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Youth in the NewsVolume 3, Number 1, January 1-15, 2008 CONTENTS STATE WATCH
ARTICLES MISSOURI Local youth participate in YIG January 5, 2008 by D'Anna Balliett, Citizen-Observer.com Cameron, Mo. - The Cameron Regional YMCA took 11 local students to Jefferson City on Nov. 29th, 30th and Dec. 1st to participate in a legislative session. The kids were a few of the select 700 students who prepared for a three-day State mock government session. The local Rotary, Sertoma, Elks Lodge and Cameron Chamber of Commerce sponsored the Cameron Students. Cameron Regional YMCA Executive Director, Mary Jo Eiberger escorted the kids to the state's capitol. The students that went on the trip this year were Tyler Tvrdy, Kirby Stuedle, Amanda Estep, Travis Tvrdy, Kellie Pickering, Megan Godby, Hannah Goebel, Daniel McNary, Zane Clark, Nate Rose-Heim, Jordan Milholland. Missouri's Youth in Government program is a completely student driven simulation of state government which allows students to become attorneys, lobbyists, judges, legislators and journalists. CMS Eighth grader, Zane Clark, said that he walked away with a better understanding of how government works. Though eighth graders attend only as observers so that they may obtain a better understanding of what to expect when they take part in the YIG program as high school students, Clark admits it was an incredible experience. He is also thinking about what role he wants to play next year when he enters the YIG as a freshman. "8th graders do not get to pick if they want to go legislative or anything like that," explained Clark. "We participate in a Civic Leader Institute, which gives us a taste of what every branch does. That way when we go as high school students, we know what is going on and can pick which one we think we'll like best to participate in." Clark noted that he was most surprised to realize that a bill could be written for anything that someone might be passionate enough to take the time to research and write about. He was also amazed at the work, which went into creating, lobbying and arguing a bill. The goal of the Judicial Program is to expose Missouri youth to the formal judicial process through pre-trial analysis, discovery, brief writing, and the presentation of a trial to a court of youth judges. The program promotes leadership through the election of an Attorney General, appointment of judges, a Chief Justice, and the use of youth mentors. The Judicial Program also promotes collaboration and compromise through the use of teams of attorneys and teams of judges working together to accomplish their goals. During the State Convention, opportunities for students to participate include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Governor's staff and cabinet, and Lieutenant Governor's staff. Elections take place each December during the YIG State Convention to elect the executive officers, who will then serve the next year. The Legislative Program is based as closely as possible on the Missouri General assembly. The program strives to turn the ideas of Missouri youth into formal laws by writing, debating, and voting on legislation according to specific rules and procedures. The goal of the Lobbyist Program is to promote the ideals of civic involvement and leadership. Students engage in research, preparation of issue position papers, legislative proposal packets and persuasive speaking to advocate their issues before YIG legislative committee meetings and one-on-one interaction with members of the Missouri YMCA General Assembly. "These kids start in September and work very hard using their own time, after school and between all of their other activities and responsibilities," said Eiberger. "They come up with their own ideas, write and research their own bills and then go on to present them, lobby them and argue then at the legislative session. It is all the kids. There are adults who mentor them through the process and then once we are there, the adults only participate in a supervisory role to keep the kids on track and safe." The Print Press and Video News Programs not only serves as the eyes and ears of the entire YIG program while it is in session but it also provides students with an opportunity to understand the role of media in a participatory democracy. During this annual three-day event at the State Capitol, Legislators meet in committees and in the House and Senate chambers to debate legislation. Lobbyists maintain close contact with the legislative process as they support or oppose issues. Attorneys try their cases before student judges and engage in a simulated trial competition. The entire event is covered by a student newspaper which is published four times in three days, and by a student run television news program that airs several times each day. Students also take part in campaigning and elections that determine the officers who will serve during the legislative session for the following year. Missouri YMCA Youth In Government, YIG, is a statewide educational program that prepares young people for responsible leadership in the American democratic process by providing guidance, training, and real life, hands on experiences both in the theories and practices of determining public policy. "This experience has taught me over the years how the government works," said Jordan Milholland, a senior in both CHS and the YIG program. "I am glad that I was able to participate in the YIG program for my four years. It allowed me a chance to network with other students all over the state and helped to improve both my leadership and public speaking skills. It really has been a great experience." This year Milholland chose to research and write and argue a bill about bringing back the electric chair for the death penalty with the reasoning that it would save the state a lot of money. The bill did not pass but Milholland says he learned a valuable lesson. "You put all this hard work into something you really believe in but you can't go into these things expecting anything," said Milholland. "Last year, my bill about making senior citizens take driving tests every few years passed. This year I came into the program thinking it would be easy, but it wasn't. I don't think I did enough research or worked hard enough on my bill (this year) for it to pass."
CALIFORNIA L.A. Youth, the Largest Newspaper in the USA By and About Teens, Plans 20th Anniversary... January 8, 2008 Reuters.com L.A. Youth will celebrate an important milestone in January 2008 -- turning twenty years old. The not-for-profit organization was founded in 1988 by former teacher and community organizer, Donna Myrow, after a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Hazelwood) empowered campus administrators to control the content of school newspapers. Many high school journalism programs and newspapers were devastated by the decision. L.A. Youth filled the void with a program that fosters critical thinking, writing skills, literacy, civic education. From its modest beginnings with only a handful of teens and limited funding, L.A. Youth has since become the largest independent newspaper by and about teens in the USA. Over the past 20 years, L.A. Youth has provided a forum for thousands of teens -- addressing controversial issues such as sexuality, racism, drug abuse and violence -- to the more "ordinary" topics of finding a job, dating, fashion, and music trends. "The youth-driven content has generated mostly very positive and even touching feedback from our readers," Myrow said, "Although there have been occasional threats made by individuals who don't like what we are doing, we will continue to encourage the principles of the First Amendment so that young people can have their voice heard." In honor of their 20th anniversary, L.A. Youth will publish a special commemorative anniversary edition, featuring a selection of the best articles from past and current issues. Quotes of congratulations from legendary newsman Walter Cronkite as well as from several prominent journalists including Bill Moyers, Mike Wallace, Larry King, Keith Olbmermann, Patt Morrison, Giselle Fernandez, Joel Stein and others will be featured throughout the pages. Said Mr. Cronkite: "I congratulate and wholeheartedly applaud L.A. Youth Newspaper for 20 years of motivating teenagers to become journalists. I was fortunate indeed, to have had that opportunity in high school and it set my course for life. It is vitally important for our young people to become active in our country's civic dialogue, giving their voices to those issues that effect their environment and their lives. I don't believe there is a better way for them to do this than to be the reporters of those events. They and the readership of L.A. Youth will benefit greatly from the experience. The future of America depends on it. And, I might add, it also bodes well for the future of journalism." L.A. Youth serves as a model for other teen publications and its stories have been reprinted or referenced in mainstream media domestically and globally including: Time, CNN, BBC, National Public Radio, The Los Angeles Times, McGraw-Hill, Voice of America among other prominent media outlets. Having grown from an initial press run of 2,500 copies, L.A. Youth now prints 120,000 copies six times a year. More than 1,300 middle and high school teachers use the publication to develop lesson plans that engage students on avariety of important social issues. Through the Foster Youth Writing and Education Project, which began in Fall 2003, L.A. Youth also mentors, trains, and publishes stories written by foster and probation youth, providing a forum to voice concerns, while also informing others about the system and the respective challenges. With a strong presence on the internet, including the popular site, YouTube, Myrow estimates that L.A. Youth reaches more than half a million readers. According to Myrow and her staff, "We're still growing...up!"
NATIONAL States, MySpace agree to new measures on child predators January 14, 2008 By Michael Gormley, Associated Press
The hugely popular online hangout will create a task force of industry professionals to watch over its operations, and other social-networking sites will be invited to participate. "We must keep telling children that they're not just typing into a computer. They're sharing themselves with the world," said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. The deal comes as sites such as MySpace and Facebook have grown exponentially in recent years, with teenagers making up a large part of their membership. This has created a new venue for sexual predators who lie about their age to lure young victims and for cyber bullies who send threatening and anonymous messages. But Monday's announcement was short on specifics about how improvements would be carried out. Skeptics are doubtful that MySpace and similar sites can eliminate the problem because age-verification technology is difficult to implement and predators are good at circumventing restrictions. Parry Aftab, executive director of Wiredsafety.org, a children's Internet safety group, said the agreement was a good first step but could have unforeseen consequences. "There's no system that will work for age verification without putting kids at risk," she said. "Age verification requires that you have a database of kids and if you do, that database is available to hackers and anyone who can get into it." Aftab estimates that 20 percent of teens have met someone online that they had never met in person, and there are numerous examples of sexual abuse arising from MySpace encounters. A 15-year-old girl from Texas was allegedly lured to a meeting, drugged and assaulted in 2006 by an adult MySpace user. In another case, a man got 14 years in prison for using MySpace to set up a sexual encounter with an 11-year-old Connecticut girl. A 16-year-old New York girl ran away to Puerto Rico with a man she met on MySpace. And a 13-year-old girl in Missouri hanged herself in 2006 after receiving mean messages on MySpace from a person she thought was another teen, but it later turned out that the messages were all a hoax. The only state not joining the agreement was Texas, where the attorney general said he cannot support the effort unless it takes action to verify people's ages. "We do not believe that MySpace.com - or any other social-networking site - can adequately protect minors" without an age-verification system, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. "We are concerned that our signing the joint statement would be misperceived as an enforcement of the inadequate safety measures." MySpace, which is located in Beverly Hills, Calif., and owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., has more than 200 million registered users worldwide, and Facebook claims more than 61 million active users. Investigators have grown increasingly interested in the sites in their search for sexual offenders. New York investigators said they set up Facebook profiles last year as 12- to 14-year olds and were quickly contacted by users looking for sex. "We thank the attorneys general for a thoughtful and constructive conversation on Internet safety," MySpace Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam said in a statement. "This is an industrywide challenge, and we must all work together to create a safer Internet." Facebook said it welcomed the increased vigilance. "We are happy to work further with the states to develop and deploy strategies to protect kids online," the company said in a statement. Under the agreement, profiles for users under age 16 will be set to private so no strangers can get information from their profile; users can block anyone over 18 from contacting them; and people over 18 cannot add anyone under 16 as a friend in their network unless they have their last name or their e-mail address. MySpace said it was combing through sex offender registries to identify predators, who would then be kicked off the site. But sex offenders are unlikely to open an account under their real names, as are underage children. Anthony Apreda, a 12-year-old from Teaneck, N.J., said he lied about his age to create a MySpace account two years ago. He said he was 18. "When people go on MySpace they lie about their age. Everyone lies about their age," the sixth-grader said. "You just put an age and a date and you just put it on there." MySpace said it is in the process of creating a database where parents can submit children's e-mail addresses to prevent their children from setting up profiles. The multistate investigation of the sites - announced last year - was aimed at putting together measures to protect minors and remove pornographic material, but lawsuits were still possible, officials said.
ILLINOIS Teen athletes face drug tests January 14, 2008 By Barry Temkin, ChicagoTribune.com High school athletes don't draw the million-dollar paychecks of a Roger Clemens or the international acclaim of a Marion Jones. Their goals may be as humble as making a varsity team or as ambitious as obtaining a college athletic scholarship, but either way, administrators are becoming increasingly concerned that young athletes may take performance-enhancing substances — including steroids — to achieve those goals. The Illinois High School Association on Monday joined a small but growing number of states to implement mandatory random drug-testing for student-athletes. Its Board of Directors voted 10-0 to begin testing with the 2008-09 school year. The timing was coincidental with two highly publicized incidents regarding drugs and sports. Last month the Mitchell report on the use of performance-enhancing substances in baseball included allegations Clemens, the seven-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, had taken steroids and human growth hormone. Last week a U.S. District Court judge sentenced former Olympic track champion Jones to six months in prison in part for lying about her use of performance-enhancing drugs. While at least a few dozen Illinois high schools have instituted drug-testing of athletes on their own in the last two decades, this is the first time the IHSA has mandated statewide testing. Few, if any, of the schools tested for steroids. "We as a board felt we need to be in the forefront of the steroid issue," said IHSA board member Anthony Rainey, superintendent of Chicago's Luther South High School and a basketball and track coach there. "We're trying to get our kids educated about the perils of steroid use, but for them sometimes it's almost like a parent talking to you. We feel if a kid could be randomly selected, he might be one of those individuals who would back off." In 2006 the IHSA board directed association administrators to develop a testing plan. The board received the plan last year but decided to measure sentiment among its approximately 750 member schools before taking action. IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said Monday that about 70 percent of schools responding to a survey backed testing. Most specific details of the plan, including the scope of the program and penalties, likely will be determined next month, he said. That also includes the substances to be tested for, though Hickman added, "It's safe to say anabolic steroids will be on the list." Illinois would become the fourth state to have a steroid-testing program for high school athletes, following New Jersey, Florida and Texas. New Jersey is in its second year of steroid testing. Florida is in its first year, and Texas plans to start testing in the spring semester. All three programs are a response to state government action. The IHSA touts its plan as the first voluntary one. Starting slow Hickman said the IHSA likely will fund its own program at an initial annual cost of $100,000 to $150,000. Based on an estimated cost of $175 a test, the IHSA would test fewer than 1,000 athletes a year. It will test them only after they enter state competition and perhaps only in sports in which use of performance-enhancing substances produces significant competitive advantages. "We're going to walk, not run, as a way to get the program started," Hickman said. "We may expand as we go, but we think this is an excellent start." Hickman said the IHSA also plans to strengthen its education program regarding avoiding use of performance-enhancing substances. Tests as a deterrent Data is lacking regarding how many high school athletes take steroids, said Frank Uryasz, president of the National Center for Drug Free Sport, but he believes anecdotal evidence indicates a need for testing. So does Richards High School football coach Gary Korhonen. "It exists, and I think we'd be rather naive and gullible to think it doesn't exist," Korhonen said of steroid use. "I'm all for testing, strictly from a health standpoint. "If people know they will be randomly tested, they are less likely to try these things." Expect lull after Illinois "After Illinois, I think there will be a lull while other states watch what happens in the four states that have implemented steroid testing," he said. "My prediction is after that lull we'll see more state associations at least do steroid testing in their championships. "That's just the times we live in. If you're going to sponsor statewide or national competition, the organization has an obligation to ensure it's drug-free."
CALIFORNIA California Students Send Message: Fix Our Schools January 8, 2008 Reuters.com In findings released today, YouthNoise, a not-for-profit internet-based meeting place for activist youth, reports California's High School students are deeply concerned about the quality of education they receive. Their most pressing concern is the shortage of good teachers and counseling followed by unhealthy conditions related to facilities and food service. Between November 5 and December 15, 2007, over 700 California youth, mostly from low-income communities, posted stories at www.RightToLearnCA.org about their educational experiences. From San Diego to Sacramento and from Inner City Los Angeles to the suburban communities of The Bay Area, youth's message is clear -- California must fix its public schools and young people are eager to play a role in making this happen. 44% of stories submitted cited shortage of good teachers and counseling as students' most pressing concern; 30% of stories mentioned unhealthy conditions related to facilities and food service; 16% talked about inadequate funding. Other concerns included safety and violence and limited access to books and computers. "The biggest thing affecting my grades is the size of the classes I am in. Seriously, some of my classes have around 40 kids in them. That is insane! I know public high schools are overflowing with students, but I think we need to get more teachers because right now some of my teachers didn't even know my name until three-quarters of the way into the semester." -- Alynaugh "Regular schools don't give us the one on one attention that we need because there's not enough time and there's crowded classes. A teacher is supposed to teach his/her students, and show them new things. In my case my teacher just gives assignments every day, expecting us to do them without much explanation ... I'm hoping for more teachers that actually teach and actually connect with their students." -- AsucenaA "Waking up every morning is painful ... going to public school every day means leaving the comfort of my home where somebody cares about me, or at least knows my name ... we as students need to feel important in our learning environment. We need to know that the place where we spend the majority of our lives cares about each of our futures." -- conehead (Granite Bay) "I didn't even know there were [A-G] classes you had to take to go to a four-year university. So I went to talk to my counselor, and she told me, 'Well, there's nothing I can do. There was no way I was going to a four-year university.' I felt dumb and betrayed by my education system." -- SMcKinley08 (Long Beach) Ginger Thomson, YouthNoise CEO commented, "The 750 students who submitted stories and the more than 29,000 who visited the site since its launch show students can and want to be part of the debate on education reform that will take place during 2008 Year of Education. We need to listen to them because they are the primary consumers of public education and will work alongside school leaders to improve their school if they are included in the process." Going forward, during 2008 Year of Education and into 2009, the Right To Learn Campaign will provide a platform for students to join together with one another and with teachers, school administrators and State and local decision makers to address the challenges they have encountered. Through a series of phases and Days of Action this Spring, youth will create, promote and advocate for the solutions they have identified. The full report will be available in PDF format along with an accompanying video from the Right To Learn website on January 8, 2008, at www.RightToLearnCA.org .
GEORGIA Youth transition center needs funds for startup January 14, 2008 By Johnny Edwards, Chronicle.Augusta.com Not content to leave out-of-control teens to their fates, Richmond County Juvenile Court Judge Bill Sams wants another option when they land in his court, some middle ground between locking them up and sending them home. He just needs $20,000. At a Rotary Club meeting in November, Judge Sams called for a diversion center or halfway house for problem youths, offering counseling, therapy and tutoring in a secure building. An Augusta child therapist is willing to open such a facility downtown, but the fire department says he needs a fire escape, a sprinkler system and an alarm system, which he can't afford. Now the judge is trying to rustle up the money, and he's looking for donors. "I need a place to put a child that's at risk, without putting them in jail, before they commit a crime that's going to put them in jail," said Judge Sams, who's also an attorney in private practice and a former state representative. Youths who commit status offenses -- those that wouldn't be crimes if they were adults, such as unruliness, truancy and running away -- can't be locked up, thanks to tweaks in Georgia law during the past decade, Judge Sams said. He can give them a warning and a stern talking-to, but then he sends them home. But they often come back to court for something worse. Last year, it happened with a 15-year-old girl who's now locked up on felony charges involving a spate of carjackings targeting pizza and Chinese food delivery drivers. E. Joe Holt, operator of Southeastern Family Institute, has been working with the Richmond County Department of Family and Children Services for about eight years, doing counseling, parenting skills classes and anger management training. Dr. Holt said he has invested his own money to create the 12-bed transitional center in his buildings on the 600 block of Fifth Street, which he'll call ARK, or At-Risk Kids. Carole Fabrics donated bedding material, and the North Augusta Office Depot donated school supplies. Six beds will be for boys and six will be for girls, split up in separate areas. The program would last a maximum of 90 days, involving counseling, family therapy and GED test preparation, Dr. Holt said. Parents or staff members would ferry the residents to and from school each day. Medicaid will cover some costs, and beyond that, Dr. Holt said he'll need about $5,000 per month to operate, which will have to come from donations. Richmond County juvenile court judges have complained that their courts are woefully underfunded, receiving just $58,000 per year. Judge Sams says he sees one or two children per week that he'd like to place, so ARK would fill up fast. He said he'd eventually like to expand to a larger building. He's planning a trip to the Yahweh Center Children's Village, a similar facility in North Carolina, to see how it operates. He conceded that the program would be voluntary, since he doesn't have authority to commit a teen charged with a status offense, much less to a facility that isn't under the state's Department of Juvenile Justice. He can sign an order to that effect, but it won't have any teeth. That's an issue he wants to speak to members of the Augusta legislative delegation about. "What will we do if they walk out the door? Nothing," Judge Sams said. "It's still better than doing nothing and sending them home to mother."
NEW YORK NY Office of Children & Family Services Accelerating Transformation of Juvenile Justice System January 11, 2008 ReadMe.ReadMedia.com New York State Office of Children & Family Services Commissioner Gladys Carrión today announced the closing of six underutilized residential facilities as part of an ongoing restructuring to significantly improve services to troubled children. The agency is closing the Adirondack Wilderness Challenge in Clinton County, Auburn Residential Center in Cayuga County, Brace Residential Center in Delaware County, Gloversville Group Home in Fulton County, Great Valley Residential Center in Cattaraugus County, and the Pyramid Reception Center in The Bronx. OCFS also is reducing by half the number of beds at the Lansing Residential Center in Tompkins County. The program at the Adirondack Wilderness will be merged into the Adirondack Residential Center, and the intake functions at Pyramid will be relocated to the Ella McQueen Residential Center in Brooklyn. These changes take effect on Jan. 11, 2009, consistent with a state law that requires a 12-month notification process prior to the closure of residential facilities in the OCFS system. There are approximately 2,000 children in New York State’s juvenile justice system, and most of them are between 12 and 18 years old. A few are as young as 10. They were all under the age of 16 when they committed an act that would have been a crime if committed by an adult. These closings, reductions, and mergers are at non-secure and limited-secure facilities housing children adjudicated as juvenile delinquents by the family courts. The vast majority of the children in these facilities were placed in the system for committing misdemeanors. No youth will be released prematurely as a result of the restructuring. Secure facilities housing juvenile offenders, those children sentenced for committing felonies, will not be directly impacted by these facility changes. This ongoing restructuring is driven by a widely shared recognition among children’s advocates and legal experts that the needs of New York’s children, families, and communities are not adequately addressed by the juvenile justice system. Since 2002, OCFS has reduced 379 beds in its residential facilities. With these closings, the total reduction of beds rises to 620. Many of the children in these facilities have mental health issues, learning disabilities, and substance and alcohol abuse problems and come from some of the poorest communities in the state. Additionally, it has been estimated that 80 percent of these children who enter the juvenile justice system return or go to prison within three years of their release. “What these children need is intervention and support,” said Commissioner Carrión. “This includes an education, job training, and mental health and substance abuse services to support their rehabilitation and return to the community. It is our responsibility to prepare them for a successful transition to adulthood.” In addition to the system’s failure to address these children’s needs, it is also wasteful. Nearly a dozen of the state’s youth facilities are operating under 40 percent of capacity. At some facilities, a quarter of the beds are filled. “Instead of continuing to pour money into this broken system and confining these children to facilities hundreds of miles from their homes, OCFS has aggressively been moving toward more community-based alternatives to incarceration where these children can maintain and strengthen connections with their families and the significant adults in their lives,” the Commissioner said. Community-based programs, such as those in Missouri, have proven to better prevent youth crime and to drop recidivism rates to as low as 30 percent – at a fraction of the cost New York State is currently paying to maintain empty beds. This new paradigm includes placing an emphasis on working with families from the first day a child enters the state juvenile justice system. Just last year, the agency enhanced staffing by 218 new positions, including 36 mental health professionals, to better meet these children’s needs. These closings, reductions, and mergers will result in $16 million in annual savings. The OCFS Office of Human Resources, the state Department of Civil Service, and the state Department of Labor have organized teams to assist the employees at these impacted facilities to identify and secure positions at other facilities or other state agencies. Department of Civil Service Commissioner Nancy G. Groenwegen said, "Our goal at Civil Service is to find an alternative State employment opportunity for every one of the affected workers. We have experience at this and will work closely with OCFS, other State agencies, and employees themselves to make this transition as smooth as possible." The Office of Children and Family Services’ mission is to promote the well-being, safety, and permanency of New York’s children and families by setting and enforcing policies, building partnerships, and funding and providing high-quality services. The agency is responsible for foster care; adoption; adoption assistance; child protective services, including operating the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment; preventive services for children and families; services for pregnant adolescents; child care licensing and funding; and operating the state juvenile justice programs. The agency also is responsible for protective programs for vulnerable adults, including adult protective services and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped. NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES The Problem The system is predominantly populated by troubled children – mostly African-American and Latino - from the poorest communities in the state. Many of them have mental health issues, learning disabilities, or substance and alcohol abuse problems. The system was designed around the idea that if the state took these children away from their families and the neighborhoods where they got into difficulty they could be rehabilitated. It hasn’t worked that way for a long time. Instead, it’s been estimated, 80 percent of the children who enter New York State’s juvenile justice system return or go to prison within three years of their release. The needs of these children, their families, and their communities are clearly not adequately addressed by the current model. The system is also inefficient. Nearly a dozen of the state’s youth facilities are operating under 40 percent of capacity. At some facilities, only a quarter of the beds are filled. Just this past Monday (Jan. 7), 86 percent of the beds in the non-secure facilities that are closing and 33 percent of the beds in limited secure facilities that are closing were empty. An analysis of historic trends and projections of future usage indicate these beds will not be filled in the near future. This is partially due to local municipalities stepping up and creating community-based programs as alternatives to incarceration to keep these children closer to home. The Children Eighty-six (86) percent of the youth in state custody are African-American or Latino. Ninety-five (95) percent of the youth in state custody who are from New York City are African-American or Latino. Most of these children have mental health problems, learning disabilities, or substance and alcohol addictions. The vast majority of children in non-secure and limited secure residential facilities were judged by the family courts to be juvenile delinquents for committing misdemeanors. No child currently in the impacted facilities is a resident of the county in which the facility is located. Over 70 percent of them are from New York City. The Solution Closings, Reductions, Mergers, Relocations
The agency also is reducing by half the number of beds at Lansing Residential Center in Lansing in Tompkins County There are presently 35 residential facilities in the system. With these closings there will be 28. These closings, reductions, and mergers will result in $16 million in annual savings, making possible investments in community-based programs and services for vulnerable youth. OCFS staff will be calling all the parents of the remaining children in these underutilized facilities to inform them of the closings and following up by mail. Facility Details
Criteria Legal Process The law also requires that the agency coordinate with the state Department of Civil Service, the Office of Employee Relations, and any other state agency to develop strategies to minimize the impact on the state workforce, in cooperation with representatives of employee labor organizations and managerial and confidential employees. In addition, OCFS must consult with the Department of Economic Development and other appropriate state agencies to minimize the impact on local and regional economies. Disposition of Property Staff Building on the agency’s successful management of the closure of Harlem Valley Secure Center several years ago, OCFS is working closely with the state Departments of Civil Service and Labor to assist the staff at these impacted facilities to identify and secure positions at other facilities or other state agencies.
TRANSGENDERED YOUTH Transgendered Youth: School children face unique difficulties January 13, 2008 By Chloe Johnson, Citizen.com Editor's note: This story is one in an occasional series about transgendered youth. For a highschooler who was born female but felt, dressed and acted like a boy, it didn't feel right to use a girl's bathroom. The teen, who recently graduated from high school and lives in the Seacoast area, asked that his name not be used to protect his privacy. He said he knew from the age of 5 that he was a boy born in a girl's body. Playing on girls' sports teams and using the girls' locker room just felt wrong, he said. But schools didn't offer co-ed teams or let him try out for boys' teams. Based on the way he presented himself even as a child, people would refer to him with masculine pronouns when in public with his mother. He liked it, but said his mother always corrected them. That changed after he came out as transgendered after graduating, and she's started using those pronouns too. Transgendered is an umbrella term used to describe people who don't fully identify with their birth gender or who were born with intersexed conditions. It can include people ranging from transsexuals who live as the opposite sex or have been surgically reassigned to someone who cross-dresses occasionally. "Don't assume other people's gender when you're talking to them," the teen said. His parents at first tried to reinforce the typical traits of biological girls. It was difficult, for example, to get sneakers and sweatpants he liked to wear or a short haircut, he said. "Stressful," "uncomfortable" and "awkward" were words he used to describe a transgendered childhood. Meeting other transgendered people through Seacoast Outright helped, he said. The Portsmouth-base organization provides support and advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth and their families. Tawnee Walling, the group's executive director, said being transgendered is distinct from any issues of sexual orientation. A transgendered person may be attracted to men or women just like anyone else, and that sexual orientation's separate from anything done to address a gender identity conflict. Walling said parents should take it seriously if their children bring up gender identity concerns. Many adults underestimate the ability of a child to recognize a gender identity conflict, she said. While there are many theories out there about why some people are transgendered, in one respect, they're not important, she said. "It's important to accept everybody for who they are," she added. The Minnesota-based World Professional Association for Transgender Health estimates that 1 in 11,900 people born male and 1 in 30,400 people born female are transsexual. The association says the prevalence may be higher, however, with other estimates as high as 1 in 2,500. Walling said she expects more children to voice their situation as more people understand the issue. There have been several cases in New Hampshire in which schools have been told a student was transgendered and been asked to make adjustments. In some cases, it's been clear educators have some learning to do, she said. "When schools are open to becoming better educated, they're doing the right thing," she said. Schools have been making an effort to protect transgendered children and their right to an education. But it would help if more schools adopted policies and procedures in anticipation of transgendered children coming out, she said. At Stratham Memorial Elementary School this school year, a 9-year-old student asked to be called a different name to be recognized as female. Arthur Hanson, superintendent of School Administrative Unit 16, which includes Stratham, called the case a first, but said the school's staff simply applied the same philosophy they do for all children. "We feel it's our obligation to educate all students to best of our ability," he said. That applies regardless of gender identity or anything else, he said. The staff decided to be as upfront as possible with parents and students and tried not to make a greater issue of it, he said. "We live in a society full of diversity," he added. Certain accommodations were made along with the name change, including letting the child use staff bathrooms. Anne Boedecker, a psychologist and gender specialist in Bow, said peers are more understanding when a child transitions at a young age. Still, sometimes teachers and older people find it a challenge to accept, so parents need to work with schools when a change happens. She said transgendered children often get teased, bullied or harassed, particularly in middle school. They often change schools when this happens, but they carry over a "sense of always trying to hide," she said. Gender neutral bathrooms need to be established, because bathrooms are where children are going to get the most harassment, she said. Schools also need to honor name changes, she said, whether they are legal or just preferred. Children should have the freedom of gender expression, including the right to wear the clothing they want within the dress code or to have short or long hair, she said. Not all children who have gender identity issues ultimately transition to living as the opposite sex, she said, so there is a need for flexibility. "You don't have to rush to assign kids a gender," she said. "It really needs to be driven by the child."
YOUTH VOTE Primary could get youth boost January 14, 2008 By Shira Schoenberg, ConcordMonitor.com Cooper Waterman spent the weeks before the New Hampshire primary canvassing, making phone calls and going door-to-door campaigning for Sen. Barack Obama. But Waterman did not vote for Obama. At 17, the Concord High School senior was too young to vote in the primary, although he will be eligible by November's general election. "It's frustrating," he said. "You know who you support, you know who you'd like to see in the general election, but you don't have a say until you turn 18 and are actually in the general election. By then, it's too late; there are only two or three candidates you have the possibility of voting for." A bill that will be introduced in the Legislature this session by Rep. Jim Splaine would give Waterman, and others like him, a vote. Splaine, a Portsmouth Democrat, said his legislation would allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election to vote in the presidential primary, if the political parties agree. The law would affect the 2012 primary. Splaine said he was inspired by the participation of young people in this year's primary. "I'm sure a lot of those visiting voters door-to-door on behalf of candidates and attending rallies and other events . . . were under 18, and they probably got to know the issues and the candidates as well or better than a lot of us over 50," Splaine wrote in an e-mail to the Monitor. Splaine said he got involved in politics in 1960, distributing fliers for John F. Kennedy. "Being involved so young was an invaluable experience, and I think it is so important that young people feel they do count," he wrote. Yesterday, several teenagers said they would wholeheartedly support Splaine's bill. Alex Terry, 17, a Concord High School student, said he attended the state Democrats' 100 Club Dinner and has heard several candidates speak. But he did not actively support any candidate, because he knew he couldn't vote. "I had so much going on, and I felt like I couldn't put my constitutional power to work, so I had other stuff I needed to take care of before I backed a candidate," Terry said. If he could vote, he said, he would have acted differently. "Voting would be such an important thing to me that I'd pay attention and make sure I chose the person I thought would be the best president." Terry said he believes 17 is old enough to have an informed opinion. "A 17-year-old is mature enough to help decide who would lead their country," he said. "I think we have the same perspective as a voter of the 18-to-30 group." Ian Kervick-Jimenez, 17, a Bow High School student, said he volunteered a little for Obama, but he said he would have done more if he could vote. "It's kind of a downer," he said. "When the primary came, I got so excited for it, but at same time I'm not there yet." Some teens said they could bring a different perspective into the voting booth. Kervick-Jimenez said he believes the election would have turned out differently if 17-year-olds could vote. "All us kids, we love Obama," he said. William Sleaster, 16, a Concord High student, was the head high school organizer for Dennis Kucinich's campaign. "Young people who are politically active tend to vote more not-mainstream, more of a rebellious type, maybe some fringe candidates even, or candidates who aren't really out there," he said. Many local students are already active and informed about presidential politics. Joanne McGlynn, faculty adviser for the presidential candidates club at Concord High, said her students meet on a regular basis and successfully hosted 11 candidates at the school. "I suspect there aren't many people in the state who followed the races on both sides more closely than these students did," she said. She said her students were jealous that 17-year-olds in Iowa were allowed to participate in the caucuses. "The students who had been following this campaign so closely, who will be able to vote in general election but aren't quite 18, would have loved to have participated," she said. One of her students is Jameyanne Fuller, 16. Fuller said she understands that there needs to be a boundary somewhere. "If people say you can vote if you're 17, people will say, 'What about 16?' " she said. But Fuller also said allowing those who can vote in that year's general election makes sense. Some campaign workers say they would welcome younger voters. Kate Hanna, of Bedford, was on Obama's steering committee and watched her 19-year-old son work 12-hour days as a volunteer summer intern. Although her son can vote, many of the other interns are younger, she said. "The earlier we can get young people involved the better," she said. "It will seem meaningful to them if they could actually vote." David Recupero, 25, of Deering, a former candidate for state representative who worked for Tom Tancredo and Mitt Romney, said he has been interested in politics from a young age. But he has seen the excitement that the primary, along with the general election, inspires in others. "Most young people are not as interested in politics, and this might drum up more interest," he said. 
CALIFORNIA Youth advocates are placing hope for new beginnings in a proposed bill that would end life sentences without the possibility of parole for youth offenders. State Senator Leland Yee (D) introduced the California Juvenile Life Without Parole Reform Act as part of a year of reform legislation. “Sen. Yee’s a child psychologist by profession and a lot of his bills have to deal with mental health and especially children. Because of brain development not being fully there, he thought that it was pretty insane for juveniles to be locked up and the state to throw away the key,” said Adam Keigwin, communications director for Sen. Yee. The bill passed the Public Safety Commission on a partisan vote last year and supporters are working to gain bi-partisan support for a vote in the legislature. Mr. Keigwin said passage of the Yee bill would not necessarily mean lesser sentences for juvenile offenders.“Youth who commit crimes after the bill’s adoption would no longer be able to be sentenced to life without possibility of parole; however the approximate 200 youth currently serving that sentence would have to appeal for the new 25 to life sentence.The parole board would be the entity that would have to review that.I would say it’s pretty likely obviously in cases where the death penalty has been found to be unconstitutional,” Mr. Keigwin told The Final Call. Sixteen-year-old Maritza Galvez, a youth organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition, believes that the bill would not just liberate youth, who are locked down for life, but give them an opportunity. “All of our members are young people who have experienced the system, and we know from first hand that we need and are asking for a second chance.In California alone we have more than 230 young people serving life without parole; in the U.S., more than 2,200 and outside of the U.S. there are only 200 people life without parole so as you can see those stats show everything,” she said. Ms. Galvez became involved with the system after her mother was wrongfully incarcerated for eight months following an immigration raid.In the end, a case of mistaken identity caused all of the charges to be dropped, however no restitution was paid to her mother or family. According to Sen. Yee, 59 percent of the juveniles sentenced to life without parole within the U.S. are first-time offenders.Under current law, the sentence of life without parole also means no access to rehabilitative services for minors.“This punishment was created for the worst of criminals that have no possibility of reform—but this is not the humane way to handle children. While the crimes they committed caused undeniable suffering, these youth are often victims themselves,” Sen. Yee said in a recent statement. Although the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibits sentencing children to life without parole, California has the worst racial disparity for this sentence, Sen. Yee continued.“Black youth are given this sentence at 22 times the rate of White youth. "Latino youth are sentenced to life without parole four times as often as White youth. As a society, we have learned a lot since the time we started using life without parole for children. We now know that this sentence provides no deterrent effect. While children who commit serious crimes should be held accountable, public safety can be protected without condemning a handful of youth to life in prison without even the possibility of rehabilitation and redemption,” he said.
NEBRASKA Nebraska would join eight other states that have prohibited sentencing young murderers to life in prison without parole under a bill introduced Thursday in the Legislature. Thirty people serving life prison terms in Nebraska were sentenced before their 19th birthdays. Under current state law, there's only one way for someone sentenced to life for first-degree murder — whether 14 or 40 at the time of the crime — to be considered for parole. That is for the Nebraska Board of Pardons to commute the sentence to a set number of years. The Pardons Board — the governor, secretary of state and attorney general — has not granted a first-degree murderer clemency since Kay Orr left the Governor's Office in 1991. In the bill introduced by State Sen. Dwite Pedersen of Omaha, those convicted of murder before their 18th birthdays could be considered for parole after 25 years. Those convicted of murder before their 16th birthdays could be considered for parole after 20 years. In a recent report, Nebraska advocacy group Voices for Children, which supports Pedersen's bill, said that "life without parole is contrary to the mission of juvenile justice." "It is poorly designed punishment that negates everything we know about adolescent brain development. It is not rehabilitation, nor is it justice," the report said. "Instead of being given a fair opportunity to mature and develop, these young Nebraskans are forced to live incarcerated, without hope of release, for the rest of their lives." Eight states and the District of Columbia prohibit the sentencing of youth offenders to life without parole. Colorado is the most recent to ban the sentence, acting in 2006. Mel Beckman of Omaha, president of Family and Friends of Inmates, said his group is advocating for the change in the law. "Children under 18 are not developed — they're not fully developed yet," Beckman said. "They can commit terrible crimes, but most of the world does not hold them as responsible as an adult would be. We feel the United States and Nebraska should begin to accept that same attitude." But the family of Wayne and Sharmon Stock, who were killed by a 17-year-old girl, disagrees. Jessica Reid, now 18, was sentenced to life without parole for second-degree murder for her role in the April 2006 slayings of the Murdock, Neb., couple. Her co-defendant, Gregory Fester, now 20, also was sentenced to life without parole. In a written statement, the family said: "Jessica Reid was proven guilty in a court of law of being involved with the murder of two innocent individuals even though she was a teenager when the crime occurred. If she was old enough to be capable of committing the crime, she is old enough to serve a life sentence without parole. . . . No matter what remorse or rehabilitation she undergoes now or in the future, she is still being allowed to live a life, even if it is not of her choosing. Wayne and Sharmon Stock were not given that opportunity." Pedersen said his bill would offer young offenders only the possibility — not a guarantee — of eventual release. He said society should not hold offenders forever accountable for something done during their teenage years. "Most of us who work with youth recognize it's a young and dumb age," said the lawmaker, who works as a drug and alcohol counselor with inmates. "The body may be mature, but the mind is not matured. People do rehabilitate and they do change. Those of us who work in corrections would like to have those adolescent lifers to have something to work for." BIAS-CRIME BILL Vote Set Today on Bias-Crime Bill January 17, 2008 By Bob Makin, THNT.com Clergy in New Jersey fear legislation to tighten bias-crime laws will limit free speech. But at least one clergyman — and a Middlesex County legislator who co-sponsored the bill — said those concerns are misplaced. On Thursday, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill to amend the 1993 law to specifically include gender identity and national origin and to broaden the law to include school bullying and to establish the Commission on Bullying in Schools. The Assembly will vote today on a companion bill. Hate crime, bullying and other forms of intimidation, particularly against youth by peers, are on the rise in New Jersey, said the Rev. Bruce Davidson, director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry within the state Senate. Any legislation that aims to curb that trend is good, Davidson said. But other clergy members said that they feel the word "intimidation" is not clearly defined by the legislation, which was sponsored by Sen. Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex, and Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen. If intimidation means an expression of opinion from the pulpit, clergy said, then the bill restricts freedom of speech and religion, particularly in regards to the heated debate about same-sex marriage. Buono argued that "intimidation" has been worded in the law since 1993, as have sexual orientation and ethnicity, which covered gender identity and national origin under the old law. While no clergy have been restricted in terms of freedom of speech or religion, Buono said, hate crime and bullying are on the rise. A 2003 report published by the Office of Bias Crime of the state Attorney General's Office indicated that half of all bias crimes are committed by residents ages 11 to 20. "I think that's true," said Davidson, a New Jersey-based pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for 33 years. "Working with young people as a pastor for a long time, I've noticed in the last few years that more young people are accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth who are open and out, which is much more than when I was in high school. There's a great deal of tolerance, but there's more than a few instances of serious bullying and targeting kids who are gay or who are perceived as gay because they align themselves with somebody. "School is a place where kids should have the freedom to learn," he added. "That right needs to be protected. Bullies only get power if it's given to them." As for fellow clergy, Davidson said that he believes the beefed-up legislation still does not infringe upon freedom of speech and religion, unless a physical or emotional threat is involved. "I would hope that there aren't clergy from the pulpit suggesting any act of violence against any human being based on their identity or religious affiliation or anything for that matter," he said. " "Intimidation' implies an intent to do harm. I think that taking a moral stand because of religious beliefs is not intimidating anyone if it's done simply out of the teachings of your faith. I think you cross the line that is not protected by church-and-state separation or social morays if you're taking religious teachings and saying that it's appropriate to assault physically or verbally the people that you don't approve of." Some evangelicals who campaign against same-sex marriage fear laws similar to laws in Sweden that led to the one-month sentence against the Rev. Ake Green, a Pentecostal pastor from Kalmar whose charges were dropped three years later. Comparing state and U.S. laws to Sweden's isn't valid, Davidson reasoned. "It's a totally different form of government and constitution," he said. "Where these bills pass and legislation is put in place, the constitution of the state and the United States is not disregarded. The kinds of freedoms that folks are concerned about losing is not going to happen in the United States because it's a different form of government. The Pentecostal minister, unless he's standing on the street, saying, "Kill gay people,' doesn't have anything to worry about."
LEND A HELPING HAND ACT Restaurants and hotels normally throw out enormous amounts of leftover foods from their patrons. It's simply thrown away than giving it away for fear of a lawsuit if someone got ill. Jack Davis, 11, a sixth-grader at Ransom Everglades School told CBS4 Evan Bacon, t he idea came up during a family buffet when he was explained my a manager that whatever was not eaten would be thrown away. The man explained that if they gave the food to a homeless shelter "they're liable for any sickness, allergic reaction". The sixth-grader, featured in an article published by CBS4 news partners The Miami Herald, is credited for inspiring a bill that will allow restaurants and hotels to donate leftover food to places like homeless shelters and not face legal liabilities. With the help of his father, attorney Jeff Davis, they were able to bring it to the attention of the Florida Justice Association, and then with State Rep. Ari Porth, the bill's House sponsor. ''I've never been contacted by someone so young about an idea for a bill,'' Porth told the newspaper. ``I think it's highly unusual and very impressive.'' Porth contacted the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association to see what stood in the way of restaurants donating food. The restaurant association supports the bill. "I think he can set up a good example for other children to follow," added Jasmin Davis, his mother. Miami's Camillus House doesn't get many donations from restaurants or hotels because they are concerned about liability. A change in the law to give restaurants and hotels additional protection would increase food donations. On Tuesday, the Florida Restaurant Lending a Helping Hand Act was presented to the state Legislature. The Senate Business Regulation Committee approved the bill unanimously. It has only one more stop before it moves to a full vote in the Senate. YOUTH VIOLENCE A Call to Action Against Youth Violence January 12, 2008 StarTribune.com One Minneapolis teenager went to three funerals in three months for peers who had been murdered in 2006. A community college student was motivated to turn away from gang life after being shot by other gang members. And a high school student lamented that too many adults expect the worst from kids and treat them accordingly, prompting some youth to live down to those expectations. Their stories, told during a Minnesota Meeting forum on youth violence last week, were heavy with pain and frustration. Along with others who appeared via video, those young people were fed up and ready to do something about the violence. That sense of frustration and strong will to change comes through in a recently released city strategy to combat youth violence. The plan, formulated by a task force after months of testimony from youth, parents, service providers, police and others, suggests a comprehensive, public-health approach to protecting young people. It deserves support -- and participation -- from all sectors of the community. The plan, rolled out last week by Mayor R.T. Rybak, one of three chairs of the task force, contains 34 recommendations for preventing youth violence. They range from early intervention to expanded mentoring efforts and street outreach. The recommendations are wisely geared toward achieving four broad goals:
This call to action is urgent, as it should be. Although violent crime among Minneapolis youth dropped somewhat in 2007, it still occurs at appalling levels. From 2003 to 2006, murders of young people between the ages of 15 and 25 ranged from a low of 15 to a high of 26. During the same time period, arrests for gun possession among 10- to 24-year-olds ranged from 723 to 1,021; felony assaults were in the thousands. And according to the Minneapolis Urban League, about 1,700 students were picked up for curfew violation or truancy in 2003; by 2007, the number had grown to more than 3,100. Some of the plan's recommendations are already practiced in the city, and some have been tried before. Mentoring is certainly not a new concept. Nor is the idea of early intervention. Perhaps this time around, the frustration is strong enough to prompt the entire community to step up, make the necessary cultural change and help save children.
"ABSTINENCE-ONLY" FUNDING In the sexually-charged world of teenagers, it can be tough to just say, "no." "It's difficult to really be abstinent until marriage because it's a lot of different things pulling at you when you're a teenager," 16-year-old Kristen Brown explains. CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports the forces pulling at America's teens include the tribulations of idols and icons from pop-culture; like the recent news that Britney Spears' 16-year old sister is pregnant. All those influences have driven Congress and the Bush administration to push "abstinence-only" education. The government has provided states a billion dollars during the past decade for abstinence-only programs. But many say it just doesn't work, and they point to the teen birth rate's first rise in 15 years as proof. A growing number of states are taking a stand and actually rejecting federal abstinence-only funds, reports Attkisson. New Mexico just became the 15th. "The governors are saying; 'Even if this administration is going to continue to push abstinence-only, we in the states are going to do the right thing by teens and actually give them the information they need to actually prevent an unintended pregnancy,'" said Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. No state requires abstinence-only education in school. The federal money they're giving up is for outside groups to promote abstinence. Giving up the funds is more of a symbolic gesture by governors who believe kids need to know about birth control too. Attkisson says the states are split as to exactly what they want taught in schools; Fourteen require both abstinence and contraception be taught in sex ed. Nineteen states only require abstinence, but contraception may be taught. Seventeen states don't tell their local school boards what to do. Those who want teens to wait to have sex are upset that so many states are rejecting the federal abstinence funds. "I think they're the victims of a huge lobbying effort on behalf of the contraception education proponents, who truly do not want abstinence education to exist," says Elayne Bennett, of the Best Friends Foundation. But as the adults passionately debate their kids' private lives, the teens themselves are left to wrestle with the pressures and problems of young life. "So many people have had sex and had sexual experiences, so you sort of feel left out," says Kristen.
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS DAY Youth Program Gets Boost From Assembly January 14, 2008 VenturaCountyStar.com The California State Assembly, led by Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, has proclaimed today as Big Brothers Big Sisters Day in California. In so doing, the Assembly encourages all citizens, businesses, public and private agencies and religious and educational institutions to support mentoring and give youths in their communities "the gift of time and friendship through Big Brothers Big Sisters or other mentoring programs in our community." The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County Inc. is "to improve the lives of children by creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships with proven results," its Web site states. Across the state, 26 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies have served 10,000 children throughout the state this past year and combined with fellow agencies across the United States have reached 246,000 children, according to the agency's statistics. About 18 percent of children in California live in poverty, the high school dropout rate is about 15 percent and the juvenile felony arrest rate is 1,447 per 100,000 population, the agency states. Additionally, research reportedly has shown that children engaged in the professionally supported mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters are more likely to finish high school and less likely to begin using drugs and alcohol, skip school or be involved in violence. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County served more than 1,100 youths weekly in 2007. Local officials say the goal is to serve more than 2,000 youths each week by 2010.
AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE Foster Youth Deliver Recommendations From First Statewide Career Development Summit at Legislative Hearing January PRNewswire.com Over 300 representatives of New Ways to Work, Casey Family Programs and The Child and Family Policy Institute of California (CFPIC) capped a two-day Foster Youth Summit by testifying at a Legislative Hearing chaired by Assembly Member Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Member Bill Maze (R-Barstow). The Summit focused on overcoming barriers to foster youth career development. It is the first ever statewide convening of foster youth with former foster youth, caretakers, community-based organizations, employers and professionals from child welfare, workforce development, education, and probation. Participants used across-disciplinary approach to address employment and career development issues for 85,000 youth in foster care in California. "Foster Youth needs what every young person needs - support, connections, and experiences that prepare them to be successful as adults," said Steve Trippe, President and Executive Director, New Ways to Work. "While there are a wide number of programs and initiatives in local communities that seek to address their transition from care, California needs to step up and ensure that every foster youth is prepared life as a working adult and contributing citizen when they 'age out' of the system." The dialogue among groups resulted in the following recommendations presented today: Priority Actions: What the Legislature can do:
Priority Actions-- What State Agencies and Departments can do
Testifying at the hearing were foster youth from a wide array of foster programs, regions and backgrounds. They joined foster care experts to discuss the critical steps that ensured their successful transition from foster programs to the workplace. Nick Murrieta was removed from his mother's care when he was two years old and has since lived with a number of foster families. Nick was arrested in 8th grade, was involved in gangs, drugs and alcohol, and has been in a San Francisco treatment facility. Nick earned his diploma in Juvenile Hall and was hired by V.O.I.C.E.S. "It's hard, you know? Most kids have support from their parents or guardians until they're 23, 24, 25. We're on our own after we turn 18- and it's up to us," he said. "V.O.I.C.E.S. makes me want to take responsibility for my life and is always pushing me to do better, whether it is getting my driver's license, holding a job, or continuing my education. I want to make sure that more of these programs, with real solutions, are available to kids like me across the state- and I hope that the legislators across the street see the value in them too," Nick added. V.O.I.C.E.S. unites transitioning foster youth, social service agencies, educational institutions and committed community members to help young people become independent adults and engaged citizens. According to a recent study conducted by the Pew Charitable Trust, success like Nick's is quite rare. Of the more than 24,000 youth who leave foster care each year without a permanent family: one in four is incarcerated within the first two years, one in five becomes homeless at some time after the age of 18, only 58% complete high school (compared to 87% in the general population) and only 3% earn college degrees (compared to 28% in the general population).(1) "Every day we see kids with real potential fall through the cracks. I am convinced that there are services, supports, and opportunities in various systems that can make a difference in success for foster youth. But because systems don't work together, young people are deprived of opportunities to which they are entitled. This summit's focus is to share approaches and solutions and help communities build and strengthen networks of support that can be counted on," said Miryam Choca of Casey Family Programs. Janay Swain, a 23-year old young woman that has been a part of the Sacramento County Independent Living Program (ILP), was also present at the summit today. "I believe that it is key to engage foster youth in services such as ILP that help them to create their own stability and provide a safety net to prevent youth from emancipating and stepping out into the world alone," she said.
REHABILITATION Morgan County System of Services has benefited hundreds of juveniles and should serve as a model for the state, Gov. Bob Riley said Friday. Riley, a Republican, and State Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, a Democrat, visited the facility to gather information for a bill they expect to be filed in the next legislative session. While it has not been drafted, Riley indicated it would give the juvenile justice system more flexibility in providing rehabilitative assistance to juvenile offenders. “You’ve taken a concept and built a program that is incredible,” Riley said. “We want to set up a statewide plan where we can replicate what you’ve done here. It’s a great program.” Making do with less SOS has 10 full-time and four part-time employees. In fiscal 2007, it served 385 juveniles. Only 20 percent of those served committed another offense while enrolled in the program. Seventeen percent committed another offense within 12 months of leaving the program. SOS Director Sara Bruce-Hall said she was able to keep the staffing at low levels because of the large number of community volunteers who donate their services. District Judge David Breland, a Morgan County juvenile judge who was involved in founding the program, said that for many offenders, SOS is a better solution than committing juveniles to the Department of Youth Services. “This is not only the best thing to do for our children,” Breland said; “it is extremely cost-effective. It’s a win-win, for the children and the taxpayers.” Morgan County is the largest county in the state without a juvenile detention service. There are only four beds for juvenile offenders in the county, so police must transport most offenders out of the county and, consequently, away from their parents and other sources of community support. “Our focus is to reduce the number of juveniles committed to state facilities,” said Hall. The twin purpose of this focus, Hall said, is to reduce taxpayer cost and increase the likelihood of positive behavioral change. Hall said the average cost for a juvenile to complete the SOS program — even if it includes residence at an Alabama Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch — is $1,713. A juvenile who ends up in DYS custody costs taxpayers an average of $22,265. “This is great for children that don’t need to be in a lock-down situation,” Riley said. “If you take a child for something that’s nonviolent, sometimes we exacerbate the problem with DYS custody.” Restoring children Juveniles come to SOS by court order as part of probation. After evaluating the juveniles, SOS provides them with various services, many of which are supplied by community partners. The major gap in SOS programming, Hall said, is a shortage of drug abuse treatment options. Even though only 6 percent of the juveniles who come to SOS are charged with drug offenses, 67 percent test positive for drugs, Hall said. Most of the juveniles attend middle school. Most who test positive attend either Oak Park or Brookhaven middle schools. Uninsured juveniles who need in-patient drug treatment must go to out-of-county, state-funded programs. When they are released, however, there is no outpatient program to help them manage the transition. “We see a lot of them relapse,” said Hall after the meeting. “That’s one of our biggest gaps. I hate seeing them waste the progress they made.” Riley seemed to take an interest in the shortage of state services for those with drug abuse problems. In response to his questions, officials said the entire state has only about 100 state-funded beds available for inpatient treatment of substance abuse. Most private treatment programs do not accept Medicaid, so state-funded programs are the only option for most uninsured juveniles. “There are certain drug cases you just can’t treat on an outpatient basis,” Riley said. “That’s a problem you have with this program. The state does not offer enough inpatient treatment.” After the meeting, Hall said she hopes the legislation Riley mentioned includes more funding for inpatient treatment and for one-on-one outpatient treatment. “I believe we are on the precipice of the most important juvenile reform ever,” said Cobb. “It will culminate in a safer Alabama for all of us.” Services offered
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