Partnership Launches New Child/Teen Mental Health Program

Jamboree, in partnership with the Child Guidance Center, has launched a pilot program that focuses on expanding children’s access to outpatient mental health services. Funded by a $450,000 grant from CalOptima, Jamboree was selected for its ability to leverage an existing network of community service partners through its Community Collaborative at our Clark Commons community in Buena Park, where this new onsite program is based.

Pilot program for residents and surrounding neighborhoods

Additionally, residents living in the neighborhoods who are CalOptima-eligible clients – including students at the adjacent Mabel L. Pendleton Elementary School – will also be eligible for the onsite services. Aimed at serving nearly 1,000 CalOptima members, this pilot program supplements services Jamboree already provides at Clark Commons, including an after-school program, resident leadership training, food and nutrition workshops, and computer classes.

Jamboree is managing the overall pilot program and recently hired Shadey Galvan, Peer Navigator, and Teresa Rivera, Community Services Coordinator, to ensure residents and program participants feel safe and understood in a culturally relevant manner. In addition to behavior management and teen groups, the program will offer parenting workshops to educate parents on how best to support their children and prepare them for a lifetime of strong behavioral health while also decreasing the stigma traditionally associated with seeking behavioral health care. Child Guidance Center has employed a mental health clinician who is trained in prevention and early intervention and is proficient in parent coaching, parent training and skill building, and other evidence-based behavioral health practices.

Planning for success now and beyond

With support from CalOptima, Jamboree and Child Guidance Center have outlined a comprehensive plan with the eventual goal of implementing a self-sustaining model at other Jamboree communities and surrounding neighborhoods. Highlights for the two-year pilot program include:

• Behavior management services to improve family functioning and emotional well-being with curriculum focusing on such topics as self-expression, sharing, problem solving, making friends, communication, social skills, and compliance.
• Social behavior management group services to reduce risky behaviors that tweens and teens often face. Curriculum will address alcohol and drug use, violence and social behavior, depression and anxiety, coping mechanisms for stress, and positive choices.
• Parenting classes/workshops, helping to promote increased awareness and utilization of parenting tools for their children and other family members. Classes will address family conflict, video games and social media addiction, out-of-control behavior, school attendance, bullying, alcohol and drug use, gangs and criminal behavior. The curriculum is aimed at increasing parent involvement, strengthening families, improving grades and attendance, and reducing school and community violence.
• Directly link community members to CalOptima and Child Guidance Center services through regular events that reduce the stigma related to mental health/behavioral health issues for children and educate community members about the services available.

Be part of helping residents learn new skills at one of our onsite community centers:

• Partners: Your collaboration makes a difference. Help provide new services that provide residents and their kids greater opportunity. Learn more about Community Collaboratives. Contact Natalie Reider, our Senior Director of Community Impact, for details.
• Volunteers: Your skills and knowledge are valuable. Share them with students and adults alike at a Jamboree property near you in one of our ongoing programs or at a special event. Find out more.
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