HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Hofstra Law students are co-organizing a national summit on the implementation a new federal statute pertaining to youth transitioning out of foster care. Held in conjunction with the American Bar Association Youth at Risk Commission and Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, this all-day event will be held on Friday, April 16, 2010.
Titled “Charting a Better Future for Youth: A National Summit on Effective Implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success Act,” this conference will convene more than 100 of the nation's child-welfare leaders and experts for a dialogue on effective implementation of new federal laws meant to address the needs of youth transitioning foster care.
The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, signed in October 2008, provides federal resources to help states support transitioning foster youth beyond age 18. The goal of the joint summit is to develop a set of recommendations and best practices that state and national leaders can use to implement the statute.
“I am so proud of our students and the cutting-edge work they are doing on this vital issue,” said Dean Nora V. Demleitner. “Their passion for, and commitment to, improving the lives of youth aging out of foster care will have a lasting impact as states develop and implement new foster-care-transition policies in the coming years.”
Nine Hofstra Law students are spearheading organizational details for the conference, including event scheduling, reporting and note-taking during the conference, and helping the facilitators draft an all-inclusive report detailing the summit's conclusions. The report ultimately will serve as a model for implementing the new statute.
Hofstra Law students are also coordinating efforts to include young adults who recently aged out of foster care in the conference. These attendees will play a critical role in determining best practices for helping other generations with their transitions.
Keynote speakers will include Re. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., an original co-sponsor of the fostering connections legislation; Carmen R. Nazario, assistant secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Judith Kaye, retired chief judge of the state of New York. ABA President Carolyn B. Lamm will present remarks at the summit's kickoff reception on April 15. For more information about the event and how to request press credentials, visit the
ABA Web site.
