Child & Family Policy Institute of California

CFPIC is excited to share highlights from the 2026 Statewide Prevention Convening (March 18–19), which brought together 900+ participants from every county across California and Tribal communities, showcasing a strong, shared commitment to advancing prevention statewide.

In partnership with Strategies TA and other statewide partners, CFPIC helped plan and host this year’s convening, creating space for cross-sector learning and collaboration. CFPIC also led three workshops on key prevention topics, including the Linkages Family Needs Screening Tool, the intersection of CalWORKs and prevention, and strategies for cross-sector teamwork.

Centered on this year’s theme, Prevention in Action, the convening highlighted real-world efforts and elevated voices across systems. We were especially proud to hear from CFPIC’s Youth Engagement Project (YEP) Ambassadors, who brought powerful lived experience to a foster youth panel, as well as Alameda County’s innovative work on Community Pathways.

👉 Check out the plenary and workshop recordings here:

Strategies TA MISSION: Strategies Technical Assistance supports and inspires cross-sector networks throughout California to advance community-driven action to strengthen children and families, centered in equity and inclusion. We work with child welfare systems and Child Abuse Prevention Councils to build county....

March is Social Work Month - a time that’s especially meaningful to us here at CFPIC. Many of our staff are social workers, and our work is rooted in partnering with public human services agencies to strengthen how systems serve the people who rely on them.

This year’s theme, “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.” reflects what we see every day, both in our team and in the partners we’re proud to work alongside. Thank you to the social workers who show up with dedication, compassion, and commitment to improving outcomes for the communities you serve!

By enhancing coordination and capacity at every level, our Capacity Building for System Integration (CBSI) effort helps ensure children and youth, especially those with complex, multi-system needs, receive the support they deserve.

For learning opportunities related to CBSI and AB 2083 Children, Youth & Families System of Care (CYFSOC), check out our March Spotlight:

CFPIC's Capacity Building for System Integration - March Spotlight

As we honor Black History Month, we celebrate the leadership, resilience, and generational wisdom of Black elders who have shaped our communities and advanced collective progress.

Honoring their legacy means taking action by addressing the systemic injustices that have resulted in the disproportionate risks of isolation, health disparities, and barriers to support that Black older adults experience.

At CFPIC, we are committed to supporting public Human Services agencies in meeting the growing needs of vulnerable adults across California. Through our Adults Services work, we partner to strengthen prevention efforts, expand access to elder justice resources, and uplift the voices and lived experiences of Black elders.

Supporting Black elders is a continuation of the justice movements they helped build. Let’s ensure every elder ages with dignity, safety, and protection.

It was great to connect with 100+ System of Care partners statewide for CFPIC’s Strengthening County Fiscal Strategies webinar, part of our Equipping Child & Youth System of Care Teams series.

Huge thanks to our expert panel — Robert Manchia, Melissa Chavez, Mike Geiss, Ardee Apostol, Michelle Callejas, and Monica Bentley — for sharing practical insights on funding, forecasting, sustainability, and cross-system coordination to strengthen outcomes for youth and families.

Missed it? Visit the CBSI page on our website for materials and resources.

And stay tuned for information on our next Equipping series, which will focus on aligning AB 2083 & Prevention.

Citizen Review Panels (CRPs) bring together parents, caregivers, youth, Tribal partners, advocates, and professionals to strengthen the Child Welfare system. CFPIC facilitates California’s CRPs, supporting their work to drive meaningful system improvement.

We’re excited to host the National CRP Conference in San Diego, June 1–3, welcoming colleagues from across California and the country to connect, learn, and celebrate the power of CRPs. You can find additional information, including the event registration, on our website.

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to elevate survivor leadership and strengthen collective action. A highlight of the month was PACT’s participation at the State Capitol alongside Assemblymembers Gail Pellerin and Mia Bonta to honor HR 75, which designates January as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and affirms the anti-trafficking movement as survivor-led. As CFPIC Program Associate and trafficking survivor Josie Feemster shared, “Every young person deserves to be seen, protected, and believed. Our response must match the reality of trafficking today, including labor trafficking by forced criminality.”

PACT’s work aligns with this commitment by centering those most impacted by trafficking; racial and ethnic minorities, Indigenous people, women and girls, LGBTQ+ individuals, and migrants, many of whom face barriers to reporting due to threats of violence, retaliation, or deportation.

PACT’s capacity-building platform strengthens coordination across counties by providing local leaders with critical resources, customized training, and coaching support, all guided by a diverse team of staff and consultants with deep subject matter expertise and lived experience. To learn more, visit pact.cfpic.org or reach out to us directly.

Human trafficking happens every day, in every corner of the world. That is why I was proud to stand alongside survivor leaders and my legislative colleagues to introduce HR 75, designating January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in California.

This resolution was drafted with survivors, grounded in lived experience, and focused on real, meaningful prevention and protection.

Thank you to Assemblymember Mia Bonta for partnering with me on this effort, and deep gratitude to the survivor leaders who show up every day to empower, support, and advocate for survivors. Your leadership helps to build a more just and compassionate world.

National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888

The presence of just ONE supportive adult in the life of a young person can be a strong protective factor and a critical support for healing post exploitation. One survivor of trafficking shared gratitude for the social workers who consistently showed up. “Not all relationships were positive, but the good relationships are what kept me inspired and motivated to keep moving forward and work hard as I rebuilt my life.” Showing up and meeting young people where they are can make all the difference!

January was dedicated as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in 2010 by former President Barack Obama. It was established with the intention of rededicating ourselves to preventing and ending human trafficking – in all forms. Blue ribbons are utilized as a symbol of allyship and remembrance for the month.

To learn more about HTPM, visit our website.