ADDITIONAL SERVICES

AFS Homes For Youth is a collaboration between the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department (JPD) and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). AFS coordinates, places and supports emergency and long-term placements for youth referred by the San Francisco Juvenile Court, in coordination with the Juvenile Probation Department (JPD). Resource parents are approved and licensed Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) caregivers in San Francisco, and the surrounding Bay Area. 

Program Goals

• Improve outcomes for justice-impacted youth, particularly Black, Indigenous, and youth of color by providing them with intensive services in a home with caring resource parents.
• Reduce and minimize the use of secure detention facilities for young people while the intensive services may provide better outcomes.

 Target Population 

Youth ordered to out-of-home placement by the San Francisco Juvenile Court, based on alleged or sustained charges for criminal conduct. Additional characteristics include:

• Ages: 13-18, mostly 16 or older
• Gender: girls, boys, and gender-expansive
• Special Populations: Including but not limited to, youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation, monolingual youth, youth with behavioral health needs, and unaccompanied youth

Youth in this program will have immediate access to AFS’ array of SFDPH contracted mental health services including outpatient, therapeutic visitation, and Therapeutic Foster Care.

Common challenges faced by youth with juvenile justice involvement:

• Substance abuse
• Physical and mental health issues requiring individualized, comprehensive treatment approaches
• Housing and employment instability

Our staff and families are trained in evidence-based practices including:

• Wisdom Path Way, a reparative parenting approach
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
• Strengthening Families–a protective factors framework
• Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths.

Out-of-Home Placement in the San Francisco Juvenile Justice System: A Study Conducted for the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department - click here

Intensive Family Preservation Services are crucial in supporting kinship and home trials, aiming to establish lasting permanency and reduce dependency on formal support systems. Our comprehensive services include:

• 24/7/365 Immediate Response We offer round-the-clock support to youth, including crisis intervention and stabilization, ensuring immediate assistance whenever needed.
• Needs-Driven, Family-Informed Solutions: Our approach prioritizes permanency within family and community settings,        tailoring solutions to each family’s unique needs and input.
• Empowerment through Education and Engagement: We educate clients about the Child and Family Team (CFT) process, actively involving them in developing their Child and Family Plan.
• Behavioral Interventions Aligned with Probation Plans: Our services incorporate Integrated Core Practice Model elements,   aligning with existing probation plans to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
• Sustainable Interventions for Independence: We focus on interventions that promote long-term independence and self-sufficiency for our clients.
• Community Resource Connection: Family Partners serve as vital liaisons, guiding clients to appropriate community resources and support, fostering a network of assistance and care.

AFS is now participating in Enhanced Care Management (ECM) in Alameda and San Francisco Counties. ECM is a new service offered by MediCal offering help to people who are facing life and health challenges such as:

• Mental, physical, and behavioral health issues.
• Food insecurities, unstable housing, transportation challenges.
• Employment and education assistance.
• Interactions with law enforcement or crisis intervention due to mental health and/or substance use.
• New moms transitioning home from hospitalization.