Better Together
After gathering research from over 40 foster care organizations around Alabama, Foster Coalition was established in March 2021 to unite local advocates of foster care to solve the crucial physical, emotional, and educational needs of the 5,000 to 10,000 children in foster care.
The following national foster statistics provide a motivational source to improve situations in the foster system:
- 1 in 184 children has been in the foster system.
- Between 5,000 and 10,000 are in Alabama foster care on any given day. Visit Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) for current statistics: Alabama DHR Foster Care.
- 65% of children rescued from sex trafficking have been in foster care. Their life expectancy is only seven years.
- 70% of people in prison in many states have been in foster care.
- 76% of foster children are reunited with their family in the allotted processing period IF they have only ONE DHR caseworker. It drops to 20% when there is more than one caseworker, and an extended stay in the system.
- 20% of the aged-out are immediately homeless.
- 50% of the aged out do not have a legal means of support after five years.
- And it goes on and on!! More statistics are available on national websites, including Christian Alliance for Orphans and Promise686.
The four areas needed most to overcome these statistics shared by most foster organizations interviewed are:
More workers for the state of Alabama
3,000 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates),4,000 long-term fosterparents, 98% more care support groups (foster, adoptive, and birth parents), 1,500 long-term mentors for aging out youth, 200 social workers for DHR (Department of Human Resources), an undetermined number of qualified trauma counselors, and volunteers for local organizations. Improvements in this area will increase the effectiveness of the foster system and meet many of the security, acceptance, and significance needs of children.
High turnover rate reduction
Currently, the foster parent turnover rate is 50%-100% per year, the DHR turnover rate is 47%, and CASA turnover rate, though undetermined, is high. Solving problems in this area will help provide security for children and increase productivity within the foster system.
Education
Information about the services each advocate organization offers and how to tap into their services, intensive training for foster parents, adoptive parents, mentors, social workers, and CASA workers so that they’ll know how the foster system works and what they are getting into. Good education produces efficiency and effectiveness of the system and provides significance for the children.
Improved communication
Local foster advocate organizations, foster parents, mentors, DHR, the legal system, and churches need better communication with one another to help meet the needs of the children they serve. The image of the foster system and foster children needs to be more positive. We’ll have radio and TV appearances to share new developments, local needs, and current events. We’ll offer a centralized database of resource organizations with contacts, social media, a blog, and podcasts to keep all informed. Good communication increases the efficiency of the foster system and public awareness of its needs, and boosts the acceptance and significance of foster children.
Foster Coalition Structure
Foster Coalition is best classified as a Catalyst Organization. It functions as an independent entity that helps local foster organizations, agencies, and ministries unite to provide effective collaborative services at a level above what they can accomplish working independently. Foster Coalition does not perform any of the united entity services. The results of a united community focused on a common goal with effective communication among themselves has historically improved the success rate between 30% and 50%, as documented in research performed by Stanford University: ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact.
Why Support a Catalyst Organization?
Catalyzing organizations serve multiple other organizations and causes at one time. Contributing to them means that you’re contributing to multiple entities at one time. In supporting a catalyzer, you have opportunity to catapult a community of organizations into a stronger, more resilient space.
For more information, please read Perspectives and Insight: Three Reasons to Support a Catalyzing Organization from the National Christian Foundation.
Our Foster Coalition Team
We’re passionate about our work with foster families and the organizations that support them. Foster Coalition’s founders are active in outreach and personally understand the roadblocks families face in the foster care system and beyond. Their involvement in counseling both foster care families and youth who have experienced abuse has given them direct insight into community needs.
Paul Berry
Paul Berry, Foster Coalition founder, is a retired financial planner and investment advisor with The Covenant Group, which he founded in 1988. Paul and his wife Robbie have three children and nine grandchildren. They were the founders of Safe Harbor ministry, which coaches parents of teenagers with rebellious behaviors such as drug abuse, eating disorders, self-cutting, deviant sexual behavior, anger, and violence.
Mike Ousley
Mike Ousley, Foster Coalition cofounder, is owner and president of Mike Ousley Productions. He has over thirty-seven years of experience in award-winning television production. Mike Ousley Productions is currently responsible for TV program production in several of the top fifty US markets. He is the only television producer to have twice won Billboard Magazine’s Music Video Show of the Year. Mike has strong ties through philanthropic work in Birmingham.
Board of Directors
Andrew Howard – Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Select Specialty Hospital in Birmingham. Andrew has a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Alabama and Master of Science (MHA) from University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a board-certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Mike Ousley – Producer of Foster Coalition documentaries. Mike also currently serves as on boards of Owens House and Cornerstone Schools of Alabama. He was previously a founder and director of the Music Video Association of America.
Andy Martin – President of Providence Partners and former President of First Protective Insurance Group. Andy also serves on boards of Glenwood, Inc. and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has a BA in business administration from Birmingham Southern College.
Amanda Manzanilla – President of Shelby County Foster Parent Association, Coordinator for Shelby County Children’s Policy Council, and adoptive parent.
Megan Pughsley – Associate Attorney with The Adoption Law Firm. Megan has a degree in journalism from University of Alabama and a Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law. She worked as Deputy District Attorney for Jefferson County and after her work there, transitioned her focus to probate and family law. She assists families through the adoption process in Alabama and supports foster parents in advocating for permanency for children in their care. She currently serves foster and adoptive families in courtrooms across central and northern Alabama.
Zack Miller – Vice President and Accounting Manager of ServisFirst Bank, former Vice President and Internal Audit Manager of BBVA, and former Assistant Vice President of Corporate Finance at Regions Bank. Zack is a CPA with a bachelor’s in business administration and MBA in finance from University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Cory Wilson – Senior Relationship Strategist, Senior Vice President of PNC’s Private Bank. He has a bachelor’s in business management from the University of Alabama, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) with concentrations in Finance and Investments from Auburn University.
Advisory Board
Tony Petelos – Past Commissioner of Alabama Department of Human Resources, two term Mayor of Hoover, former County Manager and CEO of Jefferson County. Tony has 34 years’ experience in public service and is one of central Alabama’s longest serving officials.
Samuel J. McLure – Adoption attorney and founder of The Adoption Law Firm in Montgomery. Sam and his wife Mary Beth were inspired to establish the firm during their son’s adoption process. He graduated from Huntington College and Faulkner School of Law, where he is a member of the Law Review and active with the Christian Legal Society.
Patti Smith – Former Shelby County Family Court Judge and Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice. She served on the Juvenile Court bench for 25 years and worked with the Board of Education to develop the Alabama Developing Youth (DAY) Program and The Friends of the Court/Court Appointed Social Advocates Program. Patti also chaired Shelby County’s first Children’s Policy Council.
Dr. Jim Wright – Executive Director Emeritus of Childhaven, Inc. with a 27-year term. He served on boards of Cullman City Schools Foundation, Cullman Caring for Kids, and Family Life Missions. Jim was appointed to the Governor’s Data Oversight Committee for DHR and also served as president of Cullman County DHR Quality Assurance Committee.
Lee Kinnebrew – Vice President at Barber Companies, former director of Cornerstone Schools of Alabama which are private inner-city schools offering tuition assistance to low-income families, and of The Kings Ranch shelter and services for abandoned, neglected and abused youth.
Mike Schmitz – Current chairman of the Dothan City Board of Education, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Alabama, chairman of Alabama Sports & Adventure Hall of Fame, and former two term Mayor of Dothan. He has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked to the first base camp of Mt. Everest, swam from Alcatraz to the Golden Gate Bridge, and bicycled across the US to raise money for neglected and abused children.
Staff
Kelly Alligood – Education and Communication
Event planning and coordination, education, outreach, administrative.
kelly@fostercoalition.org
Carolyn Horton – Development and Marketing
Grants, marketing communication, website development, administrative.
carolyn@fostercoalition.org
Denise Bryant – Church Development
Church foster care ministries and support, outreach and development.
denise@fostercoalition.org
Nancy Coker – Administrative Assistant
Administrative, education, events, church and donor relations.
nancy@fostercoalition.org