Welcome to Arizona's Children Association

National studies of foster youth have found that:

66% did not graduate from high school
25% of youth released from the child welfare system were homeless at least one night
30-40% of foster children had physical or emotional difficulties

Arizona’s Children Association provides the Independent Living Program, independent living skills for children in Arizona’s foster care system as they move toward moving out on their own. The program works with youth ages 13-21. The younger youth ages 13-15 learn basic skills like money management, household management, budgeting, interviewing for jobs, job skills, nutrition and meal planning. Instruction takes place one on one and in a classroom setting. Youth ages 16 – 21 receive more intensive services, including household management, a focus on education, budgeting, completing an apartment application, interviewing for jobs and job skills. Youth ages 18-21 who have aged out of foster care must contract with the state to stay in the system.

The Independent Living program utilizes the state-of-the-art Ansell-Casey Life Skills Program which includes an assessment component followed by a competency based learning program that includes instruction information in career planning, communication, home life, self care, daily living, work and study skills and work life. The program also includes identifying at least one caring adult to look after the youth after they leave the foster care system. After care services are also available to children who have left the foster care system and still need help and support.

For information about the Independent Living program contact:

Western Region (Yuma & La Paz Counties)

3780 S. 4th Ave. Extension, Suite K
Yuma, AZ 85365
928-344-8800

sderby@arizonaschildren.org

Southern (Cochise, Santa Cruz, Graham, Greenlee Counties)
Cheryl DeHaven

174 S. Coronado, Suite C

Sierra Vista AZ 85635

520-224-9108, ext.1892

cdehaven@arizonaschildren.org

Northern Region (Yavapai, Coconino, Navajo, Mohave and Apache Counties)

Lori Ollom-Tighe

440 N. Washington Ave.
Prescott, AZ 86301
928-443-1991 ext.2404