Mockingbird Society

THE MOCKINGBIRD SOCIETY CREATES, SUPPORTS, AND ADVOCATES FOR RACIALLY EQUITABLE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS THAT DEVELOP AND EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK OF, OR WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, FOSTER CARE OR HOMELESSNESS. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, WE CHANGE POLICIES AND PERCEPTIONS STANDING BETWEEN ANY CHILD AND A SAFE, SUPPORTIVE AND STABLE HOME. WE ENVISION EACH YOUNG PERSON, REGARDLESS OF RACE OR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE, REACHING ADULTHOOD WITH AN EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.

MOCKINGBIRD'S YOUTH PROGRAMS IS A POWERFUL, STATE-WIDE COALITION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 13-26 WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED - OR ARE EXPERIENCING - FOSTER CARE AND/OR HOMELESSNESS. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, SYSTEM REFORM AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON FOSTER CARE AND HOMELESS YOUTH ISSUES. IN 2021, OVER 50 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS LOCAL CHAPTER MEETINGS, LEADERSHIP TRAININGS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS. THERE ARE SEVEN CHAPTERS; TWO IN SEATTLE, AND ONE IN TACOMA, EVERETT, OLYMPIA, YAKIMA AND SPOKANE. EACH CHAPTER'S YOUTH ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SHAPING AN ANNUAL SYSTEMIC REFORM AGENDA. YOUTH MEET REGULARLY WITH POLICYMAKERS, PARTICIPATE ON ISSUE WORK GROUPS, SPEAK AT COMMUNITY FORUMS AND OFFER CREATIVE IDEAS TO IMPROVE CHILD WELFARE AND HOMELESS YOUTH SYSTEMS BASED ON THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES, CHILD WELFARE, AND HOMELESS YOUTH SYSTEMS BASED ON O THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES.

MOCKINGBIRD FAMILYCREATES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRADITIONAL FOSTER CARE DELIVERY MODEL THAT IS EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING THE SUPPORTS ALL FOSTER FAMILIES NEED. MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY REFLECTS HOW CHILDREN WERE RAISED FOR GENERATIONS - BY CREATING STRONG, CULTURALLY RELEVANT EXTENDED FAMILY NETWORKS THAT KEEP CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THEIR IDENTITIES, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITIES. TO ACHIEVE THIS, IT CONNECTS SIX TO TEN FOSTER AND KINSHIP FAMILIES IN WHAT IS TERMED A CONSTELLATION, WITH A HUB HOME AT THE CENTER. HUB HOME PARENTS ARE EXPERIENCED, CERTIFIED FOSTER CARE PARENTS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH FOSTER FAMILIES IN THEIR CONSTELLATION. IN THESE CONSTELLATIONS, PARENTS AND YOUTH SUPPORT EACH OTHER, ALLOWING YOUTH IN CARE TO HAVE A MORE TYPICAL CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE WITH SUPPORT, SAFETY, AND COMMUNITY. MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY HAS BEEN SHOWN THROUGH EVALUATIONS TO RETAIN OVER 90% OF FOSTER FAMILIES, INCREASE SIBLING CONNECTIONS, AND IMPROVE THE WELL BEING OF FAMILIES AND YOUTH WHO TOUCH THE SYSTEM.IN 2021, THERE WERE 5 AGENCIES IN THE US WERE LICENSED TO USE MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 39 AGENCIES WORLDWIDE. IN WA, 98 FAMILIES AND 163 YOUTH RECEIVED SUPPORTS FROM A CONSTELLATION. ADDITIONALLY, ANOTHER 628 FAMILIES AND 1351 YOUTH RECEIVED SUPPORTS FROM CONSTELLATIONS IN THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY.

WORKING WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, THE MOCKINGBIRD SOCIETY'S PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR UPSTREAM SYSTEM REFORM. OVER OUR 20 YEAR HISTORY, WE HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN OVER 57 STATEWIDE POLICY CHANGES THAT HAVE POSITIVELY IMPACTED OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. IN THE 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED HB 1219, WHICH ESTABLISHES A RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR CHILDREN IN DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS AND WILL PHASE IN APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL OVER 6 YEARS TO ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH OVER AGE 8 IN DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS IN WASHINGTON. THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF ADVOCACY. ADDITIONALLY, WE SECURED $1.9M TO REVAMP TRANSITION PLANNING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM CURRICULUMS TO IMPROVE TRANSITIONS FROM STATE SYSTEMS OF CARE.