Department of Family Services Strives to Help Youth Get Set for Life!
Dear Caregivers,
This past year marked a significant milestone for 108 young people in Clark County foster care thanks to an amazing program called LifeSet. As you can imagine, young people who have experienced foster care often struggle with transitioning to adulthood, especially while working to overcome childhood adversity. In 2020, the Clark County Department of Family Services (DFS) had the privilege of adopting the Youth Villages LifeSet model to serve as a bridge from foster care to successful adulthood for young people in the Las Vegas valley turning 17 in foster care. The evidence-informed model teams up young people with skillfully trained DFS specialists by their side to navigate the complexities of early adulthood. Participation in the youth-driven program is voluntary.
We understand the transition to adulthood is challenging for everyone. But young people who experience foster care have special needs and continue to be hit hard by the pandemic crisis. LifeSet aims to empower older youth and amplify their voices as they drive the decisions of their lives. Our goal is to increase the likelihood of positive outcomes for youth aging out of Clark County’s foster care system.
DFS specialists are available 24/7 to help the youth, who typically participate in the program for six to 12 months, based on individual needs. Specialists meet with young people at the location of the youth’s choosing, face-to-face weekly, helping them set and achieve their goals around housing, transportation, education, employment, health and relationships.
So, what are some young people saying about this life-changing program? Recently, we asked some participants to tell us a little about their experiences with LifeSet. Here are a few things they had to say!
Question: What do you like most about the LifeSet program?
“Having one worker that does everything is what I like most about the program. My worker is like having an Independent Living worker and a Social Worker rolled into one. The communication is better and easier with one person. My worker makes it all happen!”
Question: What have you learned since being enrolled in the LifeSet program?
“Since being enrolled in the LifeSet program, I have learned how to be more independent, be on my own and do adult things such as checking and banking.”
Question: What goals are you currently working on?
“Currently, my specialist and I are working on building my skills to get an apartment. She is teaching me how to read a lease, how to review my options, how to be in a safer community and how to understand the housing agreement.”
This is the first program of its kind in Clark County, Nevada. If you’d like to know more about this life-changing opportunity for our foster youth, please email the Clark County Department of Family Services at DFSLifeset@ClarkCountyNV.gov.
Thank you, as always, for supporting our children!
Sincerely,
Tim Burch
Clark County Administrator of Human Services