The Department shall provide financial assistance to a committed youth for his/her high school senior year expenses, up to a maximum of $500.00, as outlined below.

To be eligible, the youth must be committed to the Department as abused, neglected, or uncared for, and enrolled in high school in:

·       a public high school 

·       a State of Connecticut Department of Education (SDE) private school, or

·     an alternative education program (Adult Education, GED programs, Job Corps,
    or Americorps).

The Department shall provide up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) over the high school years for expenses including the following:

·       yearbook 

·        yearbook portraits

·         prom expenses (tuxedo or dress, tickets, pictures, flowers or  transportation)

·          junior/senior class dues

·          class ring

·         class trip(s), and

·        graduation cap and gown. 

Any other school-sponsored activity not included above may be covered on a case-by-case basis.

Funds shall be issued directly to the youth after satisfactory documentation of costs have been provided, reviewed and approved as outlined below.  

A youth requesting high school expense funds must submit a request in writing to his or her Adolescent Specialist, with supporting documentation of the item(s) and/or the cost(s).  Acceptable documentation includes

·      school notices that identify the item(s) and the cost(s), and 

The Adolescent Specialist and his/her supervisor shall review the request. All payments shall be subject to approval by the Adolescent Services Social Work Supervisor and the Program Supervisor. If the request is within this policy's guidelines, the Adolescent Specialist shall enter the payment into LINK.  

The Adolescent Specialist shall issue the payment through the LINK vendor number system for youth who do not have a vendor number.

The Adolescent Specialist shall document the following in LINK:

·      requests for high school expenses, and

·        provision of financial assistance, item(s), and cost(s).  

A copy of any request for financial assistance for high school expenses shall be filed in the Uniform Case Record.

If funds are denied, the youth shall be notified of the right to an administrative hearing pursuant to §17a-90-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, by use of the DCF-800 form.