For Immediate Release

Los Angeles, CA

October 18, 2006

Press Contact:

David Sommers

Phone: (213) 974-1095

Fax: (213) 626-6941

DSommers@lacbos.org

AltaMed Youth Services Program Grand Opening

Good afternoon.

The opening of this center was certainly a long time coming!
 

I became extremely concerned when DPSS told me last year that the provider serving pregnant and parenting teens on CalWORKs in the Long Beach area was going out of business.
 

Fortunately, they were able to reach out to AltaMed, who provides these very specialized services in other areas of the County, and they were able to step up to the plate.
 

There are over 3500 pregnant and parenting teens that are served under this program across the County, and about 350 of these kids are from the Long Beach area.
Both DPSS and AltaMed understand how critically important to me that these kids receive the proper attention and have ready access to the services offered, to help them deal with the dual challenge of being new parents and keeping up with schoolwork in order to maintain their eligibility to CalWORKs.
 

I know that these kids are doing well, because the Department gives us performance reports and I want you all to know I’m watching this closely.
 

But the bottom line is that I didn’t want anyone to lose their services or be unable to access services because the office was too far away.
 

Which is why I was literally counting the days until this new center became a reality.
 

I want to congratulate Castulo and the entire AltaMed staff, for their hard work and commitment towards making this new center happen.
 

I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Bryce Yokomizo and his staff at DPSS, for doing everything possible to work through these issues to make sure that kids in

Long Beach have access to this great program and services.
 

Finally, I want to say to all of the kids that come here everyday to work with this great staff: we are here for you and we want to help you succeed.
 

Thank you.

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