[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 215 (Friday, December 19, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1240-E1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING TLC CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 19, 2025

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor TLC 
Child and Family Services as it celebrates 50 years of service to 
vulnerable youth and families in our Sonoma County. Since its founding 
in 1975, TLC has transformed the lives of more than ten thousand young 
people by providing safe environments, educational support, and 
opportunities for growth.
  TLC began as a single group home and has grown into a comprehensive 
organization offering foster care and adoption services, behavioral 
health programs, special education,

[[Page E1241]]

residential treatment, and housing support for transition-age youth. 
Guided by its mission to create healthy, healing environments where 
differences are valued, TLC has remained a steady resource for families 
through decades of changing policies and economic challenges.
  TLC's Foster Family and Adoption programs, operated in partnership 
with Sonoma County Family Youth and Children's Services, provide 
critical supports that help youth achieve stable homes. In the past 
year, 82 percent of foster youth were reunified with family members or 
adopted, while the remaining youth received housing, therapeutic 
services, education, and life-skills support. TLC continues to recruit 
and sustain foster families at a time when agencies across California 
face rising costs and closures.
  TLC also delivers trauma-informed Behavioral Health Services through 
a growing team of clinicians serving families across our county. 
Services include school-based partnerships as well as individual, 
group, and family therapy. Journey Academy, TLC's Residential Treatment 
Center with an on-site non-public school, serves students whose mental 
health or behavioral needs make traditional classrooms difficult. In 
the past year, 91 percent of students improved their attendance and 86 
percent completed more academic credits than before entering the 
program.
  TLC's Transition Age Youth Housing Programs support young people ages 
sixteen to twenty-five who are experiencing homelessness or 
instability. Participants receive immediate access to meals, clothing, 
showers, and case management while staff work to secure long-term 
housing. 97 percent of participants reported satisfaction with the 
program last year, and 95 percent felt supported in employment and 
financial literacy. TLC has expanded services for young parents, 
offering parenting classes, supplies, and resource navigation.
  In addition to its core programs, TLC leads innovative community 
initiatives. The Farm to Table Program introduces youth to gardening, 
culinary arts, and hospitality careers. Project Flare uplifts LGBTQ+ 
youth by sharing their stories and building community connection. TLC 
also stewards the Sonoma County Children's Village Legacy Fund, a 2.5-
million-dollar endowment that provides orthodontic and dental care for 
foster youth up to age 24. To date, 178 youths have received more than 
648,000 dollars in services.
  TLC Child and Family Services has earned significant recognition for 
its leadership. The organization holds the Platinum Seal of 
Transparency from Candid and GuideStar, placing it among the top 
nonprofits nationwide. It has received the Human Rights Campaign's 
highest honors for inclusive care for LGBTQ+ youth and has been named 
one of the North Bay Business Journal's Best Places to Work for three 
consecutive years. The Joint Commission recently awarded TLC 
exceptionally high marks following a comprehensive review.
  Mr. Speaker, for 50 years, TLC Child and Family Services has provided 
compassionate, effective support to the youth and families of our 
Sonoma County. Their commitment to healing, education, and community 
well-being has strengthened our region for generations. It is fitting 
and proper that we honor them here today on this milestone anniversary.