Ep. 16 - Keepings Kids Safe: A Call to Action to Protect Children (feat. Tracie Jefferson)

Tracie Jefferson - foster mom, physician’s assistant, and child advocate - joins us on the podcast today!In the past year, Tracie has lead the charge on several campaigns on conversations to help recall and change House Bill 1227, otherwise known as the Keeping Families Together Act. She, and many others, have seen the devastating impact this bill has made on Washington state and its families. This past year, there was a record high of child mortality rates, an increase of 200% from previous years, with the highest affected population being children from 0 to 3 years of age.The new bill indicates that children should not be removed from their homes unless there is ‘imminent physical harm’ present, meaning ‘Could this child be dead within the next few days because of physical harm?’ It does not take into consideration neglect, the presence of drug use in the home, or emotional harm. The stories we have heard from this past year are horrific and we are asking Washington state to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough. In this episode, we’ll chat about the upcoming Day of Action happening in Olympia, how you can join us, and what we are asking for. Tracie shares her expertise in the medical field to talk further in depth about what is really needed for families to thrive and how this bill is negatively affecting our children and disregarding what they fully need. Plus, we’ll talk about the implications of what it would mean for the future of Washington state if these things do not change.We hope you’ll join us for this episode, share with someone you think would be interested, and join us next week as we share more about Day of Action!……………………………..Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/You can learn more about our history, our mission, or make a donation to sponsor an episode.Our mission is to make a real change in Washington state for those most vulnerable. Through this channel, we aim to give a voice to the voiceless, share the stories of those who often go unseen, and inspire people to make a difference. We want views and comments to become action that will save lives. To follow us and the work we are doing, check out our social media channels: Instagram: @fosteringchangewa TikTok: @fosteringchangewa Facebook: Fostering Change WAWant to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and on our YouTube channel.