Over the past five years, the number of young people in foster care in Ohio has been reduced by 2K -- but the number of youth in congregate care has barely changed at all.
Just last Friday, OHIO YAB Youth Ambassador Yalonda shared her experience of being placed in a series of unsafe congregate care placements, running away, being placed in juvenile detention, and then being placed in another residential placement.
She shared her insights on Monday with a legislative aide, who responded that:
- “It’s easy for us to just sit in cubicles and make policies, but we need to listen to the voices of youth.”
- “Too often for teens, there is no plan and no strategy; it’s just shuffling kids around.”
- “The system is overloaded and playing whack-a-mole."
- “A runaway child is not a criminal.”
- “Keep sharing your voice, Yalonda - if you stop, we all lose."
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