STAY Evaluation Overview
About STAY
Successful Transition to Adulthood for Youth (STAY) is Minnesota’s John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee program). The Chafee program is a federally funded program that provides states with flexible funding to help young people likely to age out of foster care at age 18 with the transition from adolescence to adulthood and toward independent living. STAY provides eligible youth ages 14-23 who are currently or formerly in foster care with transitional and supportive services for self-sufficiency and independent living.
What STAY is, and what it isn’t
STAY is only one part of the services that may be provided by a county, Tribal, or community agency focused on independent living services to eligible youth.
STAY is NOT the entire case management or services (e.g., child protection, mental health, chemical dependency, disability, etc.) provided by a county, Tribal, or community agency.
Who We are
The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is the agency that oversees STAY programming. DCYF partners with The Improve Group (IG) to evaluate STAY programming. IG is a research and evaluation cooperative located in St. Paul, MN.
Why evaluate
STAY values continuous improvement. Evaluation is important for STAY programming to continue reviewing, questioning, reflecting, and learning to improve services and the experiences of the young people it serves.
The purpose of this evaluation
The purpose of this evaluation is to better understand STAY youth’s experiences and perspectives of what it means to thrive and become their best selves in adulthood. The evaluation also specifically explored how case managers who provide STAY programming and services contribute to STAY youth’s experiences and success.
How the evaluation will be used
Findings from this STAY evaluation will be used to inform changes to the recently developed STAY Theory of Change and identify improvements to STAY programs and services. Improving the STAY programming that supports these current and former foster youth will provide them with better resources and the skills to use them as they transition to adulthood and live independently.
Our evaluation Questions
We hoped to learn the following:
What does it look like when young people become their best selves and are ready to thrive in adulthood?
What is most important to young people as they transition to adulthood?
What helps young people become their best selves and prepares them to thrive in adulthood?
What qualities do STAY case managers bring to programs and services that support positive results for young people?
What qualities do unpaid supportive adults bring to young people that support positive results for young people?