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Youth Empowerment Center News Teen-care program is closing April 1, 2005 - The Clark Adolescent Center in San Diego will close its residential program for teenagers with emotional and behavioral problems at the end of April because of financial issues.
Placement sought for 11 Clark center residents
By Sarah Skidmore
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
The parent company for the program, Devereux California, said it has lost millions of dollars during the program's four years because of lower-than-expected occupancy.
The program needs to operate at nearly 100 percent occupancy to be financially viable, the company said.
Devereux said in a statement that it is working with the San Diego County Department of Children's Services and Children's Mental Health Services to find placement for the 11 children remaining under the program's care. Devereux said it also is cutting the program's 43 employees.
The company initially planned to transfer the program to San Diego Center for Children, a nonprofit organization that worked collaboratively on the Kearny Mesa-area program, but SDCC decided not to move forward with the deal.
Edwin Kofler, chief executive officer for SDCC, said his organization planned on assuming responsibility for the program until occupancy dropped significantly in the past few months. The program has about half the youth in residence now than it is equipped for.
Kofler said there is a demand for the program, with about 200 children sent out of county or state every year to receive the care offered at the Clark program.
Kofler said SDCC could run the program if the program returned to normal operating levels. However, SDCC cannot cope with the temporary losses it would incur returning the program to those levels. Kofler said his group would resume its plans if financially able, but he said it would take at least $500,000 to do so.
"We recognize the importance of this program," Kofler said. "We feel it is really unfortunate that it stands where it does today."
Sarah Skidmore: (619) 293-1020; sarah.skidmore@uniontrib.com
DWR Announces CAST Event
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2005--The Department of Water Resources (DWR), in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW), the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), and The CAST for Kids Foundation will sponsor a CAST (Catch a Special Thrill) for Kids event on Saturday, June 4 at Lake Perris in Southern California.
This event will accommodate 50 boys and girls aged 5-18 from the Moreno Valley Unified School District. Additional sponsors include Lake Perris Interpretive Association, Fast Signs, Anglers Marine, Empire Marine, CDF Moreno Valley #19, the State Parks Foundation, the local Coast Guard auxiliary, March Credit Union, CW Construction, Waldon Pond and Brookstone Equipment and Services, Anaheim.
The CAST for Kids events team volunteers with disabled and disadvantaged children for a special day of outdoor adventure. Children participating will enjoy a day of fishing, prizes, activities, and special entertainment provided by staff members of state agencies, CAST members, and volunteers from the community. The young anglers will be educated about boating safety, angler ethics and natural resources.
In 2004, DWR, DPR, DBW and DFG signed a Memorandum of Agreement to provide a framework to create a partnership between the CAST Foundation and the State of California. The goal of this partnership is for the state to support the CAST program, and expand opportunities for disadvantaged and disabled youth to use and enjoy public land and water.
The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs.
Contacts
Department of Water Resources
Dorothy Benjamin, 916-653-6032 (Sacramento)
or
Department of Parks and Recreation
Raphael Samuel, 951-940-5644
(Lake Perris CAST Coordinator)
Youth Empowerment
Lorraine Bowman, President
4249 Manzanita Drive
San Diego, California 92105
info@empowering-youth.org
