California Youth Connection California Youth Connection (CYC) is guided, focused and driven by current and former foster youth with the assistance of other committed community members. CYC promotes the participation of foster youth in policy development and legislative change to improve the foster care system, and strives to improve social work practice and child welfare policy. CYC Chapters in counties throughout the state identify local issues and use grassroots and community organizing to create change.

FLY: Fresh Life-line for Youth Given tight budgets and high demand, the legal system is poorly equipped to address the root causes of juvenile crime. Statistics show that incarceration does little to reduce recidivism. During their formative years, teens struggle to make good choices. In 1998, juvenile offenders addressed this problem by creating Fresh Lifelines for Youth, otherwise known as FLY. Fresh Lifelines for Youth helps teens in trouble learn to make healthy decisions. The organization provides at-risk and disadvantaged youth with vital information regarding the decisions they make in their lives. We provide well-trained mentors who listen. And FLY gives its graduates the opportunity to advance to a leadership program where they use their knowledge and skills to give back to their communities. One of FLY's programs, a year-long one, has a striking 85% success rate. All at one tenth the cost of incarceration.

Foster Care Ombudsman Office The Office of the Foster Care Ombudsman was established by legislation, California Senate Bill 933 (Chapter 311/Statutes of 1998) and has been mandated to do the following: * Ensure the voice of foster children and youth is heard, and act on their behalf. * Create an avenue for foster children and youth to file complaints regarding their placement, care and services without fear of retribution from those who provide their care and services. * Act as an independent forum for the investigation and resolution of complaints made by or on behalf of children placed in foster care and make appropriate referrals. * Provide children and youth with information on their rights when placed in foster care. * Maintain a toll-free telephone number which foster children and youth may call from anywhere in California to express their concerns and complaints.