The Board of Supervisors pledged this week to seek to expand programs designed to keep foster youth from ending up in the county’s probation system.
“In Los Angeles County, a significant number of youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who are in the foster care system are in danger of ‘crossing over’ to the probation system,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who recommended hiring 15 psychiatric social workers to provide intensive services to at-risk youth. “Approximately 100 youth currently under Department of Children and Family Services jurisdiction get arrested each month,” he said.
The board agreed to seek funding for additional staff who, if hired, would work as part of multi-disciplinary teams in DCFS offices and the juvenile court system.
