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. Co-hosted by Children Now and the Assembly Foster Care Select Committee, 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].
May 2022: Supporting Youth in Foster Care with Complex Care Needs
California’s Efforts to Support Children and Youth in Foster Care with Complex Care Needs
Sara Rogers, Branch Chief, System of Care Branch, [email protected]
California Department of Social Services, www.cdss.ca.gov
Foster Youth with Complex Needs: Challenges and Opportunities
Cathy Senderling, Executive Director, [email protected]
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
Addressing the Complex Care Needs of Youth in Foster Care – A County System of Care Approach
Marni R. Sandoval, PsyD., Deputy Director of Behavioral Health, [email protected]
Child and Adolescent Services, Monterey County Health Department, co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/behavioral-health/bh-home
Ken Berrick, Founder and CEO Emeritus, [email protected]
Seneca Family of Agencies, senecafoa.org
How Complex Care Funding Can Be Used by Counties in Partnership with Providers to Address the Unmet Complex Care Needs of Youth
Chris Stoner-Mertz, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]
California Alliance of Child and Family Services, cacfs.org
Building on the Momentum: How Appropriate Implementation of Community Based Supports Can Help Youth with Complex Care Needs
Brian Blalock, Senior Staff Attorney, [email protected]
Youth Law Center, ylc.org
Youth Perspective on Homelessness Amongst Young People
Maya Meza, ILSP Specialist and Young Adult Leadership Council Co-Leader, [email protected]
First Place for Youth, firstplaceforyouth.org
- N/A
Existing Programs to Provide Housing and Support to Youth
Jane Schroeder, Chief Policy Officer, [email protected]
First Place for Youth, firstplaceforyouth.org
Former Foster Youth: Current Housing Capacity, Needs and Opportunities
Simone Tureck Lee, Director of Housing and Health, [email protected]
John Burton Advocates for Youth, jbay.org
Opportunities to Support Youth Experiencing or At Risk of Homelessness
Jevon Wilkes, Executive Director, [email protected]
California Coalition for Youth, calyouth.org
- Capital Needs: The Challenges of Serving Homeless Youth Through Homekey
- Capital Needs: The Challenges of Serving Youth Who Have Spent Time in Foster Care Fact Sheet
Current Work to Provide Stable Housing to Youth
Laura Tancredi-Baese, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]
Home Start, home-start.org
- N/A
Overview of State Actions to Support the Child Welfare System
Angie Schwartz, Deputy Director, Child and Family Services Division, [email protected]
California Department of Social Services, cdss.ca.gov
- N/A
Impact of COVID on County Child Welfare Systems
Diana Boyer, Director of Policy for Child Welfare and Older Adult Services, [email protected]
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
STRTPs and FFAs experiences with the Pandemic
Faith Pulido, Senior Policy Associate, [email protected]
California Alliance of Child and Family Services, cacfs.org
COVID’s Impact on Youth in Extended Foster Care and Transitional Housing Programs
Matt Levy, Vice President of Evaluation and Learning, [email protected]
First Place for Youth, firstplaceforyouth.org
Youth Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Makayla James, Policy Manager, [email protected]
California Youth Connection, calyouthconn.org
View a Recording of the Meeting Here
Statewide Educational Outcomes for Students in Foster Care
Liberty Van Natten, Education Research and Evaluation Administrator, [email protected]
California Department of Education, cde.ca.gov
Education Supports and Services for Students in Foster Care
Dr. Michelle Lustig, Program Director, FYSCP Technical Assistance Program, [email protected]
Los Angeles County Office of Education, https://sites.google.com/scoe.net/fyscptap/
Efforts to Improve LCFF Transparency and Accountability
Vincent Stewart, Vice President, Policy and Programs, [email protected]
Children Now, childrennow.org
Student Perspectives on the Impact of the Pandemic on their Education
Essie Calderon, Program Manager, [email protected]
United Friends of the Children, unitedfriends.org
- N/A
Centering Foster Youth Voices: Examining the Experiences of First Star Scholars During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Karina Garcia, Academy Director, [email protected]
First Star Bruin Guardian Scholars Academy, bgsa.ucla.edu
View a Recording of the Meeting Here
Alliance for Children’s Rights, allianceforchildrensrights.org
Sabrina Forte, Director of Policy and Impact Litigation, [email protected]
California Alliance of Child and Family Services, cacfs.org
Adrienne Shilton, Senior Policy Advocate, [email protected]
California Coalition for Youth, calyouth.org
Kim Lewis, Advocate, [email protected]
- N/A
Children Now, childrennow.org
Susanna Kniffen, Senior Director of Child Welfare Policy, [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
Diana Boyer, Director of Policy for Child Welfare and Older Adult Services, [email protected]
- N/A
John Burton Advocates for Youth, jbay.org
Debbie Raucher, Director of Education, [email protected]
- 2022 Legislation to Address Homelessness Among Former Foster Youth
- Foster Youth Tax Credit
- Legislative Proposal: Foster Youth College and University Support
National Center for Youth Law, youthlaw.org
Margaret Olmos, Director, Compassionate Education Systems California, [email protected]
SEIU California, seiuca.org
Libby Sanchez, Government Relations Advocate, [email protected]
Youth Law Center, ylc.org
Jenny Pokempner, Policy Director, [email protected]
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.
