Pathway Family Services provides trauma-informed foster care, family support, outpatient behavioral health
services, and Enhanced Care Management (ECM) to children, adolescents, young adults, and families across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
Through our programs — including BrightPath Behavioral Health Services, our CalAIM ECM program, and
our suite of foster care services — we offer basic foster care, emergency shelter home placements, Intensive
Services Foster Care (ISFC), resource family support, outpatient mental health treatment, and intensive care
coordination, all grounded in TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) and a whole-person, relationship-based
approach.
Foster Care Services:
Pathway Family Services has served foster youth across California since 2006, training, certifying, and supporting
resource families in their efforts to care for abused and neglected children. Pathway resource families are matched
with a dedicated Pathway Social Worker who mentors, guides, and conducts regular home visits — keeping families
informed of rules, regulations, and available resources. On-call social work staff are available by phone 24/7 as needs
arise.
-Basic Foster Care
Pathway recruits and supports resource families to provide safe, stable, and nurturing homes for foster youth. Resource
families receive initial certification training and ongoing education, along with regular support from an assigned
Pathway Social Worker. Pathway provides mentorship, resources, and enrichment opportunities — including holiday
celebrations and resource family networking events — to strengthen families and support each child's healing.
-Emergency Shelter Homes
Pathway operates a Shelter Bed Program in partnership with the Department of Social Services in Santa Barbara
County, providing approximately 10–12 certified foster home beds for youth detained on an emergency basis.
Placements are typically 30 days or less while children are being returned home, connected with relatives, or
transitioned to a longer-term living arrangement. Pathway's identified resource families are on call 24/7 to receive emergency placements and provide a stable, safe, and caring environment during this critical time. Pathway has served 500+ children through this program.
- On-call social work staff 24/7 for crisis support, guidance, and family intervention
- Ongoing trauma-informed training for emergency home caregivers
- Financial compensation for each bed and additional support for incurred expenses
-Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC)
ISFC is a specialized home-based foster care program serving youth who need a higher level of support and services
than traditional foster care provides. ISFC was established in response to California's closure of most group homes
(CCL, 2018) to ensure youth with complex needs could be served in a family setting. Resource families receive
additional specialized training and work closely with their assigned ISFC Pathway Social Worker to provide the
appropriate level of supervision and access to counseling and community services.
BrightPath Behavioral Health Services (NOW ACCEPTING CLIENTS):
BrightPath is Pathway's outpatient behavioral health program serving children, adolescents, and families (ages 0–26)
experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges. Services are trauma-informed, attachment-based, and TBRI®-
aligned.
Clinical Services Include:
-Individual therapy
-Family therapy
-Mental health assessment and treatment planning
-Group therapy and psychoeducation
-Crisis support and safety planning
-Care coordination with ECM teams, schools, child welfare, and primary care providers
Service Delivery:
Telehealth — available throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties
In-person — Santa Maria (218 W. Carmen Lane, Suite 209)
Insurance: CenCal Health (Medi-Cal) accepted. No open ECM case required to access BrightPath services. Visit
pfsffa.org/bright-path to schedule an assessment.
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) & Community Supports CALAIM:
Pathway delivers Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports through California's CalAIM initiative,
serving high-acuity Medi-Cal members — with a primary focus on children, youth, and families involved in the child
welfare system.
Each enrolled member is assigned a dedicated Lead Care Manager (LCM) who serves as a consistent, single point of
coordination across medical, behavioral health, social, and community systems.
ECM Core Services Include:
-Outreach and engagement
-Comprehensive assessment and individualized care planning
-Coordination with medical, behavioral health, dental, and developmental providers
-Support with appointments, care transitions, and service navigation
-Ongoing monitoring and member/family support
-Linkage to community resources and social services
Community Supports:
Addresses health-related social needs including housing supports, care transitions, and connection to community-based
resources.