Three bills currently before a state Senate committee would, if approved, effectively create a bill of rights for children in foster care. First introduced and approved in the state House, the three bills would comprise the Children’s Assurance of Quality Foster Care Policy, ensuring children in foster care would be provided the following:

• Fair, equal, and respectful treatment
• Placement with relatives and siblings when appropriate
• Transition planning
• Ongoing contact with biological relatives, if permissible
• Access to advocacy services for children with disabilities
• Timely enrollment in school, and consistent placement, when possible
• Participation in extracurricular activities, when appropriate
• Placement in the least restrictive setting that is appropriate to child’s needs
• Access to timely information and services, including medical and mental health
• Participation in religious and/or cultural activities
• Adequate food, shelter and necessities
• Information as to proposed placement, as age-appropriate
• Timely permanency plans

In addition, the bills would establish a grievance procedure that would allow the child to file a grievance to address any non-compliance to the activities listed in the Children’s Assurance of Quality Foster Care Policy. Finally, this law would require that children in foster care receive age-appropriate information, including help with understanding how to access services and involvement in developing their own case plans. For more information on these bills, please visit www.legislature.mi.gov.

"My JumpVault is an intuitive, youth-envisioned web application developed by Five Points Technology Group (Five Points), to help foster youth develop a stable foundation for their “jump" to adulthood by providing an easily accessible location to upload, store, and manage the vital information life requires—from important health, education, and employment documentation; to helpful resources, tips, and reminders; to photographs and other precious memories—all via a secure web site". To access this resource, visit https://www.myjumpvault.org/

Call to Action!

This is a the Time-Sensitive opportunity to pass S 2267 or  to introduce the main components of S 2267 in pending legislation that will move and be passed.

May is Foster Care Month.  Passing Higher Education legislation that would help foster youth who have extremely poor higher education outcomes would be a great way to significantly impact the resources and skills a young person has as they transition to adulthood.

An article from Youth Today, connects the GAO report (click here) and S2267 and frames the issue: https://youthtoday.org/2016/05/gao-calls-for-reducing-barriers-to-college-for-foster-and-homeless-youth/.

The time is now...  If this bill does not get passed in the next few weeks, it will not get done for a  lengthy time and kids are missing valuable time to get their education and skills. 

Call your Legislators TODAY!