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Communities

Communities in Partnership

In order to support its mission of expanding opportunities for youth in foster care who are making transitions to adulthood, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is forming a number of community partnerships around the country. Working closely with the Initiative, these communities are implementing three key strategies: Opportunity Passports™, Youth Leadership Boards and Community Partnership Boards.

The Opportunity Passport™ is a tool designed to organize resources to create opportunities–financial, educational, vocational, health care, entrepreneurial, and recreational opportunities–for youth who are leaving or have recently left the foster care system. The goal is to help young people leaving foster care become financially literate; gain experience with the banking system; amass assets for education, housing, health care, and a few other specified expenses; and gain streamlined entry to educational, training, and vocational opportunities.

The Youth Leadership Boards and Community Partnership Boards serve as vehicles for local leadership, information gathering, identification of priorities, and implementation of strategies–such as the Opportunity Passport™–to positively impact youth exiting foster care.

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Current Partnerships

Atlanta, GA — Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is one of the most effective community foundations in the country for improving the quality of life for residents in the metropolitan area. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has created the Metropolitan Youth Opportunities Initiative that serves young people transitioning from foster care in the Atlanta region. Through partnerships with the United Way, UPS Stores, and Kaiser Permanente, this Initiative has obtained over 130 Opportunity Passports™, additional resources, and opportunities for transitioning youth.

Contact: Tyronda Minter, 404-588-3209
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 449
Atlanta, GA 30303

Des Moines, IA — Youth Policy Institute of Iowa

The Youth Policy Institute of Iowa is the grantee for the Polk County implementation of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. Polk County is one of the sites around the country piloting this approach to help youth in foster care make successful transitions to adulthood and self-sufficiency. Local partners include: United Way of Central Iowa, Iowa Department of Human Services, Human Services Planning Alliance, Bankers Trust and Multiple Youth-Service Agencies and Organizations.

Contact: Carol Behrer, 515-727-4220
Youth Policy Institute of Iowa
7025 Hickman Road, Suite 4
Des Moines, IA 50322

Hartford/Bridgeport/New Haven/Waterbury, CT — Connecticut Department of Children and Families

The Connecticut Department of Children and Families is the lead agency responsible for implementation of the Connecticut Youth Opportunity Strategy (CTYOS). CTYOS was developed at the intersection of state and private efforts to improve results for youth in foster care. The CTYOS is being implemented in Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury as of fall 2008. CTYOS brings together the expansive set of supportive services with the unique capacity of community based providers to engage youth and community resources. Connecticut Voices for Children partners to assist with the public will and policy work.

Contact: Mary Solera, 860-723-7257
Connecticut Department of Children and Families
505 Hudson Street
Hartford, CT 06106

Indiana — United Way of Central Indiana

The United Way of Central Indiana's Connected By 25 project is working to improve outcomes for youth in foster care in five priority areas: employment, education, connections to the community, housing and physical and mental health. In this way they are a great match to be a co-investment partner with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. Other partners in Indiana are the Indiana Department of Child Services, the Lumina Foundation for Education, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, and the Indianapolis Private Industry Council. The Lumina Foundation's Education Success Program focuses on preparing young people for post-secondary education and provides supports once young people are in college.

Contact: Sam Criss, MS, 317-921-1258
United Way of Central Indiana
Connected by 25
3901 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Maine — University of South Maine, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service

The Maine Youth Transition Collaborative (MYTC) is a statewide initiative funded by the St. Louis-based Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and led by the staff of the Youth Development Unit in the Institute for Public Sector Innovation at the Edmund Muskie School of Public Service in Maine. MYTC is about creating community connections, resources, and youth/adult partnerships to benefit young people in transition from foster care. The Opportunity Passport™ is available to young people across the state, and is administered by a nonprofit partner, Jobs for Maine Graduates, and with the support of the Office of Child and Family Services at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Contact: Marty Zanghi, 207-780-5867
University of Southern Maine
34 Bedford Street
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104

Michigan (Detroit & 10 Northern Counties) — Department of Human Services

The Michigan Department of Human Services is the lead agency for this dual site, serving over 400 youth in Detroit/Wayne County and a 10-county cluster near Traverse City in northern Michigan. Nearly 200 more youth are enrolled in the Opportunity Passport™ in 13 additional counties throughout the state. Michigan youth and young adults are a strong voice, influencing policy and practice changes and engaging communities in creating new opportunities for transitioning youth.

Contact: Shannon Brower, 231-526-1047
1341 N. Lamkin Drive
Harbor Springs, MI 49740

Nashville, TN — Vanderbilt Child and Family Policy Center

Vanderbilt Child and Family Policy Center - Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies (VIPPS) is Vanderbilt's "think tank." It is the place where faculty from different disciplines and schools work together to apply theory to real-world policy problems. The Tennessee Youth Advisory Council has established a youth board that has been instrumental in policy change with the state agency that works with foster care, and it has worked with employers in the Nashville area to obtain employment for youth in care. The Community Partnership Board has established partnerships with U.S. Bank, Hospital Corporation of America, and other businesses in the community to assist with providing opportunities for youth. Through their Youth Connections program, Monroe Harding, Inc. and the Department of Children's Services implement the Opportunity Passport™. The Youth Connections Resource Center is a "one stop shop" for youth aging out of the foster care system in Tennessee. In collaboration with other agencies, the Center helps fill the gap in services for those youth leaving foster care or other state custody with no support system. The Center is a central place where youth transitioning into adulthood can find assistance with housing, transportation, education, employment and social services. Nashville plans to begin expanding the Initiative statewide.

Contact: Debbie Miller, 615-322-8505
Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies
1207 18th Avenue, South
Nashville, TN 37212

Omaha, NE — Nebraska Children and Families Foundation

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF) is an organization committed to improving outcomes for vulnerable children in the state. These improved outcomes are that children are healthy, safe, ready for and successful in school and beyond, valued and engaged in their communities, and that they experience supportive relationships in quality environments. NCFF convenes, supports, and actively develops partnerships among public and private funders, community organizations, decision makers, and most importantly youth.

Since 2003, NCFF has been the administrative home of the Statewide Foster Youth Council, an organization working to provide a voice and opportunities to youth in foster care transitioning to adulthood. In 2007, NCFF facilitated a youth-driven and community-nurtured process to develop the first Omaha Independent Living Plan, upon which the co-investment partnership with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is based. Funding partners are the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Sherwood Foundation and the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation.

Contact: Jennifer Skala, 402-817-2001
Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 200
Lincoln, NE 68508

Rhode Island — Rhode Island Foster Parents Association

Rhode Island Foster Parents Association (RIFPA) is the lead agency coordinating the ASPIRE initiative in Rhode Island. RIFPA is a progressive foster parents association with a broad mission to provide education and other forms of support to families that provide substitute care-and to the community-at-large - in order to further the cause of children who cannot live with their parents. Evidencing this broad mission, RIFPA is home to Real Connections, a permanency project promoted and supported by the initiative. The Department of Children, Youth and Families is a partner in the permanency project and supplies office space and staff support. RIFPA works in close collaboration with Casey Family Services in Providence. Casey Family Services launched the initiative in Rhode Island. The initiative has a strong team of working partners and works closely with the state child welfare agency, a key partner.

Contact: Lisa Guillette, 401-438-3900
Rhode Island Foster Parents Association
55 South Brow Street
East Providence, RI 02914

San Diego, CA — The San Diego County Office of Education

The San Diego County Office of Education provides the highest quality education for students in County Office operated programs, and supports local school boards in providing the same for their students while acknowledging each board's responsibility to represent and serve their community. This is accomplished by the San Diego County Office of Education providing quality services, effective and efficient use of resources, and innovative leadership to school districts and working collaboratively to meet the educational needs of students and expectations of the public so that each student in San Diego County has access to the highest academic preparation and the means to meet expectations for success.

Contact: Michelle Lustig, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Foster Youth Services
San Diego County Office of Education
8333 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Ste. 212
San Diego, CA 92111
Tel: (858) 503-2628
Email: mlustig@sdcoe.net

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Tampa, FL

The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative co-invests with the Foster Care Work Group and the Eckerd Family Foundation to implement the core strategies that form the Theory of Change. Connected by 25 was implemented in Tampa, has expanded to Brevard County and is under consideration for expansion in other jurisdictions in Florida. The Eckerd Foundation has engaged a broad group of partners including child welfare leaders, community non-profits, and youth to implement the initiative and codify practice and policy improvements that will bring about better outcomes for foster youth and young people transitioning to adulthood.

Contact: Diane Zambito, 813-222-0099
Connected by 25
405 E. Palm Avenue
Tampa, FL 33602

Contact: Jane Soltis, 727-446-2996
The Eckerd Family Foundation
3000 Bayport Drive, Suite 560
Tampa, FL 33607

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