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About Ashley

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Noteworthy Achievements: Ashley's impact is palpable, marked by her successful reunification with her oldest son after foster care. She stands as the first parent to enforce and modify an open adoption agreement in Washington State, exemplifying resilience and breaking barriers.

 

Advocacy Leadership: As a leader in the National Repeal ASFA campaign, Ashley champions the rights of parents and contributes to initiatives promoting the well-being of families who are of African American. Her influence extends to various systems, offering consultation and technical support to stakeholders.

 

Subject Matter Expertise: Ashley bridges her expertise across multiple systems, including foster care, juvenile/adult incarceration, mental health, suicide prevention, domestic violence, adoption, and wellness. Her goal is to empower the liberation of those with lived experience, ensuring those most impacted become decision-makers in their healing and recovery.
 

Past Projects

My services are tailored to your organization's needs. Here are some examples of how I've supported institutions in making their programs stronger for the people they serve. 

Peer Bridger Pilot Project Manager

Supported DCYF/JR in developing capacity, policies, and practices that centralized and supported partnerships with organizations and professionals who have lived experience with behavioral health and rehabilitation/correctional agencies and systems while providing direct peer support transitional resources for JR youth. Collaborated with DCYF to develop a plan for consultation team processes, recruited team members, facilitated twice a month team meeting and developed a framework for recruiting, convening, and facilitating a consultant group. Became familiar with program and policy development. Created a hiring process and hired full time and part-time youth Peer Bridgers. Analyzed JR DBT delivery for culturally responsive language and approaches. Analyzed JR
DBT Training and focus for culturally responsive language and approaches.

Reimagine Child Welfare Project Consultant

WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Serve as a thought partner for the project’s creation, development, and planning. Identify and recruit community members, especially those with lived experience in the child welfare system and domestic violence, to participate in the project. Identify and facilitate connections between WSCADV staff and activists/organizers focused on parent empowerment and transformation the family policing/child
welfare system. Help plan, facilitate, and lead small group discussions with these community members about these experiences, what helped them, what they needed, and how they think their communities (and institutions) could work better.  Work with WSCADV to name, describe, and document alternative or grassroots strategies to keep survivors and their children and families from entering/re-entering state systems such as child welfare or the criminal legal system.

Peer Bridger Pilot Project Manager

Jasper Health

Supported DCYF/JR in developing capacity, policies, and practices that centralized and supported partnerships with organizations and professionals who have lived experience with behavioral health and rehabilitation/correctional agencies and systems while providing direct peer support transitional resources for JR youth. Developed a plan for consultation team processes, recruited team members, facilitated twice a month team meeting and developed a framework for recruiting, convening, and facilitating a consultant group. Created a hiring process and hired full time and part-time youth Peer Bridgers. Analyzed JR DBT delivery for culturally responsive language and approaches. Analyzed JR DBT Training and focus for culturally responsive language and approaches.

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Family Support Specialist

Children's Home Society of Washington

Advocated for children and families and connected to community resources and programs. Diligently addressed the
legal issues related to each case through hearings and custody recommendations. Provided crisis intervention services in response to emergencies, skillfully managing need for housing, food, clothing, or financial assistance. Screened and assessed program eligibility and identified service plan needs.

Person with Lived Experience Advisor

iKennect 2.0 for Juvenile-Involved Youth at Risk for Suicide

Offer feedback and help create video content and feedback for the development of an application for
non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors (NSSI) and suicidal behaviors (ideation, planning, attempts) that
are highly prevalent among juvenile justice-involved youth.

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Abolition is Spiritual Care ! 

"At the heart of a fulfilling life are the connections we form with others. Relationships bring us love, companionship, and a shared sense of belonging. Cultivating meaningful connections with family, friends, and the wider community fosters a support network that uplifts and nourishes us. It is through these relationships that we find solace, celebrate joys, and weather the storms of life together."

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- Ashley Albert

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