2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner
HEY EYAB 2008 members have been selected!
EYAB 2008 will 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 as they present their passion for advocacy.
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3. Policy Updates
State Policy
Below is a list of the bills heard and still alive in their houses of origin. On the 29th, two more bills will be heard in the Assembly: AB 2575 (Runner) and AB 2904 (Hayashi). There are only 2 bills on the Senate side as some bills have already been vetoed. With the budget looming over a lot of the discussions in policy this year, it is no surprise that as of April 23, there are fewer than 20 bills about foster care in this State Legislature year.
AB 2070 – Bass
AB 2117 – Evans
AB 2310 – Maze
AB 2341 – Maze
AB 2352 – Fuentes
AB 2029 – Tran
AB 2096 – Bass
AB 2338 – Beall, Jr.
AB 2399 – Portantino
AB 2571 – Runner
AB 2651 – Aghazarian
AB 2736 – Cook
AB 3015 – Brownley
SB 720 - Kuehl
SB 785 – Steinberg
HEY will continue to provide updates on hearings with more detailed analysis of current legislation will be available later in May as we begin to approach the last day for bills to pass out of their house of origin (May 30).
Please check http://www.leginfo.ca.gov to find out more information about specific bills.
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 – THP-Plus News
[From the John Burton Foundation]
A comprehensive list of THP-Plus providers and county THP-Plus representatives is now available on the THP-Plus website. To get to it, go to www.thpplus.org, and click on the links under "what's new." If you are a current provider or county representative, please take a moment to make sure that your information is listed correctly. If it is not, please email Nicole Fish at Nicole@johnburtonfoundation.org
Federal Policy—HUD Reverses Policy on Kin-Gap
[from Foster Youth Alliance Bulletin]
HUD Reverses Policy on Kin-Gap
Good news! HUD has reversed its policy to count program payments received by families participating in California's Kin-GAP program as income for the Section 8 housing program. The many letters of concern sent to members of Congress and HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson paid off. Congresswoman Maxine Waters led the effort. As she states in her press release of April 10th: “This is a victory for relative caregivers in California and throughout the country who have wondered how they would pay the rent in light of HUD’s policy shift. I have received countless letters from relative caregivers in California who were concerned about the impact HUD’s policy would have on their families. Hopefully, these families can rest easy now." Click here to read the entire press release.
Federal Budget
Hot off the Presses: Children's Budget 2008!
Only one penny of every new, real non-defense dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children's programs in the past five years, according to this new report from First Focus. This comprehensive guide to all federal spending on children is a great resource for anyone working to improve the lives of America's youth. Click here.
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4. Articles
Bleak stories follow a lawsuit on Oklahoma foster care
The New York Times • April 16, 2008
Onalaska teen moves from foster care to independence
La Crosse Tribune • April 21, 2008
Measure to protect LGBT foster youth passes first committee
Out in Palm Springs • April 16, 2008
A matter of when, not if: involving kids in court
City Limits • April 14, 2008
A foster care alumnus appointed to Washington State Supreme Court Commission
The Earth Times • April 14, 2008
Oakland violence stops social worker visits
San Francisco Chronicle • April 8, 2008
County accepts foster youth academic performance grant
San Diego Union Tribune • April 8, 2008
Foster children are center of focus in photo exhibit
Oakland Tribune • April 7, 2008
Sacramento County explores boarding school for foster youths
Sacramento Bee • April 7, 2008
RELATED NEWS
Some college grants on chopping block
Los Angeles Times • April 6, 2008
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5. Reports & Useful Websites
Ambassadors of Hope (AHO) Documentary
Ambassadors of Hope’s (AHO) documentary will be aired on PBS on May 20th at 7:30 p.m. Check out this brief video on our groundbreaking (Jefferson Award winning) program to make a difference with the largest (and most heartbreaking) segment of Marin County's Homeless Population.
For more information contact:
Zara Babitzke
Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO)
Executive Director
P.O. 2278, Mill Valley, CA 94942
P 415/381-7173
F 415/381-1057
zara@ahoproject.org
Youth Courts: Record Numbers
Youth and teen courts are alternatives to the traditional justice system that are designed to intervene in early stages of youth delinquency. They involve young people and adults as lawyers, jurors and judges. This George Washington University report, An Empirical Update and Analysis of Future Organizational and Research Needs, finds record numbers:
- 116,144 young people who committed a crime or offense appeared in local youth court and teen court programs across America in the most recent year;
- More than 97,000 of these young people successfully completed the program;
- 133,832 volunteers (both youth and adults) participated in local youth court programs.
Download the report.
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6. Job Opportunities
Arriba Juntos is hiring: Part-time Case Manager and Full-time Case Manager positions. For more information visit: www.arribajuntos.org
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice is hiring: Therapist. For more information visit www.cjcj.org
Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts and Technology (BAYCAT) is hiring: Internship.
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7. Opportunities
MHA-SF TAY Advocates needed
MHA-SF is looking for youth between 16-24 who have experienced foster care, being homeless or runaway. Also, if they have had some kind of leadership or advocacy experience that would be ideal. They will receive dinner and movie tickets for their time. I will also confirm with the youth once the date gets near.
** SAVE THE DATES**
Focus Group
Tuesday May 6th 5:30-7:30
MHA-SF Office
870 Market Street. Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
Workshop Sessions
Wed. July 23 & 30th 5:30-8:00
Wed. August 6 & 13 5:30-8:00
Location will be announced as the date nears.
Applications & flyers for workshop will be forthcoming. In the meantime click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
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8. Upcoming Events
State Capitol Kick Foster Care Month kick-off event
May 6th • Click here for more information
If you have any questions contact Cathy Murnighan, FCM Event Coordinator, at (916) 944-4935.
Local Homeless Coordinating Board Funding Committee
The Funding Committee Meeting of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board is meeting this Friday, April 25th from10am-Noon @ 1440 Harrison Street to discuss:
Update and Check In on 2008 McKinney Application
Update on information provided during the April 22nd HUD webcast regarding CoC registration and electronic process for 2008 Application.
Discussion on McKinney Application: Exhibit One
- Discussion on goals and actions steps in the areas of housing for chronically homeless people, permanent housing and transitional housing
- Discussion about sources and practices for increasing leverage
- Review of HUD Goals and Scoring Factors
- Discussion of HUD Goals and Scoring Factors and San Francisco’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to them
First Annual Family Economic Success Policy Briefing
The Department of Children, Youth and Their Families & The San Francisco Family Support Network invite you to the
FIRST ANNUAL FAMILY ECONOMIC SUCCESS POLICY BRIEFING ON
- How are San Francisco's families faring economically? Receive the most current data and analysis of families' economic conditions.
- How can we support family retention by promoting strategies for families' economic stability, advancement and success? The SFFSN Family Economic Success Policy Platform details actions for state and local government, community-based programs, and families themselves focused on:
- Helping families make ends meet
- Supporting families to build and protect assets
- Increasing families' incomes
- Promoting educational opportunities for families
- Increasing support for Family Economic Success efforts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
10:30am - 12:00pm
SF City Hall , South Light Court
Refreshments will be served
Please click here to RSVP by May 8. Questions? Please call Andrew at (415) 437-4654
CityState 2008
Please join the Chamber for CityState, our annual two-day, one-night legislative trip to Sacramento. We will join the state’s Chamber California Business Legislative Summit and meet with both San Francisco legislators and key government officials on issues specific to the city. The group will travel together from San Francisco early morning May 20 and return late afternoon May 21. Roundtrip transportation to Sacramento via chartered bus.
Key Issues
- Competing universal health-care plans
- Local and regional legislative priorities
- Implementation of the infrastructure bond program
- High Speed Rail bond
View draft agenda and more information.
$750 delegate fee includes transportation, hotel, meals and registration for the California Business Legislative Summit
Rally Against Foster Care Budget Cut, Wednesday April 30th
[from the California Alliance of Child and Family Services]
On Wednesday, April 30th, the State Assembly Budget Subcommittee will be meeting to discuss the budget cuts to Foster Care. The California Alliance of Child and Family Services is organizing a rally on the steps of the State Capital followed by participation in this last and critical hearing before the Governor's revised budget comes out. In collaboration with member agency Aspira, the Alliance is sponsoring the event to make sure the Legislators and the Governor know that California's foster children need their support.
Rally: Noon. South Steps of the State Capitol. The California Alliance is making arrangements for the Honorable Karen Bass (D-LA), Assembly Speaker Elect and longtime child advocate, to speak to the Rally, and is currently reaching out to other key legislators to participate in the event. It will be important for us to make sure we have an impressively large group of folks who care about foster children at this event. Please invite foster parents, kin caregivers, agency staff, and any other folks in your community who care about foster children to participate in this important event. It will be important for us to show up with BIG NUMBERS.
Budget Hearing: 1:30 PM. State Capitol. Room 444. We would like to fill the hearing room with our foster parents, foster care givers and member agency staff who can testify at the hearing and voice their opinions about the budget cuts and the impacts they would have on the children they care for if they were to be approved.
Legislative Visits: For those foster parents who live in the Budget Committee Members' districts, we would like to have them meet with their elected officials prior to the rally. We will schedule the visits for them and provide talking points to assist them in the meeting.
RSVP: The Alliance needs to know by Wednesday, April 23rd, of your organization's interest in participating.
This is the moment we have been waiting for to show our strength in support of families. This COLLECTIVE ACTION can make the difference.
Contact: Nicette Short
Senior Policy Advocate
Director of Grassroots Advocacy
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
Phone: 916-449-2273, extension #19
Nshort@cacfs.org
SF HSA v. SF Board of Supervisors (Softball Challenge)
The San Francisco Human Services Agency will be challenging the Board of Supervisors to a friendly game of co-ed softball to benefit San Francisco’s foster children. The tournament will be held on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, 2008 at the Moscone Recreation Center in San Francisco.
For more information contact Pamela Tebo at 557-6540 or at Pamela.Tebo@sfgov.org.
2nd Annual CSU East Bay Renaissance Scholars Recognition Dinner, May 22 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Please mark your calendars for the Second Annual CSU East Bay Renaissance Scholars Recognition Dinner. It will be on May 22, from 5:30-8:00 in the New Union at CSU East Bay. Click here for an invitation and official invitations will follow shortly. In the meantime, please RSVP to the link below or contact Kevin Bristow, Coordinator, Renaissance Scholars Program, California State University, East Bay at 510-885-3747 or kevin.bristow@csueastbay.edu
SF Public Defender’s 5th Annual Juvenile Justice Summit, May 14th
The summit "Less Talk, More Action: Solutions for Safe Schools and Safe Streets" is a free event and will be held at the San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin Street (at Grove) Koret Auditorium from 9:30am-4pm on May 14th. For more information contact: ilona.solomon@sfgov.org or 753-8107. Please RSVP by May 5th.
SF ILSP Fundraiser at Chevy’s
Help raise funds for SF ILSP programs by eating at Chevy’s! Click here for more information and click here for the fundraiser coupon. All guests must present the fundraiser flyer in order for programs to receive 25% benefit. Staff will be there so if they do forget I will have extra fliers.
 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.
Sara Razavi
Executive Director, Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY)
United Way of the Bay Area
221 Main Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 808-4435 • Fax (415) 817-4615
srazavi@uwba.org
Visit us at www.heysf.org
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