Optimist Boys' Home and Ranch Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Transitional Living Services (TLS): Located at Optimist's Highland Park campus, the TLS program is a housing-first, harm-reduction, trauma-informed services housing model for young adults (ages 18-21) enrolled in extended foster care. The TLS program provides young adults with a temporary living setting (up to 4 months), with the goal of identifying permanent living arrangements for youth who have experienced a disruption in their living situation. The program served 89 youth and the housing program for our LACCD served 22 students. Enhanced Care Management (ECM): A program that acts as a bridge between healthcare and social service systems, ensuring individuals with the most complex needs - such as a heart condition, diabetes, or other medical diagnoses referred by a doctor - are not overlooked. Care is coordinated by a multidisciplinary team that may include case managers, care coordinators, social workers, medical providers, behavioral health clinicians, and community-based partners, all working together around the individual. Through close collaboration with doctors, specialists, managed care plans, housing providers, and social service agencies, ECM connects people to the right health, behavioral, housing, and community supports at the right time. By aligning care across systems and building trusted relationships, ECM ensures individuals are served holistically, so no part of their care falls through the cracks. This program served 414 clients.Family Preservation: A program that started in September 2024, Optimist's Family Preservation Program is a strengths-based, in-home program that promotes the safety and well-being of children and their families involved with the Department of Children and Family Services or Probation. The program actively seeks to obtain or directly provide the critical services needed by the family in their home to enable the family to remain together in a safe and stable environment. The primary goal is to enhance the parent/caregiver's ability to create a safe, nurturing home environment that promotes healthy child development. Family Preservation centers the needs of the entire family. The program served 372 clients (119 caregivers and 253 children).CSEC Advocacy: Optimist's Advocacy Program provides services to children and NMD's ages 12-18, referred by DCFS/probation, who are at high risk or are survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). The Advocacy Program services include 24/7 First Responder Protocol (FRP) and support services for participants and their caregivers. The goal of the program is to increase placement stability/permanency and reduce recurrence of exploitation and re-entry into foster care. The program served 131 clients.The Leading Optimism Los Angeles (LOLA) Clubhouse: LOLA Clubhouse is a non-clinical, community-based program serving transition-age youth with serious mental health challenges. Operating under the globally recognized International Clubhouse Model, LOLA Clubhouse provides structured, membership-driven supports that promote psychosocial rehabilitation, vocational skill development, and community integration. Members engage in a work-ordered day with defined roles and responsibilities that support routine, accountability, and skill-building, while also receiving mentorship and linkage to housing, education, employment, behavioral health, and social services. Through strengths-based engagement and peer support, the Clubhouse aims to reduce isolation, improve functioning, and support long-term stability, independence, and community participation. The program served 56 residents.Adoption Promotion and Support Services (APSS): APSS provides adoption-focused specialized services to offer solutions and support to clients while acknowledging the significance of trauma and loss that created the adoption opportunity. The program serves both pre-adoption and post-adoption children and families. The core APSS adoption focused services offered include: Case Management

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 78.3%; rating input score 78
• Program expense ratio: 78.7%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $34.29 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0.6%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.65; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -4.8% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings