Courtesy photo
Myldred E. Jones founded Casa Youth Shelter to serve youth in crisis. Lupita Gutierrez, Exec. Dir., says,“together, we are helping create brighter futures.”
Courtesy of Casa Youth Shelter
The Casa Youth Shelter in Los Alamitos receives over 800 calls each year from Long Beach youth in crisis who are eligible for services, yet only about 200 follow through on what can be life-sustaining support.
Too often, young people feel their situation “isn’t bad enough” or experience a temporary reprieve in unsafe homes, delaying help until another crisis strikes. Educators share similar frustrations, often hesitant to file reports out of fear that youth will be returned to unsafe environments with no follow-up.
This reflects a system that reacts to crisis rather than preventing it—an alarming gap that led to the creation of Casa Cares. Thanks to a $350,000 grant from the Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation, Casa Youth Shelter is launching Casa Cares: a trauma-informed, real-time response program that bridges the space between mandated reporting and meaningful intervention for youth ages 12–17 in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD).
The program will: Deploy trained staff to schools when child abuse reports are filed, providing on-site crisis response and intake options; Offer counseling and stabilization services for youth and families, reducing the chance of recurring abuse; Provide court-approved parenting workshops focused on communication and de-escalation; Equip educators and mandated reporters with trauma-informed training and continuing education; Allocate resources for high school students 18 and older who fall outside of shelter eligibility but still face urgent needs.
“As someone who went through every grade in the LBUSD, I know how urgent it is for Long Beach youth to have immediate help in their darkest moments. Thanks to the Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation, Casa Youth Shelter can respond quickly in times of crisis, not only for young people, but also for the teachers, counselors, and caring professionals who are often the first to reach out for help. Together, we are making sure no child in Long Beach faces crisis alone,” according to Lupita Gutierrez, Executive Director.