VIP’s outpatient mental health program focuses on children and adolescents in East Los Angeles in extremely low income settings who have been victims of physical or sexual abuse or witnesses to other violence in their homes. Our comprehensive, multidisciplinary services assess the impact of abuse and neglect on the child and the resources and strengths in the child's family or circle of support.  VIP offers individual therapy, collateral therapy with non-offending caregivers, and group therapy.

After a child is referred for services, they are given an intake evaluation and assessment that incorporates any medical history including evaluations at VIP’s CATC/HUB. Each child is assigned to an individual therapist. VIP often sees multiple children in one household so siblings are assigned to separate therapists.  Treatment plans are created collaboratively with the child and other significant individuals within the child’s support network.  When substance abuse is suspected, a thorough assessment is conducted, relevant dual diagnoses are made, and treatment is provided.

On-going therapy is focused on the child’s strengths to increase their daily functioning and mental health wellness. VIP employs a number of evidence-based practices recognized by the Department of Mental Health and developed in collaboration with other industry leading professionals. Victims of abuse and trauma often have high hurdles to reach in order to feel safe in society again. As children they are also dealing with learning how to communicate their feelings and how to trust peers and adults.Therapists work on helping them overcome symptoms that interfere with appropriate interactions with others, at school and in their homes.

VIP also provides impromptu individual sessions to caregivers as needed.  Scheduled collateral sessions with a therapist are for short term periods with very specific goals as deemed necessary for a child’s progress toward achieving his/her therapeutic goals.

Since a large percentage of VIP's clients are in the foster care system, our therapy programs set special goals for children in out of home placement designed around keeping them healthy and safe. The first goal is to be aware of warning signs of potential re-abuse. VIP also concentrates on reassessing children, particularly adolescents, who continue to fail placement, are at risk for running away, or who are ill-prepared for emancipation. Through enhanced services for this population including intensive on-going mental health services, training for caretakers or foster parents, and close monitoring of school progress we can potentially reduce the number of youth in residential care level community treatment facilities.  By including the participation of both foster and family guardians in training and parenting classes, we enhance the ability of children to stay in placement within a stable and understanding environment.