Youth Voice Drives Policy and Legislative Change
Kala Clark is a shining example of fortitude and determination in response to life's daunting challenges. When she was a young teen, Kayla entered foster care and the custody of the State of Maine because of harm and threat of harm that she faced.
Kala's two younger brothers remained with her biological parent when Kala entered foster care. Her own words describe this impact. "They were always the biggest and best things in my life and when I was younger, they were a large part of my day. For almost a year after I came into foster care I would often wake up thinking that I had heard one of my brothers crying, that I needed to get them ready for school or day care or that I had forgotten to read Green Eggs and Ham to my little brother. But after a few minutes I'd remember that my brothers weren't with me. I didn't hear either of them crying and the only one that I had to get ready for school was myself."
Kala looked at the Department of Health and Human Services policy regarding sibling visitation and Maine's Child Protective Statute and found inconsistencies between the agency's policies and the state law. At the age of 15, Kala took the initiative to find or create a legal solution to enable sibling visitation. She began by writing Maine Governor John Baldacci, saying "I recommend that all siblings, whether in foster care or split between the original home and foster care, should be granted the time to enjoy each other's company."
The governor responded by requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner review her information and respond to her directly. This led to Kala's membership in Maine's Youth Leadership Advisory Team (YLAT). Staffed by members of the Children, Youth and Families program area at Muskie's Cutler Institute, YLAT is comprised of Maine youth in care, ages 14-21, engaged in the education of the government, general public, caregivers, and peers regarding the needs of children and young adults in the child welfare system. Advocating for positive changes in the child welfare system, YLAT members help develop, guide, and revise state policies in order to create safety, comfort, and opportunities for all youth in care.
Through YLAT, Kala has been an active participant and leader in local meetings, engaging in discussions about how to strengthen Maine's child welfare system through policy change and community education. She has engaged in community service and training events meant to strengthen the leadership team and her own capacity as a leader, and has shown an unwavering commitment to righting the wrongs that affect siblings in the child welfare system in Maine and nationally.
Staff from the DHHS Commissioners Office worked with Kala and YLAT to draft language for the legislative proposal. Once refined, LD #1682: An Act to Support Sibling Rights in Child Welfare Custody Matters was submitted for legislative consideration by the Maine Governor. Without Kala's efforts this bill would never have been conceptualized, the DHHS Commissioner would never have championed it and the Governor would never have submitted it.
Kala has advocated for a change in law that would codify siblings' rights to see one another. She has raised awareness and motivated many to reduce the harm inflicted by forced separation of siblings. This awareness has positively affected program planning, policies and evaluations. It has stirred care providers to be more proactive in making arrangements for sibling visitation and it has provided courage to other youth to voice their desire to see their brother or their sister.