May 12, 2006
Cheryl Stephani
Assistant Secretary
Children’s Administration
Dear Cheryl,
We, the Board of the Foster
Parents Association of Washington State, are writing to inform you that
we are taking an important and historic step for our organization and
for the Foster Parents and Children of Washington State. We are seeking
to organize a collective voice in our relationship with the state. We
will work toward a foster care system in which Foster Parents are
supported and valued for the important work they do, and in which Foster
Children have a future of positive outcomes and productive lives.
The Foster Parents
Association of Washington State (FPAWS) has been the principal
advocate and support group for foster care providers statewide since
1973. The Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the
largest and strongest union representing state agency employees in our
state, with a proud history of advocating effectively in government,
organizing for positive change and representing its members’ interests
as employees and citizens. In 2006, our two organizations are coming
together – establishing joint membership, coordinating our efforts and
combining our strengths.
Why do we feel this is
necessary?
Like many Foster Care systems
around the country, Washington State’s is in crisis. Children placed in
the Foster Care system have increasingly serious behavioral issues and
turnover among frontline Social Workers and Foster Parents is too high.
Recruitment and retention of
Foster Parents has been a focus of state funded programs, but it has
remained difficult, at best. Foster Parents leave the system in
Washington every day because they feel unprepared and unsupported. A
tremendous amount of funding has been put into finding new Foster
Parents, and while the system has been able to function and keep its
head above water, it is not sustainable. Each year, the state loses
almost 50% of its Foster Parents.
The situation has become
critical. Without a sufficiently large, stable base of Foster Parents,
foster children continue to suffer multiple placements (leading to
severe mental health issues), separation from their siblings, and
inappropriate placements. If the system does not soon effect positive
change, we are concerned that Washington State will suffer the fate of
other failed Foster Care systems, including privatization, loss of
accountability, and resultant decline of quality care for the state’s
most vulnerable children.
We feel there is hope if we
can change the basic relationship between the State and Foster Parents.
There are many highly skilled and highly trained Foster Parents in
Washington State who have dedicated their lives to raising the state’s
most at-risk children. These Foster Parents have been able to improve
outcomes for youth whose futures at one time looked bleak. As you
likely know, our state’s current system of funding for foster children
actually offers disincentives for children to learn positive and
functional behavior. We feel the state needs to work with Foster
Parents to establish a substantial core of highly trained, highly
skilled Foster Parents to care for children with serious behavioral
issues. Foster Parents must be compensated appropriately and rewarded,
not punished, for the positive outcomes of the children in their care.
Furthermore, many important
mandates of the Braam Lawsuit settlement which could improve the state
system and life for Foster Parents and Foster Children, remain
unfulfilled. While we have seen some progress in systemic changes,
including current promised increases in staffing levels for frontline
social workers, we also see the need to further integrate Foster Parents
into the state system. The experience and wisdom Foster Parents could
bring to the ongoing reforms would be sure to bring increased
possibility for success.
The Foster Children of the
State of Washington cannot wait. Foster children quickly grow up to be
citizens of our state. Their lives are in all of our hands.
Foster Parents are choosing to
work collectively and actively toward a new day for Foster Families in
the State of Washington. We hope you will understand our choice and
work with us toward a better future.
Sincerely,
The FPAWS Board of Directors
Steve Baxter
Daniele Baxter
Beth Canfield
Mike Canfield
Tess Thomas
Ginger Schutt
Mary McGauhey
Daryl Daugs
Susan Moore
Tim Znamenacek
Shelley Znamenacek
Dear FPAWS Members and friends,
We are writing to report
on some big changes that have happened within our organization in the
past few months. In November, DSHS awarded the service contract for
Foster Parent Retention to another organization through a process of
bids. Since this was the major source of funding for our Liaison Program
and the Foster Intervention Retention Support Team (FIRST), we have
discontinued those services. While these changes are difficult, they
also provide an enormous opportunity for FPAWS to refocus and reinvent
our organization.
As you know, this
organization is widely respected for our advocacy for foster families
and children. We have been assigned a seat on the new eight-member
Commission on Children in Foster Care established by the Supreme Court
of Washington. The commission is “to monitor and report on the extent
to which child welfare programs and courts are responsive to the needs
of the children in their joint care; to make recommendations for
systemic improvements; and to broaden public awareness of and support
for meeting the needs of vulnerable children and families.” Your input
is critical to the representation and recommendations needed to affect
any implementation.
Darlene Flowers has left
FPAWS. Darlene has started her own business as a foster care consultant.
FPAWS would certainly not be where it is today without Darlene’s
vision and leadership. We wish her the best in her new endeavors.
We will continue to
provide support and assistance to foster parents through our 24-hr
FPAWS Line 800-391-Care or 1-800-391-2273.
As always, this FPAWS Line will continue to be answered by the
friendly, supportive and informative voice of Ruth Graham or a member of
her team.
We have developed a Five
Year Strategic Plan and are working to recruit additional Directors with
specific skills; Fundraising/Grant writing; Community Leaders; Legal
Background; Experience as Adoptive or Foster Parents; who have concern
for the Foster and Adoptive families of Washington State. The Board
welcomes new Directors, Tony Collis, Melissa Hertel, Christin Kundert,
Mary McGauhey, Beth Canfield, Mike Canfield and Daryl Daugs.
For more information on
the Board of Directors and how to self-nominate or nominate a Board
member see our Web Site. Or call Steve and Daniele Baxter,
Co-Presidents. 1-360-754-3953.
This is a time of growth
for FPAWS and the voice of Foster and Adoptive families. With our
tremendous amount of collective knowledge and experience we will
continue to advocate for Foster and Adoptive families. Please support
your local and state foster parent associations. We ask you to renew
your membership, send donations, and support us by communicating your
needs; help us effectively represent foster and adoptive families.
Thank you for your
continuing support of FPAWS and for all you are doing for the children
in your care.
Your FPAWS Board of Directors
