Spring 2024 Newsletter - Foster Care

Foster Care Awareness Month

Greetings from NAPNAP Partners/The Alliance for Children in Foster Care (ACFC)

National Foster Care Awareness Month is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau designated in 1988 to highlight the important contribution foster families, child welfare professionals, volunteers and community members contribute to the care and advocacy for youth in foster care. This year’s campaign is “Engaging Youth, Building Supports, and Strengthening Opportunities” highlights the need to recognize and engage systems and persons that support young people as they prepare to leave foster care.

Children and Adolescents in Foster Care
The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY 2022 data indicates there are 368,530 youth in foster care (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2023).

The transition to adulthood is a time of great potential for all young people, but youth who exit foster care without permanence face increased barriers to a successful transition.

• 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system each year without a permanent family.
• It is estimated that 22% of employed youth who have experienced foster care do not earn enough to rise out of poverty; 71% earn less than $25,000 a year.
• Between one-quarter and one-third of youth and young adults experiencing homeless had a history of foster care.
• Services and supports must be responsive to the unique ways older youth enter, experience, and exit the foster care system. Cross-system collaboration can improve access to available supports.
• Young people must have equitable opportunities to build supportive, caring relationships with adults who support their education, career development, and employment goals.

Visit National Foster Care Month Key Facts and Statistics for more information on children and adolescents in foster care

The Alliance for Children in Foster Care

Our Vision

Our vision is for a world where all children in foster care receive continuous holistic healing to thrive in their home environment, school and beyond.

Our Mission

Our mission is to nurture a sense of belonging, connection, and safety for children in foster care by 1) empowering all pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses to incorporate trauma-informed health care as an essential set of services provided to all children in foster care and 2) promoting equitable and optimal growth and development.

Our Strategic Priorities – Two-Year Tiered Implementation

1. Education and Evidence-based Practice
2. Health Promotion and Early Intervention
3. Advocacy and Policy

May 2024 Strategic Priority Updates and Coming Attractions

• Education and Evidence-based Practice – We held our first train the trainer at NAPNAP’s national conference in March 2024.
• Advocacy and Policy – Completed our nationwide survey. Coming soon: four PedsTeam CEU modules on gaps in knowledge identified through the survey.
• Foster Care Toolkit – In progress. Be on the lookout for a new toolkit of valuable curated resources for health care providers.

Meet the Alliance for Children in Foster Care Champions

NAPNAP Partners thanks our dedicated volunteers for their tremendous work guiding efforts to achieve the goals laid out in the Alliance for Children in Trafficking Strategic Plan!

Champion Chair – Brigit VanGraafeiland, DNP, CRNP, CNE, FAAN, FAANP

Champion Co-Chair – Tracy Halasz, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

Champions –

Christina Quick, DNP, APRN, CPNPN-AC/PC, CHSE

Kelly Betts, EdD, APRN, CPNP-BC, CNE

Brittany Schnelle, MSN, APRN, CPNP-AC

Nancy Cavanaugh, MAT, MSN, CPNP-PC

Paula Barbel, PhD, CPNP-PC

Key Volunteers -

Alexandra Blumenthal Armstrong, MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC

Emma Buchele, BSN, RN

Kathleen Carr, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC

Christina Cwynar, DNP, CPNP-PC, PMHNP-BC, CPN

Jennifer Helman, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC/PC

Rachel Dudley, MSN, CPNP-PC

Therese Floyd, MSN, APN, CPNP-PC, CPN

Sara Jo Foley, APRN, FNP-C

Jean Mack-Fog, RN, MS, PNP-BC

Valerie Martinez, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

Maria Milazzo, PhD, CPNP-PC

Laurie Robinson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CPNP-PC, CLC

Elizabeth Schlappi, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Sarah Wilson MSN, CPNP-PC

If you are interested in volunteering, email Eileen Arnold-Ley at earnold@napnap.org.
 

Recent Articles and Presentations by Partners and Champions

Quick, Christina (2024). Fostering excellent care for vulnerable youth: Considerations for the child in foster care. Advances in Family Practice Nursing, 6, (1), 255-273

ACFC Chair Brigit VanGraafeiland, Co-Chair Tracy Halasz interview on “How NPs help children and youth in foster care”. Nursing Colleges, author Matt Zbrog

TeamPeds Talks Podcast Series: ACFC Chair Brigit VanGraafeiland, Co-Chair Tracy Halasz facilitated a 12-week pod cast series on Children in Foster Care featuring NAPNAP experts and stakeholders addressing key issues in pediatric physical, behavioral, and mental health for youth in foster care.

VanGraafeiland, B., Chiocca,E. Bouche, N, Dietzman, H., Perks, D., & Hornor G. Hornor. (2024). Position Statement on Child Maltreatment and Neglect. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, 38, (2), 285-28.

Position Statement: NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth Position Statement on the Heath Care and Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents in Foster Care authored by Christina Quick, Tracy Halasz, Nancy Cavanaugh, Kelly Betts & Brigit VanGraafeiland.

Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing Caring for nontraditional families: Kinship, foster and adoptive children authored by Karen Foli, Brigit VanGraafeiland, Julia Snethen & Cindy Greenberg

ACFC Co-chair Tracy Halasz led a session titled Fostering Hope: Navigating the Care of Children in Foster Care at NAPNAP’s 43rd National Conference on Pediatric Health Care.

Show Your Support

Donate

You can donate to our fundraising campaign to support our efforts. Proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Children in Foster Care, the Alliance for Children in Trafficking, and the Alliance to Prevent Youth Suicide. Your donations go directly to help engage and equip advanced practice nurses across the country to effectively respond to these vulnerable populations!

Facebook Fundraiser

Do you have a birthday or other special event coming up? Create a Facebook fundraiser and ask your friends to support NAPNAP Partners. Your generosity will be much appreciated!

NAPNAP Partners Founding Members - Thank You For Your Support!

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Academic Pediatric Association

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Association of Nurse Practitioners

American Nurses Association

American Organization of Nursing Leadership

American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association

Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Children’s Hospital Association

Emergency Nurses Association

HEAL Trafficking, Inc.

National Association of Hispanic Nurses-Illinois

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

National Association of School Nurses

National Nurse-Led Care Consortium

National Student Nurses’ Association

Organization for Associate Degree Nursing

Partnership for Male Youth

Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

School-Based Health Alliance

Shared Hope International

Society of Pediatric Nurses

National, state and local organizations focused on improving the health and safety of vulnerable children are welcome to become a partner of NAPNAP Partners or a supporter of the Alliance. There are no fees or dues to become a partner.

*Founding Partners: Please send your organization’s updates to info@napnappartners.org and we’ll be happy to include them in future newsletters.

NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth * 40 Exchange Place, Suite 1902, New York, NY 10005. NAPNAPpartners.org * (917) 746-8305 * info@napnappartners.org

NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth

40 Exchange Place, Suite 1902 | New York, NY 10005 | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe