The Board of Supervisors will be asked today to approve funding so a program preparing teenagers to leave foster care can stay open.

Supervisor Linda Parks is asking the board to spend about $15,000 to keep the residential program in Thousand Oaks operating long enough for another agency to take it over from Interface Children Family Services. The nonprofit agency plans to shut the program Sept. 15.

The 24-hour-a-day program allows a select number of teens to live in an apartment building. They save money for rental deposits and receive counseling on how to live independently before they "age out" of foster care at age 18.

It is the only program of its type in Ventura County and has operated for 10 years.

Interface officials said Thursday they are cooperating with the county agency overseeing the children's care but still plan to close as scheduled.

Homes have been found for three of the four youths in the apartment building, and the last one is expected soon, said Erik Sternad, executive director of Interface.

"The ultimate goal is finding a family for them to be with," he said.

Parks said another agency is interested in taking over the program, but the question is how quickly that could happen. A closure for even a day would mean the teens would have to move, she said Thursday.

"This is something that we need to step in and see if we can keep it going," Parks said. "I don't want to lose the vacant apartments, and I would like to assist the youth who are currently wanting to stay there to stay in the future."

In her letter to the board, Parks projects an extension of no more than 60 days. She said Thursday it may take less time than that.

One of the teenagers said earlier this week that she wanted to stay in the Thousand Oaks area because she had just started a job and was preparing to enroll at Westlake High School. The girl said Thursday she might be happy with the right foster family but liked the independence of the transitional program.

"I'm a very high-strung independent person, and I like to do my own thing," she said. "That's why this place was perfect."

Mike Sedell, co-chairman of the Interface board, said the Sept. 15 date is still a target, but the agency wants to cooperate with supervisors and ensure a smooth transition. The $15,000 from the Board of Supervisors would provide resources to do that, he said.

Interface officials decided last week to close the program, citing funding problems and concerns the program did not reflect the agency's focus on strengthening families.

The government allows funding for the $250,000-a-year program to be used for housing and case management for the teens but not the intensive involvement of families that is so important, Sternad said.

The apartments can house eight teenagers, but only four are living there now.

About 50 Ventura County teens "age out" of the foster care system each year, an event that occurs when they graduate from high school or turn 18. At that point, the government expects them to live independently.

National studies show many foster children are ill-prepared to live on their own, and large numbers wind up homeless.

The Ventura County Human Services Agency expects to reopen the program, probably in another location. Officials say, though, it will take time to make that transition.

The Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. in the Hall of Administration at the Ventura County Government Center.

Parks said the funding would require a four-fifths vote for approval because it transfers money from one fund to another.