Meet Arthur

Seven-year-old Arthur holds big feelings in his small frame.

Arthur was removed from his mother’s home and placed with a resource family when he was just five. Adjusting to a new environment was overwhelming, and Arthur began struggling with his emotions, throwing loud tantrums and sometimes causing himself physical harm. Visits from his mother, which once provided comfort, eventually became inconsistent and then stopped altogether. Feeling abandoned, Arthur’s emotional struggles deepened.

Annie, Arthur’s resource parent, was at a loss. “We were concerned that Arthur would need to be removed from our care because of his severe outbursts,” she explains. “Thankfully, we were connected to Casa Pacifica and its Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) program.”

TBS is an intensive, short-term program designed for children at risk of hospitalization or high-level placement due to severe behavioral problems. It also helps youth transitioning to a lower level of placement when prior behaviors may threaten success. TBS works with the youth, family, and mental health providers to create a tailored treatment plan.

Casa Pacifica’s TBS team provided several evidence-based interventions to help Arthur manage his emotions. One approach was teaching Arthur relaxation techniques, like slow, deep breathing, to help him cope with stress. Another strategy involved role-playing activities that helped him respond to emotional triggers constructively.

“TBS has been so helpful for Arthur,” says John Pineda, TBS Program Manager at Casa Pacifica. “This program gives crucial support to children like Arthur who have experienced removal from their biological parents. We help them build resilience and manage their emotions, which provides stability in their lives.”

Annie also benefited from the program, learning effective strategies to help Arthur regulate his emotions while maintaining her own composure.

After six months of TBS treatment, Arthur is on the path to healing. His emotional outbursts have decreased, and he has rediscovered activities he loves, such as playing sports, dancing, reading books, and watching Spiderman movies. Arthur is now excited about starting second grade, looking forward to the new experiences it will bring. With his resource parents and the TBS team by his side, Arthur feels ready to face any challenge that comes his way.