1) El Nido Family Center: https://www.elnidofamilycenters.org/
This agency does all three preventions, but its main one is primary prevention. It is a community-based organization that provides programs for children who are abused and neglected, educating parent and also helping teen parents. Their target are low –income communities in the Los Angeles County, they are trying to end violence, abuse, teen pregnancy and academic failure. They first began their program with only helping you girls but later evolved to help many others after. As mentioned before the services offered are Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment, which entitles to counseling, educating caregivers and parent. Another resource for this category is having support groups, case managements and lastly having a 24-hour emergency response system. Their Teen Family Services include giving home screen visits for at risk mothers and father, as well as educating and encouraging teen parents. This helps them with living better lifestyles, birth outcomes and helping with pushing them to continue their education. Family Source Centers are services offered to low income families and families who have young children. These services include helping with legal aid, adult education, homework and tutoring help, activities that deal with cultural practices and counseling. The Business and Tech Academies offer help to uplift youths from living in poverty. They help with educational resources and vocational resources. They offer career development classes and they learn how to run their own businesses. Their program called Building Stronger Families includes advocacy trainings, Parent support groups, parents led activities. The Welcome home Baby is a free program that is available to all women regardless of their income or status. This program helps with relationships between the mom and he baby, how to keep the baby safe at home and learn how to breastfeed. Early Headstart works with kids under the age of 3 and provides services with child development, health specialist and those who are teachers. The services provided are to help with the social, cognitive, language skills of the babies. Gang Reduction and Youth Development targets children from the ages of 10-15 who are at risk of becoming affiliated with a gang. It offers them counseling, and a case manager. They provide them with social support groups and activities to prevent them from joining the gangs. Harold Cares About your Future prepares teen parent for life, anything from money management to job interviewing is helped in this group. The cost on the services is free on some, the agency is funded by sponsors and by throwing events such as galas and other fundraisers. El Nido has services in the following communities, Pacoima and other surrounding communities, South Los Angeles, Compton and Antelope Valley.
I think this is a very important agency and is working really well in the areas that they have their services. I have heard bits and pieces about them in Pacoima, and the fact they are growing and provide many services for free is really making a difference for many. From being a small provider they have massively grown. I think that this is a great agency.
2) Helping Hands Resource Center: http://www.helpinghandsresourcecenter.org/mission-and-vision
The Helping Hands Resource Center focuses on preventing and helping those who have been in domestic violence issues. It also helps those who have experienced some trauma and need help getting back on their feet. This type of prevention would include all three prevention. Not only do they do activities so people can help prevent them from happening, but they also help those who have been affected by it. At the Resource center they help with food, counseling, support groups and advocating for those who do not have a voice. They have parenting classes where they inform parents about the development of a child and how to be good a speaking with their children. To receive help from them you have to go to the center in person and ask for the resources, there may be a wait for them. The agency is funded by different sponsors and by having fundraiser year round. The agency is located in Winnetka and opens in the afternoons. This center is based at a church which can be good and bad for a coupe of people. I think it is a small resource center but it is doing a good help for those who need it.
3) Family Focus Resource Center: https://www.csun.edu/family-focus-resource-center
Their mission is to help families that are raising children with special needs. They help families with picking the correct choices of education and advocating in situations they need help in. As well as doing those two things, they also have family support groups so that they have someone to lean on. The prevention plans that this organization helps with are I believe is primary and secondary prevention. Services offered by them are Mobile Child Development Screenings, Parent support Circle, Resource Fairs that help parents and guardians see a variety of services that can be offered for them ad lastly helping families who need assistance on getting Regional Center activities. Services are completely free and all that is needed is a sign up or showing up for the services. The agency’s main office is locate at CSUN and the have other offices in Chatsworth, Santa Clarita and Lancaster. They are funded through grants provided from the Department of Developmental Services, the North Los Angeles County Regional Center and the California Department of Education. I chose this agency because many times families do not realize that their loved ones are in reality abused from others, whether it be physically or emotionally. Many times in situations like this, they choose not to do anything because they do not know of anyone that help advocate for them. Resources like these provide many people who will advocate for them and help provide the services they need.
4) Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Center: http://www.downeyfamilysupport.com/mission-statement
The center has been created n order to educate parents on preventing abusive situations, and learning how one can prevent child abuse. They help many people but their biggest targeted population is the Hispanic community, with them being 65% of the people who receive the services. The Exchange Club is part of the National Exchange Club and they have many locations across the country. They used to have another center in Long Beach but is closed last year, the center in Downey is still well and running. To sign up for the services they do have a suggested donation of $40 per or having a couple pay $60. Some of the classes that they have do need to be paid for, which is $40. Some of the classes offered for parents are how to give massages for their infants, teaching nurturing babies, learning how to discipline a child. The Home Parent Aide program, ensure a child to have extra help when needed, and for children to have someone who has experienced abuse or has seen it before. The program is funded with the help of their mother program, donations and having fundraiser all the time. I’m not sure if this organization is based more adults rather than children. The center is done with people having to pay for classes, so I’m not sure if many choose or can afford to take the classes offered.
5) Childhelp: https://www.childhelp.org/
The Childhelp Resource Center helps with providing primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Its main goal is to help with providing primary prevention since they do not want abuse to be happening in the first place. The have help with Foster and Adoption Services, they help with arranging group homes for people, they have community centers, residential treatment center and advocacy centers where people can go to receive help. The cost of the programs can range from being free to having to provide your own income information. There are different forms that need to filled out and having to apply in person and qualify. Some of the local locations are in Hollywood and Costa Mesa, they have the hotline covered all over and different services in other places around as well. The agency is funded by other organizations and a lot of celebrity sponsors. This center seems to be a worldwide agency and seems to be doing really well. Everything seems very organized, but not to evenly spread out in homes and centers that they have.
6) Child abuse Prevention Center: https://www.brightfutures4kids.org/about-us/
The Child abuse Prevention Center had early intervention programs with children who are at risk of child abuse. The agency has a primary prevention plan and does secondary if necessary. Their target population is anyone who is at risk and they do not discriminate from anyone. They have many programs that they are offer: Infant In-Home Visitation, Toddler In-home visitation, In-Home Coach, In-Home Focuses, In-Home Wellness, Children In-Home Crisis Stabilization, Basic Needs, Monitored Visitation, Child Abuse Service Teams, Teen Voices Teen Choices, Outreach and Engagement programs, and School Readiness programs. The Center has two locations in Anaheim and Garden Grove, the agency is funded by many sponsors and fundraising events. They also have an online shop that has proceeds for the organization. This agency is located in the orange county area so it is not so accessible to reach for me, but I really lied that they offered so many programs. Many of their programs are home based as well and they do proved case workers if they are needed.
Part II:
I learned many things while working on this research project. I learned that although many organizations may advocate for the same reason,, they all have different resources that help people. I found that many of the resources in my community are done by the same centers, that is why I tried looking a little farther away as well. I was surprised on the numbers of children that are abused. I found it very great they have programs to help with parents to prevent them from becoming abusive to their children and being aware of the sign if other children are being abused.
To design a program I would definitely want to work as a sister or child group to an organization that is well set up already. My ideal organization would have parent support groups and child case workers that can help children. I would also want to have teen support groups and maybe even just child centers that would allow them to always have a safe space. Having a center that is open maybe even 24 hours for those who need a safe haven they can go their. Although it would be a lot of work, I would really like the idea of being more open to helping centers that need help for these certain causes. In order to accomplish this plan I would have to have sponsors and have a center location where I can work at. Also making sure that permits and requirements are all set up and ready to go.