Casa Pacifica – A Message From Our CEO

April 2, 2020

Dear Friend,

During the past month, the rhythm of our life has gone from stable and ordinary to one of concern and doubt. Overnight we have had to change how we live and think to adjust to a new reality, one of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 emergency in our communities and across the globe. Each and every one of you are dealing with continuous change and unforeseen challenges in your own lives.

The youth of Casa Pacifica, however, are not strangers to continuous, life-altering challenges. They have faced uncertainty during much of their young lives. They know the fear of physical and mental instability, the sense of loneliness that comes from not having the support and love of a unified family, and the pains of social ills such as substance abuse and homelessness.

In California, we have 6 million school-aged children of which 95% attend public school. 40%-50% of these youth receive mental health services access at or through their school.

The magnitude of the mental health crisis of our youth
prior to the COVID-19 was evidenced in many ways:

104% Increase in inpatient visits for suicide, suicidal ideation and self-injury for children ages 1-17 years old, and 151% increase for children ages 10-14 years old
50% Increase in mental health hospital days for children between 2006 and 2014
61% Increase in the rate of self-reported mental health needs since 2005

It is with heartfelt thanks and gratitude that we are humbled by friends like you that make it possible for Casa Pacifica to be a beacon of hope for our most vulnerable youth. Casa Pacifica remains committed to caring for children who need us. Even in times of great uncertainty, together, nothing is impossible.

As we monitor the latest updates of COVID-19, we continue to implement measures to minimize the impact for those we serve:

New means of communication such as Telehealth provide quality mental healthcare and community support. Through this service, our residential youth can have virtual visits with their families, guardians, and/or social workers.
Our community-based services continue to operate in both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, also primarily through Telehealth technology.

Our highest priority continues to be the safety, health and well-being of our youth and the clinical and direct care staff who are risking their lives daily to provide uninterrupted services and continued support.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unbudgeted costs for our programs and services that have a significant financial impact for our organization. We are appreciative of your past support of our mission and the invaluable role you play in restoring hope and providing help for our youth.

During these extraordinary circumstances, can you make a gift to support our mission-critical costs?

We are grateful for each and every one of you. We hope that you and your family remain safe and stay healthy.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Steve 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.