Change The Story

Jamie Williams joins us on the podcast today as we discuss early intervention, the stories she saw as a nurse working with drug-addicted newborns, her own fostering story, and her insight on what Washington state can do to truly better the foster care system.

Jamie is a former nurse, working most of her career in Labor & Delivery and working some time in urgent care, family practice, and mental health. During her many years as an L&D nurse, she  took care of infants withdrawing from substances such as meth, cocaine, marijuana and opioids, going to great lengths with her team to help these infants as they are at a much higher risk for SIDS and other life threatening conditions.

Join us for this insightful episode and thank you, Jamie, for sharing your story and knowledge with us!

For more information on the links and events mentioned in this episode, please check below:

Keeping Kids SAFE
https://keeping-kids-safe.org/

Keeping Kids SAFE Rally for Action (January 14th - Olympia, WA): https://www.facebook.com/share/1QHc2T61UJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

OFCO Data
https://ofco.wa.gov/reports-and-data

Fostering Change Merch Store

https://fosteringchangewa.org/merch-1

Previous episodes can be found here on our channel or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or iHeartPodcasts

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/ 

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: @fostering.change 

Facebook: Fostering Change WA 

Patrick Dowd, the director of the Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds, joins us today to discuss the complexities of child welfare currently happening in Washington State, including the significant increase in child fatalities and near fatalities, the impact of legislative changes like House Bill 1227 and Senate Bill 6109, and the challenges posed by the fentanyl crisis.

With over a decade of experience as director, Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge from his previous roles in public defense and the State Office of Public Defense and shares his expertise on balancing parental rights with child safety, along with discussing the role of the Ombuds office in maintaining confidentiality and independence.

Thank you, Patrick, for your insight, expertise, and for joining us on this mission!

For more information on the reports discussed today, please visit Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds website here: https://ofco.wa.gov/reports-and-data/archived-reports-and-data

To review the documents shared in today's episode, please check out the Child Fatalities and Near Fatalities in Washington State report: https://ofco.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/2025_OFCO_Critical_Incident_Report_0.pdf

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/

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: @fostering.change

Facebook: Fostering Change WA

Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and here on our channel. Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

#fostercare #fentanylcrisis #policychange

Angela Kraemer joins us on the podcast today as she shares her personal story with foster care and what inspired her to found a private agency that helps transport foster care children for their visitations.

Angela candidly shares her personal story of being born addicted to cocaine and heroin, being in a detox unit as a newborn, and eventually being adopted by her half-aunt, only 13 years older than her. Though her early years were filled with turmoil, Angela had the chance to live and grow and eventually give back to those who were born into similar situations as hers.

We hope you'll tune to this incredible story and thank you again, Angela, for sharing with us and the amazing work you do to help better the lives of those in foster care.

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/ 

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: @fostering.change 

Facebook: Fostering Change WA 

Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and here on our channel. 

Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

#socialwork #fostercare #washingtonstate

Kristina Johnson joins us on the podcast today as we talk about the drastic changes that have happened in Washington State over the last five years in regards to foster care, the devastating results of HB 1227 (and how every social worker, therapist, and stakeholder she knows knew it was going to fail), the stakes she personally has in making sure these parents become clean and well, and what she recommends to legislators as we move forward in 2026.

Kristina Johnson is a licensed therapist and has been working in Washington State for the last 10 years. She is a former foster parent and single mom, who understands more than most the struggles many of these single parents are facing. As an undergrad, she dreamed of the job she currently has and while she will continue in this line of work, she was regretful to tell us that "her dream job has become a nightmare."

We hope that with our voices together - foster parents, therapists, social workers, former foster kids - we can change our children's future for good.

Thank you for joining us today and thank you again to Kristina for sharing her story!

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/ 

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: @fostering.change 

Facebook: Fostering Change WA 

Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/_VTZ6erJg9g

Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

#socialwork #fostercare #washingtonstate 

Listener Discretion: This episode contains mention of infant sexual abuse, starvation, and infant death.

Amanda Ross joins us on the podcast today as she shares the story of sweet Baby Bianca, a foster placement who was only 3 days old when she came into Amanda's care. Throughout the following 11 months, Bianca grew and thrived, connecting with her foster siblings, passing all her baby health checks, doing fun activities with her foster family. She was attached and she was thriving.

11 months after this placement, CPS returned Baby Bianca to her bio-mom, who had since had another child, making Baby Bianca the middle of 3 young kids. Bianca was given back and forth between bio-mom and bio-dad for the next year- in which several more reports against them were brought up to CPS, without any action taken. Older Sister started showing up to daycare with blood in her diaper area, along with bruising on her body. When Baby Bianca was admitted into the hospital, they found the same blood and bruises on her body, her frail frame weighing only 17 pounds- less than when she was 11 months old. Baby Bianca died shortly after being admitted into the hospital.

We share this story with you not to place the blame on any one person, but to show that this death could have absolutely been prevented. Baby Bianca had a chance at life. And because of the current ideology of Washington State to reunify families no matter the cost, even when the parents are currently unfit, a life has been lost.

Baby Bianca is not just another number.

She is not just another case file.

She is not a statistic.

She is a little girl who laughed and played and was very, very loved.

And now she is gone.

We do not want to lose any more children. Things have to change. 

And we will be on the frontlines, fighting for that change.

We hope you will join us too.

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/ 

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: @fostering.change 

Facebook: Fostering Change WA 

Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and here on our channel. 

Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

Representative Tom Dent joins us on the podcast today as we talk about the process of making policies for foster care. We talk about the origins of House Bill 1227, the beginnings of the DCYF Oversight board, and where they are hoping to take DCYF in the upcoming years.

We are so thankful to have gotten to have this incredible insightful chat with one of our representatives! And as he reminded us, this government is not private and is for the people and by the people, which means we are invited to these meetings to share our voices. We encourage anyone interested to join Rep. Tom Dent at the next DCYF Oversight Meeting (which happens to be next week! Sept.22nd)

For more information on DCYF Oversight Meetings, please check out this link: https://dcyfoversight.wa.gov/dcyf-oversight-board-meetings

For more information on the DCYF Oversight Board, check out https://dcyfoversight.wa.gov/

Thank you again, Representative Tom Dent, and thank you all for listening and watching! Your views, comments, and shares make a difference. Thank you.

#fostercare #policymatters #washingtonstate

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Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/

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: @fostering.change
Facebook: Fostering Change WA

Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and here on our channel.

Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

We had the privilege of joining Dave & Lance on KIT AM for an early morning radio segment a few weeks ago. We loved our conversation and hearing Dave & Lance's perspective on things and we wanted to share it with you as well. We hope you enjoy the episode and we'll see you again next week!

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For more information on the work Fostering Change WA is doing in Washington State to help those in foster care and make a change in our system, please visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/

To follow us and the work we are doing, check out our social media channels:
📸 Instagram: ‪@fosteringchangewa‬
🕺🏻 TikTok: @fostering.change
💻 Facebook: Fostering Change WA

💚 Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and here on our channel.

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 listens and shares to become action that will save lives. Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us on this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

Thank you!!

Dena Johnson joins us for the podcast today as we talk science: the life-long biological impact on children who experience trauma, what helps and hinders a healthy attachment, and why prioritizing blood bonds (blood relatives) may not be as helpful as we think.

A licensed mental health counselor in Washington State with a private practice of almost 25 years, two post-grad certifications in TBRI and Attachment-Focused Trauma Therapy, and a foster mom herself, Dena had a WEALTH of knowledge to share with us and we are so excited for you to listen in 💚

For more information on the work Fostering Change WA is doing in Washington State to help those in foster care and make a change in our system, please visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/

#fostercare #fostering #fostercarepodcast

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To follow us and the work we are doing, check out our social media channels:
📸 Instagram: ‪@fosteringchangewa‬
🕺🏻 TikTok: @fostering.change
💻 Facebook: Fostering Change WA

💚 Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and here on our channel.

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 listens to become action that will save lives.

Thank you so much for your support and joining us on this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids.

Thank you!!

We are interrupting our usual schedule with an important story- Tara Harris is the aunt of Big Sis & Baby B, two children who, under the current laws of Washington State, have been placed back with their biological mother. Just 1 hour after being returned to his biological mother's care, Baby B overdosed on fentanyl and had to be narcanned 4 times to save his life.  He’s now safe, back in his aunt's care, but tomorrow, the court could send him back. This isn’t protecting kids—it’s policy failure.  

Please join us in sharing this episode and help bring real care and safety to Baby B & Big Sis.

Mike Johnson joins us on the podcast today as we talk about his decades of experience working with the unhoused and being an advocate for foster care in Washington State. Join us as we talk about the decades of research done about the lives of those experiencing homelessness or found in the foster care system, and what we can do to best help those in need based on this research.