Posts By: Rise

Getting Connected – A peer support group keeps at-risk newborns and mothers together

Reporting by Dominique Arrington and Jeanette Vega

Dealing with child welfare can be a scary and shameful experience. Mothers who become pregnant when they already have children in foster care feel particularly vulnerable, because their babies are at high risk of being removed right from the hospital.

In 2013, The Bronx Defenders, a New York City legal organization, created Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies to support these moms.

The program offers weekly support groups, advocacy and referrals. It even … Read More

Rise Releases 2015 Annual Report

Rise had an outstanding year in 2015! We celebrated our 10th anniversary–and doubled our budget. So many of you contributed to our success. Thank you.

Some highlights:

* Our parent leaders presented to 500 professionals in November, including Congressional staff, Bronx and Manhattan Family Court, ACS attorneys and new child protective staff.

* We ran our first writing workshop at a foster care agency, Graham Windham, as well as a workshop for frontline staff to reflect on their work … Read More

Someone to Turn To

Having no one to turn to makes parenting harder and increases the risk of child maltreatment. But until now, the federal government has mostly funded investigations and removals, without putting much money into supporting and strengthening families. Too often, what that teaches parents is to hide their problems rather than reach out for help.

This summer, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon introduced the Family Stability and Kinship Care Act, which would allow states to expand support … Read More

Rise Parent Leaders Meet With Congressional Staff About Preventive Family Supports

Rise parent leaders met with Congressional staff November 10 to educate them about the need to expand prevention so that children stay safe at home and out of foster care. At a lunch put together by Casey Family Programs and Children’s Village, four Rise parents described their experiences with foster care and preventive services; three of the parents had themselves grown up in foster care.

Senator Ron Wyden has sponsored a bill, the Family First Act, … Read More

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