Blog

Today is the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century! To highlight the occasion here are 21 facts regarding the populations served at D&M. Each face grim statistics but because of your support, they are able to receive crucial life-changing services.

Foster Care

1. Los Angeles County is home to 33,000 children in foster care.
2. Most children enter the foster care system at 8 years old. 
3. The majority of children enter foster care due to neglect. 
4. Nearly 67% of children in this system have siblings. 
5. Reunification is the goal for over half of the children in foster care.
6. Only 13% of youth in foster care are adopted every year. 

The Foster Care and Adoption Agency (FFA) at David & Margaret works in collaboration with Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties to place children awaiting homes with approved foster families and supports families through the entire process of Resource Family Approval (RFA)*   

Aging Out 

1. 23, 000 young adults age out of the foster care system each year. 
2. 50% of those who age out will become homeless or incarcerated within 2 years of leaving the system. 
3. Less than 3% of these young adults will earn a college degree.
4. Less than half of the youth who age out will find employment by the age of 24.
5. 7 out of 10 girls who age out of foster care become pregnant before the age of 21. 

The COMPASS Programs available at David & Margaret are dedicated to supporting youth & young adults who have aged out or are aging out of foster care. These programs include a Permanent Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing Program, a Workforce Training Program, and COMPASS Point Drop-in Center. Through these programs, youth and young adults receive housing, continue their education, gain paid-employment experience, and more. 

Youth Mental Health

1. Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are the most common mental health disorders in children.  
2. 1 in 5 adolescents has had a serious mental health disorder. 
3. Half of all mental health problems begin by age 14.
4. 50% of all children and youth with a mental health condition did not receive treatment.
5. Early Intervention can greatly increase the youth’s chance for a healthy adulthood. 

David & Margaret offers mental health services to Medi-cal eligible children, youth, and young adults in the surrounding communities, equipping families with the tools needed for a mentally healthy future. 

Childhood Learning Disabilities 

1. 1 in 5 children have learning and attention issues. 
2. The American school system was not created with these disabilities in mind. 
3. Students with disabilities are more than twice as likely to become suspended. 
4. The drop out rate for youth with a learning disability is three times higher than those without.
5. Only 30% of general educators feel confident in teaching students with a learning disorder 

Joan Macy School at David & Margaret is a specialized non-public school for at-risk students grades 1-12,  whose needs and challenges may be quite complex. JMS offers the community and surrounding districts an alternative school experience, geared toward the needs of each individual student. Students are referred to JMS when they are not thriving in their current district school.