Will SB307 Help Foster Youth Finish College?

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An exciting new opportunity for foster youth with postsecondary education aspirations was announced last month (July) with Senate Bill 307 being signed into the state budget. This new legislation expands financial aid for foster youth to not only support the cost of tuition, but the cost of living as well! Although this marks significant progress toward supporting foster youth with postsecondary education attainment, barriers such as lack of a supportive network continue to hinder this population in earning their college degree. Children’s Institute (CII) has worked diligently with Transition Aged Foster Youth (TAY) for many years to support them in identifying their postsecondary educational goals and take the necessary steps to make their dreams a reality.

To help paint the picture of what it’s like for this population, we connected with a recent graduate from our foster youth program, Beatrice, to discuss her experiences during her first year of college and the challenges she faced.

“I do not want to burden my foster mother to provide transportation. It can be a lot.” said Beatrice. Although the college she attends is only about a 30-minute drive, it takes more than an hour and a half and multiple connections for her to get to campus on public transport.

One of the most significant barriers for foster youth in college is the financial resources needed for housing, transportation, food, the cost of books, technology, and supplies. SB 307 addresses this barrier by providing the additional financial support needed to ensure foster youth are successful in meeting their postsecondary education goals.

On a more relational level, foster youth haven’t yet honed self-advocacy skills, nor do they have consistent, supportive adults in their lives to advocate on their behalf. There are a multitude of resources and services both on college campuses and in the community, but this information isn’t always readily apparent. Foster youth need to both know about the existence of those resources and have the confidence to access them. Beatrice shared that even when a resource is shared, on occasion, she didn’t know how to utilize it and needed more hands-on support to take full advantage of services and programs she was entitled to receive. CII provides current and former foster youth with mentors who support learning how to identify and access needed resources. These mentors are trusted adults that assist TAY in navigating the challenges of postsecondary education.

“I’m going into my 2nd year of college, and I still feel like a freshman, because I’m not engaged,” said Beatrice, “There are some people from my old high school that I go with, and even though we are in the same campus now, I still don’t interact with them. I see them through social media, and they are in their dorm and hanging out with people. I feel like I should have ‘dormed,’ but at the same time, growing up, I have always been around family.” Building community and networking is a vital part of the college experience, but many foster youth face financial challenges surrounding reliable, stable, and safe housing in between college semesters when many dorms are closed.

CII has served almost 300 current and former foster youth in South Los Angeles County between July 2022 and June 2023 in meeting education, employment, and housing goals. CII mentors meet with youth individually and in group settings to provide targeted support around postsecondary education goal identification and attainment. Our mentors support students in researching the best education fit, whether that includes vocational programs, community colleges, or a four-year university. Mentors support with the application process and even the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

We see these outcomes as a result:

  • 83% of High School Seniors enrolled in CII’s TAY program earned their High School Diploma in 2022
  • 87% of High School Seniors enrolled in the program applied to postsecondary education in June of 2022 and 2023 Compared to California
  • 70% of foster youth earned their High School Diploma by age 19
  • 56% of foster youth were enrolled in an educational program at age 19
  • 58% of foster youth earned their High School Diploma by age 19
  • 48% of foster youth were enrolled in an educational program at age 19

We asked Beatrice what advice she would give other foster youth starting their college journey. She encourages youth to take the opportunity to live in the dorms in order to develop meaningful relationships with peers. She also recommends making time for life on campus, such as clubs to decrease feelings of isolation and get the full college experience.

We need to continue to make efforts to identify barriers impacting foster youth earning their degrees and taking full advantage of the experience they worked so hard to attain, and ensure we create a collaborative effort to effectively overcome those barriers. California continues to progress toward equipping foster youth with the tools to succeed in college. Children’s Institute, and other community-based organizations support foster youth in accessing the resources and support to ensure foster youth have every opportunity to achieve their dreams.

CII’s Outreach Triage Teams featured in the LA Times

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I’m delighted to share this piece from today’s Los Angeles Times that highlights the fine work of our Outreach Triage Teams (OTT/COTT), led by Dee Dee Hitchcock, LMFT and Kristin Miller, LCSW. The program provided de-escalation support, mental health services and resource coordination for children and adults in crisis but who did not meet criteria for psychiatric hospitalization.

OTT/COTT met the needs of so many for whom the usual crisis response system is inadequate and potentially harmful. Our staff met people on the streets or in their homes, with enough time and resources to form relationships that led to trust and openness to accept help. Sadly, though there were significant unspent funds, the county chose not to continue the program.

We learned important lessons from the 2½ -year experience, and will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of people who are suffering and, in many cases, have experienced chronic trauma. We envision broad access to an equitable behavioral health system, inclusive of trusted community-based organizations, that prioritizes preventive, comprehensive, culturally responsive, and accountable care for all individuals.

Let’s celebrate the recognition for the work of CII’s staff and others on the front lines.

Thank you for Celebrating with Us!

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“Today is an opportunity to look ahead with hope and optimism. As you embark on this new journey, may you aspire to achieve even greater things, set audacious goals and protect those goals always.” – Adianna Paul

Dream BIG Keynote Speaker  |  Listen to her inspiring remarks

This June, Children’s Institute’s Dream BIG Graduation celebrated the incredible youth enrolled in CII’s Individualized Transition Skills Program. The keynote for the evening was educator, Stanford graduate and alumna of CII’s foster youth program, Adianna Paul, who not only delivered an inspiring message to youth but who also sat in their place just a few years ago.

The evening was filled with words of encouragement from CII staff. Guests enjoyed the DJ stylings of Lani Love and a delicious spread of summer foods from In-N-Out and Donny Joubert’s BBQ. Each graduate received a duffel bag with CII swag essentials and a $300 gift card for anything they might need as they move on to career and college. This was made possible by the generous support of The Colleagues, a philanthropic organization that understands that an investment in our youth is an investment in the future of Los Angeles.

We are so thankful to the community who came out to support these amazing young people as they began their next chapter in life.

We are so thankful to the community who came out to support these amazing young people as they began their next chapter in life.

Support life-changing work like CII’s foster youth program. Give Today. 

 

 

 

 

Check out a fun recap reel on Children’s Institute’s Instagram! Follow CII on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest celebration.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Wendy Bermeo @wendystylez and a special shout-out to @onyxnail_lounge for donating their time and resources to provide hair, makeup and nail tech services to our graduates.

Thank you for supporting the Children’s Institute at the 2023 Gala!

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Thanks to you, we raised $1,050,000 (and counting) for our LA communities! It’s not just a number; it’s hope for 30,000 children and families across our city.

We are deeply grateful to all of you who attended and contributed to our 5th Annual Cape & Gown Gala last night. With the shared goal of creating a more just and equitable Los Angeles, we are thrilled to have raised direct support for programs that create community resilience, thriving families, and healthy children.

We honored four truly heroic individuals:

Paul Kanin, introduced by his three children Maralee, Matt and Max Kanin, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of service to his Los Angeles community as well as many years serving as a trustee and Chair of Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees.

Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, introduced by Watts Gang Task Force President Donny Joubert and TDE executive Brandon Tiffith, received the Community Champion award for his tireless efforts in his beloved Watts Community.

Derrick Rossi, PhD, introduced by Rob Reiner, received the Children’s Champion Award for his innovative work in stem cell biology and mRNA technology as co-founder of Moderna, saving millions of lives world-wide.

Gelila Assefa Puck, introduced by Wolfgang Puck, received the Children’s Champion Award for her international efforts to provide hope and opportunity to children and families, including through her organization Dream for Future Africa Foundation and as a member of Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees.

Emceed by actor, director and activist Rob Reiner, the evening featured inspiring stories from CII staff, community members and supporters. Thank you to our incredible Children’s Institute speaker, Adianna Paul, who joined CII’s program for transitional aged foster youth when she was 17 and received the support and mentorship she needed to follow her dreams. Watch Adianna’s incredible journey here. An exciting Live Auction and Fund-a-Future campaign hosted by Emmy winning host Liam Mayclem provided guests the opportunity to take home some fabulous experiences in support of CII’s programs and services. The evening came to a close with an awe-inspiring performance from the LA Inner City Mass Choir.

On behalf of Children’s Institute, thank you to everyone who sponsored, supported and participated in the event.

CII’s Building on Success: A Watts Community Hub

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Our Watts location continues to blossom into a community space! Last June, we celebrated the grand opening of Children’s Institute’s new Building on Success in Watts, lovingly designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Since then, CII has hosted many events for children and families, and our staff continues to offer them critical resources and support programs.

Creating a true community hub, a welcoming and accessible convening space, was one of the driving forces behind the Watts building project. That’s why we’ve made it easy to reserve space through the online Watts Campus Room Reservation page. Thanks to the Watts community’s support and our South LA teams cultivating meaningful partnerships, we are pleased to report that, in the past nine months, the building has welcomed more than 40 partner organizations and local groups that have held events, workshops or provided services.

If you happen to visit us, you might see young children and families from our Early Head Start program enjoying “toddler socialization,” or transition-aged foster youth attending office hours with the Children’s Law Center. Or, you might see a Digital Literacy workshop in partnership with EveryoneOn, CII Employment Collective’s Job Ready Bootcamps, and CII Reach Team’s Wellness Wednesdays.  Annual celebrations held at the campus include Gears for Kids, Winter Festival, College Fair, Prom2Go and many more.

Please enjoy some photos posted by our community partners embracing this amazing space.

We are so grateful to be able to share this campus with such passionate people, dedicated to serving their community. Our sincerest thanks to the generous donors and CII support groups who supported the Building on Success campaign, and to all of our community friends, partners, elected officials, businesses and neighbors, who make this a place for learning, connection and healing.

Tragedy in Monterey Park

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On January 21, 2023, a gunman opened fire in a dance hall during Lunar New Year celebrations in Monterey Park, a predominantly Asian American community. Ten people were killed and 10 more were injured. The gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday. We don’t yet know the motive or of the identities of all the victims, but we do know that there is unspeakable pain left in the aftermath.

The new year is often a hopeful time, where we can look forward to new possibilities, second chances and growth in our lives. Lunar New Year—celebrated in many Asian American communities—welcomes the coming of spring, when life grows anew and wishes for good fortune and abundance are made on behalf of loved ones. I am deeply saddened that these celebrations were marred by violence and anguish this weekend. This incident only compounds the grief, loss and trauma the community has been holding due to increased anti-Asian violence. It is understandable to feel hopeless in the face of such frequent mass shootings, but we continue to believe in our communities’ capacity for healing.

It’s important to recognize why communities like Monterey Park are special. As activist, scholar and SoCal native Bianca Mabute-Louie said in the Los Angeles Times, Monterey Park, “is the first Asian ethnoburb… that thrives [because] it refuses to assimilate, instead unapologetically catering to its own immigrant community.” California is a place where diasporas of people find one another either by choice or by necessity due to histories of war, forced migration and colonization. These diasporas form enclaves, like Monterey Park, where they can find community, resilience and healing in their shared histories.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Asian Americans face many systemic barriers to accessing mental health care and quality treatment, including stigma and lack of culturally or linguistically relevant care that addresses mental health in a more holistic way. If you or a family you work with is struggling in the wake of this event, please look into some of the culturally relevant resources provided below.

Everyone—regardless of where they come from and who has harmed them—deserves to be happy, healthy and safe. Let’s lean on one another during these difficult times and hope for healing.

Asian American Mental Health Resources

Resources for Coping with Mass Violence

Consider Making a Gift to Children’s Institute

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Every family deserves to be happy, healthy and safe.

That’s why we need your help to ensure that children and families have the resources they need to achieve educational success and emotional wellbeing, that build pathways to economic mobility. Please consider making a gift to Children’s Institute!

For over a century, CII’s whole family service model has been a lifeline for so many—providing food and other basic necessities, along with early education, mental health care and employment supports to multiple generations in a family at critical stages of their lives.

Each year, thousands of families across Los Angeles entrust their children into the care of our expert and compassionate teachers, therapists and care coordinators. We interact with our communities in such meaningful ways through one-on-one counseling, parent meetings and family-friendly events that take place throughout the year.

We know that families in our programs often experience more stress around the holidays as schools providing daily meals close for winter break, colder weather increases the cost of utility bills and the demand for warm clothing, and holiday activities often strain overstretched budgets. Communities still struggling with the economic and emotional aftermath of the pandemic are now feeling the anxiety of increased costs of living, from gas prices to groceries. And, they continue to need our support.

Together, we can make the season brighter for children and families across our county.

As always, we appreciate your generous support.

Give Today 

Tis the Season for our Winter Festival Toy Drive-Thrus!

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This month, Children’s Institute held our Winter Festival Toy Drive-Thrus for the third year in a row. Our staff was filled with the holiday spirit as we gathered together to give toys to our wonderful families at our Long Beach, Wilmington, Otis Booth, Watts, Compton campuses! Across our different festivals, we had appearances from Elsa, Olaf, Snoopy, and even the Grinch!

We are incredibly grateful for all of our sponsors and community partners who made this possible: Filmtoys, Mattel, JAKKS Pacific, Inc, Project Pop Drop, Dodgers, Mayor Garcetti’s office and a host of individual donors. Because of them, we were able to give away thousands of toys, hundreds of grocery bags, and hundreds of baby necessities such as diapers.

Total Toys: 3500 +
Yummy Bags: 750 +
Baby Diapers: 250+
Children Clothing: 300+

We would also like to thank all our staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to prepare distribute, and organize each event. Our families were the shining stars of all our Winter Festival activities!

We wish our community a happy, safe, and healthy holidays this season!

What You Missed at Our Trauma-Informed Care Conference

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On Wednesday, September 28, Children’s Institute held our annual Trauma Informed Care Conference, where we spoke with leading professionals about actionable insights for healing collective trauma. Nearly 600 participants heard from our brilliant keynote presenters Andrea Elliott and Michael D. Tubbs as well as our incredible panelists Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo and Alain Datcher. As a leader in trauma-informed care and evidence-based clinical treatment, Children’s Institute trains thousands of professionals and caregivers each year—including our own teachers, therapists, care coordinators and others. This annual conference is central to that work, because it challenges us to bring the most innovative thinkers together with the front-line professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and caregivers who experience trauma, violence and adversity.

This year, teachers, healthcare workers, mental health workers, and other frontline professionals heard about what lived experience can teach us in moments of compassion fatigue and persistence in fighting for social justice. Children’s Institute’s very own Behavioral Health and Wellness Manager for our Head Start Program, Dr. Brandi Eichstedt, led us through a conversation with Pulitzer Prizing winning journalist, author, and keynote speaker Andrea Elliott, who spoke on her long-term immersion work following an impoverished family in New York City.

Andrea shared her journey following Dasani, the eldest of her 7 brothers and sisters, her parents Chanel and Supreme and their heartbreaking and inspiring experience with homeless shelters in New York city. She highlighted the patterns of trauma and systemic racism contributing to the cycle of poverty the family faced. Andera reflected, “when you are too busy surviving, you cannot thrive,” which was painfully true for Dasani’s family. Despite disheartening stories of loss and struggle, Andrea also highlighted all of the power and strength she witnessed in Dasani, providing a more complete and compassionate portrait of a family that otherwise may have remained invisible in a society that devalues and dehumanizes the poor. Andrea reflected, “People often talk about the cycle of poverty. I also see the family story as the cycle of power. The cycle of resilience.” Brandi and Andrea discussed this resilience present in less privileged families and spoke about what types of resources, services, and system reformation we can work towards to ensure equity for all families.

Brandi and Andrea then joined panelists Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo, Assistant Professor and General Pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics and Urban Health Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Alain Datcher, former executive director of the Los Angeles County Youth Commission. Together, the panel discussed the dynamic between the family and the systems we currently have in place to support families and children. Alain continued to touch on Dasani’s story, noting that “how the system interacted with [her] family is also part of the trauma. That cannot be overstated.” Angela agreed in that we are already working towards empowered communities, but “the justice side is what we need to work on.” All of our experts shared their experiences in working with populations who have collective trauma, and agreed that we must continue to meet families where they are, every day, if we want to make sustainable change. As learners and educators, their discussion armed front-line professionals with new ways to frame challenges and opportunities in their everyday advocacy for system-involved children and families.

In our final keynote presentation, former Mayor of Stockton, CA and youngest Mayor of any major city in American history, Michael D. Tubbs utilized parables, personal experience and policy perspective to demonstrate the critical need to shift to a human-centered response to poverty and trauma. Mayor Tubbs shared his lived experience growing up in poverty and why he eventually went on to create the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the US. He spoke to the core issue of perpetuating cycles of injustice, to which he commented, “part of the Good Samaritan impulse is to have pity for people…it can lead us to think that the people are the problem.” Mayor Tubbs reminded us that at the center of systems and services are people. He said, “the best way to respond to trauma is to see folks as fully human, particularly because we know trauma is dehumanizing.” CII President and CEO Martine Singer and Mayor Tubbs finished the conference by speaking to the empathy and compassion it takes for everyone on the frontlines to do the work we do.

We want to thank everyone for coming to this year’s conference, and we hope to see you again next year!

Top 5 Reasons to Attend CII’s Trauma-Informed Care Conference

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Are you considering attending Children’s Institute Annual Trauma-Informed Care Conference? Here are five reasons you should absolutely join us!

1. Learn tools to use in your workplace
Our moderators and keynote speakers will be leading discussions in what they’ve learned through working with system-involved families and trauma-informed care, a more holistic and healing approach to working. Through their experiences and expertise, they will share helpful techniques to incorporate a more understanding and empathetic approach to your work with clients and students.

2. Hear from experts in the field
Keynote speaker Andrea Elliott is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who has witnessed the impact of trauma on children and families through documenting the lives of people on the margins of power. She is an investigative reporter for The New York Times and the author of Invisible Child, published by Random House. Her reporting on Dasani Coates, a homeless child, prompted city officials to remove 400 children from substandard shelters. Her work has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, a George Polk award, an Overseas Press Club prize, among other honors. She is the recipient of Columbia University’s Medal for Excellence and an honorary doctorate from Niagara University.

Keynote speaker Michael Tubbs was Stockton’s first African-American Mayor at 26 making him the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history. While Mayor, he raised over $20 million dollars to create the Stockton Scholars, a universal scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton students. The city saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019, led the state of California in the decline of officer involved shootings in 2019, and was named the second most fiscally healthy city in California. Additionally, Tubbs piloted the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the country. Currently, he is the Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility and Opportunity; the Founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI); and the Founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC).

In addition to our keynote speakers, we have talented experts in public policy and mental health joining us for our panel discussion. Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo, MD is an Assistant Professor and Pediatrician at Urban Health Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Alain Datcher is Former Executive Director at the LA County Youth Commission. Additionally, Brandi Eichstedt, PhD, LMFT, IFECMH, CCTP and Behavioral Health & Wellness Manager at Children’s Institute, will be moderating dialogue between experts in trauma-informed care.

3. Get Your questions answered!
You’ll not only hear from our expert panelists, but you’ll have the opportunity to ask them about their experiences, work, or observations! Our Q&A session will be a time to ask field-specific questions to enrich your professional life and make connections with future generations of front-line professionals.

4. Evaluate your own care under a trauma informed lens
Whether you’re a student or professional working with children and families, you’ll have the chance to reflect on your own work. Have you been practicing with a trauma-informed lens? How do you typically approach new clients or students? How have you dealt with challenging client or student situations? Assess where you are and learn how you can incorporate more empathetic, equity-based and trauma-informed techniques into your work.

5. Join in a nation-wide conversation
Many healthcare and wellness workers consider a trauma-informed approach the future standard practice. We are joining in this nation-wide conversation to advocate in shifting the needle to more comprehensive mental health care and wellness. We welcome you to ask questions and engage in conversations around how to work from a trauma-informed lens across all areas of work and expertise.

To register for the conference, head to childrensinstitute.org/tic22. Can’t wait to see you there!