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THE MOCKINGBIRD SOCIETY WINTER 2012 NEWSLETTER

The Mockingbird Society2100 24th Ave S, Suite 240Seattle, WA 98144206.323.5437 (KIDS)www.mockingbirdsociety.org

The legislative session is quickly approaching and our 2013 priorities have been established. Lead priorities, developed in collaboration with Mockingbird Youth Network participants and child welfare providers, represent issues where Mockingbird will lead reform efforts (see graphic). Supporting priorities are matters where Mockingbird will support partner advocacy

efforts. Supporting priorities include sealing juvenile records, guaranteeing the right to legal counsel for youth in care, and improving educational outcomes. Budget priorities represent issues where Mockingbird will work to protect the resources dedicated to the safety net for children, youth and families. For a complete review of our legislative priorities, visit www.mockingbirdsociety.org.

Lead advocacy priorities

Sibling Visits: Prevent the inappropriate restriction of sibling visits for youth in care, including holding back visits as a punishment for behavioral matters.

72-hour Notification: Reinstate the 72-hour notification rule for homeless youth shelters working to serve vulnerable youth and safely reunite youth and families.

Extended Foster Care: Expand the program to allow ALL youth aging out of care to have access to safe housing until age 21.

through September 2012Results of the Mockingbird Youth Network

241 youth, alumni,

and community members

advocated for the rights of

youth in care and homeless

youth at Youth Advocacy Day.

65 youth leaders

from across the state

presented their own reform

ideas to the Washington

State Supreme Court

Commission on Children in

Foster Care as part of the

Foster Youth and Alumni

Leadership Summit.

98% of Summit

participants reported

having a stronger sense of

connection to the foster

youth community as a result

of the event. 225 youth

attended a leadership

training to learn or improve

advocacy skills.

98% of

youth participants at

Youth Advocacy Day

reported feeling that their

participation made a

difference. And it did . . . all

of Mockingbird’s legislative

priorities were achieved.

39 youth have

engaged in public speaking

activities to educate the

community and their peers

on foster care issues.

392 youth have

engaged in Youth Network

activities, a 26% increase

year-to-date over 2011.

133 youth/alumni

attended the Transitions

training, a new leadership

training designed to provide

youth with a framework to

navigate life transitions,

specifically the transition

from foster care.

34 youth-led

trainings have been

held across Washington,

including the Culture of

Foster Care, Legislative

Advocacy, Your Rights - Your

Life, Educational Advocacy,

Transitions, and Voice

Development.

Jim Theofelis, Network Representatives Amanda Bevington and Deonate Cruz, and Board President Jana Heyd at Mockingbird’s 6th Annual Benefit Luncheon.

Dear Friends,

ENGAGE

As the holidays approach, we have much to be thankful for at The Mockingbird Society. Your support has enabled our organization to achieve remarkable outcomes for children, youth and families.

Our programs remain vibrant and successful. On the policy front, during the 2012 legislative session we saw the expansion of

Extended Foster Care, as well as the passage of our other priorities aimed at preserving and protecting key child welfare programs. Our advocacy work had a cumulative effect of saving or retaining more than $8 million in critical program funding.

We are on track to see record participation in our innovative Mockingbird Youth Network. More than 390 youth have participated in the program through the 3rd quarter. These advocate/leaders are leaving their mark by offering invaluable insight into how our foster care system can be changed for the better.

We are also excited that efforts to replicate our Mockingbird Family Model are beginning to take shape. We recently received a grant to support replication efforts in King and Snohomish Counties. This is a significant step and will help demonstrate the positive outcomes and cost-savings offered by the MFM concept.

Finally, our Board of Directors launched an ambitious recruitment campaign to grow its membership. In June, the board expanded from seven to 21 members! We thank our President, Jana Heyd, and our legacy members for their commitment to the campaign. The talented, compassionate and enthusiastic new members will strengthen our organization as we look ahead to 2013 and beyond.

We hope you enjoy reading our Winter Newsletter and thank you for making our work possible.

With tremendous gratitude,

Jim TheofelisExecutive Director and Founder

Officers

Jana Heyd, President Society of Counsel

Larry Crim, Vice President Windermere Real Estate

Jillian Gross, Secretary University of Michigan

Erin Welch, Treasurer Jacobson Jarvis, LLC

Members

Stephanie M. Allen US Environmental Protection Agency

Yossi Banai Microsoft Corporation

Jenna Boitano Community Volunteer

Elise B. Chayet Harborview Medical Center

Shanon Doolittle Group Health Foundation

J. Camille Fisher Perkins Coie LLP

Hickory M. Gateless Pacifica Law Group

Kim A. Justice Washington State Budget & Policy Center

Kenneth J. Kirsch The Boeing Company (Retired)

Jennifer M. Krigbaum 2020 Development Company LLC

Linda Lillevik Carey and Lillevik, PLLC

Lisa Matchette Community Volunteer

Amy Poley Healthcare Realty

Alan Rothblatt, MD Virginia Mason Medical Center

Carol Wood United Way of King County

Robert D. Wyman Jr. The Defender Association

The Mockingbird Society’s 2012 Board of Directors

Over 240 youth and supporters witnessed the passage of Extended Foster Care in Olympia at Youth Advocacy Day.

CONNECTAs part of a new priority to expand civic leadership and increase access to civic leadership opportunities, Seattle CityClub has created a new award to honor organizations committed to teaching civic skills to youth — the inaugural Colleen Willoughby Youth Civic Education Award.

The Mockingbird Society and its Mockingbird Youth Network (MYN) program were honored as recipients of the inaugural award, joining five other organizations selected among more than 30 applications.

Last year, the MYN held eight trainings that taught more than 75 youth about the legislative process, convened more than 240 youth and supporters at Youth Advocacy Day in Olympia, and gave dozens of youth the opportunity to participate in Speak Up! activities designed to educate policymakers on issues that impact children and youth.

We congratulate our co-winners and thank CityClub and Colleen Willoughby for this tremendous honor.

The Mockingbird Youth Network gives youth opportunities to become stronger citizens through advocacy. Shown above, Jim Theofelis — along with co-winners — accepts the Colleen Willoughby Youth Civic Education Award.

Mockingbird Youth Network wins Colleen Willoughby Youth Civic Education Award

Gary E. Milgard Family FoundationSequoia FoundationForest FoundationMedina FoundationNorthwest Children’s FundOneFamily FoundationAven Foundation Muckleshoot Charity FundBruce W. Gilpin Memorial TrustFuchs Foundation Wells FargoUS Bancorp Foundation

RealNetworks FoundationWindermere FoundationMicrosoft Community AffairsNisqually Charitable FundNorcliffe FoundationStuart FoundationAndrus Family FundSchultz Family FoundationSessions Family Foundation Raikes Foundation The Thomas V. Giddens Jr. Foundation

IN ADDITION TO COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS, MANY PRIVATE

FOUNDATIONS HAVE EMBRACED MOCKINGBIRD CHAPTERS. WE ARE

GRATEFUL TO THE FOLLOWING FOR SUPPORTING OUR MISSION:

Support from community foundations grows

Support for local chapters give youth the opportunity to create an impact in their communities.

Did you know that Mockingbird Youth Network chapters operate in six host agencies throughout our state, including Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, Yakima and Spokane?

This year, Mockingbird has received grants from the Yakima Valley Community Foundation, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (from the Youth Board and Vibrant Community programs), and the Greater Everett Community Foundation, William C. & Eleanor E. Butler Trust Fund. These foundations join our existing community foundation supporters, including The Seattle Foundation and the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound to support youth in their local communities. AD

Our website gets a makeover Visit www.mockingbirdsociety.org to check out our

fresh redesign. New features include a blog which will

be regularly updated throughout the legislative session.

ADvOCATE

Homeless youth advocacy work formalized in King County

Mockingbird youth participates in 2012 Youth Advocacy Day in Olympia.

Mockingbird has long advocated for programs that serve youth and young adults impacted by homelessness because of the strong correlation between youth homelessness and youth exiting foster care. Numerous studies

show that between 20 and 50 percent of youth will experience homelessness at some point as they age out of care.

With a grant from the Raikes Foundation, Mockingbird will develop a new position under the Mockingbird Youth Network (MYN) program to help prepare youth and young adults in King County to advocate for policies and programs that serve homeless and street-involved youth.

Utilizing the strategies and trainings from the MYN program, this new initiative will help youth gain confidence while developing the skills to advocate and become directly engaged in key policy discussions. Look for updates on this new initiative on The Mockingbird

Society’s online blog and in the Mockingbird Times. Our heartfelt thanks to the Raikes Foundation for selecting The Mockingbird Society to prepare youth for this important work.

Mockingbird joins National Foster Youth Action NetworkThe Mockingbird Society has become a program partner of the National Foster Youth Action Network. The Action Network envisions that national policymakers and state child welfare systems will involve current and former foster youth in the development of child welfare policy. The partnership was a natural fit. Our thanks to the Stuart Foundation for helping to build this partnership.

Over the past 24 months, The Mockingbird Society has advocated to take the Mockingbird Family Model (MFM) to scale and further demonstrate its efficacy in improving

outcomes for children, youth and families in foster care by measuring MFM outcomes against kids and families in the general foster care population.

The MFM surrounds six to ten families that live in close proximity to a licensed foster care family — a Hub Home — who provides support, training, and respite care. The

MFM improves on traditional care by creating an extended “family” of support for both caregivers and children.

Although positively evaluated five times by the University of Washington from 2004 to 2007, Mockingbird needed a clear test case to prove better outcomes and reduced costs on a system-wide level. To achieve this test case, Mockingbird is exploring new possibilities for the expansion

of the MFM with Washington’s Children’s Administration (CA). When costly placements at therapeutic institutions are not appropriate, we see an opportunity for the MFM to provide stability and support for children, youth and families who can benefit from a family-like setting in the community.

With a grant from the Thomas V. Giddens Jr. Foundation, Mockingbird is ready to lead the planning stage for this project and envisions launching new MFM Constellations by June 2013. Meanwhile, CA is exploring whether funding for the proposed Hub Homes can be leveraged through federal dollars. Ultimately, the project would provide a higher level of personal support to families that care for children, with outcomes that show lower costs, retained caregivers, and increased well-being of children and youth served by the program.

Poised for growth...the Mockingbird Family Model

The MFM currently serves about 200 children at 16 sites located in Washington State, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C.

Did you know?According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness,

youth in foster care are 17 times more likely than the

general public to experience homelessness.

www.mockingbirdsociety.org

2100 24th Ave S, Suite 240

Seattle, WA 98144

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ENGAGE. CONNECT. ADvOCATE.

YOUTH ADVOCACY DAYShow your support for youth and alumni of foster care by joining us for Youth Advocacy Day in Olympia! Mockingbird supporters are invited to join youth in visiting elected leaders to encourage support of our legislative agenda. You’ll feel great exercising your civic duty!

February 22, 20139:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.State Capitol, Olympia WAAll ages are welcome!

THE CULTURE OF FOSTER CAREThis dynamic youth-led workshop provides participants with a first-hand understanding of what it is like for a young person to navigate the foster care system. Open to all supporters as an educational opportunity.

Two Trainings Offered!January 17 or April 9, 2013 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.2100 Building, 2100 24th Ave SSeattle, WA 98144

To RSVP or for questions: Amber Carrigan: 206.838.6631 or amber@mockingbirdsociety.org

your gift today is an

investment in children, youth and families. The Mockingbird Society relies on forward-thinking supporters like you! Your year-end gift will help our organization remain a respected and independent voice for foster care reform.

While some organizations consider advocacy a program among a larger umbrella of services, The Mockingbird Society is 100% focused on advocacy. We advocate for policies and programs that benefit thousands of children, youth, and families impacted by our foster care system. An investment in Mockingbird shows your commitment to advocating for upstream, long-term, solutions.

Please support our year-round advocacy efforts! Make a contribution in the enclosed envelope today, or donate online at www.mockingbirdsociety.org.

Please help us stop duplicate mailings. If your household receives more than one copy, please contact Amber Carrigan at amber@mockingbirdsociety.org.

Mockingbird Joins National Foster Youth Action Netowork story is not in layout

www.mockingbirdsociety.org

2100 24th Ave S, Suite 240

Seattle, WA 98144YOUTH ADVOCACY DAYShow your support for youth and alumni of foster care by joining us for Youth Advocacy Day in Olympia! Mockingbird supporters are invited to join youth in visiting elected leaders to encourage support of our legislative agenda. You’ll feel great exercising your civic duty!

February 22, 20139:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.State Capitol, Olympia WA

All ages are welcome!

THE CULTURE OF FOSTER CAREThis dynamic youth-led workshop provides participants with a first-hand understanding of what it is like for a young person to navigate the foster care system. Open to all supporters as an educational opportunity.

Two Trainings Offered!January 17 or April 9, 2013 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.2100 Building, 2100 24th Ave S

Seattle, WA 98144

RSVP or questions? Contact Amber Carrigan: 206.838.6631 or amber@mockingbirdsociety.org

Your gift today is an investment

in children, youth and families.

The Mockingbird Society relies on forward-thinking supporters like you! Your year-end gift will help our organization remain a respected and independent voice for foster care reform.

While some organizations consider advocacy a program among a larger umbrella of services, The Mockingbird Society is 100% focused on advocacy. We advocate for policies and programs that benefit thousands of children, youth, and families impacted by our foster care system. An investment in Mockingbird shows your commitment to advocating for upstream, long-term solutions.

Please support our year-round advocacy efforts! Make a contribution in the enclosed envelope today, or donate online at www.mockingbirdsociety.org.

Please help us stop duplicate mailings. If your household receives more than one copy, please contact Amber Carrigan at amber@mockingbirdsociety.org.

Engage. Connect. Advocate.