3123 Life Skills Assessment

1. DCF requires that all children/youth shall have age appropriate care, treatment, and training that will develop their daily living/life skills. All children/youth in the custody of the Secretary of DCF and in out of home placement regardless of their permanency goal, or older youth who are receiving Independent Living Services from DCF, shall be assessed as follows:
1. Children age 4 - 13: see PPM 3113;
2. Children/Youth age 14 years and older or children who will turn age 14 within 190 days of referral who are in DCF Custody and out of home placement shall have a Casey Life Skills Assessment (CLSA) completed by the child/youth and caregiver using the age appropriate assessment. Birth parent(s) may also complete the assessment;
3. Youth who are receiving Independent Living Services from DCF shall complete the PPS 7030 Kansas Independent Living Self-Sufficiency Matrix.
2. All children/youth age 14 and older in the custody of the Secretary of DCF shall have a CLSA completed by the child/youth and caregiver at a minimum of once every 12 months. The current CLSA shall be attached to the case plan and copies of each assessment maintained in the case file. The CLSA is a free online assessment accessed through www.caseylifeskills.org. All youth who are receiving Independent Living Services from DCF shall complete the Self-Sufficiency Matrix at a minimum of once every 12 months.