December 17, 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

Dear HEY partners,

Thank you so much for your support and readership over the past years.
Due to the high demand for our monthly e-Newsletter we have decided to expand our monthly e-Newsletter to every other week!  The e-Newsletter will continue to have lots of great information including relevant articles, reports, policy updates, and upcoming events and opportunities—now every other week!  We are very excited about this change and look forward to your continued readership and support. Look for our next e-Newsletter in just two weeks!

In this issue:

1. HEY Events

2. HEY’s Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board Corner

3. Policy Update

4. Articles

Report

5. Transition Aged Youth Focus Groups: Youth Voice and the Mental Health Services Act, 2007

6. Alameda County CASA: Group Homes Project, 2007

Opportunity

7. First Place Is Hiring

Events

8. HSA Community Meeting on the 2008-2009 Budget on Wed, Dec 19 from 4-6 p.m. Born Auditorium, 170 Otis St (at Duboce)

9. 2008 Foster Youth Career Development and Employment Summit on Jan 8-9th in Sacramento

1. HEY Events

HEY Education Workgroup Meeting
This workgroup is a convening of local foster care education providers and supporters.  Our goal is to provide training and support to direct service providers who work with foster youth.

Next meeting on Wednesday, Jan 16 from 9:30-11 at San Francisco ILSP.

HEY Employment Workgroup Meeting
After two years, this workgroup has reconvened with new members and a new focus.  Our goal is to map the local resources available to current and former foster youth to ensure foster youth have access to employment opportunities. 

Next meeting is on Tuesday, Jan 22 from 2-3:30

Questions, please contact Sara Razavi at 415-808-4435

back to top

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

This past month, as part of HEY’s Youth Leadership Evaluation Project, HEY convened local youth leadership organizations and partners, including former EYAB members, to discuss available local leadership opportunities for foster youth.  The goal of the project is to discuss available opportunities for youth involvement, and apply and integrate the successes of other programs to our EYAB.  Over the years, EYAB has been able to accomplish a lot and our goal is to constantly improve on our past work.  We are excited about our findings and will make the information available shortly.  Stay posted for more information in the coming months!

back to top

3. Policy Update

From Connect For Kids Newsletter

Who Controls Foster Care Programs and Purse Strings
Who pays for foster care services? States cover roughly half of foster care costs, the rest comes from the U.S. government—in the form of numerous funding streams under many jurisdictions. The Journalism Center for Children and Families at the University of Maryland offers an in-depth chart identifying the federal spending programs and the entities that oversee them.

For information about California’s anticipated budget deficit visit the Legislative Analyst’s Office for their report California’s Fiscal Outlook: LAO Projections 2007-08 Through 2012-13, Nov 2007

From California Family Resource Association (CFRA)

Link to their policy brief: Integrating Mental Health Services Into California’s Diverse Neighborhoods. 

Juvenile Justice and Foster Youth
On Wednesday, Dec. 5th, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. It was the first such hearing in eight years and signaled the Senate’s growing interest in reauthorizing the legislation.  This work is especially important because of the overlap in foster youth and juvenile justice youth populations.  ACT 4 Juvenile Justice (ACT4JJ) is a campaign of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition composed of juvenile justice, child welfare and youth development organizations exploring opportunities related to the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA)

Articles

A History of Neglect: The New York Times series dedicated to foster youth issues

Nov 7 Answers about New York Foster Care, Part 1

Nov 7 In Foster Care Review, Vows of Help and Vigilance

Nov 6 City Slow to Act as Hope for Foster Children Fails

Nov 5 Foster Children at Risk, and an Opportunity Lost

San Francisco Chronicle coverage of foster youth issues

Nov 25 Parenting our foster children

Nov 23 Closer to home—and to each other: a community rallies in Napa to help construct a new center for foster youth

Dec 4 See follow up story in Napa Valley News

Nov 13 Racial Bias Seen in Foster Care

Other articles

“Living in the Homes of Strangers: Foster Care Reform Should Focus on Family” The Women’s International Perspective, Nov 29, 2007

“State Schools Chief Jack O’Connell Awards $19 Million in Grants to Help Foster Children Succeed Academically” News Release, Nov 20, 2007

“State [Mississippi] to Revamp Foster Care: Overhaul part of settlement of suit brought by children’s advocacy group” Clarion Ledger.com, Nov 9, 2007.

back to top

Report

5. Transition Aged Youth Focus Groups: Youth Voice and the Mental Health Services Act, 2007

In spring 2007 the California Council on Youth Relations partnered with the State Department of Mental Health to conduct focus groups with youth ages 16-24 about prevention and early intervention, and how Mental Health Services Act funds could be spent to better support youth and their families. We presented the preliminary findings and recommendations at the 2007 conference of the California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth (CMHACY).

The final report and recommendations submitted to the California Department of Mental Health have been approved by DMH and are available to the public.

To find out more and to download the report click here.

6. Alameda County CASA: Group Homes Project, 2007
In 2003, Alameda County CASA determined that it was imperative to advocate for and address the needs of group home youth and improve emancipation outcomes.  A grant from The California Endowment and Zellerback Family Foundation funded the conception and implementation of the Group Homes Project.

To read the full report, click here.

Opportunity

7. First Place is hiring
Click here for information about the Outreach Specialist position.  For information on other possible opportunities visit the First Place website at www.firstplaceforyouth.org

back to top

Upcoming Events

8. HSA Community Meeting on the 2008-2009 Budget on Wed, Dec 19 from 4-6 p.m. Born Auditorium, 170 Otis St (at Duboce)
Family and Children’s Services and Child Care Programs of the San Francisco Human Services Agency (HSA) are meeting to discuss the 2008-2009 SF City and County Budget on Wednesday, Dec 19th from 4-6 p.m. in the Born Auditorium at 170 Otis. The City is currently project a $229 million General Fund shortfall in FY08-09 and the Mayor’s Office has requested a 13% reduction in the Agency’s General Fund Budget. 

The meeting will provide members and non-profit organizations an opportunity to receive an update on the City’s funding projections and weigh-in on strategies to reduce the Agency’s budget.

For more information or to RSVP contact Caroline Serrano caroline.serrano@sfgov.org or 415-557-5232.

9.2008 Foster Youth Career Development and Employment Summit on Jan 8-9th in Sacramento

Register Now!
2008 Foster Youth Career Development and Employment Summit
Providing pathways and opportunities that lead to economic success.

January 8th & 9th, 2008, Sheraton Grand Sacramento

Purpose
California’s first Foster Youth Career Development and Employment Summit will bring together representatives from all systems that touch the lives of foster youth. You are invited to attend this two-day, solution-focused summit that will build on recent and innovative work at the national, state, and local levels that has demonstrated effective practices to ensure the following four outcomes:

• Prioritize career development and employment for every foster youth
• Connect youth to education and workforce development programs
• Support emancipating and emancipated youth in their transition to adulthood
• Provide work experience and job opportunities that lead to economic success

For more information click here.

back to top