On behalf of the boards of directors of Hillsides and Bienvenidos, we are excited to announce the creation of a parent-subsidiary relationship as of June 30, 2016. Both Hillsides and Bienvenidos will retain their individual names with Bienvenidos becoming the subsidiary and an affiliate of Hillsides. Together we will have a presence throughout Metro Los Angeles, East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley, serving approximately 13,000 children, youth and their families. Hillsides and its affiliation with Bienvenidos serves these individuals in Los Angeles County throughout its 35 sites, including school-based mental health offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Baldwin Park. Adoptions services and licensed resource homes, formerly known as foster homes, serve families in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
Prompting this initiative is recent legislation, the Continuum of Care Reform (AB 403), that calls for providers like Hillsides and Bienvenidos to develop a comprehensive array of services to support children in the foster care system and their families. The goal of this legislation is to limit the amount of time children are separated from their families and support the reunification of families.
Although each agency will operate independently for a period of time, there will be one governing body and a common leadership team to provide oversight and assure integration.
Hillsides Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Costa remains at the helm, overseeing the agencies' combined resources and workforce of 600. Bienvenidos Chief Executive Officer Ritchie Geisel retired on August 1.
Together we will fulfill our shared vision and provide leadership during this paradigm shift in child welfare.
Learn more about Bienvenidos.