NYTD Plus
Initiative Policy Goal
States must implement NYTD "Plus" in order to find out directly from young people how they are doing after leaving foster care so that policy and practice can be improved
Issue definition
The long awaited National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), required by the Chafee Act of 1999, will begin tracking the services and outcomes of youth transitioning from foster care in October 2010 (FY2011). NYTD requires state child welfare agencies to collect outcome data via a survey of all youth that are in foster care around their 17th birthday, then survey a cohort of those young people again at age 19 and 21. The state must also collect data on all independent living services provided to young people, such as mentoring, academic support, career preparation, and health education.
Implementation of NYTD is essential to improving our understanding of youth leaving foster care and thereby improving outcomes for this population. The outcome data, in particular, will allow states, the federal government and the field in general to make more informed decisions about policy and practice. However, a state's data collection can and should go beyond the federal requirements. The current federal requirements will not fully measure outcomes; or provide a comprehensive understanding of the outcomes. Once a state commits to collecting NYTD data the incremental cost of adding questions to the survey is negligible.
The NYTD National Advisory Committee (NAC), with support from the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and the Eckerd Family Foundation, and leadership from the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, developed a resource entitled "National Youth in Transition Database Instructional Guidebook and Architectural Blueprint", which includes two survey instruments - NYTD Plus surveys - that build on the NYTD required questions and will provide important additional information that states will need.
Status
States have been working to meet federal requirements and get systems in place by October 2010. Throughout FY2011 they will only need to survey young people that are 17 years old and in care. Their primary concern is getting their SACWIS or other state information systems ready to maintain both the NYTD required services data and the outcome data. The Children's Bureau is working to support states in this effort, and has published guidance that explains more clearly how SACWIS systems can support the NYTD data collection.
As a continuation of the NYTD NAC effort, APHSA and Chapin Hall are providing support and technical assistance to states around the implementation of NYTD and NYTD Plus. Several states, including Illinois and Florida, are implementing NYTD Plus. Furthermore, the Florida Department of Children and Families is planning to implement NYTD Plus on an annual basis -- more regular than required by federal government. They will also be surveying all young people that leave care rather than sampling as the regulations require for a large state like Florida. A web-based system is also in development in Florida to collect outcome data directly from the young people in a secure and confidential manner. For more information, contact the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Related Resources
"National Youth in Transition Database Instructional Guidebook and Architectural Blueprint" www.chapinhall.org or www.aphsa.org
Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, NYTD http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/index.htm#nytd
"National Youth in Transition Database: Lessons Learned from the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative." Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, October 2010
