The Gift of Possibilities

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My name is LaRae and I’m a working mother of four children. I survived years of living in a violent household, as a child and into my adulthood. I have fought to keep my children safe, because they are the most precious and important people in my life. Our family has experienced significant trauma, including multiple incidents of gun violence, personal injury, murder and homelessness.

I grew up in the projects in South LA where I learned very fast that I had to get tough, even though I was a child who didn’t like violence. One day, my dad sat me in a folding chair and invited all the neighborhood kids to hit and kick me. Afterwards, he said, “Now are you mad enough to go and fight?”

Throughout my life, I was also struggling with my own internal battle. I was constantly under the pressure of thoughts that the world and I just didn’t fit. I lived over 20 years of my life suicidal and it reached a point where I couldn’t take care of my children. This is when I was introduced to Children’s Institute. I didn’t know much about myself at that time. The therapist would say, “We are going to explore how to identify our feelings,” and I would start to release every secret I’d been holding throughout my life that I’d been ashamed of, or had weighed me down. I told it all — I got free.

Children’s Institute has been a part of my journey from contemplating the worst to accomplishing the best. From teaching me how to create a new vision for my life that is centered on purposeful living and stability, to attending conferences to help me transition back into work.

All four of my children benefited from Children’s Institute’s therapeutic programs teaching us to work together as a family, learning how to build healthy relationships with ourselves, with one another, and also with our community.

Today, my family is doing great, and we are exactly where we are supposed to be — happy, healthy and safe.

Happy Holidays,

 

 

Make a difference in the lives of children and families with an end-of-year donation this holiday season.

 

Dr. Todd Sosna Named Chief Program Officer at Children’s Institute

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We’re pleased to announce that Todd Sosna, Ph.D. has been named Children’s Institute’s Chief Program Officer effective today.

In this new role, Dr. Sosna will lead all Early Education, Behavioral Health, Family Strengthening and Community Innovations programs for the agency, overseeing a budget of more than $70 million and a staff of 800.

Dr. Sosna has served as Interim Senior Vice President of Clinical Services at Children’s Institute since April 2018 and held the role of Senior VP for Program Evaluation and Improvement from 2012 to 2014.

“Over the past eight months, Dr. Sosna has demonstrated strong leadership, collaboration and accountability, and has fostered strong morale throughout the reorganization of our clinical and community programs. We currently have the unique opportunity to unify our broad array of services to achieve lasting impact for the children and families we serve, and I am confident Dr. Sosna is the best suited candidate for this crucial role,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO, Children’s Institute.

“As Chief Program Officer, I look forward to strengthening CII’s position as a leader in child trauma, behavioral health and early education, and deepening partnerships with other community-based organizations, funders and policymakers,” said Dr. Sosna, Chief Program Officer, Children’s Institute.

Dr. Sosna’s prior positions have included Senior VP of Operations for Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, Deputy Director for the California Institute for Mental Health and Assistant Director for Santa Barbara County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services. He is known for developing Santa Barbara County’s nationally recognized multi-agency Integrated Children’s System of Care, advancing California’s large scale dissemination of evidence-based practices, leading child welfare and juvenile justice reforms, and establishing early childhood mental health programs in partnership with Head Start agencies.

Dr. Sosna earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Washington State University in 1991, and is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Children’s Institute Cape & Gown Gala Raises $1.3 Million for Organization

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On Wednesday night, Children’s Institute welcomed 400 guests to the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica to honor Beth & Bob Lowe and Frank, Berta and Sam Gehry at the first ever Cape & Gown Gala, which raised $1.3 Million for Children’s Institute’s programs.

Beth and Bob Lowe were recognized for their lifetime of dedicated service to children and families in Los Angeles’ most underserved communities. The Gehry family was honored for their generous pro-bono commitment to design a new 20,000 square foot campus in Watts, where Children’s Institute has operated programs on a two-acre campus since 2007.

The latest model of the design was displayed during the gala’s cocktail reception, which featured live music by Sylvia & The Rhythm Boys and a Coolhaus Truck with honoree-themed ice cream sandwiches.

The program kicked off with award-winning actor, singer and writer Daniel Beaty who silenced the audience with a special performance of Knock Knock highlighting the nationally-recognized youth leadership and social justice initiative, I DREAM, that uses performance arts to allow young people to express themselves and begin to heal from trauma. Children’s Institute will launch this powerful new program in partnership with Beaty and LA Partnership Schools in South Los Angeles in the New Year.

The emcee for the evening, actress and comedienne Loni Love, welcomed the audience and introduced CII’s President & CEO Martine Singer who offered a moment of silence for those affected by the nearby Woolsey Fire before discussing CII’s work.

“The common denominator for all the children we see at Children’s Institute is trauma. Prevention, early detection and intervention can literally be life-saving. Our home visitors, preschool teachers and therapists are on the front lines of a war on trauma. And – in keeping with the theme of the evening – they are everyday superheroes, supporting older foster youth to go to college, helping parents to get back to work, strengthening families in crisis or visiting a vulnerable new mother so that her child can grow to be strong and healthy,” said Singer.

One of CII’s program participants, LaRae, attended with three of her children and gave a moving speech about her journey and how CII has made a positive impact on their lives.

“CII has been a part of my journey from contemplating the worst to accomplishing the best. From attending conferences to help me transition back into work, to teaching me how to create a new vision for my life that is centered on purposeful living and stability. They even developed my public speaking skills — how am I doing? CII has helped me with all of it.

All four of my children benefited from CII’s therapeutic programs, teaching us to work together as a family, learning how to build healthy relationships with ourselves, with one another, and also with our community. These life skills got us through the hardest times and they continue to help us today and likely for the rest of our lives.

Today, our family is doing great – and three of my children are here tonight to celebrate CII’s work with all of you,” LaRae said.

Next up, auctioneer Billy Harris quickly got the room pulling out their checkbooks and credit cards to bid on auction packages that ranged from a week-long stay for 16 people in Jamaica to sailing on the Frank Gehry-designed yacht FOGGY. Loni Love surprised the room by placing the winning bid on a VIP dining experience at Wolfgang Puck’s Test Kitchen in West Hollywood. Billy Harris called out to Wolfgang Puck in the audience asking for additional packages to offer the eager crowd and quickly sold two more.

After dinner, Lt Emada Tingirides, LAPD and CII Board Member, introduced the Gehry family by saying:

“My husband and I both grew up in South LA, and we both spent many years working in and around the neighborhood of Watts. It’s a place with a very strong sense of community, with more children per square inch than any other part of Los Angles, and sadly — with an outsized share of tragedy and trauma. Many promises have been made to the citizens of Watts over the years – and many turned out to be just that – promises and nothing else. But the Gehry family are different. They have put in the time to hear the hopes and dreams of Watts residents – and understand the incredible resiliency of the families who call that area of South LA “home.” Frank and Sam made promises that they intend to keep.”

Former LA County Board of Supervisors Member Don Knabe introduced Beth & Bob Lowe: “Through all of their philanthropic giving, of both time and treasure, they have raised and nurtured a loving and giving family. Whether it is their own family, or pre-school families, or YMCA families, or CII families — they have helped raise millions of dollars to support programs offered by these organizations. They have touched the lives of thousands of children, many of whom have never met Beth & Bob.”

Beth and Bob Lowe both delivered speeches and Bob closed the program by saying, “Most important, we are so pleased to be supporting Children’s Institute in such a meaningful way. Because of the support each of you has provided this evening, the children and families in our community that are most in need will truly benefit. Thank you form the bottom our hearts.”

Thank you to everyone who generously supported the event and made it a success. For those still interested in making a donation in honor of our Children’s Champion Award recipients, Beth & Bob Lowe and Frank, Berta & Sam Gehry, you can do so here.

Cape & Gown Gala Auction Items Announced

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We are only a week away from our inaugural Cape & Gown Gala next Wednesday in Santa Monica! Below are some highlights from the upcoming live auction.

Proceeds from the auction will support Children’s Institute’s work with 26,000 children and families in our Los Angeles community.

Family Excursion to Jamaica
Donated by Teddy Greenspan & Family

Enjoy a week at Haystack, your own private villa that accommodates 16 people, situated on four acres with a beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea. Included in CondĂ© Nast’s Gold List of “the best places to stay in the world,” the Tryall Club in Jamaica is an exclusive gated villa resort with one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses. Watch Video.

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: Airport transfers, meals, golf, tennis, spa and other expenses are not included. Gratuity is not included, it is suggested that guests tip the villa staff ($2,000 per week is recommended), and are required to pay a resort fee which is currently $135 per adult per week. Haystack Villa is 30 minutes from Montego Bay Sangster Airport (MBJ). Generally bookings are from Saturday to Saturday. All holidays are blacked out and dates to be mutually agreed upon.

Value: $25,000

Gourmet Backyard BBQ
Donated by individual chefs and produced by Billy Harris

Enjoy a private summer soiree for 50 of your closest friends and family. We will bring LA’s top five award-winning chefs to your home for a memorable barbeque feast, followed by the ice cream party of your dreams with the Cool Haus truck. Subject to availability, participants may include Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Neil Fraser (Redbird), Daniel Weinstock (Mapleblock Meat Co.), Ryan Denicola (chi SPACCA) and Shannon Spindle (Craft LA).

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: All dates must be mutually agreed upon.

Value: Priceless

Private Coastal Tour on Frank Gehry-Designed Yacht “Foggy”
Organized by Gehry Partners

You’ve yacht to be kidding me?! Enjoy a three-to-four hour afternoon sail on FOGGY with twelve of your nearest and dearest friends. This one-of-a-kind, privately owned, Frank Gehry designed yacht will take you from Marina del Rey up along the picturesque coast to Malibu.

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: This is to be arranged at a mutually agreed upon time and date. Expires 11/14/2019.

Value: Priceless

Weekend Getaway to Terranea Resort & Helicopter Ride
Terranea package donated by Beth & Bob Lowe and helicopter ride donated by Bridget Glass Keller & Paul Keller

Need to get away from the hustle and bustle of LA’s traffic? Enjoy a private helicopter ride for six people and see LA from a different perspective. Tour includes views of the coast, mountains, and downtown skyline. Then head to Palos Verdes to relax in a private three bedroom casita with an ocean view at Terranea Resort and enjoy a round of golf for six people.

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: Gift Certificate is valid from November 15, 2018 to November 14, 2019 excluding the months of July, August and holidays. Other blackout dates may apply. Please allow 30 days advanced notice when booking and refer to this certificate donated to: Children’s Institute. Reservations subject to availability at time of reservation. General public availability status does not apply to this certificate. Multiple night stays must be consecutive; if not, remaining nights are forfeited. Present original certificate to Front Desk upon check-in (no copies), otherwise you will be charged for the room rate until the certificate is received. Certificate is not redeemable for cash and is void if sold, transferred or conveyed for cash or any other consideration and or if listed or advertised for sale or auction on the internet in newspapers, magazines or other similar means. Resort is unable to reissue lost or stolen certificates. Neither cash nor credit will be issued for any unused portion of this certificate. The date and time of the helicopter ride must be mutually agreed upon.  

Value: $15,000

Wolfgang Puck Tasting Lab
Donated by Gelila & Wolfgang Puck

Located within Wolfgang’s experimental test kitchen in West Hollywood, CA, The Test Kitchen presents an nontraditional tasting menu for eight guests. Wolfgang Puck chefs from across the globe collaborate to deliver an immersive experience that challenges expectations and pushes the boundaries for the future of food.

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: This one-of-a-kind dinner will be held on any evening Tuesday-Friday. Subject to availability. Expires on 12/31/2019.

Value: $5,000

Home for the 10 O’Clock News 

Peel out of the parking lot before everyone else! A runner will take your ticket to the valet ahead of the event’s mass exodus and your car will be waiting for you – engine running – when you step outside.

Restrictions & Blackout Dates: Valid for one car on Wednesday, November 14, 2018; does not include gratuity.

Value: In LA? Priceless

About the Auctioneer: Billy Harris

Billy is a highly sought after auctioneer who lends his comedic style to the auction block. A cousin of Vaudeville great Georgie Jessel, Billy has been performing his entire life. By the tender age of five and a half, he understood how to work a room!

CII hosts first ever College & Career Day

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On Saturday, Children’s Institute partnered with the UCLA Volunteer Center & UCLA Latino Alumni Association to create PowerUp!’s first ever College & Career Day. The event benefited more than thirty children at our Otis Booth Campus. 

PowerUp! is an after school program designed to support children living in areas of elevated family and community violence and exposure to traumatic events. Youth, ages 7 to 10 at program intake, received a trauma-informed, fully integrated array of youth development, family support, and behavioral health services. Through twice-weekly after-school programs, monthly special events, and an annual summer camp, PowerUp! helps youth develop effective communication and coping skills, reduce risky behaviors, and lower symptoms of traumatic stress. Additionally, caregivers may attend workshops and family events.

With PowerUp!’s program focus in mind (especially around youth development), UCLA Volunteer Center’s 10th Anniversary and Hispanic Heritage Month coinciding together, the UCLA Latino Alumni Association was excited to support our nonprofit that serves 77% Latino children and families once more. With conversations and planning starting at the beginning of June the day was full of excitement with plenty of activities to keep our students engaged.

Children's Institute hosts first ever College & Career Day with UCLA Alumni group

The day started with a warm volunteer orientation filled with donuts and coffee to get our sixteen UCLA Volunteers (undergraduates and alumni) prepped and ready for a fast-paced, high energy day with our Power Up! students. When volunteer groups visit us for one-day events our Volunteer & Engagement Team give an overview of our services, ways to stay engaged, how to work with youth and most importantly, how to have fun together. After a short orientation and instructions on the two roles they would play (speaker and one-on-one mentor), volunteers were brought into our “Big Room” to join over thirty-five PowerUp! students for our opening introductions.

For our opening introduction, Stephanie Argueta, our PowerUp Program Supervisor, welcomed a full classroom of youth to their first College & Career Day. After a quick overview of the day and introductions, students were taught UCLA’s famous cheer, The 8-Clap.

Then students broke into rotations to hear how current UCLA undergraduates and Alumni made their way to college and found their career paths. Students asked great questions that included what problems students and alumni were currently or had already solved in their personal and professional journeys.

College & Career Day brings UCLA Alumni group to kids facing trauma and adversity

Two rotations of listening to undergraduate and alumni stories later, our PowerUp! children, alumni and students joined back again in The Big Room for a game of College Bingo, “I’m Going to College” photos and UCLA hand removable tattoos. Students and volunteers utilized this opportunity to fuel their brains with hearty snacks, but also to create rapport with one another. A UCLA Alumni Volunteer said, “There is a lot of disconnect from High School to College. Students need positive role models to talk to them about how to go to college and what skills they need for certain careers. There are several things that go on behind the scenes that are important for them to know.  It’s never too early to learn about the college process, especially to receive positive reinforcement along the way.”

After their break, PowerUp! youth and volunteers entered their last rotation of the day, which included writing and editing their elementary-friendly resumes. PowerUp! youth prior to this event have been preparing their own resumes, conceptualizing what their first job will be and the skills they will need to succeed. PowerUp! youth and volunteers worked together to perfect their resumes and jump start their goals and aspirations.

The last activity of the day brought everyone back into the Big Room to do a raffle. Lucky PowerUp! youth who won received UCLA Latino Alumni Association cinch bags that said, “OrgullOSO de ser Bruin” translating to Proud to be a Bruin, with several other UCLA goodies such as stickers, pens and a water bottle. After our raffle, students and alumni said thank you and goodbye to each other after a final collective 8-Clap.

College & Career Day at Children's Institute opens new opportunities to youth

When asked to share their thoughts about their experiences, one PowerUp! student said, “I learned that you need to work hard to go to college” and that “computer scientists have a cool job.” Another equally enthusiastic student said that he learned “that there are many opportunities in college and that you can’t give up.” After the day, students were asked to reflect on their strengths and name a few things that they like about themselves. One student said that she likes that she is “smart, kind, beautiful and passionate.” A father from Project Father said “my daughter’s education is very important for me, which is the reason that I came to this event today. She wants to be a teacher and loves school. I hope she achieves her dreams.” His daughter has been in PowerUp! for two years.

The day served over 35 PowerUp! Youth, with 16 UCLA Alumni volunteering from various networks, including the UCLA Latino Alumni Association, current undergraduate students and special UCLA Alumni guest, Congressman Jimmy Gomez, ’96. Overall, the UCLA Volunteer Center reported an estimated 18,767 hours contributed this year at a rough value of $463,000 to the communities at over 70 sites around the world. This year’s projects took place at schools and homeless shelters, veteran sites and food banks, with estimates of 2,681 total volunteers among the 52 projects in Los Angeles County and the 18 additional locations from San Diego to Washington D.C., Namibia to Taiwan and of course, at CII’s Otis Booth Campus in Echo Park.

Camp Booth Brings the Outdoors to Los Angeles Kids

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Now in its 8th year, Camp Booth is an annual camping trip for youth in our school aged programs held at Booth Ranches near Fresno. The weekend retreat is made possible by former board member and longtime supporter Loren Booth.

The trip started as a way to expose children to new experiences in nature with their peers. The impact of poverty and childhood adversity can limit opportunities for weekend outings like camping, and research shows that the development and growth experienced by youth on weekend outings can be transformative.

With bags packed, youth prepared to head north for a weekend in nature on Friday, October 5.

CII’s Watts Campus served as base camp. After being dropped off by family members, each camper was assigned a blue, green, red or pink t-shirt, which designated each child’s specific team for the weekend. Aside from a few siblings, most of the kids going to Camp Booth did not know each other at the beginning of the weekend.

Nestled in California’s Central Valley, Booth Ranch is near a picturesque river. Serving as a commercial citrus grove, the ranch also has horses and cattle. The campers, who had never been to a ranch before, had numerous questions about horses, livestock and fishing.

Along with the sights, a full schedule of activities ensured youth would get the most out of their weekend. A few of the highlights included petting horses, catching fish on the Booth Ranch pond and making s’mores by a campfire.

“I liked meeting the horses because I have never been that close to a horse,” one youth said at the end of the weekend.

Finding ways to overcome challenges

In addition to being a lot of fun, each of the activities helped the children learn and grow. Campers were split into four different groups where they learned to work together. Activities like catch, kiss and release fishing taught patience and an obstacle course showed perseverance.

One activity that was especially memorable for youth involved passing around a glowing soccer ball. On the first night, campers took turns with the ball as they shared their biggest fears for the weekend. Kids said they worried about things like missing home, not making friends and encountering bears. The campers then wrote down their fears and threw them into the campfire.

On the last night, they took the same ball and shared their highlights from camp. As many passed around the ball, they noticed the fears they had going into camp never happened.  Campers got to experience firsthand the importance of overcoming fears to have meaningful experiences.

Allison Reidy, CII’s Development Coordinator and Camp Booth counselor, said it was great to see how kids grew over the weekend. She said some of youth were very shy to start the weekend while others were overly energetic.

“As the weekend progressed, the girls started to open up and make friends while the boys seemed to behave and listen to their counselors,” she said. “Above all, they got to be free and enjoy being kids.”

Learn more about CII programs that support school-aged children.

Support for Children Exposed to Gun Violence

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With orange balloons flanking the stage at our Watts campus, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, Children’s Institute and the Los Angeles Police Department announced the REACH TEAM, a new program to support children exposed to gun violence in the Watts community.

In 2017, there were approximately 110 calls made to LAPD in Watts reporting shots fired, with over 40% of the calls coming from local housing developments.

When gun violence occurs in a community, children are often witnesses to the event and its aftermath. The impact of gun violence exposure is associated with learning, health, emotional and behavioral issues, as well as substance abuse later in life. Early intervention and emotional and social support are key in preventing and healing the symptoms of trauma.

Setting the tone for the announcement, actor/poet/activist and Watts native Kyland Turner performed one of his original pieces of poetry.

Following his performance, Turner commented, “I’m 23 and I’ve lost more friends than I can count on both of my hands to violence and I don’t think that’s normal. I don’t think it’s normal to experience this thing of literally living in a war zone, and I had to find a way out. For me it was poetry, it was art, it was spoken word, it was writing.”

L to R: Kyland Turner, Actor/Poet/Activist; Yvette Martinez, Children’s Institute Administrative Assistant; Dennis Kato, Deputy Chief Operations-South Bureau, LAPD 

“Children deserve safe and secure childhoods, and when violence erupts into their lives, we have to step in and act, and that’s just what we are going to do,” said Feuer. “I have put Deputy City Attorney Lara Drino, who has years of experience working with abused children, in charge of our efforts to work with our partners to intervene quickly and effectively to reduce the long-term trauma children exposed to violence suffer.”

The REACH TEAM aims to ensure children and families exposed to gun violence receive appropriate and timely crisis intervention and support services through Children’s Institute and partner organizations.

“Children’s Institute is so pleased to be partnering with the City Attorney’s office and LAPD on this important initiative that is a natural extension of our work offering trauma-informed services and support to children and families in the Watts community and throughout Los Angeles. In addition to providing early intervention and follow up care through our REACH TEAM, we also hope to increase community awareness around the possible long-term effects of gun violence exposure and encourage outreach for support,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO, Children’s Institute.

“Shots fired in our community tear at the very fabric of our emotional security, especially for our children,” said Michel Moore, LAPD Chief of Police. “There is no excuse for a child in our city to be exposed to gun violence, and the Los Angeles Police Department will work diligently to ensure our most vulnerable residents are safe and supported.”

When a gunshot is reported in the Watts community, LAPD will assess the scene and notify the REACH TEAM, comprised of Children’s Institute staff, who will provide an initial crisis response to the families involved as soon as possible. From there, children identified for follow-up support will be referred to Children’s Institute to receive trauma-informed health services, as well as other family services and support.

Children’s Institute staff member Yvette Martinez closed the event with her personal account of growing up in South Los Angeles in the midst of gun violence. “Once you are connected to the effects of one bullet whether by sight, sound or because you knew the individual’s family, you are never the same. The support of my family has always kept me going. But once again I ask, ‘should we have to cope without professional help?'”

As a part of the program, the LA City Attorney’s office and Children’s Institute will regularly conduct community outreach within Watts schools, housing developments, community organizations and nonprofits. Children and families in Watts who have been exposed to gun violence in the past can also reach out for support.

This initiative has received guidance and support from the Watts Gang Task Force and The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

Daniel Beaty’s “emergency” and The Healing Power of the Arts

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On Saturday, September 8, an eager crowd gathered at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills for multi-talented artist Daniel Beaty’s powerful one-man show “emergency” presented by Children’s Institute.

Foster youth from CII’s Individualized Transitional Skills Program (ITSP) and high school students from Santee Education Complex arrived on school buses and were treated to a pre-show Chipotle feast before taking their seats in the Bram Goldsmith Theater.

The lights dimmed, cell phones were silenced, and Beaty immediately commanded the room through poetry, song, humor and an array of characters ranging from two young brothers with a mentally ill father to a little girl living with AIDs.

Following the performance, Beaty was joined by Judy Belk, President & CEO of The California Wellness Foundation, for a conversation about his personal journey and the power of art to heal.

”Similarly, art creates a relatedness and a shared experience that touches us on a soul place. Who would think that I, as this big black guy, would be playing a little girl with AIDS? But I do that and that’s consistently a character that moves people the most,” said Beaty who continued,“In our core, despite all of the illusions of separation that are so pervasive in our society, we know we’re connected to each other. We know we’re made of the same stuff and we desperately need artists to remind us of that.”

As the young people exited the theater, many were moved by the performance and shared their reactions:

“I thought that Daniel was very inspiring for his strength and his way of expressing his lifestyle, what he’s been through. He really made an impact on the youth today, like how we can get through a lot of things through art. It doesn’t have to be what we’ve been through, it can be what we want to be or what we want for our future. He really models strength and creativity and that’s not something that I’ve ever seen before.”

“I thought it was incredible. I liked all the characters that he played, but when he talked about not having his dad around…his mom was the primary caregiver. The roles for me are reversed but I still understand what he was trying to say. I thought it was beautiful how he incorporated everybody’s life situation.”

In Beaty’s words, “It’s so important for young people to be exposed to different worlds and different experiences, such as coming to a beautiful theater like The Wallis
When I got to Yale and began to see how other people were living, I discovered that the trauma that was normalized in my childhood was not necessarily what everybody else was dealing with. And so my question became, How do I start to get free?”

Thank you once again to the sponsors who made this event possible:
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, David Bohnett Foundation, Southern California Grantmakers and The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

 

Back to School Week

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It is Back to School Week at CII, and it is great to see the early childhood services programs moving ahead at ‘full speed’.

As you know, the CII ECS division offers parents a number of early childhood program options. They include part day/part year center based services, full day/full year center based services, full year home based services (children up to 3 years of age), and full day/full year services in family child care homes under contract to CII. Our overall goal is to ensure that all children in our care and their parents, regardless of program option, are ready for a successful school experience by the time the children enter kindergarten.

So what are we looking like this year? ECS projects will serve nearly 2,500 children up to 5 years of age in the current year. Approximately 500 of these children are in our home based program, including First 5LA funded Select Home Visitation in SPA’s 6 and 8, almost 200 are receiving services in contracted family child care homes, and the rest are placed in one of CII’s 30 early education centers. We are excited this year to have added two new preschool buildings:  Our Compton Blvd. facility will serve 30 children: 6 infants and 24 toddler age children; our Western Avenue facility will serve 8 toddlers and 20 Head Start age children. Both centers recently began operations.

Summer months are important to ECS program operations, and this year was no exception. A number of key events took place:  recruitment and enrollment of new children and families, hiring of new staff – over 40 new staff were hired in the last four months, restocking classroom supplies, refurbishing playgrounds and classrooms, and finally, comprehensive training for classroom and non-classroom staff. Thank you all for your contributions to all of these efforts. They are not only very much appreciated, they are essential to our success.

This year ECS, in line with “One CII” strategic initiative, is already working on two key program efforts that will involve collaboration with CII’s Early Childhood Behavioral Health Services and Project Fatherhood.  Our goal for the current program year is to assess, refer and serve 100 children/families through our mental health services and to initiate a series of program activities with Project Fatherhood staff that will engage fathers currently enrolled in ECS.  We look forward to two very successful collaborations that will benefit the children and families that we serve.

Stay tuned! We are always working on something!!

– Manny Castellanos, Jr., Ed.D., LCSW, Senior Vice President Programs

Doctor’s Notes: At this Preschool for Traumatized Kids, Emotional Care Comes First, Then Academics

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This article was originally published on California Health Report on 7/10/2018.

Reggie, now 5, was exposed to methamphetamines in utero and, after he was born, his biological mother wasn’t able to care for him. When he was 4-weeks-old, I was his doctor in the foster-care clinic at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He was adopted by one of my pediatric colleagues, Amy Huang, and her husband, Daniel. Because Reggie is a minor, his and his parents’ names have been changed.

“He was the best baby, no withdrawals, no terrible twos,” Amy Huang said. “We thought he had escaped the meth-effects.”

But, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

In January, when Reggie returned to preschool after winter vacation, he started having extreme behaviors. He became defiant and aggressive. He was biting, hitting strangers and at times getting on all fours and acting like an animal. His parents were frustrated and worried that the problems were related to his drug exposure.

The effects of methamphetamines on infants in the womb run a wide spectrum, from mild learning problems to significant impairment of brain function. These infants may be born premature, have low birth weight or suffer withdrawals causing jitteriness, irritability and poor feeding. In addition, meth-addicted mothers often have poor health and may use other substances such as marijuana, tobacco, alcohol and cocaine. All of these can have negative effects on the infant’s development, as well as the mother’s ability to parent.

ChrisAnna Mink is a pediatrician who practices in South Los Angeles.

Researchers have shown that children who were meth-exposed in utero have difficulties with their brain’s executive function, which is the central command for organizing thoughts, planning and learning. These children also have an increased risk of disruptive behaviors and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses, when compared to non-exposed peers. Some of these problems don’t become obvious until the cognitive and behavioral demands of a classroom.

By spring, Reggie’s behavior was spiraling out of control and his preschool teachers couldn’t cope with him. The Huangs took him out of that school but didn’t know where to turn.

I recommended Children’s Institute Inc, as did some other friends with an adopted child who had also been exposed to drugs. I was familiar with the Institute’s therapeutic preschool called Day Treatment Intensive, DTI. Over the past 12 years, I have referred many children with behavioral difficulties due to drug exposure, abuse, neglect and other psychological traumas.

DTI “looks like a regular preschool,” said Nicole Fauscette, a licensed family therapist and supervisor of the program, but it offers real-time, individual therapy. First, DTI focuses on mental health, in a supportive and developmentally appropriate preschool setting. The school adds in academics as the children are ready.

The Children’s Institute building on Harbor-UCLA’s campus is surrounded by playgrounds. The inside is decorated in lively colors, and it’s neatly cluttered with toys and children. It looks like Crayola designed a home inviting visitors to come play.

Children ages 2œ to 5 are eligible. Many have been expelled from regular preschool. DTI has space for 12 children and classrooms have, on average, one staff member for every two kids. Referrals come from child protective services, pediatricians, Head Start, internal mental health programs and community mental health agencies.

DTI is one of less than a dozen such specialized programs in Los Angeles County, which is home to nearly 330,000 children younger than five. About 20 percent of those kids live in poverty and most have experienced adversity. The need far exceeds the slots available.

“Therapeutic preschool uses the neuro-sequential model,” said Jesus Parra, the regional director for clinical services for Children’s Institute. This approach provides a framework for helping a child, keeping in mind his or her trauma history, developmental stage and current ability to function.

“We help the kids get to a place where they can regulate their behaviors, increase their attention (and) their tolerance of frustration, and better navigate peer and adult relationships,” said Fauscette. The goal is to help the children achieve emotional stability, so they’ll be ready for a traditional learning environment.

The staff and volunteers at DTI are chosen in part because of their temperament and ability to regulate their own emotions. These qualities are as valued as their education, though most have backgrounds in child development, psychology or mental health.

“An adult in control of their emotions helps children who are not in control of theirs,” said Parra, who leads some of the staff trainings.

The program aims, Parra said, for “the parents to fall in love with their child again.”

Reggie started at DTI in early May. The teachers observed that when he behaves like a dinosaur or other animal, it is because he is feeling anxious and frightened. In this way, they reason, he is attempting to defend himself against the danger he perceives. So, instead of punishing him for disobeying, Reggie’s teachers approach him calmly and help him address his anxiety.

In the last few months, Reggie has made progress learning to use words—and not aggression—to express his emotions.

The Huangs have already noticed a change. The teachers “were able to describe to us how Reggie interprets his world,” Daniel Huang said. “It’s helping—him and me.”

Pediatrician ChrisAnna Mink writes the bimonthly Doctor’s Notes column on Cal Health Report’s children’s health.