The Caminos program works with children, youth, and families who make dangerous journeys across borders to flee extreme violence, traumatic experiences, and economic deprivation in their home countries. Most of these children and families – referred to as unaccompanied immigrant youth (UIY) and children of migrant families (CMF) – migrate to the United States from Central America, primarily Guatemala, as well as El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. The Caminos program began in 2014 when the first influx of unaccompanied immigrant youth came to live in Alameda County. The numbers of children, youth, and their caregivers continue to rise, such that Alameda County is home to the second highest number of unaccompanied immigrant youth in California.
In recognition of these circumstances and in partnership with local school districts and contracted community partners, we aim to provide targeted support for UIY, CMF and their caregivers.
We do this in a variety of ways:
- Provide consultation to district leadership on identifying students and best practices to support UIY/CMF students and their caregivers
- Facilitate a monthly Caminos Learning Community and other convenings to promote cross-county learning, networking, and resource sharing
- Provide trainings for district, school site, and community provider staff on best practices for supporting the health and wellness of UIY/CMF students and caregivers
- Provide direct services to UIY/CMF students and caregivers through case management and clinical support
For more information please contact Jasmine.Gonzalez@acgov.org