Date/Time
Date(s) - 07/18/2025
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
About the Event
Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Cal Northern School of Law
1395 Ridgewood Dr STE 100, Chico, CA 95973
Cost: FREE!
Lunch will be provided!
Hosted by: California Youth Defender Center (CYDC)
Why You Should Attend
Join us for an all-day in-person training designed to equip youth defenders with practical, hands-on tools for litigating cases involving the Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF). Whether you’re new to SYTF practice or looking to sharpen your skills, this training will walk you through every stage.
You’ll leave with:
- Concrete strategies for challenging SYTF commitments
- A better understanding of disposition alternatives
- Tips on navigating six-month review hearings
- Templates, checklists, and take-home materials
- A network of peers and experts in the field
We welcome youth defenders and advocates* from Butte, Shasta, Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, Colusa, Tehama, Glenn, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, Lake, Yolo, Trinity, and surrounding counties.
*This training is intended for members of the youth defense community only, including attorneys, investigators, social workers, paralegals, mitigation specialists, law office professionals, and other job roles on defense teams.
**Eligible for 5.5 Hours of General MCLE**
**MCLE INFORMATION: CYDC certifies that this activity conforms to the standards of approved education activities prescribed by the rules and regulations of the State Bar of California governing Minimum Continuing Legal Education.**
Featured Trainers
Rhyzan Croomes – Rhyzan Croomes is the Director of Capacity Building and Training at the California Youth Defender Center where she develops and coordinates training programs for youth defenders and juvenile court professionals. Her work aims to strengthen youth defense and reform the juvenile legal system. Prior to joining CYDC, Rhyzan was the Supervising Attorney with Loyola Law School’s Center for Juvenile Law & Policy (CJLP), where she taught law students about juvenile delinquency and provided holistic, client-centered advocacy for youth in Los Angeles County’s juvenile justice system. Additionally, she led the Independent Forensic Gang Expert College (IFGEC), a program that trains individuals with personal gang experience to testify in court, offering insights into the factors that drive youth to join gangs.
Rhyzan’s career is defined by her deep commitment to youth justice, advocating for youth through education, courtroom defense, and systemic reform.
Stephen Hirsch – Stephen has worked as an assistant public defender in Sacramento for more than 9 years and has spent over half of that time as a juvenile defender. Currently, Stephen serves as a research attorney dedicated to the juvenile unit while also representing clients committed to and discharged from Sacramento’s secure youth treatment facility and clients in competency proceedings. Stephen co-chairs PJDC’s Legislative Committee and serves on PJDC’s Advisory Board. Stephen earned his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.
What Past Attendees Are Saying
“People were inquiring if there was going to be additional trainings because they enjoyed it so much!”
— Defender, Southern California
“We really enjoyed participating in the entire day and learning from your presentation.”
— Youth Defense Attorney
“It was a great experience!”
— Community-Based Organization Partner
“I had an SYTF case assigned to me and was requesting to continue the 6-month review hearing to gather additional information—information I learned at [CYDC’s] SYTF all-day training.”
— Youth Defense Attorney
Register for this Event
Bookings are closed for this event.