Where Families Grow Stronger: Advancing Connection, Healing, and Hope
Every child deserves a safe, loving home. That’s the guiding belief behind the Building Forever Families Initiative (BFFI)—a visionary, community-driven program dedicated to preventing family separation and supporting reunification through education, trauma-informed care, and community connection.
Founded by Esther A. Torrez, MA, MBA, BFFI focuses on improving the lives of children by strengthening parent-child relationships and providing families with access to vital resources like mental health support, parenting education, and wraparound community services.
In partnership with Community Partners, BFFI continued its mission to advance effective, evidence-based practices and programs that support and strengthen parent-child relationships and community engagement. Most importantly, Torrez wanted to ensure that the initiative focused on prevention, family preservation, and reunification to improve children’s health and social and educational outcomes.
The concept of BFFI was born out of deep concern for families navigating the child welfare system—often in isolation and without coordinated support. Between 2017 and 2019, Torrez received early academic backing from Dr. Kathryn Ecklund, child psychologist and professor of psychology, of Azusa Pacific University and assembled an advisory board to conduct extensive research on the needs of families in crisis. Their goal was to determine whether there was a unique space for an initiative like BFFI, one that approached reunification with long-term support rather than short-term fixes.
Together, they developed a research-based, trauma-informed model that encompassed curriculum development, training protocols, and a focus on data collection and individualized care.
“I see myself as a community builder. My strength lies in making connections—bringing together the people, resources, and systems that families need to thrive. Community Partners gives me the operational support so I can focus on what I do best: being out in the community, building relationships, and driving change.”
— Esther A. Torrez, MA, MBA, Founder & Executive Director, Building Forever Families Initiative
Rather than treating families in silos, BFFI emphasizes a continuum of care—a holistic, systemic approach that brings together academic institutions, therapists, case workers, courts, and, most importantly, families themselves.
At the core of the program is a growing network of graduate and undergraduate students from 10 local universities, including the University of Southern California (USC), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Azusa Pacific University, California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), Alliant International University, Life Pacific University, and La Verne University. These students, supervised by licensed clinicians, serve as Family Coaches who guide parents in real time through parenting education, trauma recovery, and community engagement.
Students not only earn clinical hours to meet state licensure requirements—they also gain hands-on experience with the complex dynamics of child welfare, helping them become more empathetic and effective future clinicians.
With the highest foster care population in the U.S., L.A. County is ground zero for transforming how we support families. BFFI is proving that when you invest in people—not just programs—lasting change is possible. By expanding the number of trained family coaches, strengthening partnerships, and continuing to apply trauma-informed, evidence-based methods, the initiative is poised to become a model for family preservation nationwide.
Establishing partnerships with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)—including pilot collaborations with Pomona and El Monte offices—was a significant milestone. These partnerships allow BFFI to embed trained family coaches within regional offices and expand access to support services across the County.
BFFI’s long-term vision is to bring this model to all 19 regional DCFS offices in Los Angeles County. With the proper funding and support, this expansion could radically shift outcomes for thousands of children, especially in a county with the highest foster care population in the United States.
Foundations like Ralph M. Parsons and Mark Taper have helped fund the early stages. But to scale equitably and sustainably, BFFI is seeking additional partners to invest in a future where family reunification isn’t just a goal—it’s a reality.
“I’m a connector at heart. I thrive on bringing people together—whether it’s universities, government agencies, or families—so that no one falls through the cracks,” said Torrez. “Real change happens when we build authentic relationships and work as a community. By training the next generation of clinicians to work alongside families, we’re shifting the system from reactive to relational, from fragmented to connected.”
At its core, Building Forever Families Initiative believes that families should never be separated without exhausting every avenue of support. And when reunification is possible, families should be empowered—with knowledge, skills, and community—to thrive.
Learn more about Building Forever Families Initiative
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June 16, 2025
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