Welcome to Five Acres
Since 1888, Five Acres has protected the most vulnerable members of our community: children. Originally founded in downtown Los Angeles as an orphanage, Five Acres was initially created to offer safety to children who had no home. In time, our mission expanded to also focus on the well-being and mental health of our clients who were increasingly coming to us as a result of abuse or neglect.
Having grown to an agency caring for more than 6,500 children and family members annually across six counties, we now strive for permanency—a permanent, loving home—for all children in our care. The three pillars of safety, well-being and permanency provide the framework for all our programs and will guide our steps as we develop even more effective means of caring for children and families in crisis.
Designated as a Family Resource Center, Five Acres is recognized as “an entity providing family-centered and family-strengthening services that are embedded in communities, culturally sensitive, and include cross-system collaboration to assist in transforming families and communities through reciprocity and asset development based on impact-driven and evidence-informed approaches with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening children and families.” Source: California Welfare & Institutions Code Section 18951(g)
Five Acres promotes safety, well-being and permanency for children and their families by building on their strengths and empowering them within communities.
Safety
Since 1888, children’s safety has been the bedrock on which our programs are founded. Through mental health and behavioral health counseling, Five Acres addresses and heals the trauma that affects children and their families so that kids can grow and thrive within a loving family.
Well-being
Healthy families are more likely to remain intact and enjoy a greater level of well-being. Five Acres believes families stay together when they are provided with essential prevention and intervention resources for success.
Permanency
Five Acres actively strives to provide stability by connecting children to safe, permanent and loving families. With the chance to stay in a caring home, children are able to rebuild their sense of belonging and grow.
Five Acres Timeline
1988 – Foster Care Program
1990 – Community Deaf Services Program
Five Acres Children’s Guild established
1998 – Contract with LA Department of Mental Health
2000 – Adoption Agency License and Program
Community Based Program
Therapeutic Behavioral Services Program
Wraparound Program
2007 – Pasadena Mental Health Center becomes an affiliate of Five Acres
2018 – Five Acres celebrates 130 years
Five Acres Day, March 12, is officially declared by LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger
2020 – Worldwide COVID Pandemic started. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2022, Five Acres rapidly transitioned most non-residential services to telehealth and expanded our technology
2021 – The Family First federal reform was announced and Five Acres pivoted to meet the new federal guidelines allowing to continue providing mental health services to children that have been traumatized
2022 – Five Acres was the first child welfare organization to negotiate a CalAIM contract with healthcare
2023 – Five Acres celebrates its 135th anniversary