About Rise

Founded in 2005 and led by parents impacted by the family policing system, Rise believes that parents have the answers for their families and communities. Our mission is to empower parents to be leaders and to create communities that invest in families and offer collective care, healing and support.

Rise continues to hold fast to a future vision of communities that are free from injustice, separation, and a society that is cultivating new ways of preventing and addressing harm. We imagine a radical commitment to ensuring that all families have what they need to live beyond survival and truly thrive. This new mission does not change that and it reflects the focus of Rise’s current work towards that ultimate vision.

We create safe spaces where impacted parents can reflect on their lives, connect with peers, learn about the family policing system’s history and policies, strengthen their writing, public speaking and advocacy skills, and mobilize their communities for justice.

Learn more about our vision and how you can get involved.

News

Rise Parent Leaders Deliver Keynote Address to ABA Parent Attorney Conference

April 27, 2017 by Rise

Rise parent leaders Nancy Fortunato and Jeanette Vega presented to 400 attorneys at the American Bar Association conference for parent attorneys on April 25. Here is the text of their speech:

Thank you for the opportunity to present about parents’ perspectives on family court.

The main thing we want you to hear today is that parents come into court feeling powerless. When our children are removed, we feel the ultimate in powerlessness.

To get our children back, we … Read More

Staff Training

Parent Toolkits: Setting Parents Up for Success

April 11, 2017 by Rise

VIDEO: Parent-to-Parent TIPS for Supervised Visits

Parents come to foster care agencies experiencing not only the trauma of losing their child but also the confusion of navigating a complex system. Parents must:

• Keep track of appointments at multiple agencies and in court;
• Understand the roles and expectations of professionals in their case;
• Believe they can meet these expectations.

Research shows that stress affects our ability to think and plan. Giving parents information both verbally and in writing … Read More

Parent Support Resources

Rise’s TIPS Approach to Supporting Parents in Supervised Visits

March 22, 2017 by Rise

Rise’s TIPS handouts, videos and posters offer parents clear information and peer guidance to navigate their cases, and provide frontline foster care professionals with tools to strengthen communication and trust with parents.

Developed in partnership with parents and frontline staff at three NYC foster care agencies–Graham Windham, JCCA and Sheltering Arms–our first set of TIPS focuses on visits. Rise has trained caseworkers, visit coaches and parents advocates to use the TIPS to orient parents when their children enter … Read More

Advocacy

Strengthening the System through Parent Voice – The more child welfare can support parents using their voices during their case, the better equipped they’ll be to solve problems down the road

December 14, 2016 by Jeanette Vega

This is a speech Jeanette gave at the Schuyler Center as part of a panel on innovations in child welfare reform.

Today I will talk to you about what’s needed in child welfare reform from a parent’s perspective. That is voice—parents having a powerful voice in their cases and in the system.

You might be thinking, why does a parent need a voice?

I’m sure you hear us all the time screaming, fighting and arguing at the agencies. … Read More

Partners

‘We’ve come to see Rise as an organization that’s very thoughtful about how to do sophisticated training with caseworkers that has a real impact.’

October 04, 2016 by Rise

Interview with Elizabeth McCarthy, CEO, and Jane Golden, Chief Program Officer at Sheltering Arms in New York City

Jane: For the past two years, our foster care staff have participated in writing groups led by Rise’s Editorial Director, Rachel Blustain. The group allowed the caseworkers to talk about what it’s like to do their job and to write stories about their experiences working with parents with children in foster care.

Elizabeth: We wanted to give staff an … Read More