System Reform
Mandy Urwiler
More Cuts On Horizon for Washington Youth
On January 9th the legislature will meet in Olympia for the 2012 legislative session. This will be following the three week special session last month where they were only able to address about one-quarter of the $2 billion budget deficit. Because Washington State is required by law to have a balanced budget every year, a deficit is not acceptable. The Governor’s proposed budget, if approved, would cause dramatic changes in state services. Over $53 million in cuts would apply to Children’s Administration (CA) alone. These cuts would affect programs that have a direct impact on the lives of vulnerable youth.
Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) is one of the programs slated to be eliminated. FRS is a voluntary program aimed at keeping families intact and ultimately preventing out-of-home placement by providing family counseling, conflict resolution methods, and other services to prevent further conflict. This service is accessed by approximately 525 families each year. If this program is eliminated, a large percentage of those families will be at risk of ending up with out-of-home placements.
Another cut would attempt to reduce the length of stay in foster care for the 200 most difficult to place foster children. This safe reduction to length of stay will be achieved through permanency roundtables and other approaches. According to Casey Family Programs, “A permanency roundtable (PRT) is an intervention designed to facilitate the permanency planning process by identifying realistic solutions to permanency obstacles for youth.”
The Foster Care Assessment Program (FCAP), also could be eliminated in favor of potentially less effective methods. FCAP is a comprehensive assessment to find and address barriers impacting permanency for children who do not have a permanent placement identified.
Street youth programs are again proposed to be cut, threatening outreach programs and drop-in centers that run on state dollars alone, including Rosie’s Place in Olympia. If this cut goes through, Rosie’s Place and other drop-in centers that provide services to street youth such as laundry, showers, case management, food, and a safe environment to find community may have to shut down. There will be fewer places for many of these youth to turn to in order to access services and survive on the streets. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are approximately 50,000 street youth in the United States each year, and those are just the ones that are there for the counts.
There are many more cuts proposed, and they will keep being proposed until the economy improves. Although here at Mockingbird we recognize that this is a challenging environment, and that the legislature must find solutions, we believe strongly that the budget should not be balanced on the backs of vulnerable adolescents. Please contact your legislators and tell them that, if passed as proposed, these cuts will have a devastating effect on the youth of Washington.
System Reform
Samantha McDonald
Mockingbird Youth Seek to Protect Safe Housing Programs
On February 10th 2012, Youth Advocacy Day will take place in Olympia. Youth Advocacy Day is an annual event that takes place at the state capitol that gives youth a chance to speak out in a professional manner. This year’s advocacy agenda is safe housing for youth transitioning out of care. Because of the struggling economy, it’s going to be a fight to keep the services that the state already provides. Consequently, the Mockingbird Youth Network will be fighting to protect and maintain the programs currently funded and caring for youth.
Washington’s safe housing programs can be split into two categories: entitlements supported by the federal Fostering Connections Act (FCA), which includes the Extended Foster Care program, and the state only funded programs which include the Independent Youth Housing (IYHP) and Foster Care to 21 programs. The difference between these categories is that entitlements require the state to serve any youth that qualifies for the program, while programs funded only by the state can be limited to a specific number of spots. These programs help ensure youth transitioning out of care have access to the housing necessary to thrive.
Upcoming
February 10, 2012
Youth Advocacy Day
9 am – 1:30 pm
State Capitol, Olympia
Please register online HERE or by calling Network Coordinator Fred Kingston at 206.407.2134.
Passed in 2008, FCA is one of the most significant child welfare reforms in the last decade. Among these reforms is the ability for states to receive a 50% funding match for extending foster care to age 21. Washington state’s first buy-in to FCA is allowing youth over the age of 18 pursuing a high school diploma or GED the opportunity to continue to remain in care until age 21.
The Foster Care to 21 Program allows those exiting foster care to remain in care to attend college, vocational or other post-secondary institutions. IYHP provides housing assistance for alumni of care ages 18 to 23 who are looking to live on their own while they pursue employment or educational opportunities. Both of these programs are funded only by the state and are limited to a specific number of spots.
The Mockingbird Youth Network will be fighting for safe housing because it is necessary in order to eliminate youth homelessness. Keeping these programs will in the long run be cost effective, decreasing the number of youth who age out into homelessness and encouraging youth to pursue their education. On February 10th the youth who need the state’s help the most will be at Youth Advocacy Day to have their voices heard. Please come join us!
The Mockingbird Society’s 2012 Legislative Priorities:
Protect, maintain and expand critical services!
Protect Adolescent Services
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Maintain Child Welfare Funding
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Expand Safe Housing
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| Call to Action! Call the legislative hotline: 1.800.562.6000 |
Urge your legislators to help Washington’s children, youth and families by supporting these priorities! | |
| For more information, visit mockingbirdsociety.org/advocacy | ||
Letter From the Editor by Jim Theofelis
Important Information for Braam Lawsuit Class Members
The Department of Social and Health Services and attorneys for children in foster care have entered into a Revised Settlement Agreement in the “Braam” lawsuit. You can learn more about the Revised Agreement at braamkids.org, as well as on the Braam Panel’s website: braampanel.org.
If you are a Braam class member and you object to the Agreement after reviewing the documents, you can send written objections to the court or attend a court hearing to tell the judge what you think about the Agreement. Information about how to object to the Revised Agreement is on the Braam Kids and Braam Panel’s website.
Written objections are due to the Whatcom County Superior Court by January 16, 2012. If you want to attend the court hearing to object in person, it is being held at the Whatcom County Superior Court in Bellingham at 8:30 am on January 25, 2012.
Happy New Year 2012! It is my great pleasure to introduce to you our new and improved layout and look for the Mockingbird Times! This exciting new step is a testament to the growth of the paper as well as the entire organization over the past 10 years. What started with three street dependent youth and me producing the first Mockingbird Times now reaches over 20,000 people across the country each month, emphasizing the power of youth voice and the reach of our state-wide network. I look forward to the possibilities of the future as we continue to grow.
Last month, the legislature convened a special session in order to find the $2 billion necessary to balance the budget. After almost three weeks in session, the legislature was able to find $480 million in savings, thankfully without cutting any child welfare programs. However, we are not out of the woods yet. On January 9th, the legislature will convene for the 2012 regular session, and will be charged with finding the over $1.5 billion remaining in order to balance the budget. Programs critical to our adolescents in care have been targeted for cuts or elimination, including the Responsible Living Skills Program, Street Youth Programs and Family Reconciliation Services. Mockingbird will continue to be on the ground in Olympia working with our allies and champions in order to protect these programs and advance our legislative agenda.
Please save the date of February 10th for our annual Youth Advocacy Day at the Capitol! Join us as we bring together over 200 youth and alumni of care from across the state in order to advocate for themselves, their communities and safe housing for all youth aging out of the system.
We cannot balance the budget on the backs of our children, youth and families. Together, we can make sure our elected officials hear that message loud and clear.
Thank you for your unwavering support.
Special Contribution
Courtney Canova
Level Ground: Healing Lives Through Hip-Hop
By this time, you have may have heard the song or seen the music video Place to Place, (which I was featured in, along with several other Spokane chapter members). If you have not, you are definitely missing out on the next big stars in the world of hip-hop. The group Level Ground features Herb, Sig and Harvey (and Mr. Tommy Williams behind the scenes), and these men are making inspirational music and being positive role models in the Spokane community.
In addition to recording powerful music, Tommy has founded the Operation Healthy Family Program. The program helps youth by teaching them basic information about healthy living, such as oral health education. They also provide employment and life skills support that all youth deserve and need to thrive. They provide some of these services through a part of the program called The Foster Care Awareness Campaign, which encourages businesses around the region to take on youth as interns. Participants in the program get a paycheck and learn job skills in the process. “The system is throwing fish at kids without teaching them how to fish. With this program we are hoping to teach those kids how to fish,” said Tommy. All the members of the group are excited to be supporting this program.
The group also has been doing assemblies around Spokane County in high schools and middle schools for a campaign called “See it, Say it,” through a partnership with Spokane School District. It is an anti-bullying program that teaches youth how to deal with school related violence. Getting youth engaged in the audience is key, they said. The band thinks their message is effective because they are not “cookie cutter” artists. They are rappers using their talents to make a difference.
Considering all the amazing work they are doing in the community, I think the music they are making is even more phenomenal. It truly was an honor to star myself in the Place to Place video, which I think is only the beginning of Level Ground’s success. This song is so much more than a song youth can relate to, it gives a face to the hurt and sorrow of group homes, foster care and youth with hard backgrounds in general. I cannot wait to see what they have up their sleeves next.
For more information you can check out their site at levelgroundworld.com.
Power of One
Diamonique Walker
Dashawn Patrick: Foster Care Alumnus Gives Back to the “Village”
It is often said “It takes a village to raise a child.” Having the support of family, and community is vital to the upbringing of the next generation. Recently, I met a man whose story proves the “village” changed his life. Dashawn Patrick, a foster and kinship care alumnus, graduate of University of Washington, former professional baseball player, author of two books, and a motivational speaker, crossed paths recently with The Mockingbird Society. I took the opportunity to conduct an interview with him, and we both exchanged our stories.
Dashawn entered care at the age of two, and at age seven he was placed with a foster parent who accepted him as well as his two siblings. They lived with that same family for the next seven years, which gave them the stability needed to thrive. Dashawn became enthralled with sports; to him, his teams were like families. He found what he was lacking at home on the field. “I knew I had no control over my family but I could control how well I performed on the athletic field,” he told me.
At age 13, Dashawn tried out for a Premier Baseball Team that traveled the west coast playing in tournaments. “My foster mom could not afford to pay the fees, but coaches sponsored me and covered my expenses. I can’t underestimate how important that moment was for me. It was validation that I was NOT different! That the same rules of hard work, dedication and passion applied to me just like kids who were not in foster care.” His “village” helped him to pursue his passion with sports at a young age which ultimately changed his life.
In my experience, the system doesn’t always prepare youth to have a healthy view on family and the community, and I think many alumni of care relate to this struggle. Dashawn stated, “As a young father and husband I had to relearn my views of family. Overcoming the concept of ‘temporary’ was one of the most difficult hurdles of my life. It’s not about batting averages, stolen bases or diving catches. This is about raising my children to be productive, loving people when I had no blueprint to draw from. This has been my greatest achievement in life!”
Dashwan is finding ways to give back to young people in care and aging out. Most recently, he gave back by coordinating an event with The American Cutting Company, which I attended. On December 10th, youth and alumni of care were able to get a full service hair cut for free by stylists at ACC who donated their time. This is just one instance of the “village” giving back to youth, and Dashawn hopes that this event can occur regularly and become more popular.
I want to thank the stylists at American Cutting Company as well as Dashawn for giving back to the village.
Pay it Forward
David Buck
SEA Puts Post-Secondary Education Within Reach for More Youth
For homeless and marginalized youth, education is the tightrope between poverty and a successful life. These youth are often required to navigate this tightrope alone and the statistics speak for themselves. According to a national survey by Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY), only 10% of foster youth enroll in college and, of those, less than 1% graduate.
The need to support marginalized youth in achieving post-secondary success is apparent. While there are programs that give academic advising and support for youth in care, there are many youth that don’t have access to these services because they are homeless but are not formally involved in the foster care system. This creates an even larger barrier to homeless youth attempting to access education.
Holiday Campaign Match Update!
Thanks to the generosity of more than 100 supporters and our generous 10-year donor who agreed to match holiday contributions in honor of the Mockingbird Society’s 10th Anniversary, we are pleased to announce that we achieved our year-end campaign goals and raised more than $18,000! As an independent advocacy organization, The Mockingbird Society relies solely on private contributions and we extend our warmest thanks to all who support our programs and make our work possible.
That’s where Seattle Education Access (SEA) comes in. Established in 2001, SEA’s mission is to support homeless and marginalized youth succeed in college. Their strategy is clear: be the advocates youth need and guide them across the tightrope of education. Many youth on the streets don’t have the necessary proficiency in math or English necessary for college. Youth who engage with SEA’s services work one-on-one with staff, or volunteer tutors, towards achieving their education goals. Services are offered both at SEA’s office and at partner sites around King County. Many tutors are former SEA clients who have returned to give back.
Anyone who has been to college knows that the challenges of college are not limited to academics. Many of the supports that youth from intact families take for granted, homeless youth struggle to secure. Homeless youth often don’t have financial support, so learning how to navigate the world of academic financial aid is challenging. Moreover, securing financial aid is a high stakes fight for survival for homeless youth. Completing the constant paper work, and having the information necessary to ensure you are up to date with all the other complex steps related to remaining eligible for aid can be daunting. Most youth from intact homes have families that help them through these situations and tasks. Thankfully, homeless youth have SEA. In 2010, SEA supported over 450 students, and 116 students received $62,140.49 in scholarships. Approximately 90% of students in SEA programs eventually complete their program of study or degree.
My endless admiration for SEA’s efforts to help marginalized youth get the access and support needed to thrive in education can be expressed by the words of a former client of SEA: “Seattle Education Access was not interested in sanitizing my life, choosing my friends, or assigning me their beliefs. They were only interested in one thing: giving me an opportunity for education, and letting me decide where to go with it.”
Go to seattleeducationaccess.org to learn more about Seattle Education Access and resources for young people who want an education.
Art in Action
Thomas Darden
It’s Really Different When You Grow Up
Knowing things as a child is one thing
Growing up is however different
I remember friends
I remember having dreams
I remember having nightmares
I remember wanting to be a kid forever
And times when I could not wait to grow up, because I did not want to have a bedtime anymore
There were days when I picked to be twenty-one, sixteen, thirteen, or twelve forever
I would watch others who were older than me and admire the perks of their age
It’s really different when you grow up
You just remember
Remember wanting to be twelve, thirteen, sixteen, and twenty-one
I like those memories they’re things I hold dear to myself
Art in Action
Jasmin Esters
Sometimes You Got To…
Sometimes you got to be a leader;
Sometimes you got to fail in order to succeed;
Sometimes you got to make mistakes
in order to move on in life.
Sometimes you got to lose
in order for life to go on.
Every day you got to see yourself
not as a failure,
but as a leader.
Every day you got to see your mistakes
as steps closer to success
We Welcome Your Work!
We welcome submissions of articles, poetry, artwork, and photography from our young readers who have experience in the foster care system and/or with homelessness. If you want to be published in the Mockingbird Times visit mockingbirdsociety.org, or contact us at (206) 407-2134 or via email at mbt@mockingbirdsociety.org. If you have submitted something before that hasn’t been published, we may need your submission agreement in order to publish your work. Please submit materials and completed agreement again via the email address listed above. Note: Any incoming letters to the editor and any correspondence to youth under 18 years of age should be addressed to the Mockingbird Times and will be opened first by adult editorial staff.
Chapter
Voice
Spokane Chapter Supports Youth Across the Country by Courtney Canova
Region 1 North (Spokane) — Region 1 North had the month of a lifetime in December! To kick off it, chapter leaders Kristina Thomason and I partnered with Sarah Mahaffy to present the Life Advocacy Training to our chapter at our last meeting. About 17 youth attended, and I believe that each and every one walked away with a new insight on how to speak for themselves in a mature way. As a group, youth in Region 1 are raising expectations for social workers and Children’s Administration with effective, mature, and passionate advocacy.
The next event that occurred was the opportunity to have one of our members interviewed by Robyn Nance, KXLY’s local news anchor, as a result of the Level Ground video Place to Place (see Level Ground article in this issue). That experience was amazing because we got a grand tour of the studio.
Speaking of media, Region 1 has taken the spotlight for regional press this month. Many youth and alumni including myself were interviewed by the Inlander Northwest, a local newspaper for the Spokane area. The article was an in-depth story about the hardships of being in care, as well as the resiliency of the youth who are put in challenging situations. Truly moving I’d say, not only speaking for myself but for all whom were involved.
Moving on, I know our chapter is excited to “take a break” and go ice-skating for our next meeting in January. All the hype and planning related to Advocacy Day is on our minds as we prepare to peacefully protest cuts to safe housing programs for youth in Olympia on February 10th. So in preparation we are taking a quick break to hit the ice and clear our heads to come up with more inspirational and powerful energy to bring to Advocacy Day.
Region 1 South (Yakima) by Brandy Baxley
A.C.T. F.I.R.S.T. celebrated Victor Gonzales for being a great volunteer after aging out from Mockingbird Network. Victor was a member for two and a half years, when he turned 24 he decided to stay involved with Mockingbird by volunteering at our events.
Region 2 North (Everett) by Garret Nadeau
On Thursday, December 15th, HEYMAC (Helping Every Youth Make A Change) held a Life Advocacy 101 training. Lashay, Garrett, and Valerie facilitated. Our new Resource Specialist, Kate Storms, attended and got to know everyone. As the night came to a close we raffled off Starbucks gift cards, gingerbread houses and laptop bag covers. We look forward to the New Year and getting ready to dominate Youth Advocacy Day!
Region 2 South (Seattle) by Max Ream
To end the year in our region, December 20th we went Christmas caroling down at the Kawabe Memorial House, and sung to the residents. This is an annual event that our Seattle region has been doing for three years now. Giving back is the best gift anyone could ask for. It was a great holiday celebration! Thank you’s: Sheila Taie, Reiko Rosenquist, Heather Perry
Region 3 North/South (Tacoma & Olympia) Special Report
The Mockingbird Society is excited to announce the hiring of Selona Willett, who will serve as resource specialist for both the Olympia and Tacoma Chapters. Selona was born in Clarkston, WA, and raised in Portland, OR. For a while, she attended college in Berlin, Germany, and she later earned her BA in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. She comes to Mockingbird after seven and a half years working for the Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland, where she provided Independent Living Program services to Native American youth ages 14-24. Regarding this opportunity, Selona states, “As I have worked with foster youth over the years I have always enjoyed reading the Mockingbird Times, and I am very excited to be given the opportunity to continue to engage and support foster youth through the Mockingbird Youth Network.”