Breaking Barriers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting California’s youth, is now part of the McGeorge School of Law at University of the Pacific—a significant move that will expand advocacy, education, training and policy development for child and youth-serving systems across the state.

The collaboration will create new courses in children’s education law and policy, establish certificate programs for working professionals, and provide students with internships and job opportunities in fields related to youth law and policy.

The experience will provide McGeorge students with hands-on training in a growing area of law, preparing them for careers focused on improving outcomes for California’s youth.

“Breaking Barriers has a tremendous reputation in California for its work in education and mental health child-serving policy,” said Director of Public Policy Programs Jeff Michael. “This collaboration complements our expanding programs focused on transformational change and our students’ demonstrated interest in policies and programs addressing youth well-being.”

For the past decade, Breaking Barriers has improved the integration of child and youth services across California, benefiting millions of children and youth. The organization empowers those who support them, including policy makers, educators, mental health professionals, probation officers, social workers and other child serving representatives to unite in care with children and families to better support them.

Key achievements include cross-training for child-serving systems, helping lead the Mental Health Student Services Act, and helping launch and run initiatives such as the Transforming Together project, Child and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and the Community Schools Initiative. Breaking Barriers also hosts an annual Integrated Care Symposium to foster more comprehensive, effective and accessible services and supports for California’s children and youth.

Attorney Elizabeth Estes founded Breaking Barriers in 2014 based on her experiences working in California’s delinquency and educational systems, as well as her personal experience as a mass shooting hostage survivor.

"I realized if we unite our child and youth serving agencies into one integrated ecosystem it would be more effective, comprehensive and accessible and we could better realize the conditions for success for all,” Estes said. “I am honored and excited to join the distinguished McGeorge School of Law to expand our work together.

“McGeorge's focus on the development of policy, practice and leaders dedicated to holistically supporting California's children and youth is in direct alignment with Breaking Barriers’ mission and vision.”

The collaboration with McGeorge was facilitated by Jason Willis, clinical professor of public policy and director of the Transformational Change Partnership. Willis has served on the Breaking Barriers advisory board for several years and been a panelist at the organization’s annual conference.

Breaking Barriers’ three-day symposium, which began in 2016, focuses on integrating services and support for California’s youth and attracts nearly 400 attendees annually. The upcoming symposium will be held in Sacramento Nov. 17-19 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Arena.