Detert foster care bill passes
By Jeremy Wallace, Herald-Tribune / Wednesday, May 1, 2013 TALLAHASSEE Turning 18 was hardly a celebration for Robert Stalker. Having spent 10 years bouncing among foster homes
We believe that all children have the right to food, clothing, housing, education, medical care, property and personal privacy.
Florida’s laws, policies and practices respect, prioritize and protect children and youth impacted by the child welfare, juvenile justice, and disability systems.
By Jeremy Wallace, Herald-Tribune / Wednesday, May 1, 2013 TALLAHASSEE Turning 18 was hardly a celebration for Robert Stalker. Having spent 10 years bouncing among foster homes
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 5:35 PM EDTUpdated: Apr 29, 2013 6:21 PM EDT By Clifton French FORT MYERS -Right now, children in foster care are kicked out
The state foster care system is about to loosen up a little on kids who want to live more normal lives, but may soon also
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed a bill on Thursday that will help children in the foster care system lead a more normal life. Surrounded
By Lloyd Dunkelberger, Herald-Tribune / Thursday, April 11, 2013 TALLAHASSEE Foster children will be able to participate in more everyday activities with less intervention from
By Jennifer Curington, Tallahassee Bureau TALLAHASSEE—Foster parents can now “let kids be kids,” in the words of Gov. Rick Scott, who Thursday signed a bill
BY ROCHELLE KOFF HERALD/TIMES TALLAHASSEE BUREAU TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed a bill that will help children in the foster care system
By: DAVE HELLER AND NANCY SMITH | Posted: April 11, 2013 2:40 PM Rep. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula | Credit: Dave HellerHide Foster children in Florida
Stephen Satchell was a sprinter in high school. He was also a foster kid. When his team made the finals Stephen couldn’t go, because laws
Jessica Rae, an avid child advocate and children’s right attorney in Florida, has created a few videos to help attorneys taking on dependency cases. In
Jessica Rae, an avid child advocate and children’s right attorney in Florida, has created a few videos to help attorneys taking on dependency cases. In
By Gloria Fletcher Special to the Star-Banner Published: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 6:30 a.m. Last Modified: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 6:15 p.m. For
Rochelle Koff – Tampa Bay Times TALLAHASSEE — Martin Gordon, 19, came to the Capitol to tell legislators his experiences in the foster care system
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is in the process of amending current language in the Florida Medicaid Home Health Coverage and Limitations Handbook
In the latest skirmish over Florida’s tattered safety net, a judge says the state is denying help to foster children who are in dire need
FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach/Miami)
Alexia Nechayev, from Miami, Florida, is a dedicated advocate for youth with lived experience in foster care and with homelessness. After being placed in foster care as a teenager, Alexia experienced firsthand the stigma surrounding the system, as well as the challenges of navigating a system that didn’t provide support for her to advocate for herself. This experience motivated her to create change, ensuring that other youth in care have the tools and resources she lacked.
She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University, and upon graduation worked as a Hope Navigator with the Department of Children and Families which allowed her to assist clients through individualized care plans, further deepening her commitment to improving the lives of marginalized youth. Alexia is now applying to law schools with the goal of advancing her advocacy work through a legal career. As the Events and Meetings Chair for Florida Youth SHINE (FYS), she creates opportunities for foster and homeless youth to collaborate and push for meaningful change. She is also an active member of the Policy and Initiative Team for Florida Youth SHINE, where she helps create and shape policies that directly impact youth in foster care. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping to develop the Foster Care Bill of Rights, a law that she feels would have made a difference during her own time in care.
In addition to her work with FYS, Alexia serves on the Board of Directors for the parent organization of FYS, Florida’s Children First. In this role, she contributes to strategic decision-making while advocating for the rights and welfare of children statewide.
Every year, she travels to the state capitol to advocate for bills she and her peers have helped shape, including key pieces of legislation that benefit foster and homeless youth. However her advocacy extends beyond her state, as she represents Florida Youth SHINE at national conferences such as the National Leaders 4 Change Conference.
Through her internship with the National Foster Youth Institute, Alexia continues to refine her advocacy skills, preparing for a future where she can contribute meaningfully to both policymaking and the legal system. Guided by the belief that “the blue sky is always there,” she remains committed to ensuring that every youth in foster care has the power and support to advocate for themselves.