The Childrens Clinic Serving Children And Their Families

PROVIDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH: Expanded Mental/Behavioral Health Services: TCC provides critically needed services for behavioral health issues including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, educational setbacks, increased drug and alcohol use, adverse childhood events, and post traumatic stress disorder - all compounded by the ongoing challenges. TCC has specially trained physicians and nurse practitioners to serve unique populations with mental health issues such as children and people experiencing homelessness with support from a consulting psychiatrist. Addressing Adversity: Flourishing Families Long Beach (FFLB) was funded from fiscal year 2023-2024 through a grant from the LA County Department of Mental Health. This community partnership, a Mental Health Services Act Innovation II project, addressed and sought to prevent adversity and promote healing in our youngest children, families and elderly among generations focusing on the Latino, African American and Cambodian populations. Over 30 community and public based organizations worked side by side with TCC's Flourishing Families team to implement the selected strategies and help build the capacity of our communities to work collectively toward supporting community identification and reduction of adversity in children ages 0 to 5 and intergenerationally. This FFLB partnership/learning community coordinated online and in-person community-based activities, events and workshops that linked residents to resources and covered a multitude of mental health topics, including stress and anxiety management, as well as suicide, familial violence, child abuse, and drug and alcohol prevention. FFLB members were trained in the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), a skills-based program focusing on the biological reactions that occurs in response to stressful events and using wellness skills to help families move through the stressful event, and to return to a zone of resilience or the ability to tolerate the trauma-related symptoms. FFLB collaborative partner agencies played an essential role in coordinating outreach and engagement strategies to enhance mental health awareness and education. A few of these outreach strategies included children's theater workshops, parent and child mindfulness workshops, storytelling groups, support groups relating to community capacity building, folk-dance classes, Zumba classes, support groups for teens and elderly individuals, and budget friendly meal prepping classes among others. A highly reflective methodology was used to assess the impact of FFLB collaborative efforts which uncovered the following thematic highlights: * Basic resources helped stabilize individuals and families in times of need and opened the door to other services. * Front-line staff from the community who shared their lived experience with participants were key to making community members feel welcome, safe and heard. * Education and training provided community members with knowledge, tools and skills that were organically shared with extended family and friends, which has the potential for strengthening communities in the longer term.

ADDRESSING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH & PROVIDING CONCRETE SUPPORT: As the primary health care provider of the under insured and uninsured, low-income, children and families in our community, TCC's services include not only comprehensive health care, but also identifies and addresses barriers to care and includes supportive services such as: providing food, housing referrals, rental assistance, diaper distributions and other tangible needs; health education and outreach; support for those who have or are experiencing adverse childhood experiences; newborn home visits for families facing challenges; interpretation services; health coverage and Cal Fresh (SNAP) enrollment; transportation; and health-related legal services through our Medical Legal Partnership with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. TCC recognizes the importance of concrete support in times of need so families can be clothed, fed and housed so they can achieve health, educational and emotional well-being. * Free Farmers Market and food pantries distributing fresh fruits & vegetables, Food Pantries at each clinical site provides much needed resources such as diapers. Over 30,000 lbs. per month/402,000 lbs. per year of fresh fruits and vegetables were given out to those we serve. * Rental and Utility assistance to those most in need. * Enhanced Care Management Program providing Intensive Case Management and Care Coordination while providing concrete needs to those with complex chronic health conditions, mental health disorders and who are most at risk and often experiencing homelessness. * Home Visitation Program - Providing developmental assessments, parent education and support through TCC's Family Support Specialists for families facing challenges with young children. * Concrete needs such as: Diapers, cribs, and other household items and necessities for daily living.