Fostering Success Forum

Fostering SuccessPresented by:Amanda Metivier, MSWYouth Education Coordinator

Welcome and Introduction--Shawnalee1OverviewOutcomesEducation and Training Voucher ProgramStudent PanelGet Involved

2

Casey Family Programs3Life After Foster care30% experience homelessness during the first year post foster care (Covenant House Alaska).30% of foster care alumni are incarcerated for some period of time after leaving foster care.Nearly 80% report a lifelong reliance on behavioral health services. 2.5 times more likely to become pregnant before age 19. 50% of females and 30% of males become parents before age 19.

Outcomes of youth aging out of foster care in Alaska. --Covenant House Alaska, ISER Study--Alaskan Foster Care Alumni Study, UAA Social Work, CFP, OCS--State of AK Division of Health, Women and Childrens Section4Educational OutcomesThe rate of GED acquisition by alumni is 6 times the national rate.Nearly 58% of youth in foster care graduate high school by age19, compared to 87% of the general population.78% of foster youth (seniors) in the Anchorage School district are on track to graduate in May 2014.Students in foster care score16 to 20 percentile points below others in statewide standardized test(Washington State study).Only about 3%-11% obtain a bachelor's degree within a few years of emancipation.The Casey National Alumni Study reported college completion rates of 9% (at any age) compared to the general population rate of 24%

*Note 78% in anchorage is an increase from just 12% 5 years ago.--National Working Group on Foster Care and Education--Anchorage School District Child in Transition Program--Casey Family Programs, National and Midwest Alumni Studies5Efforts to IMPROVEFoster Care Extended to 21Foster Care Re-entryFoster Youth Mentoring ProgramFoster Youth Housing CouponsCrisis Housing FundsAdditional Transition StaffSchool Transportation FundsIncreased Efforts to Achieve PermanencyExpanded ETV ProgramUniversity Presidential Tuition Waiver

Since 2009, the Legislature, State of AK Office of Childrens Services, University, and several private organizations have worked collaboratively to expand supports and resources to youth aging out of foster care. 6Etv ETV offers financial assistance to eligible current and former foster youth to attend an accredited college, university, vocational or technical college. The maximum ETV award is $5,000. Awards are unique to each student and are based on the cost of attendance formula established by their college of choice.

In Addition, the University offers a limited number of tuition waivers to foster youth statewide. --Current 21 youth on Presidential Tuition Waiver7Child welfare academyCollaboration with the Office of Childrens Services to provide post-secondary education and training support to current and former foster youth ages 16-23 throughout the state. Manage ETV & Tuition Waiver FundsOutreach to foster youth eligible for higher education funding supportProvide post-secondary education prep & exploration to high school studentsProvide case management to current University of Alaska students

2013-2014 Student DemographicsUAA Main Campus 25UAA MatSu Campus 5 (2 at UAA Main too)UAS 3UAF 4UAA Katchemak Bay 1

92013-2014 Student Demographics2013-2014 Student Demographics112013-2014 Student Demographics12Persistence Fall to springFall GPA2012-20132013-2014Student PerspectivesGary LoseAhnie LoncleNeveah InghamSlade Martin

Mentoring, donating, knitting. Other ideas?16ContactsAmanda MetivierYouth Education CoordinatorChild Welfare Academyalmetivier@uaa.alaska.edu 907-786-6732

Shawnalee WhitneyAssociate Professor of CommunicationSpecial Assistant to the Director, Center for Advancing Faculty Excellencesawhitney@uaa.alaska.edu907-786-4393 voice

ResourcesNational Workgroup on Foster Care and Educationhttp://www.casey.org/Resources/Initiatives/NationalWorkingGroupABA Center on Children and the Lawhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/child_law.htmlCasey Family Programs, Foster Care by the Numbershttp://www.casey.org/Newsroom/MediaKit/pdf/FosterCareByTheNumbers.pdf Alaskan Foster Care Alumni Studyhttp://www.uaa.alaska.edu/swep/upload/ak_foster_care_alumni_study.pdf State of Alaska Division of Health, Section of Women Childrens, and Family HealthLexi.prunella@alaska.gov Covenant House Alaska, Youth in Crisis Final Report 2010http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/CovenantHouse_final100304.pdf Anchorage School District Child in Transition ProgramDexter_barb@asdk12.org Child Welfare Academy, 2012-2013, 2013-2014 Academic Year