The Mockingbird Society’s Pre-Session update!
The Mockingbird Society’s Pre-Session update!
The 2014 legislative session begins this Monday, January 13th! The Mockingbird Society, and the hundreds of young advocates that make up our Mockingbird Youth Network enter this session with an ambitious and important legislative agenda that already has a strong foundation of support! Our top prities include:
- Extended Foster Care : It’s time to finish the job! Recent data from DSHS shows that 35% of youth aging out of foster care experience homelessness within one year. This is unacceptable and preventable. The legislature has established the Extended Foster Care program and added three of the five categories allowed by the federal government. The two remaining categories are part-time employed youth (working 80 hours per month) and youth with significant medical conditions. We are asking the legislature to finish the job and ensure that ALL youth aging out of care can maintain safe and stable housing through Extended Foster Care.
- Prudent Parent Standard: This youth-inspired, common-sense proposal will help give foster youth greater access to normal childhood experiences like field trips, social activities and other opportunities intact families take for granted. Too often foster youth have to miss out on these experiences because of onerous decision-making processes involving their social workers and sometimes even a judge. This can make even basic activities like field trips impossible to attend for many youth. This legislation will provide foster parents the authority to make responsible decisions on behalf of foster youth that previously requiring outside approval. This will significantly reduce barriers to decision-making while maintaining the safety of youth in care.
- Legal Representation : Washington state ranks among the worst in the nation when it comes to appointing attorneys for youth in care. Attorneys play an important role making sure youth’s stated and legal interests are heard in court, where so many critical decisions are made on behalf of foster youth. This year’s legislation will help ensure that youth in care have greater access to legal representation no matter where they live in Washington state.
While we are excited about the momentum building behind these priorities, we need your help to see them through the legislative process. We need you to contact your legislators and tell them you support The Mockingbird Society’s 2014 Legislative Agenda! Also, sign up for advocacy alerts, “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive our calls to action when your advocacy is needed most!
Thank you for your unwavering support for children, youth and families.