Trauma-Informed Healing - Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic

Trauma-Informed Healing
New Paths to Success
Annual Report 2013
Our Mission
“To provide quality mental health services to a community in great need
by ensuring easy access and promoting early intervention”
Who We Are
Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic empowers the children and young
adults of South and Central L.A. to get on track to success – to reach goals
in school, build healthy relationships, and enjoy emotional well-being.
Our team of compassionate professionals offers behavioral counseling
and support to individuals and families.
To Our Friends & Supporters:
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined.”
Henry David Thoreau’s words capture what is so uplifting about young people who
follow their dreams, building future careers through hard work and lofty aspirations.
That’s especially true here in South and Central Los Angeles, where in order to
succeed too many young men and women must overcome shockingly high rates of
academic failure, poverty, and community violence.
Shelly Holmes, Chairperson
How truly remarkable then are client success stories such as that of Rodrigo, who
has invested years in healing the trauma of childhood abuse and neglect, and whom
you will read about in these pages. We salute and celebrate Rodrigo’s confident
pursuit of his dreams, and thank him for generously sharing his journey to healing.
Insights like Rodrigo’s help to promote a growing awareness nationwide that
untreated childhood trauma is often at the root of school failure in high-needs
communities such as ours – trauma that results in recurrent shame, guilt, rage,
isolation, and disconnection. Researchers and practitioners have validated the
effectiveness of trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the debilitating impact
of dehumanizing, shocking, or terrifying experiences on young lives. Accordingly, the
Clinic employs nationally recognized trauma-informed practices to ensure we provide
the most effective clinical interventions.
Elizabeth W. Pfromm, M.S.,
MPA, President/CEO
Ever inspired by the successes our young clients share with us, in 2012/2013 we
enhanced evidence-based, trauma-informed services throughout all Clinic programs,
and increased specialized training for community providers who work with vulnerable
children ages 0-5. Recognizing that boys and young men of color in our community
suffer homicide as the leading cause of death, we created services specifically designed
to help them overcome trauma and “live the life they have imagined.”
There remains much to do, with new opportunities for effective, trauma-informed
solutions in large part supported by the 2014 rollout of the Affordable Care Act. We
plan to continue exploring new options to co-locate our services with health care
providers, in schools, and in other community settings. And we will continue our
2012/2013 initiatives advancing public policy and advocating for increased access to
high-quality mental health services in partnership with public agencies and private
benefactors.
We take this occasion to thank the Board of Directors for giving generously of
their time, skills, and resources to carry out the Clinic’s mission. We are grateful
to the Clinic staff for their dedication and talent. We thank Rodrigo and his fellow
clients of all ages for trusting, engaging, and inspiring us with their dreams. And,
finally, we offer heartfelt thanks to you, our supporters, for your dedication to the
children and families we serve.
To find out more about how you can be a part of our mission, please visit us at
www.lachild.org.
Shelly Holmes
Elizabeth W. Pfromm, M.S., MPA
Chairperson of the Board President/CEO
Trauma-Informed Healing | 3
Rodrigo's fashion creations.
Now a successful community college
student, Rodrigo studies fashion design
and dreams of continuing his education in
London. His passion: couture fashion, with its
intricate hand-crafted designs. “I just want to
help myself and become something better,”
he says. “I’m working toward my goals.”
4 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Overcoming Early Childhood Trauma
Helping young people build a stronger future starts with establishing trust and
giving them new skills to embrace life.
At 21, Rodrigo is the picture of
confidence—well-spoken, succeeding
in college, and committed to his goal of
becoming a fashion designer.
was so terrified of his teachers and
classmates, he rarely spoke in class.
This trend continued in high school,
and he fell behind.
It’s difficult to see him the way he
sees himself only a few years ago—
isolated, disconnected, painfully shy,
afraid to speak to his teachers, and so
depressed he would either sleep through
his classes or never show up at all.
When his mother encouraged him
to seek help at the Clinic, Rodrigo was
ready to try. He was nervous when he
first met with Clinical Therapist Jeff
Chudnofsky, MFT. “But Jeff didn’t
want to change me,” says Rodrigo, “he
wanted to help me understand and
help myself.”
Then, in 2011, he enrolled in
the Los Angeles Child Guidance
Clinic’s Life Learning Program for
transitional-age youth from ages 15 to
25. Rodrigo had been to counseling
before, but something clicked this
time. What helped was the connection
and trust his entire Life Learning team
worked to establish from the start.
“The program made me wake up.
I realized I needed to change,” says
Rodrigo. “I wanted a different kind of
life. I didn’t want to be the same kid.”
That kid had experienced the
trauma of domestic violence at a
young age, just four years old. He felt
like “the extra one”—left out of in a
family that included four step-siblings.
He witnessed angry fights and
remembers trying to physically defend
his mother when he was only 8. Some
memories come to him in flashbacks,
like scattered pieces of a puzzle.
Rodrigo spent time in foster care,
where his sense of isolation increased.
He returned to his mother’s home a
few years later, but by middle school,
Rodrigo has taken advantage of the
Life Learning Program’s career-related
lessons on resume writing and school
applications, among other services
designed to support high aspirations.
All Life Learning participants have
a case management team and can
take part in group therapy; workshops
in job hunting, interview skills, and
money management; and relationship,
life, and social skills workshops.
Trauma-informed practice infuses
Life Learning therapy, ensuring
that underlying traumatic stress is
addressed.
Weekend outings—including
beach-going, movie nights, hiking, and
karaoke—build social connectedness,
explore healthy recreation, and are
often first-time experiences. “It’s a joy
to work with our clients and see their
transformation across the board,” says
Chudnofsky.
Now a committed and hardworking
student, Rodrigo is studying fashion
“Jeff didn’t want to change
me,” Rodrigo says of his Life
Learning Program Therapist.
“He wanted to help me
understand and help myself.”
design at Los Angeles Trade Technical
College and has dreams of continuing
his design education in London. His
passion: couture fashion, with its
intricate hand-crafted designs. “I love
everything about it,” he says.
He’s inspired in part by his mother’s
long association with the fashion
industry and pleased that their
relationship is better than ever.
In another antidote to shyness, he
has even volunteered to organize events
and raise funds for a local nonprofit.
“I just want to help myself and become
something better,” says Rodrigo. “I’m
working toward my goals.”
Life Learning Clinical Therapist Jeff
Chudnofsky, MFT
Trauma-Informed Healing | 5
Access Center staff assess client need, and then engage a
spectrum of evidence-based, trauma-informed practices as
appropriate. These include:
• Child Parent Psychotherapy
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Seeking Safety
• Managing and Adapting Practices
6 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Opening Doors to Well-Being
About 1,700 children and family members used the Clinic’s walk-in Access Center last year to
start a journey to a healthier life.
Alma arrived bright and early one
morning at the Clinic’s walk-in
Access Center, with three-year-old
granddaughter Rosa in tow, along with
her brother, Manuel, 6*. A longtime
area resident, she heeded the advice of
a trusted neighbor as she sought help
for Rosa.
The bright-and-curious baby she had
known was now perpetually moody,
irritable, and unruly since Alma had
been awarded custody. Having raised
two of her own children, Alma was
now overwhelmed by the preschooler’s
tantrums and use of profanity—and
unsure how much longer she could
handle the stress.
The Access Center team met with
Alma and the children that same day,
and learned of a long history of trauma
endured by the children. Terrible
fights between mother and father,
fueled by substance abuse, ended only
with the father’s incarceration and
mother’s death. Grief-stricken herself,
Alma needed all the help she could
receive.
Fortunately, the no-appointment,
no-fee Access Center in the Clinic’s
Exposition Park Office at 3787 S.
Vermont Avenue is dedicated to
ensuring that children and caregivers
get the help they need as quickly as
possible—including the Clinic’s expert
mental health services.
“The Access Center was created in
1994 as a way to open our doors to the
community and make mental health
* Names changed for confidentialty.
services more accessible to everyone,”
says Andrew Kurtz, LMFT, Access
Center Director.
The Atlas Family Foundation
has been a long-standing partner in
underwriting Access Center services.
This year, the Access Center became
a separate division in the Clinic, and
will soon keep its doors open for an
additional two hours daily, from 8
am-2 pm on weekdays.
While anyone can just drop in,
often families are referred by schools,
the court, other government agencies,
or community physicians. Bilingual
child care is provided free to make
access easier. By creating this familyfriendly “port of entry,” the Clinic
hopes to diminish the anxiety and
cultural barriers that may impede use
of behavioral health services.
Family Advocates provide the first
line of service, screening families to
pinpoint what services they need.
Therapists and Family Advocates have
special training to assess the needs of
young children and to provide traumainformed services.
“Frequently, a person will tell
me, ‘This is the first time I’ve told
what happened to me. Thank you
for listening.’” says Belinda Beltran,
Family Advocate. “Or a parent will
say, ‘This is the first time I’ve gone
anywhere to get help for my son.’”
Beltran works to make that initial visit
as welcoming as possible.
Andrew Kurtz, LMFT, Access Center Director;
Demitri Richmond, Clinical Therapist; Belinda
Beltran, Family Advocate; Anet Khechoumian,
Clinical Therapist; Claudia Reddy, Clinical
Therapist.
“We are often the first resource,”
says Clinical Therapist Claudia Reddy,
ACSW. “Sometimes caregivers aren’t
sure where to begin or they hope their
child is just in a phase. It’s gratifying
we are able to be here when a family
needs us.”
Rosa, Manuel and Alma are doing
much better since they first visited the
Access Center. Early Intervention and
Community Wellness Division services
have offered Rosa support tailored
to children 0-5, while her brother
receives outpatient services. A Family
Advocate is helping Alma identify
additional family resources. Best of
all, Rosa smiles more, her naturally
bright personality emerging daily.
Trauma-Informed Healing | 7
Seeking Safety team, left to right: Ernie Limon, Cesar Porcayo-Morales, Eric Bailey, Jeremy Atterman, Johnny Morataya, and Bill Valdez Cifuentes
"The strength of our society depends on whether young
men of color have the opportunity to become healthy
adults who contribute to their communities and society”
– Investing in Boys and Young Men of Color,
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, February 2013
8 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Seeking Safety, Seeking New Futures
An innovative, evidence-based program reflects the Clinic’s commitment to teens suffering
trauma, including boys and young men of color.
Eric Bailey grew up in South L.A., so he
knows the kinds of stresses and trauma
that many area teens are exposed to
from a very young age.
That awareness—and a desire to
make a difference—inspired him to
join the Seeking Safety team at the Los
Angeles Child Guidance Clinic to help
teens experiencing trauma gain coping
skills and improve their futures. “We’re
essentially telling each teen, ‘You’re not
alone. We’re available if you need us.
This isn’t a 9-5 job for us,’” says Bailey.
The evidence-based program,
launched in 2012/2013, represents
a renewed effort by the Clinic to
reduce barriers to treatment faced by
boys and young men of color. Studies
show that young males in low-income
communities and communities of color
are the hardest hit of any group. They
have the lowest life expectancy rates,
highest unemployment rates, fewest high
school and college graduates, and one of
the highest homicide rates.*
The Seeking Safety team, all
Bachelor-level professionals, includes the
demographic the Clinic wants to impact:
young, Latino, African American,
and male. Each team member brings
a background in such trauma-related
issues as domestic violence, substance
abuse, and family dynamics.
Working in local high schools, the
team spreads the word about Seeking
Safety’s proven strategies among teachers,
counselors, social workers, and parents.
“Our young people deal with very high
rates of gang and community violence
directly,” says Eric Inouye, Clinic
Community Access Coordinator. “School
is a safe, positive place for most of them,
which makes it the perfect setting for this
program.”
Seeking Safety is designed to help
clients obtain safety from trauma,
substance abuse, or post-traumatic stress
syndrome. Its principles recognize the
impact of long-standing trauma, but
focus on here and now—an emphasis
that works with the teens the Clinic seeks
to help.
Atterman agrees. As teens gain more
self-confidence in facing the future, “they
view themselves differently,” he says.
Positive coping skills often zero in on
the teen’s interests. “I try to gauge what
each kid is into, and show how he or she
might use that interest to cope better
with negative encounters,” says team
member Johnny Morataya. In one recent
example, he guided 16-year-old Diego**
in combining his love of music with deep
breathing techniques to reduce stress.
As a result, the Seeking Safety team
has seen successes—in teens who stop
injuring themselves, de-escalate their
outbursts, and improve their grades
or family relationships. The goal, says
Porcayo-Morales: “We all want to help
kids reach safety.”
The team members have teens sign
contracts, develop plans of action, role
play positive behaviors, and draw up “safe
lists” of friends and family to contact
in a crisis. “Seeking Safety’s coping
techniques are really useful,” says team
member Ernie Limon. “Often, teens
need help controlling their anger or pain,
or the alternative can be doing harm to
themselves or others.”
These techniques are flexible enough
to adapt to different situations, “so our
clients feel empowered,” says Bill Valdez
Cifuentes. Fellow team member Jeremy
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
**Client name changed for confidentiality.
Trauma-Informed Healing | 9
Left to right: Dr. Quinton James, Keris Myrick, Dr. Jack Barbour, and Dr. Evis Coda. Myrick was awarded the Clinic’s
2012 “Evis Coda Award for Building Hope for Families,” while Dr. Barbour accepted the “Quinton James Award for
Making a Difference” on behalf of the Empowerment Congress Mental Health Committee.
“At every step of the roll-out of health care reform in Los Angeles,
public mental health services should be an equity partner . . . The
Empowerment Congress Mental Health Committee sees much
hope on the horizon for improving the health and mental health
status of some of our County’s neediest individuals.”
Los Angeles County Mental Health Services 2014 White Paper
10 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Leading the Way for Integrated Care
The Clinic works on behalf of improved mental health access at the policy level, bringing
together many constituents in its far-reaching efforts.
With national health care reform
poised for full implementation in
2014, the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic redoubled its efforts
in 2012/2013 to increase access
to quality mental health services,
especially for high-needs children
and families dependent on publicly
financed care.
For the past six years, Clinic
President/CEO Betsy Pfromm,
M.S., MPA, has co-chaired the
Mental Health Committee of the
Second Supervisorial District Empowerment Congress alongside Jack
Barbour, MD.
Formed in 2006 by Los Angeles
County Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas, the Mental Health Committee serves as a monthly forum
that enjoins mental health providers,
allied public and nonprofit organizations, consumers, advocates,
concerned citizens, and others to
discuss and share ideas addressing
mental health-related issues and advancing policy and other important
initiatives.
In 2012/2013, the Mental Health
Committee crafted an influential
White Paper that envisions the
Los Angeles County public mental
health service system of 2014 and
creates a path for integrating those
services as an equal partner with
primary medical care.
This year, the Clinic and allied
advocates devoted countless hours
to move this initiative forward. As a
result, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Executive Management Team formally agreed to adopt and advance
the White Paper’s key concepts as
DMH policy, and DMH Director
Marvin Southard, DSW, presented
the model at the 2013 National
Council Mental Health and Addictions Conference.
The original blueprint for the
transformation of mental health
services was contained in the 2004
Mental Health Services Act in
California, also known as Proposition 63. “The question is, how can
we take what we know works from
the 10-year transformation created
by the Mental Health Services Act
and ensure that health care reform
includes all participants in its broad
umbrella?” says Pfromm.
As early as 2010, the Mental
Health Committee began looking at
how best to integrate public mental
health services into the care model envisioned by the Affordable Care Act.
“The communities of South and
Central Los Angeles have inherent
strengths, including informed stakeholders and caring families, which
contribute as we go forward with
integrated services,” says Dr. Barbour. “The genius of the Empowerment Congress model is that we
leverage those strengths to safeguard
and expand access to mental health
services for our county’s neediest
individuals.”
The Clinic is putting its policies into action with a partnership
that brings mental health services
to the primary care setting. Under
a three-year pilot program, now in
its second year, Clinic therapists are
stationed at the South Central Family Health Center’s Central Avenue
site. The project is supported by
DMH Innovation Funding generated through the Mental Health
Services Act.
In this way, the Clinic continues
to turn policy into cutting-edge
practice.
Access to trauma-informed
integrated care is a key
component of the Mental
Health Committee White
Paper. Echoing that priority,
the Clinic completed its
year-long membership in a
Trauma-Informed Learning
Community funded by
the National Council for
Community Behavioral
Healthcare. Throughout
2012/2013, our Early
Intervention Training Institute
also offered workshops on
the impact of trauma and
underwrote the participation
of Partnership for Community
Wellness agencies.
Trauma-Informed Healing | 11
EARLY INTERVENTION AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS
The Clinic’s innovative and nationally
recognized specialized services for families with children ages 0–5 comprise
the Early Intervention and Community
Wellness Division Programs, which
offer support at the earliest stages of
life—when such services can have the
biggest impact on long-term success in
school and in life.
First Steps
Our nationally recognized First Steps
home-visiting model assists parents and
caregivers to develop healthy attachment bonds with their very young children—bonds demonstrated to reduce
the likelihood of future mental health
problems. The program’s mental health
professionals offer prevention services
demonstrated to help children build
resiliency, stimulate developmental
skills, increase their ability to overcome
obstacles, and develop healthy relationships throughout their lives. Families
in the program have faced high exposure to intense stressors like violence
and poverty, which in turn negatively
impact healthy early development for
children. First Steps stellar services
earned the American Psychiatric Association 2006 Advancing Minority
Mental Health Award.
Early Intervention Outpatient
Services
Outpatient services for children ages
0-5 address the specific behavioral and
emotional problems of very young
children, including defiance, aggression, inattention, hyperactivity,
depressed mood, anxiety, and difficulty with attachment to caregivers. A
12 | Trauma-Informed Healing
spectrum of highly responsive services
includes family therapy, skill-building
rehabilitation, case management, and
relationship-based services. Evidencebased practices include Child-Parent
Psychotherapy and Positive Parenting
Program. Our strengths-based program builds on family and cultural
assets, empowering parents through
skills development and education. Service locations respond to client needs,
and include the Clinic, clients’ homes,
day care centers, and preschool/kindergarten classrooms.
Early Intervention Day
Treatment Intensive
The Day Treatment Intensive Service
program meets the needs of children
two-and-a-half to five years old who
have severe emotional and behavioral disorders. These disorders often
interfere with family functioning, and
many times result in expulsion from
preschool and disruption in home settings. Day Treatment Intensive focuses
on putting very young children back
on track to success, reinforcing appropriate behaviors and relationships,
while preparing children for future
social and educational challenges via a
highly structured environment, intensive therapeutic interventions and services within a nurturing and corrective
framework. Multiple clinical modalities are utilized including art therapy,
music and movement therapies, and
sensory interventions. Parents and
caregivers participate in family therapy,
parental/caregiver support groups, and
therapeutic services provided during
home visits.
Multidisciplinary Assessment
Team (MAT) Services
MAT provides timely feedback to the
court system on the needs of children
entering foster care in a program that
partners the Clinic with both the
County’s Department of Children
and Family Services and Department
of Mental Health. Individual mental
health, developmental, social, educational, and medical needs are evaluated to ensure optimal care. Biological
parents, foster parents, and relative
caregivers are interviewed and assessed
according to their strengths and needs.
Resources are offered to enhance their
ability to meet children’s needs, and
reduce the likelihood for multiple outof-home placements.
Family Resource Center
With the support of First 5 LA and
philanthropic partners, the Family
Resource Center provides familyfocused, community-based, culturally
and linguistically competent assistance
to parents who often face extreme
financial distress. The FRC offers
concrete supports to bridge urgent
crises, with a goal of developing
self-sufficiency, especially as parents
navigate their child’s welfare, special
education, and mental health services
and resources. Center services include
specialized workshops, family night
events, case management, a clothing
closet, and child care during Clinic
visits. Donated items ranging from car
seats to strollers to baby bottles and
diapers are offered. The Center partners
with community-based organizations to
leverage local assets and expand access
beyond the Clinic’s client base.
OUTPATIENT SERVICES
School-Based Services
Undiagnosed and untreated mental
health disorders stand as a barrier
between students and academic success.
The Clinic’s team of behavioral health
professionals bridges those barriers
directly at school, in support of classroom success. Students find the Clinic’s
therapists at 21 Los Angeles Unified
School District elementary, middle,
and high schools. This easy access to
on-site, high-quality mental health
services ensures students benefit from
an array of strategies such as group and
family treatments designed to directly
address mental health-related problems
including trauma.
Access Center
Honored recently by the Los Angeles
County Commission on Disabilities,
the Clinic’s Access Center Walk-In
Clinic is our major “port of entry,” offering no-fee, no-appointment mental
health screening for children and
youth. Crisis intervention and linkages
to community resources are included.
Located at our flagship site on South
Vermont Avenue near Exposition Boulevard, a team of therapists and family
advocates address immediate needs and
initiate appropriate services. Services
are available in English and Spanish
every weekday from 8:00 a.m. to noon,
with child care provided.
Family Preservation
Outpatient Services
When children come to the attention
of the County Probation Department
or Department of Children and Family
Services (DCFS), Family Preservation
works toward a goal of preventing removal from parental care at home. The
program is operated by lead agencies
under contract to DCFS. As a partner, the Clinic provides mental health
services to children and families to improve family unity, build on strengths,
and find alternative means to manage
stressors.
Our comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, and crisis intervention services for
children, adolescents, and their families
are offered at the Clinic or in the home
by our highly skilled team of behavioral
health professionals. Staff is trained in
a spectrum of evidence-based practices, with detection and treatment for
trauma at the heart of interventions that
assist caregivers to improve their ability
to manage the stressors that negatively
impact the well-being of their children.
Services include individual, group, and
family therapy; case management; skillbuilding rehabilitation; and medication
services.
Trauma-Informed Healing | 13
Life Learning Program
Employment services, rehabilitation,
case management, and medication
services are blended in our Life
Learning Program, which serves
adolescents and young adults ages
15 to 25 who have significant mental
health needs. The program equips
youth with essential skills and
experiences to transition successfully
to independent community life.
Staff assist in developing positive
peer relationships, obtaining stable
housing, higher education, job
opportunities, and access to other
community resources. Special
weekend and evening recreational and
cultural enrichment activities expose
clients to opportunities outside their
daily life experiences. The Clinic
partners with the State Department
of Rehabilitation and the County
Department of Mental Health
Cooperative Program to provide
Life Learning, which is nationally
accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation of Rehabilitation
Facilities (CARF).
14 | Trauma-Informed Healing
INTENSIVE SERVICES
Full Service Partnerships
Intensive, coordinated services for underserved, high-risk
children exhibiting severe behavioral and emotional problems are
offered through Full Service Partnerships, which is supported by
California’s Mental Health Services Act. A team of therapists,
parent partners, family advocates, and psychiatrists offer parents and
caregivers therapy, skill-building rehabilitation, case management,
medication services, and substance abuse treatment. Special funding
underwrites support services for children and families. With active
family involvement a key agent of change, parent partners engage
families and assist to access community resources. Services are
offered in locations that are best suited for each individual family.
Wraparound
This Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) initiative
utilizes a nationally recognized model of service delivery to serve
families with a child who has been in or is at risk of high-level
residential placement. Family-assigned teams include professional
staff, family members, and other community members. With flexible
DCFS funding, services are tailored to provide what is necessary
to help a family keep their child in the community. Interventions
typically include mental health and other supportive services, as
well as activities that promote youth involvement. Parent partners
provide primary support and work to strengthen families for a
better, brighter future.
TRAINING
Early Intervention Training Institute
Benefiting from capacity-building support
provided by First 5 LA, the Early Intervention
Training Institute offers specialized training
to providers who work with children ages 0–5,
with a goal of assisting “gatekeepers” to identify, refer, and intervene with children at risk for
emotional, behavioral, or social delays, as well
as other obstacles. The Clinic’s social enterprise, the Institute offers trainings throughout
the year, with a focus on enhancing knowledge
of early childhood development, as well as
competencies in addressing emotional and behavioral challenges. Trainings are also offered
in effective and evidence-based interventions
in settings that include mental health agencies,
Early Head Start, Head Start, day care centers,
and child welfare organizations. The Institute’s
highly-regarded trainings feature nationally
recognized leaders in their respective fields
and draw trainees from throughout Southern
California.
Child Psychiatry Residents Training
Our long-standing affiliation with the University of Southern California’s Keck School of
Medicine, Division of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, provides residents with on-site psychiatric training in the diagnosis and treatment of
children ages 0-5. Psychiatrists receive specialized training during a four-month rotation,
while the Clinic benefits by having additional
psychiatrists infused in our early intervention services. With the availability of these
additional psychiatrists, the Clinic increases
the number of families and children served by
highly qualified staff.
The Early Intervention Training Institute offers specialized training, such as
interactive sensory-based interventions, to providers who work with children ages 0-5.
Trauma-Informed Healing | 15
Trauma Exposure: A Special Challenge
The Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic serves the historic neighborhoods of South and Central Los Angeles, which have played a vital
role in the city’s cultural richness but also experience great challenges.
The National Center for PTSD lists the following factors among those that heighten risk for childhood trauma: living in an inner-city
neighborhood, involvement with gang activity or substance abuse, exposure to domestic violence. As the data below shares, local
children and families are disproportionately exposed to trauma on a daily basis—and in need of the accessible mental health services,
trauma-informed resources, and compassionate assistance for which the Clinic has garnered national recognition.
We begin from the knowledge that each of our client families brings its own strengths. Then we work with our community partners
to build upon those strengths, developing resilience, health and well-being, and such protective factors as parenting skills, social
connections, and concrete support.
3rd-Graders Proficient or Advanced in Reading *
20%
26% 32%
South LA
Central LA
LA County
High School Graduation Rate *
Children Living Below 100% Federal Poverty Level *
39%
South LA
58%
36%
Central LA
23%
LA County
Children 0-17 Years With Difficulty
Accessing Medical Care **
LA County
44% A
Central LA
20%
South LA
21%
Central LA
12%
LA County
35%
South LA
Homicide Rate Among Teens & Young Adults **
(Ages 15-34 years, per 100,000)
Children Placed in Out-of-Home Care*
South LA
Central LA LA County
4,1731,44820,454
65
South LA
20
Central LA
28
LA County
* LA County 2008 Children’s Scorecard, Children’s Council of LA County
** LA County Department of Public Health (DPH)
16 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Bringing Well-Being to Where Need is Highest
Vermont
21
16
19
11
La Cienega Blvd.
10
12
20
4
9
14
13
24
17
23
22
5
Alameda
Western
Slauson Ave
15
18
6
St.
7
Manchester Blvd
8
Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic Offices
School-Based Services Partners
1.
University Park Site
3031 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
2. Exposition Park Site
3787 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
3. Leimert Park Site
4401 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles
4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
15. 28th Street Elementary School
52nd Street Elementary School
68th Street Elementary School
75th Street Elementary School
95th Street Elementary School
Alexander Science Center School
Bradley Elementary School
Dorsey High School
Foshay Learning Center
Manual Arts High School
ML King Jr. Elementary School
Nevin Avenue Elementary School
16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.
Norwood Elementary School
Obama Global Preparatory Academy MS
The Accelerated School
Vermont Avenue Elementary School
Weemes Elementary School
West Adams Preparatory High Schooll
Western Avenue Elementary School
William and Carol Ouchi High School
Other Service Site Partners
24. South Central Family Health Center
25. Good Shepherd Shelter (location not disclosed)
Trauma-Informed Healing | 17
Service Highlights Fiscal Year 2012/2013 (7/1/2012 – 6/30/2013)
Clients Served
children and family members benefited from
Clinic services.
Access Center Services
children, family members, and caregivers received
immediate help at the walk-in center.
Outpatient Visits
mental health outpatient visits were
provided at three community-based Clinic
offices, and on-site at 21 local schools, in
clients’ homes, and other community sites.
Days of Service Provided
days of service were provided through our
intensive day treatment program.
18 | Trauma-Informed Healing
USC Medical Residents
residents from the University of Southern California’s
Keck School of Medicine served rotations at the Clinic
through the Child Psychiatry Residents Training
We are grateful to
our public sector
partners for their
support.
Program, receiving specialized training in the diagnosis
and treatment of very young children.
Public Sector Partners
•Los Angeles County Department of
Mental Health
•Los Angeles County Department of
Children and Family Services
Los Angeles Unified School
District campuses where Clinic
staff are providing mental
health services onsite
•California Department of
Rehabilitation
•First 5 LA
Trauma-Informed Healing | 19
Celestial Donors
For their cumulative and outright giving in support of Clinic programs and ongoing
operations, our heartfelt thanks to these good friends, our angels. It is through this generous
support that our program efforts bring hope and help to children and families.
DIAMOND ANGELS
$1,000,000 AND UP
The Hulen C. Callaway Trust
First 5 LA – Proposition 10 Commission
Mrs. Charles Luckman
Ruth Russell Shelby
RUBY ANGELS
$500,000-999,999
Richard and Lezlie Atlas and The Atlas
Family Foundation
The California Endowment
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
The Rose Hills Foundation
The United Way of Greater Los Angeles
EMERALD ANGELS
$250,000-499,999
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
S. Mark Taper Foundation
SAPPHIRE ANGELS
$100,000-249,999
The Ahmanson Foundation
Anonymous
California Community Foundation
The California Wellness Foundation
Carl and Roberta Deutsch Foundation
Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Hirsch
Mr. and Mrs. Mark S. Louchheim
Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation
UniHealth Foundation
Weingart Foundation
Adrianne and Robert Zarnegin
The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
Ms. Monica C. Petrucci
The Skirball Foundation
Lon V. Smith Foundation
Sweet-Friedlander Family
The Flora L. Thornton Foundation
The Walt Disney Company Foundation
Ms. Virginia M. Wilson
Robert and Joyce Zaitlin
PLATINUM ANGELS
$25,000-49,999
The Angell Foundation
The Bice Passavant Foundation
Chapman and Associates Charitable Foundation
Confidence Foundation
The Everhealth Foundation – Honoring the Memory of Frederick I. Frischling
George Hoag Family Foundation
The Hearst Foundation, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Quinton C. James
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Southern
California Region
George C. Page
Mr. Carlos Perez
Ms. Elizabeth W. Pfromm
SHARE, Inc.
Mr. Bernard P. Smith
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust
J. B. and Emily Van Nuys Charities
The Victor Family
Whitecap Foundation
GOLD ANGELS
$15,000-24,999
Anonymous
PEARL ANGELS
Ms. Elaine Carey
$50,000-99,999
The Cleveland Foundation
Anonymous
Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy
The Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Child
Ms. Martha C. de la Torre
Guidance Clinic
Employees Charity Organization of
Nancy and Bob Brachman
Northrop Grumman
Crail-Johnson Foundation
Bernard and Ellyn Gelson
Les Dames de Champagne of Los Angeles
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hochberg
Dignity Health
Kaiser Foundation Hospital of Los Angeles
Joseph Drown Foundation
The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation
Victoria Erteszek Foote for the Erteszek
Morelle Lasky Levine
Family Foundation
Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Fund
First 5 LA / Families In Schools
The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation
The families of John R. Liebman and Bonnie A. Ronald McDonald House Charities
Kohl, and the late Marilyn Liebman
Ms. Sonia Mercado
William S. Louchheim
Robin and Tom Moody
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Moelis
Pfaffinger Foundation
20 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D. Royer
Wendy and Ken Ruby
Shamrock Holdings of California, Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
Transamerica Foundation
Carl E. Wynn Foundation
SILVER ANGELS
$7,500-14,999
Bank of America Foundation
BP Foundation
Cactus Classic Golf Tournament
California Children and Families Commission
Employees Community Fund of
Boeing California
The David Geffen Foundation
Diane and Guilford Glazer
Ms. Shelly Holmes
Adriana and Marvin Karno
KTLA Charities
Lions Club of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times Family Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Neary
PacifiCare Foundation
Adrienne and Kenneth Pingree
Dr. Ruth Sinay and Mr. Joseph Sinay
Nancy and Craig Smith
Society of Young Philanthropists
Robert J. Stransky Foundation
The Times Mirror Foundation
Dr. Thomas F. Trott
Union Bank of California
Kay and Richard Van Horn
R.S. Zarnegin Continuation Ltd.
BRONZE ANGELS
$2,500-7,499
Anonymous
Mrs. Howard Ahmanson
American Psychiatric Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. August
The Aron Warner Fund
The R. C. Baker Foundation
Mr. Howard and Mrs. Jackie Banchik
Frank G. Binswanger III
The Brotman Foundation of California
Mrs. Cecil Brown
Dr. and Mrs. Evis J. Coda
Rolland and Yoshie Cooper
Mary and Tom DeMund
Noelle and Jeff Donfeld
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Essakow
Betty J. Friedlander and Robert D. Haines
Mr. and Mrs. James Gallagher
Mr. and Mrs. Todd and Terry Gilman
Mr. Emerson Glazer
Ms. Erika Glazer
Governor’s Book Fund, California State
Library Foundation
Adrienne Grant and Paul Jennings
Ms. Jane Hefflefinger
Hollywood Park Racing Charities, Inc.
Audrey and Sydney Irmas Charitable
Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Jason
The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Kleiner-Cohen Foundation
Nancy and Jim Krasne
Ms. Susan R. Levin
Marlene and Sandy Louchheim
Wayne Moore
Alexander Moradi
Ilene and Jeff Nathan
Peter Norton Family Foundation
Oak Tree Charitable Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. Paduano
Mr. Keith W. Renken
Anthony P. Ressler and Jami B. Gertz
The Riordan Foundation
The Honorable and Mrs. Maxwell
Hilary Salter
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sanders
Mr. Brion R. Sasaki
Ms. Helen L. Scharps
Mr. Brad Scott
The SKETCH Foundation
Mitchell J. Stein Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Michael W. Stoddard
Mrs. Leonard Straus
Raeann and Steven Talavera
Mr. Edgar Twine, Esq.
Universal Studios
Torrey Webb Charitable Trust
Wells Fargo Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sanford Whiting
ENDOWMENT ANGELS
The Steve Neuman Special Fund
The Charles A. and Margaret W.
Pollak Trusts
ENRICHMENT ANGELS
The Marilyn Liebman Arts Enrichment Fund
The Pfromm Fund
Annual Honor Roll of Donors
Fiscal Year July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013
We are deeply grateful for gifts received this past fiscal year from old friends and first-time supporters
alike to support our comprehensive array of programs and services. Your philanthropic partnership is
a vital contribution to the Clinic’s ongoing efforts to offer help and hope for children and their families.
CHAMPIONS
$25,000 AND UP
First 5 LA / Families In Schools
The Rose Hills Foundation
FRIENDS
$250-499
Mrs. Cecil B. Brown
Ms. Kathleen Drummy
LEADERS
$5,000 – 24,000
The Bice Passavant Foundation
Confidence Foundation
Dignity Health
Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation
Judith Sweet and Gene Friedlander
Ms. Adrienne Grant and Mr. Paul Jennings
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Los Angeles
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, West Los Angeles
Mrs. Cathy and Mr. Mark S. Louchheim
Ms. Virginia M. Wilson
ASSOCIATES
$100 – 249
AT&T Employee Giving, United Way
Dr. and Mrs. David Bender
Dr. M. Christina Benson
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin M. Chalek
Mr. and Mrs. James J. Gallagher
Dr. Timothy Hayes
Ms. Margaret Howe
Mr. Sheldon H. Levy
Ms. Michelle Lopez
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nylund
United Way, California Capital Region
United Way, Greater Los Angeles
Mr. Gary Williams
BENEFACTORS
$1,000 – 4,999
Anonymous
Mr. Robert S. Brachman
Ms. Martha de la Torre
The California Endowment
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Hirsch
Ms. Shelly Holmes
Dr. and Mrs. Quinton C. James
Kleiner-Cohen Foundation
Morelle Lasky Levine
Ms. Sonia Mercado
Mr. Carlos Perez
Ms. Elizabeth W. Pfromm
Mr. Keith W. Renken
Mrs. Wendy and Mr. Ken Ruby
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust
Nancy and Craig Smith
Ms. Elizabeth Tabita
Dr. Thomas F. Trott
UniHealth Foundation
Ms. Joyce Zaitlin
PATRONS
$500 – 999
Dr. and Mrs. Evis J. Coda
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Gilman
Ms. Shelly Holmes
Ms. Robin Moody
Mr. Wayne Moore
Dr. and Mrs. John S. Wells
SUPPORTERS
$25-99
Anonymous
Mrs. Anne L. Arend
Ms. Susan Coates
Mr. Edwin Cornett
Mr. M.Y. Garcia
Ms. Alyson Goodall
Give with Liberty
Mr. Arthur Padilla
Truist Altruism, Connected
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick R. Waingrow
Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Weinstock
Mr. O. Wilson
Dr. Areta C. Crowell
In Honor of Dr. Quinton C. James and Elizabeth W. Pfromm
Mrs. Audrey and Mr. Donald Humphries
In Honor of Dr. Quinton and Mrs. Agnes James
Dr. Marvin and Mrs. Adriana Karno
In Memory of Gary Garcia
Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Kessler
In Honor of Mr. Rocket McDonald on his Birthday
Ms. Jane Petipas
In Honor of Mr. Tom Moody
Mr. César Portillo
In Memory of Mr. Mariano and Mrs. Rosa Rodriguez
In-Kind Gifts
Asian Pacific American
Dispute Resolution Center
Baby2Baby
Ms. Suzanne Charity
L.A. SHARES
TechSoup
Ultra PRO
Neuman Fund Contributors
Mr. Robert S. Brachman
Judith Sweet and Gene Friedlander
Pfromm Fund Contributors
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Hirsch
TRIBUTE AND MEMORIAL GIFTS
Ms. Debbi Winter
In Memory of Ms. Victoria Ertezsek Foote
Joanne Marie and Marcel George Foundation
In Honor of Mr. Marcel George
Mr. Kenneth and Mrs. Jane Brown
In Honor of Dr. Quinton C. James
Trauma-Informed Healing | 21
With your gift to the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, you can reach out to
children and families in the high-need, resource-poor communities of South and
Central Los Angeles and help them build a brighter, healthier future.
Contribute
Your contribution, in any amount, will help ensure the Clinic can effectively disrupt the cycle and consequences of trauma and continue our advocacy on behalf
of generations of children and families.
Online: www.lachild.org/donate
By phone: (323) 766-2360 ext. 3360
By mail: Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, Advancement Office,
3031 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90007.
Your contribution can be designated as a memorial or tribute gift. Our donors are
gratefully acknowledged in our annual Honor Roll.
You also can donate a vehicle you no longer need—whether car,
motorcycle, boat, trailer, or plane—to our Car Donation Program
by visiting www.lachildcar.org.
Donat e yo ur car!
In-Kind Donations
To help high-needs families create safe and nurturing homes, the Clinic’s Family
Resource Center (FRC) provides direct help, ranging from diapers and clothing
to parent workshops. The FRC welcomes your help. Current high-priority needs
include:
• Disposable diapers, any size, with particular need for
4, 5 and 6
• Strollers
• Car Seats (must be new and include expiration date or
date of manufacture on one of the tags)
• Cribs (new and unused)
• Bassinettes
• Pack ‘n Play travel play pen
Thank you.
The Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic is a private nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
22 | Trauma-Informed Healing
Clinic Leadership
The Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic is indebted to the governing leadership of our Board of Directors
and the guidance and assistance of our Advisory Board. These individuals, working in close partnership
with Executive Staff, give generously of their time, talents, and resources in carrying out our mission.
Officers
Shelly Holmes
Chairperson
Rogers Finn Partners
Wayne Moore
Chairperson-Elect and Treasurer
Southern California Association
of Governments, rtd.
Carlos Perez
Vice Chairperson and Secretary
Immediate Past Chairperson
Deloitte & Touche, LLP, rtd.
Elizabeth W. Pfromm, M.S., MPA
President/CEO
Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic
Directors
David L. Hirsch, Esq.
Advancement Committee Chairperson
MASCO Corporation, rtd.
Quinton C. James, M.D.
Los Angeles Unified School District, rtd.
Robin Moody
Tom Moody, Inc.
Robert J. Neary
Clinical Op. & Tech. Committee Chairperson
TechGnosis, Inc.
Peter Nylund
Telepacific Communications
Elizabeth Tabita
The California Endowment
Advisory Board
Robert Zarnegin, Co-Founder
Barbara Bice
Victoria Erteszek Foote, Co-Founder
Mark S. Louchheim
Cynthia Ann Telles, Ph.D.
Keith W. Renken
Barry Sacks
Samuel M. Victor
Executive Staff
Elizabeth W. Pfromm, M.S., MPA
President/CEO
Tiffany T. Rodriguez, LMFT
Vice President of Programs
Thomas F. Trott, M.D., Ph.D.
A Medical Corporation
Steven Talavera
Vice President of
Finance and Administration
Robert S. Brachman
Wilshire Insurance Agency
Gary Williams, Esq.
Audit Committee Chairperson
Loyola Law School
Teresa Leingang, M.A., J.D.
Vice President of Human Resources
and Risk Management
Martha C. de la Torre
El Clasificado
Virginia M. Wilson
TIAA-CREF
César Portillo
Vice President of Clinic Advancement
Scott Bice, Esq.
Governance and Nominating Committee
Chairperson
USC Gould School of Law
Eugene Friedlander
Ken Ruby Construction Company
A nnual R eport 2013
César Portillo, editor
Jonathan Lorenzo, assistant editor
Candace Pearson, writer
HUTdogs, graphic design
Photography:
Jonathan Lorenzo, pages 7, 8
César Portillo, page 4
Carolyn Wang, page 5
Raul Flores, page 15
Trauma-Informed Healing | 23
3031 South Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(323) 373-2400
www.lachild.org
24 | Trauma-Informed Healing