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 Forgotten Youth
 

 
 

Host Mailha Yang and videographer Rich Enos capture elements for an upcoming episode.
  KVIE's programming philosophy is to air and create programs that reflect the community back to itself. In doing so, our productions reflect our rich history, introduce us to the people and places in the present, and help us plan for the future.

In addition to our productions America's Heartland, California Heartland, Central Valley Chronicles, and California Connected, we are proud of the range of relevant, compelling and diverse programs that we've produced this year.

And, we're particularly proud that we earned 10 Emmy Awards in 2004, more than any other station in our market.
 

Forgotten Youth

Click here to purchase a DVD of this program

Hosted by Jennifer Whitney, Forgotten Youth is a local half-hour documentary about California children who have aged out of the state foster care system. Many of these forgotten young people end up filling California's penitentiaries or living homeless on the streets. This documentary explores the dynamics of this high-risk population talking with San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno and the state's foster youth ombudsman Karen Grace-Kaho about this growing crisis. Sacramento licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Eric Reininga (Sac) talks about the importance of family and the result of children in foster care being bounced from one home to another. The program examines the stories of a myriad of young adults both successful and tragic. It looks at a mentorship program that is offering a vital helping hand to children and teens in need.

Individuals profiled in this documentary include a young man who grew up in the Children's Receiving Home, his adoptive mother who is playing a key role in the local foster care mentoring organization Wonder Inc., a street family of teens who have come together to create a support system and their own sense of belonging, a soon to be college graduate and new mother who lived in 15 foster homes, and a local women who is making a difference by mentoring a child in the foster care system.

"ViewFinder: Forgotten Youth" is a local companion program to "Aging Out" a documentary that chronicles the daunting obstacles that three foster care "veterans" encounter when they are discharged. As they become parents, or battle drug addiction, or face homelessness, or even end up in jail, one constant remains - a resiliency developed during their years in the system that drives them to take control of their lives. "Aging Out" air Wednesday, June 1, 8:00pm - 9:30pm on KVIE Public Television's channel 6.

Major support for "ViewFinder," a weekly local series produced by KVIE Public Television, has been provided by Allied Insurance. This episode of "ViewFinder: Forgotten Youth" is funded by Sierra Health Foundation with additional support from Safe Credit Union.

Resource List

Sacramento Bee Article on ViewFinder: Forgotten Youth

Assemblyman Mark Leno
San Francisco Lawmaker
(916) 319-2013

California Youth Connection (Foster Youth Advocates)
800-397-8236

California Youth Crisis Line
24-Hour Crisis Line: 800- 843-5200
Business Office: 916-340-0505

Child Protective Services
Foster Care Volunteers
916-876-7285

Families First (Foster Care Facility)
877-488-5437

Foster Care Help-Line
(State of California)
877-846-1602

Foster Youth Job Opportunities (Ages 16 - 24)
State of California

Independent Living Program (ILP) for Emancipated Youth
916-874-9526

Job Corps
800-733-JOBS

Koinonia (Foster Care Facility)
(916) 652-2741

Sierra Health Foundation
916-922-4755

Stanford Home for Children (Foster Care Facility)
916-344-0199

WIND (Homeless Youth Program)
916-561-2424

Wonder, Inc. (Volunteer mentoring)
916-231-3027


The ViewFinder series is underwritten by