Casa Pacifica – A Message from Our CEO

Dear Friend,

Our innate need to connect with others in order to thrive places greater emphasis on the importance of community. The proverbial expression ‘No man is an island,’ resonates even more so today in this unprecedented time of social distancing. The following is paraphrased from our Ventura County Wraparound Manager’s statement when she was asked about services to families in the community. It is a wonderful expression of how our staff are working with youth and their families – whether in the community or on campus:

At Casa Pacifica our immediate focus revolves around connecting, with our at-risk youth, their families and all who serve them. During this time of continuous change, we have focused on connecting families…

to needs and support helping families ward off homelessness,
to technology that allows them to interface with direct care and clinical staff,
to food resources from e-gift cards to pop up food banks,
to those in the outside world who provide hope day after day.

Families have reported back that this time together has allowed them to practice all the things we have been asking them to practice – how to spend time together, how to build relationships with each other, how to communicate, how to be in the moment, and how to support each other.

In addition to families being more connected, our staff have had to think outside the box to find ways to connect that don’t involve our strength of always being present in person… we have skyped, we have teamed, we have phoned, and we have hand-written letters. All to connect. We have connected on a new level as we experience this current trauma…altogether…apart.

Our staff have been exceedingly creative in connecting families to resources and supports. We have played games via the phone to reassure scared children, we have given exhausted parents respite while we phone session with a youth, and we have given families an hour of peace and calm as we connect to the caretakers themselves to check in on them.

While the ways Casa Pacifica is connecting today may look and feel different, we remain unified in our desire to improve the lives of our at-risk youth. Together we have a collective opportunity to inspire and equip our young people to become the best version of themselves so that they may enjoy an enriching and fulfilling life.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought into sharp focus how deeply we depend on one another to act for a common good. We are eternally grateful for the contributions of all members of the Casa Pacifica family…the direct care and clinical staff who continue to come to campus to keep our residential youth safe and cared for, our donors who are instrumental in making our mission possible, and the businesses and volunteers who support us throughout the year. We are all connected, and together we support each other and uplift our youth each and every day.

Thank you for all that you do to keep Casa Pacifica strong, and for your continued support during this unprecedented time. If you are looking for a way you can help Casa Pacifica right now, please make an on-line gift today or be a part of “Giving Tuesday Now”
on May 5^th.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Steven Elson, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer

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Our Mission
Casa Pacifica restores hope, enhances resilience, and strengthens community connections for children, young adults and families at the most challenging times of their lives.