In My Backyard

Today’s podcast discusses young children and families experiencing homelessness, and the impact this has on them while they are unhoused and in the long-term. The 2020 Los Angeles County Homeless Count tells us that 63,706 individuals were unhoused that year. Children and families make up 19% of that total. Specifically, in 2020, 7,491 children under […]

According to the 2022 Children Now California report card, children’s “success hinges on the support of caring, effective, trauma-informed and culturally competent/congruent adults. Yet, California schools continue to have fewer educators, counselors, nurses and support staff than almost every other state in the country.” Only 57% of 9th graders report having a caring relationship with […]

In today’s podcast. we discuss the impact of war on children and the professionals trying to support them, in this episode specifically in the devastating war in Ukraine. The American Psychological Association points out that the negative impact of war is broad-reaching, well beyond witnessing bombing, destruction and bloodshed. Complicating challenges include: • The loss […]

Today’s podcast continues last episode’s discussion about human trafficking, which includes an open conversation of sexual abuse and exploitation. This might be painful and triggering for some listeners. Please consider carefully before tuning in. If you feel in crisis, or worry that someone you love might be in crisis, please call 988 for assistance. The […]

Today’s podcast discusses human trafficking, which includes an open conversation of sexual abuse and exploitation. This might be painful and triggering for some listeners. Please consider carefully before tuning in. If you feel in crisis, or worry that someone you love might be in crisis, please call 988 for assistance. The US Department of Homeland […]

Today’s podcast discusses suicide, which might be painful and triggering for some listeners. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or are worried that someone you love might be suicidal, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Help is available. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2019 suicide was the […]

Today’s podcast is the fourth installment of the “In My Backyard” series: STORIES. In this episode, Patricia speaks with two parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association published the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, or DSM. In this edition, what had been referred to as Autistic […]

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reported in 2019 that 9.4% of children in the US aged 3 to 17 were diagnosed with clinical anxiety, representing an astounding 5.8 million young ones. Significantly, this data predates the COVID-19 pandemic. Global research by Drs Nicole Racine, Brae Anne McArthur et al found that […]

Today’s podcast discusses childhood bullying, how it is defined, the impact it has and, most importantly, any possible link between bullying and school shootings. According to the Center for Disease Control, bullying is a form of youth violence and is an adverse childhood experience that can lead to trauma. The CDC defines bullying “as any […]

Today’s podcast discusses the role of Parent Partners in the children’s mental health system. According to United Parents, a nonprofit focused on the concept of “parents helping parents”, a Parent Partner is a “clinically supervised para-professional who has raised a child with a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder. They understand the frustration, being blamed, losing hope, losing patience and all the challenges that go with raising children with mental health needs”. 

Casey Family Programs, a national nonprofit influencing policy change to better the lives of children, notes there is an inherent power differential between families served and those serving them. The power gaps are socioeconomic, educational and systemic in nature. The clinician or case worker will always hold more power in the relationship when only one side is sharing personal details and subject to mandated child abuse reporting, despite the best efforts of therapists to engage clients with empathy and authenticity. Casey Family Programs writes, “one innovative approach that has emerged over the past decade is the use of peer mentors, or Parent Partners, who serve to bridge the gap between … parents and a complex, often challenging, and overwhelming system”. 

In this episode, Patricia speaks with two staff members of The Guidance Center, Irving Martinez, a licensed clinical social worker from our Compton Clinic and supervisor to The Guidance Center’s team of Parent Partners and Arlene Escobar, a Parent Partner supporting families and engaging in client outreach from our Long Beach clinic. 

In My Backyard is brought to you by The Guidance Center, a children’s mental health agency in Long Beach, CA. In My Backyard is produced by Tricia Costales and Matthew Murray. Thank you to Jay Vincent B for original music. All other music licensed through SoundStripe. Thank you to our listeners and supporters.

Please visit tgclb.org or text HOPE to 562-262-5689 to make a one-time donation or join our Hope and Healing Club to become a monthly donor today. And subscribe to In My Backyard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.