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One of the bright spots in the state budget for the fiscal year that began Saturday is that it will fund 31 new positions in the Office of Children's Services. This came about largely through the efforts of the Legislature's leading expert on child protective services, Anchorage Rep. Les Gara. His office identified surplus public assistance funds in a review of the health budget and proposed reallocating $3.3 million.
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A new report from Alaska's government watchdog agency paints a picture of a state child protective services system stretched beyond its capacity, with disturbing consequences for children and their families.
The report, released last week by the Alaska Office of the Ombudsman, focuses on a tiny sample of the Office of Children's Services' staggering caseload. It details an extensive investigation into two separate complaints against one employee, a front-line caseworker in the Wasilla office, which has the highest caseload per worker in the state. Read More. H.R. 2847 passed the House and is on to the Senate. This bill amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to revise the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program to:
authorize states electing to extend foster care eligibility up to age 21 to extend assistance and services to youths who have aged out of foster care but have not yet reached age 23, authorize redistribution of unexpended amounts among states that apply for additional program funds, allow states to make individuals eligible for participation in the educational and training voucher program through age 25 (but no more than 5 years), and modify congressional reporting requirements. Read More. The first class action lawsuit to shine a federal spotlight solely on the overuse of psychotropic medications among vulnerable, at risk populations – such as Missouri’s 13,000 children in foster care – the complaint alleges longstanding, dangerous, unlawful and deliberately indifferent practices by the defendants.
Read more. A special thanks to the Teamsters Local 959 for donating $2,000 to Facing Foster Care In Alaska from their annual charity golf tournament! Ever dollar donated to FFCA goes directly toward our efforts to empower foster youth and alumni to share their stories to promote change.
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