They say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Alternative Family Services (AFS) is that village for hundreds of Northern California foster children and their families. AFS is a foster, adoptions and mental health agency that has been creating safe, permanent connections for foster children and youth in the Bay Area since 1978.

AFS provides multiple services to include:

- Supporting families at risk

- Creating permanency options for all foster children

- Providing mental health and other supports to children, youth and their families

- Preparing foster youth for adult independent living

- Responding to needs in the community as they arise

We believe children heal and thrive living with families in the community. AFS works with clients and families in their own homes, schools and other community settings. AFS brings its services to our clients rather than expecting our clients to come to us.

We are committed to identifying, utilizing, and celebrating individual strengths in our approach to healing children and supporting foster and adoptive families who so generously open their homes.

At AFS we value the variety of backgrounds and experiences of all people we work with – children, youth, biological, foster and adoptive families. AFS employs a culturally diverse staff sensitive to clients' cultural cues and preferences. AFS celebrates the diversity of our clients and their families, integrating this appreciation in all of our work.

AFS has multiple locations in the bay area to include: Oakland (2), San Rafael, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Vallejo and Sacramento.