PROGRAMS

Youths Excelling for Success (Y.E.S.) Program

The Y.E.S. Program is a free ongoing, year-round after school program that addresses the problems of at-risk youth, especially underserved Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs), ages 5-18.  The overall goals of this program are: a) to decrease school drop-out, gang activity and drug use; b) to empower and engage students with appropriate life and literacy skills and c) to decrease teen pregnancy and self-destructive, risky behaviors.  This is accomplished through a comprehensive array of services in group activities such as homework assistance, educational workshops, sports and arts & crafts.  Support groups focus on relationship building, effective communication skills, conflict resolution and anger management.  Life skills are developed through new experiences and mentored relationships.  The students learn how to achieve success by setting incremental personal goals. 

Students work to achieve incremental goals such as: 1) the maintenance or improvement of English and math grades, 2) a decrease in acting out behavior in the classroom, 3) an increase in school attendance, and 4) enhanced social skills.  The students are encouraged to consider applying for college and have opportunities to learn about a range of careers/vocations.  PACS is pleased to report that all the children who were enrolled in the 2006-2007 Y.E.S. Program  were promoted to the next grade level.

Partnership for Families (PFF) – PACS is part of a collaborative that provides services, funded by First 5 LA.

In November 2008, Joahanna Terrones, a PACS’ case manager and one of her clients, M. were showcased at a quarterly meeting of the First 5 LA.  This client’s success story highlights how PFF services can help a person to realize his/her potential.

At 16, M. became pregnant.  Although her parents wanted her to terminate the pregnancy, she decided to have the baby and to finish high school.  In the PFF Program, she attended a Teen Parent Support Group where she had guidance from counselors, the case manager, and other teen mothers.  M. had a good relationship with her boyfriend and he attended a Male Teen Support Group where he learned about how to be a father as well as receiving support and encouragement.

M. was able to graduate from high at the age of seventeen. Through a referral from her PFF case manager, she applied for the United Teacher Fellowship Program. This program assists students to attend college and complete their bachelor’s degree so they can become teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  The program accepts only a small handful of students, and M. was one of them.
 
Currently, M. attends Harbor College and will be transferring to CSU Dominguez Hills in the Fall of 2009.  She serves as a role model to other teen mothers on how to overcome obstacles.  With the support of PFF, she transitioned from being a child to a responsible mother and an educated adult.

Outreach & Education

• Universal Lifeline Telephone Service – To inform and educate individuals on low cost phone service and to assist in enrolling them into the program. 
• State Prop.10:  School Readiness Project – To outreach and inform API parents and childcare providers with 0-5 year old children about early childhood development and to inform them of the local school resources.  Geographic area:  Beach Cities, South Bay, Long Beach, Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Inglewood.
• CalWORK’s Supportive Services Outreach – To provide CalWORK’s recipients with information on Supportive Services that are available to them and to make appropriate referrals.  Geographic area:  South Family DPSS, Rancho Park DPSS and Van Nuys DPSS.
• Partnerships for Families – To outreach and assist API parents-to-be with resources and/or needed case management services.  To provide assistance to API families who have been visited by DCFS for further follow up.
• Family Preservation – To provide in-home outreach counseling services to API families referred by DCSF.  Services include weekly home visitations, teaching and demonstrations on parenting skills, access to auxiliary funding and assistance to link to other resources.
• General Outreach  – To provide outreach at community events to inform them of PACS services and to make appropriate referrals.  Geographic area:  All areas with significant API presence.

J.O.B.’s (Jumping Over Barriers)

Vocational Services

• Job Assistance:  Youth and Adults needing assistance in obtaining employment are assisted with services such as Resume Writing, Interview Techniques, Job Search Assistance, Referrals & Linkages to Job Training and Employment.
• Job Retention:  Youth and Adults are provided services which focuses on job retention such as Time Management, Work Culture, Anger Management, Stress Management, etc.

Prevention and Intervention for Child Abuse and Neglect

The Chil-Safe (Children with Hope in a Loving, Secure, Adaptive Family Environment) Program provides comprehensive, culturally sensitive child abuse prevention and treatment services for children, youth and families.  The prime objective is to prevent the occurrence of child abuse and neglect.  If abuse and/or neglect has already occurred, interventions focus on preventing additional incidences.  This is accomplished thru counseling for the child, teaching parenting skills to the parents, family counseling to improve communication among family members, tutorial services for the child and building upon the strengths within the family.

Supportive Mental Health Services for CalWORKS participants

Individual counseling, case management and psychiatric services are provided to those individuals who are CalWORKS participants to address their barriers to employment.

Back to Top