Services are based on need and availability of funding. For a youth to be eligible for many of the services listed in this Directory, he/she needs to be identified as 'Independent Living Program-eligible'. This means that the youth meets the California Department of Social Services guidelines for eligibility. These regulations state:

Youth shall be eligible for Independent Living Program (ILP) services up to their 21st birthday provided one of the following criteria is met:

• Were/are in foster care at any time from their 16th to their 19th birthday. This does not include youth placed in detention facilities, locked facilities, forestry camps, training schools, facilities that are primarily for the detention of youth who are adjudicated, delinquent, medical and psychiatric facilities, voluntary placements, wraparound program participants, youth placed pursuant to an individualized education program and guardianship placements in which the youth is not a dependent or ward of the court.
  
  
• Were/are 16 years of age up to 18 years of age and in receipt of the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (KinGap) assistance.
  

Youth younger than 16 years of age may participate in an ILP for younger youth if the county of jurisdiction has a county plan that includes such a program. Youth younger than 16 years of age placed outside their county of jurisdiction may participate in an ILP for younger youth only with prior approval from the county of jurisdiction. Participation in an ILP program for younger youth prior to age 16 does not qualify a youth for ILP eligibility.

ILP participation is deferred only if the youth is physically or mentally unable to benefit from the ILP as determined by the youth's primary care physician or health/mental health care professional or if the youth declines to participate in the ILP. If ILP participation is deferred, the social worker/probation officer on behalf of youth in foster care or the ILP coordinator on behalf of KinGap youth and other eligible youth shall document, in the Transition Independent Living Plan (TILP) the reason(s) for the deferment. A predetermination of deferment shall be made at least every six months and documented in the TILP.

Eligibility for the ILP shall not be determined by outside agencies such as contractors or vendors.

These guidelines apply to DCFS foster youth and probation foster youth. If you have questions about Eligibility, please call the Youth Development Services at 1(877) 694-5741/ (213) 351-0100.