Bill Text: PA SR101 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Designating the month of May 2009 as "Foster Care Month" in Pennsylvania.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-04-28 - Introduced and adopted [SR101 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SR101-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 942
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 101 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY WASHINGTON, APRIL 28, 2009
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 28, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of May 2009 as "Foster Care Month" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Families are the primary source of love, identity,
self-esteem and support and the very foundation of our
communities and our State; and
WHEREAS, In this Commonwealth there are 20,925 children and
youths in foster care; and
WHEREAS, Foster families provide safe, secure and stable
homes, compassion and nurturing; and
WHEREAS, Some 60% of children with State agency involvement
in fiscal year 2005 were adopted by their foster parents, and
25% were adopted by relatives; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 556,000 children in foster care
in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Foster families open their homes and hearts to
children whose families are in crisis, helping children and
families heal and reconnect and launching children into
successful adulthood; and
WHEREAS, Of the young people leaving the foster care system,
59.5% were reunified with their birth parents or primary
caregivers; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated foster families frequently adopt foster
children, resulting in a greater need for more foster families;
and
WHEREAS, During the month of May the spotlight shines on the
children and teens, the foster families and the dedicated child
welfare professionals who make foster care work; and
WHEREAS, During the month of May we have an opportunity to
change the public perception that children in foster care are
the responsibility of someone else; and
WHEREAS, "National Foster Care Month" honors children and
youths in foster care and their foster families; and
WHEREAS, "National Foster Care Month" raises public awareness
of the need for more foster families, the need to keep siblings
in foster care together and the need to keep children in foster
care in their own communities and schools; and
WHEREAS, Our priorities must include recruiting and training
more foster parents, keeping children connected to their
extended family and supporting the foster families we have; and
WHEREAS, More public attention and resources must be focused
on those children in foster care who "age out" of the system;
and
WHEREAS, Numerous individuals and public and private
organizations work tirelessly to increase public awareness of
the needs of children in and leaving foster care; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of May 2009 as
"Foster Care Month" in Pennsylvania and urge all citizens to
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change lives by sharing their hearts and opening their homes to
help children in foster care and by supporting foster parents
and child welfare professionals.
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