Ohio Youth Advisory Board

Our mission: We exist to be the knowledgeable statewide voice that influences policies and

practices that effect all youth who have or will experience out of home care.

2014 Ohio YAB Focus Areas

• Outreach and Policy • Transitional Housing• Education• Youth Voice in Court• Independent Living Preparation• Employment

Outreach and Policy OHIO YAB President (Stark County)

Focus Areas:1. Youth voice on statewide

discussions of Foster Care to 21

2. Outreach to Ohio counties that don’t have a local Youth Advisory Board

3. YAB promotion and involvement in

conferences this year.

Building More Boards:

Reaching out regionally

1. What would it look like? 2. Would youth be allowed to leave foster care and then come back again? 3. What level of freedom will youth in foster care between ages 18-21 receive? 4. Will there be coaching and additional preparation for youth?5. What will the response be for emancipated foster youth calling in a time of crisis?

Focus Areas:1. Best Practice: Promote

existing Ohio transitional housing models.

2. Advocate for additional transitional housing options, and youth awareness of existing resources.

3. Address Eligibility Barriers

Transitional HousingOHIO YAB Vice President (Cuyahoga County)

1.) Assisted in facilitating Kick-off of the Youth and Alumni Taskforce to End Youth Homelessness in Cincinnati.

2.) Compiling a list of transitional housing resources.

3.) Partnering with a Place 4 Me in Cleveland.

Transitional HousingProgress on Goals

Focus Areas:1. Supporting Ohio Reach

Campus Liaison training

2. Promoting Best Practices for Custodial Agencies to Support Youth’s Educational Success

3. Educational Mentoring Model: (a.) middle school mentee, (b.) high school/college

advisor, (c.) adult mentor

EducationOHIO YAB Media Spokesman (Franklin County)

1.) Staff at residential facilities should be trauma-informed, and skilled to assist youth in dealing with their triggers.

2.) Youth who are placed in residential facilities should be informed of their personal rights, and who to contact if they feel physically unsafe.

4.) Residential facilities should separate out youth who are suicidal from youth who are physically violent.

5.) Residential facilities should provide a distinction between tweens (ages 12-14) with teens (ages 15-17). Their developmental needs are different.

6.) Current residential policies be reviewed with input from current and/or former foster youth, including their policies on seclusion, staff training and independent living preparation.

Advocating for Youth in Residential PlacementsYouth-Developed Recommendations

Focus Areas:1. Expanding pilot of youth

developed discharge form

2. Promote youth voice in court

3. Legal Symposium being planned for 2015

Youth Voice in CourtOHIO YAB Parliamentarian (Lorain County)

1.) Met with GAL2.) Met with judges3.) Glossary of

Court Language4.) Teaching future

GAL class.5.) The needs of all

youth matter.

Youth Voice in CourtProgress on Goals

LGBTQA Youth in CareOhio Pride

Moving forward in 2014:1. Statewide IL curriculum2. Online Independent

Living Clearinghouse of Resoruces

3. Compile and share youth input about IL challenges, Best Practices and recommendations for the future

Independent Living PreparationOHIO YAB Secretary (Allen County)

OYAB Moving Forward in 2014: Workforce

Promote Best Practices:

1. Connecting the Dots2. Individual Development

Accounts (IDAs)3. Overcoming barriers to

foster youth having a savings account.