Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

What Stanford Sierra Youth & Families does

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families (SSYAF) is a Sacramento-headquartered nonprofit social services organization that delivers a continuum of care for at-risk youth (ages 0-21) and families across Northern California. Founded in 1900 as the Stanford Lathrop Memorial Home for Friendless Children and reconstituted in 2019 through the merger of Stanford Youth Solutions and Sierra Forever Families, SSYAF operates programs across six interlocking service areas: foster care and adoption (Pathways to Permanency, Wendy's Wonderful Kids, Post-Adoption Support, Kinship Services); mental and behavioral health (Wraparound, Flexible Integrated Treatment, Therapeutic Behavioral Services, Community Based Family Services, Family Preservation, Managed Care Kaiser); juvenile justice intervention and prevention; youth development (Wonder Mentoring, Resilient Youth Speak Out, RYSE Above substance use treatment); family support (Parent Partner Services, Parent Support Groups, Family and Youth Partnership); and specialized Medi-Cal services (Enhanced Care Management, Community Bridges, Suicide Prevention).

The organization's service technology is human-delivered rather than software-based: clinical and case management interventions are provided by licensed therapists, social workers, and peer partners (Family Partners, Youth Advocates with lived experience), delivered in-home, in-school, and in-community across offices in Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Placerville, Grass Valley, and Woodland, supplemented by virtual/co-located coverage in Solano and Napa counties. SSYAF is Council on Accreditation (COA) accredited and holds memberships in the Child Welfare League of America, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, Family Focused Treatment Association, and California Behavioral Health Bartering, with a sub-brand workforce development program (Empowerment Training Center) operating as a training pipeline.

SSYAF generates revenue primarily through three streams: (1) county and state government contracts (Sacramento County Probation Department for JJIS/JJPS, Sacramento County Behavioral Health, plus service provision agreements across 8+ counties); (2) Medi-Cal managed care reimbursements through partnerships with Kaiser Permanente, Healthnet, Anthem Blue Cross, and Molina for Enhanced Care Management and Wraparound services; and (3) donations (general, monthly, vehicle, estate planning, holiday giving) and fundraising events such as Big Day of Giving and Run For The Children. The organization does not charge adoption agency fees (only a $20 court filing fee) and pass-through foster care stipends to resource families are not treated as revenue. The disclosed annual budget is just under $30 million, with 251-500 employees and 3,085 youth served in fiscal year 24-25.

Name

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

Legal name

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

Website

https://ssyaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families is a Sacramento-based nonprofit (founded 1900) delivering foster care, adoption, mental health, juvenile justice, and family preservation services to at-risk youth (ages 0-21) and families across Northern California through county contracts and Medi-Cal funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Adoption support services
• Youth mental health
• Family preservation
• Juvenile justice intervention

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Public Funding: The organization operates primarily through government contracts with county agencies including Sacramento County Probation Department, Sacramento County Behavioral Health, and receives Medi-Cal funding for healthcare services.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts general donations, monthly giving, vehicle donations, estate planning contributions, and holiday giving to support their programs and services.
3. Foster Care Reimbursement: Foster families receive monthly reimbursement to help cover the costs of caring for a youth, with amounts depending on the youth's individual care needs. These care stipends are generally not considered taxable income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families is a nonprofit child welfare and behavioral health organization delivering foster care, adoption, kinship, and post-adoption services alongside mental health, family preservation, juvenile justice, youth mentoring, and substance use treatment programs. Services are paid for primarily through government contracts with county agencies and Medi-Cal managed care plans, and are delivered to youth ages 0-21 and their families across Northern California. The organization supplements direct service with workforce development, peer partner (lived-experience) support, and community education.

Product overview

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families is a nonprofit social services organization providing a comprehensive continuum of care for youth and families. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs organized around key service areas: Foster Care & Adoption (Pathways to Permanency, Wendy's Wonderful Kids, Post-Adoption Support, Kinship Services), Mental Health & Behavioral Services (Wraparound, FIT, TBS, CBFS, Family Preservation, Managed Care Kaiser), Youth Development (Wonder Mentoring, RYSE, Leaders in Training), Family Support (Parent Partner Services, Parent Support Groups, Family and Youth Partnership), Juvenile Justice (JJIS, JJPS), and Specialized Services (Enhanced Care Management, Empowerment Training Center, Community Bridges, Suicide Prevention, RYSE Above substance use treatment). Programs are delivered across Northern California counties (Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Nevada, Yolo, Napa, Solano, and others) through a network of county-based offices and virtual services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Empowerment Training Center (ETC): A workforce development program that strengthens skills and development of employees locally, statewide, and nationally, providing training and support to individuals with lived experience.
• Pathways to Permanency
• Wonder Mentoring Program
• RYSE Above

Products and services

• Pathways to Permanency Comprehensive foster care and adoption program providing multiple pathways to permanent family connections, including respite care, traditional foster care, foster-to-adopt concurrent planning, complex care, intensive services foster care, and kinship support services for youth in the child welfare system.
• Post-Adoption Support Services Ongoing support services for adoptive families including case management, training, monthly support groups, 24/7 crisis support, referrals, and assistance with Adoption Assistance Program paperwork.
• Wendy's Wonderful Kids Partnership with Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption providing child-focused recruitment to find permanent homes for children in foster care, particularly older youth, sibling groups, and those with special needs.
• Wonder Mentoring Program One-on-one mentoring program connecting youth impacted by foster care (Explorers) with consistent, caring adult mentors (Guides) through meaningful experiences promoting belonging, self-confidence, self-worth, and future orientation.
• Resilient Youth Speak Out (RYSO) Youth leadership program for ages 13-21 focused on positive social, educational, and career development through innovative activities, speakers, field trips, and a comprehensive youth leadership curriculum.
• Kinship Support Services Support services helping kin and non-related extended family members navigate the Foster Family Approval process with guidance, community resources, and education focused on kinship care.
• Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Voluntary benefit connecting children and teens with essential services including medical, behavioral, dental, developmental, housing, food assistance, employment, educational support, health and wellness, and social support, delivered in partnership with Full Circle Health Network and Medi-Cal managed care plans.
• Empowerment Training Center Workforce development program providing community resource trainings, Parent University (school-based parent empowerment), Life University (student life skills training), and Peer Pipeline (peer advocacy mentorship) initiatives for community members, parents, and individuals with lived experience.
• Juvenile Justice Intervention Services (JJIS) Partnership with Sacramento County Probation Department providing individualized treatment assessments and matching youth to services including counseling, skill building, peer and family support, and case management.
• Juvenile Justice Prevention Services (JJPS) Prevention program providing Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and High Fidelity Wraparound services to pre-adjudicated youth to reduce further juvenile justice involvement.
• Wraparound & Prevention Wraparound Comprehensive, team-driven approach combining family-centered, strengths-based, needs-driven interventions to help youth remain at home or transition safely to permanent family or independent living.
• Flexible Integrated Treatment (FIT) Mental health program providing individualized services and supports focusing on family strengths and emotional/behavioral well-being of youth, offered in home, school, and community settings.
• Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) Short-term, community-based, one-on-one behavioral support for youth at risk of higher restrictive placements or transitioning to less restrictive environments, preventing unnecessary residential or psychiatric placements.
• Community Based Family Services (CBFS) Safety-net mental/behavioral health services for families with children and youth (ages 0-21), focusing on family strengths and overall emotional, behavioral health and well-being.
• Family Preservation Specialized mental health and family support services providing individual, family, and group therapy with the goal of keeping youth safe and together with their families.
• RYSE Above Substance Use Program Substance use prevention and early intervention outpatient services for youth ages 12-20 with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health needs, including aftercare recovery support.
• Suicide Prevention Program Youth suicide prevention through compassionate outreach, early intervention, community education, and collaboration with youth, families, schools, and community partners.
• Community Bridges Medi-Cal enrollment assistance program helping youth and families access care and connect to vital services through culturally and linguistically responsive outreach.
• Managed Care Kaiser Program Wraparound services for children and adolescents experiencing significant behavioral/emotional challenges, provided in partnership with Kaiser Permanente. Includes Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) and Family Youth Partnership as adjunct services.
• Parent Partner Services Collaboration with Child Welfare providing peer support to engage parents in case planning, navigate the system, understand rights and responsibilities, and meet safety, permanency, and well-being goals.
• Parent Support Groups Free monthly support groups including The Village (Sacramento and El Dorado), Rising Together, Family First (kinship/pre-post adoption), and Y.E.G.A. (youth empowerment).
• Family and Youth Partnership Peer partner program where Family Partners and Youth Advocates with lived experience empower youth and families to lead their care teams and ensure voice and choice in service delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73,730 service hours provided to youth and families
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSYAF partners with DTFA to offer the Wendy's Wonderful Kids (WWK) program, dedicated to finding loving, permanent homes for children in foster care through a child-focused recruitment model.
• Sacramento County Probation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver Juvenile Justice Intervention Services (JJIS) and Juvenile Justice Prevention Services (JJPS) programs. Probation officers work collaboratively with SSYAF's JJIS team, youth, families, and natural supports.
• Kaiser PermanentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaged Care Kaiser program provides Wraparound services for children and adolescents experiencing significant behavioral and/or emotional challenges. Includes Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) and Family Youth Partnership as adjunct services.
• Full Circle Health NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Enhanced Care Management (ECM) services, connecting children and teens with essential services including medical, behavioral, dental, developmental, and social support.
• Kaiser Medi-Cal, Healthnet Medi-Cal, Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal, Molina Medi-CalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaged Care organizations required for ECM enrollment, providing coverage for children, teens, and young adults through age 26 involved in the Foster Care System.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aspiranet: California-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, mental health, and Wraparound services across multiple counties. Direct competitor for the same Sacramento and Northern California county contracts that SSYAF holds.
• Seneca Family of Agencies: California nonprofit delivering Wraparound, intensive services foster care, and mental health treatment for youth in child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Overlaps directly with SSYAF's Wraparound, TBS, and JJIS programs.
• EMQ FamiliesFirst: California nonprofit specializing in foster care, Wraparound, intensive mental health, and juvenile justice services for children and families. Competes head-to-head with SSYAF for county and Medi-Cal contracts in Northern California.
• Fred Finch Youth & Family Services: California nonprofit offering Wraparound, therapeutic behavioral services, and foster care/adoption programs for youth with complex mental health needs. Highly comparable program mix to SSYAF's mental health and permanency portfolio.
• Children's Home Society of California: California nonprofit focused on foster care, adoption, and Wraparound services for children and families involved in the child welfare system. Direct overlap with SSYAF's Pathways to Permanency and county-contracted programs.
• KidsPeace: National nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, behavioral health, and residential services for children and families. Comparable in service breadth and nonprofit structure, though primarily operating outside California.

Broad incumbents

• Casey Family Programs: Large, well-resourced operating foundation focused on child welfare and foster care nationally. Functions as both a thought leader and direct service provider, and a much larger peer in the broader child welfare services category.
• Boys Town: National nonprofit providing foster care, family services, behavioral health, and youth programs at much greater scale. Comparable in mission and service mix to SSYAF, but operates across many more states and sites.

Regional players

• Catholic Charities of Sacramento: Sacramento-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, immigration, and family support services in the same geographic footprint as SSYAF. Competes for overlapping Sacramento County contracts and resource family recruitment.

Others

• Sacramento County Office of Education: Public agency that operates school-linked mental health and foster youth support programs in the same Sacramento region. Functions as both a referral source and adjacent service provider rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StanfordSierra1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-CMnL0eatY5pU_C3HD1UIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Stanford.Sierra.1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stanford-sierra-youth-families
• Instagraminstagram.com/stanfordsierrayouthfamilies
• TikToktiktok.com/%40stanford_sierra

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stanford Sierra Youth & Families