Some of our Accomplishments•

Medicaid to 21Fostering Connections (edu stability, sibling

visitation & placement, & youth driving their own written transitional living plans)

Pregnant and Parenting Policy ChangeRunaway legislationJUSTGeorgia efforts: Youth Justice BBQ, raising

awarenessPeer SupportCourt ImprovementHomelessness Awareness

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VisionAll young people leaving foster care will make successful

transitions to adulthood.

MissionTo connect the people, systems, and resources necessary to assist young people impacted by the foster care system in

making successful transitions to adulthood.

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About the Initiative

• Started as MAYOI in 2002

• One of 13 sites nationally

• Research and evaluation driven

• Statewide- coming to a community near you!

Placement stability

Family Planning

Medication

School Stability

Placement StabilityPlacement Stability

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Placement Stability

O.C.G.A. § 15-11-55(d) requires:

5 days notice of any anticipated placement change

Health and welfare exception when someone’s safety is compromised by remaining in placement

Can request hearing to dispute placement move

Child remains in placement until hearing, unless health & welfare exception applies

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Placement Stability

Federal policy

US Citizenship and Immigration Services states:

• Children in custody of an agency or dept. of the state who meet qualifications of “Special Immigrant Juveniles” (unmarried and under 21) qualify for a green card

• Resource that provides free attorneys for undocumented foster care children:

• Catholic Charities Atlanta's Immigrant Children's Advocacy Project contact information

• http://www.catholiccharitiesatlanta.org

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Stable Placement

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Placement Stability

We Need Your Help!

Engage the Youth – talk with them directly about the placement change.

Make an independent determination of whether additional resources could alleviate the need to move.

Demand compliance with

• the notice requirement.

Request a hearing to review

placement moves.

18 Home

Family PlanningFamily Planning

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Youth in Foster Care w/ Children

DFCS SSM 1000.19

New DFCS Policy that reversed presumption of parental unfitness.

Children in foster care who give birth to a child are deemed presumptively fit to parent their child.

Youth in Foster Care w/ Children

DFCS SSM 1000.19

New DFCS Policy that reversed presumption of parental unfitness.

Children in foster care who give birth to a child are deemed presumptively fit to parent their child.

Family Planning

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Family Planning

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Who we are: Teen Parent Connection is a system of care Who we are: Teen Parent Connection is a system of care designed to incorporate a broad array of services and supports designed to incorporate a broad array of services and supports that are organized into a coordinated network. This network that are organized into a coordinated network. This network focuses on the whole needs of the teen parent lead family focuses on the whole needs of the teen parent lead family coordinating prevention, intervention and treatment services.coordinating prevention, intervention and treatment services.

Who we serve: Teen parents, (Moms and Dads) aged 14 – 19 in Who we serve: Teen parents, (Moms and Dads) aged 14 – 19 in state custody throughout the state of Georgia and their child state custody throughout the state of Georgia and their child (ren).(ren).

What services we provide: The cornerstone of our services is our What services we provide: The cornerstone of our services is our Life Coaching. Life Coaches directly provide or ensure referrals Life Coaching. Life Coaches directly provide or ensure referrals to provide: screenings and assessments, parenting skills to provide: screenings and assessments, parenting skills including child development, life skills instruction, peer support including child development, life skills instruction, peer support and advocacy, job skills training, career placement, educational and advocacy, job skills training, career placement, educational support, legal consultation and training, additional resources support, legal consultation and training, additional resources targeted to the individual needs of the teen parent and her/his targeted to the individual needs of the teen parent and her/his child. child.

For more information or to make a referral contact: Molly Casey, For more information or to make a referral contact: Molly Casey, Administrator 678.467.8129 or Administrator 678.467.8129 or mollyacasey@gmail.com

Who we are: Teen Parent Connection is a system of care Who we are: Teen Parent Connection is a system of care designed to incorporate a broad array of services and supports designed to incorporate a broad array of services and supports that are organized into a coordinated network. This network that are organized into a coordinated network. This network focuses on the whole needs of the teen parent lead family focuses on the whole needs of the teen parent lead family coordinating prevention, intervention and treatment services.coordinating prevention, intervention and treatment services.

Who we serve: Teen parents, (Moms and Dads) aged 14 – 19 in Who we serve: Teen parents, (Moms and Dads) aged 14 – 19 in state custody throughout the state of Georgia and their child state custody throughout the state of Georgia and their child (ren).(ren).

What services we provide: The cornerstone of our services is our What services we provide: The cornerstone of our services is our Life Coaching. Life Coaches directly provide or ensure referrals Life Coaching. Life Coaches directly provide or ensure referrals to provide: screenings and assessments, parenting skills to provide: screenings and assessments, parenting skills including child development, life skills instruction, peer support including child development, life skills instruction, peer support and advocacy, job skills training, career placement, educational and advocacy, job skills training, career placement, educational support, legal consultation and training, additional resources support, legal consultation and training, additional resources targeted to the individual needs of the teen parent and her/his targeted to the individual needs of the teen parent and her/his child. child.

For more information or to make a referral contact: Molly Casey, For more information or to make a referral contact: Molly Casey, Administrator 678.467.8129 or Administrator 678.467.8129 or mollyacasey@gmail.com

Teen Parent Connection

Family Planning

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Family Planning:

24 Home

Mental & Emotional Health

Mental & Emotional Health

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Running Around Wild

Jumping on the Bed

Yelling at my Siblings

Fighting w/ my “Parents”

Being Sad

Interest in Sex

Spacing Out

Disobeying House Rules

Wetting the Bed

Getting in Trouble at School

Wanting to be Alone

Drawing Angry Pictures

What Should we do with this Child?

} Haldol} Lithium

} Adderall} Ritalin

} Paxil} Concerta

} Ambien} Valium} Effexor} Prozac

} Risperdal} Seroquel

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Someone’s Paying Attention:

Representative Mary Margaret Oliver’s January 2011 article discussed children as young as 12 being on more than 4 psychotropic drugs simultaneously.

Considering only those on Medicaid, study found children in foster care 3 or 4 times more likely to be prescribed psychotropic drug treatment.

April 2010 article reported companies operating in Georgia using anti-psychotic meds to “subdue” foster care children.

Oh, and the penalty for such a practice? A max of $500 fine to the agencies.

Mental & Emotional Health

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Senate Bill 127 Juvenile Code rewrite

Article 6:

• Creates a new approach for intervening with children who are considered “unruly”. Children in need of Services(Chins) include children who have committed an act that would not be against the law: Running away, violating curfew, skipping school.

Mental & Emotional Health

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Mental & Emotional Health

We Need Your Help!

Engage the Youth – talk with them directly about the purpose of medication and their options for treatment.

Think creatively about how they can communicate and stay connected.

Seek an independent evaluation by a qualified expert if there is any hint of over-medication.

Conduct independent research online about prescription drugs and their appropriateness for children.

30 Home

Mental & Emotional Health

Mental & Emotional Health

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Educational Success

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1. Which of the following are legal provisions in Georgia ensuring the educational stability of foster children?

a) Any placement considers the proximity to the school in which the child is currently enrolled.

b) Assure DFCS coordinates with the school to keep the child in the same school as when they enter care.

c) Assure a smooth transition and enrollment in a new school when remaining in the same school is not in the child’s best interest.

d) All of the above.

Educational Success

See O.C.G.A. § 15-11-58(8)

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1. At a minimum, the case manager SHALL / MAY discuss the following with the school, and document as such in the case plan:

Child’s educational strengths and needs;

Current contact information, including who the school should contact in case of an emergency;

Contact information for current placement;

Advance notice of any anticipated absences for attending court, and arrangements for making up any missed work; and

1. School has case manager and supervisor’s contact information; and

Educational Success

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1. A placement change may be necessary if:

a) Safety of the child is at issue.

b) It is in the child’s best interest to move schools.

c) Both.

d) Both.

Educational Success

See DFCS SSM § 1011.73

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1. Post-Secondary Educational Expenses are limited to $5,000 per semester for eligible foster youth.

a) True

b) False.

Educational Success

O.C.G.A. § 20-3-660 enables eligible foster youth to attend any public university in the state of Georgia free of charge. There are no express or implied limits, and funding includes (but is not limited to): tuition, books, fees, living expenses, etc.

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Educational Success

We Need Your Help!

Engage the Youth – talk with them directly about their current and future educational plans.

Empower all youth to pursue public higher education here in Georgia – a high school education is not enough.

Make an independent determination if its in the best interest to move children from school to school.

37 Placement stability

Placement StabilityPlacement Stability

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Youth Definition:

What do you think?

Does this youth have permanency?

““My foster parents have said they love My foster parents have said they love me and that they will always be there me and that they will always be there for me, but I just don’t feel as warm for me, but I just don’t feel as warm toward them as if they were my toward them as if they were my parents.”parents.”

PermanencyPermanency

The adults I live with now will The adults I live with now will care about me in the same way care about me in the same way

once I leave foster care.once I leave foster care.

I have an adult who would bathe I have an adult who would bathe me if I got too sick to bathe me if I got too sick to bathe

myself.myself.

I have an adult who I remember I have an adult who I remember with a holiday card or small with a holiday card or small

birthday gift.birthday gift.

And some even harder And some even harder questions...questions...

PermanencyDefinition * Obstacles * What Youth Need * Tools

Volunteers!

Independent living = permanency

Caseworker = permanency

Counselors = permanency

Click Here---->

The Fear FactorThe Fear Factor

ActivityActivity

The Fear FactorThe Fear Factor

A) I already have a family.A) I already have a family.

B) I’m not moving again.B) I’m not moving again.

C) I don’t need anybody.C) I don’t need anybody.

D) I don’t want someone telling me what to do all D) I don’t want someone telling me what to do all the timethe time

E) I just want to live with ____________.E) I just want to live with ____________.

F) Why try? It won’t work anyway.F) Why try? It won’t work anyway.

In or In or eyeseyes

Our Our feelingsfeelings

The Fear FactorThe Fear Factor

What do you see?What do you see?

homeisnowherehomeisnowhere

How does the youth How does the youth feel about having a feel about having a permanent family?permanent family?

What do you see?What do you see?

home is no wherehome is no where

How does the youth How does the youth feel about having a feel about having a permanent family?permanent family?

What do you see?What do you see?

home is now herehome is now here

How does the youth How does the youth feel about having a feel about having a permanent family?permanent family?

Building on ...Building on ...

The tradition of marriage: The tradition of marriage: permission to marrypermission to marry

Adding on? Or replacing? Does a Adding on? Or replacing? Does a married person “give up” their other married person “give up” their other

family?family?

Re-framing how youth Re-framing how youth think about adoption and think about adoption and

guardianshipguardianship

Permanency: Permanency: How to get itHow to get it

Know what the current plan is.Know what the current plan is.

Speak up about what you want.Speak up about what you want.

Take inventory of people in your Take inventory of people in your life.life.

Get connected to supportive Get connected to supportive adults.adults.

Create a permanency pactCreate a permanency pact

Empowering young people Empowering young people to achieve permanencyto achieve permanency

Access to informationAccess to information

A part of the planning A part of the planning processprocess

Opportunities to form Opportunities to form relationships with relationships with supportive adultssupportive adults

Supportive adults in their Supportive adults in their life supported and trainedlife supported and trained

Permanency: Love and Permanency: Love and support!support!

Permanency: Love and Permanency: Love and support!support!

Permanency PACTPermanency PACT

An agreement between a An agreement between a supportive adult and a supportive adult and a

youth.youth.

YouthYouth Supportive Supportive adultadult

facilitatorfacilitator

Permanency PACTPermanency PACT

• Home for the holidaysHome for the holidays

• A place to do laundryA place to do laundry

• Emergency place to Emergency place to staystay

•Food/occasional mealsFood/occasional meals

•Care package at collegeCare package at college

•Employment opportunityEmployment opportunity

•Job search assistanceJob search assistance

•Recreational activitiesRecreational activities

•MentorMentor

•Mental health supportMental health support

• Relationship/ marriage adviceRelationship/ marriage advice

•TransportationTransportation

•Assistance with medical Assistance with medical appointmentsappointments

•StorageStorage

•MotivationMotivation

•Spiritual supportSpiritual support

•Legal troublesLegal troubles

•Cultural experienceCultural experience

•More...More...

45 suggested supports45 suggested supports

Permanency PACTPermanency PACT

Provides structure and a safety net Provides structure and a safety net for the young person.for the young person.

A defined and verbalized A defined and verbalized commitment by the adult and the commitment by the adult and the youth to a long-term relationship.youth to a long-term relationship.

An awareness by both parties of An awareness by both parties of the permanency, scope and the permanency, scope and

expectations of the relationship.expectations of the relationship.

Permanency PACTPermanency PACT

• Identified by the youthIdentified by the youth

• Existing relationshipExisting relationship

• Willing to commit to a life-long, kin-Willing to commit to a life-long, kin-like relationshiplike relationship

• Able to provide the youth with specific Able to provide the youth with specific supportssupports

• Is a positive role modelIs a positive role model

Supportive adults:Supportive adults:

Placement stability