Program Information
Across Washington State thousands of infants, children and adolescents depend on the Child Welfare System for their survival, growth and future. Approximately 12,000 of these children and adolescents are in the foster care/group care system with nearly half being school age.
- Changing foster homes multiple times is common to the children in foster care;
- 60% of adolescents in the foster care system do not graduate from high school;
- The psychological and medical needs of abused children are many and complex;
- Average rate of pay for staff working in group homes is $9.00 an hour;
- Attracting and retaining quality foster parents is based in quality support;
- Children's fatalities, youth homelessness and costly lawsuits are the results of an overwhelmed and under funded system.
As the tourist walked along the beach he noticed an old woman in the distance. She was picking something up and throwing it into the vast ocean. As he came closer he realized she was picking up starfish that would otherwise die in the low tide. “Old woman,” he said, “why do such futile work? For every one you save another hundred die. You can’t possibly save them.” The old woman was undeterred. She bent over, picked up another star fish, threw it safely back into the ocean waters, looked at the tourist and said: “Saved that one.”
The Mockingbird Society is a newly founded 501(c3) tax-exempt organization. The sole purpose is to improve the current and future lives of the children and adolescents nationwide who depend on the foster care/group home system. The staff members of the Mockingbird Society have years of quality experience designing effective and innovative community based programs for the nation’s most abused and troubled children.
In 1998 the founder of THE MOCKINGBIRD SOCIETY, Jim Theofelis, wrote proposed legislation titled The HOmeless Youth Prevention/Protection and Education Act (The HOPE Act). With the assistance of Senator James Hargrove, Senator Jeanne Long and many others the HOPE Act was unanimously passed as landmark legislation during the 1999 Washington State Legislature.
HOPE ACT WEBSITE:
www.goodfamilies.com/hopeact/