well yes as a Caroline said I’m Robert Brown and I’m the executive director of
Brown and I’m the executive director of
Brown and I’m the executive director of a nonprofit called young lives redeemed
a nonprofit called young lives redeemed
a nonprofit called young lives redeemed and prior to founding young lives
and prior to founding young lives
and prior to founding young lives redeemed I as Caroline said I was an
redeemed I as Caroline said I was an
redeemed I as Caroline said I was an attorney at an international
attorney at an international
attorney at an international transactions attorney I I worked and
transactions attorney I I worked and
transactions attorney I I worked and lived in London I worked and lived in
lived in London I worked and lived in
lived in London I worked and lived in Tokyo and also in Los Angeles in Orange
Tokyo and also in Los Angeles in Orange
Tokyo and also in Los Angeles in Orange County during that time I also work with
County during that time I also work with
County during that time I also work with at-risk youth primarily foster youth for
at-risk youth primarily foster youth for
at-risk youth primarily foster youth for about 30 years and the foster youth that
about 30 years and the foster youth that
about 30 years and the foster youth that I work with grew up in what’s called
I work with grew up in what’s called
I work with grew up in what’s called institutionalized care rather than with
institutionalized care rather than with
institutionalized care rather than with foster families and at 18 foster youth
foster families and at 18 foster youth
foster families and at 18 foster youth generally emancipate that’s a term that
generally emancipate that’s a term that
generally emancipate that’s a term that refers to the legal process of no longer
refers to the legal process of no longer
refers to the legal process of no longer being awarded the court and at that time
being awarded the court and at that time
being awarded the court and at that time foster youth are sort of turned out into
foster youth are sort of turned out into
foster youth are sort of turned out into the world they have no family they have
the world they have no family they have
the world they have no family they have no support structure and they have very
no support structure and they have very
no support structure and they have very few available resources I don’t know if
few available resources I don’t know if
few available resources I don’t know if any of you here could imagine you know
any of you here could imagine you know
any of you here could imagine you know what that would be like if you’re a
what that would be like if you’re a
what that would be like if you’re a young person not ready to graduate from
young person not ready to graduate from
young person not ready to graduate from high school or if you’re a parent here
high school or if you’re a parent here
high school or if you’re a parent here or what that might be like for your
or what that might be like for your
or what that might be like for your child if that were to happen to them the
child if that were to happen to them the
child if that were to happen to them the statistics regarding foster youth are
statistics regarding foster youth are
statistics regarding foster youth are very grim only approximately one to two
very grim only approximately one to two
very grim only approximately one to two percent of foster youth group ever
percent of foster youth group ever
percent of foster youth group ever graduate from college some estimates as
graduate from college some estimates as
graduate from college some estimates as high as eighty five percent are there
high as eighty five percent are there
high as eighty five percent are there that 85 are some estimates estimated as
that 85 are some estimates estimated as
that 85 are some estimates estimated as high as eighty five percent of foster
high as eighty five percent of foster
high as eighty five percent of foster youth within two to three years of
youth within two to three years of
youth within two to three years of emancipation will be incarcerated
emancipation will be incarcerated
emancipation will be incarcerated homeless or institutionalized the the
homeless or institutionalized the the
homeless or institutionalized the the extremely grim reality is that some of
extremely grim reality is that some of
extremely grim reality is that some of the primary reason for this is that
the primary reason for this is that
the primary reason for this is that about that same period of time two to
about that same period of time two to
about that same period of time two to three years for emancipation about
three years for emancipation about
three years for emancipation about twenty twenty-one many foster youth
twenty twenty-one many foster youth
twenty twenty-one many foster youth experience the symptoms of onset of
experience the symptoms of onset of
experience the symptoms of onset of mental illness
mental illness
mental illness mental illness like post-traumatic
mental illness like post-traumatic
mental illness like post-traumatic stress disorder depression anxiety some
stress disorder depression anxiety some
stress disorder depression anxiety some personality disorders these are directly
personality disorders these are directly
personality disorders these are directly related to the trauma that they suffered
related to the trauma that they suffered
related to the trauma that they suffered as children the abuse and neglect they
as children the abuse and neglect they
as children the abuse and neglect they attempt to self-medicate these mental
attempt to self-medicate these mental
attempt to self-medicate these mental illness symptoms with alcohol and drugs
illness symptoms with alcohol and drugs
illness symptoms with alcohol and drugs and I watch this happen sort of from the
and I watch this happen sort of from the
and I watch this happen sort of from the sidelines feeling somewhat helpless so a
sidelines feeling somewhat helpless so a
sidelines feeling somewhat helpless so a few years ago I decided to do something
few years ago I decided to do something
few years ago I decided to do something and I started young lives redeemed to
and I started young lives redeemed to
and I started young lives redeemed to fulfill our mission which is to connect
fulfill our mission which is to connect
fulfill our mission which is to connect emancipated foster you with
emancipated foster you with
emancipated foster you with trauma-informed mental health care and
trauma-informed mental health care and
trauma-informed mental health care and addiction recovery we do for we work in
addiction recovery we do for we work in
addiction recovery we do for we work in four areas the first area is advocacy we
four areas the first area is advocacy we
four areas the first area is advocacy we try to change dysfunctional laws that
try to change dysfunctional laws that
try to change dysfunctional laws that are already on the books or we work with
are already on the books or we work with
are already on the books or we work with legislators and lobbyists to try to pass
legislators and lobbyists to try to pass
legislators and lobbyists to try to pass new laws that benefit former foster
new laws that benefit former foster
new laws that benefit former foster youth we also do outreach and engagement
youth we also do outreach and engagement
youth we also do outreach and engagement every week we go and we visit the jails
every week we go and we visit the jails
every week we go and we visit the jails we also go to neighborhoods where
we also go to neighborhoods where
we also go to neighborhoods where homeless foster youth are known to
homeless foster youth are known to
homeless foster youth are known to congregate and we reach out to them we
congregate and we reach out to them we
congregate and we reach out to them we seek to build trusting relationships
seek to build trusting relationships
seek to build trusting relationships which is something that they’re not
which is something that they’re not
which is something that they’re not really familiar with because in their
really familiar with because in their
really familiar with because in their lives the people they were supposed to
lives the people they were supposed to
lives the people they were supposed to be able to trust that pretty much let
be able to trust that pretty much let
be able to trust that pretty much let them down when we gain their trust we
them down when we gain their trust we
them down when we gain their trust we try to bring them into our program and
try to bring them into our program and
try to bring them into our program and we offer them a way to turn their lives
we offer them a way to turn their lives
we offer them a way to turn their lives around the third area in which we work
around the third area in which we work
around the third area in which we work is case management so if a fuss muth
is case management so if a fuss muth
is case management so if a fuss muth comes into our program we start them on
comes into our program we start them on
comes into our program we start them on a path a three-stage what we call
a path a three-stage what we call
a path a three-stage what we call wellness program the first stage is to
wellness program the first stage is to
wellness program the first stage is to offer the foster youth an opportunity to
offer the foster youth an opportunity to
offer the foster youth an opportunity to go to inpatient therapeutic care the
go to inpatient therapeutic care the
go to inpatient therapeutic care the predominant majority of our clients come
predominant majority of our clients come
predominant majority of our clients come to us from homelessness and our
to us from homelessness and our
to us from homelessness and our homelessness related incarceration it’s
homelessness related incarceration it’s
homelessness related incarceration it’s homelessness related because they are
homelessness related because they are
homelessness related because they are given misdemeanor tickets relating to
given misdemeanor tickets relating to
given misdemeanor tickets relating to their homelessness and then because they
their homelessness and then because they
their homelessness and then because they don’t have an address and they don’t
don’t have an address and they don’t
don’t have an address and they don’t have a job and they’re gonna have any
have a job and they’re gonna have any
have a job and they’re gonna have any money they can’t pay these fines
money they can’t pay these fines
money they can’t pay these fines something that you and I would do if we
something that you and I would do if we
something that you and I would do if we got a ticket and so it goes to what’s
got a ticket and so it goes to what’s
got a ticket and so it goes to what’s called bench warrant they get when they
called bench warrant they get when they
called bench warrant they get when they get pulled over by a policeman policeman
get pulled over by a policeman policeman
get pulled over by a policeman policeman runs their record sees that they have a
runs their record sees that they have a
runs their record sees that they have a bench war it takes them in they usually
bench war it takes them in they usually
bench war it takes them in they usually serve three to six months so they’re
serve three to six months so they’re
serve three to six months so they’re coming to us from as I said homelessness
coming to us from as I said homelessness
coming to us from as I said homelessness or homelessness or related incarceration
or homelessness or related incarceration
or homelessness or related incarceration and they have a certain psychosis
and they have a certain psychosis
and they have a certain psychosis relating to having lived on the street
relating to having lived on the street
relating to having lived on the street and having to live in fear for their
and having to live in fear for their
and having to live in fear for their safety to not know where they’re going
safety to not know where they’re going
safety to not know where they’re going to sleep at night and not know where
to sleep at night and not know where
to sleep at night and not know where they’re going to get food and so we find
they’re going to get food and so we find
they’re going to get food and so we find that they really need that stability and
that they really need that stability and
that they really need that stability and that structure of an inpatient
that structure of an inpatient
that structure of an inpatient therapeutic program which will help them
therapeutic program which will help them
therapeutic program which will help them begin to stabilize and also to heal
begin to stabilize and also to heal
begin to stabilize and also to heal their unresolved childhood trauma once
their unresolved childhood trauma once
their unresolved childhood trauma once they’ve completed the therapeutic
they’ve completed the therapeutic
they’ve completed the therapeutic component of our program they transition
component of our program they transition
component of our program they transition into stage two which is an intensive
into stage two which is an intensive
into stage two which is an intensive outpatient program or they continue
outpatient program or they continue
outpatient program or they continue receiving their individual therapy and
receiving their individual therapy and
receiving their individual therapy and their group therapy and also therapies
their group therapy and also therapies
their group therapy and also therapies around healing that unresolved childhood
around healing that unresolved childhood
around healing that unresolved childhood trauma when they stabilized in that
trauma when they stabilized in that
trauma when they stabilized in that setting we move them into an independent
setting we move them into an independent
setting we move them into an independent living setting where they begin to
living setting where they begin to
living setting where they begin to reengage with society and that
reengage with society and that
reengage with society and that reengagement can and can take a several
reengagement can and can take a several
reengagement can and can take a several form one form would be that they could
form one form would be that they could
form one form would be that they could go back to school I would say that most
go back to school I would say that most
go back to school I would say that most of our clients actually started off in
of our clients actually started off in
of our clients actually started off in community college or some kind of school
community college or some kind of school
community college or some kind of school setting and then with the onset of the
setting and then with the onset of the
setting and then with the onset of the mental health symptoms you know they
mental health symptoms you know they
mental health symptoms you know they dropped out if they don’t want to go
dropped out if they don’t want to go
dropped out if they don’t want to go back to school we engage them in a
back to school we engage them in a
back to school we engage them in a vocational program where they can learn
vocational program where they can learn
vocational program where they can learn trade they don’t want to do that we can
trade they don’t want to do that we can
trade they don’t want to do that we can connect them with one of our partner
connect them with one of our partner
connect them with one of our partner programs and some sort of a job training
programs and some sort of a job training
programs and some sort of a job training and an apprentice apprenticeship or a
and an apprentice apprenticeship or a
and an apprentice apprenticeship or a journey them finally we can also assist
journey them finally we can also assist
journey them finally we can also assist them in finding living wage employment
them in finding living wage employment
them in finding living wage employment we typically don’t try to connect former
we typically don’t try to connect former
we typically don’t try to connect former foster youth with a minimum wage
foster youth with a minimum wage
foster youth with a minimum wage employment because in Southern
employment because in Southern
employment because in Southern California trying to live on a minimum
California trying to live on a minimum
California trying to live on a minimum wage without any kind of support is
wage without any kind of support is
wage without any kind of support is basically just another pathway to
basically just another pathway to
basically just another pathway to homelessness I’d like to describe for
homelessness I’d like to describe for
homelessness I’d like to describe for you
you
you of our clients I going to change the
of our clients I going to change the
of our clients I going to change the names to protect their privacy the first
names to protect their privacy the first
names to protect their privacy the first one is a young man named tom tom was one
one is a young man named tom tom was one
one is a young man named tom tom was one of five children born to a mother who
of five children born to a mother who
of five children born to a mother who made kids with three different fathers
made kids with three different fathers
made kids with three different fathers and he was taken as a small child and
and he was taken as a small child and
and he was taken as a small child and initially placed in a foster home as he
initially placed in a foster home as he
initially placed in a foster home as he got older and it is very typical he
got older and it is very typical he
got older and it is very typical he moved into what’s called a group home
moved into what’s called a group home
moved into what’s called a group home setting which is a six-bed facility
setting which is a six-bed facility
setting which is a six-bed facility single gender very typical for
single gender very typical for
single gender very typical for adolescent foster youth he did graduate
adolescent foster youth he did graduate
adolescent foster youth he did graduate from college and on graduation he
from college and on graduation he
from college and on graduation he started taking community college classes
started taking community college classes
started taking community college classes also worked at a local hotel was able to
also worked at a local hotel was able to
also worked at a local hotel was able to get a car and things were things were
get a car and things were things were
get a car and things were things were kind of humming along however as I said
kind of humming along however as I said
kind of humming along however as I said within about two to three years of
within about two to three years of
within about two to three years of turning 18 he began to experience the
turning 18 he began to experience the
turning 18 he began to experience the onset of some mental health issues his
onset of some mental health issues his
onset of some mental health issues his PTSD having panic attacks and night
PTSD having panic attacks and night
PTSD having panic attacks and night terrors a very difficult time focusing
terrors a very difficult time focusing
terrors a very difficult time focusing he began self-medicating with a
he began self-medicating with a
he began self-medicating with a methamphetamine and lost the job lost
methamphetamine and lost the job lost
methamphetamine and lost the job lost the housing dropped out of school became
the housing dropped out of school became
the housing dropped out of school became homeless we reached out to him and
homeless we reached out to him and
homeless we reached out to him and encouraged him to work with us and allow
encouraged him to work with us and allow
encouraged him to work with us and allow us to help him he went to a treatment
us to help him he went to a treatment
us to help him he went to a treatment and therapeutic treatment facility in
and therapeutic treatment facility in
and therapeutic treatment facility in Arizona he’s recently moved from the
Arizona he’s recently moved from the
Arizona he’s recently moved from the from the inpatient part of the program
from the inpatient part of the program
from the inpatient part of the program to an intensive outpatient and I speak
to an intensive outpatient and I speak
to an intensive outpatient and I speak with him frequently on the phone and
with him frequently on the phone and
with him frequently on the phone and it’s a very gratifying he tells me that
it’s a very gratifying he tells me that
it’s a very gratifying he tells me that he first started using alcohol and
he first started using alcohol and
he first started using alcohol and smoking marijuana at about 11 years of
smoking marijuana at about 11 years of
smoking marijuana at about 11 years of age he’s 23 now so this means for the
age he’s 23 now so this means for the
age he’s 23 now so this means for the first time in 12 years he’s gone for a
first time in 12 years he’s gone for a
first time in 12 years he’s gone for a prolonged period without using alcohol
prolonged period without using alcohol
prolonged period without using alcohol or drugs and he says it’s absolutely
or drugs and he says it’s absolutely
or drugs and he says it’s absolutely wonderful to sort of experience life and
wonderful to sort of experience life and
wonderful to sort of experience life and feel feelings and be able to engage with
feel feelings and be able to engage with
feel feelings and be able to engage with other people and relationship
other people and relationship
other people and relationship and to work at building trust and
and to work at building trust and
and to work at building trust and something he said that he learned while
something he said that he learned while
something he said that he learned while he was in treatment which is taking
he was in treatment which is taking
he was in treatment which is taking suggestion previously people would say
suggestion previously people would say
suggestion previously people would say why don’t you do this and why don’t you
why don’t you do this and why don’t you
why don’t you do this and why don’t you do that and he’d kind of look at them
do that and he’d kind of look at them
do that and he’d kind of look at them and say you know you don’t know me and
and say you know you don’t know me and
and say you know you don’t know me and you don’t know what I’ve been through
you don’t know what I’ve been through
you don’t know what I’ve been through and you don’t know my life and it was
and you don’t know my life and it was
and you don’t know my life and it was very difficult to allow people to help
very difficult to allow people to help
very difficult to allow people to help him but now he’s learning to take
him but now he’s learning to take
him but now he’s learning to take suggestions from other people
suggestions from other people
suggestions from other people particularly people that he’s learning
particularly people that he’s learning
particularly people that he’s learning to trust and he’s we really believe that
to trust and he’s we really believe that
to trust and he’s we really believe that we’ve set him on a new course of a new
we’ve set him on a new course of a new
we’ve set him on a new course of a new path of life giving him a chance at
path of life giving him a chance at
path of life giving him a chance at health and happiness the second youth
health and happiness the second youth
health and happiness the second youth I’d like to describe to you is a young
I’d like to describe to you is a young
I’d like to describe to you is a young man named Jimmy on Jimmy is somebody
man named Jimmy on Jimmy is somebody
man named Jimmy on Jimmy is somebody that’s awaiting help from our program he
that’s awaiting help from our program he
that’s awaiting help from our program he has been in and out of homelessness
has been in and out of homelessness
has been in and out of homelessness related incarceration he was one of nine
related incarceration he was one of nine
related incarceration he was one of nine children of born to a mom who had five
children of born to a mom who had five
children of born to a mom who had five different five different fathers for for
different five different fathers for for
different five different fathers for for her kids she struggled with addiction
her kids she struggled with addiction
her kids she struggled with addiction all her life Jimmy’s father struggled
all her life Jimmy’s father struggled
all her life Jimmy’s father struggled with addiction and been in and out of
with addiction and been in and out of
with addiction and been in and out of jail his entire life and but things sort
jail his entire life and but things sort
jail his entire life and but things sort of look good for Jimmy when he was 18 he
of look good for Jimmy when he was 18 he
of look good for Jimmy when he was 18 he emancipated he moved into transitional
emancipated he moved into transitional
emancipated he moved into transitional housing he started community college and
housing he started community college and
housing he started community college and was earning A’s and B’s uh he worked at
was earning A’s and B’s uh he worked at
was earning A’s and B’s uh he worked at a local shopping mall as a security
a local shopping mall as a security
a local shopping mall as a security guard he had saved as a few thousand
guard he had saved as a few thousand
guard he had saved as a few thousand dollars in the bank he’d bought his own
dollars in the bank he’d bought his own
dollars in the bank he’d bought his own car for cash you know things were things
car for cash you know things were things
car for cash you know things were things were looking bright he was even
were looking bright he was even
were looking bright he was even recognized by a local agency as being
recognized by a local agency as being
recognized by a local agency as being sort of a superstar or foster youth that
sort of a superstar or foster youth that
sort of a superstar or foster youth that as I’ve described to you that 21 began
as I’ve described to you that 21 began
as I’ve described to you that 21 began to experience the onset of symptoms of
to experience the onset of symptoms of
to experience the onset of symptoms of mental illness lost the housing lost the
mental illness lost the housing lost the
mental illness lost the housing lost the job dropped out of school became
job dropped out of school became
job dropped out of school became homeless started self-medicating with
homeless started self-medicating with
homeless started self-medicating with alcohol and drugs I recently got a
alcohol and drugs I recently got a
alcohol and drugs I recently got a letter from Jimmy and I’d like to read
letter from Jimmy and I’d like to read
letter from Jimmy and I’d like to read it to you
I feel more and more nervous about the
I feel more and more nervous about the future it’s hard for me to remember
future it’s hard for me to remember
future it’s hard for me to remember thanks I feel really ashamed I’ve been
thanks I feel really ashamed I’ve been
thanks I feel really ashamed I’ve been reflecting on how I suddenly stopped
reflecting on how I suddenly stopped
reflecting on how I suddenly stopped talking with my little sister when she
talking with my little sister when she
talking with my little sister when she got adopted and I started ignoring her
got adopted and I started ignoring her
got adopted and I started ignoring her feelings I know she thinks I hate her I
feelings I know she thinks I hate her I
feelings I know she thinks I hate her I hope she forgives me I hate thinking of
hope she forgives me I hate thinking of
hope she forgives me I hate thinking of the reality that I did that to her it’s
the reality that I did that to her it’s
the reality that I did that to her it’s not cool I realized too that it’s all in
not cool I realized too that it’s all in
not cool I realized too that it’s all in my attitude and perception which have
my attitude and perception which have
my attitude and perception which have been messed up by the drugs I know this
been messed up by the drugs I know this
been messed up by the drugs I know this is where recovery will help me I want to
is where recovery will help me I want to
is where recovery will help me I want to change my reality I want to find it
change my reality I want to find it
change my reality I want to find it within me the inner fortitude and
within me the inner fortitude and
within me the inner fortitude and determination to change and never have
determination to change and never have
determination to change and never have to live my parents life I believe I can
to live my parents life I believe I can
to live my parents life I believe I can and right now I have to focus on right
and right now I have to focus on right
and right now I have to focus on right now and enjoy the journey and know that
now and enjoy the journey and know that
now and enjoy the journey and know that it’s a process in the beginning it will
it’s a process in the beginning it will
it’s a process in the beginning it will be new and difficult I also know that
be new and difficult I also know that
be new and difficult I also know that after the trials challenges pain ups and
after the trials challenges pain ups and
after the trials challenges pain ups and downs and poor choices if I’m successful
downs and poor choices if I’m successful
downs and poor choices if I’m successful I’ll become a better newer and happier
I’ll become a better newer and happier
I’ll become a better newer and happier person
[Applause]
[Applause] Oh young lies read Eames offers young
Oh young lies read Eames offers young
Oh young lies read Eames offers young people hand up not a handout and if
people hand up not a handout and if
people hand up not a handout and if you’re interested in learning more about
you’re interested in learning more about
you’re interested in learning more about what we do please visit our website at
what we do please visit our website at
what we do please visit our website at young lives redeemed dot org thank you
young lives redeemed dot org thank you
young lives redeemed dot org thank you [Applause]
”
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