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To surfer Ian Chartrand, the ocean is a nurturing mother and a place for healing. If so, would there be a better place to take foster children? “I thought about it last night. This is everybody’s momma out here, you know,” said Chartrand, who was a volunteer with Urban Surf 4 Kid's “Surf with a Cop Day” Saturday at La Jolla Shores. “What we are able to give these kids is a chance to connect with the natural world and experience a kind of therapy that they’re not used to in city- and...

San Diego area landlords: homeless people need your help. The County of San Diego and its many partners are looking for landlords who are willing to rent apartments to help house 130 people who are currently homeless. Thirty of them have been identified through the Project One for All initiative, a comprehensive program to help homeless people with serious mental illness find a place to live and receive intensive treatment services. The other 100 people are homeless veterans who have...

Thirteen faith leaders, behavioral health providers, and community leaders gathered on August 12 in City Heights for an introduction to the science and practice of adverse childhood experiences, and to hear about an upcoming series of workshops about mental health services in their communities. The series, which is led by Pastor Jesus Sandoval, chair of the Faith Based Academy, intends to bring together 25 Hispanic and 25 African American ministries with staff from San Diego County's Health,...

Nonprofit social services agency Casa de Amparo has opened a new counseling wing and home for pregnant foster teens as part of an ongoing expansion effort at its 11.4-acre Casa Kids Campus in San Marcos. The new counseling wing and the expanded Pregnant and Parenting Residential Services cottage were celebrated at a July 21 grand-opening event. The projects will allow the agency to house approximately 40 pregnant and parenting teens each year and provide much-needed counseling services to...

This is an accessible, practical article. After a brief definition and explanation of resilience, it gives 20 easy, realistic strategies for building resilience in children. Share this with everyone you know! http://www.heysigmund.com/building-resilience-children/

Please join us for a 2-day training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) presented by Alison Hendricks, LCSW , certified National Trainer of TFCBT and TFCBT Culturally Modified. Sponsored by San Diego Center for Children. See attached flyer for more information. Where: United Way 4699 Murphy Canyon Rd San Diego, CA 92123 When: September 29 & 30 TIME: 8:30am– 4:30pm (Both days) COST: $275.00 Register at: http://tinyurl.com/SDCCTFCBT2016

The latest adverse childhood experiences survey from the California Department of Public Health shows that 42% of the population has an ACE score of 3 or higher; 16% have an ACE score of 4 or higher. Those with an ACE score of 4 or higher are: 3x more likely to be current smokers 4x more likely to have a depressive disorder 2x more likely to have asthma 2x more likely to be obese 4x more likely to have COPD 3x more likely to have a stroke Here are a few other highlights from the six-page...

When school children were asked if they’d like to be police officers someday at a tour of a local Mid City police station, dozens of tiny hands shot up in the air. Children from the San Diego area toured a Mid City police station on Wednesday morning for a pilot program that aims to encourage positive relationships between local police and the community, starting with young people. The students selected are participating in the “Readers in the Heights” program from the United Way of San...

A new San Diego preschool is creating father figures—and a hip-hop curriculum Reading, writing, and rapping? A new preschool in Southeast San Diego will be adding elements of hip-hop culture like emceeing, dance, and graffiti art to its curriculum. The private school will also focus on providing male teachers—a rarity in the education sphere—as positive role models. Enter rappers Tim Council and Albert Arpon, the driving force behind Treehouse Academy Children’s Center. “One in three...

San Diego Unified School District board members voted unanimously Tuesday night (July 26, 2016) in favor of a plan to address Islamophobia and bullying of Muslim students. More than 200 members and supporters of the city’s Muslim community erupted into applause after the vote. “You guys are essentially the reason why this district is one of the safest in the nation,” said Hanif Mohebi, executive director of the San Diego chamber of the Council on American-Islamic Relations . Mohebi also told...

KPJR Films is making its latest documentary, RESILIENCE , available for screenings in local communities. According to Resilience Executive Producer, Karen Pritzker , "We created Paper Tigers and Resilience for all segments of our community to use as tools, both as a source of inspiration and and education, towards trauma-informed practices. Directed by James Redford , RESILIENCE , is a one-hour documentary that delves into the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the birth of...

Honoring J.D. Guzman Greetings. Two memorial services will be held this week to honor Officer Jonathan "J.D." DeGuzman. Community members are welcomed at both services. * A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 4, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. The church is located at 450 Corral Canyon Road in Bonita. * A public memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 5, at Shadow Mountain Community Church. The church is located at 2100 Greenfield Drive in El Cajon. A...