FUSsa-talk Mailing List: Fw: YMF - success achieved, action needed!

[Carol Koepp (carolkoepp]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kirsten Anderson-Stembridge 
To: Kirsten Anderson-Stembridge ; mregan6264 [at] aol.com ; kuoppala [at] 
yahoo.com 
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 7:11 PM
Subject: YMF - success achieved, action needed!


Hello YMF Friends!

 

You have been busy! Updates galore and great need for action below:

 

  a.. Senate HHS Finance heard the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (SF969) - 
this fantastic achievement of being heard before Senator Berglin's committee - 
with excellent testimony from Susan Phillips of LSS Metro Youth Services and 
youth representative Hannah Kimbraugh - was made possible due to the diligent 
work from Sen. Dibble. The hearing was contingent upon our ability to identify 
and create language to steer fiscal stimulus dollars to fund essential parts of 
the RHY continuum (your ideas are always most welcome). 
 

Please extend your thanks to Senator Berglin (651.296.4261) her committee 
members 
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/committees/committee_bio.php?cmte_id=2002&ls=#members
 and Senator Dibble (sen.scott.dibble [at] senate.mn, 651.296.4191) our 
tireless chief author!

 

  a.. The Kulture Klub Collaborative exhibiting at the Capitol - North Hall! - 
The COST: Consider our Stories True exhibit art opening was held Monday 
afternoon and gathered many members of the YMF community, legislators and other 
fixtures of Capitol life who were drawn to find out what homeless youth had to 
say through art. This marvelous exhibit will be displayed again at the Capitol 
the week of April 20 as part of the OutFront MN week of activities. Stay tuned 
for more to come for the week of April 20! 
 

  a.. Runaway and Homeless Youth Act awarded $238,000 in the House Housing 
Finance omnibus - Rep. Clark's Housing Finance and Policy division reviewed 
their omnibus bill. The bill includes $238,000 in base funding for the Runaway 
and Homeless Youth Act for FY2010/2011 and $357,000 in base funding for 
FY2012/2013. The bill also makes explicit mention of homeless youth as a 
prioritized group for receipt of stimulus funds. Though far from the $8 million 
request we have promoted all session, we are grateful for the support from the 
committee this indicates. 
 

Please extend your thanks - and hopes for greater funding for the Runaway and 
Homeless Youth act: RHY Chief Author Rep. Rosenthal, (rep.paul.rosenthal [at] 
house.mn, 651-296-7803) committee chair Rep. Clark, (rep.karen.clark [at] 
house.mn, 651-296-0294) and housing committee members 
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committeemembers.asp?comm=86119  

 

  a.. Supports for youth aging out of care passed out of the House HHS Finance 
and Senate HHS Finance - this bill may travel on its own to for passage as a 
free standing bill.more yet to come on strategies to support this for a great 
victory in 2009 for youth who have aged (or run) out of care! The language was 
slightly amended to allow counties to support youth with services "to the 
extent funds are available" as a concession to county concerns. We feel very 
positively that this is a crucial step for Minnesota to take to recognize that 
you who age (or run) out of care are truly our kids - youth who we have a 
shared responsibility to support. Stay tuned - more excitement on the way for 
this important bill. 
 

LEGISLATIVE RECESS BEGINS NOW!! Please take this opportunity to engage those 
who have been named above. They deserve our thanks and our encouragement - and 
simply need to hear from us to motivate them to continue to pursue the right 
thing for youth. The legislature will return for much more fast and furious 
business beginning next Tuesday, April 14. 


Thank you for your excellent advocacy - clearly (see above) you are making 
great things happen! And before you take some well deserved rest, don't forget 
to encourage and thank our legislators!

 

Warmly,

Kirsten

 

Kirsten Anderson-Stembridge

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

kanderso [at] lssmn.org 

651.969.2354 

651.308.7765 - cell

 


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