2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner
EY EYAB 2008 members have been selected!
After months of planning, recruiting, and a tough selection process we are proud to announce the members of HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) 2008: Steven Adams • San Chan Choi Saetern • Erika White • Erin Williams
EYAB members will begin their term by attending the upcoming California Coalition for Youth, CCY conference from March 30-April 1, 2008, in Sacramento and will also be formally introduced to the San Francisco Bay Area community on Thursday, May 8, at the annual HEY Foster Youth Connections Breakfast. Be sure to come to our upcoming Breakfast where you can meet this dynamic group!
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3. Policy Updates
Local Budget
HEY has been a participating member of this year’s Family Budget Coalition (FBC), a project of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth. HEY recognizes that former foster youth are part of a larger San Francisco community who are all affected by the current state and local budget cuts. Download the specific budget breakdown and see Upcoming Events section for information about the Stand With Families Rally on Wednesday, March 26.
Recent Budget Update from Controller’s Office
[From Chelsea Boilard, Family Budget Coalition]
The Controller’s Office released a report on Friday, March 21, which included the new number for San Francisco’s deficit: $338.4 million. This includes the impacts from the proposed state cuts. What is interesting to note, is while the projected deficit for FY08-09 has gotten depressingly deeper in the past months ($229 million in December, now $338.4 million), the projected deficit for FY09-10 has actually shrunk ($118 million in December, now $45.9 million). We keep hearing that FY09-10 will be even worse… and while that may be true from the state, today’s report about our local budget does not reflect that. Download the report. Download the California Budget Project's brief summary of WHO in San Francisco is going to be impacted by the proposed state budget cuts.
Local Policy—Health
[From the Golden Gate to Health Insurance Network Spring 08 Newsletter]
The Healthy Kids & Young Adults (HKYA) Program Now Closed to New HKYA Members Aged 19–24.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health has decided to end the young adult component of the program due to an anticipated massive budget shortfall in the next fiscal year. Youth members aged 0–18 are not affected; the program will eventually revert to its former name “Healthy Kids.” On March 10, 2008, HKYA ceased accepting 19 to 24 year olds into the program. Those who seek coverage through the program will instead be screened by San Francisco Health Plan in finding alternative health care access options that include other publicly-funded health insurance programs, and the City’s non-insurance offering, Healthy San Francisco. For the approximately 3,500 young adults aged 19-24 who are currently in the program, coverage will continue. Beginning July 1, 2008, however, this population will begin gradually phasing-out. SFHP is committed to providing assistance in finding alternative health care access options to persons aged 19 to 24 who would have otherwise been eligible for HKYA. SFHP is currently seeking ways to do so in the most efficient way possible.
If you have any questions about the change to the program, please contact Adrian Nunez, (415) 615-4203 or Jose Aguilera, (415) 615-4403. As part of the Adolescent Health Working Group, HEY will monitor the transition of the Healthy Young Adults program into Healthy San Francisco
Local Policy—Housing
On February 14, 2008, Mayor Newsom held a press conference announcing his interest in transforming the two largest city owned emergency shelters—Next Door and Multi Service Center South. The Mayor recommended that the planning process be led out of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board, Shelter Monitoring Committee, Ten Year Plan Implementation Council, and include key stakeholders including consumers of shelter services, shelter service providers, the Human Services Agency and the Department of Public Health.
A community meeting was held on Wednesday, March 19 to get feedback from the community on how to improve access to the shelter system, meeting the medical needs of clients, comprehensive services on site, and exiting the shelter system into housing. There will be additional community workgroup meetings in the month of April. For more information, please contact Ali Schlageter with the Local Homeless Coordinating Board, 558.1825 or Bernice Casey with the Shelter Monitoring Committee, 255.3653.
For more information, visit www.sfgov.org/lhcb • www.sfgov.org/sheltermonitoring • www.sfgov.org/planningcouncil
Local Policy—TAY Housing
In its final report, Disconnected Youth In San Francisco: A Roadmap to Improve the Life Chances of San Francisco’s Most Vulnerable Young Adults, the Transitional Youth Task Force recommended that an ad hoc committee would meet to develop a plan to achieve the following: 1) meet the 2005 Consolidated Plan target of 150 housing units by 2010; 2) provide an additional 250 housing units over 5 years (50 units per year) through scattered sites, leased units, expanding the Transitional Housing Program for Emancipated Foster/Probation program (i.e., THP-Plus), and/or using Proposition 63, General Fund or other dollar; and 3) provide $100,000 per year for emergency housing assistance and eviction prevention.
The TAY Housing Work Group has met and will be presenting their recommendations shortly. Look for more information soon.
State Policy—Blue Ribbon Commission Recommendations
The California Blue Ribbon Commission on Foster Care issued draft recommendations for public comment on March 14, 2008. The recommendations focus on four areas: 1) efforts to prevent removal and achieve permanency; 2) court reforms; 3) collaboration between the courts and their child welfare partners; and 4) resources and funding.
Click here for more information including press release, history, Executive Summary and full recommendations.
HEY will work closely with Foster Youth Alliance (FYA) and other partners to formulate a response and submit our comment by the Public Comment Deadline: May 13, 2008. Please watch for more information in coming weeks.
State Policy—SSI Project Website Launch
The SSI Transitions Project has a website: www.ssitransitions.org. The SSI Transitions Project is a partnership between the John Burton Foundation, the Public Interest Law Project and the Alliance for Children’s Rights. The goals of the project are to help California’s disabled youth make a successful transition from foster care, improve local practices in transition planning for disabled foster youth and develop a comprehensive state and federal policy agenda to address systemic issues.
State Policy
The Assembly Human Services Committee is expects to hear several foster care related bills on April 1st at 1:30 p.m. in Room 437 of the Capitol. Please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov or the Daily File for bills of interest to you closer to the hearing date. Also, the deadline to send in letters of support or opposition (the fax number for the Committee's office is 916.319.2189) and have them reflected in the analysis for bills that will be heard April 1st is Thursday, March 27th (the Committee's Rules require receipt by 5 calendar days before any hearing).
State Budget
Click here for a great report on how 17 states (including California) have made or proposed budget cuts that threaten vital services for some of their state’s most vulnerable. The report gives a quick overview of some key areas where California and other states have cut costs including K-12 Education, Health Care, and more.
Federal Policy
New Medicaid and SCHIP Rules—Impacts on Children
Three new reports look at recent changes in the regulations and administration of government health insurance programs for children. These changes include a requirement that states prove that they have enrolled at least 95 percent of all uninsured children eligible for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) or Medicaid before they can expand coverage to other children, and prohibiting the use of schools to administer Medicaid. The summaries offer clear explanations of the new rules.
4. Articles
A college boost for foster youth • The Sun • March 21, 2008
Commission calls California dependency courts ‘overstressed, under resourced’ • The Mercury News • March 14, 2008
Former foster youth to share her story • Camarillo Acorn • March 14, 2008
California’s foster-care paradox • LA Times • March 10, 2008
What every social worker should know about immigration law • Social Work Today • Jan/Feb 2008
RELATED NEWS
Superintendent threatens to sue state for school cuts • SF Examiner • March 21, 2008
S.F. judge orders crackdown on juvenile halls • SF Chronicle • March 13, 2008
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5. Reports & Useful Websites
Ready to Succeed: Changing Systems to Give California’s Foster Children the Opportunities They Deserve to be Ready for and Succeed in School
Draft recommendations to improve school readiness, school success, and data sharing from the California Education Collaborative in Foster Care, 2008. The California Education Collaborative for Children in Foster Care is partnership of several educators, Stuart Foundation, the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, and Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. They have recently released The Foster Youth Summary Report 2008. Download the report.
[From the National Research Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning Weekly Update]
Chafee National Youth in Transition Database
This final rule, published February 26 2008, adds new regulations to require States to collect and report data to ACF on youth who are receiving independent living services and on the outcomes of certain youth who are in foster care or who age out of foster care. The final rule implements the data collection requirements of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-169) as incorporated into the Social Security Act.
In October 2007, Children’s Rights, the National Foster Parent Association and the University of Maryland School of Social Work released the first-ever nationwide, state-by-state calculation of the real cost of supporting children in foster care. The report reveals widespread deficiencies in reimbursement rates across the nation—and major disparities among the states—and proposes a new standard rate for each state to use in fulfilling the federal requirement to provide foster parents with payments to cover the basic needs of children in foster care, including food, shelter, clothing and school supplies. Download California’s scorecard. Read an update on the progress made since the release of the scorecard.
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6. Job Opportunities
Breakthrough Series Collaborative on ILP Transformation
The Breakthrough Series Collaborative on California ILP Transformation will start this summer, and an integration team is being developed to help the California Co-Investment Partnership integrate initiatives and system improvement efforts and bring quality approaches to scale in California.
Project Director: Breakthrough Series Collaborative on ILP Transformation
Project Manager: Breakthrough Series Collaborative on ILP Transformation
Program Manager: Co-Investment Partnership Integration Team
Program Assistant: Integration and Policy
Children and Family Services Division (Exempt Position)
Download the Deputy Director job announcement, The Final File Date is March 31, 2008, or until filled.
Jobs For Youth
Jobs For Youth, a community project of United Way of the Bay Area, is currently accepting applications for the Youth Manager position. Applications accepted by e-mail hr@uwba.org.
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7. Opportunities
SAMHSA Accepting Applications for FY 2008 National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative Community Treatment and Services Center Grants
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is soliciting applications for a fiscal year (FY) 2008 National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative Community Treatment and Services Center Grants. The purpose of these grants is to improve treatment and services for children and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events. Applications for No. SM-08-010 are available by calling SAMHSA's Information Line at 1-877-SAMHSA7 [TDD: 1 800-487-4889] or by downloading the application. Applicants are encouraged to apply online using www.grants.gov. Applications must be received by Friday, April 29, 2008, to be considered for review. Please review carefully Section IV-3 of the application announcement for revised Fiscal Year, 2008 submission requirements.
California State University, East Bay Renaissance Scholars accepting new students
Click here for the new 2008-2009 application for the Cal State East Bay Renaissance Scholars program for former foster youth. If you know of an eligible emancipating senior or transfer student who may be interested please share it with them. At this time, approximately 15 new scholars may be admitted for the 2008-2009 academic year. Note that this is a competitive program with limited space. For more information contact Kevin M. Bristow at 510-885-3747 or kevin.bristow@csueastbay.edu .
2008–09 New YES Scholars applications available
The Silicon Valley Children’s Fund (SVCF) Youth Education Scholars (YES™) Program was developed to help former foster youth achieve the dream of a college education or vocational training. YES™ scholarship funding is intended to supplement, but not replace, other available financial aid or scholarship funding and may be used for tuition, books, school supplies, housing, transportation, clothing, food and other education related expenses. SVCF’s goal is to improve outcomes for all former and current foster youth who have demonstrated a personal commitment to education and the ability to achieve educational success. Click here for more information and to download an application.
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8. Upcoming Events
STAND WITH FAMILIES RALLY
WEDNESDAY MARCH 26, 11-12NOON
- Stand Against Cuts to Low Income Children & Families (including current and former foster care youth and families)
- Stand For Long Term Solutions to the Budget Crisis
- Stand for the Needs of more than 30,000 families without child care, safety, health care, jobs, or affordable housing
Download flyers in English, Spanish & Chinese. For more information call Chelsea Boilard at 239-0161x19
Transgender Job Fair IV
@ The Center, 1800 Market St. SF, CA 94102
Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 1:00–4:00 PM
This event is expected to attract dozens of Bay Area top brand employers with 100+ job opportunities. Job seeker attendance is anticipated to be from 250–300. www.sfcenter.org/job_fair.php. Contact: Clair Farley, Transgender Economic Empowerment Coordinator, at (415) 865-5632 or clairf@sfcenter.org
Save the Date for Music Day at UC Santa Cruz on May 10th
The Smith Society Renaissance Scholars Program invites you to the 5th Annual Music Day on May 10th at UC Santa Cruz. The event will include a variety of music and personal empowerment workshops, student performances, and our popular open mic for visiting students to perform. This a is FREE event with breakfast, lunch, and t-shirts included for all high school/recently emancipated foster youth, orphans, wards of the court, runaways, and their chaperones. Flyer will be available soon.
 About
Honoring Emancipated Youth
About Honoring Emancipated Youth: Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY), a community project of United Way of the Bay Area, 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 policies that affect emancipated foster youth. HEY is committed to the inclusion of current and former foster youth, service providers, and community members in identifying and promoting strategies and best practices that ensure there are effective systems to serve Bay Area foster care youth in achieving a successful transition to adulthood.
This newsletter is solely for informational purposes; the legislative information and articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Honoring Emancipated Youth or United Way of the Bay Area.
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
Visit us at www.heysf.org
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