Walden Family Services, a Southern California-based nonprofit foster care, adoption and transition-age housing agency, announces that Chief Operating Officer Sue Evans has been elected to the national Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA) Board of Directors for a three-year term.
The FFTA works to develop, promote and support treatment foster care and is the only national, nonprofit association representing treatment foster care programs across North America. FFTA and its member agencies focus on intensive family preservation, family reunification, adoption and other permanent, stable family living arrangements for children and youth.
FFTA member agencies provide treatment foster care services to more than 50,000 children and youth each year. As a member of the board of directors, Evans will help to strengthen these agencies that support families caring for vulnerable children.
“We are proud of Sue and her commitment to the idea that every child should have a loving family and the ability to realize their greatest potential, regardless of ability,” said Teresa Stivers, CEO of Walden. “Walden has been a pioneer in foster care and a lot of credit goes to Sue for the fact that our programs have become models for other agencies.”
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 (THP+FC) program, 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 (ISFC), 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.