In Sacramento County, California, a community-based initiative created to support Black families and prevent children from entering foster care is now facing serious financial uncertainty.
When 28-year-old Latazia Allen gave birth to her fifth child in 2023, her family was already struggling through domestic violence and homelessness. After arriving at a shelter with her newborn, child welfare officials removed her baby and two-year-old daughter, even while she was breastfeeding. “I felt like it wasn’t fair,” Allen said. “They didn’t take time to understand where I was coming from.”
That’s when the county’s “cultural broker” program stepped in. Operated through community organizations like the Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center, the program provides trained advocates who guide parents through intimidating child welfare meetings, help them understand complex procedures, and ensure their voices are heard. These brokers act as cultural interpreters, bridging the gap between families and social workers.
Between 2018 and 2023, the program served over 550 families, with nearly 90% reaching positive outcomes — either reunification, adoption, or stable placement. Despite these results, the initiative remains underfunded. Sacramento County contributes roughly $500,000 annually, supplemented by a one-time federal grant from the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) — but that funding is far from enough to secure its future.
To receive ongoing federal support, the program must go through a rigorous evaluation process overseen by the Children’s Bureau. The bureau rates programs based on their effectiveness, and only those with a “well-supported” rating qualify for continuous funding. Sacramento is investing around $350,000 in research and evaluation to meet these standards, with results expected by mid-2026.
The program’s importance is underscored by stark racial disparities: while Black children make up only 10% of Sacramento’s population, they account for roughly 30% of children entering foster care — more than double the statewide rate. Advocates say the cultural broker model is one of the few interventions directly addressing these inequities by building trust and understanding between families and the system.
However, state-level funding rules make it difficult for programs like this to qualify for federal reimbursement, as California currently prioritizes only already “well-supported” interventions — none of which are tailored to families of color.
If Sacramento’s evaluation fails to secure approval, this effective yet fragile program could lose its funding entirely. For mothers like Allen, that would mean the loss of a critical safety net. “My cultural broker helped me keep hope alive,” she said. “It was really hard, but without her, I don’t think I’d have my kids back.”
As Sacramento’s pilot program continues its evaluation, its future — and the futures of many Black families — depend on whether federal support will recognize the life-changing impact of this local effort.