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Los
Angeles County Social Worker Rob Hirschhorn has a special passion for
families. He specializes in Family Group Decision-Making
emancipation conferences, which support youth in achieving their goals as
they get ready to leave the foster care system. He created an
emancipation protocol to establish short-term goals for youth and then
expanded the concept to include future life plans. |
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For the past 10 years, Hirschhorn has been successful in reunifying many children with their parents, providing "safety plans" for children so they are not hurt in care, and coming up with creative visitation plans.
Hirschhorn's success is measured by the youth he served, such as a young girl Hirschhorn began to work with when she was 15 years old. Although she had been severely abused, the youth believes Hirschhorn's nurturing character helped her regain her trust in men ad flourish as a successful young adult. He eventually ended up walking her down the aisle at her wedding.
Now reunited with her mother and a volunteer in her own right, the young woman says, "Somebody took the time to listen and help me." Many of the youth Hirschhorn helped over the years continue to stay in contact with him and depend on this devoted social worker as a mentor and friend.