St. Anne's Home recently broke ground for a new facility for parenting teenagers in Los Angeles.

A community leader in providing care for teens in the child welfare system and probation department for the past 12 years, the new St. Anne's facility will help to meet the needs of young women who are choosing to keep their babies.

"Think about what it will mean for teenage mothers and their children leaving the foster care system to have, for a time, their own decent, safe apartments, quality childcare, support and encouragement. For some, it could change the entire course of their lives," said Andrew Bogen, chairman of the board.

The new three-story transitional housing and child development center will provide short-term housing for approximately 40 parenting emancipated foster youth in one-bedroom apartments. A child-care center will provide quality care to the children of transitional housing participants, St. Anne's residents and local community members.

The core program aims to facilitate lifelong independence by focusing on five areas including education, job training and development, self-empowerment workshops, medical and mental health, and parenting training and childcare.