The purpose of this report was to share the findings of our process evaluation of the Community Holistic Overdose Prevention Program (CHOPP) at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Through partnership with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, HCN developed CHOPP to address the root causes of substance use in San Francisco, utilizing its specific expertise to meet the needs of Black/African American residents. Learn more about Homeless Children's Network at:   hcnkids

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the Jabali Youth Advocacy program at the Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Through a critical partnership with San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth and their Families (DCYF), HCN has implemented the first year of the Jabali Youth Advocacy program, a youth-led advocacy committee that amplifies the voices of youth around substance abuse and prevention. Together, with HCN, Indigo Cultural Center evaluated the impact of the Jab

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the Ma'at Program at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Designed by HCN and working through an extensive network of collaborative community agencies, the Ma’at Program was launched in 2019 to create greater opportunity for culturally responsive mental health approaches for children, youth, and families in San Francisco who have been historically marginalized, while also supporting those impacted by systemic inequities, intergenerati

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the Amani Mental Health Training Program (referred to as Amani) at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). The Amani Program is an entry-level, workforce development program designed to prepare individuals to provide peer support and community mental health services. HCN’s Amani Program utilizes an Afri-centric framework and inspires and encourages participants to embark on an inward journey that ultimately guides the wellness journey th

The purpose of this report is to share the findings of our process evaluation of Kupona Early Intervention, Outpatient, and Intensive Outpatient Programs (Kupona) at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Kupona is a Swahili word encompassing healing, recovering, and getting well. Through partnership with the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH), HCN developed the Kupona programs to address the need for culturally-responsive, tailored services that holistically combat

The purpose of this report is to evaluate Ma’at Youth Leadership at the Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Through partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) over the past five years, Ma’at Youth Leadership has supported highly vulnerable, low-income/very low-income youth and adolescents who are at risk of not making successful transitions into adulthood within San Francisco, with a focus on Black/African American youth and youth in the

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the General Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) program at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). General EPSDT is a citywide mental health treatment program at HCN. For the past 20+ years, HCN has offered the General EPSDT program which provides culturally competent, strengths-based mental health services. This program targets the specific needs of underserved youth populations, including but not limited to n

The purpose of this report was to evaluate Entre Nosotros at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Entre Nosotros (in English, Within Us) is a community mental health program that fosters culturally affirming mental health and wellness spaces for Latine-identified and Spanish-speaking communities to access and reclaim holistic healing practices which empower multicultural identities and values individual/family healing journeys. Together, with HCN, Indigo Cultural Center evalua

Through partnership with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) and Dream Keeper Initiative, the Homeless Children’s Network’s (HCN’s) Brighter Futures Program has supported Black fathers in San Francisco for 3 years by providing therapy, case management, and group healing circles. HCN’s Brighter Futures program was one of the only programs in the HCN Brighter Futures City-Wide Collaborative in San Francisco using a revolutionary Afri-centric framework to provide Bla

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the Case Management program at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). HCN’s Case Management program provides culturally attuned services to marginalized families who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability, facing displacement, and/or experiencing trauma–including domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and/or systemic violence–via linkages to referrals and resources. Together, with HCN, Indigo Cultural Center evaluat

The purpose of this report is to share the findings of our program evaluation and process of developing a Theory of Change and Logic Model for the Community Mental Health (CMH) program at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). Through a critical partnership with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, HCN has implemented the Community Mental Health Program with the goal of deepening mental health support for children aged 0-18, families, and adults in the Bayview-Hunters P

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the Black/African American Community-Based Substance Use Prevention and Education Initiative (otherwise known as Substance Use Prevention and Education Initiative) at Homeless Children’s Network (HCN). The Initiative sought to expand community awareness of substance-use disorder (SUD) within the greater San Francisco community. The goal of this awareness campaign is to prevent and reduce substance use and fatal overdoses among Black

In 2024, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) engaged Indigo Cultural Center to conduct external evaluations for HCN’s programs that serve Black and BIPOC communities in San Francisco. The report highlights each program's methodology, key findings, and spotlight our impact through the voices of program participants and our HCN team. Graphics and graphic representations of each program's essence and impact were done by Rio Holaday. Learn more about Homeless Children's Network at

In 2024, Homeless Children’s Network engaged Indigo Cultural Center to conduct an external evaluation of the Kuamka Community Healing Arts Program,  an Afri-centric healing arts-based program for Black artists in San Francisco that provides expressive arts training and technical support for facilitating community-based workshops.  The reports highlight each program's methodology, key findings, and spotlight our impact through the voices of program participants and our HCN tea

In 2024, Homeless Children’s Network engaged Indigo Cultural Center to conduct an external evaluation of the Kuamka Community Healing Arts Program,  an Afri-centric healing arts-based program for Black artists in San Francisco that provides expressive arts training and technical support for facilitating community-based workshops.  The reports highlight each program's methodology, key findings, and spotlight our impact through the voices of program participants and our HCN tea

In July 2021, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) developed the Community Innovations Mini-Grants Program funded by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and Dream Keeper Initiative to provide Mini Grants throughout the Black community. HCN is excellently qualified to give small grants to individuals and organizations and to advance social justice to create community innovations for marginalized populations within the Black community. In 2022-2023, HCN began to focus on pro

In July 2021, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) launched the Afro-cultural Black LGBTQIA+ Preservation Mini-Grants   Program  to support Black LGBTQIA+ community members to plan, host, and complete events or projects that highlights and fosters a culture of belonging citywide for Black LGBTQIA+ community members. The Afro-cultural Black LGBTQIA+ Preservation Mini-Grants   Program  is funded through a partnership between the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD),

In 2021, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) launched a mental health services training program to train underemployed or unemployed Black San Franciscans in Afri-Centric approaches to mental health and holistic well-being. HCN’s Amani Mental Health Training Program  is funded through a partnership between the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), Dream Keeper Initiative, and Human Rights Commission (HRC). HCN’s program was started with the intention of providing

In January 2022, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) launched a new program to support Black fathers in San Francisco with therapy, case management, and group healing circles. HCN’s Brighter Futures Program is funded through a partnership with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) and Dream Keeper Initiative. HCN’s program was started with the intention of providing culturally relevant and accessible mental health services to Black fathers and families to promote inte

In 2024, Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) engaged Indigo Cultural Center to conduct an external evaluation of the HCN’s Dream Keeper Initiative (DKI) Community Mental Health Program. The Dream Keeper Initiative supports HCN’s transformative work for Black communities in San Francisco. HCN’s DKI Community Health Mental Health Program is grounded in an understanding that Black community mental health has been and continues to be impacted by historical systemic racism and oppre

In 2024, Homeless Children’s Network engaged Indigo Cultural Center to conduct an external evaluation of the Ma’at Program. Intentionally paired with Black therapists who have been trained in an Afri-Centric Mental Health model, Ma’at serves children and youth ages 0 to 17 who identify as Black or of African descent. The Ma'at team of clinicians provide Afri-centric mental health services and instrumental case management to their clients throughout San Francisco. In 2022, HC

Indigo joins Canvas of the Heart to discuss ways that Free Arts Arizona is addressing racial trauma in the child welfare system.