, then. Um, we’re not able to help, so it’s always best to email us first.

Before completing that whole application process on our website. You’re able to download the application and complete it. Like I said, if you miss the, the due date, make sure you email us to see if there are funds available before applying. ’cause does require transcripts. Let us a recommendation, an essay from the youth, and I hate for anyone to do all of that and to not, if there’s no funds available.

So just email and, and verify if it’s after the date. Um, so we do have our other programs that, that we are running. I mean, we do have, our DCF is having our college career and resource Expo. That’s on April 24th. We’ve actually expanded that a little bit. So we do have college, we have a lot of state colleges.

We have MEFA, ISS gonna be there. We have a lot of our community organizations. Um. We’re expanding this to also include, um, we also will have some employment agencies like Mass Hire who will also [00:40:00] be there, um, with employment opportunities. So there will be some tables there. Um, so that way if they’re interested in just going to work, they can come and find out about that.

Maybe if they’re a little curious about college or vocational school, they can find out about that. But find, then definitely come that day, find about resources, and we will have breakout workshops that will include resume writing. Interviewing skills and also our workshop on DCF, um, financial aid if they wanna sit down and just talk about the aid that is available.

And we will have workshops for that as well. Um, so we have our education training support. Um, we have our college advising days. Um, that’s done with the area offices, but I think this year we’re really pushing to try to have them. Come for the college and career fair ’cause we do, you know, it’s from 10 to one.

We do have a lunch that they can take with them when they leave. Um, each year we have it, the date will, will change, um, each year. So if you’re watching this on a different year, it’s not, um, it’s after this date, it would be, um, be available through DCF and posted. Um, some of the things to really consider, [00:41:00] I think for our foster youth is really planning ahead for their academic needs.

Uh, one of the things I. That it’s important for all you to realize that is if they do have an IEP, um, in high school, they should get a copy of that before they leave. If they did not, they can still go back to the high school and get a copy of that IEP. ’cause they can take that to any college they’re attending and ask for accommodations.

Now, unlike high school colleges do not have to provide accommodations. But if they have the IEP, if they have the documentation, they can provide some additional accommodations, whether it’s longer test time, uh, test in a separate classroom. Some will even offer assistance with note taking, but it is important that they do.

Get that done. It was a great, if it was a great support that helped them to be successful in high school, it’s a great thing to make sure they can have in college. So when they’re looking at college, um, different colleges to attend, think about what is available at that school as far as student resource centers, student achievement centers, um, the tutoring that is available, uh, the mental health services on campus.

Not all schools offer [00:42:00] long-term counseling on campus. So it’s important to really think about what is there, do they have therapy set up that can continue or, uh, continue virtually, if not in person, but to think about the supports to make sure that it is there, um, you know, what will they need, um, if they need to come home or they need help moving in, always, you know, plan on that ahead of time.

Um, if they need to be there during the summer. Then that’s a conversation you need to make sure they have in the beginning of the year. Not just for with DCF, but also with the schools. So that way everyone can plan ahead and see and have a discussion earlier in the year as far as what is possible. Um, they need to find out if they can’t stay on campus during the breaks, where can they find housing, you know, and have a plan for that ahead of time.

December is not a great time to figure out where you’re going to go for winter break. Um, not nor is April. So it’s important to have that conversation ahead of time to make sure that you know, that we are thinking about that. Um, if you are a foster parent that’s caring for them, if they can come back to your house or if they [00:43:00] can’t make sure you’re having that conversation, if they’re gonna stay with a friend, you know, try to plan for a backup.

Place because we’ve had friends that all of a sudden, you know, can’t help them out or there’s an issue, the friend has an issue with their family, so now they can’t, their friend can’t stay there and they can’t stay there. So it’s make, it’s always important to really flush out, to make sure that the plan they have is, is gonna work, that it’s reliable and that there’s a backup.

Um, if, if you have any questions, you know, it’s always important you to reach out to the DCF, even if the case is closed, you can reach out to us, um, in adolescent support services. Our email will be in on the next slide. Um, you can always email us with any questions. Um, so if you get an adoption or guardianship or your case closed and you were in foster care, you have any questions as far as what you’re available for, you can look at the website, you can email us.

We’re happy to help. Um, because our, our goal is, you know, we wanna make sure we’re having those conversations ahead of time. We wanna make sure we’re answering any questions ahead of time, so that way we’re not getting halfway through a semester or the end of the semester. And all the [00:44:00] questions, um, even holding onto, are coming up.

So this is our information. Um, my O’Neill is our director, um, but this is contacting information from our cell. Our phone numbers, um, is also used for email that I provided earlier. Um, here’s the website. There’s the QR code for our website as far as the DCF programs. Um, so that way you, you have that information.

Um, like I said, we’ve simplified a lot of that on our website, so it’s a lot easier. It’s, um, self-explanatory as far as a lot of the programs, but if there’s any questions, we’re always available to help.

Stephanie Wells: Great. Thank you. Um, this is great and, and I’m looking forward to, you know, hopefully, um, hearing from some colleges too. I imagine I I have a quick question actually for you. We don’t have any q and a. The chat, but do y’all have, um, connections with a lot of the state colleges and universities or point people?

Can one of you [00:45:00] just kind of speak to that a little bit? ’cause I’m sure you have a little bit of an inside scoop about resources that are available, you know, maybe some more than others. Um, can you just one of you speak to that as well?

Kristen Cumberbatch: Yes, I can. Um, so Kristen and I cover e Each one of us is assigned to, um, e every state school in Massachusetts.

So we’ve developed, um, relationships with all the schools, some close, some schools are much more in contact with us and will keep us in the loop with what’s going on with our students. Um, some are not as close. We try to get onto campus at least once, once a year to each school, and we also. Provide virtual, um, virtual hours to speak with the school and the students.

Stephanie Wells: That’s great. Thank you. Um, so

Kristen Cumberbatch: like for example, like Bridgewater State, we will, um, meet with financial aid and the students also have the opportunity to meet with counselors on campus. [00:46:00] Framingham State has their tutoring program. Different people, their dean come to come and meet the students if they want.

Yeah.

Stephanie Wells: Oh, that’s great. Thank you. Bridgewater is my alma mater, so I’m glad to hear that they’re helping students out. Um, so just to kind of wrap things up, here are social channels that you can follow us on, but if you wanna go to the next slide, Seth. It’s the last slide. Um, just so everybody knows, that NIFA’s here to support your students as well.

Our 800 number, our email address is here. We’re open Monday through Friday, nine to five. Um, but again, we, we have all these resources available one-on-one help for families and students. When they get their financial aid offers and they’re trying to make sense of it all, or they need help filling out the FAFSA or even the profile form.

’cause some students will have to fill that out. You know, feel free to send ’em our way. Um, and especially, you know, the foster youth that need the help. The most. We definitely wanna be there, um, to support them, but if anybody has any [00:47:00] questions, feel free to type those in the q and a. I don’t see any going, coming in.

Uh, while we’re waiting to see that, I’ll just sort of end by thanking our friends, Seth, Lori, and Kristen for, you know, helping us out today and providing this in. Incredibly important information and we will share this webinar with everybody who registered and we will be promoting it, um, post webinar as well through our guidance counselor emails to make sure that more folks are, um, able to get this important information.

Uh, so with that, I think, I don’t see any questions coming in. We had a small, small crew today, but I do wanna, uh, thank you, thank you guys from DCF for helping us today and being here. Um,

Seth Riker: and providing, set up some of our schools too. I don’t wanna undermine the value of, of all the work that the colleges are doing, uh, because some of the colleges, um, have programs that maybe we’re not always privy to, um, to, uh, to find out about.

Like we recently found out that, um, one of our colleges, if they are. If they have work, study and employed on [00:48:00] campus, they can get summer housing covered. So some of the schools may offer different be benefit. It’s importantly talk to a financial aid counselor. They talk about their needs, um, not just for the semester, but also for the year at this, um, winter housing, summer housing, and have those discussions ahead of time.

A lot of schools also do have food pantries on campus, so, you know, it’s always good. Make sure they’re having conversations, have open conversations with their, um, their financial aid advisors. Um. So that way they can find out about all the resources that, that their school will have.

Stephanie Wells: Great. Yeah, and we’re, we’re hearing, I, I think a lot of colleges are continue to beef up these programs as well, so they’re new, you know, they, they might like, I know Salem State has a food pantry, but you know, there might be others that are, you know, coming on board and I’m hearing a lot of schools implementing summer housing as well, summer and winter semester housing.

So the more we can, uh, share the better. Yeah. Great.

Seth Riker: Broader also helps as far as finding apartments after, after college, um, helping out with [00:49:00] homeless youth. So, um, the, the colleges do have a lot of other resources that are, that are not necessarily DCF centric, um, but that are available for, for anyone who’s going to college.

Stephanie Wells: That’s great. That’s great. Awesome. All right. Does anybody else have any, any last minute things to share? I think we’re, I think we’re good. I don’t see any questions coming in, so I think with that, I, I think, are we ready, ready, ready to end the webinar? We’ll, I’ll present and, uh, thank, thank you guys again for joining us today.

We really appreciate it. And, uh, happy New Year everybody. I forgot to start the webinar by saying Happy New Year. So hope you’re all. Thank you guys.