The work we do at Victor changes lives. We understand many businesses or organizations can say the same, but we actually see the proof in our client's success stories. 

For one of our Wraparound Program Clients at VTC Pomona, the last two years made the difference between a young woman becoming homeless or thriving in her foster home. 

The Wraparound Program Supervisor was thrilled to be able to recommend Jo for graduation from the program this year. We are excited to share their first hand account with you:

Building a Relationship

Our Wraparound Team at Victor started working with Jo* in 2018 when she came to us with a history of self-harming behaviors, suicidal ideation, and several hospitalizations. When we met Jo she was struggling at home and in the school setting. We also knew she was in a foster home after being removed from her mother and was facing some challenges with her placement.

The two main goals of the Wraparound Team were to encourage Jo to learn how to utilize positive coping skills and also seek out what Jo's underlying needs were. However, before we could do that, we needed to get to know Jo and build a relationship with her. 

We understood the trauma Jo had faced and wanted to make sure that she would have a consistent support network as she faced future changes. During the next two years, through every placement and every school, our staff continually reminded her that we were there to support her.

Healthy Coping Skills

Our team of experts worked together to provide the resources Jo needed.

• Her Child and Family Specialist worked on discovering what Jo’s interests were so we could learn the most effective ways to communicate.
• Her Clinician focused on Jo’s mental health.
• Her Parent Partner worked with her foster mother and biological mother, helping them find community resources, interventions, and tools they could utilize to better assist her.
• Alongside the Clinical Social Worker, her Facilitator worked with the family on how to best help Jo.

We were able to help Jo identify that her underlying needs were wanting to feel safe and be heard. We discovered that most of the time she felt nobody listened to her and that the only way to be heard at all was to hurt herself.  

Our Child and Family Specialist discovered that Jo really enjoyed boxing, coloring and video games, so we purchased a punching bag and some arts and crafts. We were able to help Jo develop positive coping skills using her interests and the activities that she enjoyed.

As you would expect, there were a few bumps along the way and some issues came up that had to be worked through, but we helped Jo see these as learning experiences. Through the rough patches and the challenges that came with changes, the Wraparound team was a consistent source of support.

Communication and Home Life

When Jo was placed in her current foster home, she mentioned to the team that she was concerned she would be “kicked out soon.” 

Our team worked with the foster parents, encouraging them to do family activities, eat together and make their home feel safe for Jo. She eventually felt comfortable expressing herself to her foster parents and was able to identify her emotions and use her coping skills.

We are happy to report that in July 2020 we recommended graduation for Jo. The social worker, family and Jo were all on board with her graduation. Though we are proud of the work our staff did, we are even more proud of Jo who was able to push forward and succeed. 

We wish her nothing but success in her journey forward.

Helping Others Soar

Jo’s story is a perfect example of how we help others soar at Victor. Through our staff working together, listening to our clients, and focusing on our goals we change lives for the better. 

If this story resonates with you, maybe you are the type of person who could help others at Victor. Click below to see what opportunities we have available. 

*Jo is not the client’s real name