Press Releases | Ohio State Bar Foundation

New Web site to Prepare Ohio youth as they Leave Foster Care

MAY IS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

Columbus, OH, May 20, 2009 – The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) and the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) are launching www.MyMissionTransition.com, a new interactive Web site for foster youth preparing to age out of foster care in Ohio.

Annually, in Ohio, there are nearly 1,300 youth aging out of care and many more preparing to transition out of care. Many of these youth have been in state care for several years and have moved multiple times. The system is complex, the needs are real and the challenges are many for these young people. Life outcomes for youth involved in the child welfare system are typically grim. Nationally, one in five will become homeless at some time after age 18; only 60 percent will finish high school by age 19 (compared to 87 percent nationally), and risks of incarceration, early pregnancy, and lack of employment are much higher then with other youth.

Mission Transition will support Ohio youth who are preparing to age out of foster care and those who have already aged out of care by providing information that will assist them in making the transition to adult independence. The Web site features categories like: education, money, employment, health, housing and legal issues. Developing their own understanding of their rights and responsibilities is imperative to empowering these young people as they transition to independence and adulthood.

Mission Transition is a public service project from the 2007 Fellows Class of the Ohio State Bar Foundation. The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that works to advance the law and build a better justice system. The 2007 Fellows Class, comprised of 47 volunteer attorneys and judges from around the state, met over an 18 month period to develop this project where the target audience intersects with Ohio’s justice system and furthers the Foundation’s mission of promoting public understanding of the law and improvements in the justice system. Fellows contributed over 1,500 volunteer hours to the project.

Fellows Class member, Kathy Stoneman said, "When youth age out of the foster care system, they generally lose their support network and must enter the adult world alone. This would be a daunting experience for any youth, but it is especially challenging for youth whose childhood has been anything but idyllic. The OSBF Class of 2007 decided to address this issue to assist this very vulnerable group and to help empower them with information they need, not only to exist in the adult world, but to soar. It is our hope that this project will provide a safety net of information and resources to give this group something of a virtual parent so they don\'t face adulthood completely on their own."

Studies indicate that foster youth often face struggles with education, housing, employment, supportive adults and medical issues. By accessing Mission Transition, they can gather information about their rights and responsibilities during their move from foster care. “As youth become more technologically advanced, this site will enable many to access the state’s resources in one central location. For youth that often times have many instabilities, this website provides information that current and former foster youth can rely on”, states Adrian McLemore, former OHIO Youth Advisory Board President.

The OSBF will present Mission Transition to PCSAO who will help spread the word about this resource with the youth, foster parents, and other professionals working with our youth in Ohio. PCSAO will maintain the Web site and be responsible in responding to questions submitted by site visitors. PCSAO is the statewide association for county public children services agencies charged with child protection throughout Ohio and is home to the Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory Board which is a statewide organization of young people (aged 14-23) who have experienced foster care. Crystal Ward Allen, executive director of PCSAO, states that “PCSAO is excited that the Ohio State Bar Foundation Fellows invested their time, talents and resources to create this wonderful resource for our foster alumni experiencing the journey from foster care to independence. We know most youth typically depend upon the support of their family until age 25 or later. Since former foster youth are launched out on their own sooner, having this eye popping web resource will be wonderful. Many thanks to OSBF and all the community partners who provided information for this project. PCSAO looks forward to keeping the resource fresh and responsive for our transitional youth.”

“This project is a great example of how community partners can collaborate to support foster youth in Ohio. Casey Family Programs is working diligently with the state of Ohio and 10 counties in a pilot project to reduce the number of children in care. To see an initiative like this is tremendous. It takes partnerships on the national, state and local levels to support the youth as they age of our care,” said Paul DiLorenzo of Casey Family Programs, who support the efforts of Mission Transition. Casey Family Programs is the largest national operating foundation whose sole mission is to provide and improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care. Casey draws on over 40 years of experience and expert research and analysis to improve the lives of children and youth in foster care in two important ways: by providing direct services and support to foster families, and by promoting improvements in child welfare practice and policy. The Seattle-based foundation was established in 1966 by UPS founder Jim Casey.

OSBF and PCSAO community, friends and colleagues will celebrate the launch and gifting of www.MyMissionTransition.com May 20 at Dave & Buster’s, Hilliard, OH.

Visit www.MyMissionTransition.com for additional information.

For more information, contact:

Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio

Brandi Scales

(614) 352-0925 cell

brandi@pcsao.org

Ohio State Bar Foundation

Alison Belfrage

(614) 226-2296 cell

abelfrage@osbf.net

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