Eligibility Criteria
 Former foster youth who are/were under the foster or permanent
custody of the Department at age 18 and are younger than 21 years.
 Youth placed in guardianship or adopted at age 16 or older.
 Former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 21 years who never
entered the program or whose case has been closed may enter/reenter the program.
Eligibility Criteria Cont.
The young adult must be:
Enrolled in high school or a program leading to a high school
equivalent (e.g. GED) or a vocational or post high school
educational program;
Participating in a program to promote or remove barriers to
employment;
Employed at least 80 hours/month; or
Have a medical condition that makes the young adult incapable
of doing the above activities.
What will the
Imua Kākou Program Do?
Provides transitional and other support as young adults move
toward independent living.
Allow more time for the young adult to attain educational and
employment goals.
Collaborative program where the young adult’s input is a vital
part of their individualized case plan.
As the young adult moves toward independent living,
connections with supportive adults will be fostered.
Focus on the young adult’s well-being.
Conduct court reviews every six months.
Imua Kākou Cont.
The young adult will develop a case plan with the case manager,
which includes monthly face-to-face visits.
The program will be youth-driven and allow for easy entry and
re-entry.
The focus will be on the young adult’s unique needs.
Hawai‘i’s Model Values
The new program will be driven by the young adult.
It will build on the successful Youth Circles program.
Assistance provided for entry and re-entry process.
It will support young adults as they transition and focus on
their unique needs.
It will be culturally appropriate.
It is VOLUNTARY.
Benefits
Continued independent living services.
Assistance with placement/living options.
May directly receive foster board payments.
Assistance with applying for school and financial
aid, finding employment, job/vocational training.
Enhanced social capital.
Supporting Adult Role
Remember … the foster youth is now a YOUNG ADULT and
must be treated as so.
This means…
Allowing the young adult to take on more responsibility and to
hold them accountable,
while balancing our first instinct to act in their best interest.
Supporting Adult Role
(Cont.)
Engage and collaborate.
Listen to the young adult.
Enhance the young adult’s social capital
needs.
Assess how to provide developmentally
appropriate help.
Court Process – Statewide
 Each circuit will facilitate their own periodic reviews and other
hearings.
 Findings at periodic reviews and other hearings shall be made
by the judge.
 Young adults in the program and the DHS will be able to request
a hearing at any time.
 The review will be informally conducted to encourage meaningful
dialogue.
Court Process – Statewide
Entering the Program
 Young adults shall enter care through a voluntary placement
agreement.
 The DHS must file a petition within 30 days of the young adult
signing the agreement.
 At the hearing on the petition, the court will determine if
voluntary care is in the young adult’s best interest. This hearing
must be held within 15 days of the petition being filed.
Court Process – Statewide
Court Reports
 The DHS must submit a report to the court seven days before
the scheduled hearing.
 This report must be developed in collaboration with the young
adult.
 The court report must include:
 The young adult’s progress towards achieving case plan goals;
 Proposed revisions to any goals and reasons for such revisions;
and
 Proposed revisions to the methods for achieving goals and
reasons for such revisions.
Court Process – Statewide
Periodic Reviews
 The first Periodic Review must be held within six months
after the young adult signs the voluntary care agreement.
 Later reviews are held every six months thereafter.
 The following findings must be made at the reviews:
 Whether the young adult continues to meet eligibility
requirements;
 Whether the young adult continues to comply with the case plan
and the appropriateness of the plan; and
 Whether the young adult is making progress towards achieving
independence.
Court Process – Statewide
Other Court Hearings
Discharge Hearing: shall be conducted when the young adult is
no longer eligible for the program or chooses to terminate the
program.
 The court and the young adult will discuss the young adult’s
options and how the young adult may prepare for transitioning
out of the program or re-establish eligibility (if applicable).
 A young adult may request court appointed counsel at any time
and the judge will decide if appointment of counsel is in the
young adult’s best interest.
Court Process – O‘ahu
Imua Kākou – Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program
Court Process Flowchart
Rev. 06 February 2014
Entry into Imua Kākou
Program
Foster Youth (FY) Transitioning from 587A Case
Young Adult (YA) Initial & Re-entry to Program
Initial eligibility verification by 587A worker
FY MEETS
eligibility
requirements
FY UNABLE to
meet eligibility
requirements
Last hearing prior to the FY’s 18th birthday: FY must be
present at this hearing. If not, 587A closed via normal
procedures
587A worker: request 587A jurisdiction be extended past
the FY’s 18th birthday.
587A worker: 1) prepare the petition to request jurisdiction
under the Imua Kākou Program; 2) review the Voluntary
Care Agreement (VCA) with the FY. Do NOT have the FY
sign the agreement; & 3) make the required copies of the
prepared petition & VCA. Do NOT file the petition.
Hearing scheduled after the 18th birthday/on Petition:
FY: must be present at this hearing.
Judge: Presiding judge for the 587A case
587A worker: must be present at this hearing
CWS Liaison & VC case worker: attend the hearing on the
petition to invoke jurisdiction under the voluntary care law.
DAG: Present to close the 587A case.
Initial verification by CWS Liaison
YA UNABLE to
meet eligibility
requirements
FY: Close 587A
per normal CWS
procedures.
FY & YA: Inform of
the option of enter
the program prior to
reaching 21 years.
FY & YA NOT present:
Hearing on the petition
to enter the Program
cancelled. Inform
FY/YA of the option to
enter the program at a
later date, prior to
turning 21 years.
NOTE: Depending on
circumstances, judge
may continue the
hearings to a later date.
YA MEETS
eligibility
requirements
CWS Liaison: 1) review the VCA with the young adult.
Have the young adult sign the agreement. (2) Within 30
days of the YA signing the VCA, prepare & file the
petition to request jurisdiction under the voluntary care
law. (3) call the 587A Supervisor for the FC no.
587A Supervisor: Assign a FC no. to the case.
Hearing on the Petition
CWS Liaison & Voluntary Care (VC) case worker:
attend the hearing on the petition to invoke jurisdiction
under the voluntary care law.
YA: must be present at this hearing
FY & YA Present:
FY: 587A case closed and court recessed. During the recess, FY to sign the VCA. Petition/VCA filed in open court. FC
no. will be assigned to the case.
FY & YA: Court makes determination that voluntary care is in the FY’s best interest and takes jurisdiction. Make
required findings and orders. Schedule and provide notice of the initial Periodic Review and all subsequent review
hearings.
Judicial Reviews
Periodic reviews shall be held not less than once every 180 days from the
signing of the VCA
Court Process – O‘ahu
Transitioning Foster Youth
 If the foster youth is interested in the program, jurisdiction in the
587A case will be extended to at least one month past the foster
youth’s 18th birthday
 Last 587A hearing/hearing on the petition:
 587A case will be closed;
 Young adult will sign the voluntary care agreement; and
 The petition and the agreement will be filed in open court.
 Dates for all subsequent reviews and for the Closing hearing will
be set at this time. This will satisfy formal notice requirements.
Court Process – O‘ahu
Hearings
 Periodic Review hearings and other hearings will follow the
state/federal requirements discussed in the statewide slides.
 Hearings will be conducted in an informal manner, with a focus,
not only on the case plan and case progress, but on engaging
the young adult and on their well-being.