By Greg Mellen
Right at the front door of the Capistrano Unified School District office, hidden in plain sight, is a treasure trove for families and students.
From 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, Family Resource Center Liaison Sonia Moser oversees the center and its abundance of information and materials from educational, social, and mental health and wellness groups and agencies.
“We’re right there, you can’t miss us,” Moser said of the service open to walk-in visitors and now online.
Originally opened in 2018 and shuttered temporarily by the coronavirus pandemic, the Family Resource Center is celebrating its reopening and looking to get the word out about its services with a special ceremony and workshop at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 15 at the Capistrano Unified School District office at 33122 Valle Road in San Juan Capistrano.
“I think it will be a really good event,” Moser said. “People can come in anytime. We want people to utilize our services.”
Inside the Family Resource Center is a veritable library of information on services available to students and families. These cover a vast array of subjects from nutrition to special education to tutoring to legal services.
Moser said the topics of information most frequently requested are: housing and rental assistance; mental health services, particularly grief; and special education.
Since September, Moser said, the Family Resource Center has received 26 walk-in visits from parents, plus numerous CUSD staff members looking for resources. Moser has also logged 78 phone and email contacts from parents asking for assistance.
The March 15 event will feature speakers and service providers who will have tables and be available to talk about the services available.
Lauren Pattullo, the Capistrano Unified’s Director of Early Childhood, General Education and Special Education Programs, will talk about preschool and early education opportunities, including transitional kindergarten, or pre-K.
Chantel Gil from Saddleback College will be speaking about adult education and extended learning.
The agencies on hand include:
- Regional Center of Orange County, a nonprofit that “collaborates with persons with developmental disabilities, their families and the community to secure individualized services and supports;”
- Western Youth Services, a nonprofit organization “providing comprehensive, collaborative mental health services to children, youth and families;”
- Family Assistance Ministries, “a faith-based charitable non-profit organization assisting those in need in Orange County with resources for food, shelter, and personalized supportive counsel and aid, helping clients bridge the gap from dependency to self-sufficiency;”
- California Department of Rehabilitation, “an employment and independent living resource for people with disabilities.”
The Resource Center is run under Educations and Support Services, which is described as “a team that provides specialized service, support, and knowledge to students with special needs, their parents, and the community.”
Educations and Support Services develops and implements, “effective, evidence-based programs and services for all CUSD children.”
Moser offers assistance to anyone who contacts the Family Resource Center. She has a master’s degree in social services and 20 years of experience.
Moser is delighted to get the Family Resource Center up and running full speed with information, advice, special events, and resource fairs.
She said she relishes the opportunity to “do what I was trained to do.”