CIRCLE Clinic: Transforming Foster Youth Care in Sacramento

In the heart of Sacramento, a groundbreaking initiative is making waves in pediatric health care for foster children. The Comprehensive Integration of Resilience into Child Life Experiences, affectionately known as the CIRCLE clinic, is rewriting the narrative when it comes to trauma-informed care for vulnerable youngsters.

A Vision Comes to Life

The unique vision of Dr. Katy Carlsen and Dr. Albina Gogo laid the groundwork for what would become a holistic sanctuary for children in the foster system. Their realization of the uneven quality of care and the gaps in accessing mental and developmental services sparked the creation of this innovative clinic.

In November 2020, with the support of private foundations, their dream materialized into a reality. Here, each child is embraced by a team including a pediatrician, a mental health expert, and if necessary, a developmental pediatrician—crafted to meet each child’s specific developmental and emotional health needs.

Community Partnership and Expansion

According to University of California - Davis Health, the journey of the CIRCLE Clinic didn’t stop there. With March 2021 marking a pivotal expansion point, it welcomed additional funding from the Sacramento County Trauma-Informed Network of Care Project. This allowed them to incorporate essential services like family navigation and care coordination, effectively weaving a safety net tailored for every child’s unique situation.

Integrated and Holistic Approaches

Today, the CIRCLE clinic is robust with a comprehensive team from UC Davis Health Department of Pediatrics, mental health clinicians from UC Davis’s CAARE Center, and developmental specialists from the MIND Institute. Family navigators and care coordinators work tirelessly to ensure seamless interaction with community support systems and specialized medical providers.

Every visit to the CIRCLE Clinic is a well-orchestrated sequence of care, harmonizing mental, physical, and developmental health in one unified approach, offering a lifeline of resilience and recovery to foster children who need it most.

A Community Call to Action

The success of the CIRCLE Clinic highlights a heartwarming example of community-driven care. The journey continues, and the call for community support remains vibrant. Contributions to sustain and expand these life-changing services are welcomed and essential.

With an ongoing commitment to excellence in care, the CIRCLE Clinic stands as a beacon of hope, a place where foster children receive not just care, but a thriving future. Join in this mission to transform the lives of Sacramento’s most vulnerable children by supporting or reaching out to the clinic today.

For more details or to become part of this supportive journey, visit the clinic or contact their office via the information provided above.