July 13, 2007
The following items are relevant to the work of HEY and might be of interest to you. If you would like to submit an announcement for a future HEY E-Newsletter, please email srazavi@uwba.org

Support San Francisco Foster Youth!
Donate online. Donate by phone at 1-800-273-1779. Donate by mail. Make checks payable to United Way of the Bay Area/HEY and send to: United Way of the Bay Area—HEY / 221 Main Street, Suite 300 / San Francisco, CA 94105

In this issue:

1. HEY, What’s Going On?!

2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board Corner

3. Policy Report

Articles

4. “Letters to the Editor: Taking care of foster children”

5. “Green cards go unclaimed by many youths in foster care”

6. “'Fostering a different kind of fatherhood”

7. "A call for more foster parents”

8. “No Refuge” San Francisco Chronicle ongoing coverage

Reports

9. Analysis of the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007

10. Undercounted, Underserved: Immigrant the Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System

11. School Engagement and Youth Who Run Away from Care: The Need for Cross-System Collaboration, Chapin Hall, 2007

Events

12. Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care: Informational Hearing on July 18

13. Audio Conference “Solutions for Cities in Transitioning Foster Youth” on July 25

14. Child and Family Services Review California Statewide Assesment of Child Welfare Services on August 17

15. Public Housing and Section 8 Forum on July 14

16. ILP Summer Institute on August 6-10th

Resources

17. Behavioral Health Adolescent Provider Toolkit & Trainings

18. RESOURCE of the MONTH: Kids Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now

Opportunities

19. SF ILSP is Hiring!

20. United Way of the Bay Area is Hiring!

21. Larkin Street Youth Services is Hiring!

1. HEY, What’s Going On?!

Announcement from HEY Board of Directors
Dear HEY Supporters,

On behalf of the Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY) Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that after the Board unanimously recommended Sara Razavi, she has accepted HEY’s Executive Director position effective July 2, 2007.

Ms. Razavi began her tenure as a Program Associate for HEY in May 2005. She was promoted to Program Coordinator in January 2006 and appointed Interim Executive Director in January 2006. During her tenure she has made numerous contributions to developing HEY's program portfolio and advocacy role in the San Francisco Bay Area. As interim, she maintained HEY’s work while steering the Board through a planning process to complete a new Strategic Plan.

As the new HEY Executive Director, Ms. Razavi will lead HEY to continue to initiate dialogue and develop a shared vision around specific strategies and activities that address identified gaps in the system citywide specifically in Youth Leadership and Political Participation and Service Coordination. In addition Ms. Razavi will support HEY’s continued collaborative efforts both within the foster care community as well as cross-sector partners, with a specific focus on housing, education, employment, and health needs of emancipated foster care youth in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

We are very excited about the experience, energy, and vision that Ms. Razavi promises to bring to HEY.

Sincerely,
Nancy Kahn
Chair, Board of Directors

Open Position at HEY
Now accepting applications for the new HEY Project Manager position that will mainly focus on the management of specific projects including:

Youth Leadership and Political Participation (Multi-year project)
Bay Area Expanded Benefits Demonstration Project (One-year project)
Foster Youth Housing Toolkit (Multi-year project)
Development of and expansion of Foster Youth Emancipation Binders (One-year project)

See the job description for more details.

Check out updates to HEY’s website!
HEY’s website has been updated with new information, new resources, and lots of pictures and archives from past events. Please be sure to stop by at www.heysf.org!

The “New” HEY
Well not so new, but we’ve spent a lot of time over the past months crystallizing our work and our mission. Please be sure to update your websites and weblinks with our new website and our new description (found on our new website www.heysf.org and below).

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 policies that affect emancipated foster youth. At the core of its philosophy, HEY is committed to the inclusion of current and former foster youth, service providers, and supporters in identifying and promoting strategies and best practices that ensure there are effective and holistic systems to serve foster care youth in achieving a healthy transition into adulthood.
HEY works specifically towards the strengthening of systems of service for emancipated foster care youth across sectors. We work to support a variety of solutions to the issues facing foster youth aging out of the system with a focus on housing, employment, education, and health care. We do this by:

Serving as an information hub for the local community on current and former foster care youth issues
Identifying issues and trends and advocating for policy alignment in order to promote best practices
Convening stakeholders and providers and providing ongoing training and networking opportunities
Raising public awareness and developing education materials for all community members

SPECIAL NOTE: HEY is no longer a membership based coalition and we are no longer charging membership fees.

2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner

This year Lanette Scott lead HEY’s efforts in planning for two of HEY’s three Foster Care Month events by coordinating the 2007 Youth Leadership Awards Night and 2007 Voices of Youth 2007 events.

Dylan Ruggles has created a comprehensive Foster Youth Housing Toolkit which provides concrete resources for foster care youth seeking to make informed, viable decisions regarding their own housing. The toolkit includes expanded information on such vital topics as: housing options available for emancipated youth in the Bay Area, best practices for conducting housing searches, and how to maintain tenancy. The manual also provides details on how to obtain transitional housing including Section 8 and emergency shelter. The manual will soon be posted on HEY’s website.

3. Policy Report

John Burton Foundation THP-Plus Alert: Budget Update
Monday, July 2, 2007—After the THP-Plus Alert was distributed on Friday, the Budget Conference Committee took an important step for THP-Plus. After AB 845 failed to pass on the Senate floor, the Budget Conference Committee inserted the $10.5 million mid-year budget augmentation into the 2007-08 budget. The Committee also included budget trailer bill language that allows counties to get reimbursed for 2006-07 expenditures using 2007-08 budget dollars.

The one-time $10.5 million for 2006-07 costs is in addition to the 2007-08 budget approved by the Conference Committee. As reported on Friday, the Governor's May budget revision included $15.5 million for the THP-Plus 2007-08 budget. The Budget Conference Committee has voted to increase THP-Plus by an additional $19.7 million, for a total of $35.2 million. All proposed funding must be approved by the Legislature before being submitted to the Governor.

We will continue to provide budget updates as they become available. For more information, please contact Michele Byrnes at (415) 693-1323 or michele@johnburtonfoundation.org.

Jessica Gunderson, Office of Majority Leader Karen Bass
Week of June 29, 2007—Friday, June 29, the Budget Conference Committee re-opened the THP-Plus augmentation to fulfill the Legislature’s and Administrations commitment to this issue. The committee approved $10.5 million for the current year budget (06–07) and $35 million in the budget year (07–08)— for a total of $45.7 million!! The Members who supported the proposal include:

Assembly Member John Laird (D, 27th A.D)
Assembly Member Mark Leno (D, 13th A.D)
Assembly Member Roger Niello (R, 5th A.D)
Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny (D, 40th S.D)
Senator Tom Torlakson (D, 7th S.D)

Human Services Network e-Newsletter: San Francisco Board restores most cuts to FY07-08 Budget
June 30, 2007—At 8:45pm last night, the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee reconvened—and about 15 minutes later, the budget was ready to go to the full Board. And most of the news is good. See the Board's addback list on the HSN website for specific programs and amounts.

ARTICLES

4.“Letters to the Editor: Taking care of foster children” Napa Valley Register, July 9, 2007
Recently, Napa County Foster Care Advocates and other concerned community groups and individuals sponsored the first annual Napa County Foster Care Forum… go to article >

5. “Green cards go unclaimed by many youths in foster care” By Anna Gorman, Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2007
Abused children throughout California and the nation who are undocumented but entitled to green cards are frequently not receiving them—putting them at risk of deportation and drastically limiting their educational and work opportunities… go to article >

6. “Fostering a different kind of fatherhood” by Gina Delfavero, The Dispatch, June 15, 2007
There is one portion of the paternal community that should not be overlooked this Sunday, as many children get ready to honor dear old dad—foster fathers… go to article >

7. “A call for more foster parents” by Natalie Hoffman, The Napa Valley Register, May 26, 2007
Peggy Smith was ready to add one daughter to her family—at least for a little while—but she ended up with three… go to article >

8. “No Refuge” San Francisco Chronicle ongoing coverage of foster care system
The San Francisco Chronicle continues to devote significant coverage to foster youth.

July 8 “A life lesson learned under the pressure of exams”
July 2 “How to help Sade”
July 1 “FOLLOWING UP: Sheltering our foster children”
June 29 “Disabled funding proposal”
June 21 “Keep the promise”

REPORTS

9. Analysis of the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007
A new analysis of the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007 is available from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The analysis describes the major features of the legislation and how it would change HUD's McKinney-Vento programs and help communities implement their plans to end homelessness. Download the analysis.

10. Undercounted, Underserved: Immigrant the Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System
This report focuses on the needs of immigrant and refugee children in the child welfare system. It is a result of extensive research, including a literature review; interviews with child welfare workers, immigration attorneys, adoptive parents, foster youth, advocates, staff of community-based agencies, researchers, and policymakers; and the recommendations from a consultative session with national experts and child welfare practitioners. Download the report.

11. School Engagement and Youth Who Run Away from Care: The Need for Cross-System Collaboration, Chapin Hall, 2007
To better understand the complex factors that influence school engagement for youth in care, Chapin Hall researchers Ada Skyles, Cheryl Smithgall, and Eboni Howard interviewed Illinois youth who ran away from their foster placements and adults who care for or work with these youth. Findings reveal missed opportunities in helping to support the educational aspirations of a vulnerable group of youth--missed opportunities for foster parents and professionals, for the child welfare and education systems, and most important, for the youth themselves. Download the report.

EVENTS

12. Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care: Informational Hearing, July 18 from 11-2 PM
The Assembly Select Committee will host an informational hearing on the issues and barriers facing foster youth who crossover into the juvenile justice system. This child welfare/ public safety topic has been of high interest to all of the Select Committee Members and the committee looks forward to publicly exploring this matter. This hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 18 from 11 AM – 2 PM at the State Capitol, Room TBD.

RSVP to jessica.gunderson@asm.ca.gov or (916) 319-2047.

13. Audio Conference “Solutions for Cities in Transitioning Foster Youth” on July 25 from 9:30-10:30 AM
The Youth Transition Action Team Initiative and National League of Cities are pleased to announce an audio conference on the topic of “Solutions for Cities in Transitioning Foster Youth”. The National League of Cities-Institute for Youth, Education, and Families has been working on a project since early 2007, called Exploring and Expanding Municipal Leadership for Transitioning Foster Youth. Andrew Moore and Connie Busse conducted interviews with 50 city, county, community-based, and advocacy organization representatives, in five Connected by 25 Initiative Counties. This call will include findings from these interviews, and highlight how cities can take on leadership roles and incorporate employment and housing into their plans for engaging foster youth. Examples from this research also offer practical, manageable methods for engaging city leaders in issues affecting transition aged youth.

Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. PDT

Email Alyssum Root at aroot@newwaystowork.org to register for the call. Specific information about the call, including directions for accessing the call, will be sent to you after you register. For questions or comments, contact Alyssum Root at aroot@newwaystowork.org, or (707) 824-4000 ext. 29.

14. Child and Family Services Review California Statewide Assesment of Child Welfare Services on August 17
The California Department of Social Services has begun preparing to carryout its Child and Family Services Review. As part of this process, the State is convening stakeholders to gather input from a broad spectrum of child welfare consumers, providers, and professionals about how well California’s child welfare system is ensuring safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth, and their families. Click here for additional information about the August 17 convening in Sacramento.

15. Public Housing and Section 8 Forum on July 14 from 11-3 PM
You are invited to join the Mayor and San Francisco Housing Authority for the Public Housing and Section 8 Forum on Sat July 14th 11am - 3pm at San Francisco State University (Main Quad). For more information on the event contact 415-345-0123 or www.sfha.org or if you are interested in a booth contact Stephanie Bright at brights@sfha.org or 415-522-5871.

16. ILP Summer Institute on August 6-10th
THE INTERDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM SUMMER INSTITUTE at UC Davis.
AUGUST 6-10, 2007

This is an exciting opportunity for those of committed to helping foster youth to successfully transition into adulthood. Efforts to enhance the outcomes for foster youth by modifying the ILP service delivery systems will be explored at the Institute. Click here for more information and registration.Click here to find out more about funding support towards attending the Institute.

Resources

17. Behavioral Health Adolescent Provider Toolkit & Trainings
After three years of development, the Adolescent Health Working Group is finally ready to unveil the Behavioral Health Adolescent Provider Toolkit. Developed by and for health care providers, this toolkit takes a closer look at common adolescent mental health and substance use issues and includes:

Screening and assessment tools
Twelve mental health and substance use issue briefs
Evaluation and treatment algorithms for general behavioral health concerns, depression, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Brief office interventions and counseling guidelines
Health education materials for teens and their parents/adult caregivers
Online resources and hotlines

Adolescent Health Working Group is partnering with the San Francisco Health Plan, Blue Cross of California State Sponsored Business, and PAC/LAC to provide a FREE Behavioral Health Toolkit training for primary care providers on July 19th 2007. Registration is now open. To register or for further information call Betsy Price, RN, MPH at (415) 615-4205 or e-mail her at bprice@sfhp.org. You can download a FREE copy at www.ahwg.net.

18. RESOURCE of the MONTH: Kids Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now
Kids Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now www.kidsarewaiting.org is a national, nonpartisan campaign dedicated to ensuring that all children in foster care have the safe, permanent families they deserve by reforming the federal financing structure that governs our nation's foster care program.

The Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, a national, nonpartisan, blue-ribbon panel, concluded that changing the way the federal government pays for foster care would help states provide services tailored to the needs of each child and family. These reforms will prevent children from needing to be placed in foster care, limit the amount of time they spend in care, and help them leave the system quickly to join a safe, permanent family.

Job Opportunities

19. San Francisco Independent Living Skills Program (SF ILSP)

If you have questions, contact ILSP at 415- 934-4205.

20. United Way of the Bay Area
Click here for Campaign Advisor positions job description.

21. Larkin Street Youth Services
Click here for Loft Manager (their underage transitional living program, also a licensed group home) job description.

For more information or to submit an announcement for August, please contact Sara Razavi at 415-808-4435 or srazavi@uwba.org.