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Chair Althea V. Stevens opens the Committee on Children and Youth meeting and introduces three bills
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Chair Althea V. Stevens opens the Committee on Children and Youth meeting, welcoming attendees and introducing three bills aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency in the foster care system. She provides an overview of each bill, emphasizing their importance in ensuring the voices and experiences of foster youth are heard and acted upon.
- Intro 56-A focuses on collecting data on LGBTQIA+ and racial identity of foster youth and how these intersect with permanent placements.
- Intro 81-A requires ACS to conduct annual audits of foster care placement notifications to ensure compliance with state law.
- Intro 1052-A expands the ACS foster care youth experience survey to include questions about treatment by foster parents and ACS providers.
Althea V. Stevens
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Good morning.
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Welcome to today's vote for children and youth committee.
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I am councilor Mabathia Stevens, chair of the committee.
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Today, we're voting on three critical bills that aim to strengthen the accountability and transparency within foster care system ensuring that voices and experiences of foster care youth are heard and acted upon.
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These bills recognize the fundamental responsibilities we have to young people in the city and care that their representation is important and steps towards a more just and responsive child welfare system.
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Intro 56 a sponsored by council member Osei will collect data on LGBTQIA plus and racially identity of foster youth, and those identities interests was permanent foster care placement.
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This information is critical in order for us to work towards more equitable and affirming permanent placements for all foster youth.
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Intro 81 a sponsored by council member Riley strengthens oversight by requiring ACS to conduct annual audits of foster care placement notifications.
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This bill ensures that any placement changes are permanently communicated to the court and the attorney representing foster care, foster youth as required by state law.
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Timely and complete information is critical for these advocating on behalf of these children and these bills reinforce that obligation.
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Intro ten fifty two a sponsored by council member Hudson expands ACS foster care youth experience survey to include all vital questions about how foster youth are treated by their foster parents and ACS provider by centering the lived experiences of youth, foster youth.
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We identify gaps in care and work towards foster care system that truly respects and affirms young people.
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Today, together these bills uphold the data and oversight must must serve a greater purpose ensuring that no young people in foster care is left without a voice or a support system that seems that sees them for who they truly are.
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I urge my colleagues to support these bills and help us continue to work of making our child welfare system more transparent, accountable, and youth centered.