Overview
Casa Pacifica believes every child should have the opportunity to feel safe, secure and loved.
When you open your home to a foster child, you provide safety and stability. You give them a place to call home, whether it’s for a short time or permanently.
When you become a foster (resource) parent, you have an opportunity to build a relationship that can last a lifetime. And most importantly, you teach a child something important: that they are never alone.
Casa Pacifica works to find safe and loving families for children and youth who have suffered trauma or neglect while offering both the child and the resource parent an array of social, therapeutic and supportive services. Since 2013, we have provided the foundation to connect kids in need of hope and opportunity with loving and dedicated resource parents.
Children are referred to Casa Pacifica based on our excellent reputation as an agency, our comprehensive training program and our ability to successfully place at-risk youth in specially trained homes. Our staff is trained in the SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) Home Study and the New Generation Pride Training (Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education), and also provides trauma-informed specialty training.
We work closely with the State of California, Community Care Licensing, Department of Children and Family Services/Human Services Agency and Ventura County Behavioral Health.
Who is Eligible?
Resource parents must be at least 18 years old, pass background clearances and be interested in opening their home to keep a child protected and safe. Our most successful resource parents are dependable, patient and willing to try different parenting styles for children with different needs.
Other requirements include:
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
- Housing with adequate space for each foster child
- Sufficient family income
- CPR and first-aid certification
- Orientation and initial plus ongoing training
- Home study and inspection
Referrals
For more information, please call 805-218-4859.
Foster Parent Training & Certification
Complete the following steps for certification:
- Attend an orientation
- Application
- In-person interview (with documentation and paperwork)
- Home study, home inspection
- State screening (fingerprints, DMV check)
- Casa Pacifica training (60 hours of class time ahead of placement)
- CPR, First Aid, water safety training
- Agency approval and certification
Download the Foster Parent Interest Form (PDF)
Casa Pacifica will walk you through the entire process, answer your questions and ensure that you’re prepared to become a resource parent. It’s a wonderful, life-changing event for everyone involved. And we’ll be there to support you every step of the way.
“Being a resource family with Casa Pacifica is an amazing and worthwhile experience. They are always there to support me with whatever might come up and they make communicating with them so easy.”
— Casa Pacifica Resource Parent
Affiliations & Accreditations
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many children are in need of foster care?
A: There are an estimated 1,500 children in need of foster care throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Q: What are the ages of the youth?
A: Generally school-aged children up to 21 years old.
Q: How long does the placement process take?
A: The placement process typically takes three to four months.
Q: What do I need to provide for a foster youth?
A: The things you must provide are food, clothing, shelter, and most importantly, love and support. Our staff can provide more information regarding requirements. We will be happy to answer all of your questions.
Q: What kind of support is provided to resource parents?
A: Casa Pacifica provides comprehensive support to our resource parents. A case manager will work with you from the time a child comes to your home. The case manager will have weekly contact with you and the child, either in person or by phone. You will also have assistance available to you through our emergency on-call service 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Q: Can I be single and still foster?
A: Yes! There is no legal requirement regarding a resource parent’s marital status.
Q: How many youth can I foster at one time?
A: Currently, the maximum number of youth in a given household is six. Casa Pacifica will work with you to determine the most appropriate capacity for your situation.
Q: Who are the children?
A: There are currently 1500 children in need of foster care. They live in your community or the surrounding area and they need a loving home. Often, these children have been removed from their guardians because of abuse, trauma or other unsafe circumstances.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Complete the interest form and one of our staff will be in touch so we can answer your questions and schedule an orientation session.
Intensive Services Foster Care
Overview
Casa Pacifica’s Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) program provides specialized mental health and behavioral support services to children who have a history of complex traumas, psychiatric hospitalization and failed placements in the foster care system.
ISFC is designed to provide permanence for children and youth who would otherwise not have a chance to live with a safe and loving family, emphasizing careful resource parent and child matching.
Who is Eligible?
ISFC children need trauma-informed resource parents who can provide consistency, safety, empathy and understanding.
Resource parents must undergo rigorous child-specific training in order to care for their foster children, as individualized care protocols become part of their daily lives. These resource parents also receive focused in-home support and comprehensive case management by Casa Pacifica staff who are trained and educated to high IFSC standards.
Casa Pacifica provides a team approach to ISFC, comprised of a clinician, social worker and support specialist who offer individualized counseling and emotional support, mentoring and modeling skills for both the child and the resource parent.
Casa Pacifica is an approved ISFC provider in both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Are You Interested in Becoming a FFA/ISFC Resource Parent? Download the Foster Parent Interest Form (PDF)
For more information, please call 805-218-4859.