2020 Thanksgiving Together ~ What No One Ever Told Me About the Workplace

Workplace Tips were shared on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 1 pm: Amber Dudsak did an excellent job of facilitating the conversation. Cloe Cooper of FAN and Jaye Turner of El’lesun shared about Project PASSION. 

Here are links to Workplace Tips that were shared, Living Wage per Ohio County and how current/former Ohio foster youth can apply for workforce attire through Project PASSION.

Notes from Governor DeWine's press conference on November 20th

 

On Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, Governor DeWine held a press conference to announce the final release of the Children Services Transformation Advisory Council's final report and recommendations to reform Ohio's children services and foster care system.

Governor DeWine's heart for foster youth was reflected in his opening remarks, during which he reiterated the need to focus on children and their best interest. He spoke about about giving foster youth a shot at living the American dream, and said, "Foster youth's health and safety needs to remain the North Star... The children/teen's rights need to come first."

The second speaker was Office of Children Services Transformation Director Kristi Burre. She spoke about trying to improve the lives of families and children throughout Ohio, and trying to include the voices of all Ohioans, across the entire continuum of the system. Her focus was broad, but she did include the quote that, "Foster youth have a right to be at the table."

Some of the highlights she mentioned were consistent screening of child abuse and neglect reports, the establishment of a statewide Ombudsman's Office, the need for normalcy, and the creation of a Bill of Rights for foster youth and for foster caregivers. 

She also spoke about Adoption Best Practices, such as Wendy's Wonderful Kids and Permanency Roundtables, and juvenile justice collaboration -- which will include establishing some Best Practices regarding GALs.

The third speaker was Melinda Sykes Haggerty. As an adoptee and former foster youth, Melinda shared that she feels this is her life mission. She thanked Governor DeWine for his unwavering dedication to improving outcomes for foster youth throughout his career. 

Melinda reflected on her experience on the Advisory Council, and shared that it was a balance of complicated family dynamics and interests. She spoke about the listening tour, and the honor and necessity of listening to and responding to those who have lived experience. 

She said that, out of all of the recommendations, she is the most proud of: 

1. The future establishment of a Statewide Ombudsman's Office, especially with Ohio being a county-run system 
2. Efforts to improve normalcy 
3. Efforts to promote permanency, especially for older youth, in order to support a successful transition into young adulthood

Final remarks were made by ODJFS Director Kim Hall. Her closing words included the desire for a continued collaboration with foster care youth and alumni. 

After that, they opened it up for questions from reporters. The first reporter asked about child fatalities, and referred to a specific case of child abuse in Dayton. 

Governor DeWine responded that, "We have to do better for these kids. The child's rights need to come first. These are tough decisions, but we need to focus on children."

Reflections, when it comes to the OHIO YAB and ACTION Ohio:

• The beauty and clarity of our work as foster care youth and alumni in the state of Ohio is that we can hone in on what can best improve outcomes for the young people themselves.
  
  
• And have the ongoing responsibility to do so. 
  
  
• Let’s make sure that the health and safety of Ohio foster care youth and young adults remains the North Star.

2020 Thanksgiving Together ~ College Survival Strategies

Discussion on Saturday, Nov. 21 focused on resources, partnerships and strategies to continue to work together to help improve post-secondary outcomes for young adults with a foster care history.

Here's a link to the Top 10 College Survival Strategies and Top 5 High School Tips that were shared. 

2020 Thanksgiving Together ~ What No One Ever Told Me About Relationships

 

Here's a glimpse of our "What No One Ever Told Me About Relationships" Zoom on Sunday, Nov. 15. 

Olena Sowers shared awesome insights, Donte Woods-Spikes offered ally support, and insights were shared by all participants, including authors Ruth-Ann Jones Thompson and Deanna Jones. 

This is a summary of the Top Five Relationship Tips that were shared. 

2020 Thanksgiving Together ~ Cooking Zoom

Foster care alumni Antonio Sledge of Le Sledge Catering did a wonderful job during today's Thanksgiving Together Cooking Zoom. Also, very much looking forward to future partnership between Chef Kibby and CSCC, OSU and Scholar House 3.

Cooking videos: 

• How to cook a turkey ~ Antonio Sledge
• How to make deviled eggs ~ Cloe Cooper
• How to make mashed potatoes ~ Cloe Cooper
• How to make green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole ~ Aliyah Tucker

Responding to the passage of HB 8

 

In response to the passage of HB 8, which reduces the number of training hours required for foster parents, Ohio foster care youth and alumni have talked about:

• Launching an advocacy effort to “Make Every Training Hour Count” that focuses on the need for training tracks vs. just getting enough hours.
  
  
• We would really love to see mandatory training tracks on independent living/life skill resources for foster parents (and caseworkers) who take in teens.
  
  
• And to address situations like the foster parent who said she takes the same classes every year just to get hours in.

We truly have a wonderful partner in Kim Eckhart of Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio. Her blog post about the passage of HB 8 was excellent, especially the following quotes:

• Training for foster caregivers gives them tools to be effective. Part of being a supportive caregiver includes knowing how to navigate the resources provided by the educational and health care system so that children can flourish. This is especially important as teenagers learn independence and prepare to live on their own. Advocates in Ohio have fought hard to create programs that benefit youth during this transition: namely housing supports and educational vouchers. But these programs only benefit youth if they know about them. Foster caregivers must be trained in the application guidelines for these programs.
  
  
• Leverage youth voice and experience to improve training effectiveness. The change created by HB 8 must be accompanied by a vision from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for comprehensive, standardized, and accessible training. This vision should be informed by current and former foster youth, whose lived experience is the most valuable expertise.

Kim also shared that, with the passage of HB8, CDF-Ohio may have an opportunity to be a part of a workgroup to review the rules around training. 

Here are two testimonials that were recently submitted by former foster youth:

1.) Raven Grice serves on the OHIO Youth Advisory Board, and after conferring with her fellow Youth Advisory Board, she compiled three specific recommendations, which are included in her written testimony:

1. Independent Living Departments should be mandated in every county.
2. Foster parents and caseworkers that serve teens should be mandated to attend training on resources to assist in the transition to young adulthood.
3. Private foster care agencies that are entrusted with teenagers should be held accountable to adequately and consistently prepare them with life skills.

2.) Merri Haren, a former foster youth from Stark County, wrote her testimonial to support Raven's recommendations. She shared her own experiences and how life skills preparation in Stark County helps her, ending with the final message:

• Raven Grice, a fellow member of the Ohio foster care system, has listed specific recommendations in her testimony to the Independent Living system that I believe will provide the structural framework necessary to get this program back up and running with clearly set guidelines and steps.
  
  
• Her suggestions and specific calls to action are backed by the end result of someone who received those services. There is a reason former youth are coming together now for the youth that are still in the system- we know how essential this program is and we want better for our fellow brothers and sisters aging out of it. Please hear our words and consider the benefit to the economy, but more importantly, society, that this program has on our youth.”

As of this morning, additional young people are writing testimony as well.

Letter to the Editor, August 2020

 Letter: Young people in foster care authored housing-voucher bill

The Columbus Dispatch, August 24, 2020

Many thanks to The Dispatch for recognizing the needs of the 3,000 young people who experience homelessness every year in Franklin County, including former foster youth who enter into young adulthood without being adopted (“Dream house,” Dispatch article, Aug. 15).

In addition to our joy regarding Marsh Brook Place and appreciation of Star House and Huckleberry House, ACTION Ohio is deeply proud of what Ohio foster youths accomplished by designing federal housing mechanisms that are creating a positive ripple effect throughout the nation. Their 2019 meeting with HUD Secretary Ben Carson led to the creation of the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative.

Ohio’s foster care youth and alumni have authored a federal bill, which passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is currently being considered by the Senate. This bill is based on the ability of child welfare to anticipate the date when a young person ages out of foster care, and to access a housing voucher that is timed with their exit.

This cost-neutral solution was designed by the young people themselves, with support from the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, to weave together existing resources to create a platform for economic independence, resulting in employment, improved educational prospects and self-sufficiency.

Lisa Dickson, Communications chair, ACTION Ohio (Alumni of Care Together Improving Outcomes Now), Columbus