Erie County Collaborative Independent Living Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Erie County Independent Living Program is a transition program that helps youth move from care to self-sufficiency. Youth are matched with a Caseworker to overcome obstacles to successfully transition to adulthood. Caseworkers work with youth on issues such as education, employment, housing, life-skill development, and preventative services. Caseworkers, also connect youth to community resources to promote self-sufficiency. The Erie County Independent Living program meets the outlined criteria and should be awarded a 2016 Achievement Awards because it has utilized an innovative and collaborative method for its service delivery. This has allowed for enhanced services to be co-delivered to the adolescent youth eligible to receive the important skills necessary to be productive and self-sufficient members of the community. Additionally, by having access to two separate provider agencies which employ 14 full-time Independent Living Case Managers, the youth receive services within 5 days of referral and do not have to wait for an opening. Additionally, this has given at-risk youth an opportunity to experience a collaborative effort between county agencies and contracted private providers working harmoniously in a cooperative, seamless program.