Your support makes it possible for our attorneys, social workers, and mentor parents to stand beside them with the compassion, skill, and lived experience they deserve.

When I became a mentor parent, I was scared. I was terrified of failure. Not for myself, but for the parents who would come to me for help.

As we look toward a new year, I’ve been thinking about what it means to care for an organization that was built by and for the people it serves.

Before DAC, I worked with refugee families, adults and youth who who were formerly and currently incarcerated, survivors of domestic violence, and families living in shelter.

It became clear almost immediately that by representing parents, I was helping their children.

I became a dependency lawyer the day after Christmas in 2001. Now, more than 18 years later, it’s clear how much has changed because DAC exists.

My name is Dave Shuster and I’m the Mentor Parent Manager here at DAC. When my daughter was taken from me, my whole life fell apart.

Congratulations to our Director of Policy and Legal Services, Sarah Cook, on her appointment as a Judge in Santa Clara County!

Last week, we joined families, community leaders, and service providers to celebrate Santa Clara County’s 14th Annual Reunification Day.

My name is Jose Fontanillo and I want to share my story with you. I’m a father. I’m sober. I’m in recovery. I’m a beloved and active member of the community.

We are looking for passionate and dedicated attorneys to fill the roles of Staff Attorney and Family Defense & Pre-Petition Staff Attorney.

DAC CEO Katie Joh draws a powerful parallel between family separation at the border and the child welfare system.

Dependency Advocacy Center is very sad to share that AnnaLisa Chung, one of our co-founders and our first Chief Executive Officer, passed away on November 2, 2024 after a long battle with cancer.

We are very sad to share that Ann Whyte, a longstanding member of our Board of Directors and previous Board Chair, passed away Sunday, August 4, 2024.

We were excited to honor and celebrate Judge Chen as she takes on this new role in our justice system.

The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, is delighted to announce the appointment of Cynthia Chen as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Santa Clara County celebrated its 13th Annual Family Reunification Day on June 14, 2024, honoring families and youth who overcame immense challenges to reunify with one another.

Dependency Advocacy Center celebrated 15 years of serving families in Santa Clara County on October 18, 2023, honoring key milestones and the people who have made the organization's work possible.

Daniel Little, Director of the County’s Social Services Agency, was honored for his exceptional contributions to child welfare reform in DAC’s 15th Anniversary Celebration.

We are pleased to announce that Katie Joh has accepted the position and will become DAC’s new CEO starting January 8th, 2024.