Alia

KEEPING CHILD WELFARE IMPACTED CHILDREN SAFELY WITH THEIR FAMILIES

A child’s need for an uninterrupted sense of love and belonging is necessary for healthy development; however, our current foster care system was not built on this foundation. Together, we can reimagine this system to #DoWhatLoveWouldDo and ensure that all children can thrive within their families and communities. 

Who Are We?

Alia’s mission is to inspire and drive transformative change for the people and systems entrusted with the care and welfare of children. Our work focuses on partnering with early adopters and innovators in the field of child welfare to dramatically improve outcomes for youth and families, and to create meaningful, sustainable change. We guide and support courageous child welfare leaders on the forefront of systems change who are building a movement to preserve the family connections needed for lifelong success.

Alia’s Values: 

Fearless Innovation | Audacious Optimism | Courageous Partnerships | A Sense of Urgency | Relentless Pursuit of Evidence

Our Founder and Team Alia 

Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer is the founder and CEO Alia. Amelia and Team Alia believe that “Families are the solution” (not the problem).  In 2018, People Magazine named Amelia Franck Meyer one of 25 Women Changing the World. 

Did You Know? 

In the United States, over 650,000 children spend time being raised within the child welfare system each year. In addition to the traumatic impact on each of these children, the cost to society is staggering. According to the Center for Disease Control, the United States spends $124 billion dollars a year on the treatment and care of the children in the foster care system. Despite its price tag, the current system is remarkably ineffective at caring for children. Research shows that children placed outside the home in foster care or institutions are: 

• At higher risk of being involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system. 
• Twice as likely to develop mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and substance misuse disorder. 
• 1.5x higher risk of mortality by age 56.

When compared to child welfare involved children who were not removed from their families. Alia is committed to reimagining child welfare systems to reallocate the funds that are currently used on ineffective, often harmful practices to supporting community led responses that promote prevention and provide concrete supports for families, guided by their lived expertise. 

Shifting our child welfare system toward keeping children safely with their families, not from their families, requires shifting the way we think. Philanthropic dollars are needed to inspire and equip both families and communities and to support the launch of new UnSystems in communities across Minnesota. 

How You Can Make a Difference 

Today, we hope you will #DoWhatLoveWouldDo and join with us in building the new way of supporting children and families. Together, we will build a way forward that prioritizes multi-generational approaches to well-being, building on the strengths and wisdom of children and families, and strengthening communities.

Your gift today will help us to inspire and equip child welfare leaders and communities to work in authentic, co-design partnerships to transform their work.

   What is Alia all about?