Walden Family Services, a Southern California-based nonprofit foster care, adoption and transition-age housing agency, announces that Chief Operating Officer Sue Evans was elected chair of the California Alliance for Child and Family Services’ Foster Family Agency (FFA) Committee.
The California Alliance represents the state’s most vulnerable populations by standing up for organizations that advocate for children and families through the advancement of policy and services on their behalves. The organization’s FFA committee determines and monitors the legislative and regulatory agenda of foster family agencies throughout California.
“Walden Family Services has worked closely with the California Alliance on key policy issues affecting the operations of California foster family agencies,” said Teresa Stivers, Walden Family Services’ CEO. “We are pleased Sue Evans is chairing the CA Alliance’s FFA Committee at this critical time when child welfare organizations continue to work on continuum of care reform and grapple with how FFAs will help actualize the Family First Prevention Act.”
Evans has over 30 years of experience in social work and foster care. She joined Walden as a social worker in 2000 and has held various positions including interim CEO before becoming COO in 2010.
Under her leadership, Walden expanded its foster care program to care for teens with developmental disabilities and started a program for children and teens with special health care needs. Evans also established and launched Walden’s successful Transitional Housing Plus Foster Care program as well as its Nurturing Parenting and Visitation programs.
Evans’ work has led to Walden’s 2018 designation as one of the first agencies licensed by the State of California to provide Intensive Services Foster Care, allowing children and youth with significant medical, therapeutic and behavioral needs to remain in a home-based setting for care.
ABOUT WALDEN FAMILY SERVICES
Walden Family Services provides foster care and adoption services for children and families throughout Southern California. Founded in 1976, Walden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that addresses the unique needs of all children who are neglected and abused, including those who are medically fragile, have developmental disabilities and behavioral or mental health challenges as well as those who are in sibling groups or LGBTQ. The organization also provides transitional housing and programs for youth who have aged out of the foster care system, family visitation centers and parenting programs that focus on stopping the cycle of child abuse. For more information, visit www.waldenfamily.org.