Dedicating the Misty Stenslie Dedication Award to ACTION Ohio

ACTION Ohio  (Alumni of Care Together Improving Outcomes Now)
https://fosteractionohio.org/

Link to brochure about our work: https://fosteractionohio.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/2016-action-brochure.pdf


Foster care youth and alumni deserve a voice. In 2006, Ohio foster care youth and alumni begin working together to improve outcomes for current and former foster youth. Lisa Dickson and Doris Edelmann helped found both groups, and continue to serve as co-chairs of the alumni group and alumni supporters of the youth group, ever since both groups were established. The statewide alumni group has been serving as parent organization for the Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory Board (OHIO YAB) since 2009. This came about after youth and alumni stood together to advocate to restore TANF independent living allocation. 

"As someone who often felt like I didn't have a voice during my time in foster care, it means a great deal to me that today's young people are seen and heard. They have excellent insights to share  -- and their voices matter."  (quote from Lisa)

Foster care youth and alumni deserve a seat at the table. In 2007, former foster youth came Home for the Holidays to Washington D.C., to remind the federal government, about the need to foster connections to success by extending foster care supports to age 21. On Thanksgiving Day 2007, foster care alumni celebrated Thanksgiving Dinner on the steps of the United States Capitol. Lisa was one of two Ohio alumni representatives who participated. From 2008 onward, Ohio has held statewide and regional early Thanksgiving dinners for foster care teens and alumni.  Lisa and Doris head up planning for the dinners.

"As a foster care survivor, it can feel lonely to be 'one of the ones who made it.'  When we come together as brothers and sisters of the foster care system, we can encourage and support one another. We can celebrate each other's success, and continue to work together to improve outcomes for the next generation."  (quote from Lisa)

Foster care youth and alumni deserve educational supports. Ohio foster care youth and alumni reported barriers and obstacles to OACCA for foster care youth in attaining higher education. This led to the establishment of Ohio Reach in 2009, as a statewide effort to increase the number of foster youth who enroll in and graduate from higher education. Lisa served on the Ohio Reach Board for five years, heading up communications and event planning (annual conferences). Her current efforts focus on helping plan and facilitate College for the Day visits for foster care teens on OSU campus, twice a year.

"At age 16, I was accepted into college, and this proved to be my lifeline into the future. I remain forever grateful to Randy Mills, former Admissions Counselor at the University of Kentucky, for literally walking me down the hall to Financial Aid and telling them: 'This girl has no family to help her - this girl needs grants.'  Our young people today deserve to have campus liaisons like Randy to support them." (quote from Lisa)

Foster care youth and alumni deserve employment supports. Suits for Success provides professional attire to current and former foster youth who are preparing to enter the workforce. This program was created in 2011 by the Ohio State Bar Foundation and Ohio foster care alumni. Lisa served as lead facilitator of the 2011 Career and Entrepreneurship Conference,  2012 and 2013 Connecting the Dots Conferences and the 2014 Fostering Pathways to Success Conference. Each of these events included Suits for Success, a Resume Clinic engaging speakers and hands-on workshops. The Ohio foster care alumni group (ACTION Ohio) continues to assist with annual statewide conferences for youth. In 2015, Lisa and Doris Edelmann were each awarded the Founder's Award for their work on annual foster youth conferences. 

“Time and time again, our young people tell us that it's not enough to know *what* the resources are -- they need coaching and guidance regarding *how* to access them effectively.”  (quote from Lisa)

Foster care youth and alumni deserve better than to "age out" into homelessness. Three Days on the Hill is an annual trip designed to provide foster care youth and alumni with opportunities to further their leadership development. This trip was established in 2013, and is facilitated by Lisa and Doris of Ohio's statewide foster care alumni group (ACTION Ohio). After participating in DC-based training and preparation, participants share their expertise and insights with federal legislators to educate for positive change. 

Representative Michael Turner created the “Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act” as a direct result of meeting with Ohio foster care youth during their annual Three Days on the Hill trips to Washington, D.C. The Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act offers a creative solution to help, with no additional spending required, by a) allowing foster care youth who are at risk of “aging out” of foster care to apply for housing assistance when they reach 16 years old, and b) allowing them to jump to the front of the waitlist when they are about to “age out” of foster care.

"It sounds great to say that I started college at age 16.  But, by age 17, I was homeless due to trying to rescue my former roommate from a group home. This urge to try to rescue others is so strong that we Ohio foster care alums currently lead a workshop called: When Helping You Is Hurting Me...

"But what I don't get is this -- I aged out of foster care in 1989 and ended up homeless. Why are today's youth still aging out into homelessness?  We could and should and must do better. It's time to end the #FosterCaretoHomelessnessPipeline  We need to improve these outcomes NOW."  (quote from Lisa)

Misty Stenslie Dedication Award- Lisa Dickson

There is only one Misty Stenslie, now and always.
She is forevermore written in permanent ink on our hearts.

From Foster Focus Magazine's First Annual Foster Focus Awards:

The inspiration..... What can I write about the great Misty Stenslie that I haven’t already written? If you aren’t familiar with Misty, allow me to give you a brief overview. Misty is a pioneer in the world of former foster kids. Through her efforts, tireless advocacy and partnerships with organizations and other former foster youth, Foster Care Alumni of America was born. She passed on in 2016 but her legacy will live on through her work and this award. The winner has shown unrelenting dedication to their advocacy, the same way Misty did during her time. 

And the winner is.... The smile that Lisa Dickson possesses has many purposes. First, it’s involuntary, she can’t help but project enthusiasm and genuine affection. Secondly, that smile can ease a young person’s fears as they journey through foster care and adulthood. The Ohio native is a staple at any event that furthers the success of the Buckeye state’s foster youth. Among the many programs she has spearheaded or been a part of; a yearly trip for Ohio foster youth to Washington D.C. to advocate on their own behalf, an annual Thanksgiving dinner in different parts of the state and a summit for foster youth where they receive dress clothes they can wear to job interviews.

And here’s why…. Besides her tireless advocacy, Lisa prefers the background, the nuts and bolts of it all. How shy is Lisa to the glare of the spotlight? When I asked her if there was anything she’d like me to mention about her, she responded with three emails, typical of Lisa, with information about the programs she’s involved with and their importance to Ohio...

Connecting the Dots Conference featured in Foster Focus Magazine

Owned and edited by a former foster youth, Foster Focus is the nation's only monthly magazine dedicated to the foster care industry and community.

The Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America greatly appreciates Chris Chemielski's willingness to travel six hours away from his home, to support Ohio's 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference. We also appreciate him sharing about the conference in the November issue of Foster Focus Magazine.

To quote from Chemielski's article:     

"Before I delve into the details of the event, let me make note of the coordinators of the conference. Lisa Dickson is a former foster youth turned pit bull foster care advocate, and Doris Edelmann is a German-born transplant, with a passion for helping kids...

"This particular conference focused entirely on the Ohio foster youth population. Innovative activities included a Suits for Success room, where youth were able to choose (free) business attire...

"The Keynote Speaker was Archie Griffin, an Ohio native and college football's only two-time Heisman trophy winner..."

"Other highlights included a Resume Clinic, during which youth had one-on-one sessions...

To learn more about the 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference, please visit:  http://fosterconnection.wikispaces.com

To learn more about Chris Chemielski and Foster Focus Magazine, please visit: http://www.fosterfocusmag.com

2012 PCSAO Child Advocate of the Year Award

Lisa Dickson's acceptance speech for an audience that included county child welfare directors:

In this life, we have multiple demands on our time, and we are forced every day to make difficult decisions. When faced with conflicting demands, it is our choice to make time for the things that matter most. Professionals face mandates when it comes to performance, numbers are often used to measure success.

When it comes to measuring success in the child welfare field, it is important to count the right numbers. Not just where our children are physically placed during their time in foster care - adoption, reunification, foster care - but what are their outcomes afterwards.

Earlier this week, the OHIO YAB had the privilege of spending time with the CCAI Delegation. Every year, CCAI releases an internship report and every year, there is something that resonates with me, as a former foster child.

Last year, they mentioned counting the right numbers in terms of outcomes. This year, they mentioned that life's transitions do not happen overnight. There is no magical birthday when our young people go bed as children and wake up as fully prepared adults - particularly when their placements have been restrictive, such as residential setttings.

Just as with our own children, our flesh and blood, that preparation takes time. I am incredibly grateful to Director Colbert and his staff for their continued efforts to Connect the Dots from foster care to adulthood.

We appreciate ODJFS' support of the 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference, during which we had 200 youth, representing 28 of Ohio's 88 counties, and over 1000 clothing donations for the Suits for Success initiative.

And yet, as this map clearly shows, there is more work that can be done to empower youth voice throughout Ohio. Ohio currently has 12 formalized youth advisory boards - we encourage counties throughout the state of Ohio to become involved in this formalized process to empower youth.

Why do we want to empower youth?  Because it leads to long-term resilience.  I "aged out" of foster care in 1989 - and out of all of the foster youth from my generation, there were many who did not make it. They felt like they were victims, they felt that they had no power, that life was something that "happened" to them.  But, out of those of us who made it, we know that we have power, choices, and the ability to create positive change in our own lives and and lives of others.

At this point, I'd like to invite some of our young people to come up and share a visual illustration of the Evolution of Youth Voice:

Finally, I want to end on a note of gratitude. The Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America is incredibly grateful to our allies, and ally organizations such as the Dave Thomas Foundation, OACCA, OHILA, Ohio CASA, the Ohio Supreme Court, and PCSAO...

We are grateful to frontline caseworkers who go the extra mile, often without pay or recognition. Grateful to those with the courage to advocate from within the child welfare system for Best Practices. Grateful to our Director and his staff for listening to our young people, responding to their concerns, and following up on their requests.

Most of all, I am grateful to our young people - for their passion, purpose and energy. They rekindle our sense of urgency, and remind us that our work is not yet done.  We, in turn, can offer them opportunites to develop their skills, talents and abilities. We can work with the goal of interdependence, providing them with both resources and human connections.

One upcoming opportunity to do so are the FOUR Upcoming Early Thanksgiving events for Foster Care Teens and Alumni.

Our work is not yet done.  But there are times in the midst of business when our vision clears, and we can see what is possible. The sky opens up to us to reveal Our Purpose, Our Passion and Our Potential, as we work together to improve outcomes for young people in and from foster care.

Thank you.

Excerpt from ODJFS newsletter

2012 Ohio CASA Conference ~ Child Advocate of the Year Award

Lisa Dickson's acceptance speech:

First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you – not simply for being here, but for BEING who you are, and for DOING what you do...

• It is our choices each and every day, minute-by-minute, that add up to the person that we are.
• It is our actions, each and every hour, moment by moment, that add up to the ripple effect of positive change that we can generate in terms of improving foster care outcomes.

Foster Care Alumni of America is a national organization that exists for two purposes: To Connect and to Transform.

• We Connect the community of those who have experienced foster care personally, offering them a FOREVER family that they can never “age out” of…
• We Transform, with the help of our allies – and YOU are our allies. Each and every person in this room.

One thing that we must never let go of is our sense of urgency -- this is what reminds us WHY we do WHAT we do every day, particularly when it comes to those activities that we do as a volunteer.

I believe, with all my heart, that it is an honor to volunteer on behalf of foster children.

• Our young people are experiencing abuse and neglect today.
• Our young people are experiencing foster care today.
• Our young people are "aging out" of foster care today. 

For a child in foster care, every day is NOW.  They need our Collective Voice to make a difference. And, they need to be a part of that Collective Voice – it’s not enough just to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves – because we can also EMPOWER them to be the voices of the future.

I want to tell you about an upcoming event – we are holding Four EarlyThanksgivings in Ohio for foster care teens and young adults with a foster care history...

Finally, I'd like to introduce you to some of my heroes - the people sitting at my table. 

Jamole, Joy, Dauntea, Jackie, Bethany W., Amanda and Bethany K.

Amanda Dunlap was one of the Founding Members of the Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America.  She participated in our very FIRST Thanksgiving dinner, which took place on the steps of the United States Capitol.

Alex Gilbert and Dauntea Sledge

Dauntea Anthony Sledge is Ohio's Ambassador of Foster Care. Do you know someone who is feeling discouraged in their work?  Do they need that extra spark to reignite the fire that got them involved in child welfare in the first place?  Introduce them to Dauntea...

Dauntea, Tai and Jamole 

Tai Cornute is a powerful voice for support of Kinship Care Providers. Ask him what it was like to experience kinship care personally. Learn from him the supports that could and should be made available to kinship care providers.

Bethany Koshinsky

Bethany Koshinsky has supported the efforts of every FCAA Ohio Thanksgiving since the very first one was held in our state. She has served as Lead Facilitator of the Central OH Thanksgiving for the past two years - and we greatly appreciate her tireless efforts.

Lisa Dickson and Bethany Workman

Bethany Workman is Ohio’s very own expert on ETV funds. Ask her about this wonderful resource, orchestrated through Foster Care 2 Success, and how it can support the success of former foster youth in higher education.

Amanda Dunlap and Jamole Callahan

Jamole Callahan did such a wonderful job as a trainer during the 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference that he received a 100% approval rating from the youth. If you ever want a trainer or speaker who can connect with youth, you will want to call him. 

Denee Foster

And a shout-out to one young lady who couldn’t make it today, Denee Foster, who has many insights on how Ohio can dismantle the Cradle to Prison Pipeline...

Arthur Vincent Miller III and Marcus Henry,
two amazing young men who are
making a positive difference in Ohio.

These are the people who remind me everyday to hold onto that sense of urgency.  I  continue to be inspired by their passion, purpose and potential.

Please get to know the people sitting at my table. 

Please consider attending the Ohio Youth Advisory Board workshop tomorrow. 

And, most of all, please continue doing the work that you do – it is greatly needed and it is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Connecting the Dots Conference makes the front page of the Columbus Dispatch

The 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference for Foster Care Teens and Young Adults was featured on the front page of the Columbus Dispatch on Saturday, August 4, 2012.

CLICK ON EACH IMAGE TO VIEW:

Special 2010 PCSAO Volunteer Recognitions

  Left to right: Lisa Dickson and Paula Kyle, both foster care alumni

Over the years, Lisa Dickson has been such a wonderful and fresh force in the world of child welfare. Her tireless energy and willingness to promote the cause of better policy, practice and supports for our foster children an youth has been unparalleled. Lisa has particularly invested in supporting our youth in their higher educational pursuits, facilitating the Ohio Reach activities.

In her role as FCAA-OH Communications Chair, Lisa actively spreads the word that there are other foster alums, and welcomes participation by all – in fact she is coordinating three Thanksgiving Dinners this year, to be held regionally so more youth and adults can attend and enjoy. And of course Lisa has provided much insight to professionals about the trauma of foster care, and how to tap into the resiliency and potential of our youth.

Finally, many youth have felt personal value, worth and confidence due to Lisa’s personal interaction with them, and it has allowed them to do things they might not have had the courage to do without your support.

Paula Kyle first contacted PCSAO to review a manuscript she was in the process of getting published – sounded like Hollywood activities. On the Edge of Unthinkable is an engrossing page turner about the author’s experience in foster care.

And the perspective was a surprise – it was not a heartbreaker over the tragedy of the child welfare experience, but an inspiration through the light shown on those child welfare professionals and a loving foster family who made the difference in this person’s life.

Many of you will remember Judith Goodhand, who started as a child welfare worker in Knox County, spent time at Lucas Children Services, was later the Director at the Cuyahoga County agency, before serving as a national consultant with the Annie E. Casey Foundation – she is featured fondly in this story.

Thanks to Paula Kyle, many child welfare professionals realize the value of their work, and the importance of excellence and dedication to see that every child and youth we touch has permanent and sustaining connections. Paula has since become a speaker in great demand, her book has had multiple printings, and it has been drafted as a screenplay. I guess it may be Hollywood time after all!

FCAA Volunteer of the Year Award

Foster Care Alumni of America honors Lisa Dickson

Aurand, Lisa. ThisWeek, May 12, 2010.

When Lisa Dickson "aged out" of foster care at 16, she had a myriad of people who became her advocates.

The list included the English teacher who wrote a "rousing" recommendation for her college acceptance, the University of Kentucky admissions counselor who marched her over to financial aid and said, "This girl needs grants," the residents of the Methodist dormitory who became her "family" when she moved in after a year of homelessness.

Now Lisa is fighting for other foster care alumni to have the same chances at success she did.

"The people who were there for me are what motivate me," Dickson said. "All the things that I do now are because of them."

Dickson was named one of four Foster Care Alumni of America Volunteers of the Year in this, the awards' first year. She was a founding member of the group, and is the communications chair for its Ohio Chapter.

She was in foster care in Kentucky from ages 12 to 16 after her mother died, and was able to start classes at the University of Kentucky at age 16.

By 17, Dickson was homeless, but still attending college. It wasn't until she was 18 that she began living in the Methodist dormitory. She tried five different majors and was in college for 10 years, finishing by earning a master's degree in library science.

She was offered a job in Columbus in 1999, met and married her husband, Nathan Dickson, in 2000. They moved to Westerville in 2001, where they live with his two daughters, Rachel, 19, and Carly, 17.

Dickson, a Children's Librarian, said she spends about 40 hours a week volunteering for FCAA. The local chapter focuses on assisting the approximately 1,300 Ohio youths who age out of foster care each year.

"The top two things we do are connect and transform," she said.

The group helps foster care alumni connect with other former foster children, wherever they live.

For the past several years, the group has hosted an annual Thanksgiving dinner, an event that began when foster alumni from all over the country met in Washington, D.C., to talk to federal legislators about federal child welfare financial reform.

"We said we were coming home for the holidays," Dickson said.

The "transform" part of the group's mission involves lobbying on behalf of foster children making the transition to life on their own. Dickson was one of several foster care alumni who testified in front of the state legislature last year, asking members not to cut funding for programs that teach older foster care children how to live on their own.

Though the funding was approved by the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate, it was vetoed by Gov. Ted Strickland, Dickson said. But one good thing came out of that news: Dickson and a few of her colleagues were asked to be part of Strickland's Taskforce for Youth and Young Adults in Transition.

The two biggest needs for fosters in transition are housing and health insurance, Dickson said.

"One in four homeless adults is a former foster," she said.

Even those who end up going to college still struggle with housing and finances, she said.

"Most college kids, when they have (financial) trouble, they call mom and dad. But there is no mom and dad to call (for foster children)," Dickson said.

And though the recently passed federal health care bill will eventually mandate insurance for former fosters, that coverage won't take effect until 2014, she said.

Dickson, who recently was engaged as FCAA's volunteer social media coordinator, said she won't stop her quest to help fosters the way others helped her.

"I love the kicking-butt part and trying to make a difference," she said. "(The people who helped me) were there for me and cared for me. I want that for everyone."

Governor's Steering Committee on Transitional Youth and Young Adults

 

During 2010, FCAA Ohio officers Alex McLemore, Adrian McLemore, Doris Edelmann and Lisa Dickson participated in the Ohio Family and Children First Youth and Young Adults in Transition Steering Committee.

The committee was convened by Governor Strickland to recommend alignment and consolidation of policies, efforts, and resources and to identify major gaps for this particularly vulnerable and often overlooked population: vulnerable youth and young adults, ages 14-25.

After months of meetings, the committee has released its final report. We were very excited to learn that the Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet Council accepted all of our recommendations.The report may accessed here.

Lisa Dickson and Alex McFarland of Foster Care Alumni of America Ohio chapter agreed to co-chair the implementation committee on Empowering Youth and Families with Tools for Successful Transition.

Lisa Dickson and Zelma Brown named 2010 Triad Advocates of the Year

Link to more photos.

Adoption Triad Advocate: An individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the adoption or foster care field as demonstrated by a specific accomplishment, project, program or milestone during the year, meeting one of more of the following criteria:

• Contributed through exceptional volunteer efforts
• Influenced the wider community through their advocacy and outreach efforts
• Improved the lives of individual children and teens awaiting adoption
• Enhanced the experiences of adoption triad members by providing information, advocacy or other support

We Can Do Better for Ohio's 3,000 Waiting Children

"I aged out of foster care in 1989 - but it wasn't until over a decade later, in the year 2000, that my picture frame was finally filled." (At this point Lisa held up her wedding photo). "I was 27 years old when I married my husband, and finally became a legal member of a forever family.”

“Our children shouldn't have to wait that long. We can do so much better for the young people in and from foster care today. Every year, over a thousand Ohio youth "age out" of the foster care system without being connected with forever families.”

"When I married my husband, I became a stepmother to his two beautiful daughters. We've been married for ten years now, and I learn more every day about what it's like to love two children who are not biologically my daughters - but whom I love more than anything.”

"As I watch my stepdaughters enter their teenage years, and young adulthood, I know that my husband and I will be there for them no matter what. They won't face the uncertainty that I faced as a child.”

"They will know that they are loved. They will know that they are safe. They will know that they have a place to belong to.”

"If they make a mistake while budgeting in college, they won't be homeless. If the road is difficult, I won't pull over the car, and tell them to get out. They will know that, even during the hard times, my love will still be there.”

"There are more than 3,000 children in Ohio who are waiting for that kind of assurance and certainty today.”

"Right now, at this moment, is an opportunity to fill their picture frames with our love. Our consistency. Our perseverance.”

"We who are here today have the strength to love, and the confidence to let adoptees tell us their story. We can build pictures of the future, and face pictures of the past. We can open our hearts and our homes, and provide FOREVER.”

Lisa Dickson, Communications Chair of Foster Care Alumni of America's Ohio chapter, speaks from the heart at the Nov. 6th Adoption Rally “Filling Family Portraits” on the Statehouse Steps. OACCA Weekly, Nov. 9, 2009.

Lisa Dickson named Volunteer of the Year

Ohio Foster Care Alumna Named Volunteer of the Year
Foster Care Alumni of America names Lisa Dickson Volunteer of the Year

Washington, DC — The Board of Directors of Foster Care Alumni of America, the only national association for adults who experienced foster care as children, has named Ohio resident, Lisa Dickson, as Volunteer of the Year.

Lisa lived in foster care from ages 12-16, lived in a variety of placements, including group homes and an emergency shelter, and "aged out" of foster care and started college when she was 16 years old.  As the Communications Chair for the Ohio Chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA), Lisa has been extremely effective in establishing the chapter and its members as a source of expertise in the state and around the country.  Lisa has led efforts to advocate for reinstating state funding for Independent Living services through advocacy visits with members of the state legislature, coordination with other advocates, and numerous opportunities for chapter members to testify before legislative committees.

The chapter has also been involved in Ohio Reach, a statewide effort to increase the recruitment and retention of foster care alumni in high education, and to establish foster care liaisons at Ohio universities, community college and technical schools.  Lisa’s commitment to supporting the leadership development of other alumni across the state has led to a very well trained and experienced core membership in the chapter and will serve to make the Ohio chapter sustainable well into the future.

Lisa has led the development of a number of trainings for FCAA including Emotional Resiliency, Purposeful Sharing and Real Life 101 workshops. She is dedicated to teaching professionals to effectively and respectfully engage alumni, to create understanding about how childhood trauma can affect an individual for their entire life, and to support young people and alumni to establish healthy boundaries and expectations in their personal, volunteer and professional relationships.

In addition to her activities at the state level, Lisa is a highly visible and effective national leader.  She has a strong presence online as a person who is always willing to ask tough questions about practice and policy in both foster care and adoption.  She has provided her technical expertise to numerous other FCAA members as well as the broader child welfare community (leading the establishment of a number of resource websites aimed at people in and from care and the professionals who serve them).  Lisa is a gifted trainer and often represents FCAA at state and national events as a keynote speaker and/or workshop presenter.

Lisa has recently been engaged FCAA’s Volunteer Social Media Coordinator.  This is a fitting evolution for an individual committed to making her own voice heard through blogs, forums, and social networks that are related to foster care. 

Foster Care Alumni of America’s Board of Directors named four Volunteers of the Year in 2009. In addition to Lisa, they celebrated the contributions of Ryan Dollinger (alumnus of foster care from Texas), Eshawn Peterson (alumna from Arizona) and consultant and retired juvenile and family court judge, Stephen Rideout of Virginia. 

About Foster Care Alumni of America: In 2004, foster care alumni and advocates created a national non-profit association that brings together the expertise of adults who have experienced foster care.  Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA) was formed to engage the more than 12 million alumni of foster care and to advocate for the needs of the youth and alumni of foster care.

FCAA has nearly 3, 000 members from all 50 states. Through FCAA, alumni of foster care hope to create the ability to connect with one another in an organized and well-supported community and to use alumni expertise to transform the foster care system.

FCAA's mission seeks to provide innovation in the federal and state child welfare systems and effective and meaningful partnerships with child welfare organizations. FCAA has confidence that it can partner with others to reduce the numbers of children and youth in foster care and can improve the foster care experience through investments of their expertise and energy.

For more information on Foster Care Alumni of America, please visit our website at: www.fostercarealumni.org

# # #

Ohio Reach Radio Interview

In 2010, the Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America will continue working towards improving Higher Education Outcomes for foster care youth and alumni.

Below is a radio interview we participated in regarding Ohio Reach for WCUE/WOTL/WYTN (radio stations covering Toledo, Cleveland and Youngstown).

FCAA Ohio on NPR

Foster Kids Who Age Out of Care Face Tough Road

Mandie Trimble, WOSU News (2010-01-11).

COLUMBUS, OH (WOSU) - Many rites of passages come along with turning eighteen: high school graduation, voting, entering the work force or college. For most young people it means the first time away from home and parents, an exciting, albeit scary, time for which many teens have been anxiously waiting for years. But for youth who reach the age of majority while in foster care, the rite of passage comes with additional challenges.

Mandie Trimble asked FCAA Ohio Communications Chair, Lisa Dickson, about the resources available and the current challenges for Ohio foster youth "aging out" of foster care.

Hannah Report: Special Budget Edition

Vol. 128 – Special Budget Issue Saturday, May 30, 2009
Public Crowds Senate Chambers for Mixed Budget Testimony

The room was crowded Saturday for a public testimony session in the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, with several dozen witnesses prepared to either praise changes made Friday to HB1 (Sykes), or to urge the chamber to restore funding to a cut program.

Acknowledging the long day ahead of them, Chairman John Carey (R-Wellston) said that he was invoking his powers as a committee chairman and allowing audience members to bring in water and coffee despite warnings against it outside the hearing room.

Independent Living Initiative
The first group of witnesses testified in support of restoring full funding for the Independent Living Initiative through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

They were Lisa Dickson, founder and communications chair of Ohio's statewide voice for foster care alumni; Doris Edelman, Legislative Liaison for the Ohio Independent Living Association; and Alexander McFarland, President of the Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory Board.

All three advocated restoring the funding to $2.5 million in each of FY10-11.

Dickson, a former foster child and youth advocate, said the program had lost its funding but that the Senate had restored $1.5 million of support. She said Ohio is the only state making cuts to such a program, which she said offers training and life services to prepare foster care children to face the world alone.

She said foster children are not a line item and rely on the state to act as a parent. Without proper intervention, Dickson said, those children are at higher risk for poverty, unemployment and incarceration. "Ohio taxpayers will pay for their needs one way or another," she said.

McFarland shared his experience as a child who spent five years in foster care. "Without these services, I would not have been the person that I am today."

Sen. Dale Miller (D-Cleveland) asked more about the funding mechanism. He was told it had been previously funded using TANF money but now is a line item in the children and family services portion of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' (ODJFS) budget.

****************************************************

*Two misquotes:

- Lisa Dickson didn't say that Ohio was the "only state making cuts to such a program." She spoke about the Fostering Connections Act, and how these cuts come at a time when the needs of transitioning foster youth are being recognized on a national level...

- Nor was Independent Living "previously funded using TANF money but now is a line item in the children and family services portion of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' (ODJFS) budget"

It was and still is an earmark of the TANF budget. Both Lisa and Doris mentioned in their testimonies that Independent Living funding in Ohio should not be an earmark, and that young people transitioning out of foster care each year should not have to fight to maintain the only state source of funding allocated to prepare them for adulthood.

Lisa's testimony

Link to more photos.

My name is Lisa Dickson and I serve as co-facilitator of the OHIO YAB and Communications Chair of ACTION Ohio.

Speaking on behalf of former foster children throughout the state, many of whom, like myself, are tax-paying professionals, Ohio’s proposed biennual budget causes us great concern.

At a time when the needs of foster care youth transitioning to adulthood are being recognized on federal level through the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, Ohio has chosen to cut the TANF-Independent Living Allocation by 100%. This important allocation provides $2.5 M/year to connect youth aging out of foster care with life skills training and work supports.

Approximately 1,000 Ohio teenagers emancipate from the foster care each year. Because they have no families to rely upon, these young people are at greater risk of poverty, homelessness, unwed pregnancy and incarceration.

Foster care youth transitioning to adulthood are not a 'line item.' They are children who rely on the state to be their “parent.” They are teenagers entering into adulthood during a recession. Ohio taxpayers will pay for their needs, whether now or later.

Research by the Children’s Advocacy Institute has shown that early investment leads to foster care youth being three times more likely to enroll in college, 65% less likely to be arrested, and a 33% reduction in unwed pregnancy.

According to Dr. Mark Courtney of the Chapin Hall Center for Children, “Every $1 invested in continued foster care supports and services results in a return of $2.40."

It makes better economic sense to intervene during their late-teens and early-20s, a time when young people have an open mind, high level of energy and are actively engaged in the process of directing their future lives.
Zeroing out the TANF-IL funding will led more foster care youth into situations of chronic homelessness, unwed pregnancy, unemployment and incarceration. Left unchecked, the cycle will continue: 1 in 4 homeless adults is a former foster child.

Doris Edelmann honored by Montgomery County Family & Children First Council

Doris Edelmann was awarded the Brother Ray Fitz Award from the Montgomery County Family and Children First Council on Friday, Feb. 20, 2009.

Lisa Dickson, Communications Chair, was one of three people introducing Doris, preceded by Helen Jones-Kelley and Gayle Bullard.

This is what Lisa shared:

Foster Care Alumni of America is a national organization made up former foster youth and advocates like Doris who care about the future of young people aging out of foster care.

In the spirit of our collective voice I will be speaking not only on behalf of myself, but also sharing the words of Gabriel Koshinsky, FCAA Ohio Operations Chair, as well...

As Gabe wrote: "Doris is a leader in the truest sense. She could get hit by a semi and get up in 5 seconds flat. She is a leader and a fighter. The character of a person can be seen in where they invest their time and energy."

As a former foster child who is working to create statewide connections among foster care alumni, including a statewide network of support, I think about Doris on the days when I feel discouraged. I think about Doris on days when my energy level is low.

When I think of Doris, I see her in action:

- I usually picture her in a van, barreling down the highway, transporting young people from one destination to another.

- Maybe they are off to Washington DC to share their voices on Capital Hill

- Maybe they are visiting other counties to share their expertise on developing local or regional youth advisory boards

- But whatever the destination, I can feel the excitement – and it reinvigorates me!

Doris is one of those people who always seems to be in action, even when she is standing still.

If she is sitting in a chair, then she is probably coming up with creative ways to finance resources for young people, and helping other counties learn to streamline their resources as well.

Or she’s poking the person sitting next to her, probably a young person, saying: 'You need to get up there and say something! You have something important to say.'

And Doris is one of those people who always give their all, doing things like:

- Not only co-hosting the FCAA Ohio Thanksgiving Reunion for young people who lack family connections, but bringing her entire family to be a part of it.

Trust comes slowly for those of us who have experienced so many losses and broken promises in the past. And yet we trust Doris. Why?

Because for so many young people, Doris is their only sense of home… She is always available for them, she firmly believes in their abilities, and she committed to paving the way for their future success.

We live in times of danger and uncertainty. Times when the very resources needed to support young people transitioning into adulthood, such as TANF-IL funds, are being stripped away.

But these times are also more open to creative energy than at any other time in history.

Doris exemplifies the type of vision, courage and personal commitment that young people in and from foster care need during the launching period of their lives. As they are catapulted into adulthood:

- They need someone like Doris, who does not acknowledge the word “barrier,” but finds a way to MAKE things happen

- They need someone like Doris who believes that children services is a job that is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

- They need someone who does not just speak FOR them, but who empowers them through advocacy training to speak for THEMSELVES

- They need someone who gives them HOPE. It is the advocates in our lives who make a difference.

In a speech in South Africa in 1966, Robert Kennedy said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.

“Crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. “

I agree wholeheartedly with Gabriel Koshinsky that: “We often think of a hero as some comic book character, perhaps a General or great historical figure.

"But this room is filled with heroes. When faced with challenges, each person will ultimately make the choice to be a hero, or to surrender to be a spectator.”

So I will end with an invitation to each and every person in this room. You are invited to be a part of the Ready to Launch movement in Ohio. Ask Doris, and she will tell you all about it!

Nothing would make Doris more happy than a public awareness campaign about the needs of young people transitioning to adulthood – and once again, that is why she is my hero.

ASAP Kick Off

The Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America is currently working with Alvin Mares and Tim Conrad on a Columbus-based OSU pilot project involving transitional youth called the Alumni Peer Support & Assistance Project (ASAP).

On Jan. 31st, Lisa Dickson co-facilitated an all-day workshop at OSU for professionals and youth from Starr Commonwealth, Viaquest, YEP and Rahab's Hideaways.

The first two organizations work with foster care youth, the youth from COHHIO's Youth Empowerment Program will have experienced homelessness at some point in their young lives, and Rahab's Hideaway works with young people who have sought survival in the past by turning to the sex trade.

Foster Stories

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words....

This is even more true when that picture has been created and dramatized by Darrin Hoover.

To read more, please visit this link.