ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Programs

1. System-wide reform:the alliance works at the state and local levels to develop and implement policies and practices that improve the lives and well-being of children and young adults in our child welfare systems. Through its work with a high volume of individual clients, as well as through collaboration with legal services programs and support centers across the state, the alliance is able to recognize trends, identify systemic issues and pursue reform through litigation, legislative, or administrative advocacy in order to improve outcomes and promote the well-being of children and families.the alliance also conducts training and support for child welfare, legal, educational, medical, and social service providers on the needs and rights of our communities' children and young adults, available resources to assist them, and best practices to promote their wellbeing.

   $2,306,950 spent
   24% of program spending

2. Social services & healthcare:a child's illness can be emotionally and financially devastating for any family and, for families already living in poverty, the challenges are even greater. The alliance helps children facing medi-cal eligibility problems, treatment denials and inadequate access to physicians, dentists, and mental health services. The alliance also protects the rights of expecting and parenting teens in foster care to healthcare, and to sexual and reproductive health education, so that they have the resources and support they need to be good parents and break the inter-generational cycle of children being removed from young parents in foster care.

   $1,710,106 spent
   18% of program spending

3. Opportunity youth collaborative:the los angeles opportunity youth collaborative (la oyc), led by the alliance, is a collective effort to improve education and employment opportunities for transition age youth ages 14 through 24, who are disconnected from school and work or have been impacted by foster care, the juvenile justice system, or homelessness in los angeles. Too often, efforts to support these young people's transition to independence fall short, due to service gaps and lack of coordination among public and private organizations. To overcome those gaps, the la oyc brings together public and private agencies, community-based organizations, foundations, educational institutions, and employers to address barriers and create pathways for young people to achieve success in school and at work. By aligning services, sharing information, identifying best practices, incorporating the voices of youth in solutions that affect them, and building the capacity of agencies with training and support, the la oyc is building partnerships to help young people succeed in their education and careers.

   $1,546,425 spent
   16% of program spending

4. Education:more than half of all children in foster care have learning disabilities or developmental delays, often compounded by the instability created by frequent moves and school changes. The alliance levels the playing field for these children by advocating for them to receive assessments, education services, and therapies tailored to meet their unique needs. Evidence shows that reaching children at a young age will improve their healthy development and reduce the need for special education and mental health services later.in response, the alliance created the saltz family early intervention center which increases access to treatments and services for hundreds of children ages 0 - 5 every year. The alliance also works to keep youth succeeding in school and on track for high school graduation, by training educators who work with students recovering from trauma, and by ensuring they are receiving appropriate credits, tutoring, transportation, and other services to support their education, even when they must change schools.

   $1,247,340 spent
   13% of program spending

5. Transition-age youth (tay) resources:every year, hundreds of young people "age out" of the foster care system in los angeles without a permanent family, adequate assistance, or preparation. The alliance provides targeted support to those youth ages 16 through 24, empowering them with legal advocacy, connection to resources, skill building workshops, and mentoring to overcome barriers to employment, education, housing, and healthcare. The alliance assists youth who have experienced identity thefts and financial frauds, connects youth with supportive housing, and provides targeted services for expectant and parenting youth and youth who cross into the delinquency system. For youth with disabilities, the alliance obtains benefits to help them secure and ongoing resource for housing and medical care.

   $1,130,164 spent
   12% of program spending

6. Public benefits and services:caregivers, particularly relatives, who step up to provide for children in foster care often have limited resources and can become overwhelmed with their new responsibilities, putting the children's essential stability at risk. The alliance obtains appropriate funding and services for these children so that caregivers can provide them with basic necessities and access critical services, such as specialized medical equipment and therapies, counseling, childcare, educational services, and respite care. Securing these resources can often mean the difference between permanent, safe homes and struggling, unstable ones.

   $766,692 spent
   8% of program spending

7. Adoption:children in foster care have a tremendous need for a stable home. Completing adoptions creates permanent, nurturing homes for these children. Working with the adoptive families to identify the children's legal, health, educational, and financial needs, the alliance also overcomes barriers to these children receiving the therapies and benefits they need. With the help of pro bono attorneys, the alliance completes adoptions out of foster care for young people throughout los angeles county, and also obtains the services necessary to stabilize the new families. With its adoption day program as a model, the alliance co-created national adoption day, which now is celebrated in every state in the country.

   $604,461 spent
   6% of program spending

8. Children's court & guardianship:adoption is not the only means through which children who cannot remain with their parents find stable, loving caregivers. Guardianship gives caregivers legal authority for a child's educational and medical welfare. It also allows guardians access to financial support, while providing vital emotional and physical security to children who have experienced trauma. We help caregivers establish probate legal guardianship, so they have the authority to raise, and obtain medical care and education for, the young people in their care. We also provide legal assistance to youth and families navigating the web of dependency, probate, and delinquency court systems, to provide essential guidance and representation regarding informal placements, emancipation, and legal documents.

   $348,716 spent
   4% of program spending

The 8 programs described on its FY2025 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $9,660,854.