2016 Boards and Commissions

Bridge to Independence Advisory Committee

General Information

Formal Name:Bridge to Independence Advisory Committee
Contact Person:Nanette Simmons Division of Children and Family Services 402-471-9457 nanette.simmons@nebraska.gov
Purpose:To make recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Commission regarding the Bridge to Independence Program, extended guardianship assistance, and extended adoption assistance.
How Many Affectable:300
How Many Served:237
Year Created:2013
Year Active:2013
Sunset Date:NA

Authorization

Authorization Citation:43-4513
Parent Agency:DHHS

Memberships and Meetings

Number Of Members:17
Who Appoints:Appointed by the Nebraska Childrens Commission
Legislative Approval:None
Qualifications Of Members:The members of the Bridge of Independence Advisory Committee shall include, but not be limited to, (a) representatives from all three branches of government, and the representatives from the legislative and judicial branches of government shall be nonvoting, ex officio members, (b) no less than three young adults currently or previously in foster care, which may be filled on a rotating basis by members of Project Everlast or a similar youth support or advocacy group, (c) one or more representatives from a child welfare service agency, and (e) one or more representatives from an agency providing independent living services.
Per Diem:None
Expense Reimbursement:NA
Term Length:Members of the committee shall be appointed for terms of two years.
Terms Rotate or Expire At Once:

Meetings Required In:

Required FY 13-14:2
Held FY 13-14:4 meetings held and 6 subcommittees were created that also held meetings each fiscal year
Required FY 14-15:2
Held FY 14-15:2
Required FY 15-16:2
Held FY 15-16:1

Operations

Support Staff:NA
Shared or Separate:NA
FY 13-14 Budget:NA
FY 14-15 Budget:NA
FY 15-16 Budget:NA
Other Funding Sources:NA
Spending Authority:NA

Accomplishments

Since July 1, 2012:Since July 1, 2012The Young Adult Voluntary Services and Support Act (LB 216) was passed in the 2013 legislative session to create an age-appropriate, youth-focused, and voluntary program of services and support to age 21 for young people who age out of foster care. The program has since been titled Bridge to Independence. The Young Adult Voluntary Services and Support Act created an Advisory Committeeto make initial recommendations regarding implementation of the program and to provide ongoing oversight. The Advisory Committee, involving a wide variety of professionals and stakeholders, began meeting in July 2013. Six workgroups comprised of Advisory Committee members and other stakeholders were established to cover the following key areas of implementation:Policy, Eligibility, and Transition into the ProgramOutreach, Marketing and CommunicationsCase Management, Supportive Services and HousingCase OversightEvaluation and Data CollectionFiscal Monitoring Issues and State-Funded GuardianshipThe Advisory Committee reviewed recommendations from the six workgroups. Recommendations that were adopted by the Advisory Committee were included in a report to the Childrens Commission on November 19, 2013. The Childrens Commission accepted the Advisory Committees recommendations and submitted them to DHHS, the HHS Committee of the Legislature, and the Governor. The majorityof recommendations contained in the 2013 report have been adopted by DHHS or are still under consideration.IMPLEMENTATIONImplementation of the Bridge to Independence (B2i) program began on October 1, 2014. Staffing for the program includes two Supervisors and eleven Independence Coordinators. The Department has created many pathways to the B2i program. These pathways include: contacting the AbuseNeglect Hotline, the Bridge to Independence website, the young persons past or present caseworker or Project Everlast. All sources will lead to the website where the Young Adult can apply for the program. If a Young Adult prefers, the Department staff will complete an application with them in person or over the phone. DHHS staff give regular updates on implementation at Advisory Committee meetings. All indications are that implementation is going well and that the program is working as it was intended to work. Young people report having a great relationship with the Independence Coordinators and that they feel comfortable calling their Independence Coordinator when they need something.