For Them, Casa Spells Home

In some ways, Rupesh Sloane’s high school graduation last month was typical.

After reveling in the glory of “Pomp and Circumstance,” graduates were urged to go on and accomplish great things. Tassels were switched; a cap was flung.

But there were differences, too. The seniors’ relatives had to be admitted through locked gates. The chorus consisted of a handful of giggling middle-school students. And each of the graduates -- all three of them -- had their own commencement speaker.

The June 8 ceremony was only the second full-scale graduation held by Casa Pacifica, Ventura County’s home for children with emotional disorders and those who have been abused or neglected.

Casa, as it’s known to its residents, workers and scores of volunteers, turns 10 years old July 18. And while the facility has had some growing pains -- it was placed on probation after several disruptive incidents in 1996 and 1997 -- it’s flourishing today, said Executive Director Steve Elson and others.

Sloane, who readily admitted that he spent part of his teen years “messing up,” is one of its fans.

“Oh, dude, it’s a great place,” the 18-year-old said a couple days after the graduation ceremony. “For all the people who need a structured, helpful environment, that’s the place to go.”

There are two distinct programs at the campus -- spread over 23 acres on Lewis Road south of Camarillo.

There is the 45-bed shelter that currently houses about 40 children, with most staying 55 to 60 days. Children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect can stay in their regular school or attend the small public school on campus.

Casa also has a treatment center for children ages 11 to 18 with major mood and behavioral disorders. The 28-bed program was full recently, Elson said, with stays averaging 12 to 18 months. Those in the program attend Casa’s non-public school.

The facility has an annual budget of $13 million, with most of the funds coming from state and federal sources. Private donors and the county each contribute less than $1 million a year.

There were some problems early on, which Elson attributes to a lack of staff experience. Incidents included the sexual assault of a toddler by a 9-year-old boy; a child whose jaw was broken during a struggle with staff members; and another who was hit by a car and seriously injured while trying to flee the facility.

Casa received several citations and was placed on three years’ probation by state regulators. In response, Casa made several changes, including segregating children by ages and providing more training for staff.

Today, Elson said, “we have a real core, seasoned staff who have now been here eight, 10 years.”

Casa also gets good marks from state and county overseers.

It hasn’t received any citations since 2001 and those were minor, said Pamela Ballard, a licensing program analyst for state community-care licensing.

Linda Henderson, the county’s director of children and family services, said Casa meets her most important criteria: “If I walk into a foster home or a group-care home, and I say to myself, I could live here and be happy, then I feel like we’re on good solid ground.”

During the last decade, the facility has grown in the number of children served and now employs 250 counselors, teachers, clinicians and others. It also has opened satellite offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria and added in-home programs.

During the last several years, Casa has become something of a model, said Carroll Schroeder, executive director of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services.

“When folks say, ‘We’re thinking about doing a shelter,’ or ‘We’re having problems,’ we say, ‘You ought to go down there and take a look at Casa,’ ” Schroeder said.

Casa is one of just two privately operated children’s emergency shelters in the state, Schroeder said. Only recently did county-run shelters begin having to meet the same stringent licensing requirements as private shelters.

The shelter also enjoys strong community support. One group of Casa volunteers -- the Angels -- has about 250 active members. They stock and run a small store where students can use the points they have earned for good behavior. They also put on several functions for students each year, including a formal prom.

It was the Angels who decorated Casa’s gym last month with balloons in the school colors of maroon and silver for the non-public school graduation, and several were on hand to cheer the three graduates.

At the ceremony, Elson told the 100 children, parents and staff members gathered about all that the graduates had achieved. In addition to Sloane, there were Thomas Jennings and Nikole Oshinsky, both 18.

“These graduates ... didn’t give up when that would have been the easy thing to do,” he said.