2020 HUD Regional Roundtable and Plans for Moving FYI Forward

 

Link to video that shares HUD's plans for moving FYI forward.

ACTION Ohio and the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare were honored to work with Rosa Ailabouni, Senior Advisor to the Regional Administrator, HUD Region V to help plan a virtual roundtable on May 28, 2020.

Youth Speaker Bios:

• Former foster youth Ciara Richey received an FUP voucher at age 21, which made it possible for her to continue to pursue higher education. She is currently working two jobs and attending Ohio University Zanesville. She is close to receiving a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, after which she plans to enter the Columbus Police Academy in order to become a private detective.
  
• Former foster youth Desaray Lavery works full-time at Arby's. She will be using an FYI voucher to move into her new apartment next month. The new apartment is close to her job, and will allow her to have a dog and work as a groomer.

Additional Speakers During the Roundtable:

• Joseph Galvan, Regional Administrator, US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, Region V
• Elizabeth Darling, Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Kara Wente, Assistant Director of Health and Human Services at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services 
• Chris Patterson, Regional Administrator, US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, Region IX
• Joaquin Cintron Vega, President and CEO, Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Sonja Nelson, Assistant Vice President of Resident Initiatives, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Cassie Snyder, Associate Director of Youth Transition Services, Franklin County Children Services
• Brianna Moore, Social Service Worker, Portage County Job and Family Services
• Travena Kaminski, Section 8 Assistant Manager, Portage County Housing Authority

Housing After Foster Care ~ CMHA Video

ACTION Ohio was honored to work with CMHA on this video project, and deeply appreciates their work on Scholar House 3.

2020: From one level of Jumanji to the next

2020 better check itself

Neither wind nor rain nor COVID nor "murder hornets" shall keep Ohio foster care youth, alumni and allies from advocating.

Thinking about Amy Roberts today

Learned yesterday that someone I care about is in hospice...

'A sigh of relief:' Advocates applaud Ohio's governor for providing safety net for those aging out of foster care

Youth advocates are breathing a sigh of relief after Ohio's governor announced the state will cover the costs of those aging out of the foster care system.

Governor DeWine thanked OHIO Youth Advisory Board for coming up with this plan.

On April 25, 2020, 10TV news interviewed Talia Holmes, president of the FCCS Youth Advisory Board. She knows firsthand what it's like to be in foster care.

"You're always having to worry about making sure you're presenting yourself in the best way, so the person you're with wants to keep you," Holmes said. "[You want to make sure] you're not put into another situation that may not be as good as the one you may be leaving from."

Holmes said this is a step to ensure Ohio's most vulnerable are set up for success. "It's providing them that extra leverage to be able to make steps securely so that they are able to be successful in society," she said.

Thank you, Governor DeWine

Quotes from Governor DeWine's Press Conference on April 24, 2020:
 Gov. Mike DeWine announced the state will continue to cover the costs for youth in foster care who are turning 18 during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to DeWine, more than 200 people will “age out” of Ohio’s foster care system in the next three months.

“For many of these young people, their future looks uncertain because of COVID-19, whether their plan was to start a career or pursue higher education. This program will provide them with a safety net during these difficult times,” DeWine said.

This option is also available for those in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ Bridges program, which is foster care to age 21. DeWine said those in Bridges can stay in the program to help them maintain their housing, jobs, and education.

“These changes will ensure that no child leaves care during this pandemic without a safe place to call home. I encourage county children services agencies, juvenile courts, and the foster youth themselves to take advantage of this new opportunity,” he said.

During his daily briefing, DeWine thanked Ohio’s Youth Advisory Board for coming up with this plan.


Message to Ohio Public Children Services Directors on April 24, 2020:

Dear Directors,

Here is some additional information regarding the announcement you heard from Governor DeWine today at the press conference regarding children aging out of foster care and Bridges.

Foster Care: To ensure adequate transition planning and delivery of needed services to foster children, increased flexibility has been instituted within the Multi-System Youth allocation. These funds can now be used to support the cost of extended placement and supports for any youth aging out from any placement setting through June 30, 2020. These funds can be used to pay for supports that were expended as of the March 22, 2020 Stay at Home order.

Please refer to Procedure Letter 349: Foster Youth Not Aging Out for additional information about utilizing these funds to support these youth.

Bridges: In addition, please note that Bridges funding has also been extended to support young adults who turned or will turn 21 through June 30, 2020. Again, these funds can be used to pay for supports that were expended as of the March 22, 2020 Stay at Home order.

Number of Foster Youth Emancipating Per County in 2019

Please note that:

• This map doesn’t capture the number of young adults who are currently in extended foster care in Ohio (Bridges program) 
• Nor does it capture every youth who was in foster care in Ohio at ages 16/older 
• There is a cumulative effect when we think about the cohort of former foster youth between ages 18+ 
• Foster care youth move from one county to another, and even out-of-state, after foster care
• Every former foster youth, in every county and every state, matters

National Reach As High As You Can Day

Learned from a coworker that today is National "Reach As High As You Can" Day.

Given everything that is going on in our state, our nation and the world, this is very timely.

 #LetsKeepReachingHigher

The challenge of trying to do the Senior Picture Challenge

Sending apologies to those who tagged me about this - but I can’t post a photo for the #SeniorPictureChallenge, because I never had a senior year in high school.

I started college at age 16 #StraightOutOfFosterCare, ended up homeless within a year, bounced back and made it through college and grad school. All is well today - it was just bumpy in the beginning and took a while to get there.

Here’s glimpse of 15 year old Lisa as a junior in high school getting ready to turn 16 in Dec., with no idea what she’s headed for, but wanting to move forward regardless.

Sending hugs and love to one and all - especially my brothers and sisters of the foster care system. One thing is true: We can and WILL move mountains together. #LetsKeepPushingForward

Color-coded Concepts

Zoom Storytime With Edward, Frannie and William

Click to enlarge

Lisa's first Zoom, with HUD staff, fellow advocates and federal legislators

Lisa's first online storytime

Here's a link.

Let's keep moving forward...

The end goal is for housing resources to support foster youth to be available in every state, and every city/county, in our nation.

Appreciation for Heather Zenone

We Ohio folks had the honor and privilege of meeting with foster care alumna Heather Zenone in February. Heather is a powerful DC advocate with an eye toward improving outcomes for our population, especially in light of the current pandemic. She has been sharing our policy recommendations with the federal Ways and Means committee.

Love this recommendation from CDF

Love this recent recommendation from Children's Defense Fund national and the Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition:

• "Boost Title IV-E Chafee funds to $500 million. These additional funds could be used above and beyond what states have already locked into place for their ongoing independent living funds and services. Allow states flexibility in expanding Chafee funds for services and supports for youth including financial assistance, and employment assistance."

National strategy proposals to strengthen the child welfare safety net in response to COVID-19

Policy recommendations are being discussed behind the scenes to support young people in and from foster care, by advocates throughout the nation (including Youth Villages and Children’s Defense Fund). Some of my current favorites are listed below.

 They include recommendations that we have made. We are continuing to work on strategy proposals, in partnership with the ever-amazing Ruth Anne White of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare.

Chafee
- Waiving the 30% Chafee housing cap
- Waiving the work and education requirements for Chafee
- Doubling Chafee funds
 - Having every state extend Chafee services until age 23

Title IV-E -Waiving the Title IV-E work and education requirement for older youth in extended care beyond age 18, and the work and education requirements for Chafee
- Having every state extend foster care to age 21

Congregate Care:
 - “Addressing concerns around congregate care by promoting reductions of unnecessary group care placements to reduce viral transmission, providing access to sanitation services, supporting access to educational resources on appropriate social distancing measures, and providing access to technology and supports for virtual learning” (from the Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition)

ACTION Ohio remains concerned about lack of cell phone access for foster care youth, especially those who are in group home/residential placements, and how this might be further isolating them at this time.

Many thanks, Ohio CASA

As with any foster youth, Lisa Dickson didn’t choose the family she was born into. Instead, she was born into a family that included an abusive father – and a mother who had experienced abuse from her biological family, and eventually lost her life in a battle with cancer. During her time in foster care, Lisa was focused on building her immediate future. From the moment that Lisa transitioned from foster care to adulthood, ahead of time, at age 16, she cared both about building her future and improving outcomes for others.

Since 2006, Lisa has had the honor of working 70 hours a week. She volunteers 30 hours a week in her volunteer roles as co-facilitator of the OHIO Youth Advisory Board (the statewide voice of Ohio foster care youth ages 14-24) and Communications Chair of ACTION Ohio (the statewide voice of foster care alumni). She also works 40 hours a week in her paid job as a Children’s Librarian. Her volunteer roles are focused on informing and empowering current and former foster youth about policies and procedures, and inviting each of them to share their insights. Foster care youth, young adults and older alumni of the system are invited to advocate for what is needed when it comes to policies and resources – with the ultimate goal of helping Ohio foster care youth and alumni have the best chance at healing, growing, and being successful.

Empowering the voices of current and former foster youth within the state of Ohio has led to a ripple effect of local, statewide and national change — including a federal bill, the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act, which has recently passed unanimously in the US House of Representatives and is currently being championed in the US Senate, and HUD Secretary Ben Carson creating FYI on-demand housing vouchers for foster youth.

This year, International Women’s Day is celebrating women who work every day for an equal world. Ms. Dickson’s work goes beyond gender equality; it’s truly equality for all people – adults and youth who deserve families and love and equal access to life’s resources. Her own experiences have inspired her unwavering diligence and fierce advocacy, and that’s why we are honoring her for International Women’s Day.