Founders Day Celebration Kicks-Off New $21 Million Capital Campaign n Sunday, October 20th, Casa Pacifica’s video screens flanked a stage and podium. officially announced founders, Ventura County dignitaries, Once guests were seated in the tent, several the $21 million dollar Board of Directors, Angels Presidents, donors, speakers took the stage including special emcee campaign that will improve and expand the Opatrons, and friends of Casa Pacifica gathered for the day, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff campus’ facilities and programs by strengthening on the campus’ Carl Lowthorp Field of Dreams Dean; Michael Powers, Ventura County’s Chief its infrastructure. The improvements will allow (the baseball field named for one of Casa Executive Officer; Susan Lacey, retired Ventura Casa Pacifica to increase the number of youth it Pacifica’s original founders) to serves (currently many have to be turned away celebrate the history and because of lack of space) and include: progress of Casa Pacifica over • Expand the teen substance abuse program the past 20 years and to look by adding two new residential cottages ahead to where the agency specifically addressing the issue is going. • Increase by sixteen the number of desperately needed beds available for transitional foster Nearly 300 guests, including youth in the County by adding two houses the late Carl Lowthorp’s family, to the Stepping Stone property. enjoyed ballpark fare of • Expand the Recreational Therapy Program hotdogs, sliders, nachos, that offers youth the opportunity to try new popcorn, peanuts, and things, challenge themselves, learn living lemonade and the upbeat skills, and discover their own interests in a new, soulful sounds of the band larger, better-equipped Activities Building Sound Effect while they • Expand the campus health Casa Pacifica Supporters caught up with friends – old and clinic to accommodate the new – and reminisced about the growing number of children early days of Casa Pacifica. Tours were County Supervisor (who was with unmet medical needs in available, led by Casa Pacifica’s Resident a Supervisor when Casa the foster care population Leadership group and Pacifica project was • Develop a robust vocational the CITY Program’s approved by the County); education and training INSIDE: Youth Advocates, Casa Pacifica alumnae and program to help youth highlighting several current Youth Advocate, prepare for the workforce President’s Message campus locations Cristina Miranda; and Steve with sought-after skills by CEO’s Message where agency staff Elson, Casa Pacifica’s CEO. adding a training center Page 2 members explained Each speaker offered their • Serve more youth with how each program perspective of where Casa severe behavioral and Annual Fundraising operates and Pacifica has been and what emotional issues who need a Page 6 answered questions. the agency has accomplished. therapeutic environment Wine & Food Festival Steve Elson also introduced a where they can regain their Page 8 & 9 A beautiful, white, new Casa Pacifica video that age appropriate/grade triple-peaked tent was moving, inspiring, and Dr. Priscilla Partridge de Garcia, educational skills by building Ventura County CEO - Michael Angels & Amigos held tables sporting left few dry eyes in the tent. additional classrooms in the centerpieces Powers, and Ventura County nonpublic school Page 10 & 11 Supervisor - Linda Parks flowering from Sean Baker, one of the co-chairs Heartlines Heartlines Upcoming Events oversized popcorn of the Building New Foundations of Hope Continued on Page 3 Page 20 boxes and giant Capital Campaign then took the stage and Fall 2013 Volume 13 • Number 1 From the President of the Board of Directors From the Chief Executive Officer ecently Casa Pacifica’s Executive Leadership team nominated our CEO, Steve Elson, t our Founder’s Reception (see Heartlines lead story) held on campus on October for the nationally recognized Peter B. Goldberg ARAMARK Building Community 20th, we officially announced a $21 million capital campaign to improve/enhance Executive Leadership Award. The award was founded on the idea that services on campus and to strengthen our infrastructure. This is the largest project we Rexecutive leadership is critical to a high-performing nonprofit organization and the award Ahave undertaken since we opened nearly 20 years ago. The campaign and resulting “honors one outstanding community center executive director for active leadership and campus enhancements will ensure that Casa Pacifica better meets the needs of achievements on behalf of the community center movement . .” While he did not traumatized children, effectively supports growing outpatient demand both on- and receive the award, the Board of Directors and staff members of Casa Pacifica were off-campus, and continues to provide services with excellence and innovation directed pleased to see Dr. Elson receive the recognition as one of the leading CEOs in the at improving the lives of the most vulnerable children in our community. country in his field. Our campus was designed based on the needs of the local community over two While you are aware of the excellent leadership Steve Elson decades ago. These needs have grown and have pushed over one-fifth of our services provides to Casa Pacifica and its plethora of programs and into temporary buildings. Some operations have been moved off site, which further services, did you know he spends a good deal of time serving on limits efficiencies and effectiveness. regional and national boards committed to providing quality services for children and families? Dr. Elson’s most recent Yet, the demand for our services has never been more pressing. Admissions into our affiliations include: 45-bed emergency shelter have risen 20% in the past three years. For each youth we admit into our residential treatment program, we turn away four. Every day our • Current President of the California Council of Community under-resourced health clinic deals with foster children with life threatening illnesses – Mental Health Agencies malnourishment, morbid obesity, untreated endocrinological conditions, uncontrolled Keets Cassar • Current Treasurer of the California Mental Health Advocates insulin dependent diabetes, intractable seizure disorders, and end stage cystic fibrosis. President for Children and Youth Demand for our Parent-Child Interaction Therapy labs (located in temporary structures) • Past President of the American Association of Children’s continues to climb. And, drug and alcohol services in our community are woefully Residential Centers inadequate in spite of the fact that substance abuse is a factor in at least three quarters of all foster care placements. As he was described in the Leadership Award application: Steve is a natural leader with a vision for quality children’s services. He is skillful in building collaborative relationships Notwithstanding these challenges we have served more than across the community that benefit young people and families at some of the most 21,000 of our region’s most challenging children and youth and difficult times of their lives. He sees the big picture, thinks before acting, and is decisive their families since we opened. We continue to accept a child when action is necessary. One of his peers explains, “I think other agencies study what into one of our programs every two hours. Indeed, in this past Steve and Casa Pacifica are doing as it often reflects things they should be thinking of year we served one out of every 100 children in Santa Barbara doing”. Steve is a visionary, with a businessman’s eye, a clinician’s brain, and the heart of and Ventura Counties. a community organizer and leader. Thousands of our region’s citizens have attended Casa Pacifica Steve Elson has served as the CEO of Casa Pacifica since the agency opened its doors events; volunteered as Angels or Amigos; worked with kids on nearly 20 years ago. He has set the standard, culture, values, and milieu of the agency Steven E. Elson, Ph.D. campus; donated goods, services, and money; and supported from day one. His approach is collaborative and transparent. He encourages input from Chief Executive Officer children in our care in myriad other ways. Their concerned and kids, youth, families, and staff at all levels. Seventeen different programs have been compassionate involvement has been critical in our success. Now established under his leadership, of which many reach out into the community to those we need the community’s support more than ever. The Capital Campaign will enable at the deepest end of the child welfare and mental health services systems. He actively us to increase by at least 50% the number of children and youth we serve annually – works to shape the organizational culture, fiscal stability, and implementation of both on and off campus. It will allow us to replace 12,000 square feet of temporary innovative programs. He fosters collaborative relationships. And, he has his hand on the structures and add 46,000 sq. ft. of state-of-art buildings to house new programs; pulse of child welfare and mental health trends. expand our outpatient services, health clinic, and other campus programs; and provide better access to community services and training. These enhancements will significantly We are very proud to have Steve Elson at the helm, guiding the everyday activities of enhance our ability to provide our excellent, high quality, therapeutic programs and Casa Pacifica and looking forward with a larger vision to what the next twenty years for services