NFYI Los Angeles Local Chapter
LA Chapter Description
As NFYI’s first and largest local group, the Los Angeles (LA) Chapter is creating the road map for transforming child welfare locally. The LA Chapter works at the grassroots level to engage youth impacted by the foster care system. Members are empowered to mobilize and organize Angelenos, partners, organizations, and decision makers to support local initiatives that will improve outcomes for youth in Los Angeles County.
Our NFYI Los Angeles chapter has five issue areas that they are focusing on.
LA Issue Areas
- Housing
- Mental Health
- Juvenile Justice
- Resources for Parenting Youth
- Substance Use
Housing:
Housing instability is a critical issue for current and former foster youth. The most recent census of unhoused Angelenos conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found that LA County had 3,718 homeless transition-age youth, and around 50% of those exiting care will experience homelessness.
Housing instability is a critical issue for current and former foster youth. The most recent census of unhoused Angelenos conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found that LA County had 3,718 homeless transition-age youth, and around 50% of those exiting care will experience homelessness.
This workgroup will focus on developing NFYI’s local policy asks to address housing instability issues specifically for foster youth and create awareness-raising campaigns. Community partners will also be invited to this space and you will have opportunities to engage and collaborate with other housing advocates.
Mental Health:
Approximately 80% of former foster youth will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. This is 62% higher than the general population. NFYI understands that there is no “one size fits all” solution to address foster youth mental health needs, and so our work is focused on increasing access to free alternative mental health care that is as diverse and inclusive of all foster youth. This also involves creating pathways for youth with lived experience to develop careers in the mental healthcare field to build a culturally responsive community of support.
Approximately 80% of former foster youth will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. This is 62% higher than the general population. NFYI understands that there is no “one size fits all” solution to address foster youth mental health needs, and so our work is focused on increasing access to free alternative mental health care that is as diverse and inclusive of all foster youth. This also involves creating pathways for youth with lived experience to develop careers in the mental healthcare field to build a culturally responsive community of support.
This workgroup will focus on developing NFYI’s local policy asks to address access to mental healthcare for foster youth and create awareness-raising campaigns. Community partners will also be invited to this space and you will have opportunities to engage and collaborate with other mental health advocates.
Juvenile Justice:
90% of foster youth will come into contact with the juvenile justice system before leaving care, and youth of color are disproportionately impacted. This over-policing has led to the foster care-to-prison pipeline and is linked to the historical impact the ‘War on Drugs’ has had on foster youth and communities of color.
90% of foster youth will come into contact with the juvenile justice system before leaving care, and youth of color are disproportionately impacted. This over-policing has led to the foster care-to-prison pipeline and is linked to the historical impact the ‘War on Drugs’ has had on foster youth and communities of color.
This workgroup will focus on developing NFYI’s local policy asks to address the over-policing of foster youth and create awareness-raising campaigns. Community partners will also be invited to this space and you will have opportunities to engage and collaborate with other juvenile justice advocates.
Substance Use:
Leading the way and building the power of current and former foster youth in Los Angeles County.
As NFYI’s first and largest local group, the Los Angeles (LA) Chapter is creating the road map for transforming child welfare locally. The LA Chapter works at the grassroots level to engage youth impacted by the foster care system. Members are empowered to mobilize and organize Angelenos, partners, organizations, and decision makers to support local initiatives that will improve outcomes for youth in Los Angeles County.
Interested in Joining?
The chapter hosts bi-weekly meetings (in-person and virtually) that are open to any current/former foster youth aged 18 to 30 years old in Los Angeles.
If interested, apply below and contact LA Organizing Director Pip Keogh at pip.keogh@nfyi.org
Take Action:
Upcoming Events
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Support the LA Local Chapter
LA Local Chapter members are hard at work mobilizing support across a county that is more populous than most states! There are a number of ways to support their work:
- Invest in their work by making a donation. Your contribution will help sponsor events, community engagement activities, and skill-building trainings.
- Center foster youth voices in your work. If you’re an elected official, decision maker, or policy maker who values thoughtful input from individuals with personal experience in the child welfare system, reach out to Pip Keogh at pip.keogh@nfyi.org
By creating leadership opportunities and training for former foster youth, we position them to inform important policy discussions on child welfare.
