Fathers at the Forefront: Celebrating Fatherhood Well-being Month

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June marks the beginning of summer, a monumental occasion for many. However, at Children’s Institute, June holds even deeper significance and is a month we recognize and celebrate healthy fathers and families. “Fatherhood Well-being Month” was declared through a resolution (HR 36[1]) passed in California on June 27, 2023. This resolution was the result of collaborative efforts between Children’s Institute’s “Project Fatherhood” program, the Government Relations & Advocacy team and Assemblymember Mike Gipson. Assemblymember Gipson has been a vocal advocate for fathers in Los Angeles, ensuring their presence and voices are recognized in meaningful forums.

The presence of healthy fathers in their children’s lives is invaluable. According to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Institute for Research on Poverty[2], positive father involvement is associated with children’s higher academic achievement, greater school readiness, stronger math and verbal skills, greater emotional security, higher self-esteem, fewer behavioral problems and greater social competence among other peers.

A recent  New York Times article by Claire Cain Miller[3] underscored the unique and profound influence a male teacher can have on children, particularly boys. This highlights the critical role positive, nurturing male figures play in children’s lives – which, if influential in the classroom, is even more profound within a home.

Project Fatherhood, a program at Children’s Institute, empowers dads to build strong relationships with their children. This unique program provides parenting support to men in caregiving roles through an integrated network of activities that promote effective and nurturing parenting, relationship-building skills and robust economic stability services.

Recognizing the essential role of fathers, Children’s Institute’s advocacy efforts led to a county motion calling for a report to identify service gaps and recommendations to improve public social service access. This initiative organized community meetings, inviting fathers and partners across communities to share, listen and strategize on better serving fathers and ensuring they can access much-needed public benefits while remaining connected to their children’s lives.

From November 2023 to January 2024, a series of listening sessions allowed LA County representatives to hear directly from fathers impacted by systemic inequity. These sessions resulted in:

  • 60 challenges raised regarding child services, mental health, economic support and the justice system.
  • 27 recommendations advanced by the County to address these challenges.
  • 8 recommendations directly from Children’s Institute identified for continued action and advocacy for fathers.

This collaborative effort underscores the importance of supporting fathers and ensuring their well-being, ultimately benefiting children and communities at large. We recognize that these changes are a result of our fathers’ advocacy and through their efforts, advocacy will continue to support thriving families.

For more information on Project Fatherhood, please visit our website: www.childrensinstitute.org/PF

 

 

For over 20 years, Children’s Institute’s Project Fatherhood program has provided parenting supports to more than 15,000 men in caregiving roles across Los Angeles. Fathers are integral to families and provide a strong foundation for educational success and emotional well-being, which build pathways to economic mobility and lifelong health.

 

[1] Presentation on HR 36 Declaring June Fatherhood Well-Being Month

[2] Involved fathers play an important role in children’s lives

[3] https://www.nytimes.com

 

What Does Community Empowerment Look Like?

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Get a glimpse into the Community Public Health Teams initiative

Jocelyn Medina’s journey began in the heart of Los Angeles, within the vibrant neighborhood of Koreatown. With a passion for social justice and a commitment to underserved communities, Jocelyn beams with joy when talking about her community, her work at Children’s Institute and the Community Public Health Teams (CPHT).

Jocelyn first joined Children’s Institute in February 2020 as a Transitional Development Specialist where she guided foster youth aged 16 through 21 into adulthood, aiding their transition out of foster care. She assisted with employment, housing and vital document procurement, all vital steps towards independence. Becoming a Community Health Worker for CPHT was a natural progression. Her deep-rooted desire to continue supporting families and individuals aligned perfectly with the household and community-level activities that CPHT implements.

Jocelyn immerses herself in the Watts community, leveraging her prior experiences and familial connections to bridge gaps and foster relationships. Home visits are a pivotal aspect of Jocelyn’s work, offering an eyewitness perspective of community dynamics. Despite the stigma often associated with Watts, Jocelyn only found warmth and hospitality. Whether talking with clients or neighbors, she experiences respect and camaraderie, which allows her to dispel misconceptions and foster trust.

Jocelyn actively engages with the community through initiatives like the Watts Community Conversations which is a monthly event that provides Watts residents to share with Children’s Institute and other partners so there is mutual understanding of their concerns and the ability to identify areas for collective improvement.

Reflecting on the challenges facing Watts and Lynwood neighborhoods, Jocelyn names two major obstacles: limited awareness of available resources and transportation barriers. She believes engaging community to connect them to resources is critical, emphasizing the importance of building trust and accessibility.

Jocelyn’s motivation stems from her upbringing in an underserved community, where language barriers and limited access to resources posed significant hurdles for her own family. Jocelyn knew that if her community had a person who could help them understand the health system and the process, it would have made a difference and she’s determined to be that kind of person, “I saw my family face all these challenges that I see some of the community members struggle with as well.” She knows people may hesitate or feel intimidated, but she remains undeterred.

Sometimes we just need someone to push us, to motivate us, to support us, so that we don’t feel alone… We want to make sure that our community members do not feel alone and know they have someone there to help them no matter what they are struggling with.

Jocelyn’s drive to empower communities embodies the values of CPHT and serves as a beacon of hope for Watts and beyond.

An interview of Jocelyn Medina by James K. Miller Jr. from the LA County Department of Public Health.

 

To learn more about Children’s Institute’s new initiative in partnership with the LA County Department of Public Health, please see here.

Deskside Chat with the Board: Andrew Vogel

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Welcome to Children’s Institute, Andrew. Since you are new to Children’s Institute, could you please introduce yourself and share some insights about your journey up to this point?

I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and I’ve always been very driven. I started at KPMG right out of high school. So, while working full time, I was also attending university. After about 10 years of establishing myself professionally in Australia, I decided to move to the biggest market in the world, the United States. I have been with KPMG for over 20 years. I am currently a Principal & Leader in KPMG’s advisory practice.

Throughout my life, I’ve been committed to giving back to my community. In high school, I was the Head of Community & Social Services, which was foundational to my current priorities in corporate philanthropy. In 2009, I lived in an Aboriginal community in Australia called Aurukun, for four months to help the community establish a timber milling business through an Indigenous reconciliation program.

Aurukun is an extremely remote place, but what makes this area interesting, is that the people who live on that land live on bauxite, which is a compound that is used to produce aluminum. Through this program, I helped the community create their business plan and permit to successfully obtain a timber milling license through the government so that they could properly fell the timber and start their business. This would allow them, as traditional stewards of the land, to benefit from its resources. With my continued desire to give back to the community, I joined KPMG’s Family for Literacy Program in Los Angeles which serves low-income communities by aiming to eradicate childhood illiteracy and most currently, became a member of the Board at Children’s Institute.

What about Children’s Institute’s mission and north star attracts you to the agency?

I come from a humble, working-class family and my parents worked their backsides off to give me an education. Since my youth, I have felt the need to give back. So, here I am doing something I’m passionate about! In this role, I hope to influence others and give of myself through different opportunities – not only through corporate donations and dollars but also by providing pathways to internship and career opportunities.

One of the reasons why I’m passionate about joining Children’s Institute is that my mother was once a school librarian for 30 years and was also passionate about childhood education.

Children’s Institute emphasizes the importance of early childhood education, in addition to providing material support, in safe environments, ultimately, providing pathways to a better life. That resonates with me.

What would you like to achieve while you’re here?

On a macro-level, I want to make a lasting impact on the Board. I am currently on the program and finance committees, and at a bare minimum, I’d like to ensure that finance is a real partner to the overall business.

My skills set includes assisting clients in thinking through their problems in a holistic manner. I help clients improve their business operationally; ranging from enabling tech to streamlining processes to thinking through how organizations should be run and governed. I would like to apply the same rigor I’ve learned from KPMG to Children’s Institute – to be forward-thinking, while asking the right questions to support improvements that benefit the overall organization.

Can you think of a childhood memory that has both impacted you and led you to this point?

The memory I have is three-fold. First, is in memory of my mother and her desire to help children. There’s something innate in me that wants to continue her legacy. Second,

from my own childhood, I was always encouraged to serve others, whether that was through my parents or my school. I was always motivated to serve the community.

Finally, I had an amazing childhood growing up in Australia where I didn’t have much to worry about. I had access to lots of clean, outdoor space and an excellent education – I was brought up in a wonderful society. I couldn’t have had a better childhood, so I want that for others.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

From childhood onward, I have loved sports – rugby, cricket and Australian Olympic sports. A big part of my life was being outdoors, running, swimming in the ocean – things that drew me to live in Los Angeles.

I’m also an avid reader. I especially love reading about American history because I appreciate learning about the ideals that American society was founded on as they’re very different from Australia’s.

One of my favorite novels is, “A Team of Rivals,” which is about Abraham Lincoln, and his Cabinet during the Civil War. He had a team of people around him that would challenge his ideas. Members of his own Cabinet would work against him, yet those were moments that helped him rise above to forget his own path to victory. These types of stories are what I love to read, because they help me reflect on how to become a better leader – even in my role as a Board member.

My favorite childhood book is “Charlotte’s Web.” I’m fond of it because it’s a heartfelt children’s story but more importantly, because it connected me to my mother.

 

Integrative Culinary Medicine: A Journey through the Senses

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For the very first time, Children’s Institute hosted a course on Integrative Culinary Medicine, instructed by Dr. Desmonette Hazly. This eight-week course was less theoretical and more hands-on. It was a journey that tapped into all five senses while taking participants across international borders.

Culinary medicine is a growing, evidence-based field within medicine that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine for improved health outcomes. It doesn’t discredit modern medicine and healthcare but rather, an approach to helping people prevent and treat disease and restoring overall well-being by viewing food and beverage as medicine.

The course explored eight different countries’ cuisines and the herbs and spices that are used in their foods. Created in collaboration with the UC San Diego School of Medicine’s Integrative Nutrition Program and Harvard University’s Lifestyle Medicine’s Culinary Medicine Program, Dr. Hazly incorporated nutritional education with basic culinary arts skills to teach students how to create affordable yet healthy meals at home from ingredients found at local grocery stores

What makes this series so unique and effective is her four-prong approach:

  • Breaking barriers to health equity by meeting people where they are. This course was brought to the community of Watts by being held at Children’s Institute’s Watts campus. Underserved and under-resourced communities have historically had little access to healthcare and health literacy resources. Dr. Hazly’s goal was to tackle those disparities by bringing medical knowledge and nutritional guidance directly to the community.
  • Learning opportunities. Through the past eight weeks, the residents of Watts came hungry with an appetite to learn about methods to improve their health and well-being. Many chronic conditions over-represented in underserved communities — such as diabetes and heart disease — can be managed with the support of a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients. Dr. Hazly showed participants how low-cost groceries, including herbs and spices, could help support their healing.
  • Cross-cultural experiences. This was a rare opportunity to experience different cultures. Everyone enrolled in the class experienced the tastes and cultures of other countries — from Italy to Mexico and all the way across the Pacific Ocean to Japan.
  • A sense of belonging. Each participant was welcomed, acknowledged and respected. One of Dr. Hazly’s missions is to increase health literacy and access through culturally appropriate care. Taking into consideration people’s backgrounds, cultures, bias and even distrust, she spoke and taught in ways that resonated with people.

 

Testimonials:

Wendy: This course has been great because I attended it with my daughter who has autism. It’s been so good to see how joyful this class has made her feel. My daughter struggles in school with reading and writing and because of it, it’s hard for her. But here, she enjoys class and also is good at what she does, which makes her happy.

Amelia: This class is great! I enjoy cooking and I want to be a chef one day. Also, my dad used to be a cook, so it brings back memories. This class has taught me a lot about cooking and the food has been so good. I’ve been happy to come to class since day one.

 

About Dr. Desmonette Hazly:

Dr. Desmonette Hazly MA, MSW Ph.D., is an Integrative Health Specialist. She holds graduate degrees in social work and public policy as well as a Ph.D. in international politics and policy with a focus on community development and global health. Dr. Hazly has developed and implemented community health and wellness programs locally, nationally, and internationally and has collaborated with the Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the VA Hospital in West Los Angeles, International Red Cross, the United Nations and UNICEF. Dr. Hazly currently develops and implements trauma-informed, culturally inclusive health and wellness education programs based on lifestyle and mind body medicine. She has brought knowledge from prestigious institutions across the country to local communities through integrative health and wellness education for more than 15 years.

Her certifications include:

  • Culinary Medicine, Lifestyle and Mind-Body Medicine from the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School
  • Nutrition Science, Child Nutrition from Stanford Medical School
  • Global Community Health from Yale School of Public Health
  • Medicinal Plants from Cornell University
  • Advance Culinary Medicine and Applied Nutrition from the University of Kentucky School of Medicine
  • Applied Nutrition from the University of California San Diego Medical School
  • Graduate Cross-Cultural Studies from Texas Tech University

Deskside Chat with the Board: Mary Rohlich

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Thank you for making time to meet, Mary, and of course, thank you for joining Children’s Institute (CII) as a new board member. We’re excited to have you here and are eager to learn more about you. Could you start by sharing about yourself, including some of your professional and personal milestones?

I grew up in Iowa until I was 14 and then I moved to Massachusetts, including a couple years in Japan. I mention this because moving around throughout my childhood has impacted my life quite significantly.

I am now living in Los Angeles and have been here for over 20 years, so this is my home. Before my senior year of college at the University of Wisconsin Madison, I interned in LA to see if I wanted to pursue a career in the film industry. I did.

Being half-Japanese in Iowa, I didn’t get to see myself represented on screen. I want to show underrepresented communities on screen so they can see that there are people that look like them and encourage them to reach for that and find connection. Once I made the move, I started temping as a receptionist which grew into a role as a development assistant. From there, I worked my way up to working alongside a director. Over time, that director and I built a film and tv production company together.

Another major milestone was during my pregnancy. I was about to embark on major life changes, in more ways than one. I gave birth to my first and only daughter in 2017, while becoming an independent producer for the first time. After four years in that role, I transitioned to my current role as the Head of Purple Pebble Pictures. Looking back, it was a huge, daunting step for me to take into the unknown, but with my own personal changes came a desire to make my own big and bold moves, professionally.

Tell us about your day-to-day as the Head of Purple Pebble Productions.

As Head of TV and Film, my job is to build out the company through various projects that are all-encompassing. My work as a producer involves tv, film, narrative, unscripted – everything across the board. In my role, I collaborate with writers, actors and directors to get all the pieces of an idea together from inception all the way to the finished product.

I find myself having to read a lot – from books to scripts and everything else in between.

You mention you read a lot as a producer. Do you think all that reading connects back to your childhood in any way?

I think about that a lot, actually. While I grew up loving stories and watching shows and movies, I wouldn’t describe my childhood self as an avid reader. I do remember going to the video store as a child to rent movies and discovering new experiences through film. There were a few my dad showed me that made a lasting impact.

I love all forms of storytelling, but through my work, I must admit that I’m surprised about how much I am now reading as part of the job. And I love it!

That’s wonderful! What a beautiful connection you have from watching movies and enjoying storytelling as a child to what you currently do in the film industry. With such a colorful background, can you share about the thing that draws you to Children’s Institute’s North Star?

Opportunities and access are important avenues that allow a person to dream. What I love about Children’s Institute is that it gives people access to education and fundamental needs that all children deserve.

If you have the resources that Children’s Institute provides, from early childhood education to emotional wellbeing and beyond, people can get out of tough situations and find the freedom to go beyond, to discover and fulfill lifelong dreams. The ability to dream can seem out of reach to those who are too busy obtaining basic needs for survival, but Children’s Institute works in communities to provide access to these essential resources.

Going back to education, how do you think your education has paved the way to be where you are today? What opportunities did they create?

Both my parents were teachers – my mom was a math teacher and my father was a professor of East Asian languages and literature. As a child, education was big in my home, and because of that, I took my education very seriously. I enjoyed learning.

Something I’ve realized as an adult is my desire to learn for the sake of learning and not just for testing and benchmarking. What’s evolved in me is my hunger for knowledge and joining Children’s Institute is part of my own personal growth and desire for continual learning.

Could you share some of your future goals? And more specifically, what is it that gets you excited to start each day?

Professionally, I’m constantly excited about what I’m doing and what I’m working on. I love collaboration – as a producer, you can’t do your work alone. It requires working with other people and my joy comes from finding people that I connect with and telling the stories that I want to tell.

Ultimately, my dream is to work on projects that I love with the people that I love. If I can continue doing that and come home to be with my family, I’ve achieved my dream.

Is there a certain story or message that you’d like to share with others?

This is the thing that I think about every day – what is it that I want to say? I want to tell stories that have heart. Stories that connect with people because that’s what happens when I read and watch movies. I get sucked into stories and I want others to experience that as well.

I believe in human connection. The world can be very isolating, but we’re meant to be in community. The human experience, feeling connection, seeing yourself on screen – the way a character looks or even what they’re experiencing emotionally – those things are what’s really important for me.

And finally, for a light-hearted question, what’s your favorite movie and how has it impacted you?

This is not necessarily my “favorite” movie, (because even if I had to narrow my list down, it would be at least ten films long), but since this is for Children’s Institute, I’ll share my favorite kid’s movie which is the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie. I remember going to the theater to watch it, and I absolutely loved it. I’d say I was obsessed with it. I wore the t-shirts and recited lines from the movie with my brother – we both loved it together.

Into my twenties, I bonded with my now-husband through the movie. When we first met, we quoted that movie to each other without knowing if the other person knew the movie reference, only to find out that we both were obsessed with it!

The movie still impacts me. Right before the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie came out, my daughter and I watched the original together and she loved the fact that my family embraced that movie as a family-unit. You can call that our full-circle moment. It’s so fun for me to experience something like that with the two people I’m closest to.

L.A. Times: Preschool or TK? Parents are Stressing Out.

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Jenny Gold, the Early Childhood Education & Development staff writer & reporter from the L.A. Times goes in-depth on the topic of choosing between preschool and transitional kindergarten (TK). In the article, she features interviews and insights from teachers and parents across California, including Micaela Elias, a parent of a child that attends Children’s Institute’s Head Start program.

“California is in the midst of a $2.7-billion initiative to provide an additional year of free, high-quality education during the crucial early years. Yet while TK is a statewide program, the details that often matter most to parents – the balance of play and academics and how the program differs from preschool – vary greatly by district. The last major assessment of TK curriculum was done in 2016, long before the current expansion, and the state is not currently evaluating TK classrooms to see how districts are educating their youngest students,” reports Jenny.

As she delves into this hot topic, you can hear all sides and different considerations – some proponents of preschool and others, of the expansion of transitional kindergarten. Read more about this current issue affecting parents as they are in the midst of making this critical decision for their children.

Please see here for the full article in English and Spanish.

(Photo credit: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Four New Board Members Join Children’s Institute

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“We are thrilled that Supriya Batra, Mary Rohlich, Ariff Sidi and Andrew Vogel have joined an already incredible Board of Trustees,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO of Children’s Institute.

As part of our commitment to Children’s Institute’s North Star, which is grounded in the belief that all children and families can achieve emotional wellbeing and educational success, which build lasting pathways to economic mobility and lifelong health, Children’s Institute continues to work in the most underserved communities across Los Angeles County. For over 100 years, Children’s Institute has been serving the communities of Los Angeles and is dedicated to continuing this work.

“The new Board members’ involvement will add diverse perspectives to help Children’s Institute advance its North Star. With their expertise and influence, we will be able to better advance solutions for the most underserved communities in Los Angeles,” said Tarek Kutrieh, Board Chair.

Welcome to the team, Supriya, Mary, Ariff and Andrew!

To learn more about the new Board members, please read this press release.

Top Ten Children’s Books with Mental & Behavioral Health Benefits

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A recently published Ipsos research report on parenting, “What the Future: Parenting,” finds that mental health is now the top concern parents have as they’re raising children. Kate MacArthur, a research editor at Ipsos says, “Thinking about all the things that parents could worry about for their children, seeing that 40% of parents indicating that they are extremely or very worried their children will struggle with anxiety or depression is a key finding.”

At Children’s Institute (CII), the therapists that work with children are aware of the importance of addressing mental and behavioral health issues from an early age. Children are growing up in a time defined by one global crisis after another, on top of the everyday struggles of trying to be a kid navigating the world around them, which can magnify existing mental health issues.

Children’s Institute serves children that experience this in addition to having to cope with community violence and economic hardship. It may not be easy to talk about difficult emotions with children but there are books and resources that facilitate these conversations in safe, accessible ways.

The therapists, teachers and staff at Children’s Institute came up with a list of resources and books that facilitate these types of conversations between parent and child. Here are their recommendations.

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

The Invisible String is a great book as it helps children cope with separation anxiety, loss and grief. The book can help a child when they experience the death of a family member and even in class, when they need support while missing home.

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek

This book helps children talk about their emotions and the issues they hold in their hearts. During the pandemic, I used this book to help kids verbalize their worries and anxieties, which helped facilitate those conversations.

Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean

The child in this book has a very bad day and his uncle, who is a sensei, teaches him about regulating his feelings. The book has important lessons to hold onto and it even includes a children’s activity to make a calming jar.

Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

This book helps children develop empathy and kindness. My daughter’s school read this book and it became the basis for their school-wide program to help students empathize with their classmates.

El Libro de los Sentimientos (The Feelings Book) by Todd Parr

This beginner’s book illustrates the wide range of emotions humans – including children, can experience through the use of simple vocabulary and eye-catching illustrations. Instead of children bottling up their emotions, this book creates opportunities for your child to open up.

B is for Breathe: The ABCs of Coping by Dr. Melissa Munro Boyd

This book uses the ABCs in a way that helps children with coping skills to help manage their fussy and frustrating feelings. The story has fun illustrations which helps promote positive behaviors and self-regulating skills for children 2-5.

The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas

This story focuses on investigating feelings and introduces a method to help children identify their emotions. Children learn to identify their emotions by associating them with colors, helping them share how they are feeling.

The Bad Seed by Jory John

The Bad Seed introduces the concept of trauma and how it affects the way children think about themselves, behave and perceive others. Children can learn that positive changes are possible for each and every one of us.

The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

This book is helpful when children deal with heavy emotions such as grief and anguish. It’s a touching story that discusses loss and how it is okay to not know how to feel in those times while establishing a feeling of safety and support.

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

This Dr. Seuss book utilizes colors and animals to describe different moods and emotions. Reading this book helps children validate their emotional experiences and get back to their baseline.

 

Additional Resources for Caregivers:

Conscious Discipline

Social Stories – ABA Resources 

The Best Behavior Series

NASP’s Book List for Children Dealing with Trauma and Loss

 

*Many thanks to Dr. Brandi Eichstedt, Dr. Diane Elias, Odalys DeLeon, Ingrid MĂĽrrle and Riley Solorzano for contributing to this list of books & resources.

Deskside Chat with the Board: Ariff Sidi

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We had the privilege of sitting down with one of our newest Board members, Ariff Sidi, former GM & Chief Product Officer at Edgecast, a division of Verizon Media. During our conversation, Sidi shared some of his major career accomplishments and his convictions as a father and how these experiences led him to join the Board at Children’s Institute.

Ariff, you’ve had quite an impressive career – from engineering to product management to media and tech! Could you walk us through your professional journey, highlighting some of your achievements?

I started off in software engineering at Qualcomm, having graduated from the University of California, San Diego. In the beginning, my work was hands-on, writing code. While it was intellectually challenging, it was also a bit removed from the consumer experience, and I wanted to create products that touched people’s lives more directly. That led me to Disney, where I began migrating from engineering to product management.

During my 12-year tenure at Disney, I built a variety of products and technology that people were using and enjoying daily, which I loved. I also played a central role in the development of ABC’s industry-first video streaming platform, which my team built in only 62 days, and kicked off an entire industry transformation that is still ongoing today! In the process, I filed 10 patents, won an Emmy award and two additional Emmy nominations. I also earned an MBA from UCLA during this time.

After my time at Disney, FOX and a couple of start-ups, I went on to become the Chief Product Officer at a division of Verizon During my time at Verizon, I led the business through two private equity transactions, after which I decided to take some time out to spend with my family.

 Wow, what an incredible impact you’ve made across multiple industries! It must’ve been a rollercoaster of an adventure to be part of an unprecedented transition from traditional media to streaming, and congrats to you!

Can you share about what motivated you to join Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees?

Ultimately, being a father of two young kids in the same age range as Children’s Institute’s children is what motivated me to join and why Children’s Institute’s mission and work resonates with me personally.  I recognize that a stable and healthy childhood makes a huge difference in launching young people into successful and happy adults. If I were to think of my own kids in anything but the best conditions – not being cared for, not having access to education, feeling unsafe, not having the opportunities they currently have, not having their dad around, etc. – it’s heartbreaking.

Knowing that not all children are afforded these opportunities, and that Children’s Institute is pushing hard to change that is the source of my motivation to get involved. I’m hoping that I can use my skills as a technologist, business leader, and dad to support Children’s Institute and the great work it does.

That’s wonderful to hear and thank you for your incredibly big heart and desire to help the children of Los Angeles, particularly those who are consistently marginalized and underserved. Children’s Institute’s North Star states that all children and families can achieve educational success and emotional wellbeing to build lasting pathways to lifelong health and economic mobility. Can you share what specifically connects you to Children’s Institute’s North Star?

I want to start off by sharing a quote by Martin Luther King Jr, from his book, “Why We Can’t Wait.”

It is obvious that if a man is entered at the starting line of a race 300 years after another man, the first would have to perform some impossible feat in order to catch up.

While this quote is specifically about racial inequality and reflects the challenges that many African Americans face today, I think it is has quite a lot of relevance to the work of Children’s Institute. It is difficult to compete if your starting line is so far behind your peers. That’s why the work of Children’s Institute and its work in early childhood education and head start programs is so important. How one starts their lives impacts their future and their early years in childhood carry forward into adulthood. I believe in a fair playing field, for kids most of all.

Let’s give these kids a better start to ensure better outcomes in the future.

What a powerful motivator. It’s true that to make a lasting impact, it often starts with the early stages of childhood. That relates to a statement that was recently made by a fellow Board member, Sunil Gunderia, who said, “The most effective and efficient societal investments in education are those made in early childhood education.”

Now that you are a member of Children’s Institute’s Board, what is something you would like to accomplish in your work and advocacy through Children’s Institute?

There are three parts to what I’d like to accomplish as a Board member of Children’s Institute:

First, in an early meeting with Martine Singer and Catherine Atack, before I became a member of the Board, they had mentioned that Children’s Institute has been around for over a hundred years – since 1906, which is about the time LA Children’s Hospital was established. But a major difference is the level of public awareness between the two. I would like to help build awareness for Children’s Institute and its work through my efforts and connections.

Second, because of my background in tech, I hope to be helpful in guiding the use of technology to drive and improve efficiencies to contribute to better outcomes internally.

And third, also related to technology, but more specifically as it relates to its externally facing products. I hope to be helpful in guiding the use of technology to improve products and services delivered to CII’s children and families.

That’s wonderful! We’re so excited to have you onboard! On a personal level, can you share some of your hobbies?

I have a bunch of hobbies, most of which lean pretty technical. I enjoy photography; I also enjoy sailing and powerboating; I’ve always been big into cars and had an amateur racing license at one point; I do a lot of DIY from electrical to plumbing to carpentry to metal work; I do some content creation; and I’m building an AI home automation system. I’m probably forgetting something. One day I will get a private pilot license, but my wife has forbidden me to do that while we have young kids!

Are there any other interesting facts about yourself?

I mentioned I had several patents from my time at Disney. There’s a high likelihood, probably a certainty, that you have come across and experienced one of my patents if you’ve ever watched a streamed video with ads in it. If you’ve noticed the countdown timer during an ad or how you can’t skip the ads, you’ve come into contact with one of my patents!

Thank you so much for your time, Ariff. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your desire to make a positive impact on the lives of children. Welcome to Children’s Institute!

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Alarming Suicide Rates Impacting Latino Youth – NBC News Featuring CII

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NBC News recently published an article reporting on the increase in youth suicide rates, featuring insights by Dr. Diane Elias, Vice President of Behavioral Health at Children’s Institute (CII). While the findings may not be surprising, especially to those familiar with recent mental and behavioral health trends, it serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of understanding and bringing awareness to this complex youth mental health crisis.

The rising rates of youth suicide and suicidal ideation can be seen locally in Los Angeles but also nationally, affecting rural, suburban, and urban areas, alike. What is interesting about the statistic is that not all groups are affected equally. According to NBC News, the suicide rate for Hispanic people in the United States has increased significantly over the past decade. Even elementary school-aged Hispanic children have tried to harm themselves or expressed suicidal thoughts.

The statistics show that the rise in youth suicide has been more pronounced in communities of color, including Latino communities, where there’s been a staggering 92.3% increase in suicide among Hispanic children 12 and younger from 2010 to 2019. There is a significant increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations among young people for risky behavior and suicidal thoughts. Children as young as eight have required hospitalization for attempting to harm themselves, said Dr. Elias.

What makes this issue even more complex is that often, there are multiple layers and contributing factors and no one-size-fits-all solution. Issues including anxiety, a sense of uncertainty, a lack of access to mental health resources, and underlying mental health issues can exacerbate the problem but there are other factors that are unique to certain ethnic and racial groups that act as obstacles including, but not limited to, cultural and language barriers, stigma surrounding mental health, and even societal and economic pressures attributed to one’s residency status. The article states that, about one in five Spanish-language calls ended with the scheduler hanging up or informing the caller that no one was available to assist in Spanish, further proving how mental health care is often difficult to access. It’s critical to note these cultural and language factors in providing the right access to care.

Children’s Institute is keenly aware of and considers these factors when developing specialized approaches to treatment. According to Dr. Elias, Children’s Institute’s approach includes the following methods & services:

  • Trauma-Informed Care: addresses underlying issues and appropriately responds to the impact of trauma on mental health.
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): identifies and focuses on building coping skills and resilience.
  • Family Therapy: strengthens family support systems and communication within the family structure.
  • Crisis Intervention: provides immediate support and develops safety plans catered to the individual’s needs.
  • Collaborative Care: coordinates efforts with schools, other healthcare professionals, and community services for comprehensive care.
  • Holistic Approach: explores creative therapies, mindfulness, and self-care practices.
  • Culturally Competent Services: aligns with cultural sensitivities and beliefs held within different groups.

Additionally, Children’s Institute aims to support families and youth in reducing the risk of suicidal ideation by providing comprehensive mental health services. Individuals seeking help or those looking to support someone in need can benefit from Children’s Institute’s diverse and personalized approach to mental health and well-being. To start the process, you can call 213-260-7600.

It is critical to approach any warning sign seriously and with compassion. If you or someone you know is experiencing these signs, seek help immediately. Reach out to mental health professionals for support and guidance and if there is an immediate risk of harm, call emergency services or go to your nearest emergency room.

If you are someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation, it’s crucial to seek immediate help.

Steps to Reduce the Risk of Suicidal Ideations and Suicide for Families and Youth:

Open Communication:

  1. Encourage open and honest communication within the family.
  2. Create a safe space for youth to express their feelings without judgment.

Establish Support Networks:

  1. Build strong support networks involving family, friends, and community.
  2. Foster connections that provide emotional support during difficult times.

Encourage Professional Help:

  1. Promote the importance of seeking professional help including counseling/therapeutic services.
  2. Find mental health professionals and organizations that can provide support.

Identify Warning Signs:

  1. Changes in behavior such as sudden withdrawal from friends, family, or activities previously enjoyed.
  2. Communicating a sense of hopelessness
  3. Engaging in reckless or impulsive behaviors without regard for consequences
  4. Avoiding social interactions and isolation
  5. Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or sudden unexplained mood swings

Additional Resources and Other Steps to Take:

Suicide Prevention | CDC

Suicide Prevention: 12 Things Parents Can Do

Rising Latino Suicide Rates Worry Community Leaders | NBC News

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) for free and confidential support 24/7. This Lifeline provides crisis intervention and emotional support for people in distress or for those around them.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis. Help is available.

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 in the United States to connect with a trained crisis counselor. This service is available 24/7 and provides support via text message.

Emergency Services: If the situation is urgent or life-threatening, call emergency services (911 in the United States) immediately.