Casa Pacifica Funds May Be Increased

Ventura County supervisors will decide Tuesday whether to renew contracts with Casa Pacifica and provide the funding necessary to increase staff training and services to care for the county’s abused and neglected children.

Supervisors will also decide whether to approve the Children’s Services System work-group report, which lists 35 recommendations, including the development of legislation “to correct and revise outdated licensing regulations,” many of which may impede Casa Pacifica’s ability to treat children with serious behavioral problems.

County officials spent two months investigating the facility’s emergency shelter and residential treatment program before releasing the report, which also urges that infants under 2 years old be placed directly in approved foster homes rather than at Casa Pacifica.

Despite a recent state recommendation to revoke the facility’s license because of supervision and disciplinary violations, the report states that Casa Pacifica is widely recognized as a state-of-the-art model of comprehensive care.

Supervisors formed the work group to revise existing interagency agreements in order to more clearly define the service delivery and financial roles of the people who care for the county’s troubled children.

If supervisors decide to renew the contract with the facility, it would include $63,000 to extend current emergency shelter care services, $106,954 for administrative services, $184,000 for safety watch services, $550,000 for day treatment services, and $381,200 for medication support and crisis intervention services. They will also consider whether to negotiate a four-year $400,000 secured loan for Casa Pacifica.

Supervisors may also award $324,000 to the Ventura County Community College District for the provision of training for county officials and Casa Pacifica staff.