Independent Living Skills Program

Mission

First Place helps foster youth build the skills they need to make a successful transition to self-sufficiency and responsible adulthood.

First place works to ensure that all foster youth have the opportunity to experience a safe and supported transition from foster care.

First Place for Youth offers the San Francisco County Independent Living Skills Program current and former foster youth, Kin-GAP youth, and probation youth from age 16 until their 21st birthday.

ILSP offers a full range of services designed to assist and support emancipating foster care and probation-involved youth in their transition to independent living.

Youth can participate in ILSP in the following ways: Education and Employment Services, First Foundation, Family Finding and Permanency Services, and events and workshops.

Education assistance including skill development, assistance & referrals to improve literacy skills, high school diploma/GED completion, post-secondary education, vocational and experiential learning, computer skills, tutoring, test taking skills, special reports required for school including IEPs, and assistance with college applications.

First Foundation is an educational support program for youth in high school willing to commit to the program until high school graduation or GED attainment.

Participants receive individualized goal setting assistance, tutoring assistance, IEP support, educational plan management and assistance coordinating service providers to help ensure completion of Diploma or GED.

Participants attend workshops focused on educational and social skills development, study skills and test-taking preparation.

Intensive Family Finding and Engagement Assistance through Seneca Family of Agencies to help youth create a permanent network of support in preparation for adulthood.

Assistance and referrals to promote physical health, mental health, and safety skills including, but not limited to: substance abuse prevention, smoking cessation, pregnancy prevention, and nutrition education.

Daily living skills including information/training in financial management and budgeting; personal responsibility skills; self-advocacy; household management.

Who is Eligible?

Youth between the age of 16 and 20 who are currently in an out-of-home placement or who were in an out-of-home placement sometime after their 16th birthday are eligible for ILSP services until their 21st birthday.

Can you receive ILSP services if his or her case is terminated?

Yes, as long as a youth was in out-of-home placement for any period after his or her 16th birthday, even if the case was later terminated.

How are youth referred?

Youth are referred to ILSP by their child welfare workers, probation officers or may self refer.

For more information, contact:
SF ILSP
First Place for Youth
800-818-2989 or 415-230-3980
30 Harriet St. San Francisco, CA 94103
http://www.sfilsp.org/