Community Pages - Rhode Island
Initiative Partner: 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.
Contact: Lisa Guillette, 401-438-3900
Rhode Island Foster Parents Association
55 South Brow Street
East Providence, RI 02914
Policy:
The Voice: Policy Priorities for 2008-2009 Legislative Session
The Agenda:
The ASPIRE Youth Board, The Voice, set an ambitious short-and long-term policy agenda for the 2008-2009 legislative session:
• Testifying against cuts to the public transportation system. 
• Participating in the State Child Welfare Advisory Committee. Three members of the board regularly participate in monthly meetings, representing the first time that young people have been formally embedded in an advisory group to the Department.
• Voice members also participated in a day-long strategic planning session for DCYF.
• Young people met with legislators to advance a bill that would modestly increase the state Higher Education Grant $50,000, ensuring that the increased demand from young people aging out would be met. The bill also brings the age eligibility for the grant into alignment with federal ETV funds. Young people testified at Senate and House Finance hearings.
Progress to Date:
• The Higher Education Opportunity Grant Bill is still pending, as it will be revisited during a special session of the General Assembly in October.
• The Voice has successfully met with key decision makers including the Child Advocate, the head of CASA, and DCYF Director and Deputy Director about other policy issues important to them and youth in care, including obtaining proper identification (per policy, though not practice), youth participation in their own permanency planning, and youth involvement in family court.
• The young people have had tremendous success in gaining a much needed voice at key decision-making tables and are becoming a well-respected and trusted source of information related to DCYF at the statehouse.
News and Events:
Click here to watch a video about Britney's experience with ASPIRE.
Brittany Goss, Opportunity Passport(tm) Participant, was featured in the June 7, 2010 issue of Women's World Magazine.
Rhode Island Opportunity PassportTM participants ASPIRE to achieve financial literacy, win prestigious award. Click here to see the article featured in the Providence Journal.
