As I was writing this month’s column, I realized that I am now in my 20th year as program director of the Lighthouse ILP. A lot has happened over the years as the field of IL emerged and I’m sure many of you have experienced the same relentless change at all levels of the child welfare system. I jotted down a list of the key changes that needed to happen from the top down to allow for the creation of new housing options in our little corner of the world. I’m sure that other veterans of the field have had similar observations. I’ve included in italics, changes made for Transitional Living programs for older non-system’s youth. Feel free to contact me if any of these issues aren’t clear.

* Changes made at the State level:Allowed current willing IL providers to try some untested ideas such as
   scattered-sites and shared-homes and then followed their lead in creating relevant licensing.
* Licensed agencies to provide IL services but stopped certifying individual sites.
* Changed State codes and rules to mandate IL training and allow for unsupervised living arrangements.
* Had to count on a few non-profits to obtain federal TLP grants.
* Created Housing Trust grants that augmented local TL housing efforts.

County/City level:
* Had to learn to let go of protective role and allow youth to live alone.
* Learned to tolerate more risky placement situations allow youth to make mistakes.
* Had to learn about the business realities of providers.
* Used existing funding in new ways.
* Juvenile Court staff had to learn about realities of youth leaving system.
* Developed Continuum of Care process and networked concerned organizations.
* Created Homeless Coalition and supported local Homeless Study.
* Had to accept LYS’s IL/TL split.

Agency level:
* Took on the liability of unsupervised minors and find willing insurers.
* Developed new accounting and record keeping procedures.
* Had to clarify continuously the difference between IL and TL services.
* Took the local lead in obtaining TLP grants and foundation/city support for buildings.
* Had to scramble when third cycle TLP grant was not renewed.

Program level:
* Learned to accept constant criticism and questioning from all parts of the system.
* Learned to sell program to landlords, judges, board members, county administrators
   over and over and over and over ~
* Had to get entire system involved in the self-sufficiency preparation process.
* Learned to develop the program one youth at a time.
* Created a variety of living arrangement options.
* TLP had to make group living situations work and deal with neighborhood issues.
* Had to prevent program from becoming dumping grounds of MH and Correctional System.

Board level:
* Had to accept more liability and let go of seeing the agency in a protective role.
* Had to establish a subcommittee to oversee property issues.

Staff level:
* Learned that we would have to continuously sell the program.
* Learned not to burn out on dozens of irresolvable problems and unfinished business.
* Learned how not to be helpful.
* Had to learn who to accept and how many chances to give unmotivated youth.
* Learned that most TLP exits do not go as planned.

And at the Personal level, I learned that, given enough time and the responsiveness of all of the above-mentioned systems, many youth have become responsible adult members of our community.