Tag Archives: youth

Enhanced Services to Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence

January 2012: Family and Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This Guide captures the promising practices and lessons learned from nine demonstration projects funded by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during 2005 through 2008. These Demonstration of Enhanced Services to Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence sites expanded the fields’ understanding of the varied ways in which children, youth and families experiencing domestic violence can be identified and provided essential services and supports. The Guide showcases these nine demonstration projects, focusing on their goals, collaborative partnerships, experiences, challenges, and successes. The voices of domestic violence victim

advocates at the local and state level, as well as therapists and researchers, are threaded throughout showcase narratives. Their accounts of the promising practices developed and the lessons learned along the way offer the reader a unique opportunity to share in and learn from their experiences. Link to pdf Guide; See also:  Violence Against Women Websitecontains details of studies including two commentaries on Michigan studies.

Improving the Economic Security of Children in Foster Care and Young People Who are Transitioning from Foster Care

July 9, 2012, State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center: This brief discusses ways that advocates can help foster children and youth who aged out of foster care access critical public benefits including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the School Lunch Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Though not the only available benefits, improving access to these initiatives offers real potential to improve children’s lives. Link to Brief

Sex Ed For Foster Youth: Why It’s A Necessity

Lack of comprehensive sexual education for youth in foster care has a significant correlation with high pregnancy rates and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, among other negative outcomes. Despite these stark facts, the system has been slow to make meaningful reforms in this arena, but now as attention mounts, there is an increasing will for change. There needs to be consistency for any child who attends schools in the U.S. to receive appropriate sex education, but we know that doesn’t happen for children in foster care. Because of the circumstances that youth in foster care find themselves in they happen to be at a greater risk, and they need extra help. Link to Article