Socially Distanced

You’ve probably experienced a level of disconnection this year due to social distancing, mask wearing, and the challenges of living in quarantine. For most adults, this is a situation we can manage and cope with thanks to having the benefit of some perspective as well as established relationships with friends and family. However, for kids it can be a uniquely frustrating and isolating time.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Wraparound services helps families heal from trauma. In many cases those people have been in abusive situations for so long, that it has become normalized. It's a huge challenge to help them identify what's acceptable and what's not, to define their rules and boundaries. Parents need lot's of support through this process. Being a parent is a challenge on it's own, but recovering from abuse while raising children who have also suffered is extremely difficult.

After multiple deployments to Iraq, a Soldier was coming home for good, but after living in a war zone that's easier said than done. Every time he returned  home from deployment in the past, he felt like a piece of him was missing. This time was no different. He didn't feel like the same Soldier, the same Man he once was.  Emotionally he didn't feel the same, and physically he was different as well. 

Family reunification is a long and difficult process however, when we can achieve it for our clients it is one of the most emotional and rewarding experiences imaginable. For a parent who has lost touch with their own child, there is no greater joy than being reunited and having the opportunity to establish a meaningful family bond.

At Victor, we work hard to find solutions that keep children from staying in the foster system for longer than they need to. For the over 400,000 children in foster care nationwide, the average time spent in the system is between 12 and 20 months. That's a long time for a child to be away from their parents, so we focus on providing structure and counseling right from the start. Our goal is to build a good foundation underneath kids that may feel brushed aside.

This particular story comes from our site in Stockton, CA. where the mother had struggled with addiction, mental health problems, and other medical issues. Through Victor's Katie-A program this parent worked closely with her daughter's treatment team to establish healthy boundaries and reconnect with her daughter.