Frequently Asked Questions

YES! All youth under the age of 18 must have a Supportive Adult/Pod Leader in attendance at all times, including overnight. We recommend a ratio of 1:4 adult-pod leader-per-#-of-youth, but 1:6 is acceptable.

Pod leaders (Supportive Adults) are required to engage with and guide 4 to 6 youth under age 18 attending the conference. A signed agreement for each pod leader attending must be submitted (see above). The agreement form explains the pod leader’s responsibilities throughout the conference. One pod leader per form; copy as needed.

Yes, a signed consent form for each youth attending must be submitted. The consent form is provided on this webpage (see above); one youth per form; copy as needed.

The registration fee is $150 for each registrant and $75 for each pod leader/supportive adult; however, Extracurricular Funding is available to cover the cost of Registration and Overnight Fees for all youth with open or closed foster care cases, and for Pod Leaders. (Samaritas will invoice MDHHS for ALL fees, so there is nothing you need to do about payment when registering!)
All other registrations will be paid via Stripe, within the Whova App. Processing fees will be paid by generous sponsors.

If you have questions, please contact Tanya Maki at, tmaki@samaritas.org or call (517) 395-2334 .

YES!

This year, MDHHS is covering the registration fees for young people with open or closed foster care cases. Pod Leaders (Supportive Adults) will also be covered by the funding. In order to utilize this funding, complete registration and ensure registrants are present for the conference. Please note that funding cannot be utilized if the registrant does not attend the event, so be sure to cancel, if you are unable to attend.

County Youth In Transition (YIT) funds can be used to pay for youth registrations. YIT funds can be accessed through the local MDHHS or PAFC caseworker.

This conference is an Approved Asset Training, thus, youth in Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative (MYOI) can access YIT through their MYOI coordinator.

If youth are not eligible for YIT, workers are encouraged to assist youth in raising funds to cover their cost of attending.

To inquire about a potential sponsorship via the MTC Planning Committee, contact Jennifer Stevens, jstev@samaritas.org.

All cancellations must be submitted in writing. If you are unable to attend, please email MichiganTeenConference@samaritas.org.