The Imprint Weekly

In February, Carolyn Travis of California Youth Connection wrote an op-ed for The Imprint calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to keep his commitment to fair market support for youth who receive subsidized independent living placement (SILP) funds in extended foster care. Travis joined us on the podcast to talk about her own experience transitioning into extended foster care and then into adulthood, and how important her ability to save some money through SILP was as she entered the workforce during COVID-19. Carolyn Travis is the community advocacy coordinator for California Youth Connection, one of the nation’s oldest advocacy groups led for and by current and former foster youth. Travis is a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles.Reading RoomGovernors on Both Coasts Face Budget Shortfalls for Serving Children and Families Next Yearhttps://rb.gy/wapi7xCarolyn Travis: California Governor’s Budget Breaks His Promise to Older Foster Youthhttps://rb.gy/mp78ym2023 Implementation Fact Sheet: Higher Monthly Payments for Foster Youth in SILPs Based on Local Housing Costshttps://jbay.org/resources/2023-fact-sheet-silp/

On this month’s headlines edition of the podcast, we discuss new federal data on foster care, the first state and tribe to get approved for kinship licensing, and what happened this year in the government spending deal. We also talk about a controversial law in Tennessee over foster parents’ views on sexual orientation, Minnesota’s African American Family Preservation Act, and more. Reading RoomWhat’s In the 2024 Spending Deal for Youth and Familieshttps://bit.ly/43SWuNFMichigan, Salt River Pima Tribe Approved for Federal Kinship Supporthttps://bit.ly/3U9gkkcFederal Report: Foster Care Total Dropped Again in 2022https://bit.ly/3TsQ3Mh50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Lawshttps://coloradocpo.org/mandatory-reporting-resource/Senate Approves Bill Establishing a Right to Foster, Adopt by Anti-LGBTQ Parents in Tennesseehttps://bit.ly/4asVq5iIdaho Legislature requests Office of Performance Evaluations investigation of Youth Treatment Homeshttps://bit.ly/3VRHjlDShort-Staffed New York Juvenile Facilities Place Detained Youth at Risk, State Investigation Findshttps://bit.ly/3VMdPWoA Bill Once Again Before Minnesota Lawmakers Set Out to Preserve Black Families. This Year’s Version Would Apply to Almost Everyone in the Child Welfare System.https://bit.ly/3xt8ObbNAACP and Children’s Advocates Request Federal Civil Rights Investigation of Minnesota’s Child Welfare Systemhttps://bit.ly/3vBuscPCongressional Candidate Wants to Create a Place for Young Women ‘To Dream, To Fight and To Just Be’  https://bit.ly/43PBlDQProfiles in Youth Work: Lateefah Simonhttps://bit.ly/3xqbVRgBarry Krisberg, Lifelong Crusader for Youth Behind Bars, is Mourned Nationwidehttps://bit.ly/43R0ga2

A new multimedia package produced by The Imprint and Voices of Monterey Bay takes readers, viewers and listeners deep inside rural Oregon’s Indian Country, where elders are Indigenizing social work through equine therapy for young people who have experienced foster care and youth justice systems.“Horses take us all the way back to our history before our land was taken away,” explains John Doug Spence, who leads equine therapy sessions across Oregon. “It’s a way of taking back our power.” The project, Healing the Children of Horse Nations, is a collaboration between The Imprint’s Indigenous Children and Families Reporter Nancy Marie Spears, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma; podcast producers Julie and Mara Reynolds; and visual storyteller Josué Rivas, who is Mexica and Otomi.To read Nancy Marie Spears' reporting for "Healing the Children of Horse Nations," visit: https://bit.ly/3J41mprFor a collection of photography for this project by Josué Rivas, visit:  https://bit.ly/3U1xFeX

Healing the Children of Horse Nations, a new multimedia package produced by The Imprint and Voices of Monterey Bay, takes readers, viewers and listeners deep inside rural Oregon’s Indian Country, where elders are Indigenizing social work through equine therapy for young people who have experienced foster care and youth justice systems.“Horses take us all the way back to our history before our land was taken away,” explains John Doug Spence, who leads equine therapy sessions across Oregon. “It’s a way of taking back our power.” Check out this episode of The Imprint Weekly Podcast for an interview with the people behind Healing the Children of Horse Nations, and check back on Wednesday April 3 for the official release of the project.

Join us in an illuminating episode of InnerViews as we delve into the profound topic of healing trauma through the lens of re-parenting, guided by the wisdom of Deborah D. Denzel. Drawing from her lived expertise and career in improving the child welfare system, Deborah shares transformative insights into her personal journey of resilience. Explore the pillars of re-parenting and discover empowering strategies for self-nurturing and growth. Through candid reflections and empowering moments, Deborah reveals how embracing the concept of re-parenting has paved the way for healing, joy, and personal empowerment. 

 Dr. LaShawnDa Pittman spent years studying the lives of dozens of grandmothers in the Chicago area for her book, Grandmothering While Black. “Despite managing the simultaneity of love and coercion,” she writes, “the Black grandmothers in this study demonstrated their love for their grandchildren in their willingness to provide care, as an extension of parenting and sometimes in place of it.” Dr. Pittman explored that balance of love and coercion and many other takeaways from her work. Reading RoomGrandmothering While Black: A Twenty-First Century Story of Love, Coercion, and Survivalhttps://www.drlashawndapittman.com/Family Ties: Analysis From a State-By-State Survey of Kinship Care Policieshttps://www.aecf.org/resources/family-tiesWhite House Announces Slate of Actions on Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/3ZFa7h

On this week’s episode we talk to Rob Geen, who is leading the new Child Welfare Initiative started by the Bipartisan Policy Center. Some of the initiative’s early activities have included:-A national survey on public attitudes and views about the child welfare system and how it should operate-A landscape assessment based on interviews with those working for, involved with, and directly affected by child welfare policy.-A review of state child welfare legislative activity in recent years.Geen talked to us about the origins of the initiative, findings from its early activities, and his view on what “bipartisanship” means in the context of child welfare policy. Reading RoomThe American Public Weighs in on Our Nation’s Child Welfare Systemhttps://bit.ly/49KD8MLBipartisanship Across the Nation: A Review of State Child Welfare Legislationhttps://bit.ly/48JEQfTKey Findings from BPC Child Welfare Landscape Assessment https://bit.ly/48PjEoG

On this week’s podcast, we discuss some new legislation aimed at drawing more interest in extended foster care, long-sought data on compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act, and the use of federal funds for family justice. We also break down yet another child welfare-related lawsuit in New York, and concerns over the precedent set by the conviction of Jennifer Crumbley.Reading RoomBipartisan Bill Would Expand Federal Extended Foster Care Programhttps://bit.ly/3Uum8FCFostering Adults: The State of Carehttps://imprintnews.org/special-series/fostering-adults-state-extended-careBiden Proposes New Federal Data on ICWA Compliance https://bit.ly/3OUriXLKeeping The Kids: Native American overrepresentation in foster care in Montana.https://montanafreepress.org/keeping-the-kids/Most States Now Access Federal Funds for Family Court Lawyershttps://bit.ly/3uN543qNew York City Class-Action Lawsuit Defends Parents’ Rights in CPS Home Visits — A Rare Constitutional Challengehttps://bit.ly/48HyRrOThe Trouble With Convicting Parents for Their Children’s Violent Crimeshttps://bit.ly/3InjhanBill Tracker: Protecting Benefits for Foster Youthhttps://bit.ly/3uqHgCe

Healing Generations: Nurturing the Inner Child Through Reparenting - A Journey with Dr. Alison DavisWelcome to InnerViews, a new monthly podcast from the Youth Voices Rising program at Fostering Media Connections!InnerViews is not just a podcast; it's an intimate exploration led by Ivory Bennett, a seasoned professional with 17 years of lived foster care experience. Each episode is a deep dive into topics surrounding trauma, mental and emotional health, well-being, and the unique challenges faced by Black women in the realm of healing.Join Ivory Bennett on "InnerViews" for powerful conversations, lived expertise, and a journey towards holistic well-being. Subscribe now and become part of a community committed to understanding, healing, and thriving. Your story matters, and Ivory is here to guide you on the path to inner transformation.In the inaugural episode of "InnerViews," join host Ivory Bennett in a profound exploration of trauma, healing, and the well-being of Black women with esteemed guest Dr. Alison Davis. Delve into crucial topics such as generational trauma, misogynoire, and the significance of culture in mental and emotional health. Discover empowering insights on parenting, re-parenting, and the transformative journey towards intentional living. Together, let's embark on a path of healing and understanding, where courageous storytelling paves the way to a softer, more empowered life.About the host:Ivory Bennett, a national interdisciplinary equity advocate, brings over 8 years of experience in classroom instruction, curriculum design, and department leadership. With a focus on trauma-informed pedagogy, Ivory is committed to achieving education and child welfare equity, especially for youth with marginalized identities. As the Program Manager for Youth Voices Rising, Ivory develops comprehensive training programs that prepare and empower youth to tell their stories. Ivory also advocates for policy improvements within the child welfare sector. Ivory's vast experience includes roles as Manager, Community Impact Coach for Teach for America in Dallas, Project Manager for Fostering Families Today, and serving as Special Program Board Chair for The Leaders Readers Network.

On this week’s episode we first talked to Kat McCloud about the new season of “Self-Taught,” a podcast from foster youth, for foster youth that just joined our SafeCamp Audio Network. McCloud talks about the first season of the show, what to expect in the second (which is now out) and how she decides what she is comfortable sharing publicly.Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus on Children, joins us to discuss a new tax reform bill that includes a big proposal to provide more financial support for low-income parents and children, as well as federal budget deliberations and what states are doing related to child spending. Bruce Lesley is president of First Focus on Children. Prior to his work at First Focus on Children, he served as Senior Health Policy Advisor on the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman. Reading RoomSelf-Taught: Former Foster Youth on Sex, Health, and Lifehttps://safecampaudio.org/show/self-taught/Money and Maltreatmenthttps://bit.ly/3hcelIUNew Research Links Increased Minimum Wage to Reduced Child Maltreatmenthttps://bit.ly/2RvAqr7Support Grows For No-Strings-Attached Cash For Families To Prevent Foster Care Removalshttps://bit.ly/3DD1NUYLet the Child Tax Credit Workhttps://bit.ly/3aALZHh

On our monthly headlines episode, we discuss recent Imprint coverage on a child welfare litigation group’s first big legal challenge, the impact of fentanyl on legislation and policy in child welfare, and the Biden administration’s incremental steps on fines and fees in the juvenile justice system. We also discuss the child welfare case of a transgender teen in Montana, and the state of federal data on child welfare. Reading RoomNew York Appeals Court Case Focuses on Non-abusive Parent Being Subjected to Home Supervisionshttps://bit.ly/3w4YbumNew Civil Rights Organization Dedicated to Families’ Rights Launches in New York Cityhttps://bit.ly/356ToLZWestern States Wrestle With a Child Welfare Response to Addictive Drugshttps://bit.ly/489qlSe‘We failed her.’ Santa Clara County social workers publicly rebuke boss, agency over handling of high-risk kids like baby Phoenixhttps://bit.ly/49pui6CDOJ Calls on States To Eliminate Juvenile System Fines and Feeshttps://bit.ly/3SMGg4wA Minnesota Host Home Program Helps Vulnerable LGBTQ+ Youth Avoid Homelessnesshttps://bit.ly/49ejXu2Gianforte rebuts far-right accusations about child protection casehttps://bit.ly/42uTCFJChild Welfare Outcomes 2020https://bit.ly/493LGh9

On January 1, two of Washington State’s largest human services providers combined to form a new organization called Akin. The merger of two healthy nonprofits perhaps reflects the alignment of business and outcomes to a new vision for how youth and families are served by governments and their partners.Dave Newell, the first CEO of Akin, returns to The Imprint Weekly podcast to discuss how the merger came together, what to expect (and not) from the new organization, and his perspective on parts of the child welfare process that are not reformable.Reading Room“A Tsunami Is Headed Your Way.” The Pandemic, One Year Laterhttps://bit.ly/2OC4ErcSharon Osborne on Three Decades of Nonprofit Leadership and System Dismantlinghttps://bit.ly/3SBUrJQKeyon’s Case Heads to Washington Supreme Courthttps://bit.ly/3sAirg1Washington Supreme Court: ‘Meaningful Preference’ for Kin Is Requiredhttps://bit.ly/3IcVdp1Kinship Care Prioritized Under New Washington State Lawhttps://bit.ly/3uepodxBreaking The Scarcity Mindset In The Nonprofit Sectorhttps://bit.ly/3SKyQyAkinwww.akinfamily.org

Strategies for Youth (SFY) is one of the few organizations in the country focused on the true front door of the juvenile justice system: interactions between youth and law enforcement officers. Recently, SFY published a collection of model policies for departments to use in making those interactions safer and more productive. SFY’s Shelley Jackson, who spent decades working on guidance and policy for the federal government, joins us to describe these model policies and how they came together. Reading Room12 Model Law Enforcement Policies for Youth Interactionhttps://strategiesforyouth.org/model-policies/“Kids Are Not a Priority Until They’re A Problem” https://imprintnews.org/podcast/kids-not-priority-until-problemMake Training Police on Juvenile Justice, Youth Interaction a National Priorityhttps://bit.ly/3IFnzbYHope Springs Infernal for Better Policinghttps://bit.ly/3DIleJG

As always, we were fortunate to have some amazing guests join us this year on The Imprint Weekly Podcast. In this episode we feature clips of 20 great interviews from 2023. If you enjoy this podcast, or the great work our reporters do at The Imprint and Fostering Families Today, and the work that our Youth Voices Rising team does, please consider making a donation. And if you do so this month, during Newsmatch, your donation will get doubled!Fostering Media Connections is very lucky to have some terrific philanthropic supporters, advertisers and sponsors, and subscribers to our business and policy section that help make this organization go. But we really cannot do it without donors like you who read our stuff, listen to our podcasts and attend our online events. There are tons of really great nonprofit, independent news outlets to support out there, and we hope you consider us one of them. To give today it’s easy! Visit www.imprintnews.org/donate.

On this week’s podcast, we break down the new data featured in The Imprint’s “Who Cares” project, which seeks to provide an up-to-date answer on two key questions in child welfare: How many kids are in foster care today? And where are they living?Every year we obtain answers directly from states on this subject, and surround that with data drawn from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. You can access all of our national tables and state-by-state profiles at FosterCareCapacity.com.Reading RoomWho Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Familieswww.fostercarecapacity.comNumber of Youth in Formal Foster Care Continues to Decline, Imprint Survey Findshttps://shorturl.at/pIVY2Measuring Family Separationhttps://bit.ly/47SSeP8

On this week’s podcast, we discuss some headlines that seem to emanate in part from workforce woes, a lawsuit over anonymous reporting, one state’s effort to adjust child welfare policy after marijuana legalization, and missing school while locked up.Lisa Dickson of ACTION Ohio joins us to talk about the annual series of Thanksgiving dinners she helped state for youth in Ohio foster care, the right way to incorporate lived experience, the death of Ma’khia Bryant, and more.Reading RoomImperial County Social Services Report Draws Vocal Criticismhttps://tinyurl.com/bdfzr7tfWatchdog Finds ‘Errors on Top of Errors’ at DHHS Before Child Deathhttps://tinyurl.com/mznm99j7Financial Crisis for Central Florida Foster Care Nonprofithttps://tinyurl.com/2zb592vdBrooklyn Mother and Son Sue New York City Children’s Services over ‘Traumatic’ CPS Investigations Following False Reportshttps://tinyurl.com/4zwatuvmWith Cannabis Newly Legalized, Minnesota is Latest State to Adjust its Child Welfare Approachhttps://tinyurl.com/2yee8bchProblem Newly Revealed in Juvenile Hall Schools: A Failure to Get Kids to Classhttps://tinyurl.com/2jyf62ytEducation Inside and Outhttps://tinyurl.com/y68aaf6kFifty Years of Transforming Youth Justicehttps://shorturl.at/ePW23Thanksgiving Together Ohiohttps://tinyurl.com/3edd3w2d

On this week’s podcast, we discuss some news out of Tennessee that makes a congressional inquiry look bad, and two stories that highlight the intrinsic problem with investigations of abuse within foster care. We also talk about new research on abortion laws and foster care entries, supportive housing’s impact on reunification, and two cool mapping resources on federal and state spending. Reading RoomThe Human Rights of Foster Childrenhttps://tinyurl.com/bddjpy4mDCS whistleblowers claim ‘cover-up’ of ‘dangerous’ conditions in state-run homeshttps://tinyurl.com/mveyh9maLouisville foster kids say they were harmed in residential care. Few were believed.https://tinyurl.com/p4v9js62The Forgotten Children of Texashttps://tinyurl.com/4uydfh7cTug of war over $125 million in temporary assistance to needy families surplus brewinghttps://tinyurl.com/2t46vy34Association Between Restricted Abortion Access and Child Entries Into the Foster Care Systemhttps://tinyurl.com/bddbm3j7How Supportive Housing Can Keep Families Togetherhttps://tinyurl.com/yp7t2ctbFind Federal Funding in Your Communityhttps://tinyurl.com/4byj78f5National Trends in State Funding for Children and Youthhttps://tinyurl.com/yp9t4cnc

Last month, the Biden administration proposed a new rule that would permit the use of federal funding to support attorneys for tribal governments, relatives and other kin, and parents and children at risk of experiencing a family separation. Jey Rajaraman, associate director of litigation, children and the law for the American Bar Association, spent 16 years leading parent counsel in New Jersey, helping to develop one of the nation’s first “pre-petition” programs. She joined the podcast to discuss what the new proposed rule means and the potential of earlier provision of legal counsel for families. Reading RoomWhite House Announces Slate of Actions on Child Welfarehttps://shorturl.at/iuFN1Trump Administration Rule Change Could Unleash Hundreds of Millions in Federal Funds to Defend Rights of Parents, Children in Child Protection Caseshttps://shorturl.at/pHKV4Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Foster Care Legal Representationhttps://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-20932.pdfAmerican Bar Association Summer of Proposed Rulehttps://shorturl.at/bktMUJoint Public Comment of American Bar Association, National Association of Counsel for Children and Youth Law Centerhttps://shorturl.at/sCFLY

On this week’s podcast, we discuss some upcoming online conversations on self-sufficiency and navigating the holidays, The Imprint’s “Born of History” series, and more information on the Biden administration’s interest in updating a key piece of the Family First Prevention Services Act.Kerrie Lonard, Child Advocate for the State of Kansas, joins us to talk about an interesting survey her office did over the summer to learn more about the nature of why foster parents stop fostering. Reading RoomFree Online Event! Getting to Self Sufficiency: Helping Foster Youth Thrive as Young Adultshttps://imprintnews.org/webinarsSponsored by BintiFree Online Event!Redefining Holidays: How to Navigate Triggering Timeshttps://tinyurl.com/3n4ukmzsBorn of History: A Tulalip Youth’s Journey to Indigenize Child Welfarehttps://tinyurl.com/2ypmt7r9Biden Team Seeks More Input on Family First Act Processhttps://tinyurl.com/2pz3uvd4Listening Session on the proposed revisions to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbookhttps://tinyurl.com/4pcpbvsmFoster Parenting in Kansas: The voices behind foster home closures and lessons to be learned https://tinyurl.com/ue7n8xyb

On this week’s episode we discuss action on Capitol Hill around the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, a Congressional investigation that so far includes only one state’s child welfare system, and how programs are reviewed for the Family First Act.Natalece Washington, policy counsel for the National Association of Counsel for Children, to talk about her organization’s campaign to get all 50 states to guarantee legal counsel to all children in foster care.Reading RoomThe Impact of Family Support on Child Safety: Right-Sizing CAPTA Funding to Better Protect Childrenhttps://www.childrensrights.org/our-advocacy#watchSenate Considers Legal Counsel Requirements in CAPTA Reauthorization Billhttps://rb.gy/qhmpySenate Judiciary Subcommittee to Investigate Georgia Child Welfarehttps://rb.gy/nmee1The Human Rights of Foster Childrenhttps://rb.gy/v4osgFoster Children in the Courtshttps://rb.gy/twqojTitle IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Draft Version 2.0https://tinyurl.com/y634dkenMore than a Dozen States Fail to Guarantee Lawyers for Children in CPS Cases, New Report Findshttps://rb.gy/g9gkhNACC Counsel for Kids Campaign Websitehttps://counselforkids.orgSeen, Heard, and Representedhttps://tinyurl.com/bdvamubcTrump Administration Rule Change Could Unleash Hundreds of Millions in Federal Funds to Defend Rights of Parents, Children in Child Protection Caseshttps://shorturl.at/rxDIT