Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, has awarded the “All Children – All Families” seal of recognition to Los Angeles-based Aviva Family and Children’s Services (Aviva) for its commitment to supporting and serving LGBTQ youth and families. Aviva’s foster family and adoption agency earned the honor by meeting HRC’s criteria for fully-inclusive policies and practices in working with the LGBTQ community.

“Aviva is honored to be recognized as a leader in serving LGBTQ youth and families, especially given the disproportionate number of foster youth in Los Angeles County – approximately one in five – who identify as LGBTQ,” said Regina Bette, president and CEO of Aviva Family and Children’s Services. “This acknowledgement is a testament to the humanity and dedication of our staff and complements our mission and belief that every child and every family in our Los Angeles community deserve a chance for a brighter future.”

The HRC Foundation’s “All Children – All Families” initiative promotes LGBTQ cultural competency by providing organizations with a comprehensive framework for inclusion, from client non-discrimination policies to comprehensive staff training and creating an LGBTQ-inclusive agency environment. Participating agencies work to meet 10 key benchmarks of LGBTQ cultural competency, including a self-assessment and a commitment to making necessary improvements.

As part of its work in this area, Aviva embraced a staff training program that included all agency staff, from senior leadership and those who work directly with foster and adoptive parents and foster youth to administrative and support team members. With 400,000 children in the nation’s foster care system – including 28,000 in Los Angeles County alone – there is an urgent need for more families who are ready and able to raise children, especially welcoming and affirming foster or adoptive families for these youth, according to Aviva. A study by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, in conjunction with the UCLA Williams Institute and Holarchy Consulting, found that LGTBQ youth are overrepresented in foster care and more likely to live in group homes and to be placed in foster care more often. At the same time, there are an estimated 2 million LGBTQ adults in the U.S. interested in adopting. Aviva’s Foster Family and Adoption Agency’s training for foster and adoptive parents is aimed at addressing the needs of LGBTQ youth, as well as those of prospective LGBTQ foster and adoptive parents.

Launched in 2007, HRC Foundation’s “All Children –All Families” initiative promotes policies and practices that welcome LGBTQ foster and adoptive parents. More than 90 participating agencies across the country participate in the campaign, and 54 seals of recognition have been awarded.

Additional information about the initiative can be found at hrc.org/acaf.