Crittenton Services for Children and Families proactively addresses and adopts best practices in order to serve those that need us the most by harnessing the collective ability of our agency via a trauma-responsive treatment approach. A listing of our programs are listed below, and all referrals are made by the courts, school districts or governmental placement agencies unless otherwise noted:
Crittenton Program and Services
Shelter Care
Under contract with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Crittenton has shelter services for children and youth that provides 24/7 short-term residential care. Services include housing, medical, educational services, recreational services, and individual and group counseling. Youth in this program are screened for human trafficking trauma, child abuse, and/or neglect prior to a determination of the status of their individual cases. Clients stay with Crittenton until agency staff are able to find biological family, extended family or other legal guardians that can assume responsibility for the well-being of the youth.
Foster Care Program
We operate as a foster care agency licensed by the State of California Department of Social Services that recruits, trains, certifies and supports resource/foster parents living in Southern California. Resources/foster family homes are located in the service planning areas within Southern California that Crittenton holds offices in. All foster youth are eligible to receive support services including therapy, respite care, insurance, continuing education, and financial support in order to help certified Crittenton resource/foster parents assist the newest member of their family. In addition, we also operate as an adoption agency, licensed in the State of California, in order to support foster youth and their resource/foster families make their connection permanent if they wish to do so.
Transitional Age Youth (Stepping Stones Program)
Designed for youth who are aging out of the foster care system and are in need of additional support and resources during their transitional phase into adulthood. Under Crittenton’s Stepping Stones Program our TAY clients are offered comprehensive resources such as independent living skills programming, mental health services, and affordable transitional housing to assist clients stay safe, stable, healthy and emotionally resilient.
Family Preservation
At the first substantiated incident of abuse or neglect, resources are sent into the family home to strengthen family functioning and to help keep children safe in their biological homes. This program provides both in-home and community-based services to families experiencing crisis.
Community-Based Services
Crittenton community-based teams are assigned to coach families and their children preserve a healthy and connected family unit. Staff provides in-home or community-based counseling and support services and help clients access whatever community linkages they need to improve their quality of life. These programs include the Parent and Child Interaction Therapy Program and the School and Community Linked Outpatient Mental Health Program.
Outpatient Mental Health Services
To avoid long-term institutionalization of youth with serious mental health or behavioral issues, Crittenton provides various clinical and strength-based interventions to keep the family together and help avoid system-involvement. These interventions can include Intensive Field Capable Clinical Services and Wraparound Services. Depending on the setting, Crittenton provides group, family, and individual therapy; rehabilitation services, case management, and therapeutic behavioral services.