Today from 12:00-2:00 the FYA Brown Bag Training for Managers will address “Supervision Skills.” This training will be held at Ross House, 485 Ninth Street, Oakland, near the 12th Street BART station. Space is still available for this training. Participants are welcome to bring a lunch.

Click here for the schedule of upcoming trainings.

This training is a joint project of FYA, Seneca Center, and Chabot FKCE. For more info, call Amy Freeman at 510-444-4025, x235.

This training is a joint project of FYA, Seneca Center, and Chabot FKCE. To RSVP, email Amy Freeman at afreeman@fosteryouthalliance.org or call 510-444-4025, x235

Youth are encouraged to drop by and complete an intake at 1759 Broadway Oakland. Must be a foster youth or emancipated foster youth from 16 to 24 years of age.

Contact Tawanda Gilbert, Housing Advocate at (510) 272-0979 x 34 for more info.

First Place also has a job opening. Click here for the job description for the Director of Finance and Adminstration.

Click here for a letter that explains how the registry works. You can take a peek at the registry by going to www.target.com. Click on Club Wedd (the wedding registry). Enter Bride's First Name - First Place. Enter Bride's Last Name - Fundraiser.

FYA, along with HEY and the John Burton Foundation for Children without Homes as part of the "Campaign for Safe Transitions" is proud to be a co-sponsor of SB 1576 authored by Senator Kevin Murray which will address the funding ratios for THP-Plus (housing for former foster youth). Current funding ratios put the majority of the burden on counties and have been an impediment to implementation of the program.

Research shows that on any given day, 10 to 15 percent of adolescents have some symptoms of depression. In 2000, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 15 to 25 year olds. Youth with Emotional Disturbance in secondary schools had higher dropout rates and disproportionately high percentages of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests than other groups. They were also more likely to be involved in bullying and fighting. Studies also show that the majority of youth in detention and correctional facilities as well as foster care programs have mental health disorders.

The good news is that there are a number of effective treatment options for youth with mental health needs. The key is early identification and subsequent referral to a mental health professional. But how do you tell if a young person is experiencing a “typical” or “troubled” adolescence?

The American Psychiatric Foundation’s Typical or Troubled?TM School Mental Health Education Grant Program can help. It is specifically designed to raise the mental health awareness of high school staff (teachers, coaches, counselors, etc.) High schools and community organizations that partner with high schools or school districts are eligible to apply. Grants awards will be $2000 for one to two schools and $5,000 for three to five schools and will include a PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and evaluation forms.

Applications for the 2007-2007 school year must be submitted by March 15, 2006. They are short (cover sheet and narrative of up to three pages including demographics of the school(s) and surrounding area) and may be submitted on-line. For more information and the application form, go to http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/10000986/psychfoundation.

Workshops include: Financial Aid, Meeting Deadlines, College Life, and More

Click here for a flyer to share with youth.

The workshop is being offered at 1204 Preservation Park Way (Robinson Classroom) on Friday, April 28th from 1-5 p.m.

The cost is $119 per person or $99 per person for groups of three or more from the same agency.

Click here for the flyer.

The workshop is appropriate for adoptive parents, caregivers, teachers, mental health professionals, group home staff, social workers, Family Court staff, day care providers, volunteers and others who have direct contact with children with attachment issues, including those diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

The Center for Child Advocacy and Research is a national nonprofit organization based in Northern California. To learn more about them, please visit their website: www.childadvocacyandresearch.org

To reserve a space or for more information, contact:

Stephen Raburn, MA
Executive Director
The Center for Child Advocacy and Research
PO Box 5127
Napa, CA 94581
telephone: 707.738.0319
e-mail: sraburn@childadvocacyandresearch.org

From HEY e-bulletin 2/28/06

Teens adopted from foster care could receive more aid. The Fostering Adoption to Further Student Achievement Act (S.1287, H.R.3252) has been introduced in both houses of Congress. The proposed legislation would allow college students who were adopted from foster care at age 13 or older to qualify for federal financial aid based solely on their individual ability to pay. Omitting the adoptive parents' income when determining need-based aid will eliminate a major disincentive to teen foster-adoption. For more details about the bill, log on to thomas.loc.gov and search by either of its numbers.