News & Impact

Dear Friends, Where does a troubled Jewish teen who is being raised in a single-parent family on welfare and food stamps turn to find help and support in the Bay Area? What beyond spiritual support can a Rabbi who very much wants to help offer a family in crisis? More than 50 years ago our small family found our answer at Jewish Family and Children’s Services. Our Rabbi referred us to JFCS when my mother came to him in tears. Through divorce, abandonment, my mother’s severe depression, and her frequent unemployment, the wolf was always at our door. JFCS was… Read More

Lisa was caught in a storm of family mental health issues. Her father, David, had suffered from depression his entire life. After receiving an early-stage dementia diagnosis a year ago, he was struggling to cope with the cognitive changes and was lashing out. At the same time, Lisa’s 10-year-old daughter, Abigail, started to display some concerning behaviors—she wasn’t sleeping or eating, and she started isolating herself from her friends. Lisa was overwhelmed by worry as she tried to help her father and daughter. “Honestly, I was feeling totally hopeless,” she recalls. A friend suggested that Lisa reach out to JFCS… Read More

By Robyn Bloom, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at JFCS As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I have recently been asked for advice from folks who are worried about spending time with family members with different perspectives on current events, politics and—most recently—the war in Israel. With all the conflict in the world, peace in the home, Shalom Bayit, should be the goal—which can make it tempting to shy away from difficult topics. But there are ways to communicate that can bring us closer together and deepen our understanding of one another. When done carefully, with a willingness to listen… Read More

Over the weekend, Hamas—the Iranian-backed terror group controlling Gaza—launched an unprovoked and vicious surprise attack on Israel and its families. Hundreds of Israeli children, families, and elderly have been murdered or kidnapped to be used as human shields. We are heartbroken for the families who are experiencing this horrifying violence. And we know that this may be a painful and personally difficult situation for families in our community. JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth is here for you and your family with expert counseling, guidance for parents, and emotional support. If you or your child need support, please contact us… Read More

The mental health effects of the war in Ukraine are acute for children and adults—anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. In response, JFCS partnered with IsraAID, the Office of Ukraine’s First Lady, and Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to launch a national mental health and psychosocial support initiative. Through this collaborative effort—made possible in part by the generous donations to JFCS’ Ukrainian Emergency Relief Initiative—JFCS and IsraAID will provide mental health first aid training to enable Ukrainian staff to better care for people living in frontline cities, like Odesa and Kherson. JFCS has long specialized in trauma training and in… Read More

There is overwhelming evidence that today’s youth are facing a mental health crisis. A recent ACLU survey found that 45% of California students feel depressed, while CDC data shows that mental health-related emergency room visits are up 31% for people aged 12 – 17. It is clear why the American Academy of Pediatrics has declared children’s mental health a national emergency and clear too that action needs to be taken. As a leading provider of mental health services, JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth (CCY) is witnessing this crisis firsthand. The obvious need for action inspired CCY’s experienced advocacy team… Read More