Giving Tuesday is a global movement born in response to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This annual day of giving is just one week away and holds profound significance as a day dedicated to generosity and charitable giving.
Noozhawk is teaming up with local nonprofits to encourage you to take part in this international day of giving, which takes place on November 28th, 2023.
Our Good for Santa Barbara Nonprofit Section provides all the resources you need to donate this Giving Tuesday!
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Roya Alt, Communications Manager at Casa Pacifica, to learn more about how the nonprofit is dedicated t0 providing children and adolescents with mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Casa Pacifica
Question: What is the name and mission of your nonprofit?
Answer: Casa Pacifica’s mission is to inspire hope and nurture mental health and well-being of children, young adults, and families to realize their full potential.
Q: How long has your nonprofit been in service, and who are its founders?
A: In the mid-1980s, a group of Ventura County citizens became concerned about the lack of services for children removed from home by Child Protective Services.
That concern evolved into a vision for a campus-based, 24-hour center offering a wide range of assessment, crisis care, medical, and educational services for abused and neglected children. The vision, in turn, spawned a creative public/private partnership that raised $10 million needed to build Casa Pacifica.
Today, Casa Pacifica is the largest non-profit provider of children’s and adolescent mental health care services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
We specialize in treating children and youth with complex mental health challenges including anxiety, depression and emotional dysregulation.
Our Camarillo, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria offices work with more than 2,000 at-risk children, families and young adults annually in outpatient, residential, home and community-based settings.
Our outcomes consistently exceed national averages. After leaving Casa Pacifica:
94% of youth are in school
99% are living in a home environment
96% have no contact with law enforcement
93% are not psychiatrically hospitalized
Casa Pacifica’s 24-hour treatment programs and community-based services are fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation, a nationally recognized, independent accreditor of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations.
Our Non-Public School is fully accredited under the requirements of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Q: What was the inspiration behind your nonprofit?
A: Casa Pacifica believes in elevating the community by focusing on the potential of every youth and family.
Q: How is your nonprofit primarily funded and what are your greatest needs?
A: Each year Casa Pacifica must raise 10-13% of its budget in private funds to fill the gap between what it receives from government contracts and the actual costs of providing its programs and services, including several programs that receive little or no government funding.
Casa Pacifica has long been supported by both public and private foundation to fulfill its mission.
Q: What types of fundraisers and/or programs does your nonprofit run?
A: As a non-profit organization, Casa Pacifica relies on philanthropy to power our mission of creating bright futures for at-risk children, families and young adults. We host four fundraising events annually to support our comprehensive mental health programs and services:
Top Chef Yummie Dinner – May 3, 2024
30th Anniversary Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival – June 2, 2024
Care for Kids Golf Classic – September, 2024
Angels Spotlight on Style Fashion Show – November 17, 2024
Supporters can also help carry our mission forward by donating monthly, becoming a Corporate Leader or
Q: Describe your organizations staffing models and internal operations. Has anything changed since the start of your nonprofit?
A: Casa Pacifica is overseen by a committed volunteer Board of Directors who come from a variety of professions and businesses and lend their expertise to the governance of the organization and to operational issues that can benefit from their involvement.
Our executive leadership team provides day-to-day leadership in all operations, works to advance the mission of Casa Pacifica through strategic program initiatives, and assists the Board of Directors in forging the overall direction and growth of the corporation. With combined experience of over 150 years in human services leadership, the executive leadership is poised to pursue opportunities for both improvement and advancement of agency operations.
Q: How do people get involved/volunteer for your nonprofit?
A: There are many ways to support Casa Pacifica’s life-changing mission and help at-risk children, young adults and families in our community.
Consider becoming a monthly donor, volunteering or attending one of our annual fundraising events. Learn more at www.casapacifica.org
Q: What is one best kept secret or fun fact about your nonprofit that not everyone knows?
A: The literal translation of Casa Pacifica is “peaceful home.”
Q: How does the work of your nonprofit get communicated to the public?
A: Follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to get the latest program and event information! Visit www.casapacifica.org
Q: Can you tell us one short-term goal AND one long-term goal that your nonprofit has for the next year?
A: Casa Pacifica will soon convert three of its residential care buildings on its Camarillo campus into transitional housing for young adults who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The agency, which provides specialized mental health services to at-risk young adults through its Transitional Youth Services (TYS) program, was one of the first nonprofits in Ventura County to provide housing specifically for transitional age youth (aged 18-25) who are current or former foster youth or who have experience with probation.
Transitional age youth who are currently or formerly in foster care face obstacles in the areas of education, housing and unemployment that negatively impact their transition to adulthood. Approximately 31% of transitional age youth experience homelessness, while an estimated one in five homeless youth report having a mental illness.
Casa Pacifica’s TYS program helps transitional age youth move forward on a path to successful adulthood through a range of services and supports including comprehensive case management, behavioral health services, employment readiness, educational and vocational support, parenting resources and life skills.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your nonprofit that has not been mentioned above?
A: Casa Pacifica’s Safe Alternatives for Treating Youth (SAFTY) is a mobile crisis response service available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM to all Santa Barbara County children and youth aged 20 and under. SAFTY can be reached Monday-Friday at 1-888-334-2777.
SAFTY provides quick and accessible service to families by providing specialized crisis intervention, in-home support and linkage to county alcohol, drug and mental health services or other appropriate services. The program’s goal is to prevent psychiatric hospitalization and decrease the use of emergency rooms and law enforcement for mental health crisis by helping families develop improved conflict resolution skills, communication skills, and developing plans for managing crisis in the future.
Click here to support Casa Pacifica’s mission to inspire hope, nurture mental health and the well-being of children, young adults, and families to realize their full potential.
Check out Noozhawk’s Guide to Giving for a full list of nonprofits to donate to this giving season.
If you would like to include your nonprofit in our Good for Santa Barbara section and Giving Guide click HERE.