Proxy Parent Foundation was born out of a deeply personal question faced by families across the country:
“Who will care for our loved ones when we are no longer able?”

In the early 1980s, families and advocates within the mental health community—particularly through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)—began exploring solutions to ensure long-term care, financial stability, and quality of life for individuals living with mental illness. These efforts led to the development of the Planned Lifetime Assistance Network (PLAN) model, a national movement focused on combining financial planning with compassionate, ongoing services.

In California, leaders from NAMI California and the Mental Health Association in Los Angeles recognized the urgent need for a sustainable, local solution. Through years of collaboration, research, and community-driven advocacy, Proxy Parent Foundation was established in 1991 (originally as part of PLAN of California) to provide both personal services and trust oversight for individuals with mental illness.

From its earliest days, the organization bridged a critical gap—offering not only financial safeguards through Special Needs Trusts, but also human connection and advocacy through family-like services.

As the organization grew, so did its capabilities and reach.

Building on its foundation as a trust protector for family-generated trusts, Proxy Parent Foundation expanded its services to meet the evolving needs of individuals and families. A major milestone came in 2007 with the creation of the PLAN of California Master Pooled Special Needs Trust, allowing the organization to serve as trustee and provide a comprehensive trust solution for both self-settled (first-party) and family-funded (third-party) trusts.

Today, Proxy Parent Foundation serves individuals with all disabilities across California, combining professional fiduciary expertise with compassionate, personalized service. Through the Master Pooled Trust, we protect access to essential public benefits such as SSI and Medi-Cal while enhancing quality of life through thoughtful trust administration and services.

What began as a grassroots, family-driven effort has grown into a trusted nonprofit organization that continues to answer the same essential question that inspired its founding:

We are here—today and for the future—so individuals and families never have to face it alone.