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Program AreasDonate
 * Children & Youth Services
   * Adoption Services
   * Post Adoption Services
   * Child Development Services (formerly Blind Babies Foundation program)
   * Camp Bloomfield
   * The Cottage (TSC)
   * Child Development Services (Southern California)
   * Foster Family Services
   * Group Homes for Children
   * Mental Health Services
   * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired
   * Special Education School
   * Transition Services
   * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)
   * Family Trainings & Workshops
   * Kinship Support Services Program
 * Adult Services
   * Assistive Technology Training
   * Camp Bloomfield
   * Davidson Program for Independence (Residential for Visually Impaired)
   * Employment Services
   * Group Homes for Adults
   * Orientation and Mobility Training
   * The Hatlen Center (Residential for Visually Impaired)
   * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired
   * Transition Services
   * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)
 * Family Services
   * Adoption Services
   * Camp Bloomfield
   * Child Development Services (formerly Blind Babies Foundation program)
   * Child Development Services (Southern California)
   * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)
   * Foster Family Services
   * Mental Health Services
   * Kinship Support Services Program
   * Post Adoption Services
   * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired
 * Find a Program


 * Toggle SubmenuAbout Us
   * Our Mission, Purpose and Values
   * Fact Sheet and Additional Information
   * Our History
   * Locations
   * Board of Directors
   * Our Leadership
   * Equity Statement
   * Awards and Accreditations
   * Q&A with Our CEO
   * Program Flyers
 * Toggle SubmenuWays to Help
   * Donate Now
   * Donor Advised Fund
   * Holiday Toy Drive and Wish List
   * Planned Giving
   * Major Gifts
   * Impact Council
   * Community Council
   * Corporate Sponsorships and Volunteer Opportunities
   * Workplace Giving
   * Giving Stock or Bonds
   * In-Kind Gifts
   * Volunteer Opportunities
   * Matching Gifts
   * Small Actions that Make Big Changes
   * Tribute Gifts
   * Monthly Giving
 * Toggle SubmenuNews and Events
   * Join The Conversation
   * Holiday Party
   * Annual Events
   * Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
   * Wayfinder Moments Newsletter
 * Toggle SubmenuCareers
   * Career Opportunities
 * Blog
 * Sign Up for Our Newsletter


 * Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates |
 * Contact Us
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 * About Us
   * Our Mission, Purpose and Values
   * Fact Sheet and Additional Information
   * Our History
   * Locations
   * Board of Directors
   * Our Leadership
   * Equity Statement
   * Awards and Accreditations
   * Q&A with Our CEO
   * Program Flyers
 * Ways to Help
   * Donate Now
   * Donor Advised Fund
   * Holiday Toy Drive and Wish List
   * Planned Giving
   * Major Gifts
   * Impact Council
   * Community Council
   * Corporate Sponsorships and Volunteer Opportunities
   * Workplace Giving
   * Giving Stock or Bonds
   * In-Kind Gifts
   * Volunteer Opportunities
   * Matching Gifts
   * Small Actions that Make Big Changes
   * Tribute Gifts
   * Monthly Giving
 * News and Events
   * Join The Conversation
   * Holiday Party
   * Annual Events
   * Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
   * Wayfinder Moments Newsletter
 * Careers
   * Career Opportunities
 * Blog
 * Sign Up for Our Newsletter
 * Search

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PROGRAM AREAS

 * Children & Youth Services
 * Adult Services
 * Family Services
 * Find a Program

 * Adoption Services
 * Post Adoption Services
 * Child Development Services (formerly Blind Babies Foundation program)
 * Camp Bloomfield
 * The Cottage (TSC)

 * Child Development Services (Southern California)
 * Foster Family Services
 * Group Homes for Children
 * Mental Health Services
 * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired

 * Special Education School
 * Transition Services
 * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)
 * Family Trainings & Workshops
 * Kinship Support Services Program

 * Assistive Technology Training
 * Camp Bloomfield
 * Davidson Program for Independence (Residential for Visually Impaired)
 * Employment Services

 * Group Homes for Adults
 * Orientation and Mobility Training
 * The Hatlen Center (Residential for Visually Impaired)
 * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired

 * Transition Services
 * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)

 * Adoption Services
 * Camp Bloomfield
 * Child Development Services (formerly Blind Babies Foundation program)
 * Child Development Services (Southern California)

 * Children and Family Services (formerly Lilliput Families)
 * Foster Family Services
 * Mental Health Services
 * Kinship Support Services Program

 * Post Adoption Services
 * Recreation for the Blind or Visually Impaired




CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

One name. Infinite potential.

Did you know? Lilliput and Wayfinder Family Services merged in 2020 and as of
2023, will be known as Wayfinder Family Services. As Wayfinder Family Services,
we will continue to stand in the gap and change the future, embracing the spirit
of our name: we forge ahead, we find a way, whatever it takes. We are Wayfinder.

We’re so proud of Lilliput’s history and even more excited about our future as
Wayfinder Family Services. Our goal remains unchanged: do whatever it takes to
give children the opportunity to be part of a safe, nurturing, lifelong
family. Our commitment is unwavering: As Wayfinder Family Services, we now serve
more than 21,000 children and families across California. Our team is stronger
than ever: with offices across the state, we have deep partnerships, more
resources and increased impact.

Download: Fact Sheet | Program Overview

Our goal is to ensure every child has an opportunity to be part of a safe,
nurturing, lifelong family. We are committed to the highest quality in child
welfare programs, building healthier families and finding loving homes for
children. We have offices across the state, serving over two dozen counties. Our
programs have a strong commitment to inclusive services for all families,
including LGBTQIA+ families.



WAYFINDER’S CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA:


DONATE

Support our life-changing work!

Donate


LOCATIONS

We serve multiple counties throughout California. Click below to see our
locations or read more about each of our programs to see which areas they serve.

See All Locations


JOIN OUR TEAM

Visit our career portal to join our team in Northern California. We are also
hiring statewide!

View Jobs


WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

Lead the way and make an impact.

Community Council

 * Resource Family Approval (RFA)
 * Kinship Support Services (KSSP)
 * Family Finding Services
 * Post Adoption Services (PAS)
 * Other Programs

Resource Family Approval (RFA)

With over 60,000 young people in California’s foster care system, we invite you
to learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive resource parent today. Our
families represent the cultural diversity of our communities, and we welcome all
qualified and nurturing prospective parents to take the  next step, including
single parents and LBGTQ+ families.

INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
Children who grow up in a family are more likely to graduate high school, pursue
further education, and engage in productive activities, eventually becoming
leaders in our communities.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP.

Learn more about our Resource Family Approval program.

Kinship Support Services (KSSP)

WHAT IS KINSHIP SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM?
Kinship Support Services Program (KSSP) is a free program designed to provide
resources and support to help improve outcomes for families formed through
kinship care. KSSP is funded by some California counties and offered in
collaboration with community-based service providers. Check our locations page
to find out if KSSP is offered in the county where you reside.

WHAT IS THE NEED?
Over 600,000 grandparents in California are raising their grandchildren – the
highest such statistic in the country. It’s not just grandparents tackling this
responsibility, but other relatives and family friends as well.

HOW CAN KINSHIP SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM HELP?
KSSP is designed to provide support to kinship families – particularly those
formed voluntarily, without the assistance of a child welfare agency. Rarely are
families prepared for a situation like this. And that’s where KSSP can help.

KSSP provides support to relatives facing the challenge of raising kin, and also
helps connect families in similar situations. In addition, we offer:

 * In-home Support
 * Counseling
 * Support Groups
 * Respite Resources
 * Advocacy
 * Information & Referrals
 * Legal Referrals
 * Guardianship Workshops & Adoption Assistance
 * Family Activities
 * Play Care
 * Mentoring
 * Assistance with Basic Emergency Needs

IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN

 * Relative foster placements are often more stable than placements with
   unrelated foster families.
 * Siblings are less likely to be separated.
 * Children maintain community, cultural, and family connections.
 * Relatives are often willing to adopt or become permanent guardians when
   reunification is not possible.

IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY

 * Families thrive
 * Juvenile homelessness and delinquency decreases
 * Teenage pregnancy is reduced
 * Alcohol and drug abuse is reduced
 * Rate of incarceration decreases

 

Learn more about our Kinship Support Services program.

Family Finding Services

WHAT IS FAMILY FINDING?
We conduct an exhaustive search for relatives and other people close to the
child in foster care (i.e. godparents, family friends, etc.). The goal is to
link children to important people in their life so they can live with someone
they know, rather than a foster family who is unknown to them. We strive to
establish ongoing connections between the child and known adults, regardless of
whether they will be placed with them or not.

HERE’S WHY FAMILY FINDING IS SO IMPORTANT
Our Family Finders build upon a child’s natural support network to increase the
likelihood that their connections to siblings and extended family are not
severed when they enter foster care. This is important because studies show that
children who are placed with relatives experience less trauma and have fewer
moves, and siblings are more likely to be able to stay together when they are
placed with a relative.

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY:

 * Families are strengthened
 * Youth have family support to finish high school and pursue college or a
   vocation
 * Family connections help reduce teen pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse,
   delinquency and homelessness.

FAMILY FINDING SERVICE LOCATIONS:

 * Sacramento County
 * El Dorado County
 * Placer County
 * San Joaquin County
 * Shasta County

 

Learn more about our Family Finding program.

Post Adoption Services (PAS)

WHAT ARE POST ADOPTION SERVICES?
Wayfinder offers a variety of support groups, classes and social events for
families in many of the communities we serve. We are fortunate to have solid
partnerships with our public agency partners, offering comprehensive Post
Adoption Service programs in 20 counties throughout Northern California. Contact
the post adoption worker serving your community to determine which services are
available in your area. Services may include:

 * Warmline
 * Support and Discussion Groups
 * Family Consultation
 * Resource Libraries and Trainings
 * Information and Referrals
 * Social Events
 * Family Funding to support child activities, therapeutic and respite needs
 * Advocacy

Learn more about our Post Adoption Services.

 

POST ADOPTION SERVICE PROGRAM

In partnership with CDSS, Adoptions Services Branch- remote social workers

 * * Warm line 855-576-4477  (Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30pm)
   * Tanya Fontenot, Associate VP – tfontenot@wayfinderfamily.org
   * Jacklyn Schofield, Supervisor – 209.639.1990 –
     jschofield@wayfinderfamily.org 
   * Michelle Sprock, Program Assistant – 916.567.4477 –
     msprock@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Serving Mother Lode (Amador and Calaveras Counties) 
       * Beki Medina, Social Worker – 916.267.0656 –
         bmedina@wayfinderfamily.org 
     * Serving Yolo County
       * Shannon Hrobowski, Family Specialist – 916.639.0247 –
         shrobowski@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Serving Napa County 
       * Shannon Hrobowski, Family Specialist – 916.639.0247 –
         shrobowski@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Serving Lake and Mendocino Counties   
       * Jeff Killebrew, Social Worker – 707.479.4797 –
         jkillebrew@wayfinderfamily.org 

 

Serving Del Norte and Trinity Counties 

 * * Mickey Harris, Parent Liaison – 707.345.6988 – 
     mlharris@wayfinderfamily.org

 * * * Serving Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, and Yuba
       Counties 
       * Leslie Damschroder, Social Worker – 530.879.3861 –
         ldamschroder@wayfinderfamily.org 
     * Family Success Coach – serving 16 CDSS Counties
       * Veronica Lopez – 916-594-5726 – vlopez@wayfinderfamily.org
     * PAS TeleHealth Clinician – serving 16 CDSS Counties
       * Diana Shadpour – 916-936-5418 – dshadpour@wayfinderfamily.org

 

Chico office serving Butte County – 530.896.1920

 * * * Sarah Sims, Program Director- ssims@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Kelly Doty, Program Supervisor (530) 521-1449 kdoty@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Darci Crossin, Family Specialist- 530-521-0966 –
       dcrossin@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Abby Lynch, Program Assistant alynch@wayfinderfamily.org

 

Antioch office serving Contra Costa County – 925.384.1650

 * * * Cheri Thomas-Stevens, Director – CTStevens@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Kristina Brousard, Program Supervisor, kbroussard@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Jessica Hammond, Social Worker – 530-215-5366 –
       jhammond@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Bonnie Calderon, Program Assistant bcalderon@wayfinderfamily.org

 

Stockton office serving San Joaquin County – 209.645.5692

 * * * Cheri Thomas-Stevens, Director – CTStevens@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Shikha Kumar – Social Worker – Skumar@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Meghan Gish, Program Assistant – mgish@wayfinderfamily.org

 

Serving Tuolumne County – remote social worker

 * * * Jacklyn Schofield, Supervisor-209.639.1990 –
       jschofield@wayfinderfamily.org
     * Beki Medina, Social Worker – 916.267.0656 – bmedina@wayfinderfamily.org 
     * Michelle Sprock, Program Assistant – 916.567.4477 –
       msprock@wayfinderfamily.org

Other Programs

Visitation and Coaching Services

These services help children in out-of-home care maintain relationships with
their parents or other birth family. This reduces the sense of loss and
abandonment children experience when placed in foster care. Our services include
safe supervision of visits, teaching and coaching parents in positive parenting
skills for visits, and promoting bonding between parents and their infants and
toddlers.

Clinical Prevention Services

Home to Stay offers counseling and support services to families who are at high
risk for child abuse and neglect in Placer County. We provide short-term
counseling to enhance parenting skills, building supports and mitigating
behavioral health risks to youth and families.

Specialty Mental Health delivers mental health services to children and youth
ages 0 to 21 and their families in Shasta County. To reduce out-of-home
placements, families enhance parenting skills; increase protective factors,
coping skills and resilience; and improve child and family functioning.

Promoting Safe & Stable Families in Butte County assists families that are at
imminent risk of entry into foster care and families transitioning from family
reunification to family maintenance and case closure. PSSF also helps parents
whose children are being returned to them after they have received reunification
services for a period of time.

Youth Empowerment Services (YES) is a work‐based learning program focusing on
mental wellness and designed to empower our youth to learn, earn, and connect.
Using a positive youth development framework, the program emphasizes
opportunities that maximize engagement, mitigate mental health and wellness
challenges, all while supporting the healing for vulnerable youth. Our youth are
regarded as community assets, change agents, and influencer’s who have the power
to improve mental wellness. The overarching goals are: the destigmatization of
mental health challenges; assist youth in strengthening their resiliency; and to
inform the needs of the community mental health system.

What services our youth will receive:

• Complete 20 hours of either Mental Wellness Champions
training or the Community Resiliency Model and 15 hours
of youth-centered service projects

• Learn the basics of mental health and well-being to increase their mental
health awareness

• Develop leadership and empowerment skills
• Explore perceptions and impacts of stigma around mental health and wellness

• Identify support systems, trusted adults, and local resources

• Improve their communication and social-emotional skills

• Develop and discover their sense of self -“Who am I to my family, friends,
community?”

• Learn about different stress responses and build on skills of resiliency

• Earn a stipend and/or participate in a group celebration activity at
completion of program/graduation

Youth Empowerment Services (YES) are provided by Wayfinder Family Services in
partnership with the County of Butte Department of Behavioral Services and
through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).
For more information please contact us at: (530) 896-1920

*Referrals for services and eligibility criteria are determined by Butte
County Behavioral Health

 


TRAININGS FOR PARENTS

Our workshops strengthen families by helping them understand the experiences of
a child in foster care and the unique dynamics of building a family through
kinship care or adoption.

See All Trainings/Work Shops


TRAININGS FOR PROFESSIONALS

Advance your skills working with adoptive youth families. As a leader in our
industry, we are dedicated to helping child welfare and mental health
professionals develop their skills through advanced training and consultation.

See All Trainings

I don’t want to see my grandchildren on the news,” Monica wrote to the director
of social services. She knew her young grandsons were in danger because their
mother, Eva*, had a mental illness, which was later diagnosed as schizophrenia.
Monica needed to get them help. Eva’s trouble began three years earlier, after
she gave birth…

Read More
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 * Contact Us

 * Department of Developmental Services
 * https://www.dds.ca.gov/general/appeals-complaints-comments/
 * (916) 654-1987
 * This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Copyright © 2023 Wayfinder Family Services



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