2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner
HEY is recruiting for the new EYAB!
New EYAB term is expected to start by mid-March 2008! Click here for more recruitment information. For more information contact, HEY Project Manager, Dana Mandolesi at 415-808-4284 or dmandolesi@uwba.org.
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3. Policy Updates
Local Budget
[from the San Francisco Mayor’s Budget Office]
The governor’s proposed FY2008-2009 budget closes a $14.5 billion 18-month deficit by relying on funding diversions and budget savings proposals, which target San Francisco’s most vulnerable residents. In addition to direct funding cuts totaling approximately $30 million to San Francisco, the governor’s proposal reduces benefits to local residents and may result in the county providing those services previously covered by the state.
Click here for more information and to read the press release from the Mayor’s Budget Office.
Family Budget Coalition Budget Recommendations
[from Family Budget Coalition—a collaborative project of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth]
The Family Budget Coalition will have a 2-part strategy around the local budget recommendations.
Level 1: Family Budget Coalition says "No Local Cuts to Children, Youth and Families". Preserve the Children's Baseline, and annualize last year's addbacks. Level 2: Family Budget Coalition committees present budget recommendations.
Work to create recommendations that are critical, realistic and strategic.
So far, as part of the planning FBC members have met with many city officials to hear from them what the next fiscal year is looking like and get a sense for their budget priorities:
- Maya Dillard-Smith (the Mayor’s Director of Violence Prevention)
- Margaret Brodkin (Department of Children, Youth and Families)
- Trent Rhorer, Debby Jeter, Noelle Simmons and Steve Arcelona (Human Services Agency)
- Nani Coloretti, Michael Yuen, Catherine Dodd and Starr Terrell (Mayor’s Budget Office)
- Sai-Ling Chan-Sew (Department of Public Health)
Summary of FBC Meeting with HSA department staff including Trent Rhorer and Debby Jeter
Questions: What is this next fiscal year looking like, in terms of HSA’s budget priorities? How badly is HSA going to feel the cuts coming from both the state and city levels? What are the potential cuts going to impact (programs, staffing, etc.)? How are the cuts going to impact particularly child care and family support services? What is HSA putting in place to make sure that services are strengthened and not weakened in this process? What is the strategy around own departmental submissions to the Mayor?
Responses: HSA’s budget is 2/3 state and federal money and 1/3 local money. The local cuts will be $9.5 million from the general fund- estimated impact is going to be $12.5 million.They are trying to enhance revenue by shifting their service provision, looking at contracts, new initiatives, and their internal structure. For any expansion to occur there must be cost-savings down the road. $7 million in cuts from the state, eliminating safety nets for families. These cuts will be pushing families into homelessness.
For notes from other meetings and for more information, please contact Chelsea Boliard, Coleman Action Network Organizer, at 415-239-0161, ext. 19, or cboilard@colemanadvocates.org
State Policy
California Youth Connection (CYC) Day at the Capitol
[from CYC Northern California office]
California Youth Connection’s Day at the Capitol annual conference was a great success! For two days, youth members learned about CYC’s two legislative issues this year: 1) making sure that state budget cuts do not impact foster care services, and 2) advocating for foster youth who crossover into the juvenile justice system to retain foster care services.
On the third and final day of the conference, 140 current and former foster youth descended on the State Capitol meeting with 114 legislators or their staff to talk about CYC’s two legislative issues. CYC members held a rally on the Capitol steps, where members spoke about their experiences in care and the need for legislators to support foster care and make sure that supporting foster youth is a state priority. A few members also had the chance to testify in front of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee that deals with foster care issues and gave rousing testimonies that moved both the members and the audience.
For more information on California Youth Connection, please call 415.442.5060 or visit the website at www.calyouthconn.org.
Mental Health Services Act—Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI)
[from Mental Health Association—San Francisco]
The final regulations have been released for the Prevention and Early Intervention Component of the MHSA. Download a copy of the regulations.
Planning Process: Each county is required to conduct a community planning process and the final Prevention and Early Intervention plans will be approved by state DMH and the Mental Health Services Act Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC). This is the only plan that must be approved by the MHSOAC. CBHS has scheduled its meetings of the local PEI committee. Download meeting flyer and additional details.
Federal Budget
President Bush Proposes FY 2009 Budget
On February 4, President Bush sent his fiscal year 2009 budget proposal to Congress. This year's $3.1 trillion proposal makes "substantial cuts in areas ranging from education, health care, disease control, and environmental protection to emergency responders, and low-income heating assistance," says the National PTA Washington Watch. It eliminates 47 education programs and reduces funding for 11 others, according to the Department of Education. Click here for more information.
Federal Policy
Reconnecting Youth to Prevent Homelessness Act
The Reconnecting Youth to Prevent Homelessness Act seeks to create the income security conditions and family supports needed to ensure permanency for the nation's unaccompanied and other disconnected youth.
Among its provisions, the bill extends federal foster care maintenance payments to youth in the child welfare system through age 20. It extends eligibility for the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program to transitioned foster care youth through age 24. It amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to improve young family access to that program. It also adds homeless youth as a target group for eligibility for the Work Opportunity Credit.
THP-Plus News
[From the John Burton Foundation’s THP-Plus Alert]
The recently developed THP-Plus Participant Tracking System is designed to collect consistent demographics and outcomes about THP-Plus participants statewide, to be used for program self-evaluation and state-level budget advocacy. A secure online database, the Participant Tracking System was developed by the John Burton Foundation and is available for counties and providers to use free of charge. In December the system was introduced through an online "webinar," which included a detailed walk-through of the data entry screens. A video recording of the training is now available for download on the THP-Plus website at www.thpplus.org, under Trainings—Past Trainings.
4. Articles
Jan 27 • County program gets foster kids on right track SF Chronicle
Jan 27 • Youths with adult issues in “Tweak,” “Words” SF Chronicle
Jan 29 • Editorial: Foster care foolishness—Governor’s cuts actually will increase costs Sacramento Bee
Feb 4 • For former foster care youth, Mi Casa is their home Contra Costa Times
Feb 4 • SF lends a hand to residents confused about city services SF Examiner
Feb 4 • Foster youth get a hand from year-old housing program Napa Valley Register
Feb 3 • Foster parenting seminar planned for Feb 13 Marin Independent Journal
Jan 29 • Child Abuse and Neglect Cost Nation over $100 Billion per year; Most Federal Funds Unavailable for Prevention Services and Supports Press Release
RELATED NEWS
Jan 29 • Report: Youths, city detached SF Examiner
Jan 25 • Solano: A great place to grow up—County named one of top 100 areas for young people for third consecutive year Times-Herald
Feb 3 • Life at the bottom: S.F’s Sunnydale project SF Chronicle
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5. Reports
Preparation for Adulthood—Supervising for Success
The NRCFCPPP website has been launched. The three year development of the curriculum and training project is funded by the Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants Program - ACF/DHHS. The goal of the project is to develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate a training curriculum for public child welfare supervisors. This curriculum will strengthen supervision of staff's interventions with older youth who are in foster care. Partners in the project are Oregon Department of Human Services, State Office for Services to Children and Families, the New York City Administration for Children's Services and the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Please explore this site, including the Digital Stories that bring the voices of young people, workers and supervisors into the curriculum, and the Learning Circles that are designed to build cohesive learning communities and provide structure for high quality peer learning. Download the full report.
Beyond the Foster Care System: The Future for Teens
Betsy Krebs and Paul Pitcoff co-founded and direct the Youth Advocacy Center Inc. Their latest book, Beyond the Foster Care System: The Future for Teens, chronicles the development of their program, which brings teens, the system, and the outside community into active collaboration to increase opportunities for teens after foster care. Read an interview with Betsy Krebs.
Blueprint for Change: Education Success for Children in Foster Care
The Blueprint for Change is designed to be a tool for all stakeholders (including youth, parents, foster parents and other caregivers, lawyers, caseworkers, teachers and other school staff, child welfare and education system administrators, state agencies, and policy makers). Stakeholders can use the framework of this Blueprint for Change to identify what they can do to promote educational success for youth in foster care in their jurisdictions. Download the full report.
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6. Opportunities
First Place for Youth
First Place for Youth is seeking a Youth Center Coordinator to oversee the organization’s transitional support center, First Steps, which provides case management, educational and employment support, housing referrals and community resources for current and former foster care youth in a social setting designed to empower young people making the transition to independent living. Click here for job description.
Huckleberry Youth Programs
Huckleberry Youth Programs is currently hiring for the Director of SF Health Services position! Please forward the attached job description to any potential candidates. Click here for job description.
Cal CASA
Cal CASA is an Associate Director who will be responsible for managing and supervising staff and interns in providing or facilitating the provision of technical assistance and training to CASA programs throughout California. Click here for job description.
SF CYC Chapter needs adult supporters!
Are you interested in Empowerment and Leadership Development for Current and Former Foster Youth? California Youth Connection (CYC) is looking for adults who live or work in San Francisco to become Adult Supporters with our organization. CYC is a youth-led organization working to improve the foster care system through policy change. CYC Members are 14-24 year old current and former foster youth fighting to improve the system on the state and local level.
Who are Supporters and What do they do? Supporters are adults that believe current and former foster youth can make meaningful contribution to child welfare policy and bring expert knowledge of the system to the table. CYC Members rely on Adult Supporters to share their experience and knowledge to help them have their voices heard and make positive changes in the foster care system. Supporters do this is a variety of ways from providing transportation, advice and encouragement to helping open doors in the community. Click here for more information.
Evergreen Lodge Employment Program is Recruiting
Click here for a flyer with some basic information about the employment and personal growth program at Evergreen Lodge. For more information contact Debbie Wilber, Program Manager, at 415-371-0727, ext. 211
Conservation Corp is Recruiting
Click here for more information on SF Conservation Corp.
PG&E PowerPathway is Recruiting
The PG&E PowerPathway program trains and prepares individuals for high-paying, high-demand energy sector positions specific to PG&E's hiring needs. Since community outreach is essential to the program's success, the continuously develop relationships with labor, industry, government, community-based organizations, foundations and California educational institutions.
For more than a century, PG&E has had a long-standing commitment to California. We invest in our employees, which includes building their technical skills for apprentice-level to journey-level advancement. Graduates of our PowerPathway courses can apply for positions at PG&E with a starting wage of $20.66 per hour or more and an exceptional benefits package. For more information visit: http://www.pge.com/careers/powerpathway/
Scholarships: Foster Youth Education Fund accepting applications
We are very pleased to be able to offer educational grants to youth through the Foster Youth Education Fund. We look forward to having you apply for these educational funds. We have enclosed some guidelines and ask that you review them carefully and then complete the application. It is very important that we have all of the requested information, so please re-review the guidelines before finalizing and sending in your application. If you have trouble obtaining all of the information by the deadline of February 15, 2008 please let us know. You may have the information sent directly to the Foster Youth Education Fund in order to avoid further delay. An incomplete application can result in us not considering your application, so please let us know if you need assistance or special consideration.
Our goal is to support as many foster youth as possible. In addition to need, we award of scholarships based on academic strength and achievements (transcripts), any participation in community and/or school activities, letters of commendation and/or recommendation and your personal essay.
If you have any questions or need help with the completion of your application please contact Cathy at (916) 944-4935. Click here for information on guidelines and click here for an application.
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7. Resources
Earn It! Keep It! Save It! is in full swing!
Get information about this great program at the BRAND NEW Earn It! Keep It! Save It! website www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. You can download the paycheck stuffer from their website’s EKS Outreach Kit page at http://uwba.org/eks/outreach_kit.html. You can also download these posters from our EKS Outreach Kit page, http://uwba.org/eks/outreach_kit.html
Working Families Credit Campaign
Have you heard about the Working Families Credit Campaign?
The WFC is a $100 incentive from the City of San Francisco that encourages San Francisco working families to claim the EITC and other benefits. Employees earning up to $40,000 per year ($19.48/hour if fulltime, or more if part-time) may qualify for:
- Up to $4,700 through the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),
- $100 through the San Francisco Working Families Credit (WFC),
- Free and low-cost health coverage for themselves and their children,
- Discounted Muni passes,
- Free or low-cost banking,
- Significant grocery bill savings,
- Low-cost auto insurance,
- Utility bill savings, and more.
* Eligibility and tax credit amounts depend on family size and income.
Request materials to display or distribute in your workplace: access an html e-mail you can send to your employees • complete a simple online form • call SF Works at (415) 217-5181 • e-mail staff@sfworks.org • visit www.workingfamiliescredit.org for more information.
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Upcoming Events
2008 We Connect Event
Help the Bay Area’s poorest taxpayers receive the money they deserve! Support California First Lady Maria Shriver at the 2008 We Connect Event on Tuesday, February 12, from 3:00pm-7:00pm at UC Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. This event will provide qualified low-income San Francisco residents with many free resources and services, including free tax preparation, low cost energy programs, disaster preparedness, and lifeline telephone services. Contact Faith DuBois (fduBois@uwba.org or 510.238.2419) if you have any questions.
BAYCAT Presents Media Movement
Feb 6th to April 14th at ZEUM, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), San Francisco
Art Opening and Music Party, Feb 8th 6-9 p.m.
Live music by: Will Hammond Jr., & Siara Shawn featuring DJ Mark Stretch at 7p.m.
For more information contact BAYCAT at 415-701-8228
ILSP Open Mic Night
Open to all current and former foster youth on Friday, Feb 15th from 5-7 p.m. at SF ILSP. Contact Tiana at tianaw@gmail.com or 415-834-4220 for more information.
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 About
Honoring Emancipated Youth
Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY) is a San Francisco-based intermediary providing leadership to the Bay Area foster care community by convening and informing stakeholders of trends and best practices in order to raise public awareness and promote successful foster care policies. HEY is committed to the inclusion of current and former foster care youth, service providers, and community members in identifying and promoting strategies and best practices that ensure there are effective systems to serve foster care youth in achieving a successful transition into adulthood.
For more information or if you would like to subscribe others,
please contact Sara Razavi at srazavi@uwba.org.
Honoring Emancipated Youth
A Community Project of United Way of the Bay Area
221 Main Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94105
415.808.4435
www.heysf.org
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