Love Heals Youth Champions Groundbreaking Foster Care Reform: The Sound of Hope Act
House Bill 194 Seeks to Transform Child Welfare Through Faith-Based Community Support
'House Bill 194 represents a groundbreaking step toward a more compassionate and sustainable foster care system—one that nurtures children with stability, love, and the long-term support they need' — Rebecca Smith
CONROE, TX, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Love Heals Youth, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to bringing hope and healing to foster youth through transformative counseling services is applauding the recently filed The Sound of Hope Act (House Bill 194). The Bill sponsored by Representative Steve Toth of District 15 introduces a faith-driven approach to foster care, empowering churches and faith-based institutions to serve as an alternative support system for children in need. Love Heals Youth is encouraging widespread support for this initiative.
To raise awareness of this landmark legislation, a special event coinciding with Child Welfare Legislative Day will be held in Austin, TX on February 25.
'At Love Heals Youth, we have witnessed firsthand the power of faith and community in changing the lives of foster children,' said Rebecca Smith, founder of Love Heals Youth. 'House Bill 194 represents a groundbreaking step toward a more compassionate and sustainable foster care system—one that nurtures children with stability, love, and the long-term support they need to thrive. We invite everyone to join us in this mission to ensure no child walks this journey alone.'
Inspired by the heartwarming story of Possum Trot, as depicted in the Angel Studios film 'Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,' House Bill 194 aims to establish a compassionate, community-based model that fosters stability, love, and healing for children in the child welfare system.
Love Heals Youth is sharing key highlights of the legislation to encourage support for it. Key benefits include:
• Faith-Based Foster Care: Churches and faith-based institutions can apply to provide comprehensive foster care services, operating alongside the state's existing system.
• Family-Focused Solutions: The initiative prioritizes placing children with families and works to reunite them with their biological relatives whenever possible. It also encourages long-term relationships between churches and families to ensure continued support even after court cases close.
• Holistic Care Model: Participating churches will have the opportunity to address all aspects of foster care, offering a consistent and nurturing environment within a single community hub.
• Breaking the Cycle: The legislation seeks to reduce foster care recidivism and interrupt generational cycles by providing children with enduring support systems.
• Cost-Effective Approach: By alleviating excessive administrative burdens, the Sound of Hope Act offers a fiscally responsible solution to the state's foster care challenges.
Rebecca Smith played a pivotal role in drafting the initial version of the bill, reinforcing the organization's commitment to transforming the foster care system. Michelle Lehn is leading the coalition effort to mobilize churches statewide, ensuring a robust faith-based support network to implement the Sound of Hope model effectively.
'We believe that every child deserves a loving, stable, and supportive environment,' Smith continued. 'House Bill 194 presents an opportunity to empower faith-based communities to step up and make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable children. We are calling on individuals, churches, and organizations to stand with us in this movement.'
Public support is crucial to the success of this groundbreaking legislation. Love Heals Youth urges community members to take action by visiting http://www.soundofhopeact.com and selecting 'Join the Cause' to show their support for House Bill 194.
Together, we can transform foster care, providing children with the love, stability, and support they deserve. Let's stand united in giving every child a chance to thrive within a compassionate community.
About the Sound of Hope Act
The Sound of Hope Act seeks to establish a faith-based, community-driven parallel foster care system, modeled after the inspiring success of Possum Trot. With an emphasis on family restoration, long-term relationship-building, and holistic care, this legislation aims to create a more compassionate and effective child welfare system.
About Love Heals Youth
Love Heals Youth is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to providing hope, healing, and transformative counseling services to children in the foster care system. Through trauma-informed support, mentorship, and faith-based community engagement, Love Heals Youth empowers vulnerable youth to overcome adversity and build brighter futures. Committed to reshaping the foster care landscape, the organization actively advocates for policies that prioritize family restoration and long-term stability for children in need. To learn more, visit http://www.lovehealsyouth.com.
###
For more information, or to schedule an interview with Rebecca Smith, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or [email protected]
Dan Rene
Dan Rene Communications
+1 202-329-8357
[email protected]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
05-06-2025
- Boston Globe
The conservative-friendly studio beating Hollywood at its own game
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up The movie is one of the latest from Angel Studios, which is devoted to TV shows and movies that 'amplify light.' It successfully caters to a growing market of Americans who want values-driven entertainment and are dismayed with what they consider Hollywood's nihilism and tired storytelling. Advertisement As the lights dimmed for the screening of 'The Last Rodeo,' McDonough told a whooping crowd of family, friends, and fans that they'd see him kissing Ruvé in his portrayal of Joe Wainwright, a retired rodeo legend who has to return to bull riding in hopes of winning enough money for his ailing grandson's cancer treatment. Advertisement Neal and Ruvé McDonough were coproducers on the film, giving them the creative freedom to shape the casting. But McDonough told me that it can be a gamble for major studios to sign off on such maneuvers. He believes his project only made it to the big screen because he worked with a studio that shares his values. 'They said, 'Who do you want to play your wife in the film?' And I said, 'There's only one person's gonna play it; it's my wife, Ruvé,'' McDonough told me. 'And [Angel] said, 'Well, that makes sense.'' The differences between Angel Studios and Hollywood were apparent at the Texas premiere of 'The Last Rodeo,' starting with the suggested dress code on the invitation: boots and bowties. A Stetson-sporting McDonough beamed with his gaggle of five children while Ruvé stunned in a floor-length gown of denim patchwork. The stars, producers, and director of "The Last Rodeo" posed with family members at the film's Texas premiere. Carine Hajjar/Globe Staff But the overall vibe was decidedly less about couture than culture. Speaking to a mix of press, country influencers, and Southwestern personalities lining the red carpet, people involved with the film were open about how 'The Last Rodeo' deals with themes that aren't popular in the Hollywood circles they know well. The movie's director, Jon Avnett, who directed 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and produced 'Black Swan,' told me about the film's emphasis on 'the power of family.' Mykelti Williamson, who portrayed Private Benjamin Buford 'Bubba' Blue in 'Forrest Gump' and plays Wainwright's old friend in 'The Last Rodeo,' said the movie tells a story of an America that's 'actually a good place, with a lot of good people in it.' He added: 'She's not perfect, but she's worth it.' Advertisement Instead of a glitzy afterparty, Angel put on a barbecue for fans and benefactors and their families. Parents holding hot dogs looked on with half terror, half amusement as little boys fought for the next turn on an electric bull. Rodeo queens in fringed red leather and rhinestone cowgirl hats took selfies, while toddlers took wobbly steps around the various field games. If you wanted to wash it down with a beer from the drink stand, you'd have to settle for a Coke. It was unlike Hollywood in every way. And that's been the key to Angel's success. Mykelti Williamson in 'The Last Rodeo.' Angel Studios Avoiding cringe and outrage The American mainstream is in turmoil — and it's not just the 'liberal media' or lefty universities. It's many of the cultural institutions that have been swallowed up by the progressive crazes of the last decade. From Actors have always had a knack for publicly fawning over progressive causes and shaking their fists at Republicans. But those progressive sensibilities have spilled over to the way films are made, too. Now it seems as if every movie that portrays a white or male protagonist needs a remake. (I'm looking at you, 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.') It's safe to assume that Americans who are sick of having progressive politics shoved down their throats might also feel as if it's being stuffed into their popcorn buckets. That creates an opportunity for a studio like Angel to make entertainment for a market underserved by the mainstream. Advertisement Starting with families. Angel's cofounder Jeff Harmon says the studio began as the answer to a Harmon family problem. For him and his three brothers, Neal, Daniel, and Jordan, that problem was the erosion of values portrayed by Hollywood. 'I think for all of us as fathers, we were looking with our families at how quickly the entertainment was accelerating toward nihilism,' Jordan told me, sitting next to Jeff. Naming examples like 'House of Cards' and 'Game of Thrones,' he bemoaned the fact that 'you watch a great movie, the whole thing's great. And at the very end, the whole moral of the story is, 'Everybody's bad.'' The brothers figured that addressing this problem could make for a good business. Jordan, Neal, and Jeffery Harmon at Angel Studios in Provo, Utah, on March 31. RUSSEL DANIELS/NYT At the Fort Worth barbecue, I met Brittany Graves, a 36-year-old mother of four and member of the Angel Guild, whose roughly 1.2 million members pay a monthly fee for access to Angel's content. She told me that 'it's a lot more refreshing to watch [Angel's] movies than kind of the predictable Hollywood norm.' She describes herself as a Christian and homesteader, saying that she agrees more with 'the values that are portrayed in [Angel's] movies' than 'just being hit with cussing and soft-core and sometimes even hardcore porn' that you get from Hollywood. Nearby, Shandelyn Spadke told me that she and her husband, Trae, invest in Angel because they are 'very firm believers in conservative ideas.' As she bounced a baby on her knee, the mother of five said, 'Most of the time we have to censor and preview what they watch. But she doesn't have that problem with 'Tuttle Twins,' a children's show that Advertisement The Harmons say that Angel is essentially replacing the traditional tastemakers who turn up their noses at values-infused entertainment. 'Filmmakers have no issue making great family content; they don't have an issue making faith content, as long as it resonates and it's good storytelling, and it's done with craftsmanship,' Jeff Harmon says. What's missing are studio executives who want this kind of entertainment. 'You replace those gatekeepers — these executives that are out of touch, generally don't have normal families, don't look like Middle America; they don't look like the rest of the world — and you replace those people with the people who are the rest of the world.' Shandelyn Spadke and her baby at the Fort Worth barbecue hosted by Angel Studios. Carine Hajjar/Globe Staff That's where the idea for the Angel Guild came from. The members pay $12 and up per month for access to the programming at home — and the ability to shape it. Angel only produces films that the guild members want to see. First they vote on a 'torch,' or a proof of concept from filmmakers, like a short clip or a pilot episode. If the torch passes the guild, filmmakers can go on to produce their projects. But members also get to vote on final cuts and even provide feedback. Jordan Harmon says Angel Studios filmmakers have gotten more than 100,000 comments from guild members over the last 18 months. The Harmons believe that this is the key to Angel's high audience ratings. Angel Advertisement Wookyung Kim, Kristin Chenoweth, Seong-ho 'Jay' Jang, and Leia Jang attended the premiere of Angel Studios' "The King Of Kings" in Franklin, Tenn., on March Angel Studios Some of Angel's films deal with conservative themes or religious subjects, but it would be a mistake to lump them in with overtly conservative entertainment projects — like those produced by the entertainment studio that the Daily Wire, a conservative news outlet, announced in 2021. If titles like 'Am I a Racist?' and 'What Is a Woman?' don't give it away, many Daily Wire productions are an attempt to make entertainment out of owning the libs. Other conservative productions can be driven overtly by religion and are less concerned with production values and storytelling. Angel avoids earnest cringe and political outrage. That's because its projects aren't ever just characterized by a political or religious message. Even the New York Times The deference to storytelling over pontificating hasn't stopped critics from trying to label Angel conservative ideologues. 'Sound of Freedom,' for example, was The Harmons, who belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints, call Angel a 'faith-friendly' studio and don't allow their productions to take the Lord's name in vain. But the themes and stories they help produce are determined by the Angel Guild, and will evolve as it grows. And since it is serving an underserved market, an initial rightward tilt is to be expected. What's surprising is just how large that market seems to be. 'Our hypothesis is that we're actually going for the biggest segment of the entire entertainment world,' Jordan told me. In collaboration with the Faith and Media Initiative, Harris X Neal McDonough starred in Angel Studios' "Homestead," which had its premiere on Dec. 10, 2024, in Los Angel Studios Like the film 'Cabrini,' which tells the story of Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini's life and ministry to poor immigrants, especially orphaned Italian children in New York City. On the surface this is a story about a Catholic saint. But it deals with themes like standing up to the male-dominated church leadership and overcoming racism through her work for the poor and scorned migrants in America. The film earned a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 98 percent and Some Angel productions aren't religious at all. Tony Hale, known for his role as Buster Bluth in the hit show 'Arrested Development,' is Even though the Harmons have kept to the sidelines of the raging culture wars, they have clearly benefited from conservative victories. Like Donald Trump's which depicts an animated Charles Dickens sharing the story of Jesus' life with his son. But Angel isn't interested in sticking it to the mainstream — its intention is to become the mainstream. 'Stories are upstream from culture,' Jordan Harmon says. And Angel intends to produce 'some of the most timeless stories throughout history.' Carine Hajjar is a Globe Opinion writer. She can be reached at
Business Wire
29-05-2025
- Business Wire
Medavie Blue Cross Leads Digital Transformation in Disability Business with FINEOS Platform
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FINEOS Corporation (ASX:FCL) announced today that Medavie Blue Cross, a leading benefits provider for health, drug and disability insurance, has successfully commenced managing Individual Life and Disability Claims on their existing FINEOS Platform. In consolidating both Individual Life and Group Life & Disability claims on a single, unified platform, Medavie Blue Cross will further strengthen its operational excellence and customer-centric service. By consolidating on the FINEOS Platform, Medavie Blue Cross is driving operational excellence, empowering teams, and reimagining the claims experience for clients across Canada. Share Speaking about the go-live, FINEOS CEO, Michael Kelly, said, 'Medavie Blue Cross has been leading the way in Group Disability claims management with FINEOS. Expanding to include Individual Life claims in one platform marks a significant milestone, demonstrating our shared commitment to innovation, operational efficiency and a seamless customer experience.' Rebecca Smith, Director, Life & Disability Services at Medavie Blue Cross, noted, 'We're excited about the possibilities this opens up for our organization and our clients. By unifying our claims management system, we're not just improving efficiency; we're reimagining the entire claims experience and empowering our talented team to deliver exceptional service. This transition reinforces our position as an industry leader in disability management and in embracing digital transformation to set new standards.' About Medavie Blue Cross Medavie Blue Cross is a leading all-in-one private health insurer and Canada's largest private administrator of federal and provincial government-sponsored health programs. We manage and insure health benefits for nearly 1 in 10 Canadians and provide timely access to quality health care through a comprehensive suite of innovative products and services. Together with Medavie Health Services, a national leader in primary health care solutions and Canada's largest contracted provider of emergency medical services, we're part of Medavie — a not-for-profit health solutions partner committed to improving the wellbeing of Canadians. About FINEOS Corporation FINEOS is a leading global provider of SaaS core systems for life, accident, and health insurers. The FINEOS Platform for Employee Benefits is purpose-built for group, absence, and supplemental benefits, providing seamless integration and automation. More than 40 customers in North America rely on FINEOS, including 7 of the 10 largest employee benefits insurers in the U.S. and 70% of group insurance in Australia. With a global workforce, FINEOS partners with innovative, forward-thinking insurers in North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.
Medscape
22-05-2025
- Medscape
Trauma in the OB Suite: Supporting Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Rebecca Smith, 28, endured a series of sexual assaults between ages 17 and 21. When she became pregnant for the first time at age 23, she told her OBGYN about her traumatic past. The reaction surprised and comforted her. 'She made sure everybody was respectful, and one of the things I liked most was that she would tell me whenever she would be touching me, and she would always ask me if I was okay,' Smith said. Yet even with these warnings, Smith said she experienced moments when the scars of her past trauma were inflamed and she needed time to regain her composure. Again, her physician stepped up. 'She was very gentle with her words, and she told me it's not my fault that any of this happened and that I needed to be okay with speaking up for myself and telling her what I needed,' Smith recalled. 'The only thing she did that wasn't great is that when I was pushing, she told me not to scream,' Smith said. Having the option to cancel appointments at the last minute without a financial penalty would have been helpful, she added, 'because there were some days that I couldn't do it, and you didn't really know until you showed up.' Unfortunately for many survivors of sexual assault, Smith's experience is not the norm. Many women who have been abused report rough or insensitive handling from their OBGYNs, whose clinical practice involves touching areas of the body that are physically and emotionally fraught and recalling medical histories that are difficult to share. As a thread on Reddit suggests, some women have even reported feeling mocked by nurses until they revealed their history of sexual assault. In recent years, however, the model of trauma-informed care has become more widespread. Professional organizations, hospitals, and state agencies have begun making an explicit effort to be more sensitive to the impact of trauma on a person and the specific needs of those with a history of sexual trauma. Managing the prenatal and obstetric care of patients with a history of sexual assault or childhood sexual abuse requires an understanding of trauma-informed care and taking steps to reduce the risk for re-traumatization, according to pregnancy care providers and survivors who discussed their pregnancy and birth experiences. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2021 issued a committee opinion on caring for patients who have experienced trauma, a document which emphasizes the need for clinicians to become familiar with the trauma-informed approach to care. That means understanding the effect of trauma on a person, helping support their sense of personal agency, and creating 'opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.' The ACOG statement speaks more broadly to any and all kinds of trauma rather than sexual abuse and assault in particular. That's partly by design, said Colleen McNicholas, DO, an OBGYN in St. Louis who helped write the statement. 'The reason you don't see specific 'do this, ask this' [recommendations] is because the topic is so sensitive, and survivors have such different experiences with their history and what they want people to know and how they want it approached that it's really challenging from an institutional standpoint' to have specific guidelines, McNicholas said. 'Having said that, there are definitely some principles and approaches that everybody should be taking.' Uneven Care Not everyone does. Smith had a bad experience with an anesthesiologist during the delivery of her first child. 'He had me take my gown off completely and made my husband sit on the other side of the room,' Smith said. 'He was hurting me repeatedly, and when I told him, he said, 'No, it's not me, it's your contractions.'' Smith's nurse became 'furious,' she recalled. The nurse sent the doctor out of the room and told her colleagues not to let him go in again without another nurse present. When Smith told her OBGYN after the birth what happened, they assured her the anesthesiologist would never touch her again. With her second pregnancy 2 years later, however, Smith had a different physician to whom she did not reveal her history of assault — in part because she felt she would be less likely to relive the experiences. In retrospect, she said, that was a mistake. During the delivery, her baby's heart rate plunged, sending the doctor into command mode and prompting him to begin yelling orders to nurses in the room. 'The second he touched me after he started freaking out, my brain started going back to the assault,' Smith said. 'I think his anxiety sparked my anxiety, and the anxiety sparked the memories.' CJ, a 48-year-old American expatriate in Mexico City, Mexico, had had bad past experiences with other physicians, so in her first pregnancy at age 37, she decided to let her clinicians know about her history, which included sexual abuse as a toddler, a sexual assault in her 20s, and another in her early 30s. She asked her OBGYN to prepare her for each step that would happen, letting her know what touching would occur and when so that she could be ready. 'She was very sweet and open to that,' CJ said. 'She said, 'Okay, I'm going to put my hand on your thigh. Then, I'm going to put my glove on,' everything step by step, but I felt like I really had to advocate for myself given past histories with other doctors.' Some of those experiences involved the doctor acting cold or detached or not making eye contact with her, but that detachment was enough to be 'triggering sometimes,' she said. Instead, providers should make space for patients who haven't learned yet how to advocate for themselves. 'That's part of trauma-informed care too, finding different opportunities in different ways to give people the chance to speak up because they might not feel comfortable,' she said. Listening for Cues Indeed, the onus should not be on the patient. Experts say one step is having a conversation with the patient before they change into a gown for their first appointment. That moment is an opportunity to glean relevant information about their history. Colleen McNicholas, DO 'I don't specifically say, 'Do you have a history of sexual assault,'' McNicholas said. 'What I might say is, 'Is there anything about your previous experience with these kinds of exams or with your sexual history or experience that will make this exam or this experience more challenging for you?'' Sometimes that conversation means an exam may not happen that day, but then the clinician can help the patient plan for the next appointment to determine ways to increase their comfort, such as bringing along a partner, friend, or family member. 'It has to be individualized to the patient,' she said. Some patients may not feel comfortable disclosing a history of sexual assault. Hannah Cutts, a certified nurse midwife who works at a federally qualified health center in Chicago, said she assumes 'almost everybody who comes through the clinic doors has some exposure to trauma,' whether sexual, medical, or another form of abuse. She therefore tries to give them as much control as possible over every aspect of their care because 'lack of control tends to be a real trigger,' she said. She shows them the speculum before placing it, explains each thing she will do before doing it, and reminds them they are in charge and can ask her to stop at any point. For those with a known history of sexual trauma, she asks whether they want the explanations. Some do, others don't. 'For some people, dissociating is easier,' Cutts said. She also does not assume that disclosing their history of trauma will be productive: 'I really don't try to dig very deeply into people's history unless they volunteer it.' Deena Blumenfeld Deena Blumenfeld, a former doula and childbirth educator, said clinicians also should be alert to nonverbal clues that may indicate a history of trauma. Examples might include avoiding eye contact or frequently keeping their eyes on the floor, a closed posture, or handles held tightly in the laps. During an exam, observe the patient's breathing for changes or if their eyes widen. These signs are cues to stop and ask if the patient is experiencing a surge of anxiety and needs something comforting, such as their partner to hold their hand or a nurse to join them. 'I can't emphasize enough that for all situations of maternity care, the more doctors and nurses can explain to patients what is happening, why it is happening, and what choices they have, that's empowerment for patients,' Blumenfeld said. She encourages healthcare providers to use person-centered language and keep the mindset of being one of the 'helpers' of the sort Mr Fred Rogers described in tragic or traumatic events. A 2018 qualitative study included perspectives from 20 women with a history of sexual trauma who had given birth within the previous 3 years. Women expressed a desire for 'clear communication about their history between prenatal care provider and the labor and delivery team' and control over who was in the labor room during exams and how exposed their bodies were during labor. They also wanted to be asked about their preference for a male provider and for their care team to avoid language that might remind them of their past trauma. Simply asking patients what they need or what works for them can be particularly helping in giving them a sense of agency, McNicholas said. 'If you are in tune with trauma-informed care and you are paying attention to the patient in front of you, you can almost always sense that they are having some anxiety or feeling really nervous,' she said. 'I will oftentimes say things like, 'I'm sensing that you might be a little bit anxious about this exam. Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you?'' Caring for a patient throughout their pregnancy offers physicians and midwives an opportunity to build trust and develop a relationship with their patient, but those who may be most vulnerable often arrive at the hospital without having received prenatal care and without any preexisting relationship with a clinician. 'The important thing to recognize in that circumstance is that those patients are actually at significant risk of not getting this kind of trauma-informed care,' McNicholas said. 'I think the healthcare system as a whole tends to view folks who have not had prenatal care with a certain level of judgment.' Ann Gilligan, RN, worked as a sexual assault nurse examiner before shifting to labor and delivery. Gilligan, who practices in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, said standard questions during intake ask about abuse occurring at home but not about a history of sexual abuse or assault. Developing a protocol to screen for a history of sexual assault is important, she said, and could be done gently. Ann Gilligan, RRN 'What we typically do with questions that are a little bit personal is that we preface it,' she said. 'We say, 'This is to help me give you better care, care that you deserve, so I'm going to ask you a couple personal questions, and I'm doing it alone for your privacy.'' Many of the practices McNicholas and Cutts describe, such as informing patients of what to expect and asking permission to touch them, are ones healthcare providers should be offering to everyone anyway, especially given that approximately 1 in 4 people have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, Gilligan said. Practicing with a trauma-informed approach to care means a scheduled 10-minute visit may sometimes last 30 minutes or may fail to achieve what the clinician had planned or expected. 'I think in this world where patients are rightfully demanding a better experience of healthcare, we need to be taking the time to approach it in that manner,' McNicholas said. 'They know what they deserve, and they should be able to find that.' None of the sources quoted in this story reported having any financial conflicts of interest.
