To: Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Rex Bohn
SUBJECT:
title
9:15 a.m. - Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Presentation on the iFoster Program (Supervisor Rex Bohn)
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors hear the presentation and take appropriate action as needed.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
N/A
DISCUSSION:
In December 2017, RCRC and its affiliate, National Homebuyers Fund, Inc. (NHF), allocated a total of $400,000 to support the iFoster 1 Laptop Program in RCRC's 35 member counties. The one-time contribution will provide a laptop to every eligible foster youth and former foster youth ages 16-21 in care within RCRC's 35 member counties (1,139 individuals).
iFoster is a national non-profit serving the child welfare community, including formal foster care, guardianship, informal kinship care, transition-age youth (ages 16-24) and probation. iFoster's mission is to ensure that every child growing up outside of their biological home has the resources they need to become independent adults and have access to the opportunities to reach their full potential.
iFoster works with local agencies on determining youth eligibility, and requires that referrals for laptops come directly from either a youth's county child welfare social worker, or the local agency responsible for case managing and providing independent living programming for the youth. Research shows that having access to a computer at home impacts three key measures: academic performance; social connectedness; and life satisfaction. A 2016 report reflects that foster youth and former foster youth that received laptops experienced significant improvements in all three measures.
80 laptops are being distributed to Humboldt County foster youth throughout the month of August 2018.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
N/A
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Rural County Representatives of California
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
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ATTACHMENTS:
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