Youth Perspective
Blog

By ShelliG99 — Aug 8, 2018

“Just give it another try.” I heard it many times. Sibling visits were something I despised. My siblings had been precious to me in the moment of removal from our home, but prior to that I wanted nothing to do with them. I loved them with my entire... Read more

Tagged:
Sibling separation
Youth Perspective
Blog

By YeshiV — Aug 7, 2018

Failed Adoption wasn't the end of my story! It was the beginning of having my dreams come true. Child welfare calls an adoption that ends before it is finalized a disrupted adoption. My adoption was finalized and later dissolved through an adoption... Read more

Tagged:
Adoption
Youth Perspective
Blog

By 18saujaz — Aug 6, 2018

Sibling (noun) - A partner in crime; an individual who holds your secrets. This is a definition I wish I would have been able to connect to. A wise person once told me that siblings are made to walk with you your whole life. Oftentimes... Read more

Tagged:
Family relationships
Sibling separation
Youth Perspective
Blog

By YeshiV — Jul 25, 2018

I was ready to be taught about health care my whole life, but it felt like the system was saying, “ain’t nobody got time for that!” Soon after entering foster care at age 16, I ended up in the hospital for a week and had too many... Read more

Tagged:
Health care
Youth Perspective
Blog

By shannonsymonds — Jul 19, 2018

Without Medicaid, a visit to a University Physician may cost me hundreds of dollars because of a legislative glitch. When Congress voted to allow all youth to remain on their parent’s health insurance until age 26, they also granted Medicaid to... Read more

Tagged:
Health care
Youth Perspective
Blog

By shannonsymonds — Jul 18, 2018

Thirty-three days is all it took to revoke the opportunities that I was promised for so many years. I was in foster care from the age of 11 until 33 days before my 18th birthday when my caseworker reunified me with my family. I had always worried I... Read more

Youth Perspective
Blog

By APetite1 — Jun 4, 2018

As long as I can remember, I have been in DCF care. I remember every year my parents would switch off custody of me on a regular basis. My mother was amazing. I remember always wanting to tell her that I was gay but just couldn’t muster the courage... Read more

Tagged:
LGBTQ youth
Youth Perspective
Blog

By APetite1 — May 16, 2018

We're excited to welcome our Level II All-Star Interns to Seaside to kick off our All-Star Internship! Hear directly from the team below in their message to the 2018 All-Stars: Your Level II interns here! The three of us were All-Stars in 2014 and... Read more

Youth Perspective
Blog

By shannonsymonds — Apr 25, 2018

Foster care inherently involves confusion, being overwhelmed, and difficulties learning life skills if a youth transitions a lot during their time in care. I definitely am one of those youth. One life skill that I wish I was taught is keeping my... Read more

Tagged:
Health care
Youth Perspective
Blog

By Cody Rivera — Feb 19, 2018

After a knee blow-out, Cody was faced with a difficult choice: face surgery alone, or move to family and lose health care coverage? Life’s challenges test the strongest people and as a former foster youth, I am no exception. I almost missed one of... Read more

Tagged:
Health care