On June 3rd, 2010 100 Relative Caregivers took action to demand adequate mental wellness services for their children.  

They marched in front of LA County's Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH). A group of Relative Caregivers visited the offices of DCFS Director Trish Ploehn and DMH Director Marvin Southard to deliver petitions for these basic services. Check out these videos of two of our Relative Caregivers who spoke at the action:

Debra Lee

Deanne D'Antignac

Read more about our campaign and the issue of Relative Caregivers in the LA Times, La Opinion, Our Weekly and check out coverage about our last month's event in the LA Times, and the LA Wave.

Our Campaign

Community Coalition is working to bring more mental health services to Relative Caregivers who save thousands of children from entering the foster care system every year. South LA is ground zero for the foster care crisis. It is home to the largest group of Relative Caregivers in the County and research shows that children are less likely to end up homeless or in jail and are more likely to finish school when in relative care -- as opposed to being in the care of a stranger in foster care.

However, support for Relative Caregivers lags behind suport for foster care providers -- they don't receive the support or recognition that they and their children deserve. In particular, Relative Caregivers struggle finding support for mental health issues. Our Relative Caregivers are fighting to win a more mental health services in South Los Angeles to meet both their needs and their children's needs with preventative services.

Learn More about our "Healthy Minds, Stronger Families" Campaign:

Who are Relative Caregivers?

Click to watch this video of Debra Lee, a South LA Relative Caregiver:

Campaign News

Community Coalition Celebrates South LA Relative Caregivers with Special Mother's Day Brunch

On Saturday, May 8th, more than 100 people came to Community Coalition's special Mother's Day brunch for South LA Relative Caregivers. Relative Caregivers and their families were served a bountiful brunch buffet catered by Ella Mae's Cuisine and they were treated to special gift bags from Community Coalition's Kinship in Action program. The program featured two of our Relative Caregivers, Deanne D'Antignac and Amparo Remington, who shared their stories of how they became Relative Caregivers and the challenges and issues they faced in trying to get services like counseling and therapy for their children and why there is a need for more mental health services in South LA.

You can read about our brunch in the LA Times and LA Wave. Read "Relative Caregivers Need More Support" by Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President and CEO of Community Coalition. Published by Our Weekly.

Check out these pictures of our Relative Caregivers at the brunch:

Join Community Coalition to demand that LA County provides more mental health services for relative caregivers. You can make a donation to our organization to support our work. Donate here.