We're heading into summer and still working from home - but fear not! Find out the seven tips we have to help you stay productive and connected to your colleagues, while also being the best you can be for your clients, coworkers, and yourself.

California's official stay at home order went into effect in March, almost three months ago. Only recently have parts of the state begun opening up for more regular day-to-day activity, which means social distancing measures will still continue for most of us. 

Kids from toddlers to teens need structure! The school year brought some of that for families and children, but what are kids to do when summer comes and they are stuck at home with no schedule?

We are excited to announce that we have received our Adoption License!

Adoption Services will be added to our already existing programs of Foster Care, Relative Home Assessment, and Mental Health Services. We can certify and service homes within 50 miles of our Pomona and Perris offices.

It's been just over a year since Ruby Carlos started working at Victor as a Bilingual Clinician. She recently had a breakthrough with a client that we just had to share with everyone. It's stories like these that keep us going, and doing the hard work that pays off with perseverance.

Working with teenage clients has it's own set of challenges and rewards. Ruby started working with one particular teenage girl when she was in 7th grade. This young girl was exhibiting symptoms of depression. She even said that she was sad for most of the day and was also easily irritated. She would spend long hours in her room, isolating herself from her friends and family...and it got worse.

Victor wraparound services is an intensive, holistic method of engaging with individuals with complex needs so that they can live in their homes and communities and realize their hopes and dreams. When we hear a success story of someone who has made huge progress in this program, we get so excited to share it. This is Cameron's story. 

We recently received a letter from a young man who has been involved in our Transition Age Youth program. It warmed our hearts to hear, in his own words, what it felt like to overcome many of his challenges and gain hope for the future. We want to share his letter with you, but first let's answer the questions that you may have...

What are Transition Age Youth?

Transition Age Youth are clients between 15 and 24 years old who are moving towards adulthood and in many cases, independence. This is a critical time for them to receive support and guidance, especially those in foster care who may still be overcoming trauma and lack a standard family support structure. Our Transition Age Youth, or TAY programs focus on equipping clients with the skills they need to function as highly as possible. Our services address all identified transition needs including employment, educational opportunities, living situations, community life, medication, mental health, physical well being, drug and alcohol use, trauma, domestic violence, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Genell Restivo has worked at Victor for the past 32 years. When asked what has kept her there so long she said it comes down to two things, the work and the people. Victor has always been a mission driven organization dedicated to helping children and families. The quality of work that Victor does has always drawn Genell in and kept her engaged. Having coworkers that are equally engaged in the mission and supportive of one another is the other major element of her longevity with the company and ultimately the success of the organization.

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?