Uplift Family Services is the new name for EMQ FamiliesFirst, one of the largest, most comprehensive mental health and behavioral health treatment programs in California.
The change to the new name and logo better reflects the nonprofit organization’s identity across the state. Uplift Family Services is a comprehensive network of coordinated services designed to help children, teens and families at all levels of need.
These services include: intensive in-home services such as FIRST 5 and Wraparound, outpatient mental health services, prevention and early intervention, residential treatment, school-based services, foster care and adoption and transitional housing for foster youth.
“Our new name more clearly connects the important work we do in all regions and unites us as a statewide agency,” said Darrell Evora, president and CEO of Uplift Family Services. “Changing our name to Uplift Family Services is the next logical step in our evolution as an agency, with new locations and expanded programs coming soon.”
The agency has undergone several transformations throughout its 149-year history, beginning with Eastfield and Ming Quong merging in 1987. In 2006, EMQ Children and Families merged with Hollygrove in Los Angeles, and three years later, the agency merged with FamiliesFirst, to become EMQ FamiliesFirst.
“We recognized the need to revise our name to eliminate confusion from past mergers and to better describe the breadth of services that we offer to the community,” said Mike McAndrews, Uplift Family Services Board Chair.
Uplift Family Services serves more than 20,000 children and families in 30 counties across the state each year.
About Uplift Family Services
Uplift Family Services is one of the largest, most comprehensive mental and behavioral health treatment programs in California. Uplift Family Services takes a state-of-the-art approach to children and adolescents with complex behavioral health challenges and helps them recover from trauma such as abuse, severe neglect, addiction and poverty. For youth that exit our programs, more than 90 percent are living in the community, staying in school and remaining out of trouble. For more information, visit Uplift Family Services and follow the agency on Twitter @upliftfamily.