Have questions about the Quality Parenting Initiative? Want to schedule an interview with one of our experts?
Contact:
David Card
Director of Communications
(628) 303-1908
press@ylc.org
Press Releases
Stanislaus County Parent Wins National Award for Supporting Newborns in Foster Care
HUGHSON, CA — When a newborn in Stanislaus County needs urgent care, Sierra Duke is often the first person called. For her extraordinary commitment to nurturing infants and supporting their families, the Youth Law Center’s Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) has selected Sierra as one of six national honorees for the 2025 Elevate & Celebrate Award.
Duluth Advocate Earns National Recognition for Foster Care Leadership
DULUTH, MN — The Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI), a project of the Youth Law Center, has honored Duluth resident Jessica Gunnarson with the 2025 Elevate and Celebrate Award for her extraordinary leadership in ensuring children in foster care receive the excellent, loving parenting and family connections they need to thrive. Jessica is one of just six people nationwide recognized this year.
“Relationships First”: Connecticut Foster Dad Recognized for Transforming Care Through Connection
PLAINVILLE, CT – As child welfare systems nationwide work to better support children and families, Connecticut foster dad and longtime social worker Daniel Reyes is demonstrating what research has consistently shown: children thrive when they experience loving, developmentally attuned parenting and remain connected to the people who matter most.
Nevada Foster Parent Honored for Transforming Foster Care Through a Powerful Co-Parenting Partnership
Washoe County, Nevada — At a time when national headlines too often focus on the crises in foster care, one Nevada caregiver is demonstrating what children truly need to heal and thrive: loving relationships, partnership among adults, and a system that sees families as essential to children’s well-being.
California Foster Parent Honored for Transforming Teen Foster Care Through Adolescent-Centered Parenting
Chino, California — In a foster care system where normal adolescent behavior is too often misinterpreted as risk or defiance, one California parent is changing the narrative. Erica Jordan, a seasoned caregiver who welcomes teen girls into her home, has been named a 2025 Youth Law Center Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) Elevate & Celebrate Honoree for her deep commitment to developmentally informed parenting and her ability to create stability for youth who have often been misunderstood or discouraged in prior placements.