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Webinar

Strengthening Families Webinar: “I Just Want to Be a Father”

December 2024

Join us on Thursday, December 12, 3-4 pm ET / 12-1 pm PT for our Strengthening Families Webinar: "I Just Want to Be a Father."

During the webinar, young parents in foster care will share recommendations on addressing systemic barriers to young fathers’ involvement with their families and how to support co-parenting for young parents in foster care. The webinar is based on our recently published paper, “I Just Want to Be a Father: Protecting the Rights of Young Fathers in Foster Care and Promoting Family Well-Being,” co-produced with two young parents who recently aged out of foster care.

The paper was produced by the Brighter Futures Workgroup, a multigenerational, cross-sector New York City-based network led by young parents who are or have been in foster care in NYC. The paper focuses on the experience of young fathers and mothers in New York City who received little to no father-focused and co-parenting casework or support. 

Register Today

Tags: Building Strong Communities, Child Welfare, Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families
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I Just Want To Be A Father (1)
Report

Kevin S. v. Blalock Co-Neutrals’ 2023 Annual Report

November 2024

The Kevin S., et al. v. Blalock and Scrase (“Kevin S.”) lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for New Mexico on September 22, 2018, on behalf of a class of children in the custody of New Mexico’s child welfare system (“Plaintiffs”) by Disability Rights New Mexico, the Native American Disability Law Center, Public Counsel, Pegasus Legal Services for Children, and associated counsel. The Defendants in the lawsuit include State officials responsible for administering and supervising New Mexico’s child welfare system – Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) – and the system responsible for delivery of Medicaid services for eligible children as well as other behavioral health services for adults, children, and their families – Health Care Authority (HCA). Following months of negotiations among the Kevin S. parties, on March 17, 2020, the parties executed a Final Settlement Agreement (“FSA,” also referred to herein as “Agreement”), and on March 26, 2020, filed a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal of the lawsuit. In reaching this Agreement, the parties acknowledged their mutual commitment to the development of a trauma-informed system of care that meets the needs of New Mexico’s diverse children and youth and their families.

This is the fourth Kevin S. report produced by the Co-Neutrals on the State’s efforts to achieve the commitments of the FSA. The report summarizes the State’s performance on agreements in each FSA Appendix.

Tags: Child Welfare, Youth, Child Welfare Reform Through Class Action Litigation
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Co Neutrals' 2023 Annual Report
Webinar

Strengthening Families Webinar: Manifesto 2.0: The Parent Edition

November 2024

Join us on Thursday, November 14, from 3-4 pm ET / 12-1 pm PT for our Strengthening Families Webinar: Manifesto 2.0: The Parent Edition.

During the webinar, our Parent Leader Network will share the brand-new parent edition of the Manifesto for Race Equity & Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Systems. This parent-led presentation will introduce the Parent Leader Network, highlight the 5 Commitments of the Manifesto, and showcase tools for using the Manifesto as a parent “bill of rights” and blueprint for change in early childhood systems.

We encourage parents, organizers, staff who work with parents, and organizations who are serving parents and families to attend. Spanish and English interpretation will be available for this webinar. For more information reach out to the PLN at parentleadernetwork@cssp.org.

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Manifesto On Race Equity English
Webinar

Policy in Action – Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults: Mental Health and Well-Being

October 2024

Hosted by the CARES Initiative and the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), this session discussed youth-centered policy recommendations for mental health and well-being, co-designed with young people who have transitioned out of foster care. During the conversation, we heard reflections on the importance of policies for mental health and well-being and the Atlanta CARES mental health and well-being policy agenda.

This event was part one of a two-part discussion on reimagining a future where public policy empowers young people to pursue their goals and live fully.

Featured Speakers:

  • Malaka "Mali" Y. Nzinga, CHES, Program Manager in the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine
  • Dimple Desai, MSW, Senior Policy Analyst, Voices for Georgia's Children
  • Jada Brigman, CARES Ambassador, Atlanta
  • Tiffany Cannon, CARES Ambassador, Atlanta
  • Shadi Houshyar, Senior Associate, Center for the Study of Social Policy
Tags: Addressing Poverty, Building Strong Communities, Child Welfare, Learning & Evidence, Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Youth, CARES: Creating Actionable and Real Solutions
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Header image for Policy in Action webinar - Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults - Mental Health and Well-Being
Webinar

Policy in Action – Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults: Housing Policies for NYC & L.A.

October 2024

Hosted by the CARES Initiative and the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), this session discussed youth-centered policy recommendations for housing—developed in collaboration with young people who have transitioned out of foster care. During the conversation, we heard reflections on the importance of housing policies and discussed the NYC and L.A. CARES policy agendas and the recommendations they elevate.

This event was part two of a two-part discussion on reimagining a future where public policy empowers young people to pursue their goals and live fully.

Featured Speakers:

  • Michael Santos, Associate Director, RESULTS Educational Fund
  • Jenny Pokempner, Policy Director, Youth Law Center
  • Cara Baldari, Vice President of Family Economics, Housing, and Homelessness, First Focus
  • Kayonda Branch, CARES Ambassador, New York City
  • Elizabeth Villa, CARES Ambassador, Los Angeles
  • Alex Citrin, Senior Associate, Center for the Study of Social Policy
Tags: Addressing Poverty, Building Strong Communities, Child Welfare, Learning & Evidence, Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Youth, CARES: Creating Actionable and Real Solutions
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Header image for Policy in Action webinar - Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults - Housing
Policy Paper

Advancing Culturally Responsive Services: Incorporating Community-Defined Evidence When Evaluating What Works

October 2024

Despite the body of research demonstrating the benefit of services that respect cultural and racial identity, government funders are increasingly favoring “colorblind” programs that have been approved by research clearinghouses as evidence-based practices (EBPs). This limited approach to evidence promotes services that may be non-responsive to diverse communities’ needs while hampering the development and dissemination of responsive services that have community buy-in. This publication outlines the concerns with exclusively relying on empirical data at the expense of community-defined evidence and identifies actions government agencies can take to ensure services are evaluated according to the standards set by the community members who are supposed to benefit.

(4 pp)

Tags: Addressing Poverty, Building Strong Communities, Child Welfare, Immigration, Learning & Evidence, Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Youth
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Advancing Culturally Responsive Services Incorporating Community Defined Evidence When Evaluating What Works
Publication

Manifesto for Race Equity & Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Systems

October 2024

Manifesto 2.0: The Parent Edition and its 5 Commitments for Change is a “Bill of Rights’’ for parents. Together with other parents and allies, you can use it as a platform to call on leaders in early childhood systems to support more opportunities for parent voice and leadership and equitable outcomes for children and families. The Manifesto is also available in Spanish.

Additional Resources

Manifesto 2.0: The Parent Edition - Supporting Materials

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Video Resources

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Tags: Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Parent Leader Network, EC-LINC
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Manifesto On Race Equity English
Publication

Manifiesto Para Equidad Racial y Liderazgo de Padres

October 2024

Manifiesto 2.0: La Edición de los Padres/Madres y sus 5 Compromisos para el Cambio es una ‘declaración de derechos’ para los progenitores. Junto con otras madres/padres y aliados, usted puede utilizarlo como una plataforma para hacer un llamado a los líderes en los sistemas de primera infancia para que apoyen mas oportunidades para las voces de padres/madres y su liderazgo y resultados equitativos para las niña/o/s y familia.

El manifiesto también está disponible en inglés.

 

Tags: Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Parent Leader Network, EC-LINC
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Manifesto On Race Equity Spanish
Report

I Just Want to Be a Father: Protecting the Rights of Young Fathers Involved with Child Welfare Systems and Promoting Family Well-Being

October 2024

This brief spotlights systemic barriers faced by fathers who are themselves youth in New York City's foster care system or who co-parent with a young parent in foster care when they try to exercise their rights to be with their children. It highlights nine key recommendations with action steps that ACS and its contracted agencies can take to ensure that they respect the rights of fathers to family autonomy and that they treat young fathers in their care equitably and without discrimination based on race, gender, and intersecting identities.

(15 pp)

Tags: Child Welfare, Racial Equity & Justice, Young Children & Their Families, Youth, Youth Power, Parent Power
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I Just Want To Be A Father (1)
Report

Michelle H., et al. v. McMaster: Progress Report: South Carolina Department of Social Services (October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024)

October 2024

This report covers the progress of the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) in meeting the requirements of the Final Settlement Agreement (FSA) entered in Michelle H., et al. v. McMaster and Leach, for the period October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024.

(128 pp)

Tags: Child Welfare, Child Welfare Reform Through Class Action Litigation
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Sc Report
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