Monthly Personal Allowance: If you are between the ages of 15 and 20 and you live in a group home or foster home then you are entitled to receive a monthly allowance of at least $100.
Monthly (ILP) Stipend: If you live in an independent living program them you will receive a monthly stipend to pay for your necessities such as clothing, food, transportation, cleaning products and other household items. If you do not have children, then your ILP is $695 a month.
For more details on foster youth financial resources including the monthly personal allowance and ILP stipend, please click here.
People to Contact When Having Issues with Your Allowance or ILP Stipend
- Your Social Worker-your social worker’s email address is usually their firstname.lastnams@dc.gov if they are from CFSA but it might be different if your case is managed by an outside agency (Lutheran Services, Boys Town, etc.). For assistance please contact OYE staff Tanya Trice or Nadya Richberg (contact information above).
- Your Guardian Ad Litem (GAL): All foster youth are assigned a GAL through the Children’s Law Center or the DC Superior Court Child Abuse and Neglect Attorney Practitioners (DC CCAN Panel)—see contact information below.
- CFSA Program Monitors: All group homes and ILP programs have assigned monitors who you can contact when having placement related issues, including those related to receiving youth monthly personal allowance or ILP stipend. Contact Valerie Douglass, Foster Care Resources Administrator, Valerie.douglas@dc.gov, 202-727-2111.
- Office of Youth Empowerment (OYE) Social Work Staff: See contact list below
- CFSA Youth Ombudsman: “Yo BUD” If you are 14 years old and older you can contact the CFSA Youth Ombudsman when you are having issues with your placement Fasion Maxwell, Youth Ombudsman/Youth Plugs Leader, fasion.maxwell@dc.gov (202) 246-9364 or (202) 727-7324
Office of Youth Empowerment (OYE) Social Work Leaders & Staff
Sarah Thankachan, OYE Administrator, Sarah.Thankachan@dc.gov (202) 442-6174 –General Older Youth Issues
Nadya Richberg, Social Work Program Manager, Nadya.richberg@dc.gov (202) 727-7376- General Older Youth Issues
Tanya Trice, Social Work Program Manager, Tanya.Trice@dc.gov (202) 727-7461- General Older Youth Issues
Alicha Gough, Supervisory Social Worker, lisa.kim@dc.gov (202) 727-7500- Case Management
Lisa Kim, Supervisory Social Worker, lisa.kim@dc.gov (202) 727-7500- Case Management
Kasandra Dodd, Supervisory Social Worker, Kasandra.Dodd@dc.gov (202) 727-7500- Case Management
Alexandria Kline, Supervisory Social Worker, alexandra.kline@dc.gov (202) 727-7500- Case Management
Local Organization for Youth in Foster Homes
Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center (FAPAC)
About: FAPAC provides support to foster families who are trying to navigate the system to obtain services and resource for their foster children. They also support foster families by building relationships between foster families, CFSA staff, and birth parents so that foster youth are better served.
Address: 6200 Second Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011
Bus: 62
Metro: Takoma Metro Station (RED)
Contact: Margie Chalofsky, Executive Director (margiechalofsky@yahoo.com)
Phone: 202-269-9441
Legal Resources:
DC Superior Court Child Abuse and Neglect Attorney Practitioners (DC CCAN)
About: Attorneys from the DC CCAN pan serve as Guardian ad Litems for youth in foster care. They advocate on behalf of the best interest of the child. They will help with an array of issues faced by youth in foster care such as placement or education. They can also be appointed “expressed interest” (the attorney will work on behalf of youths’ interests) attorney by a family court judge.
Address: DC Superior Court 500 Indiana Ave NW Room #4415, Washington, DC 20001
Bus: 13Y, D3, D6
Metro: Judiciary Square Station (Red) & Archives-Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter Station (Yellow/Green)
Contact:
Phone: (202-879-1406).
Children’s Law Center
About: CLC attorneys serve as Guardian ad Litems for youth in foster care. They advocate on behalf of the best interest of the child. They will help with an array of issues faced by youth in foster care such as placement or education.
Address: 616 H Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001
Bus: 70, 74, 79, 80, P6, X2
Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red/Yellow/Green)
Contact: Christina Smith, Legal Director (csmith@childrenslawcenter.org)
Phone: (202) 467-4900