Stand for the Silent

May is Anti-Bullying Month; and it has been embraced enthusiastically by the residents of the Canyon Cottage. For many of the children and youth that we serve, not only in the residential program, but also our community-based services, the trauma they have experienced has come not at the hands of adults, but from their peers. They have suffered from taunts and mean-spirited labeling for no other reason than their failure to comply with the expectations of others, which has left them distrustful and weary. The cycle of bullying leaves victims angry and insidiously internalizing how they have been defined.

Bullying is a national epidemic that, more often than we care to admit, leaves its victims emotionally vulnerable and suicidal. In an effort to counter the effects of bullying and give those affected by it a reason to hope that life will improve, organizations like Stand for the Silent have developed initiatives  to assist those who have been bullied, to educate the community to become sensitive to its impact and to promote anti-bullying efforts.

Canyon Cottage residents have had a number of events this month to draw attention to this issue. Earlier in the month they encouraged everyone to wear very colorful clothing on one particular day as a way of indicating support of eliminating bullying in our communities. This week they will be sponsoring a bake sale to support the efforts of Stand for the Silent’s initiatives.

It always impresses me that we are doing something right when children and youth, traumatized by neglect and violence, are able to reject the mantle of victim and take on the role of advocate for themselves and others. This is exactly the kind of effective grassroots advocacy that has a lasting impact and hopefully brings about lasting change for all those involved.

I want to thank the staff who have been so dedicated to these residents and have helped them see beyond their fears and enable them to stand together, no longer silent, but rather strong, vocal and determined to make a difference. Thanks also to Canyon Cottage residents who have led the way with peers and staff alike to help us eliminate the effects of bullying among us.

Support us as we walk along with these young people on a journey that leads them to a restored self-esteem and a conviction that what they do makes a difference…together we are on a path that creates lasting change.

Together on the Path

One of the annual highlights of the academic year at Hillsides Education Center is the Science and Academic Fair. Last week classrooms were converted into exhibition spaces as each student took their place alongside their particular science or academic project. I never know exactly what to expect, but always leave the event edified and truly proud. Everyone is invited to come to the Science and Academic Fair. Along with staff and volunteers, friends and family, all descend upon the campus on this-mid day extravaganza.

Aside from the opportunity to actually learn something by some obscure fact--my favorite was the utility of worms--it gives me an occasion to meet family members and talk to them about their children. In the midst of the hubbub of the fair, a resident introduced me to his mom, as he went back to expounding upon the role of coyotes in the wild. I was able to ask her how things were going with her son. The challenges that this student faces are great, rooted in early childhood experiences that will mark him for the remainder of his life. Mom acknowledged that she is, in fact, his aunt and had assumed child rearing responsibility for her sister, who is unable to serve as parent because of severe addiction. She worries about his long-term ability to manage well in school or be successfully reintegrated into her home, but is grateful for the care he has received while at Hillsides and the progress he has been able to make in school. These accomplishments give her hope that, with some help, they will be alright once he returns home soon.

Encounters like this one reinforces for me what Hillsides is all about--serving as a resource and ally for families as they address the challenges that their children confront. With them, we move along an uncharted path with many crossroads. It can be daunting, but the support that is received along the way is what makes the journey worthwhile and hopefully successful.

This year the theme of our annual appeal that has just been launched is “Together on the Path.” It was chosen because it is an expression that captures what we do as we join with schools, communities and families to improve the lives of their most vulnerable children and youth. Whether it be through our residential programs, the educational services we offer or the community-based services and outreach that we provide from the Hollywood Hills to the far reaches of the San Gabriel Valley, our mission is the same--to be an exceptional resource that allows those we serve to be successful.

Support us on this journey as all our programs require some level of support from the community if we are to be truly successful. The needs and challenges are great, but the opportunity to touch a child’s life, protect an abandoned youth or to restore a family torn apart by hardship is too great for us to falter. With your help, much is accomplished. So please check out our annual appeal and make your contribution--together we are on a path that leads to a full and better life for all we serve.           

Leadership Required

Recently I had the opportunity to meet with the recently appointed Director of the Department of Children and Family Services, Philip Browning. What every one knows is that his job is a thankless one that requires someone to not only safeguard the interests of very vulnerable children and families, but also be an astute manager and a savvy politician. The door to the DCFS director’s office is a revolving one that has seen many very capable and dedicated men and women come and go in short order.

Philip Browning comes to this position rightfully recognized for his administrative skills. In the short time he has been in the position, he clearly has demonstrated not only a keen interest in the children and families served by DCFS, but a willingness to learn from both his staff and the community. The question is: will that be enough?

Like any large organization, DCFS needs a consummate beaurocrat who can maneuver the maze of requirements and interest groups, but at the end of the day, whether it is DCFS or Hillsides, we are measured by what we accomplish for each individual child, youth and family. Have they been kept safe? Have they improved in our care? Are they on the road to a stable, permanent home? These are the questions that will measure success.

No single person or organization can do justice to the challenge of effectively responding to the needs of a very vulnerable population at a time of extraordinary fiscal constraints. Only collectively as a  community can we hold out the hope of being successful. As a result, more than anything else, we need a leader with a sense of vision and purpose and a clearly identified strategy. DCFS is in the process of mapping out a direction and only time will tell what contribution Director Browning will make. Together, with others in the provider community, we offer DCFS our support as an ally in serving Los Angeles’ most vulnerable.

The challenges are great and the ramifications of our actions are considerable. In light of the ballooning State deficit, difficult decisions must be made in the next few months that will inevitably be very painful. The magnitude of the deficit can not be addressed by merely cutting programs, but will require generating additional revenues. The burden of balancing the budget can not be borne only by those whose care will be sacrificed. It is precisely in this kind of a situation that a leader must be driven by a clear sense of priorities that goes beyond balancing the budget.

Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, a time to draw attention to the needs of thousands of children in Los Angeles alone and throughout the country that for whatever reason leave their homes and are entrusted to others to provide for their care. With great reluctance, a child is removed from the care of parents and family. The principle reason, of course, is to assure the safety and well-being of the child. But regardless of the reason for removal of the child from the family, foster care, as necessary as it is, can not be the solution, but rather a resource until the child can be restored to the family and community.

For too long we have demonized the families of the children served by the foster care system, judging them to be inadequate and indeed harmful to their children. But the truth is that these families, more often than not, are painfully aware of their challenges and with some assistance want nothing more than to see their children back within their homes. The role of foster care providers like Hillsides is to be a resource for these families and to assist them as they move along a path that will allow their families to be reunited. No matter what trauma a child may have experienced within their family, they want to be reunited--they want to go home.

The challenges are great for these families and, at times, they are significant enough to make it unsafe for a child to be cared for by a parent. Sometimes parents can not serve as the principle care giver, but it is rare that within the family unit there is not a relative that can indeed serve as a fine caregiver, allowing the child to be restored to the family. The value of a child growing up within a familiar and familial setting far outweighs the fine services they may enjoy in an institutional setting.

Foster care, whether offered by a family or in a group setting as we do at Hillsides, is an indispensible resource for the children and youth we serve and their families. It is not a substitute for the family, but rather an important component of care that provides not only a safe place, but also an array of services that helps the child to improve and move along a path that will lead to a stable future. Services are not only offered to the child, but the whole family is engaged to assist with the task of strengthening it to be able to, once again, welcome the child home.

This mission is embraced not only by our staff of extraordinarily gifted professionals,  but our community of supporters. With your assistance, we are a tremendous resource for all those we serve. 

Celebrity Experiences Auctioned on Foster Soles

At least a quarter of the $2.5 million that we raise each year is generated by special events. One event that is easy and fun to participate in is Foster Soles, an on-line auction of celebrity items conducted on eBay.com during National Foster Care Awareness Month. Because it is a virtual auction we encourage everyone to utilize social media links to promote the event. It is not only a chance to bid on some one-of-a-kind items, but more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to advocate for the children and youth we serve. It doesn’t cost anything to participate when we share items with our friends via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail, and provides a great benefit to Hillsides.

So please check out the website, http://celebrity.ebay.com/dr-drew-pinsky, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky of “Dr. Drew” on HLN, “Celebrity Rehab” and “Loveline,” and pass it on to your contacts.

Below is a pictorial of the experiences we are offering in addition to celebrity autographed shoes! Don’t miss this opportunity to bid on your favorite celebrity item or raise awareness of foster care issues.