2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner
HEY is recruiting for the new EYAB but time is running out!
You’ve probably already seen the great flyer and may have even had HEY’s Project Manager, Dana Mandolesi present to your group about EYAB, but just in case you haven’t heard, the New HEY EYAB term is expected to start very soon!
Time is running out! If you are interested in becoming a member of EYAB 2008, click here for 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 Policy
The San Francisco Local Homeless Coordinating Board recently announced that the" Five Year Strategic Plan Towards Ending Homelessness in San Francisco" was officially endorsed by the Board of Supervisors on February 26, 2008. The Plan was also endorsed by the Mayor.
This plan is the result of hard work, experience, and insight of many community members, city workers, policy makers, advocates, service providers, and homeless or formerly homeless people. They look forward to Citywide support on the implementation of the Plan over the next Five Years. Please be on the look out for future meetings of the LHCB Strategic Planning Committee and the quarterly presentations to the Board of Supervisors on the Plan's implementation.
If you would like a hard copy of The Plan please contact Ali Schlageter at 415-558-1825 or Alison_Schlageter@ci.sf.ca.us or download The Plan at www.sfgov.org/LHCB—be sure to click on the Continuum of Care Five Year Strategic Plan Towards Ending Homelessness link.
State Policy
The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released its Analysis of the 2008-09 Budget Bill and the 2008-09 Budget Perspectives and Issues on February 20, 2008. Click here for a summary of major findings and recommendations in these reports. Complete reports can be found online at the LAO’s website www.lao.ca.gov. Below is a summary of the Child Welfare Services budget update.
Child Welfare Services
CWS Allocation. The LAO recommends rejecting the $83.7 million cut to CWS due to the negative impact on social worker caseloads that would result in increased risks to children, decreased family reunification, increases to the number of children placed in foster care, and reduced services to emancipated foster youth. The LAO indicates that, in the current year, 10 counties representing 2 percent of statewide cases are at or above the minimum caseload standards and that 24 counties representing 48 percent of the statewide caseload are at least 20 percent below the SB 2030 recommended minimum standards. Under the January Budget, however, the LAO estimates that 38 counties representing 90 percent of the statewide caseload would be at least 20 percent below the SB 2030 caseload standards. At this point, we have not yet seen the methodology used by the LAO to determine how far counties are from meeting the SB 2030 minimum standards.
Instead of the across-the-board reduction, the LAO presents the following three alternatives:
- Suspending the hold harmless for one year for savings of $17.6 million ($6 million GF) by reducing funding to the 29 counties with declining caseloads.
- Capping social worker costs at $155,000 in counties with higher than average fully loaded costs for savings of $5.1 million GF. The LAO derived the cap by applying the annual California Consumer Price Index to the statewide average fully loaded cost of $129,074 which has been frozen since 2001-02.
- Combining the above proposals with a 3 percent across-the-board reduction for estimated GF savings of $33.1 million.
Foster Care Rates. The LAO states the impact of the proposed foster care rate reductions is difficult to measure but notes the potential negative impacts of a decrease in the supply of care providers for both foster care and permanent placements and potential increased costs in foster care due to higher level placements and in child welfare and Medi-Cal due to cases that remain open and cannot move to permanency.
The LAO offers two alternatives—the first would rescind the recent 5 percent rate increase for FFH, GH, KinGAP and new AAP recipients beginning July 1, 2008 and also reduce the FFA rate by 5 percent to maintain the differential established by the Legislature when it approved the rate increases last year. The LAO notes that “care providers would be no worse off financially than they were one year ago.” A second alternative would cap the Specialized Rate Increment to $1,000 per child per month, which according to the LAO would impact seven counties representing 20 percent of the caseload, for a savings of $1 million General Fund in 2008-09.
Federal Policy
[from Amy Lemley, John Burton Foundation]
I am writing to share news about federal child welfare legislation introduced by Representative Jim McDermott (D-Washington) on February 14th:the Invest in Kids Act (House Resolution 5466). The legislation is being described as "The Most Comprehensive Reform of Child Welfare in Nearly 30 Years" and includes four key provisions, one of which eliminates the "look back provision," whichrestricts the number of children and youth who are federally-eligiblefor payments. It also expands federal funding for youth in foster care to age 21.Learn more about the bill online. A summary from the press release is below.
The Invest in KIDS Act
Title 1 Providing Services to Strengthen Families
Establish a new Child and Family Services Program to fund activities designed to: (1) safely reduce the number of children in foster care; (2) safely reduce the length of stay for children in foster care; (3) increase the percentage of foster children who are in family-like settings; and (4) improve the well-being of children in foster or adoptive families. State spending would be matched at the Medicaid match rate as long as a State demonstrates progress in improving outcomes for children.
Title 2 Ensuring Federal Foster Coverage for All Children in Need
Eliminate the current requirement that a child’s birth parents must be eligible for cash welfare under the rules in place in 1996 in order for the child to be eligible for federal foster care assistance. Reduce the federal matching rate to offset most of the associated cost. Ensure that every State retains at least the same amount of funding as would occur under current law. Allow States to have separate foster care licensing standards for relatives. Permit direct foster care assistance for Tribes.
Title 3 Supporting a Qualified Child Welfare Workforce
Provide $200 million per year for States to improve the ability of child welfare workers to ensure positive outcomes for children, with an emphasis on reducing caseloads per worker and increasing case worker training, retention and supervision. Expand the type of child welfare worker eligible for enhanced training funding.
Title 4 Connecting Children to Support, Family, Health Care, and School
Allow States to continue federal foster care coverage until the age of 21. Provide guardianship payments when relatives transition from foster parents to legal guardians. Authorize $50 million per year for activities designed to connect foster children to relatives. Reauthorize and improve the Adoption Incentives program. Require reasonable efforts to place siblings together in foster care. Require States to develop plans to oversee and coordinate health care for foster children. Promote educational stability for children in foster care through improved planning and transportation assistance.
4. Articles
Feb 29 • L.A. lawmaker first African American woman to lead state assembly • San Francisco Chronicle
Feb 28 • LA’s Bass to become new Assembly leader • Sacramento Bee
Feb 28 • Social Worker Launches Networking Site to Improve the Lives of Children in Foster Care • Press Release
Feb 21 • WMU program aims to help ex-foster kids • Freep.com
RELATED NEWS
Feb 27 • S.F. struggles with juvenile offenders • SF Chronicle
Many of the community groups juvenile probation officials work with as an alternative to lockup aren't convinced much is changing. And, they say, they're going unpaid for months despite having contracts with the department.
Feb 20 • Crowd fights health care cuts • SF Examiner
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5. Reports & Useful Websites
Aging Out of the Foster Care System to Adulthood: Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations
To enhance their knowledge about youth who age out of the nation’s foster care systems, the Joint Center Health Policy Institute (in collaboration with Black Administrators in Child Welfare Inc.) conducted reconnaissance on the unmet needs of these youth. A literature review, a telephone survey (with 800 social workers), and listening sessions with youth and stakeholders in the foster care systems in three cities (Jacksonville, FL; Houston, TX; and Chicago, IL) were conducted to gather information about youth who age out of foster care. The full report based on these findings is available for downloading from the Joint Center website. Click here to be directed to the Joint Center website.
Youth Communication: New Comprehensive Site for Youth in Foster Care
Teens leaving or aging out of foster care in New York have a new one-stop hub for information, inspiration and real resources to help them transition to adulthood. The site—developed by New York City Administration for Children's Services; New Yorkers For Children; and Youth Communication—houses teen-written stories, legal and educational information and links to programs and services. Other states and cities can use it as a model for making resources available to teens, foster parents and staff.
Keith Hefner, executive director of Youth Communication, notes, "We don't think teens will go to the site simply because it exists. In many cases they'll go because an adult points them in the right direction."
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6. Job Opportunities
Transitional Age Youth Initiative is Hiring Junior Planner
The San Francisco Interagency Council on Transitional Youth is accepting applications for a position to serve as the part time Junior Planner/Assistant to support the Director of the newly established Transitional Age Youth initiative. Mayor Newsom created the TAY initiative in response to the Transitional Youth Task Force to oversee and be accountable of San Francisco’s most vulnerable transitional age youth—those ages 16 through 24 who are disconnected from education, employment and social support systems. (For more information on Transitional Youth and the Mayor's Task Force, visit www.dcyf.org)
Download job description and details.
Salvation Army Hiring for staff for THP-Plus Program
The recruitment announcements for the Program Director for the Aged Out Foster Youth Program was recently posted on February 5, 2008. Interested individuals please read the job description and send application to:
Major Dawn Rocheleau, Administrator
Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
The Salvation Army Golden State Division
P.O. Box 193465
San Francisco, CA 94119-3465
FAX: 415-553-3537
EMAIL: jobs@tsagoldenstate.org
The Homeless Prenatal Program is Hiring Lab Attendant
The Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is proud to announce an opening for a Bilingual Lab Attendant to work in the Community Technology Center (CTC), a vibrant and rewarding place to work. The Bilingual Lab Attendant will have technology experience and a desire to tutor and teach basic computers skills to our diverse clients and staff. Bringing with them a strong desire to work with technology as an empowerment tool for low-income families, the Bilingual Lab Attendant will assist the technology team in the CTC and provide enthusiastic assistance to other projects as necessary.
HPP provides multiple social services to more than 2,400 low income, San Francisco families each year. Seizing the motivating opportunity created by pregnancy and parenthood, HPP joins with families to help them recognize their strengths and trust in their capacity to transform their lives to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
Main responsibilities include:
- Attend to the Community Technology Center during open lab hours,
including:
- Greeting and Signing-in clients and providing information and referrals as needed
- Assisting clients on the computers in English and/or Spanish
- Providing support and assistance on resumes and cover letters for clients looking for jobs
- Translating and helping out technology staff during all computer workshops
- With experience, teaching workshops and building curriculum in English and Spanish to meet client needs
- Provide administrative support to the tech staff as needed
- Assist tech staff in other technology projects as needed
Candidate must have:
- Fluency in English and Spanish
- Demonstrated passion to serving families of diverse social and cultural backgrounds
- Experience with Windows XP and Microsoft Office Suite
- Good written and oral communication skills
- Ability to multi-task and learn quickly
- Desire to teach basic computer skills
The ideal candidate would have:
- History working with people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds
- Previous teaching or education experience
SALARY: $13–15/hour DOE
HOURS: P/T (18–20 hours/wk) At least Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9–4
Send cover letter and resume to:
hppresume@yahoo.com
fax 415-546-6778
HPP, c/o Technology Center, 2500 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
INDICATE APPLICATION FOR BILINGUAL LAB ASSISTANT POSITION
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7. Scholarships
Scholarship Season is Here!
The Orphan Foundation of America / Casey Family Scholarship Deadline March 31, 2008
You must meet the following criteria to apply for this scholarship:
1. Have been in foster care for one consecutive year at the time of your 18th birthday or high school graduation
OR
Have been adopted or taken into legal guardianship out of foster care after your 16th birthday
OR
Have lost both parents to death before the age of 18 and not been subsequently adopted. In this instance, copies of the death certificates must be provided.
2. Be accepted into or enrolled in an accredited post-secondary program (university, college, community college or vacational/technical institute).
3. Be under the age of 25 on March 31, 2008.
Click here for more information and an application.
LGBTQ Scholarship Opportunity Deadline April 25, 2008
For graduating senior high school student currently attending a California High School (private, public, or parochial), the 2008 "Models of Excellence" scholarship competition is now open. Application deadline is Friday, April 25, 2008. Awards of $1,000 and $500 are given each year to high school seniors who have been accepted to colleges and universities. In considering recipients, the scholarship committee looks for students, gay or straight, who have demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of civil rights in theLGBT communities. Scholarships are funded by private donations and organizations. Click here for more info.
PLFLAG National Scholarships deadline March 15, 2008
The PFLAG National Scholarships are a key component of our safe schools work. What better ways to show our commitment to students than to provide support for role models and pioneers around the country that are making schools safer for all students? We also have a chance to honor students in places that are not always supportive and who are taking the first steps to their own future in the GLBT community. This year, up to three $5,000 and ten $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding students across the country.
Please remember the National PFLAG scholarship is not in competition with local scholarships. Candidates are eligible to win both and we should encourage students to apply for both your local and the national scholarship!
Application materials can be downloaded from our website www.pflag.org and you may copy the materials for distribution.As PFLAG, we respect all families and will honor the privacy and boundaries that families place on this information.
For questions, contact: Suzanne Greenfield at schools@pflag.org or 202-467-8180, ext. 219
SF ILSP Scholarships deadline March 28, 2008
Click here for the SF ILSP Board scholarship application. Any questions, contact Arlene Hylton, 415-934-4202 or Arlene.hylton@sfgov.org. Note the March 28th, 2208 deadline. Applications can be submitted without the support documents. We will ask the youth for the documents at the interviews which will be held second week in April.
Staples Foundation Education Programs for Disadvantaged Youth deadline March 14 and June 16
Click here for the Staples Foundation scholarship for disadvantaged youth. The Staples Foundation for Learning funds programs that support or provide job skills and/or education for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. For the first two funding cycles in 2008, the deadlines for are March 14 and June 16.
The Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
The Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards promotes young leaders who demonstrate success in the classroom and community in an effort to encourage other young people to use education as a vehicle for success.
The Youth Awards celebrate the accomplishment of Latino high school seniors who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement, community involvement and leadership as well as excellence in one of the award categories: Academic Excellence, Business, Community Service, Education, Engineering and Mathematics, Healthcare, Journalism, and Sports. Awards are distributed in 12 regions across the country (Washington DC, New York, Philadelphia/New Jersey, Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Northern California and Phoenix). Applicants can compete in as many categories as they like within their selected region, but can only receive one educational grant. Apply at http://www.hispanicheritage.org/
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8. Upcoming Events
Institute on Compulsive Hoarding and Cluttering
MHA-SF has created an Institute on Compulsive Hoarding and Cluttering (ICHC). The ICHC is launching a series of trainings for members of the public and social service professionals. A public seminar for family members of those who compulsively hoard will be held on Tuesday, March 18, from 6-8 pm, at the World Affair Council at 312 Sutter Street, San Francisco. The seminar will be lead by local hoarding expert Dr. Michael Tompkins of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy. For further information visit www.mha-sf.org.
5th Annual AHWG Provider Gathering
The Adolescent Health Working Group is pleased to announce our:
5th Annual Teen/Young Adult Health Provider's Gathering
The SF LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco,The Rainbow Room
Friday March 14th, from 8:30AM-10:30AM;
This years focus will be Sexual and Reproductive Health; the speakers will include Clair Brindis of UCSF and Norma Jo Waxman of SFGH.
Breakfast and coffee will be served and there will be ample time for networking! Attached is a flyer for the event, please distribute it to any friends or colleagues that might be interested. If you experience difficulty downloading the flyer (in JPEG format) feel free to contact omorse@gmail.com, and we can send you a PDF copy next week.RSVP to omorse@gmail.com by March 10th at the latest!
Stand With Families Rally on March 26, 2008
SAVE THE DATE! Flyer will be released next week
- Stand with us against city and state budget cuts!
- Young people and families cannot afford to lose any more critical services!
- The Family Budget Coalition will be releasing our budget agenda for FY08-09, and asking city officials for commitments!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
11am-12pm
Rally at the Steps of City Hall
Sponsored by: Coleman Advocates and the Family Budget Coalition
SF ILSP events
Care Providers Night—BINGO, April 4, 2008
Black College Tour and Southern California College Tour—March 26–March 30
For more information, contact Arlene Hylton at 415-934-4202 or Arlene.hylton@sfgov.org
2nd Annual Early Academic Planning Camp
Application deadline: April 30
Applications for the 2nd Annual Early Academic Camp at San Jose State are now available! This year's camp will be offered Wednesday, June 25, 9 am to Saturday, June 28, noon and will be located in Joe West Hall @ San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
This FREE program will encourage 30-40 8th grade foster youth to see higher education as an achievable pathway to fulfilling their dreams and will show them what they need to do in high school to prepare for university admission. The camp will be housed on the San José State Campus, a wonderful opportunity for youth to get a feel for what it will be like to go to college and live on campus. Applications are due by April 30, 2008. In the event that they have a large response of applications, a maximum of 5 youth per county will be accepted, and additional youth will be placed on a waiting list. Download an application.
Information on the camp will be posted on the CME Society website at http://www.sjsu.edu/cmesociety. For questions regarding the camp, please contact Connie, or Kahlila at 408-924-1098, or via email at cmesociety@sjsu.edu.
 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
This newsletter is solely for informational purposes; the legislative information and articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Honoring Emancipated Youth collaborative or United Way of the Bay Area.
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