Fostering Justice: KING 5 News Investigates Mockingbird Priority Issue
This month, KING 5 News' Susannah Frame has investigated Washington's performance on one of The Mockingbird Society's priority issues: legal representation for foster youth.
The series, titled "Fostering Justice," looks at where Washington state stands, and where it may be going, when it comes to providing legal representation for youth in care.
The first segment reveals that Washington is among the worst in providing attorneys for foster youth, and how this failure resulted in tragedy for one of our Olympia Youth Network Chapter members, Mikhail Stewart. Her strength and perseverance will inspire you. The second segment looks into the unequal access to attorneys for foster youth across the state, resulting in "justice by geography." The third segment features the success story one of The Mockingbird Society's Senior Network Representatives, Mandy Urwiler, and how having access to an attorney helped her keep her family together. These pieces elevate an important problem, and the young advocates who are fighting to solve it. In a behind the scenes look, Susannah Frame discusses how this issue impacts another voice for youth in care, Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASAs.
At The Mockingbird Society, we believe that a world-class foster care system is only possible if youth have access to both attorneys and CASAs. Both play critical roles in ensuring youth in care stay safe, stable and on the path to success. We do not believe that one comes at the expense of the other, on the contrary, we believe attorneys strengthen CASAs and CASAs strengthen attorneys. When decisions that impact where a foster youth will live, where they will go to school, and whether they will see their family, they need all of their interests represented.
The Mockingbird Society, along with Mikhail and Mandy, will continue to push our elected leaders in Olympia to support legal representation for foster youth. Will you help us? Call the Legislative Hotline at 1.800.562.6000 and urge your Senator and Representatives to support legal representation for youth in foster care!