Roundtable Overview and Materials
The Child Welfare Policy Roundtable highlights the major child welfare and foster care issues facing California, visions for systemic reform, and policy opportunities to improve the lives of our state’s most vulnerable children and youth. This monthly meeting features a panel of policymakers, practitioners, advocates and former foster youth and provides an informal opportunity to learn and ask questions about California’s child welfare system. Legislative staff, advocates, stakeholders, and the public are invited to join the conversation. For meeting information or if you are having problems accessing any of the below materials, please contact Sara Fung at [email protected].
June 2024: Governor’s May Revision – Additional Cuts to Children and Youth in Foster Care
Overview of the May Revision
Angela Short, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, [email protected]
Legislative Analyst’s Office, lao.ca.gov
The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children
LaWanda Wesley, Ed.D., Director of Government Relations, [email protected]
Maria Romo, Government Relations Specialist, [email protected]
Child Care Resource Center, ccrcca.org
- Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children PPT
- Funding for Vulnerable Children in Jeopardy Fact Sheet
Caregiver Approvals
Eileen Cubanski, Interim Executive Director, [email protected]
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
Bringing Families Home
Jeff Oxford, Assistant Program Director, [email protected]
Kern County Human Services, kcdhs.org/home-dhs
The Potential Impact of Budget Cuts on Children, Youth, and Families in Foster Care
Jenn Rexroad, Executive Director, [email protected]
California Alliance of Caregivers, cacaregivers.org
Youth & Young Adult Homelessness in CA: Data Overview
Cody Zeger, Policy Director, [email protected]
Shahera Hyatt, Council Analyst, [email protected]
California Interagency Council on Homelessness, bcsh.ca.gov/calich
- Youth & Young Adult Homelessness in California: Data Overview PPT
- Youth Homelessness HDIS Data Fact Sheet
Perspectives from Youth with Lived Experience
Zak Franet, Vice Chair of All Home California’s Community Advisory Council
SB 1079 (Menjivar): Youth Housing Bond Act of 2024
Sherilyn Adams, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]
Larkin Street Youth Services, larkinstreetyouth.org
- Larkin Street Overview and SB 1079 PPT
- SB 1079 (Menjivar): Youth Housing Bond Fund Act of 2024 Fact Sheet
- SB 1079 (Menjivar) Support Letter Template
AB 2674 (Shiavo): The California Affordable and Foster Youth Housing Finance Innovation Act
Daniel Heimpel, Founder, [email protected]
Kevin Clark, Senior Director, [email protected]
Good River Partners, goodriverpartners.com
Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program and AB 2520 (Ramos): Housing: Youth-Specific Processes and Coordinated Entry Systems
Kim Lewis, Partner, [email protected]
Lewis Advocacy, lewisadvocacy.com
CDSS Foster Care Rate Reform Proposal
Angie Schwartz, Deputy Director, Children and Family Services Division, [email protected]
California Department of Social Services, cdss.ca.gov
County Perspectives on the Foster Care Rates Proposal
Eileen Cubanski, Interim Executive Director, [email protected]
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
Ensuring that Youth and Families Have the Stability They Need Through Rate Reform
Chris Stoner-Mertz, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]
California Alliance of Child and Family Services, cacfs.org
- Ensuring Youth and Family Stability Through Rate Reform PPT
- California Alliance of Child and Family Services CDSS Permanent Rates Counter Proposal
- Foster Family Agencies Survey Findings Report
Opportunity, Questions, and Funding (Finally!): An Analysis of the Proposed Rates Structure
Brian Blalock, Senior Directing Attorney, [email protected]
Youth Law Center, ylc.org
Caregiver Perspectives on the Foster Care Rates Proposal
Jenn Rexroad, Co-Founder and Executive Director, [email protected]
California Alliance of Caregivers, cacaregivers.org
Stand with Youth
Anna Gennari, Director of Operations and Strategy, [email protected]
California Youth Connection, calyouthconn.org
Alliance for Children’s Rights, allianceforchildrensrights.org
Kristin Power, Vice President, Policy and Advocacy, [email protected]
California Alliance of Child and Family Services, cacfs.org
Adrienne Shilton, Vice President, Public Policy and Strategy, [email protected]
- AB 2544 (Low) Fact Sheet
- AB 2711 (Ramos) Fact Sheet
- AB 2802 (Maienschein) Fact Sheet
- 2024 Legislative Priorities PPT
Catbird Strategies, catbirdstrategies.com
Cathy Senderling-McDonald, CEO, [email protected]
Children’s Law Center of California, clccal.org
Julie McCormick, Senior Policy Attorney, [email protected]
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
Amanda Kirchner, Director of Legislative Advocacy, [email protected]
John Burton Advocates for Youth, jbay.org
Jessica Petrass, Associate Director of Education, [email protected]
Lewis Advocacy, lewisadvocacy.com
Kim Lewis, Partner, [email protected]
California’s 2024-25 Budget Proposal
Angela Short, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, [email protected]
Legislative Analyst’s Office, lao.ca.gov
The Family Urgent Response System (FURS)
Amanda Miller McKinney, Senior Associate, Child Welfare Policy, [email protected]
Children Now, childrennow.org
The Housing Navigation & Maintenance Program (HNMP) and the Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) Housing Supplement
Simone Tureck Lee, Director of Housing and Health, [email protected]
John Burton Advocates for Youth, jbay.org
- Housing Support PPT
- Housing Navigation & Maintenance Program (HNMP) Fact Sheet
- Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) Housing Supplement Fact Sheet
Public Health Nurse Los Angeles County Pilot Program
Craig A. Vincent-Jones, MHA, Deputy Director, Children’s Medical Services, [email protected]
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, publichealth.lacounty.gov
The Potential Impact of Eliminating Programs on Youth
Christopher Hernandez, Statewide Legislative Coordinator, [email protected]
California Youth Connection, calyouthconn.org
The Role Research Plays in Deepening Understanding of Transition Age Youth Services and Supports
Andrea Lane Eastman, PhD, Co-Director, Transition-Age Youth Research & Evaluation Hub, [email protected]
California Child Welfare Indicators Project, ccwip.berkeley.edu/TAY
- The Role Research Plays in Deepening Understanding of Transition Age Youth Services and Supports PPT
Effective Transitional Housing Programs for Young Adults Exiting Foster Care
Colleen Pagter, Director of Public Policy, [email protected]
First Place for Youth, firstplaceforyouth.org
Empowering Transition Age Youth through Mentorship
Kecia Sakazaki, Co-Founder and Program Director, [email protected]
AgingUP, agingup.org
Recommendations to Reform California’s Independent Living Program
Danielle Wondra, Senior Policy and Outreach Associate, [email protected]
Children Now, childrennow.org
An Overview of the Youth Development Services Division and Independent Living Program
Robbie Odom, Division Chief, Youth Development Services Division, [email protected]
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, dcfs.lacounty.gov
The Impacts of Authentic Youth Engagement
Amber Twitchell, Director, [email protected]
VOICES Youth Services, voicesyouthcenter.org
About Children Now
Children Now is a nonpartisan, multi-issue research, policy development and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children’s health and education in California. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California, a network of more than 3,000 direct service, parent, civil rights, faith-based and community groups dedicated to improving children’s well-being. Learn more about us at www.childrennow.org.
