Community Education and Awareness; this body is here with a mission to reduce and prevent underage drinking, marijuana use, and prescription drug misuse. Giving us the ability to provide workshops and education to parents, community partners, and our community on ways to enhance our efforts to prevention.

Program Goals:

1. To increase community collaboration and partnerships
2. To educate youth with effective prevention techniques reducing substance use
3. To implement trainings and strategies to local community businesses in preventing youth from obtaining alcohol and tobacco products

Location: 10210 Orr and day Rd. Suite B Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Phone: (562) 348-0083

Monica Soto — Phone: (562) 348-0083  ext. 213. Email: msoto@lacada.com
Lawrence Fernandez — Phone: (562) 348-0083 ext. 211. Email: lfernandez@lacada.com

U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime has awarded L.A. CADA a grant to provide direct services to children and youth who are crime victims as a result of the Nation’s addiction crisis.

Under this program, a young victim of the addiction crisis is:

• A child or youth, from newborn to 18 years-old
• A victim of any kind of crime (child abuse or neglect, physical or sexual assault, domestic or family violence, DUI, DWI, etc.)
• Impacted by the addiction crisis

Note: A crime does not have to be reported to police for the victim to be eligible.

Direct Services include:

• Providing information about services available
• Referral to specialized evidence-based, trauma-informed victim services for children and youth
• Advocating on behalf of the victim
• Accompaniment to meetings, hearings, appointments
• Medical services including treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome
• Emotional support on-scene of a substance overdose or drug-related offense where a young victim is present, as well as continued support after the incident

Note: The grant extends support and services to the child involved, but also their caregivers, whether they be parents, kin, foster families, or friends.

To this end, L.A. CADA is establishing a Youth Team whose members will:

• Reach out to referral sources
• Establish a screening process
• Educate all staff to create awareness
• Establish a “warm” line through CENS
• Establish a “hot” line for afterhours response
• Develop a protocol for responding to crises situations
• Provide therapy, counseling, case management, advocacy

Note: Currently, the Team consists of Dakota Brown with Caryl Lark as grant overseer. Much work remains to be done; the first order of business will be to expand the team! This is an exciting project and deserving of our best, most concerted effort.