Jamie Estrada
Los Angeles County DCFS
Jamie Estrada
Jamie Estrada (he/his), graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Jamie joined the LA County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in 2004 and spent 15 years at the DCFS South County Office as an Emergency Response Social Worker, Supervisor and Assistant Regional Administrator. Jamie is no stranger to county system involvement. As a child, Jamie was often visited by social workers due to concerns of family drug use, domestic violence, and housing instability. Jamie was adopted at age 12. Jamie and his partner of 15 years, Jonathan, adopted two brothers from foster care in 2014. For the last three years, Jamie has served as the very first DCFS Office of Equity LGBTQ+ Program Manager. Jamie is passionate about advancing equity and justice for children, youth, and young adults in the child welfare system with an emphasis on those disproportionately represented. As the LGBTQ+ Program Manager, Jamie is proud to lead initiatives establishing formal support services for LGBTQ+ youth, increasing the number of safe and affirming resource homes, and the creation of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) dashboard. In his free time, Jamie and his family enjoy traveling, softball, swimming, volleyball and of course, long walks on the beach.
SESSION OVERVIEW
LA County Panel: Affirming Care through the Public Sector: Past, Present, and Future
Join us as we navigate through three of LA County’s complex and inter-related systems of care and their services for Transgender, Gender Diverse or Intersex young people. Through this journey, participants will learn how the Departments of Mental Health (DMH), Children and Family Services (DCFS) and Health Services (DHS) have served as a safety net and perpetuated barriers and disparities for some of LA County’s most marginalized individuals and communities. Despite the challenges and traumas inherent to navigating government-funded sectors, these systems are in the process of meaningful culture change toward equity and justice for gender diverse young people. Together, will travel to the present to see how LA County’s healthcare and social services are undergoing a transformation, and we will collectively envision a future that includes a more inclusive and affirming public sector system of care for all communities.