CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER 2021 ANNUAL REPORT Inspiring hope, trust and possibilites for brighter futures.
Mary Jo Ramirez Executive Director CFLC CFLC continued as an essential business to provide much needed services to our families, children, and youth in person. “The separateness we thought we were creating melts into the unending dance of coadaptation and change as we become ever more aware of those from whom we cannot be separate. ” (Wheatly and Kellner Rogers, A Simpler Way). We need each other and especially now, that is our rhythm. RFA Director Pamela (L), STRTP Director Sheila(M), and Executive Director Mary Jo (R). CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
There is a rhythm in our lives that we all have. A reasonably complicated rhythmic pattern occurs for each of us throughout life During these past 24 months, we have had life altering changes in the rhythm of our daily lives These complicated changes have made us think and do things differently. Now we are living our lives through virtual meetings, online schooling, and ordering more online. It is how we become more isolated from each other We need the human connection Often fear stops us from new connections but it is the rhythm and connections that push us forward encouraging the openness to new connections. That was and is CFLC’ s year with new ways of connecting to our community, families, children, and youth Our connection has grown deeper even during an unpredictable year We have managed even through virtual meetings, virtual counseling sessions, virtual tutoring, online music sessions, online parenting classes, and online classes for individuals to stay connected. Mary Jo, Executive Director at California Family Life Center MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1
CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER CREATING BRIGHTER FUTURES 2 California Family Life Center was founded under single practitioner family counseling service for at risk children and youth, from drug exposed newborns to high school dropouts A generation later, CFLC has expanded to provide Foster Families, Youth Homes, Job Education Centers, Kinship Support, and a Chaplaincy for these children and youth The purpose of all these endeavors is to replace abuse, neglect, and hopelessness with affection, encouragement, and success; "My dream is to live in a normal family, before my childhood dwindles away" ACCREDITATION California Family Life Center has been awarded the highest level of accreditation by CARF International for its Foster Family and Kinship Care, Group Home Care, and Support and Facilitation programs. CARF accreditation is a public seal of trust and commitment to quality based on internationally accepted standards. MISSION To provide safety, comfort and healing to children suffering abuse and abandonment; to teach love and trust; to instill self esteem, values and hope for the future and in so doing, assist children trapped in hopelessness and despair become compassionate and contributing members of the community. "Thank you for never giving up on me. I know I may be tough to work with but you guys never gave up on me." CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
2021 HIGHLIGHTS 3 GIVING TREE Our annual toy drive provides gifts to CFLC children and youth Thanks to the response from our online and local Workforce Development Board and CFLC's "Proactive Leadership Group" traveled to Washington DC Our youth had the chance to represent Youth Opportunity Centers and our programs in California PROACTIVE LEADERS S.T.E.P.S In partnership with the Department of Rehabilitation, CFLC helped launch The Summer Training Employment Program for Students (STEPS) This program offers in school
532 YOUTH assisted building homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity YOUTHBUILD received Job Training through Youth Opportunity Centers and career advancing programs In partnership with the Eastern Municipal Water District, CFLC launched the Youth Ecology Corps Program This program provides short term job opportunities to young adults who are interested in exploring career opportunities in the water industry and related fields YOUTH ECOLOGY CORPS 2021 HIGHLIGHTS 4CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
While the children are in our Resource Family homes, we work with their birth families with the expectation that reunification can be established when a healthy environment can be provided by these families in the future
Our Resource/Foster parents provide a safe environment and give each child much needed love and guidance Foster care adoption can be both a rewarding and challenging experience for adoptive parents CFLC believes every child deserves the love, safety, and unconditional commitment of a family and the opportunity to develop in a healthy environment and the opportunity to thrive
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ADOPTION
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This is our second year since the opening of our Adoption Agency CFLC recognizes that “Forever Families” provide safety and hope for children in permanent families Families continually open their hearts and homes to adopt provided families for 257 children our 66 Resource Families.
RESOURCE FAMILY AGENCY We
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Since our inception, over 50 children were adopted. A child may be removed from the home and placed into a foster home due to his or her parents’ neglect, physical abuse, substance abuse, etc. The primary goal for a child who enters foster care is to return them to their birth parents when it is safe to do so
Over 400 families were served through the SafeCare program.
CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
SafeCare focuses on three key outcomes that are important for families: creating positive relationships between caregivers and their children, ensuring homes are safe to reduce the risk of child unintentional injury, and keeping children as healthy as possible SafeCare is an evidence based, parent training program for parents of children ages 0 5 who are at risk for or have been reported for child neglect or physical abuse SafeCare staff work with families in their homes to develop parenting skills by providing real-life practical training. Parents receive weekly home visits to improve skills in home safety, health care, and parent child interaction.
KIN CARE SAFECARE 6
The Kin Care program helps children remain connected to their families by keeping them with relatives as their caregivers. The relative caregivers are making a commitment that is keeping children out of foster care and connected to a loving family. It is through kinship services that there is an increase to the chances for children’ s success by building the strength of the families to meet their health, financial, social, emotional, and parenting needs.
367 kinship families were served during the year
SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM (STRTP) Our homes are staffed 24-hours a day with experienced caring individuals. Our Mental Health Department has experienced licensed Clinicians to offer individual counseling, support groups and help youth transition out of congregate care while strengthening family connections; improving mental and behavioral health functioning; increasing safety, wellness, and resiliency CFLC promotes healing in traumatized youth as we assist youth in identifying their strengths to enhance their self esteem, as well as assists them on focusing on goals. CFLC’ s STRTP program assesses each youth’ s individual treatment needs and provides the youth appropriate service intervention(s) to include counseling, skill building, building positive peer and family interactions, case management and linkage to community based services Our STRTP restores hope and a chance to heal for youth ages 13 18 from traumatic events in their lives MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATIVE INTERN PROGRAM The Legislative Internship Program and County Wide Youth Commission provides hundreds of hours of service to our communities and creates an utmost professional internship experience working alongside the County’ s Board of Supervisors staff This program gives youth in our County a voice, provides on-thejob professional training for our young adult interns, and facilitates county wide events for high school students and Youth Opportunity Center participants 7CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
During the pandemic, basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing were made available to help stabilize families This year the Giving Tree was again in the community at local businesses, schools and churches with many gifts donated at Christmas time to make the holiday a blessing to the children, youth and families served Chaplaincy continues to provide support for youth and children through the generous donations of our donors. CFLC's three Youth Opportunity Centers (Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Rubidoux) offer young adults the opportunity to engage in work experience, education, postsecondary education, career training, and employment.
The Youth Opportunity Centers also provide the STEPS program in partnership with the Workforce Development Board and Department of Rehabilitation to provide work experience and training for youth with disabilities 100 youth are served through this program.
CHAPLAINCY 8CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER
Over 500 youth benefited from the job training program. Our Chaplaincy provides appropriate assistance, advice, comfort, counsel, and referrals to those in need and those that need support. The Chaplaincy program is a vital support for many families in need to offer spiritual help. Our Chaplaincy program works in the community to build awareness and increase positive connections and advocacy to help strengthen children, youth, and the families we serve.
JOB TRAINING
CFLC in partnership with Riverside County Office of Education offers a YouthBuild Plus program to provide education, leadership development, community service, and meaningful project based occupational skills training in phlebotomy, logistics and construction for 70 disadvantaged youth between the ages of 16 24
9CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER FINANCIAL OVERVIEW An overview of Fiscal Year Expense Distribution $15,706,705 40% JOB TRAINING & EDUCATION 26% 22% 7% 5% STRTP FOSTER FAMILY RESOURCE OTHER GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION $11,666,956 REVENUE,GRANTS,& CONTRIBUTION $4,039,749 ASSETS
CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS '" Life is about rhythm. We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood, we are a rhythm machine, that's what we are. " KellyMigoya (Partner: Abeltin & Migoya, LLP) Vice Chair HeatherFrench (Senior National Sales Manager:PepsiCo) Secretary/ Fundraising DavidParr (Partner: Palmieri Tyler) Chair MarkMerryfield (Sr Vice President / Investments Stifel Nicolaus) Fundraising & Recruitment CathyAllen (Program Manager, HOPE Center) Board Member BartlettPatton (Retired) Board Member AndyDeLorenzo (Director Distributor & Franchise Bottler Strategy, PepsiCo Foodservice) Board Member MikeLancaster (President, JML Real Estate Services, LLC) Board Member RobertStollar (Partner, SWIIM Systems) Board Member BillTornquist (Chief Program Officer, The Priority Center) Board Member JohnVeytia (Real Estate Broker) Board Member CFLC STAFF MaryJoRamirez Executive Director SheilaStephenson STRTP Director PamelaElie-Dunkley Resource Family & Adoption Director ElenaNadih Fiscal Director JonathanLucero Mental Health Director MarySnow Human Resources "If I wasn't at CFLC I would not be going to school and I wouldn't be applying for a job. I get to do things I never thought I could, like playing sports." David Parr Chairman of the Board
www.cflckids.org CALIFORNIA FAMILY LIFE CENTER OFFICES AND CENTERS 930 N. State St. Hemet, CA 92543 951 765 6955 ADMINISTRATION RESOURCE FAMILY & ADOPTION 950 N. State St. Hemet, CA 92543 951 658 2352 EMPOWER YOUTH OPPORTUNITY CENTER 930 N State St Hemet, CA 92543 951 765 0917 PLANET YOUTH OPPORTUNITY CENTER 400 W. Graham Ave. Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 951 471 8415 RUBIDOUX YOUTH OPPORTUNITY CENTER 5656 Mission Blvd. Riverside, CA 92509 951 683 9622 46900 Monroe St., Ste. A 102 Indio, CA 92201 760 347 2728 KIN CARE 547 N San Jacinto St Hemet, CA 92543 951 791 3557 SAFECARE 950 N. State St. Hemet, CA 92543 951 658 2352 @cflckids
