GIVE TODAY 

Thank you in advance for your tax-deductible donation!

Dear CII Family,

My name is Anjelica and I want to share my story about how Children’s Institute (CII) changed my life.

My daughter was born during the pandemic and her whole world was me, her dad, and her brother. My son was at home doing virtual learning and my daughter became really interested in his lessons. I knew I had to look for opportunities for her to get a head start. That’s how I found CII’s Home Visitation program.

Our home visitor, Ms. Janet, taught me so much about healthy child development. Not only did she help my daughter learn to write, draw, and communicate her feelings, but she also taught her self-regulation skills. During frustrating times at home, my little one reminded me to relax and breathe.

So, I thought to myself, “She’s getting help. What am I doing to help myself?”

I spoke to Ms. Janet, and she told me about counseling services at CII. Together, we learned how to break the cycle of difficult emotional issues I grew up with and this gave me the confidence to go back to school to complete my GED. CII and Ms. Janet were with me every step of the way, encouraging me to achieve my goals.

I hope to be an example for my children. I want my children to be brave, to see the struggles that I’ve been through and say, “Mom did it, so can I.” I hope that they never stop learning, never stop helping others, and know that I never stopped, for them.

Your support for CII ensures parents like me can find the support they need for their whole family.

Please consider giving generously this holiday season.

With Gratitude,

Anjelica Luna

 

MEDI-CAL: 3 STEPS TO KEEP COVERAGE

To avoid a gap in your Medi-Cal coverage, please see important information below. Please share these details with your friends, family, and community.

ONE | Make sure your information is up to date.

• Log into your Medi-Cal account and report any new changes to your name, address, phone number, and email address, so your county can contact you.

TWO | Check your email.

• Counties will mail you a letter about your Medi-Cal eligibility. The letter will tell you if you need to complete a renewal form to see if you still qualify for Medi-Cal.

THREE | Complete your renewal form.

• If you received a renewal form, submit your information by mail, phone, in person, or online to help avoid a gap in your coverage.

For more information on how to complete your Medi-Cal renewal form, please see links below:

• How to Complete Your Medi-Cal Renewal Form (English)
• How to Complete Your Medi-Cal Renewal Form (Spanish)

We wish you JOY!

JOY Is an essential companion of justice.
Your advocacy and support provides thousands of children and families across Los Angeles the opportunity to find their strengths, build networks of support and celebrate their progress.  Join us in creating a more just and joyful Los Angeles.

 

5 WAYS TO GIVE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON ONE |  Make a donation to CII and ensure 30,000 children and families have access to life-changing services this year. childrensinstitute.org/donate TWO |  Help us feed bodies and minds by purchasing items from our holiday registries for families. Target: tgt.gifts/CIIHolidays  |  Amazon: bit.ly/CIIWF THREE |  Host an end-of-year giving fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram. facebook.com/fundraisers FOUR |  Volunteer at CII’s holiday events. childrensinstitute.org/volunteers FIVE |  In lieu of receiving a holiday gift this year, ask your family and friends to support CII on your behalf.

 

“I spoke to my daughter’s teacher at CII about therapy, and she supported me every step of the way, including when I went back to school. I hope to be a positive example for my children, so that they never stop learning. It’s important for them to see that I never stopped, for them.”

Anjelica, CII Home Visitation Parent

 

 

Help Spread the Word on Social Media!  Download the graphics below and post them to your social media accounts.

“Imagination is central to recovery. Without an inner imagination of an alternative future, there is no place to go.”

Bessel van der Kolk, MD
2023 Keynote Speaker

 

Thank you to all who attended CII’s 2023 Trauma-Informed Care Conference, in partnership with the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families! Your participation helps create awareness about the impact of trauma in the lives of children, families, and communities. We hope you’ll take the knowledge and insights from yesterday to inform and guide your practice and advocacy work.

Special thanks to this year’s speakers, including California Surgeon General, Diana Ramos, MD, UCLA Professor of Psychiatry, Eraka Bath, MD, and keynote speaker,  renowned researcher, and New York Times best-selling author, Bessel van der Kolk, MD. Conversations touched on valuable topics including investment in youth mental health, the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and imagining a path forward for Californians most impacted by toxic stress.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships on a child’s health,” said California Surgeon General Diana Ramos, MD. “California is making significant investments to providing more support for communities and families so that all children have an opportunity to lead healthy, thriving lives.”

“Childhood trauma is probably the largest single public health issue facing us as a nation.,” said keynote Bessel van der Kolk, MD, “Learning self-regulation through attuned interactions, play & awareness of self and others are at the core of any effective intervention in any system that deals with children & adolescents.”

Thank you to our conference moderators and panelists, including LAist Senior Reporter, Mariana Dale, the Lived Experience Panel, including moderator Jesús Parra, LMFT, and panelists Kahlila Williams, Clarissa Morales Hernandez, and Terry Hayward, in addition to all conference breakout session moderators: Ana Amador, LCSW, Evelyn Barycki, Jaicy Bautista Gonzalez, M.A., Jessica Cardenas, M.A., Charmaine Dorsey, MSW, LCSW, Dr. Jonathan Goldfinger, Rachel Gilgoff, MD, Monique Holguin LCSW PhD, Kelly Hwang, MA, LMFT, Stefani Marte, Kristin Miller, LCSW, Thresa Offord, MS, Ms. Chantel Palmer, Riley Solorzano, MAT, Demontea “Tae” Thompson, Nina Thompson, Marisela Villalobos-Jimenez, M.A., Tanya Marin-Lopez, Jamie Ruize, and Amy Shekarchi.  You all contributed to making this conference a renewing and enlightening experience!

 

Resources from Conference Presenters

How Trauma-Informed is your practice?

Presenters: Monique Holguin, LCSW PhD, Ana Amador, LCSW, and Charmaine Dorsey, MSW, LCSW – UCAAN

Cells to Solutions: exploring multidisciplinary, physiology-based healing strategies for toxic stress as part of routine clinical care

Presenter: Rachel Gilgoff, MD – UCAAN

Be THE Change…Join Us for The Power of Conscious Discipline!

Presenter: Jessica Cardenas, Jaicy Bautista Gonzalez, and Thresa Offord

Redefining Care with CalAIM: Exploring the intersection of trauma-informed care and healthcare systems

Presenter: Jesus Parra and Jonathon Goldfinger, CII

Implementing Trauma-Informed Tools to Change School Culture and Climate

Presenter: Riley Solorzano, Stefani Marte, & Kelly Hwang, CII

I’m delighted to share this piece from today’s Los Angeles Times that highlights the fine work of our Outreach Triage Teams (OTT/COTT), led by Dee Dee Hitchcock, LMFT and Kristin Miller, LCSW. The program provided de-escalation support, mental health services and resource coordination for children and adults in crisis but who did not meet criteria for psychiatric hospitalization.

OTT/COTT met the needs of so many for whom the usual crisis response system is inadequate and potentially harmful. Our staff met people on the streets or in their homes, with enough time and resources to form relationships that led to trust and openness to accept help. Sadly, though there were significant unspent funds, the county chose not to continue the program.

We learned important lessons from the 2½ -year experience, and will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of people who are suffering and, in many cases, have experienced chronic trauma. We envision broad access to an equitable behavioral health system, inclusive of trusted community-based organizations, that prioritizes preventive, comprehensive, culturally responsive, and accountable care for all individuals.

Let’s celebrate the recognition for the work of CII’s staff and others on the front lines.

“Today is an opportunity to look ahead with hope and optimism. As you embark on this new journey, may you aspire to achieve even greater things, set audacious goals and protect those goals always.” – Adianna Paul

Dream BIG Keynote Speaker  |  Listen to her inspiring remarks

This June, Children’s Institute’s Dream BIG Graduation celebrated the incredible youth enrolled in CII’s Individualized Transition Skills Program. The keynote for the evening was educator, Stanford graduate and alumna of CII’s foster youth program, Adianna Paul, who not only delivered an inspiring message to youth but who also sat in their place just a few years ago.

The evening was filled with words of encouragement from CII staff. Guests enjoyed the DJ stylings of Lani Love and a delicious spread of summer foods from In-N-Out and Donny Joubert’s BBQ. Each graduate received a duffel bag with CII swag essentials and a $300 gift card for anything they might need as they move on to career and college. This was made possible by the generous support of The Colleagues, a philanthropic organization that understands that an investment in our youth is an investment in the future of Los Angeles.

We are so thankful to the community who came out to support these amazing young people as they began their next chapter in life.

We are so thankful to the community who came out to support these amazing young people as they began their next chapter in life.

Support life-changing work like CII’s foster youth program. Give Today. 

 

 

 

 

Check out a fun recap reel on Children’s Institute’s Instagram! Follow CII on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest celebration.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Wendy Bermeo @wendystylez and a special shout-out to @onyxnail_lounge for donating their time and resources to provide hair, makeup and nail tech services to our graduates.

Thanks to you, we raised $1,050,000 (and counting) for our LA communities! It’s not just a number; it’s hope for 30,000 children and families across our city.

We are deeply grateful to all of you who attended and contributed to our 5th Annual Cape & Gown Gala last night. With the shared goal of creating a more just and equitable Los Angeles, we are thrilled to have raised direct support for programs that create community resilience, thriving families, and healthy children.

We honored four truly heroic individuals:

Paul Kanin, introduced by his three children Maralee, Matt and Max Kanin, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of service to his Los Angeles community as well as many years serving as a trustee and Chair of Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees.

Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, introduced by Watts Gang Task Force President Donny Joubert and TDE executive Brandon Tiffith, received the Community Champion award for his tireless efforts in his beloved Watts Community.

Derrick Rossi, PhD, introduced by Rob Reiner, received the Children’s Champion Award for his innovative work in stem cell biology and mRNA technology as co-founder of Moderna, saving millions of lives world-wide.

Gelila Assefa Puck, introduced by Wolfgang Puck, received the Children’s Champion Award for her international efforts to provide hope and opportunity to children and families, including through her organization Dream for Future Africa Foundation and as a member of Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees.

Emceed by actor, director and activist Rob Reiner, the evening featured inspiring stories from CII staff, community members and supporters. Thank you to our incredible Children’s Institute speaker, Adianna Paul, who joined CII’s program for transitional aged foster youth when she was 17 and received the support and mentorship she needed to follow her dreams. Watch Adianna’s incredible journey here. An exciting Live Auction and Fund-a-Future campaign hosted by Emmy winning host Liam Mayclem provided guests the opportunity to take home some fabulous experiences in support of CII’s programs and services. The evening came to a close with an awe-inspiring performance from the LA Inner City Mass Choir.

On behalf of Children’s Institute, thank you to everyone who sponsored, supported and participated in the event.

Our Watts location continues to blossom into a community space! Last June, we celebrated the grand opening of Children’s Institute’s new Building on Success in Watts, lovingly designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Since then, CII has hosted many events for children and families, and our staff continues to offer them critical resources and support programs.

Creating a true community hub, a welcoming and accessible convening space, was one of the driving forces behind the Watts building project. That’s why we’ve made it easy to reserve space through the online Watts Campus Room Reservation page. Thanks to the Watts community’s support and our South LA teams cultivating meaningful partnerships, we are pleased to report that, in the past nine months, the building has welcomed more than 40 partner organizations and local groups that have held events, workshops or provided services.

If you happen to visit us, you might see young children and families from our Early Head Start program enjoying “toddler socialization,” or transition-aged foster youth attending office hours with the Children’s Law Center. Or, you might see a Digital Literacy workshop in partnership with EveryoneOn, CII Employment Collective’s Job Ready Bootcamps, and CII Reach Team’s Wellness Wednesdays.  Annual celebrations held at the campus include Gears for Kids, Winter Festival, College Fair, Prom2Go and many more.

Please enjoy some photos posted by our community partners embracing this amazing space.

We are so grateful to be able to share this campus with such passionate people, dedicated to serving their community. Our sincerest thanks to the generous donors and CII support groups who supported the Building on Success campaign, and to all of our community friends, partners, elected officials, businesses and neighbors, who make this a place for learning, connection and healing.

On January 21, 2023, a gunman opened fire in a dance hall during Lunar New Year celebrations in Monterey Park, a predominantly Asian American community. Ten people were killed and 10 more were injured. The gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday. We don’t yet know the motive or of the identities of all the victims, but we do know that there is unspeakable pain left in the aftermath.

The new year is often a hopeful time, where we can look forward to new possibilities, second chances and growth in our lives. Lunar New Year—celebrated in many Asian American communities—welcomes the coming of spring, when life grows anew and wishes for good fortune and abundance are made on behalf of loved ones. I am deeply saddened that these celebrations were marred by violence and anguish this weekend. This incident only compounds the grief, loss and trauma the community has been holding due to increased anti-Asian violence. It is understandable to feel hopeless in the face of such frequent mass shootings, but we continue to believe in our communities’ capacity for healing.

It’s important to recognize why communities like Monterey Park are special. As activist, scholar and SoCal native Bianca Mabute-Louie said in the Los Angeles Times, Monterey Park, “is the first Asian ethnoburb… that thrives [because] it refuses to assimilate, instead unapologetically catering to its own immigrant community.” California is a place where diasporas of people find one another either by choice or by necessity due to histories of war, forced migration and colonization. These diasporas form enclaves, like Monterey Park, where they can find community, resilience and healing in their shared histories.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Asian Americans face many systemic barriers to accessing mental health care and quality treatment, including stigma and lack of culturally or linguistically relevant care that addresses mental health in a more holistic way. If you or a family you work with is struggling in the wake of this event, please look into some of the culturally relevant resources provided below.

Everyone—regardless of where they come from and who has harmed them—deserves to be happy, healthy and safe. Let’s lean on one another during these difficult times and hope for healing.

Asian American Mental Health Resources

• Pacific Asian Counseling Services
• Asian Mental Health Collective
• Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice
• LA Times: Asian Americans discuss how they talk about mental health with friend and family

• Coping After Mass Violence
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After Mass Violence
• Talking to Children about Mass Violence
• Psychological Impact of Mass Violence
• Helping Youth After a Community Trauma: Tips for Educators (En Español, Mandarin)
• Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting (American Counseling Association)  
• Trauma and Disaster Mental Health (American Counseling Association) 
• Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention, And Policy
• Stop Blaming Shootings on Mental Illness
• Resources and Manuals on Psychological First Aid