Success Stories

Sarah, 16

For several years in her early teens, Sarah struggled with homelessness. She was repeatedly being kicked out of her parent’s house due to violent outbursts and substance use.

Sarah had difficulty with her emotions and coping with the difficult feelings many teens experience. Sarah was especially angry about the abuse and neglect she experienced within her family as a child and as a teenager. She began to overwhelmed with these thoughts and emotions.

Unfortunately, lacking effective coping skills or someone to talk to, and with a family history of substance abuse she turned to marijuana to disconnect from her problems, the world, and from herself.

Sarah, knew she needed a safe environment that would give her support as she confronted the conflicts at home, thoughts of hurting herself, and the fear of relapsing back into drug use.

Sarah found Casa Youth Shelter and on her own came to get the help she needed, the help that she was unable to get in her current living situation.

While at Casa, Sarah engaged in individual, group, and family therapy. She developed a better understanding of the role drugs were playing in her life, and she chose to develop healthier coping skills to handle conflicts, stress, and painful feelings. Sarah and her family worked in family therapy to have open and honest conversations about past hurts and how to strengthen the relationship between Sarah and her parents as they work through conflict better and meet everyone’s needs in the family. Sarah returned home and the family continues to work in Aftercare counseling services at Casa Youth Shelter.

Jane, 16

Jane had been struggling – using drugs, always angry, misbehaving, fighting with her family, engaging in self-harm, and hanging out with “the wrong crowd” which resulted in her mother transferring Jane to a different school. When the family begins to fight, Jane would leave the room or go take a nap. This culminated in her attempt to run away, and her family called the police to help de-escalate the situation. Jane and her mother came to us for help.

While Jane was with us, she was very engaged in group and individual counseling. She shared that being at Casa Youth Shelter gave her time to sleep well and rest, and was “way better than being at home”. In group sessions, she said she felt that her family blamed her for every conflict that happened, and the blaming language her family used really bothered her.

The longer she stayed with us, the more Jane shared about the root of what brought her to us. In group sessions, Janes shared the depth of her drug addiction. When she was using drugs, Jane would sell herself to get drugs and she was afraid how her mother would react when she find out. Through individual and family sessions, our counselor talked with her about risky behavior, and how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. Jane felt a lot of resentment toward her mother for not protecting her more, her sister for blaming her for their family dynamics, and her step-father who she felt looked down on her.

In individual sessions, we helped Jane identify coping skills that could help her deal with conflict in her family. When she was ready, Jane and her family talked through her experience in family sessions, and explored their feelings around the situation.  It was difficult at first, but as the sessions progressed Jane and her family developed communication skills to help them work through difficult conversations. Ultimately, Jane and her family got to a point where they agreed that Jane could return home – that it would be difficult, but manageable with the skills they learned.  Before she left, our staff helped Jane work with the police to file a report about her experience, and at her request sat with her through the police interview for support. She continued with aftercare counseling, and we connected her with a drug treatment center.

Melissa, 17

Melissa and her family had recently migrated to the United States from El Salvador. Staying with family members in a new country and unable to speak English, Melissa was vulnerable and soon began working to help support the family she was living with. It wasn’t long before Melissa found herself a victim of abuse and took refuge in the home of a friend.

However, that home too became unsafe. She once again became a victim of sexual abuse. The police and social services who intervened brought Melissa to Casa Youth Shelter until safe and stable housing could be secured. With just a few weeks until her 18thth birthday, Melissa’s counselor worked quickly, in collaboration with the Case Manager and the Social Worker, to find appropriate housing and support services as she transitioned into an adult. Her counselor was also successful in contacting Melissa’s father and facilitating transportation assistance so that he could attend family therapy and contribute to the support she needed.

While at Casa Youth Shelter Melissa told her counselor she felt safe and happy that she had adults helping her. With the bilingual staff and counselors Melissa had the opportunity to share her experiences as well as her feelings. She was able to process the abuse she endured while learning how to advocate for herself and began to feel empowered and hopeful. Melissa was able to stay at Casa Youth Shelter for just under a month. During that time, she participated in 12 individual sessions, two family sessions, and 26 different groups. Counseling gave her an outlet to reframe her experiences and helped her develop coping mechanisms. Melissa exited safely and successfully to stable housing for transitional-aged youth on her 18th birthday. She told staff at the time of her exit that she was motivated to continue healing and move forward with her goals.

Sabrina, 16

Prior to arriving at Casa Youth Shelter, Sabrina frequently found herself in conflict with her family. She reported feeling misunderstood and unaccepted by her parents and found it difficult to identify and communicate her emotions openly. She explained to staff that she does not feel welcomed by her parents, as she identifies as bisexual which they do not agree with.

Sabrina’s difficulty identifying her emotions kept her from managing them effectively. When she became overwhelmed by emotions, she reported using drugs to cope and had several suicide attempts as well as ongoing suicidal thoughts. She expressed fear of her own actions if she was to return home. Sabrina would frequently run away and had been in another shelter for several weeks.

During her time at Casa Youth Shelter, Sabrina developed a better understanding of her emotions and began actively practicing communicating her feelings. Sabrina began to identify and effectively communicate her emotions in family sessions and to feel more accepted and understood by her family. During the three weeks, Sabrina was at Casa Youth Shelter, she participated in 7 individual sessions, 8 family sessions, and 17 different group sessions. Counseling helped Sabrina identify new coping skills to better manage her difficult emotions and identify language to describe her feelings.

Sabrina’s family supported her by attending the family sessions, continuing services after Sabrina exited the shelter, and accepting additional referrals after Sabrina completed the program. Initially, Sabrina planned on exiting to another shelter due to her anxiety about returning home. However, with the help of her counselor as well as her active participation in the counseling services, Sabrina became open and excited about returning home. She exited safely back to her family and continued to work on understanding her own emotions so that she may communicate them openly. Sabrina continued to utilize the coping skills she developed at Casa Youth Shelter and began to feel more comfortable at home. During follow-up with Sabrina and her family, she reported feeling safe and happy to be home.

Bonnie, 15

Bonnie struggled for many years before coming to Casa Youth Shelter. She had been having a hard time after her parents separated. Over time, Bonnie lost contact with her father and her mother met someone new. Bonnie struggled to accept these changes and began experiencing conflict with her family. Bonnie began to feel depressed and became distant from others. She started spending more time in her room with very limited communication with family in her household. Eventually, getting up in the morning and completing daily tasks became a challenge. Bonnie began to self-harm and, at one point, thought about committing suicide. Although Bonnie has participated in individual and family therapy in the past, she did not find that these experiences were very helpful. Additionally, she did not believe that the relationship between her and her mother would change or that her mother would understand what Bonnie has been experiencing.

During her time at Casa Youth Shelter, Bonnie participated in individual sessions and was able to explore and identify some of her needs. Bonnie talked about her feelings and developed the courage to communicate her experiences with her mother. Bonnie spent a lot of time focusing on herself – understanding what she is experiencing and how she can successfully cope with these experiences. Bonnie learned to cope with intense emotions using an array of techniques such as: talking to someone, journaling, reading, going outside, exercising, and focusing on deep breathing. Bonnie talked about how, through her work at Casa Youth Shelter, she has seen improvement in her experiences. Her symptoms were much less severe. She began developing an open line of communication between herself and her mother. In family sessions, Bonnie expressed her needs and experiences as her mother learned about the power of active listening and validation. Ultimately, after 3 weeks, Bonnie decided that she was ready to go home and be reunited with her family. Together, Bonnie and her family found that therapy was beneficial for them and took action to continue their therapeutic journeys with their previous therapists.

Mary, 17

Mary is a 17 year old female who was referred to Casa Youth Shelter due to conflicts at home with her foster parents. When Mary was 10 she was removed from her mother’s care due to neglect and abuse.

Over the last 7 years Mary has had no contact with her birth parents. She has been in 3 separate foster homes and Orangewood Group Home for 6 months. She was joined with her current foster family approximately 5 months prior to coming into CYS.

Throughout her years moving from one foster home to another, Mary developed several coping and survival skills.  She was able to become a leader in the different environments she was in and found ways to help others and herself build resiliency.   Because Mary was used to finding her own way and being her only source of support she found it difficult to connect with any of her foster parents and recently she struggled to be in her new foster family’s home.

Due to feeling disconnected and unable to communicate her needs with the family, they often found themselves in conflict and the arguments between her and her foster parents resulted in Mary feeling more and more excluded and unwanted.

By the time Mary came to CYS she and her parents had decided that they would seek termination of their custody and she would return to Orange Group Home until she turned 18.

During that time she participated in 9 groups, 3 individual counseling sessions and 2 family sessions with her foster parents. In a short amount of time, Mary and her foster parents were able to talk to one another. With the skills she learned in individual and group therapy she was able to communicate her wants and needs effectively and her foster parents used the resources and skills they learned to communicate better with Mary and they were all able to better understand one another. Mary began to express a desire to return “home” and all discussion of terminating guardianship was stopped.  After 9 days and 14 hours of counseling, Mary was able to return home to the safe and stable environment she had always wanted.

Mary has plans to go to college and live on campus. She and her parents plan to continue in aftercare counseling at CYS until she leaves for college.

Jessica, 14

Prior to arriving at Casa Youth Shelter, Jessica had difficulty communicating with her family. She struggled to find the words to express herself and what she was feeling, which often led to misunderstandings. She was frustrated and this frustration often led to arguments, that could lead to heated fights. Jessica and her family needed a break from each other, to sort through the underlying causes of their conflicts and learn to build better communication skills. Jessica told her counselor that she wanted to feel close to her family, but she was unsure how to tell them what she needed, in a way that they would understand.

During her time at Casa Youth Shelter, Jessica worked hard to develop a better understanding of her emotions and how to effectively communicate her feelings. In a family counseling session, Jessica was able to practice her communication skills and was also able to express her emotions openly, which prompted her mother to do the same.

Jessica spent three weeks at Casa Youth Shelter and participated in 9 individual sessions, 1 family session, and 20 different groups. Counseling helped Jessica identify language to describe her feelings and develop more confidence in expressing herself emotionally. Not only did Jessica’s family attend the family session, but they also accepted additional referrals to continue services after she completed the program.

Jessica exited safely back to her family’s home and continued to work on understanding her emotions and learning how to effectively communicate her needs with family. She and her family continue to work on their communication and are hoping to keep up with family sessions closer to home so that they may continue to strengthen their relationships. 

Monica, 14

Monica is a 14-year-old girl who was referred to CYS by her parents after she ran away from home. Typical of many teens, Monica has had a challenging few years. Her parents are divorced and she has a difficult relationship with her father. Monica’s father often drinks excessively, and he had been both emotionally and physically abusive when she was young. Monica currently lives with her mother, her older sister, and step-father, visiting with her father occasionally. Monica’s relationships with her sister and her step-father are also difficult.

When she came into Casa she told her counselor that she had been in an abusive dating relationship which left Monica feeling “broken” and depressed.

Combined with the sadness she felt about her father, and the lack of skills she had in dealing with her feelings, she started cutting and using drugs to cope. Eventually, Monica started having problems in school, and then she just stopped going at all. This led to problems at home with her mother, which led to increased depression and panic attacks.

Monica’s family came together and shared their concern for her safety. They decided to bring her to Casa Youth Shelter with the hope that Monica would be able to process and understand her trauma, and address the behaviors that were hurting her and her relationship with her family.

Monica was at Casa for about three weeks. She opened up to her counselor and began discussing the feelings she had been keeping inside. She learned new coping skills and began practicing effective communication skills. Monica and her family participated in family therapy sessions and they all expressed a strong desire to work through the issues that were causing so much conflict.

Monica returned home and the family continues to participate in aftercare counseling. Most importantly, Monica has begun working through the issues she has with her father, and Monica’s mother is developing a greater understanding of Monica’s feelings and behaviors. The family continues to work toward improving their relationships with increased communication and understanding.

Tay, 16

Tay is a 16-year-old female who identified as questioning and uses they/them pronouns. Before coming to CYS, Tay lived at home with their parents and younger brother.

Tay was referred to us after they were admitted to the hospital for suicidal ideation. They had tried to kill themselves in the past in several ways, including setting up a noose but had called a hotline before completing because they decided they wanted to live at the last minute. Tay came to CYS hoping to increase trust and communication with their parents, as well as to work through their depression, deal with emotions, and learn coping skills.

In counseling sessions, Tay explained that past physical abuse when they were very young made it hard for them to feel safe enough to express emotions with their family. Tay felt like they didn’t belong or even were cared for at home by their family. In the few months before coming to CYS, Tay’s symptoms worsened, and after speaking with a friend they decided to reach out for help via hotlines. Tay’s parents did not understand Tay’s need for mental health services because their physical needs were being met. Their parents were convinced to call the police by Tay’s friend who understood the seriousness of Tay’s situation. After Tay’s first attempt at asking for help, police came to their house, where they determined the home was safe after speaking to Tay and evaluating their parents. Shortly after, Tay contacted a hotline and requested services, and was taken to a hospital. While at the hospital, Tay felt they gained useful skills and information, and appreciated the services.

Tay was at CYS for three weeks, had 14 individual sessions, and five family sessions, and participated in eight group therapy sessions. They left CYS to reunite with their parents at home, and they continue to actively participate in aftercare counseling, both individually and with their parents.  Since leaving CYS, Tay and their father both show motivation to make changes to have more authentic communication at home, and Tay continues to work on increasing their ability to manage their symptoms of depression and to use assertive communication skills to better express their thoughts and feelings with their family.

Gus, 16

Gus is a 16-year-old boy who was adopted into a family at the age of 5. He was removed from his mother’s care and placed in foster care. When he was adopted he came into a home with two older siblings and understandable feelings of loss, pain, and hurt. He struggled at home and at school as he grew up. His parents asked for help from the school and behavioral specialists to help their child. This resolved some of the pain for a while and Gus started having success in a new school. Soon his older brothers moved out and it was just him and his parents.

Shortly after the pandemic began, he started engaging in risky behaviors. He also became increasingly violent and emotionally hurtful in the home.  After receiving a suspension from school and facing a possible expulsion his parents, not knowing what else to do, reached out to Casa Youth Shelter for help.  Gus was receptive to services and began to participate right away. During the 4 individual sessions and 2 family sessions, he and his family found ways to talk to one another again.

Gus started to open up to his family about the loss and rejection he feels from his early childhood trauma. They found ways to support each other and remind themselves of the care they have for each other. Through the work they did in family therapy, the collaboration with their Casa Youth Shelter counselor, Gus’s outside therapist, and their therapeutic support team, the family gained confidence and felt ready to have Gus return home.

Gus and his family were thankful for the services provided at CYS.  They stated it gave them the opportunity to focus on the essential issues within the family, provided the help Gus needed to open up and understand what he was feeling so they could all move forward in healing their family relationships.

Janette, 17

Janette struggled for many years before coming to Casa Youth Shelter for help. She had been having a hard time since her parents divorced several years ago. When her father moved out of the house and spent less and less time with her, Janette became sad and fearful he would stop coming around entirely.  She told her mother she wanted to see her father, but her mother began resenting her for wanting to spend time with him. All of the changes in her family increased Janette’s feelings of sadness and loss,  eventually leading to low self-esteem and thoughts of suicide. Janette had gone to individual therapy before and felt it had been ineffective and insufficient; her parents also did not consider individual therapy to be beneficial but would not consider alternatives, like family therapy or an inpatient facility.

During her time at Casa Youth Shelter, Janette and her family had family therapy sessions for the first time, and Janette was able to identify how she was feeling and expressed this with her family openly. Through 12 individual and 3 family sessions, she successfully advocated for herself and pushed for the care she needed. Janette learned communication skills, built on her self-esteem, and practiced ways to continue to advocate for herself both in her family and in her daily life.  While with us, Janette began to understand the depth of her depression and mental health needs, realizing she would be best supported and treated with the specialized care provided by an inpatient hospital unit. Through honest discussions with her parents in family sessions, Janette’s parents could understand her needs and support her in her next steps.

Janette exited our shelter safely, and her relationship with her family became strong enough that they were able to continue working together in a supportive loving way.

Shane, 17

Lisa, 16

Lisa’s depression had led to multiple suicide attempts and hospitalizations. Communication with her family was deteriorating as Lisa struggled to connect with them and instead isolated herself in her room. Most recently her parents had gone out of town, and left Lisa with a sibling. Lisa attempted suicide and passed out, making her parents rush home to take her to the hospital. With her parents overwhelmed by their daughter’s mental health condition, Lisa and her family requested resources for foster care from her outside therapist, who suggested coming to Casa Youth Shelter before deciding.

In the beginning of her stay at Casa Youth Shelter, Lisa had difficulty expressing herself and coping with her emotions. She suffered a panic attack during her first week at the shelter. Staff effectively assisted Lisa in managing her anxiety, stabilized her panic attack, and efficiently transitioned her back into the shelter program. During individual sessions with her counselor, Lisa learned how to express herself more effectively. In one of the first family sessions with her mother, Lisa’s self-expression was met with her mother’s resistance, which led to an increased sense of hopelessness. However, working with her counselor she gained motivation and Lisa was eventually able to engage her mother in meaningful discussions. Lisa’s mother began to better understand her daughter, and they both started to recognize the importance of effective communication. Lisa gained confidence in coping with her emotions by expressing her needs to her mother instead of isolating herself. Lisa remained at Casa Youth Shelter for 21 days and participated in 10 individual counseling sessions, 4 family sessions, and 12 group therapy sessions. Together with their counselor, she and her mother were able to develop a plan to reunite safely at home.

During the follow up by her counselor, Lisa expressed gratitude for her counselor’s support in expressing her identity to those around her. She conveyed more hope for the future and wanted to remain with her family. Stabilized, she has been able to return to regular clinical services with her outside therapist.

Lyndsey, 17

Lyndsey, within months of turning 18, was on the brink of homelessness. Severe conflict forced her mother to bring her to Casa Youth Shelter. In counseling, she revealed a troubled childhood, including a sexual assault. Casa Youth Shelter staff and counseling helped her navigate not only an upcoming law enforcement interview, but also her overwhelming emotions. She remained anxious that she would have nowhere to go in a matter of weeks and no way to get to her high school graduation. Immediate action was put in place for graduation and family reunification. Lyndsey received individual counseling while her mother began attending family counseling and parenting classes. The lines of communication began to open, and Lyndsey was joyfully reunited with her family. She also received her diploma and is currently attending community college.

Joaquin, 17

Joaquin was addicted to crystal meth at age 9, in rehab at 12, in a gang at 13, and became a father at 16. He was violent toward his mother, and continued gang activity and drug use, which led his mother to give up custody. Severe conflicts at home and probation violations left him with two choices: Juvenile Hall or Casa Youth Shelter. During his first days here, he was guarded and refused to participate. But through counseling and the structured environment, he began making profound progress. While at Casa Youth Shelter, he became more cooperative in his treatment and in the house. He was thankful, saying that he finally felt accepted and cared for. His demeanor changed from reserved and angry to hopeful. Currently living in a group home, Joaquin is doing very well and is appreciative of his second chance.

Amy, 14

Amy’s mother struggled to find stable housing and employment, and to maintain her sobriety, for most of Amy’s life. After losing their apartment, Amy’s mother fled, leaving her and her three siblings in an unsafe environment. Amy found safety at Casa Youth Shelter. She was fraught with guilt and depression, admitting to several suicide attempts in the past. Family sessions started out angry and accusatory, but eventually made great progress. Unfortunately, Amy’s mother lost custody of all four of the children. She needed to find housing and counseling services to get them back. She began attending parenting classes. Casa Youth Shelter provided her with referrals for low income housing and counseling. After a remarkable turnaround, the family has been reunited and has safe housing. Casa continues to provide the family with resources and donations of basic needs items.

Justin, 17

Homeless and desperate, Justin came to Casa Youth Shelter. He and his mother had been evicted from their apartment and his mother, in the hospital, was unable to participate in his life. His 18th birthday was in 20 days. Recently enlisted in the Marine Corps, Justin was scheduled for basic training—pending completion of his high school requirements. During his time at Casa Youth Shelter, Justin received tutoring, and earned his high school diploma. He was determined to leave the house on his birthday, so our staff put all resources to work to ensure he stayed on track once he was gone. Now living with a sister he reconnected with while at Casa Youth Shelter, Justin got his driver’s license and has secured two part-time jobs. He maintains his plan to enter the military.

Nick, 16

Nick struggled for years with his sexual orientation, depression, and thoughts of suicide. Raised in a conservative household, he was afraid to express his feelings. His internalized shame grew, and he developed feelings of low self-worth, gradually causing him to become closed-off and angry. He began lashing out at his parents. Once Nick came out to his family, they stopped talking to him. His school counselor referred him to Casa Youth Shelter, where Nick worked on managing his anger and improving his communication skills. During family therapy sessions, he and his parents were able to resolve misunderstandings. Nick was motivated to improve their relationship, complete high school, and eventually go to college. Casa Youth Shelter referred him to community programs specific to his needs. Nick and his family are doing well and continuing with aftercare and the Parenting and Teen Drop-In programs.

Jenna, 17

Jenna was referred to Casa Youth Shelter by her therapist due to suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, and recent methamphetamine use. Jenna spoke of recent multiple sexual assaults by several different men in her neighborhood. She came to Casa Youth Shelter on the eve of her 18th birthday. Jenna was at high risk for suicide, with all the variables in place: an upcoming event (her 18th birthday); a plan (to leave the shelter and run in front of a car or overdose on drugs); and the means (cars and drugs). Jenna told her therapist that, because of “voices” telling her to commit suicide, she would be unable to stop herself. Collaboratively, her therapist, the police, and the Crisis Assessment Team had her transported to a psychiatric hospital. Casa Youth Shelter was an emergency safety net and succeeded in saving Jenna’s life.

“I feel as if Casa gave me perspective as to what a real home and family are like. I feel more loved and cared for here than I have anywhere.”

Ryan, 14

Due to abuse and neglect, Ryan had lived in foster placements until he was 13, when an aunt and uncle stepped in. However, after a conflict escalated to physical altercations, his aunt and uncle brought Ryan to Casa Youth Shelter. Ryan received individual and group therapy, and his aunt and uncle participated in family sessions. Ryan developed insight into his own actions, acknowledging that it was easier for him to fight and push people away than to express and receive love. He became aware that being emotionally vulnerable was risky, and had often resulted in abandonment. In counseling, Ryan began to express his emotions and took risks with his aunt and uncle. He returned home to his family, where they have grown closer and continue to participate in counseling.

David, 16

Reunited with his father at 14 years old, David began to have “meltdowns.” After receiving brief treatment for emotional and behavioral issues, he and his dad moved to California. Unable to find work, they fell into homelessness. David’s father brought him to Casa Youth Shelter to find some stability. David was given clothes from the donation closet; he said that the clothes were the “nicest clothes [he] ever had.” David loved to read books, but was unable because he didn’t have proper glasses. Casa Youth Shelter staff worked with Target so his father could take him for a free eye exam and glasses. David was steady during his stay at Casa Youth Shelter, and began to feel hopeful for the future. At his exit, David was looking forward to entering Job Corps or Sunburst Academy, both of which would provide him long-term stability until he turns 18.

Jeffrey, 17

Jeffrey was referred to Casa Youth Shelter due to problems at home, including a lack of personal hygiene, resistance to doing chores, impulsive and isolative behaviors, and conflicts that had become physically combative. Once at Casa Youth Shelter, it became clear that Jeffrey’s behavior indicated serious mental illness. His fear of bathing, paranoid delusions, and an inability to socialize indicated schizophrenia. It was possible that he would be homeless by his 18th birthday. Jeffrey’s father was given information to get his son assessed at the hospital and, if necessary, held until appropriate placement options were secured. Jeffrey was eventually transferred to a long-term care facility and is being evaluated for appropriate foster care. His father is grateful for the support he and his son received from Casa Youth Shelter.

Armando, 17

As an undocumented Mexican citizen who came to California in pursuit of a better life, Armando found himself homeless. Living on the streets, he sought help from the Mexican Consulate. He wanted to go back to Mexico. The Consulate brought him to Casa Youth Shelter while travel arrangements were made. Together, Casa Youth Shelter, Armando’s family in Mexico, and the Mexican Consulate created a plan to help him return to Mexico. Armando experienced depression and anxiety about returning to his family in Mexico. At Casa Youth Shelter, his counselor helped him with coping skills. Armando was thankful for the support and said that Casa Youth Shelter was the only place he felt accepted since arriving in the U.S. At exit, he was happy and excited to return home. This truly embodies the mission and vision of Casa Youth Shelter.

Joe, 15

When Joe and his family were evicted from their home, they lived in a park. Joe then dropped out of school. When his mother was able to get her car back, they “moved in” to the car. Depressed, Joe was desperate to not live in a car any longer. He often went hungry, or lived on chips and junk food. Joe searched for shelter online and found Casa Youth Shelter, who has provided him with new shoes, new clothing, and a warm bed. Joe and his mother have conflicts, and he wants to improve their relationship. His mother said that she is glad they have Casa Youth Shelter until things can get better, and Joe said he is happy to be here. He understands that he needs to follow the rules because he loves his cozy room, the home cooked meals, and the chance to talk to his counselor.

Marta, 16

Marta’s mother was drug-addicted and abusive. Marta was taken into protective custody at four years old, and she and her siblings were separated. By the time she was 12, she had been in 10 different foster homes. She was finally adopted and reunited with her siblings; however, there was significant conflict at home. Depressed, she began running away, cutting herself, and attempted suicide on five separate occasions. Once hospitalized, Marta was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Marta came to Casa Youth Shelter hoping to learn better coping skills and to rebuild her relationship with her mother. During her stay at Casa Youth Shelter, Marta was positive and engaged. She felt accepted and cared for. “I feel as if Casa Youth Shelter gave me perspective as to what a real home and family are like. I feel more loved and cared for here than I have anywhere.”

Kevin, 16

Kevin was homeless, and his grandmother no longer wanted him. He was taken to a shelter in another county, but had difficulty there. He was withdrawn and non-compliant, and was ultimately asked to leave. Kevin’s mental health issues created challenges: he had a psychotic disorder that made him paranoid and delusional, believing people hated him and wanted to hurt him. He was afraid to bathe or use cleaning products. With reassurance and support from Casa Youth Shelter staff, he not only was able to shower, he interacted with the other residents. His stay at Casa Youth Shelter lasted 17 days, during which he celebrated his 17th birthday, and received his first ever birthday cake. He exited with a stuffed animal he had made in the sewing group, which he said made him feel loved.