Center for Children and Youth
All children deserve to grow up in an environment that fosters their special talents and abilities, and where support is readily available to identify and address their unique challenges.
JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth helps children, teens, and families thrive as they navigate the challenges of modern life. By bringing together comprehensive mental health and support services, professional and community education, and advocacy on behalf of children and families, JFCS is leading the way in addressing social, emotional, and learning challenges so that all children can reach their full potential.
Services for Families
JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth provides a wide range of specialized services for children so they can reach their full potential. We also support parents in doing the world’s most important job through parent consultation and coaching, workshops, and resources so that they can build practical tools, skills, and confidence.
Our highly experienced team includes licensed child psychologists, clinical social workers, parent educators, occupational therapists, and a psychiatrist who work holistically together. We provide children, teens, and families with the support, guidance, and practical strategies they need to grow into amazing adults.
Jewish Parenting
We offer comprehensive parenting support from birth through young adulthood, guided by our Jewish values. For new parents who are getting started on their journey, JFCS’ Jewish Baby Network offers a welcoming community for families to connect with each other and bring the beauty of Judaism into their lives.
Our YouthFirst programs help teens develop the life skills they need to move into young adulthood smoothly, successfully, and responsibly through a Jewish values-based lens. YouthFirst programs include leadership skills development, internships, career exploration, and Jewish service-learning.
Professional and Community Education
Through our Child Training Institute (CTI), JFCS provides cutting-edge training to mental health professionals, including clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and more, who seek knowledge in the latest evidence-based treatments and techniques to help young clients and their families.
We also partner closely with schools and community organizations to deliver the tools they need to support the children they serve and address larger challenges such as bullying, drug use, stress, and anxiety.
Advocacy and Cultural Impact
JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth advocates with government and communities to create an environment in which all young people can flourish. Guided by our knowledge gained through extensive work in the field of child development, our Jewish values, and longstanding relationships with government leaders, we connect the personal with the political. We work with policymakers, schools, educators, parents, youth, community coalitions, and advocacy groups to develop and advance solutions to a range of challenges facing children and families. Learn more about our advocacy efforts and successful bills and initiatives we supported.
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JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth is made possible by generous donations, fees, JFCS Named Endowment Funds, and the leadership support of Dr. Kathy Fields-Rayant and Dr. Garry Rayant, Friend Family Foundation, Alex Ingersoll and Martin Tannenbaum, Parasol Foundation, Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of California/Terry and John Levin, Lisa Stone Pritzker Family Foundation, Sandra L. Schnitzer Resilience Fund, Shmunis Youth Internship Fund, Shupin Fund for Youth, and Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture/Dianne and Tad Taube, Harold and Libby Ziff Foundation/Lela and Gerry Sarnat
Significant support for this community-wide initiative is provided by the Koret Foundation.
To learn more about JFCS’ services to our community or to support JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth please contact Barbara Farber at [email protected] or 415-449-3858.
