East Bay Community Foundation has been supporting CAPC with grants since 1998. In 2011 we selected CAPC as one of our Community Partners--well-managed organizations that have demonstrated impact in our focus areas of Early Childhood Success and/or Economic Empowerment. CAPC's Nurturing Parenting classes and home visiting programs provide invaluable support to low-income families, many of whom are non-English speaking, to give their young children a strong and healthy start in life so they can become successful learners in school and economically independent as adults. CAPC's programs meet a huge need in our communities and their staff are highly professional and deeply caring--a powerful combination!
To the CAPC, my name is Christian Hutchings and I have worked with your Parent Partners and the Early Intervention Outreach Specialists and my opinion is that Children and Family Services would incomplete (lost) without the benefit of these services.
I have worked with CFS for the past 15 years and have found each of the respective positions very helpful to me in my work. I have had situations when I am in the home of a client and cannot tell whether or not the client is tired, experiencing a low mood or under the influence of a controlled substance. With the EIOS present that question has always been quickly answered.
The EIOS' that function in Contra Costa County go above and beyond their normal scope sometimes to help children and families i.e. volunteering to speak to parents 24/7 if they need extra attention and volunteering to meet with them whenever they feel they need help.
The Parent Partners are such an important part of our work at CFS as they are able to incorporate their own life's experiences which act as identifiers for the client (i.e. someone they can relate too). The Parent Partners also have gone the extra mile with the clients, availing themselves whenever there is a need.
Sunita, Mercedes, Vinny and Dave are the ones I've worked with the most and I will say with confidence that they are all so AWESOME and do their work with a lot of passion and dedication. Credit also goes to Judy Knittle for picking such a great team for us to work with...
It would be a complete injustice to our families and our community if these individual's were not around to lend us their expertise.
Sincerely,
Christian Hutchings
Social Casework Specialist II
TDM Facilitator
I am a proud CAPC board member. I am also a former HS teacher and counselor. Currently I am a doctoral student in psychology. My clinical placements have been in schools, nonprofit agencies, and juvenile detention facilities. Each day I see children and adolescents who have suffered from the consequences of abuse and neglect. Such children inspire me to advocate for child abuse prevention and to fight for services that help children to recover from abuse and to live happier lives with adults who nurture and protect them. As a board member I enjoy supporting CAPC's programs because they provide educational opportunities and interventions for kids and parents. The comprehensive, grassroots approach to the CAPC programming is just what our kids and families deserve.
Review from Guidestar
CAPC has been an essential partner of mine since first working in Contra Costa in 1981. I have been a Board member since 1985 and have watched the agency grow from a small organization who did some mandated reporter trainings to a multi-program force in our community.
CAPC has coordinated the myriad agencies in CCC to work together and become more effective in our response to child maltreatment.
As a board-certified child abuse pediatrician, I work at the Children's Interview Center which is our county's child advocacy center and performs forensic interviews and medical evaluations for child witnesses. This center as well as our Sexual Assault Response Team are direct results of multidisciplinary task forces convened by CAPC. Data from 2012 showed that of the 600 interviews performed, 70% resulted in a legal proceeding with almost 100% conviction rate. The NCA(National Children's Alliance) has taken notice and other CAC's have consulted with our program.
The Baby Bag program brings essential information to new parents in our birthing hospitals including safe sleeping practices and shaken baby prevention information. These are required by state statute and provided by CAPC free of charge.
Home visitation and parenting classes are two evidence-based techniques in the prevention of child abuse and are provided by CAPC and are again free of charge.
The recent state legislation mandating schools to provide annual mandated reporter trainings will likely add more demand to one of CAPC's core programs yet that is so much why this agency exists. Our presence in the schools has only grown over the years and will continue to do so thanks to our skilled and experienced staff and trust in our agency.
The staff and board are very motivated in each of their programs and duties because our mission to prevent child abuse is heartfelt .
And a special thank you to Carol Carillo who as executive director is the vision and heart of the agency.
Respectfully submitted, Jim Carpenter MD, MPH, FAAP
It's difficult to put into words the impact this non-profit agency, CAPC, has made on the lives of the people who have benefited from the programs it provides. Prevention, as noted, is the key word. it's a life changing choice given to those who never knew it was something that they had any control over. The Parenting Classes are one such choice.The tools are given, the classes are full, the graduation rate is high but the success rate is seen on the faces, felt in the hearts and visible in the eyes and smiles of those who attended. That, to me, is the testimonial that's hard to put into words but beautiful to see and speaks volumes for the agency and those who make it all happen. Thank you all, so proud to be part of such an amazing and dedicated group of people.
Susan Woods
One of the things that I love the most about CAPC, is their committment to PREVENTING child abuse from happening in the first place. So many organizations concentrate on helping after something bad has happened. CAPC is working hard to get in front of the wave and protect families from getting into a bad place at all. This is a much needed and wonderful organization.
Beau
The many programs CAPC offers are helping prevent child abuse in Contra Costa County. The Nurturing Parenting Connection provides home support and parent education. Trained professionals provide mandated reporter trainings to teachers, school staff and children care workers. Speak Up Be Safe is reaching thousands of school children teaching about child abuse, bullying and sexual harassment prevention. CAPC Staff and Board members continually and actively engage in awareness efforts throughout the community. The work of CAPC is making an impact and affecting the lives of families in preventing child abuse with every program delivered.
