Dear Friends,
October proved to be remarkably productive, as we focused on advancing our research and fostering community engagement!
We were thrilled to gather in the Antelope Valley with 250 guests, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, DCFS Director Brandon Nichols, DHS Director Dr. Christina Ghaly, and our partners at Baby2Baby and Valley Oasis to share our recent research concerning domestic violence and the child welfare system. As this chapter of the work closes, we can't wait to write our next chapter with the generous support of the Blue Shield Foundation of California and Van Nuys Charities.
Our students continue to shine in all areas and add to the dynamic pace of the school year. They make their mark across campus and in our research, and hope to meet you at our upcoming Open House on November 7. Join us!
On the horizon, we are excited about a number of campus events and opportunities to enhance our impact as our research, education and partnership portfolios continue to grow.
We are mindful of this community and the privilege it is to work alongside you, and appreciate the support in all that we do! As we head into November and the season of Thanksgiving, we extend our gratitude to all of you.
In community,
The UCLA Pritzker Center Team
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Child Welfare Policy Roundtable: Domestic Violence and Child Welfare – The Intersection and Practice Change
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Countless children enter foster care due to allegations of domestic violence in the home. The November Child Welfare Policy Roundtable will delve into this issue, including an overview of how DV and child welfare intersect, survivor perspectives, and novel strategies to safely support families experiencing domestic violence. Join our Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, JD at this Zoom webinar.
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You’re invited to an Open House at the UCLA Pritzker Center! Join us for an exciting morning of community and collaboration. Tour our Westwood office, engage with our faculty, staff, and students, and learn more about our research from our team. Whether you’re curious about the latest in child welfare or looking to foster campus and community partnerships, there’s something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with us at the UCLA Pritzker Center!
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Join UCLA Government and Community Relations for a thought-provoking event featuring a conversation with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and UCLA Blueprint Editor Jim Newton at the Ronald F. Deaton Civic Auditorium. Gain insights into the pressing issue of homelessness in Los Angeles during a meaningful discussion about the many challenges and potential solutions.
Response requested by November 8. Space is limited, secure your spot today!
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Financial Matters: Housing Security and Eviction during the Transition from Foster Care to Adulthood
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Join our Research Director, Dr. Brenda A. Tully, for a informational webinar hosted by the Alliance for Children's Rights highlighting recent research focused on evaluating the factors of perceived relationship quality with birth parents, economic social role transitions, and social stratification based on race as key factors in housing security during the transition to adulthood for youth exiting foster care.
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Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley |
UCLA Pritzker Center team with Brandon Nichols, Director of LA County Department of Children and Family Services, Kathryn Barger, LA County 5th District Supervisor, and Shanice Brown, Valley Oasis Case Worker.
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On October 15, 2024, the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families hosted an event at the Lancaster Library to announce the release of our report, Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence, which documents the experiences of parent survivors of domestic violence, domestic violence service providers, and child welfare staff. The study also reviews the collaborative efforts of Valley Oasis, a domestic violence service agency, and the Los Angeles County Department of the Department of Children and Family Services Lancaster Regional Office and evaluates their interventions.
“Domestic violence is a big issue impacting the lives of Los Angeles County residents—from childhood to adulthood. Our foster care system feels the impact of this challenge every day and needs new strategies that support families to keep them safely together,” said Los Angeles County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger in comments on the study. “With novel research from the UCLA Pritzker Center, Los Angeles County’s safety net is primed to innovate. This boils down to proactively supporting domestic violence survivors and their children. We need to keep evolving our methods and work to meet today’s reality and needs.”
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Photo of Brandon Nichols, Director of LA County Department of Children and Family Services
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| Photo of Kathryn Barger, LA County 5th District Supervisor
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"It was amazing to see all different sectors of child welfare come together and talk about an issue so prevalent in a community. It was a privilege to share our preliminary research concerning adverse childhood experiences, which intersects with the DV report shared at the event. Sharing our landscape analysis of the Antelope Valley with such a wide audience brings me hope that we can continue to propel needed change here, and further affirm the lived experience of our team and community!"
— Brittney Hun, UCLA Pritzker Center Research Assistant
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Video: Parent Survivors' Perspectives |
Our team interviewed two parent survivors from Valley Oasis. Hear their stories—their experiences and how they intertwine with the child welfare system.
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Video: DV Event Recording |
In case you missed the event, watch the entire recording now available on our YouTube channel.
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UCLA Pritzker Center Co-Director, Audra K. Langley, PhD, co-authors new publication |
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Blue Shield of California Foundation awards the UCLA Pritzker Center a new grant to continue research exploring domestic violence and child welfare |
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The grant awarded to the Center will support our previous work through additional outreach and training for child welfare workers to better serve survivors of domestic violence.
Our domestic violence research efforts and reports, "Child Welfare and Domestic Violence: The Report on Intersection and Action" (2021) and "Collaborative Reform for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley" (2024) were supported by the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Read more about our research here.
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UCLA Pritzker Center Research Director, Dr. Ivy Zucaya, presents at the 2024 County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) Annual Conference |
On October 9, 2024, Dr. Ivy Zucaya co-presented results from preliminary analyses of domestic violence, substance misuse, and mental illness concerns identified during CPS investigations at the 2024 County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) Annual Conference in San Diego, CA in partnership with researchers from the California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP).
Attended by county human services directors, state and county managers and analysts, parent and child advocates, academics, foundations, and leaders from grassroots organizations, the annual conference serves as a platform to learn about the latest in best practices and policy implementation within in human services and to further the important work of improving the well-being of children, families, aging adults, and individuals across California.
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UCLA Pritzker Center affiliates on the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Board (HEAR CAB) |
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UCLA Pritzker Center co-director, Audra Langley, student researchers Tae Thompson and Cristopher Espino, and affiliates Carmen and Lucero Noyola are among those on the Health Equity Anti-Racism Community Advisory Board (HEAR CAB).
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UCLA Pritzker Center Co-Director, Dr. Audra Langley, is part of the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Board (HEAR CAB) taskforce in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine.
The HEAR CAB held its kickoff event on October 3rd at With Love Market and Café. Comprised of individuals representing a spectrum of lived expertise from diverse communities across Los Angeles and representatives from key service systems, community-based organizations, and those actively engaged in the field of wellbeing, the HEAR CAB will serve as a vital conduit between the Los Angeles community and the research, education, and clinical service endeavors in the Department of Psychiatry. Notably, the HEAR CAB includes several UCLA Pritzker Center affiliates—Demontea Thompson, Lucero and Carmen Noyola, and Cristopher Espino.
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UCLA Pritzker Center research team attends the Alliance for Children's Rights Policy Summit & Report Launch Event |
On October 17, our team, executive director, Taylor Dudley, JD; research directors Brenda Tully, PhD, and Ivy Zucaya, PhD; and postdoctoral researcher, Laura Liévano-Karim, PhD attended a policy summit hosted by the Alliance for Children's Rights. The summit focused on reforming support for youth in and transitioning out of the child welfare system, where racial disparities and systemic inequities impacting youth aged 16-24. Attendees collaborated on policy recommendations aimed at fostering a system that empowers young people to achieve their goals. The event also celebrated the release of their draft report, "Supporting Their Journey: The Path to Racial Equity in Child Welfare for Transition Age Youth."
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Photo of Brenda A. Tully, Laura Liévano-Karim, and Taylor Dudley at the summit
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| Photo of Ivy Zucaya and Brenda A. Tully talking to another event attendee
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Valley Oasis DV COURAGE Conference 2024 |
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On October 25, Valley Oasis hosted the 2nd Annual DV COURAGE Conference. The day was built around giving voice to men who are survivors of domestic violence and dispelling the notion that Men Don’t Cry, the theme for the day.
Valley Oasis partnered with the UCLA Pritzker Center and DCFS Lancaster Regional Office on our recently released research, Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley.
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| Photo of Brenda Tully, Research Director and Elvia Salazar, Regional Coordinator for Youth, Valley Oasis
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UCLA Pritzker Center Research Directors attend Children's Law Center's Art of Advocacy Gala |
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On October 24, our research directors, Ivy Zucaya and Brenda Tully, attended the Children’s Law Center (CLC) Art of Advocacy Gala. The event celebrated the honorees, Chris Lakey of Kobalt Music Group and Financial Literacy Coaches from American Business Bank, as well as the commitment to holistic representation of children and youth in the child welfare system by CLC attorneys and social workers.
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Photo of Brenda Tully and Ivy Zucaya, Research Directors
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Donate to Antelope Valley Annual Day of Giving |
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This December, the UCLA Pritzker Center will be distributing jackets for children in the Antelope Valley community!
In the season of giving, we invite you to donate a new children's jacket. Your support can make a difference for children and families in need!
Please bring all jacket donations to the UCLA Pritzker Center by December 6, 2024. Contact Taylor with questions at dudley@gseis.ucla.edu.
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UCLA Pritzker Center attends the Teens and Screens Summit |
On October 25, executive director, Taylor Dudley, JD attended the 2024 Teens and Screens Summit at the UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center. The Summit brought together entertainment industry professionals, youth activists, researchers, scientists, and public health leaders to support kids, teens, and young adults through some of the most pressing challenges of our time by meeting them where they are: on screens.
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UCLA Women's Volleyball Adoption Awareness Day |
In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month this coming November, UCLA Women's Volleyball held an Adoption Awareness Day at their October 26 game against Michigan State, where they earned their first home sweep of the 2024 season. UCLA Pritzker Center team members supported event development and enjoyed the game! Go Bruins!
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| by Dr. ChrisAnna Mink | Afro LA
Our Co-Director, Tyrone Howard, and Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, had the privilege of speaking to Dr. ChrisAnna Mink about our research towards reforming racial inequities in L.A. County foster care.
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by Antelope Valley Press
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger applauded the recent release of a new study by UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families that hones in on the trauma impacting survivors of domestic violence and the obstacles they encounter in child welfare cases.
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| by Elly Yu | LAist
Many domestic violence survivors who’ve had their children removed from them struggle in reuniting with their children due to a lack of resources, according to a new report from UCLA’s Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families.
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by John McDonald | UCLA School of Education and Information Studies
A new study released by the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families examines the trauma impacting survivors of domestic violence and the obstacles they encounter in child welfare cases.
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by KNX News 97.1 FM
A new UCLA study points to a lack of services for the large number of domestic violence victims in the Antelope Valley.
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STEPS for Youth is a website designed by the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent to help programs and policies better serve adolescents (aged 10-25) by providing accessible resources informed by developmental science. STEPS offers both a check-in tool for crafting policies and programs involving young people and a resource library broken down by complex topics affecting young people.
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© 2024 UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families. All Rights Reserved.
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