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].
November 2024: Domestic Violence and Child Welfare – The Intersection and Practice Change
Domestic Violence and Child Welfare – The Intersection
Eve Sheedy, Consultant, [email protected]
Taylor Dudley, Executive Director, [email protected]
The UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families, pritzkercenter.ucla.edu
Survivor Perspective
Jacqueline Herrera, Hope-Line Parent Partner, [email protected]
Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers, ladlinc.org
New Strategies to Address the Intersection
Brenda Tully, Research Director, [email protected]
The UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families, pritzkercenter.ucla.edu
- Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley Research Brief
- Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley Report
Legal Advocacy for Survivors
Fabiola Gonzalez, Parent Support Case Manager, [email protected]
Family Support and Advocacy Center, fsacla.org
- Family Support and Advocacy Center Flyer (English)
- Family Support and Advocacy Center Flyer (Spanish)
- Family Support and Advocacy Center Free Trainings
Policy Change in DV/Child Welfare, Part I
Chris Negri, Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies, [email protected]
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, cpedv.org
Policy Change in DV/Child Welfare, Part II
Arati Vasan, Senior Managing Attorney, [email protected]
Family Violence Appellate Project, fvaplaw.org
What the Data Show: Academic Engagement and Achievement Among Students in Foster Care
Danielle Wondra, Senior Child Welfare Policy and Outreach Associate, [email protected]
Children Now, childrennow.org
A Transportation Solution for Vulnerable Students in California
Makayla Huynh, Community Engagement Manager, [email protected]
Jordan Sosa, Community Engagement Manager, [email protected]
HopSkipDrive, hopskipdrive.com
- A Transportation Solution for Vulnerable Students in California PPT
- HopSkipDrive Brochure
- School Transportation Equity for Vulnerable Student Populations through Ridehailing
Overview of School Stability Data for Students in Foster Care and the Educational Challenges of Mobility
Vanessa Ximenes Barrat, Senior Research Associate, [email protected]
WestEd, wested.org
Suspensions and the Impact of SB 274 on Foster Youth
Mayra Lira, Senior Supervising Attorney, [email protected]
Public Counsel, publiccounsel.org
- Suspensions and the Impact of SB 274 on Foster Youth PPT
- Lost Instruction Time in California’s Schools
Destination Graduation
Matt Strieker, CEO, [email protected]
United Friends of the Children, unitedfriends.org
Youth Perspective on K-12 Education
Sophia Jeffe, Youth Engagement Project Lead Youth Ambassador, Southern Region, [email protected]
Child and Family Policy Institute of California, cfpic.org
Strengthening Care Coordination for Child Welfare Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Members
Seema Shah, MD, Medical Consultant II, Quality and Population Health Management Division, [email protected]
Amara Bahramiaref, Branch Chief, Managed Care Policy Branch, [email protected]
Department of Health Care Services, dhcs.ca.gov
Foster Youth Access to Enhanced Care Management: Findings from New Data
Carly Myers, Staff Attorney, [email protected]
National Health Law Program, healthlaw.org
Supporting Children and Families: Leveraging CalAIM for Child Welfare Prevention
Jessica Rosenbaum, Chief Operations Officer, [email protected]
Full Circle Health Network, fullcirclehn.org
Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care: Comprehensive Nursing Care Management for the Most Vulnerable Children and Youth
Yasangi Jayasinha, MD, Director, Child Welfare Public Health Nursing Program, [email protected]
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, publichealth.lacounty.gov
Challenges and Barriers Youth Experience Meeting Their Health Care Needs
Yaya Johnson, ya’[email protected]
iFoster, ifoster.org
Legislative Analyst’s Office, lao.ca.gov
Angela Short, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, [email protected]
Children Now, childrennow.org
Susanna Kniffen, Senior Director, Child Welfare Policy, [email protected]
John Burton Advocates for Youth, jbay.org
Simone Tureck Lee, Director of Housing and Economic Mobility, [email protected]
- Investment in Reducing Youth Homelessness Fact Sheet
- Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Preserved Fact Sheet
- Increased Monthly Payments for Foster Youth Placed in Supervised Independent Living Placements (SILPs) Fact Sheet
County Welfare Directors Association of California, cwda.org
Diana Boyer, Director of Policy for Child Welfare and Older Adult Services, [email protected]
California Department of Social Services, cdss.ca.gov
Foster Care Rate Reform Proposal, cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/cdss-programs/foster-care/foster-care-audits-and-rates/foster-care-rate-reform-proposal
Sara Rogers, Chief, System of Care Branch, Children and Family Services Division, [email protected]
Emily Smallson, Project Manager, Children and Family Services Division, [email protected]
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.