FAQs

The academy is the first residential school in the U.S. created just for children in foster care. It opened in 2001 on a 238-acre campus in San Diego’s North County. Children live and learn here. 

The academy was created as a different kind of placement for teens ages 12–17 who were involved with Juvenile Court, and for young adults in foster care up to age 19. When it opened, the County had more than 8,000 children in foster care, including over 2,000 teens. At that time, there was a significant need for campus-style settings, and the state supported group care. The idea of a rural campus that offered all services in one place was considered an innovative way to help foster youth. 

Today, federal and state laws focus on keeping kids safe in family homes and reducing group care. The Continuum of Care Reform Act (CCR) says the best option for youth is living with a resource family in a home setting. It limits group care and ends licensed group homes. 

The act is based on the idea—also central to Child and Family Well-Being's Kin-First approach—that foster youth do better with relatives or trusted adults. This helps them stay connected to family, culture, and community. The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) also changed the department's policy to prioritize keeping children safely with their families and avoiding unnecessary foster care placements. 

The needs of the students at the academy, and the community have also changed over the past 25 years. The County is looking to the future and values feedback from those invested in foster youth success. The County wants to reimagine how care is provided at San Pasqual Academy and ways it can best support the community.  

San Pasqual Academy is managed by County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Child and Family Well-Being Department.