Independent Living Program

West Virginia Modify Independent Living Services

About this resource

The MODIFY Program has the following purposes:

To ensure that children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age are provided education, training, financial support, and other needed transitioning services
To support and serve these former foster care recipients between 18 and 20 years of age to complement their own efforts toward self-sufficiency and to assure that program participants recognize and accept their personal responsibility for preparing to make the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
To provide youth who exit foster care at 18 or older with Educational and Training Vouchers for the purpose of attending a post-secondary educational program.
The funds may be used to cover the costs of attending college, or vocational training, including all expenses related to a course of study such as computers, special clothing, shoes or boots, books, housing, transportation, and other related educational expenses.

Eligibility

  • To be eligible for the Independent Living Program youth must be 15 years old or older (through 21 years of age), currently in foster care in an open dependency action through DSHS or a tribal child welfare agency for at least 30 days after their 15th birthday. Once initial eligibility has been met youth remain eligible until age 21.