Casa Pacifica

Prevail and Thrive

By Katrina McDowell on Oct 4, 2024 in Giving

Casa Pacifica is the largest nonprofit provider of children’s and adolescent mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, specializing in treating children and youth who struggle with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and emotional dysregulation. Established in 1994, Casa Pacifica is committed to helping children and youth achieve success in school, home and in life through its life-changing mental health programs and services.

“We work with more than 2,000 at-risk children, families and young adults annually in outpatient, residential, home and community-based settings. We are everywhere they need us,” explained Roya Alt, communications director for Casa Pacifica.

Thanks to the generous funding from Yardi, Casa Pacifica can realize its vision of a future where every young person facing a mental health challenge can survive and thrive. This support has allowed it to maintain and improve some of its most beloved campus features, including an organic teaching garden, a weekly equine therapy program, and a newly renovated baseball diamond.

“We are so grateful to Yardi for their longtime support,” expressed Alt. She continued, “We are deeply thankful for Yardi’s enduring partnership and commitment to our cause.”

Meet Norah

Suicidal ideation, low self-esteem and persistent depression brought Norah to Casa Pacifica. The fifteen-year-old was being bullied and was withdrawing from friends, classmates and things that previously brought her joy. She frequently expressed a desire to harm herself. Her family was growing distraught over Norah’s low self-esteem and her tendency to spend hours alone in her room glued to her computer. “We felt powerless to help her,” said her father.

A large part of every child’s journey at Casa Pacifica is a comprehensive assessment to determine what’s behind challenging behaviors and provide appropriate, individualized treatment. In Norah’s case, Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) was identified as a practical approach to managing her fluctuating moods and improving her coping skills. TBS is a short-term program that focuses on changing a child’s behavior while emphasizing the child’s strengths. As part of treatment, the therapeutic team works with parents or caregivers and the youth to increase successful behaviors and learn new ways of reducing conflict. Parents – who participate in regular therapeutic sessions as part of their child’s treatment – are encouraged to practice the skills with their child during therapy or at home.

Norah was fortunate to have the support of her family, especially her father, who tried to take an empathetic approach to understanding Norah’s anger and unhappiness. Although initially wary of TBS and reluctant to open up, Norah eventually began to build trust with her care team, who were focused on increasing her self-esteem and self-acceptance. After several weeks, she learned to tap into replacement behaviors, such as mindfulness, to reduce her self-doubt and her tendency to isolate. She was also allowed to meet with a care team member who listened to her discuss her emotions without judgment. Norah credits this experience with feeling more hopeful about treatment and her future.

After four months, her family and care team noticed a significant change. Norah no longer expressed a desire to end her life or to harm herself. She became more interested in school and in reacquainting with friends. She began to spend less time alone in her room on the computer and more time with her parents. She enjoyed playing paintball with her brother and smiled more than her family remembered.  Today, Norah is thriving. She’s back in school, has a supportive group of friends, and a positive outlook on life.

“I’m more motivated to do things. I take more of an interest in life. Casa Pacifica gave me the tools to help me face challenges, and I will always be thankful.”

Norah’s story is a testament to the transformative power of Casa Pacifica’s services.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Casa Pacifica. There are numerous ways to support its clients, from helping to enhance the campus to organizing a sports or craft day to assisting with its annual children’s Christmas party. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, is invaluable. Learn more about its volunteer program here or email [email protected].

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.

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