Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

DCF Has Improved Some Aspects of Independent Living Program Oversight; Other Long-Standing Problems Remain

Report 10-30, March 2010




Report Summary

  • The Department of Children and Families has improved its fiscal oversight of lead agency Independent Living expenditures for young adults age 18 and older to help ensure that federal funds for this age group are spent in compliance with federal law. The department also has broadened its contract monitoring and quality assurance systems to better address key elements of the Independent Living Program.
  • However, the department continues to lack an effective mechanism to track whether 13- to 17 year-old youth receive services as directed by law. The department also is not routinely monitoring whether lead agencies meet minimum contract standards for services and has not met statutory requirements to establish program outcome measures.


Related Reports
  1. Improved Fiscal and Quality Oversight Is Needed for the Independent Living Program
    Report 07-11 February 2007
  2. Improvements in Independent Living Services Will Better Assist State's Struggling Youth
    Report 05-61 December 2005
  3. Independent Living Minimum Standards Recommended for Children in Foster Care
    Report 04-78 November 2004
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
foster care, independent living, chaffee, road to independence, child welfare, community based care, outcome measures, fiscal monitoring, youth, young adults, fiscal oversight, children and families, quality assurance, contract monitoring