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 Advocate
for Funding:
- Foster Care Pediatrics is a nation-wide model for providing
comprehensive and continuous health care for foster care children
and is an asset to the foster care system in Monroe County
- Clinic funding is often targeted in a cash-strapped county
budget
- Be ready to mobilize the medical community and general community
at large to support this clinic and oppose cuts in its funding
on the county budget
- Foster Care Clinic can use your help!
- Dr. Szilagyi is drafting a proposal to Rosie Foundation
for additional funding
- She is also constructing a private nonprofit organization
called "Fostering Hope" to fundraise money from
the private sector
- For more information about the clinic and these projects,
please contact
Dr. Moira Szilagyi
Advocate for adolescents transitioning out of foster care:
- Adolescents transitioning out of foster care face the challenges
of independent living with little preparation
- Several policies and programs have been issued to address
this topic, most notably the Independent Living Initiative
and subsequently the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999,
where federal funding for independent living services were
doubled
- States are allowed to use these funds towards helping
adolescents ages 19 to 21 ease their transition to independent
living
- Ensuring state legislations use these funds effectively
and efficiently for these adolescents is paramount
- Implement programs to help provide housing, career
exploration, obtain high school diploma, vocational
training, preventive health activities, daily-living-skills
training and support, and provide personal and emotional
support through mentor programs
- Seek these funds to help provide medical assistance
- Possibly promote foster care alumni scholarship
programs for post-secondary education
- Ideas:
- Be bold and grab the baton! The Jim Casey Youth Foundation
has sponsored an Opportunities Initiative focused on helping
adolescents aging out of foster care. Even though Rochester
is not a selected community for the initiative, they have
developed an Opportunity Passport for these youths. Start
a grassroots movement to look for support a similar program
in Rochester. http://www.jimcaseyyouth.org/opportunitypassport.htm
- Hillside Family of Agencies has a Work-Scholarship Connection
program where mentors work with students in the Rochester
City School District to help them develop strategies for acquiring
the skills needed to be successful in all aspects of their
life.
- Other local agencies working with teens/adolescents:
- Other local agencies working with teens/adolescents:
Other Opportunities:
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)of Rochester, NY:
- CASA volunteers work as advocates for foster care children in
the Family Court System. They are trained to help protect these
children with the goal of providing these children safe, permanent
homes in a timely manner.
- Information on how to become a volunteer or if you know of someone
who is interested can be found at their website : www.members.aol.com/casarochny
- If becoming a CASA volunteer is not possible, there are also
other ways to help with projects like annual fundraising and item
donations. They also look for individuals/groups interested in
sponsoring gifts for a child/foster family during the holidays.
Research
- Dr. Wendy Nilsen is a faculty in the Psychiatry department whose
research is focused on interventions for youth in foster care
and the impact of maltreatment on child development and functioning.
Her clinical interests include working with children, adolescents,
and their families.
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ISSUE ALERT #1
(Winter 2004) - Foster Care Children
 Issue
at a Glance Issue
in Context
Health
Care Issues
What can you do?
Links/Resources
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