Olympia– State Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Tacoma) joined U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in a virtual roundtable discussion with Amara, a Pacific Northwest based nonprofit that serves children in foster care, their families, and adoptees earlier last week.

“We know children who experience foster care face higher risks of poverty, homelessness, incarceration, early parenthood and substance use disorders after exiting the foster care system,” Nobles said. “As someone who went through this system, I know how important it is to receive intervention and support.”

The roundtable discussion focused on the impacts of the opioid crisis on the U.S. foster care system, how the nation can better support foster youth, and the bipartisan Furthering Opioid Services, Training, and Education Resources (FOSTER) Act.

“It is our paramount duty as public servants to do the work for students who rely on us to set them up to succeed in school and in life,” Nobles said. “We must keep exploring strategies for intervention so these youth can also experience success. They deserve the absolute best we can do.”

To read the full press release from Strickland’s office, click here.