Achievements
The Mockingbird Society champions legislation that significantly improves Washington State’s laws for youth in foster care and homelessness.
Click here to download The Mockingbird Society’s legislative accomplishments.
2011 Legislative Session:
- HB 1128 – Extended Foster Care: PASSED. Foster youth in Washington state working to achieve their high school diploma or GED now have the opportunity to stay in care until age 21.This is an important step towards providing extended care for all foster youth because it allows the state to opt-in to the federal Fostering Connections Act, which provides matching funds for extended care initiatives like HB 1128.
- HB 1697 – Unannounced Visits: PASSED. The new law requires that 10% of all children/youth will be chosen to experience at least one unannounced visit per year to help ensure the highest quality of care. Unannounced visits are a system best practice adopted by many states across the country.
- Independent Youth Housing Program (IYHP): $1.8 Million in Budget. This program provides rental assistance and case management for youth aging out of the foster care system, helping them successfully transition into adulthood.
- Support for Homeless Youth Street Youth Programs: $1.7 Million in Budget; HOPE Beds Funded. After being excluded from initial budget proposals, funding was maintained for these critical programs, which serve as a safety net for homeless youth, helping them find shelter and avoid entering the criminal justice system.
- Children’s Administration: $124 million per Year in Budget. The final budget included $124 million per year which is about $7 million more than initial budget proposals.
2010 Legislative Session
- Safe Housing and Support for Youth in Care (SB 6444) (Hope Beds and Responsible Livings Skills Program)
- Notification of the Right to Request Counsel in Dependency Proceedings (HB 2735)
- Vesting Youth or Alumni of Foster Care with Full Voting Rights on the Transformation Design Committee (SB 6832) – A System-wide Reform Initiative
- Subsidized Guardianships to Provide Support to Kinship Families (HB 2680)
- Expanding Sealing Juvenile Records (SB 6561)
- 8-Hour Notification Expanded in Certain Cases (HB 2752)
2009 Legislative Session
- Fostering Connections, formerly Foster Care to 21 (HB 1961) allows 50 foster youth per year to stay in their foster home after turning age 18 if they are enrolled in higher education.
- Independent Youth Housing Program (HB 1492) provides housing to youth who turn 18 and age out of foster care.
- Consideration of Post-Adoption Sibling Visits (HB 1938) ensures consideration of post-adoption contact between siblings in adoption proceedings.
- Notification of Rights for Youth in Foster Care (SB 5758) ensures youth in foster care are aware of and understand their rights.
2008 Legislative Session
- Increase access to HOPE beds and Responsible Living Skills Housing by expanding eligibility criteria so as to serve more youth. The HOPE Act brought forth two services not previously available to youth: Hope Centers (30 day emergency care) and Responsible Livings Skills Program (long term care for older adolescents). HOPE Centers are the only service within Washington’s Child Welfare System that youth (legally dependent or not) can self-refer to.
- Increase the Housing Trust Fund to 200 million dollars per biennium.
- Increase funding to the Transitional Housing, Operating and Rent Program (THOR) to 10 million per biennium and expand eligibility to include youth and young adults including those with no experience in foster care.
2007 Legislative Session
- Extending Medicaid to Foster Youth to Age 21 (HB 1201) ensures all foster youth aging out of care receive medical benefits until the age of 21.
- Creating an Independent Youth Housing Program (HB 1922) provides vouchers to youth exiting foster care to assist with housing.
2006 Legislative Session
- The Foster Youth Achievement Act (HB 2002) allows youth to remain in foster care and receive health care while in college.
2005 Legislative Session
- Reprioritizing Adolescents in Child Protective Services (SB 5583)ensures that Child Protective Services will investigate abuse complaints based on risk to victim, not age of victim.
2004 Legislative Session
- Sealing Juvenile Records (HB 3078) ensures community protection and safety while allowing youth with prior convictions to secure housing and employment opportunities.