Unfortunately, the news today is fraught with disturbing reports of youth maltreatment in juvenile halls in California. CLC is at the forefront of efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of our clients. Indeed, CLC’s CARE program was created specifically to support youth in foster care who also interact with the juvenile justice system, commonly referred to as “dually involved youth.” CARE’s model integrates a unique legal and clinical social work collaboration. Graduate student social workers work side by side with CLC’s staff to provide critical case management and interventions to dually involved youth. Reduced caseloads, frequent and meaningful communication, empathetic support, and the use of a trauma-focused clinical perspective all contribute to CARE’s success – enabling CLC’s dually involved clients to remain out of custody, complete the terms of their probation and avoid further juvenile justice contact over time. Our team is on the ground working daily to ensure every child receives the care and support they deserve.
Meet Our Advocates Gala Honorees
Community Hero Award
Ticket to Dream Foundation
Ticket to Dream is a 501(c)3 organization that partners with businesses and local communities to ensure youth in foster care of all ages have the school supplies, holiday gifts, and properly fitting clothing and shoes that all children need to thrive. Ticket to Dream provides enriching life experiences, such as a trip to the zoo, joining the soccer team, music lessons, help in school, tickets to fun events, and even reuniting with a sibling at summer camp. Ticket to Dream creates opportunities for children by funding programs that increase graduation rates, provide housing, allow access to laptops, and teach employment and life skills aimed to prepare foster youth for adulthood and reduce the rate of homelessness as they leave care. On June 8, 2023, Ticket to Dream will receive our Community Hero Award, which recognizes contributions and service to children and youth in foster care.
Champion Award
Judge Jerilyn Borack
Judge Borack was appointed to the Superior Court by Governor Grey Davis in June 2002. Judge Borack has spent the vast majority of her judicial career presiding over matters to do with families and children. From 2018 – 2022, she served as the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court in Sacramento County. She also presided over the specialized Crossover CSEC (“Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children”) Court hearing juvenile justice cases, as well as a newly-established, grant-funded collaborative juvenile justice court for highly traumatized youth. That court proved so successful that funding is now being provided by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. During her tenure on the bench, Judge Borack was active in statewide court and community activities. She was appointed by then Chief Justice Ron George to the Statewide Domestic Violence Practices and Procedures Task Force and the Elkins Taskforce. She was a member of the first State Court, Tribal Court Forum. From 2005 – 2010, she served as the co-chair of the Judicial Counsel Advisory Committee on Family and Juvenile Law for family law, and then served again as co-chair from 2013-2021 for juvenile law. Judge Borack was honored as the Wilmont Sweeney Juvenile Court Judge of the Year in 2018 and the Judicial Officer of the Year by the California Lawyers Association, Family Law Section in 2021.
Donor Spotlight: Paulmartstore
We are so grateful to the generous donors who make contributions to CLC throughout the year. One donor, Paul Richard, used his successful toy and collectible business, Paulmartstore, to bring smiles to the faces of countless children. Earlier this year, Paul made a generous donation to CLC providing hundreds of disney toys, transformers, cars and other great toys to our child clients. The toys filled the halls of our offices for children who come to speak with their attorney or who need to attend court. The toys bring happiness on days that can be very scary to young children – and remind our clients that someone cares.
We are thankful for Paulmartstore and Paul’s generous donation. If you would like to visit Paul and say “hello,” you can find him at Frank and Sons Toy Show in City of Industry at Booth #513.
Thank You Joe Mandel!
CLC is so grateful for our dedicated board members. Each board member brings their invaluable expertise, resources, and networks – making the organization stronger and better positioned to support our child clients.
This year, a dedicated board member and longtime ambassador for CLC retired from our board. Joseph D. Mandel’s commitment to public service has earned him countless awards and honors over the years, but we are most grateful for his time with CLC.
During his tenure at CLC, Joe remained committed to strengthening the organization. He onboarded many new board members as the Chair of the Governance Committee and his meaningful contributions will continue to help drive our important mission.
On behalf of the entire organization and the tens of thousands of children and youth we serve, thank you Joe. You are truly irreplaceable!
Staff Spotlight: Randy Guzman and Cesar Martinez
CLC’s CARE program attorneys and social work investigators provide critical interventions to children and youth in foster care who are dually involved with the juvenile justice system and expectant or parenting youth. One of our social work investigators, Randy Guzman, was assigned a case with a youth who was facing 7-15 years in prison for an alleged violent offense. The youth had been in foster care since the age of 4 and had been moved in and out of several different homes. As part of his initial assessment, Randy read the client’s IEP (Individualized Education Program), school records, and DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) reports and found that the client had a significant delay. He was 16 years old and unable to read or write. Randy advocated for a Regional Center evaluation and went to juvenile hall to assist with the evaluation. The client was deemed eligible to receive Regional Center services, and with this extra support he was able to graduate high school and even take additional courses. He has since been released from juvenile hall and has started taking college classes to become a cook. He has also completed the terms of his probation.
FSAC Update!
The Family Support and Advocacy Center has some exciting updates to share! Letwon Lash has joined the team as the FSAC Legal Administration Assistant. Letwon has worked in the legal field for 8+ years and is a proud cat dad who enjoys cooking and dancing. Welcome to the team Letwon!
The FSAC Team will be out and about at community events over the next few weeks. To find out where, visit the website at www.fsacla.org