Experience has shown us that advocacy at the local, state and national levels is key to improving the lives of California’s children and families. Our policy work starts with our clinical work. Clinicians and case managers identify youth who aren’t able to get the help they need due to systemic barriers to accessing services. Our research department defines and quantifies these roadblocks, and provides policy staff with the evidence needed to develop and support our policy advocacy strategy.

Our current policy priorities focus on:

• Preventing children’s exposure to trauma
• Strengthening access to mental health treatment for children and young adults
• Ensuring that foster youth leave the system with the resources and skills needed to succeed
• Eliminating commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents

To advance our goals we engage a broad constituency of advocates, including community members, service providers, and youth. Our strategic activities include working directly with and advising policymakers, participating in coalitions, alerting community members when action is needed, and raising awareness through the media.