Foster Care Based Services

Healing Spirit House provides supportive, safe, positive, drug-free, alcohol-free environment and in-house services for long-term foster care American Indian males aged 16-21. The healing Spirit House is designed like a typical home, not a facility. Youth have a chance to work through their feelings about family difficulties and abuse they may have suffered. Residents learn independent living skills through group meetings and daily experiential learning such as assigned household chores and planning and preparing nightly house dinners.

Staff coordinate educational and vocational services, including enrollment in GED services and setting educational and career goals. Spirituality and culture are important components of the Healing Spirit House. Connection to culture gives American Indian youth a sense of identity and membership that is especially important when facing the challenges of growing up in the foster care system.

When a youth nears his time to age out of the system, the Case Manager assists him to find housing, connects him to resources that provide jobs skills training, additional education, or other employment opportunities depending on which direction the youth wants to go. The Case Manager stays in close contact with youth to smooth the transition into independent living. Residents know that they are always welcome to contact us if they need additional support or just want to stop by to visit.

Funded by: Hennepin County, Ramsey County, and Tribal Nations

STAY (Successful Transition to Adulthood for Youth) in the Community provides independent living skills groups, transition services, individual independent living skills, and youth leadership councils. We do this through culture, service, fun and collaboration. Criteria and definitions of each service area are listed below.

STAY Group Independent Living Skills Services
Works with youth ages of 14 through age 22 who are in foster care through a county or a tribe and have been in foster care for at least 30 consecutive days after the age of 14. Participants meet weekly in group ILS sessions. Lessons cover transportation, education, budgeting, cooking, healthy living, goal setting, employment, healthy relationships, and many more topics that help youth transition into adulthood.

STAY One-on-One Independent Living Skills Services
Works with youth ages 18-22 who no longer receive services from a county or tribe. We provide independent living skills case management on a one-to one basis. Youth will receive resources and education, and connect with additional community agencies assisting with housing, employment, transportation, physical and emotional health, daily living skills training, living on a budget, and more. Youth who aged out of care from other states (as long as they meet Minnesota’s eligibility) may also be served.

Youth Leadership Council (YLC)
Works with youth ages of 14 and through age 22 who are in foster care through a county or a tribe and have been in foster care for at least 30 consecutive days after the age of 14. YLC provides opportunities for increasing Youth voices in the implementation and evaluation of foster care policy and practice. It also advises the MN Department of Human Services on state policies affecting children in the foster care system; develops a speaker’s bureau of foster youth; and educates and trains other youth, resource families, child welfare workers and the general public.

Funded by MN Department of Human Services