Grants support new youth, family programs at Interface services


Interface Children and Family Services has been awarded three new and continuing state grants.

The funding will allow Interface to create new programs including family violence intervention services; early child and family development, which includes First 5 Neighborhoods for Learning; and mental health and justice services.

Interface’s Mental Health Department has been awarded a multi-year, $1-million federal disaster response grant program for school-based services to create the Phoenix Project.

The program will provide mental health and trauma treatment services to youth in grades K-12 and their families who were emotionally affected by the Thomas and Woolsey fires of 2018.

Services will be delivered in Ventura, Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake and Oak Park.

The program will engage school personnel, students and families through technology sources to provide outreach services on fire risks, effects, disaster safety tips, wildfire-related trauma, warning signs of trauma in youth and how to access services.

Interface was also awarded a $275,000 grant to continue its child abuse treatment program.

Since 2005 Interface has worked with Safe Harbor, Family Justice Center and Victims’ Advocates in Ventura County to serve children and families affected by abuse.

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Interface’s Family Violence Intervention Services Department received a two-year, $600,00 federally MUSEUM of funded project called the Central Coast Family Violence Prevention Initiative, which will

Courtesy help the agency to provide interpersonal and family violenceHALL: training and technical assistance

ARMORY to educators and family violence agencies and personnel.

Interface’s growing Justice Services Department is launching the Youth LIFT (Lead, Inspire, Focus, Transform) Partnership program, aimed at diverting youth from the juvenile justice system through culturally relevant approaches.

The goal of the project is to: provide alternative-sanction programs; offer mentoring, mental health services and case management; and to help1870 youth access community resources.

Interface hosts a 24-hour domestic violence and human trafficking hotline at (800) 636-6738 and a 24-hour youth or housing crisis hotline at (805) 469-5882.

To reach the Mental Health Intake Line from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, call (805) 485-6114, ext. 662.