In 1984, Dr. Astrid Heppenstall Heger, a pediatrician and young mother was so moved by the child victims of horrific violence she saw come into the emergency rooms at LAC+USC Medical Center, that she formed a clinic in just one small room dedicated to treating child abuse and neglect.

Today, the Violence Intervention Program impacts approximately 20,000 individuals each year touched by violence. VIP has three locations managing a number of clinics and programs. The goal is to work together with passion and focus to provide a complete continuum of supportive services for extremely vulnerable individuals who lack other resources. Our combined medical and mental health programs are giving real solutions to individuals that may have no other hope.

1984 Dr. Astrid Heppenstall Heger opens the Center for the Vulnerable Child at LAC+USC Medical Center, the first clinic dedicated to providing patient sensitive medical and forensic services to victims of child abuse and neglect.

1995 Dr. Heger and her team start treating adult patients at a new Sexual Assault Center. The two clinics combine under the name the Violence Intervention Program, which becomes the home for all future programs.

1996 A 24-Hour Domestic Violence Response Team begins offering crisis intervention and advocacy to victims of domestic violence at the hospital.

1999 The Adult Protection Team starts medical assessments and interventions in cases of elder and dependent adult abuse.

2001 The VIP Community Mental Health Center, Inc. incorporates as a non-profit organization to provide mental health and support services to victims of family violence and sexual assault.

2003 VIP completes a successful capital campaign to open the S. Mark Taper Family Advocacy Center, providing a new, expanded home to the CMHC.

2003 In recognition of a generous grant, the CVC is renamed the Everychild Foundation Center for the Vulnerable Child.

2004 The Community-Based Assessment and Treatment Center begins offering ongoing medical services, case management, development assessments and mental health services to foster care youth, and become the model for a series of medical/mental health HUBs for foster youth throughout the County.

2006 The Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center is started to provide case examination, documentation, consultation and prosecution of elder and dependent adult abuse cases.

2006 A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders subspecialty clinic opens at CATC.

2007 VIP’s second capital campaign results in the opening of the Santana House, named in honor of a legendary musician, which offers expanded facilities for mental health, youth development, and elder abuse intervention programs.

2010 VIP completes its third capital campaign by renovating 20,000 square feet of space in the LAC+USC Medical Center. All VIP medical clinics are now consolidated in one building with triple the exam rooms, specialized facilities for assault victims, and room to grow.