Two Local Foster Youth Services Announce Intent to Merge

On August 1, the board of directors of Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services and Pacific Lodge Youth Services signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating their intent to merge.

Given the changing landscape of the residential care/foster youth system statewide, both agencies saw the opportunity to leverage strengths, increase impact, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Optimist and Pacific Lodge are both leaders in Los Angeles County serving at-risk children, youth and their families. Established in 1906 and 1923 respectively, they have over 200 years of collective experience providing quality services to high-need populations.

Optimist provides 24-hour residential care with comprehensive support services for 85 boys ages 12 – 19, operates four groups homes for 24 boys and girls, is a licensed foster family and adoption agency with 60 children currently placed in foster homes, operates an accredited charter school on their main campus with 160 high school students, and provides a wide variety of community-based mental health programs. Optimist’s main campus is located in Highland Park.

Pacific Lodge, similarly, is licensed to provide 24-hour residential care with comprehensive support services for 68 boys and operates as a community-based mental health provider, offering outpatient, wraparound and other much-needed services to youth and families. Pacific Lodge’s campus is located in Woodland Hills.

Together, Optimist and Pacific Lodge will be one of the largest residential care providers in the state of California.

Pacific Lodge Board Chair Leslie King characterized the merger as being, “an important step forward for both organizations that will greatly benefit at-risk youth and their families in Southern California.” Executive Director of Optimist, Sil Orlando, has similarly commented that, through this affiliation, “both organizations will emerge stronger and better positioned to serve those youth who need us most.”

Recognizing the historical significance and strong community ties of both agencies, Optimist and Pacific Lodge will retain their individual names with Pacific Lodge becoming a division of Optimist. Members of the Pacific Lodge Board of Directors will join the Optimist Board and Advisory Board, with Leslie King becoming a Vice President of the Board of Directors.

Dee Gadbury, President of the Optimist Board stated, “This merger is not only what’s best for both agencies, but also for the individuals, families and communities that we serve.”

It is anticipated that the merger will be completed by December 31, 2016.