Akin Gump Helps Secure Settlement with Los Angeles County to Provide Mental Health Services to Foster Youth

(Los Angeles) – The County of Los Angeles has entered into a new settlement of a longstanding lawsuit, Katie A v. Bontá, where it has made a number of commitments to significantly increase intensive home- and community-based mental health services for thousands of children and youth involved with the county’s foster care system. A team from Akin Gump served as pro bono co-counsel with the Western Center on Law & Poverty in the case.

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2002, is a federal class action lawsuit against L.A. County and its Department of Children and Family Services, as well as California’s Department of Social Services and Department of Health Care Services. The suit challenged the county and state agencies for neglecting their duties to provide necessary and legally mandated health care services to treat the mental health conditions of children.  Separate settlement agreements were reached with both the state and L.A. County in the case. 

The Akin Gump team comprised partner Susan Leader, who serves on the board of the Western Center on Law & Poverty, fellow partner Neal Marder, senior counsel Ali Rabbani and associate Joshua Tate, all from the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Commenting on the settlement, Ms. Leader said, “We are honored to have joined forces with the Western Center on Law & Poverty to fight for critical community-based services for Los Angeles County’s foster youth.”

Akin Gump will also be recognized as the Max Gillam Pro Bono Award winner at the Western Center’s annual event on October 8. Additional information can be found here.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1945, the firm is proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. #AkinGump75

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