The first five years of life mark a critical time for childhood development. Early experiences and relationships with caregivers shape the architecture of a developing brain and lay the foundation for mental health across an individual’s life.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently released a clinical report, (published in the September edition of Pediatrics), endorsing preventive pediatric screenings for mental health, emotional, and behavioral concerns and offering providers additional clinical guidance to support their practice.
However, these endorsements can only have value if there are the providers available to deliver them. The need for these mental health roles has never been greater.
Despite the recognized importance of mental health in early years, the mental and behavioral health needs of infants, toddlers, and young children are often overlooked.
California has started to increase investment and launch initiatives in mental health for older children, but state and local governments are yet to do more to ensure we meet the mental health needs of California’s youngest, particularly as recent changes in mental and behavioral health funding through Proposition 1 and the Mental Health Services Act may soon impact the availability of community-based prevention and early intervention services.
First Five Center for Children’s Policy issued a report last year highlighting a concerning mental health provider workforce shortage impacting the nation and our state.
Some key findings highlighted in the report:
This shortage is particularly acute for providers serving specific sub-populations of California children, such as children in Medi-Cal, infant and toddlers, and for providers that are culturally and linguistically relevant for the diverse population of children in the state. First Five Center for Children’s Policy’s Brief proposes several key recommendations for state leaders which aim to address the critical shortage of IECMH providers, improve access to mental health services for families with young children, and reduce the inequitable impacts of the current system.
Subsequent data released by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information further emphasized these findings, explaining that in 2025, all 58 counties are projected to face a shortage across all behavioral health roles examined, and that the challenges facing mental health workforce supply and demand are projected to persist through to 2033.
In order to meet these needs, Safe & Sound works to build the system of care for children and families in San Francisco and beyond in a number of different ways.
Often, in the absence of a mental health provider, peer support is essential. Safe & Sound, as the backbone agency of the Family Services Alliance (FSA), is piloting ways to increase the number of family support providers that are reflective of their community and able to offer this peer support. By partnering with Community Health Worker training programs we can ensure that experienced community members get valuable training in peer support and then are placed within trusted Family Resource Centers. They could then undertake tasks such as mental health screenings that could be an early indicator of mental health issues requiring further support, navigation to resources and mental health education.
Where mental health providers are available, the FSA is working to strengthen the connections between these providers and family support services so that a family’s holistic needs can be met. Without access to basic needs such as shelter or food, it is difficult for a family to address trauma, anxiety or depression in therapy, lessening the value of mental health support. Safe & Sound and the FSA work to ensure that families’ basic needs are provided for both directly, and by increasing connections and advocating for more resources for families.
The Center for Youth Wellness, a program of Safe & Sound, works with pediatric clinics nationwide to support the introduction and implementation of ACEs screenings, and to ensure that children who have a high ACEs score are referred to Enhanced Care Management where they can receive a high level of case management.
And finally, Safe & Sound’s clinical care team based at both of our San Francisco locations provided 1,068 therapy sessions in 2024 for children and caregivers in our community. Through therapeutic play, our clinicians support families to have the tools they need to thrive.
Safe & Sound collaborated with Support for Families, a fellow member of the Family Services Alliance, of which Safe & Sound is the backbone agency, to provide a Spanish-language workshop specifically for caregivers wanting to understand more about Special Education.
Support for Families helps Bay Area parents of children with disabilities access free resources, support, and guidance. This special workshop for parents and caregivers of children with special needs enabled caregivers to connect, learn, and feel more supported and confident in supporting their child’s education.
The workshop covered:
Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding, written plan for students with disabilities that details specialized instruction, related services, goals, and accommodations to ensure they receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Mandated by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the IEP is collaboratively developed by a team including parents, educators, and specialists to address the student’s unique needs and track their academic and functional progress.
The workshop had a very high turnout showing a real need for this information amongst our community of families. Caregivers were able to bring their children to our Therapeutic Playroom while they attended the workshop, allowing them to focus on the content.
This workshop was one of a number of new initiatives by Safe & Sound to expand our services for local families to meet their specific needs.
Parenting doesn’t come with a handbook and too often we rely on our experience of being parented as a guide. That’s why Safe & Sound offers groups and workshops on parenting and topics related to family well-being. When parents are supported in accessing knowledge about parenting that’s useful to them, it creates greater opportunities for individual development which carries on to child development, allowing caregivers and children to thrive.
Creando Conexiones (Building Connections) is a ten session in-person Spanish-language support group series for pregnant, new mothers and their partners (if applicable) and for parents and other caregivers with children 0-8 years old.
This group serves as a safe space for parents and caregivers to share concerns about their children’s needs as well as their own needs with regards to topics such as: Pregnancy, Postpartum Care, Breastfeeding, Child Development, Self-care, Nutrition, Mental Health etc.
We are currently enrolling for the next series which will start in September.
The curriculum for Creando Conexiones has been intentionally designed to align with parents’ needs and the Protective Factors. The 5 Protective Factors are areas of family functioning that help support youth and families to be strong. Research shows that when these factors are present in populations of families, it reduces the risk of abuse, maltreatment, and negative outcomes. You can read more about the 5 Protective Factors in this blog.
There are so many different opportunities for you to join us this summer. We’ve been working hard to create different workshops to suit your needs, from shared playtime promoting bonding, social-emotional skills, and parenting education through play-based activities, to exploring inspiration and expression through the use of art, to practical parenting tips and supporting children to discuss their feelings.
For classes requiring registration, visit the dedicated website page for workshops. You can also sign up to our email newsletter to get advance notice of new workshops.
And remember, outside of our workshops and classes you can drop in to our Waller Street Building during PDI Summer hours:
Monday: 10:00am-2:00pm
Tuesday: 3:00pm-6:50pm
Wednesday: 2:00pm- 4:50pm
Thursday: 10:00am-2:00pm
Sharon was overwhelmed with sadness and it deeply affected her daughter, Emma. Emma mirrored her mom’s emotion and stopped playing with friends and her joy faded as her mom’s depression worsened. Seeing her daughter’s happiness fade, Sharon knew she needed help but didn’t know where to begin.
Then she found Safe & Sound. Through drop-in sessions and support groups, Sharon connected with other parents and realized how her family benefitted from these programs and services. With the support of the counseling team and guidance, Sharon grew more resilient and overcame her struggles, becoming a more confident and present mother. Meanwhile, Emma attended the Therapeutic Children’s Playroom, where she learned critical social-emotional skills in a nurturing space. Slowly, Emma found her joy again, reconnecting with friends and enjoying playtime like before.
“Safe & Sound has shaped who I am today. It’s the place I turn to because I know I’ll find support. I always feel respected and safe there. Through their services—like the single parent network, parenting classes, and therapy—I’ve gained resilience and become a confident parent.” – Sharon
Because of your support, Safe & Sound was there for Sharon and her family when they needed it the most, providing critical services for them to heal. Today, many more families like Sharon’s and Emma’s need our support.
With your donation, we can continue providing life-changing services—concrete support, therapy, parenting classes, Therapeutic Children’s Playroom and more.
Your contribution will help every child grow up in a safe, loving home.
When parents decide to separate, it can be confusing, scary, and traumatizing for children. In fact, the conflict and chronic stress involved in divorce is one of the leading causes of trauma in young children and a very significant ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience). Safe & Sound’s Kids’ Turn program is a keystone initiative that helps families navigate these difficult times, ensuring that children are supported and heard. It equips parents with the skills to collaborate and heal alongside their child—setting the stage for success by lessening the trauma and building their child’s social-emotional strength and resilience.
“When parents get angry and ask, ‘who do you want to be with?’ children feel so much stress. The stories are hard, but after the workshop, children feel better and more confident. Kids still need both parents, and this program helps put children in the center of healing instead of in the middle of conflicts” said Gabriela Fohaco, Parent Child Education Manager at Safe & Sound.
Sarah*, a devoted mother of two, was abandoned by her partner while she was pregnant with her second baby, and found herself in a custody battle when her ex-partner re-entered her life. For the safety of the children, she and her ex-partner were mandated by the courts to attend Kids’ Turn.
“Kids’ Turn helped me learn how to focus and prioritize my kids over anything else. As long as they are safe and happy, that’s what matters” said Sarah.
Through the Kids’ Turn workshop, Sarah gained valuable insights into parenting, and turned her family’s outdated parenting techniques into positive approaches that benefited her children and helped break the cycle of harmful patterns.
*Not her real name
Kids’ Turn is just one example of how Safe & Sound ensures that parents receive the tailored support they need to be the best caregivers they can be. Because there is no “one size fits all” parenting support approach, Safe & Sound provides many different education workshops to help parents and children manage stress and trauma—together. Our workshops also celebrate the diversity of participants, ensuring that all families receive the tailored support they need to thrive.
By supporting Safe & Sound, you help us provide these essential resources and workshops that empower families to overcome the normal challenges of life.
These difficult situations are happening for families every single day. We need your generosity to expand our workshops throughout the Bay Area, ensuring that more families can heal together. With your help, we can give children and families the tools they need to overcome adversity and thrive.