Rising Tide Communities-Orangewood - Detailed Report

• The Orangewood Children's Foundation runs the Rising Tide Communities program.   The Rising Tide Communities, a transitional housing program, is one of many programs at the Orangewood Children's Foundation designed to serve the emancipating youth population (i.e., the Independent Living Program, scholarships, drop-in center, Independent Living Coaches, youth leadership opportunities, etc.)
• The Rising Tide Communities program offers low-income housing for emancipated foster youth and strives to assist each of the youth in developing the tools they need for living independently. Case managers work with each youth individually to help them develop a unique plan for their future.  The pursuit of higher education is encouraged. The community (mentors, staff, and volunteers) supports the youth in their search for meaningful and livable-wage employment.
• The youth participant sets goals with a live-in case manager and meets weekly with the case manager to go over progress made on the goals. These goals include, but may not be limited to, finances, education, employment and career. Goals are re-evaluated formally on a quarterly basis.
• The youth participant is required to attend community building activities such as community groups twice a month, life skills training once a month, and retreats semi-annually.
• The youth is matched with a mentor who becomes part of the team that supports him/her in working on his/her goals.
• There is a voluntary spiritual-life component available to the youth. Community members (staff, mentors, or volunteers) plan activities for the youth that range from spending time with youth at meetings to taking them to the mountains for the day.
• This program is privately funded which allows the staff the ability to determine the length of stay for each youth.
• The Orangewood Children's Foundation owns two apartment complexes that house up to 30 emancipated youth between the two complexes.

Rising Tide Communities - Orangewood has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for scientific rating of 1 – 5 . Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated. " It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR – Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Rising Tide Communities - Orangewood.