FCC Goes BACK to Washington!

Fri, 03/19/2010 - 10:36 — Christina

 March 16, 2010, marked the Foster Care Campaign's second visit to Washington lawmaker's, this time to the Senate! FCC teen staff member Sarah Ocran testified to the the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia at the request of Senators Daniel Akaka and Mary Landrieu.

 
The hearing, Assessing Foster Care and Family Services in the District of Columbia: Challenges and Solutions was called because the senators were concerned that fewer youth in DC's foster care system seemed to be finding permanent homes. Sarah's testimony at the youth-led hearing in January showed that she was a prime candidate to speak on how this issue affects young people. In testifying to Senator Landrieu, she expressed the views of many yougn people.  "Permanency is important to me because I want to have a network of people that I can depend on to love and support me for the rest of my life," Sarah said. "Being in foster care has taken that away."
 
Dominique Davis, who was recently adopted, also testified as a former District foster youth. Senator Landrieu also heard from Dr. Roque Gerald, Director of CFSA, Judge Lee Satterfield, Chief Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia and Ms. Judith W. Meltzer, Deputy Director, Center for the Study of Social Policy, who monitors the District's child welfare system. Each witness brought a unique perspective the hearing and all were there working towards stable homes for young people in care.
 
FCC is grateful to Senators Landrieu and Akaka for the opportunity to have our youth's voice heard, and looks forward to the Subcommittee's next steps on this issue.