Seattle—A unique Seattle-based program that provides help to children in foster care will be the focus of a tour today by Mayor Greg Nickels and visiting Anchorage, Alaska Mayor Mark Begich, who hopes to replicate the success of the program in his city.
Nickels and Casey Family Programs president and CEO William C. Bell hosted Begich and a delegation of community leaders from Anchorage at the Seattle agency Treehouse, which is the only organization in the U.S to provide foster children with both educational services to help them succeed in school and enrichment activities that allow them to fully participate in the experience of being a child.
Seattle is nationally known for its work providing innovative, high-quality services to children in foster care and improving child welfare systems around the country. Seattle is home to Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest operating foundation dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care; Treehouse, one of the country’s leading organizations helping children in foster care and the Mockingbird Society, an advocacy organization working on reforming of the foster youth and child welfare system.
“Supporting and maintaining a strong foster care system is a challenge for every community,” Mayor Begich said. “I'm looking forward to learning what I can about Treehouse and bringing some good ideas and solutions back to Alaska.”
“Improving the lives of children in foster care is key to the future vitality of Seattle and other cities,” said Mayor Nickels. “We are pleased to share the successful Treehouse model with our neighbors in Anchorage.”
“Casey Family Programs and Treehouse are working to bring strong and lasting change for youth in foster care,” said Bell. “Change requires a commitment from businesses, politicians, foundations, schools, and each one of us to work together to strengthen families and protect children from abuse and neglect.”
Nationally, there are approximately 513,000 children in foster care. In 2007, there were 10,243 children in Washington in foster homes, congregate care, or living with relatives. In Alaska, almost 8,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect and over 2,000 are in foster care.
Casey Family Programs is working with child welfare systems across the nation to reduce the number of children in care in half by the year 2020. The 2020 strategy also works to improve the path to self-sufficiency for youth in foster care through a focus on education, employment, and mental health.
Overall, children in foster care struggle academically. Only 54 percent of young adults who leave foster care complete high school. Last year Treehouse served 4,400 foster children, including 13,000 hours of academic assistance through in-school and after-school tutoring programs
"We know what we do at Treehouse is unique and we know that it works,” said Janis Avery, Executive Director of Treehouse. “It is very exciting to share our knowledge and 20 years experience with another city that is developing community strategies to help foster children thrive."
Among those traveling with Begich are Alaska Court System Master William Hitchcock, Alaska State House Representative Les Gara, and Amanda Metivier, president of Facing Foster Care in Alaska.