Pacific Clinics Healthy Transitions program receives a $25,000 grant from The Ahmanson Foundation

Arcadia, CA-August 11, 2005-Pacific Clinics President and CEO Susan Mandel, Ph.D. announced receipt of a generous grant of $25,000 in support of its Healthy Transitions Program. The Healthy Transitions program provides street outreach, case management, and mental health and substance abuse treatment to transitional age youth in the San Gabriel Valley. In the City of Pasadena, there are 800 - 1,000 homeless persons on any given day, according to the City of Pasadena 2004 Homeless Survey. Of these, 10.3% are youth ages 18-24, according to this survey. Hundreds of youth are homeless each night and are among the most vulnerable in our society. The Healthy Transitions program has found that two-thirds of its clients have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders that significantly impede their ability to leave the streets.

With offices at the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP), Healthy Transitions provides outreach and field services at locations where youth congregate. Operational for only 16 months, it has been able to outreach to more than 200 youth.

Characteristics of youth participating in Healthy Transitions include:

• Homeless youth of both genders: 56% are male, 44% female
• Youth are ethnically diverse (46% African American, 26% Latino, 23% White)
• About 25% have been living on the streets for more than 12 months
• 34 % have frequent thoughts of suicide
• 42% use marijuana daily and 28% use methamphetamine daily
• 40% have been hospitalized for a psychiatric illness
• 60% use alcohol more than 3X per week
• 53% have had an arrest

Since its early years as Pasadena Child Guidance Clinic, Pacific Clinics has served families with young children. Today, children represent about 50% of all clients served in Los Angeles County by Pacific Clinics, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds. About 40% of children receiving treatment are in foster care, group homes, or out-of-home placement.

Pacific Clinics provides outpatient mental health and substance abuse services throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. During 2004, Pacific Clinics served 13,528 individuals and their families.