Casa Pacifica Opens New Supportive Housing for Transitional Age Youth

Innovative Partnership with County of Ventura, Project Homekey Expands Housing and Therapeutic Support For Foster, At-Risk Youth

 Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Set for September 13

CAMARILLO, Calif., September 3, 2024 –   Casa Pacifica, the largest non-profit provider of children’s and adolescent mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, September 13 at 10:00 AM to commemorate the opening of its new supportive housing for transitional age youth. The new housing is one of the first in Ventura County to address the needs of young adults, ages 18-25, who are transitioning from public systems including foster care or juvenile justice or are at a high risk of homelessness.

Speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony will include Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin; Dr. Sevet Johnson, CEO, County of Ventura; Supervisor Viany Lopez; philanthropist and community leader, Bill Kearney; and Bree Dervishian, a former foster youth. Tours of the new units will be available beginning at 11:30 AM.

Casa Pacifica recently completed a six-month renovation of three of its residential cottages to create 27 units that accommodate both individuals and single parents and families, nearly tripling the number of transitional age youth the agency can support. Residents will receive extensive on-site services to assist in their transition to self-sufficiency, including case management, education and career development, life skills training, social skills development and mental health services, through Casa Pacifica’s integrated Transitional Youth Services (TYS) program.

“Our goal is to provide safe, stable housing for these young adults as they transition out of foster care and therapeutic services to assist them in achieving self-sufficiency,” said Shawna Morris, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Casa Pacifica. “Our new housing offers an atmosphere of love, warmth and understanding while our residents work towards achieving their personal, educational and behavioral goals.”

Designed with the well-being of its residents in mind, the semi-independent housing exudes the warmth and communal atmosphere of a college dormitory. Each unit is fully furnished and features its own bedroom and bathroom along with a shared kitchen, laundry and common areas for socializing or relaxing. One unit is designed specifically to house young adults with children.

Residents will have access to a pool and gym as well as specialty services such as equine and animal-assisted therapies. They will be given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the community through supervised community activities such as trips to local museums, libraries and movie theaters. Casa Pacifica will also provide transportation assistance to help residents complete their education, find employment and attend medical and other health appointments.

Transitioning out of foster care can create a time of uncertainty and instability in the lives of young adults:

• Nationally, an average of 40% of foster youth experience homelessness within two years of leaving the system.
• Less than three percent of foster youth graduate from college and 25% are incarcerated by the age of 24.
• Approximately 50% of people who are homeless spent time in foster care.

“The transition between being a youth and being a young adult is an extremely challenging time,” said Christan Schuyler, Director, Transitional Youth Services (TYS), Casa Pacifica. “Many of our youth don’t have a steady person to help guide them. They struggle with decisions about where to live, whether to attend college or how they will support themselves. Our job is to walk next to them and help them acquire critical thinking, planning and decision-making skills so they can take that step to greater independence.”

Casa Pacifica’s campus conversion is the result of an innovative collaboration between the County of Ventura and Project Homekey, a statewide investment initiative for affordable housing.

“Partnerships like the one between Casa Pacifica, the County of Ventura and Project Homekey are crucial to addressing our community’s most pressing issues like mental health and housing insecurity,” said Morris. “By providing stable housing and support services, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also laying the foundation for long-term success and independence for these young adults. This collaborative effort exemplifies how community-driven solutions can make a significant impact on the lives of our most vulnerable.”

Research has found that a majority of at-risk young adults who are able to participate in transitional housing programs are employed and/or enrolled in school when they leave as well as exit to stable housing. They also receive services, such as life skills training and trauma-informed behavioral health care, that allow them to sustain their housing, education and employment gains, and transition successfully to adulthood.

“Addressing homelessness among transitional aged youth requires a multifaceted approach that combines stable housing solutions with supportive services, educational and employment support and mental health services,” said Dr. Sevet Johnson, CEO, County of Ventura. “Casa Pacifica is providing opportunities for vulnerable young people that will help set them on a path toward stability and self-sufficiency. Addressing youth homelessness is not just a moral imperative; it’s an investment in the future, ensuring that our society’s most vulnerable have the opportunity to become its strongest pillars.”

To learn more about Casa Pacifica’s transitional housing program, visit www.casapacifica.org/transitional-housing/

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Casa Pacifica Mission:  Casa Pacifica inspires hope and nurtures mental health and well-being of children, young adults, and families to realize their full potential.

Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families provides assessment, clinical, medical, residential, and educational services to foster and at-risk children/youth struggling with complex mental health disorders due to past trauma and/or mental illness. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s and adolescent mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and administers 17 campus- and community-based programs and services designed to give youth, and their families, the tools they need to heal, rebuild and strengthen relationships, reengage with their educations, and overcome their negative emotional and behavioral challenges. The agency’s Camino a Casa program, available to clients with private insurance, provides behavioral health care to support youth ages 12 to 17 with emotional and behavioral issues, along with their families.

For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development Department at (805) 445-7800.