2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Corner
Download the HEY EYAB 2008 bio sheet. Find out more about the four young adults who make up this great team.
If you are interested in hearing what the Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) 2008 members have to say and more about their training, please contact HEY’s Project Manager, Dana Mandolesi.
3. Policy Updates
LOCAL BUDGET
[From Coleman Advocates Family Budget Coalition]
The Family Budget Coalition turned out one last time to the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee meeting to urge the Board to preserve the integrity of the Children’s Fund’s allocation process. In a blow to transparency and public process, the Budget Committee moved to accept the $3.25 million amendment to the Children’s Services Allocation Plan that Coleman and others had been fighting. Clearly a backroom deal was cut that the Supervisors and the Mayor split this funding for their pet projects and disregard a legitimate process.
For questions about the Weekly Budget Watchdog, please contact Chelsea at cboilard@colemanadvocates.org or 239-0161 x19.
STATE BUDGET UPDATE
How Do the Budgets Compare?
[From the California Budget Project]
Download a Comparison of the Governor’s Revised Budget Proposal and Legislative Spending Plans
Federal Policy – Fostering Connections to Success Act
[from Amy Lemley, John Burton Foundation]
Thank you to everyone for signing onto the letter in support of H.R. 6307, the Fostering Connections to Success Act. Click here for the final letter, which was faxed into the Senate Finance Committee. Miriam and I will stay in close contact as we learn more about the progress of the bill. Download an opinion piece that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle by John Burton and Miriam Krinsky. We were delighted to see coverage of the issue!
Click here for a simple explanation about why this legislation is important and how it affects the advocacy work of HEY and other local organizations working on behalf of current and former foster youth.
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4. Articles
ARTICLES
Governor Schwarzenegger signs legislation to better equip youth in foster care with resources and information
Press Release
7/16/08
On Government’s Social Responsibilities – Parental obligation congress must step up to help foster youth
San Francisco Chronicle
7/22/08
Governor signs bill to improve rights for foster children in court
Mercury News
7/22/08
Governor, they’re our kids
San Francisco Chronicle
7/17/08
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5. Reports & Useful Websites
Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHA-SF) has recently released the San Francisco Behavioral Health Resource Guide created with the support of Community Behavioral Health Services.
The guide is designed for those seeking services from the public behavioral health system in San Francisco. It includes information on how to access help and provides resources for many different consumer groups, including children, individuals affected by the criminal justice system, domestic violence, LGBTQ individuals, older adults, transitional age youth, and veterans. Inside the guide, we have included descriptions, names and addresses of behavioral health service providers as well as tips on how to navigate San Francisco's behavioral health system. Download the report. Hard copies of the guide are available through San Francisco's Department of Public Health, Community Behavioral Health Services. If you have any questions, please contact Alecia at alecia@mha-sf.org.
Continuing in Foster Care Beyond Age 18: How Courts Can Help
By examining foster youth in Illinois—one of the few states that extends care up to age 21—this new Chapin Hall study finds that a higher degree of advocacy by juvenile courts is linked with more services for older foster youth, greater involvement by caseworkers and adults, more positive attitudes about remaining in care beyond 18 and a greater awareness that by law youth may remain in care beyond 18. Download the report.
Statewide Student Identify System Report
On July 16, 2008, the long awaited results of the Statewide Student Identifier System, showed that California has a high school drop out rate that is significantly more than originally estimated. Original estimates hovered around 13% but the real numbers tell us that California has a 24% high school dropout rate. In San Francisco, an estimated projection of 21% of entering 9th graders drop out before graduation. As with the achievement gap, African American and Latino students are the most affected: African Americans and Latinos make up 70% of the total number of high school dropouts in California. (We have yet to see the racial breakdown of the SFUSD numbers.) This has been called a "wake up call" and a "statewide crisis". Of course, we must keep in mind that California is 46th in the nation for per pupil spending. Louisiana spends $1,500 more per student than we do; that’s part of the crisis! With the Statewide Student Identifier System, every student is given an ID number and can be tracked statewide. Get more information on California and local district dropout rates at http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/.
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6. Job Opportunity
MatchBridge (formerly Jobs For Youth)
Executive Director
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7. Opportunities
California Conservation Corps (CCC)
The CCC is a workforce development program that offers California’s youth the chance to serve their state and become employable citizens through life skills training and hard work in environmental conservation, fire protection, and emergency response. Corpsmembers attain leadership skills, diverse experiences, educational goals, and scholarships.
They hire women and men ages 18 to 25 to work full-time, and we have both residential and non-residential programs. Young adults may live at one of our seven centers with dorm facilities, or if located close enough to one of our eighteen non-residential sites, commute to work each day. (Note: The nearest non-residential centers are in Napa/Vallejo, San Jose, Salinas, and Watsonville.)
Requirements are as follows:
- 18-25 years of age
- have a state ID and a Social Security card
- not on probation or parole
- able to pass a drug test, a physical exam, and a background check
- willing to work hard in all kinds of weather.
For more information contact Joey Cormack, Zone 3 Recruiter, California Conservation Corps, at
Office: (707) 253-7783 • Cell: (707) 373-3197
www.ccc.ca.gov
Admin Office of the Courts Student Interns
The Administrative Office of the Courts is accepting applications for the Student Assistant (Student Intern).
The Court Improvement Program of the Administrative Office of the Court’s Center for Families, Children & the Courts (CFCC) is accepting applications for a Student Intern position. This position is funded for five months from the date of hire. The Student Intern Program is designed specifically for youths who were previously involved in the California foster care system. The purpose of the program is:
- To provide life skills to transition from School to Work
- To improve the lives of young people
- To promote support of the court system
- To provide learning opportunities for young people
- To provide exposure to the work environment
Click here for more information.
TAY SF YOUNG ADULT TEAM
The TAY SF Young Adult Team is recruiting new members! We are specifically looking for males between the ages of 18 and 22 who are interested in systemic change for the larger transitioning age youth population, have a history of community involvement and knowledge of services/programs, and can commit to a minimum of two meetings per month. If you would like to nominate someone or find out more information, please contact Iqra at ianjam@dcfy.org or 415-554-3505.
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8. Upcoming Event
San Francisco Child Welfare 101—Free Training
This is a free training for providers and others who work with youth who are or have been involved with the San Francisco child welfare system. Come to receive an overview of the system and receive valuable information on who to contact within the department regarding needs for support and resources. This training is a collaboration between SF HSA and HEY.
Thursday, August 14
9-11 am
San Francisco Human Services Agency Building
170 Otis St in the Born Auditorium.
RSVP by Aug 11. Download more information.
 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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