Facing Foster Care in Alaska

Our Mission is to improve the foster care system through sharing our experiences, supporting and educating youth and social services and implementing positive change in society as a whole.

What's New

Office Space for FFCA at OCS!

FFCA Coordinator Amanda Metivier has settled into her new office at 323 E. 4th Avenue in Anchorage. The FFCA space is co-located at the Anchorage Office of Children's Services. FFCA and OCS are partnering to provide a Youth Room where youth will be able to access independent living services such as employment, education, etc.

Amanda's work hours are Monday through Friday from 1PMto 5PM. Feel free to stop by and check out the new space.

Amanda is available to help link FFCA youth/alumni to resources and teach them to advocate for themselves on an individual level as well as a systems level. Call Amanda (230-8237) or drop by soon!

In the Spotlight

FFCA Member Featured in National Magazine

FFCA alumni member Michael Schweitert is a published author! Michael is the featured Youth Editorial author in the Summer 2010 issue of Connections, the magazine of the National CASA Association. Read "Keep Moving Forward" now.

Digital Stories Premiere

During the statewide retreat in February, FFCA hosted a digital stories premiere at the Bear Tooth Theatre in Anchorage. A large crowd of allies and other community members were on hand to view the stories written and produced by FFCA members Amanda, Angel, Becca, Courtney, Jane, Fherron, Michael, Tony, Trista, Shane and Slade. The digital stories focused on permanency, education, and culture in the foster care system. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the FFCA Digital Stories please contact FFCA Coordinator Amanda Metivier at facing_fostercare@yahoo.com or 230-8237.

FFCA Wins 2010 Spirit of Youth Award

Facing Foster Care in Alaska was recognized for its work by Spirit of Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating, promoting and recognizing youth involvement in communities across Alaska. FFCA won a 2010 Spirit of Youth Award in the category "Overcoming Challenges" for launching the FosterWear campaign, hosting a legislative summit on foster care, and creating a mentorship program for older youth in foster care.

National CASA Conference

Members of FFCA traveled to Atlanta in April to attend the 29th annual National CASA Association conference. Amanda Metivier, Rebecca Shier, Jane Buckridge, Michael Schweitert, and Courtney Morrison presented on Youth Engagement and the needs of youth transitioning from foster care.

This is the second consecutive year that FFCA was invited to present at the conference. And just like last year, the response was amazing! Dozens of conference goers stopped to talk to FFCA members after their presentations (and even at the airport!) and thanked them for speaking out. The group even signed an autograph or two!

Shout Out from Foster Care Alumni of America

August 2, 2010-

"Today's CEO ShoutOut goes to our friends and partners, Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA), a dedicated group of youth and alumni who work to advocate for the rights of young people in and from foster care. FFCA has had great success partnering with alumnus, Alaska State Representative Les Gara, who has made foster care reform a top personal priority. FFCA first worked with Rep. Gara to overturn an outdated state statute that placed a gag order on youth in foster care, restricting them from speaking out about their experiences in foster care. FFCA also worked with Representative Gara and other allies to bring media attention and public concern to the growing needs of youth as they transition out of foster care." (Excerpt from email blast sent by Foster Care Alumni of America)

FFCA Presents Award at Valley Light of Hope Event

FFCA members presented Southcentral Regional Independent Living Specialist Carla Parker with a Valley Light of Hope award for her exceptional service to youth in her region. According to FFCA Coordinator Amanda Metivier, "Carla goes above and beyond in building relationships with youth and supporting their successes." Congratulations Carla!

Promoting System Change

FFCA continues to successfully advocate for changes that benefit youth in the foster care system. Highlights from this year:

House Bill 126 -

HB 126 allows foster care to extend to age 21, and reverses the ban on re-entry into foster care for youth who leave early, and find themselves homeless, or otherwise in trouble. National studies show foster youth who are allowed to remain in care achieve greater success than those required to leave early.

Amanda Metivier, former foster youth and founder of Facing Foster Care in Alaska, praised the bill. "Foster youth need support as they become young adults,” Metivier said, “and HB 126 allows for youth in care to safely make this transition." Presently, 30 states allow foster youth to stay in care until 21. National children’s advocates have made it a priority to establish similar provisions in all states.

State budget items -

ü $715,000 in the operating budget boosts funding for foster care under the Office of Child Services.

ü $200,000 to be awarded as a competitive grant for a mentoring program for youth coming out of foster care

ü $175,000 for job training, tuition waivers and recruiting more foster parents, especially in rural Alaska communities

ü $160,500 to pay for two new IL Specialists.

ü $100,000 to help with housing costs the first few months young adults live on their own.

ü $80,000 to pay transportation costs for foster children to stay at the same school, even if they are shuffled from foster home to foster home.

Victory for foster youth needing braces

Facing Foster Care successfully challenged a state regulation that says orthodontia for Medicaid youths should be limited to those who have severe conditions such as cleft palate, or "skeletal malformations" so bad that it would take both an orthodontist and an oral surgeon to fix them.

"This is an incredibly important issue," said Amanda Metivier, statewide coordinator of Facing Foster Care. "When you're in foster care, the state is your parent. As a parent, they have a responsibility to make sure your medical needs are cared for."

A Superior Court Judge ruled in November that the state must pay for orthodontia according to federal code that says the services offered must include, at minimum, "relief of pain and infections, restoration of teeth and maintenance of dental health."

2010 Statewide Retreats

February

May

August 13-15th

November 19th - 21st

If you are interested in attending a FFCA retreat, contact Amanda.

Get More Information

Connect with us on Facebook

Visit us on MySpace

2010 FFCA Brochure

FFCA on Mental Health Services and Foster Care

About Us

Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA) is a group of current foster youth and alumni that has formed to make improvements to the foster care system in Alaska.

Guidelines for FFCA membership -- youth currently in care, age 15 and older, are eligible. Youth must be willing to participate in the advisory board, and must want to work on improving the foster care system for others. Alumni are those youth ages 18-24 and currently out of care who were in legal out-of-home placement through the Office of Children’s Services sometime during their youth. Members meet quarterly in their regions. Read More....

If you are interested in joining us, or know of a youth or alumni who may be interested in joining FFCA, please contact Amanda Metivier at facing_fostercare@yahoo.com or (907) 230-8237.

Helpful Links

OCS Independent Living Program - locate the independent living specialist in your region; find out how this program can help pay for school, job training and much more