Berkeley, CA — The Human Rights Center (HRC) at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law has published the final evaluation of the Family and Me (FAM) 2.0 foster care model, designed to support youth impacted by, or at high risk of, commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) in San Francisco. This evaluation marks the end of a six-year collaboration, to develop a transformative, relationship-centered approach to care for a population long underserved by traditional child welfare systems.
“Too often, standard child welfare approaches fail to meet the needs of young people affected by commercial sexual exploitation, leading to cycles of placement changes, homelessness, and instability,” said the report’s lead author, Julie Freccero, Senior Director of Health and Human Rights at the Human Rights Center. “Our evaluation found that when we invest in young people’s natural support systems, youth are more likely to stay housed during crises, avoid high-risk situations, and continue to have support even after they leave foster care.”
Piloted by Seneca Family of Agencies from January 2023 through December 2025, FAM 2.0 was designed to increase the safety, housing stability, and overall well-being of youth who are experiencing or at risk of commercial sexual exploitation. The pilot provided youth enrolled with three unique support components: 1) enabled youth to select their own alternative caregivers who provided mentoring and a safe place for overnight stays; 2) provided youth with direct access to flexible funding to support essential needs and activities that fostered joy, self-esteem, and normalcy; and 3) offered trauma-informed, CSE-specific training for primary and alternative caregivers.
“FAM 2.0 affirms that healthy relationships are the foundation of stability, healing, and safety,” said Human Rights Center Research Fellow Michaela Austin. “When young people are empowered to choose the trusted adults they’d like to rely on and nurture relationships with, and those adults are given the resources to show up consistently, everything changes.”
The evaluation found that when youth can choose trusted adults in their lives — and when those adults are trained and resourced — housing stability, safety, and emotional well-being improve:
- Relational Permanency: Alternative caregivers offered rare, consistent, and emotionally safe relationships. Many youth described their alternative caregivers as “like family,” supporting them through crises, transitions, and early adulthood.
- Placement Stability: Youth with trained, youth-selected alternative caregivers were less likely to run away, experience placement breakdowns, or be exposed to unsafe environments.
- Well-Being: Strengthened relationships, access to therapy, and wellness activities funded through flexible resources contributed to improved emotional regulation, resilience, and overall quality of life.
- Flexible Funding: More than 175 youth requests totaling nearly $29,000 were approved to fund basic needs, transportation, enrichment, and connection with loved ones — revealing both the value of flexible dollars and gaps in existing public benefits.
- Caregiver Support: Caregivers reported reduced burnout, improved confidence, and greater capacity to meet youth needs when supported through training, financial support, respite, and shared caregiving.
FAM 2.0 was developed by Freedom Forward, and led in partnership with the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women under the San Francisco Safety, Opportunity, and Lifelong Relationships (SF SOL) Collaborative with Seneca Family of Agencies and WestCoast Children’s Clinic, with funding from the California Department of Social Services. HRC’s longitudinal, mixed-methods evaluation included 133 interviews, youth surveys, caregiver surveys, administrative data analysis, and ongoing implementation review.
The evaluation concludes the pilot to be a scalable, youth-centered alternative to traditional foster care placements, and should be considered for replication across California. The report’s recommendations call on the California Department of Social Services to integrate the model into existing child welfare financing, and align it with the state’s tiered rate structure set to roll out in 2027.
An op-ed by the evaluation’s lead author and Principal Investigator, Julie Freccero, and Freedom Forward Executive Director Francesca Gonzalez, outlining key policy recommendations, is available upon request. A Q&A with Senior Research Manager Michaela Anastasia Austin can be found on Medium at this link.
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