We work with teens and young adults every day here at Victor. Many of our employees have their own children as well, so we are no stranger to the role that social media is playing in their lives. We try to communicate with kids about their online presence. It's good to set time limits and certain boundaries, but there's no denying that social media will be a part of their lives and follow them into adulthood. 

There are the obvious issues like cyberbullying and inappropriate content, but research shows there are more subtle issues that can develop in teens and young adults as a result of overuse and reliance on social media. Increased feelings of depression, isolation and anxiety can result from an unhealthy relationship with social media. These issues have become more prevalent in youth, but also affect adults when we form bad habits regarding our social media and online habits. In an article published by Psychology Today they explore this issue a little deeper. They ask some important questions and present some interesting findings, such as "College students have surpassed the elderly as the loneliest segment of the population."

At Victor we are all about helping others, it's our business and our passion. Helping others improves their lives, while improving our communities and ourselves. There is so much emphasis on self-discovery and self-promotion today, that it's easy to forget that our identity though unique, is still built on the foundation of community. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

At Victor, we talk a lot about values, our guiding principles which help us achieve our mission "to be a catalyst for sustained improvement in the lives of those we touch." There is a common misconception that things like mission statements and core values are marketing jargon, without real substance. From our point of view this could not be further from the truth.

Our core values guide our organization on a daily basis. From the decisions we make, to how we interact with clients and staff members, every small decision and every large one is guided by our organizations values. There are some important benefits to having a common set of core values both externally and inside an organization. So what are our core values and what do they mean?

Psychiatry Online published an article on the success of Wraparound programs in helping troubled youth. They offer an interesting perspective on the role of a Psychiatrist collaborating with the wraparound team. The article also highlights an opportunity for the Psychiatrist to work more closely with the wraparound team for better outcomes.

Our most recent client success story comes from Christina Thrower, M.A. one of our School Based Facilitators at Victor Stockton. We believe in celebrating the success of both our staff and clients, so if you have a good story please share it with us! You can check out our growing list of staff stories by clicking here.

In a recent collaboration with Children's Network in San Bernardino County, Victor participated in a Nurturing Fathers training. It was a great success and serves as an example of the power of teamwork, one of our core values. Networking and coordinating with other agencies helps us improve our services and further our mission to be a catalyst for sustained improvement in the lives of those we touch.

Juan Solis, the engagement coordinator for Children's Network, and chair of the Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition (IEFIC) played a key role in making this happen. The stated mission of the IEFIC is "To encourage healthy child development by promoting the involvement, necessity and value of the role of fathers in the family and community." This mission aligns so well with what we do at Victor, we were excited to get involved. Mr. Solis took a moment to sit down for an interview with our own Samantha Tito, who is a SART (Screening, Assessment, Referral and Treatment) Clinical Supervisor in San Bernardino. As many of you may already know, the SART program focuses specifically on clients from birth to age 5, a critical stage in development where having a father figure present and engaged is extremely important.

Recently, the staff at Victor Hemet came together to talk about the culture and values of Victor. Joseph Olvera, from our Lake Elsinore office, helped them tell their stories and illustrate them in a unique and creative way. It's always great to see our staff having fun and celebrating the culture that Victor promotes! 

The old saying "It takes a village to raise a child" continues again and again to prove itself true. A child needs a community to help become fully developed mentally, emotionally and socially. So how does this affect our approach to treatment? In a word, collaboration.

Starting in 2015, a mutually beneficial relationship began between Victor and Rosemary Children's Services. Victor leadership saw Rosemary as an organization with a similar heart and mission, and an incredibly rich history of service in the LA County area. We are honored to say that on Nov. 1st of this year, Rosemary Children's Services is now Victor Treatment Centers. We have spent the last few years aligning our mission, clarifying our roles, and readying ourselves for this change. The leadership at Victor was committed to honoring the legacy of Rosemary and their 95 year history in LA County. Let's take a look at some highlights from that long history of service.

Celebrating an organization’s birthday is a very special occasion. It’s even more special when the organization hits the big 5-0. Victor hit its big 5-0 this year- so this fall, everyone agency wide celebrated Victor's 50^th birthday!

It’s incredible to think that for the past 50 years Victor has stood beside thousands of families, giving them hope that their children, as well as themselves, could succeed in life. All of this is possible because a 10-year-old turned his fear and pain into a mission that would inspire so many to either work with us or help volunteer.

As with any big celebration, you usually take time to reflect on how far you've come, so let’s take a trip down Victor’s memory lane!