Interface Children & Family Services aka Interface

Children, youth and adults can have mental health problems that interfere with the way they think, feel and act. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life. Interface provides comprehensive mental health services in family-friendly locations throughout Ventura County. Our service providers include licensed therapists, marriage family therapist interns, associate social workers and masters-level student trainees. Each therapist has participated in comprehensive training and receives on-going supervision to develop expertise in working with the mental health of children, youth and families affected by family violence, child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, victims of crime, and trauma, as well as children who are experiencing difficulties succeeding in family, school or peer settings.

Accessing Services

Mental health services are offered in schools, First 5 Neighborhoods for Learning, client homes, Interface Family Resource Centers and Interface community service sites. Referrals can be made by calling our Mental Health Intake Department at (805) 485-6114, ext. 662. Most services are offered at no charge to the client. We accept Ventura County Medi-Cal and California Victims of Crime insurance. Interface also provides services that are approved by Ventura County Probation Agency-Juvenile and Adult Services. Each client is matched with the most appropriate, available service for their needs based on an over-the-phone screening process.

Standard of Practice

Training and supervision are provided to therapists in proven individual, family and group therapies. Comprehensive assessments with the child, youth and primary caregiver are completed in the individual’s native tongue and at the pace most comfortable for the child, youth and family. If possible, we take into consideration issues of acculturation, literacy, cultural norms and the development of trust. Assessments create the foundation for child, youth and family involvement in treatment planning. Treatment plans are living documents, reviewed and updated as treatment goals are met.

Internships/Traineeships

Interface Children & Family Services is a recommended site for Master’s student traineeship placements, as well as an organization recommended for employment to individuals in various stages of their careers as therapists. Clinical Supervisors are members of CAMFT or NASW with a variety of experience leading to well-developed clinical skills. Each supervisor complies with the California Board of Behavioral Science requirements to approve hours towards licensure.

Youth Specialists are available day and evening to work with runaway, homeless and couch surfing youth, ages 12-17 in schools, Interface offices, police departments or mutually agreed upon locations. Youth Crisis Staff provide assistance in the following areas:
• Crisis Intervention
• Case Management and After Care
• Family Mediation
• Emancipation Information
• Life Skills and Youth Development Activities
• Shelter Assessment

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Youth Crisis Outreach Shelter

Interface shelter services are available to youth ages 12-17 who are homeless, have been kicked out, runaway from home or are thinking about running away. Youth may stay one night to a maximum of 21 days, with the goal of family reunification or an exit to safe and stable housing. Youth must agree to shelter services and successfully complete a comprehensive assessment with youth staff.

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Juvenile Probation Early Intervention Services

Staff offers early intervention services and Diversion classes to youth referred by Ventura County Probation Agency. The program targets youth that have received first time and/or low level citations. Youth and families referred by early intervention services may receive family mediation, case management, counseling and linkage to community supports. Diversion Classes include violence prevention, graffiti prevention, substance abuse and petty theft.

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Oxnard Family Resource Center - Drop In Center

The Drop In Center serves runaway and homeless youth ages 12-17. The center is a safe place where youth can access essential resources and services. Services include basic necessities such as food, clothing, personal care items and access to phone, computers and email. Support services are also provided at the Drop In Center. The services address a variety of needs including access to shelter, housing referrals, mental health services, and education and life skills workshops.

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Youth Development Activities

Interface's Youth Crisis Outreach Program also provides youth development activities, recreational activities and educational workshops throughout the year. Youth activities are offered at Interface locations in Oxnard and Santa Paula.

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Youth Council

Interface provides youth with an opportunity to learn valuable community engagement and leadership skills through our Youth Councils in Oxnard and Santa Paula. Through a collaborative effort to mentor these youth, Youth Crisis staff and volunteers meet weekly with the members to foster their leadership skills as individuals and a group.

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For Parents

Coping with adolescent problems can be very stressful. Interface has trained Youth Specialists who can provide you with insightful information and referrals to support programs provided by Interface and community organizations. Please contact our Youth Crisis Line for further information and assistance.

Triple P - Positive Parenting Program

Triple P helps build positive behaviors in children, confidence in parents, and community support for families. This program offers strategies to help parents build positive relationships with their children, respond to misbehavior with confidence and practice self care.

For more information on Triple P services, please contact 805-485-6114, Ext. 662

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What is 2-1-1 Ventura County?

2-1-1 Ventura County, a program of Interface Children & Family Services, is the comprehensive information and referral service for Ventura County, connecting over 20,000 Ventura County callers each year with information about health and human services available to them. The 2-1-1 Ventura County phone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 150 languages through phone interpretation services. Launched on February 11, 2005, 2-1-1 Ventura County was the first active 2-1-1 in the state of California.

2-1-1 also provides incident specific information in coordination with local emergency services during times of disaster, including road closures and shelters.

For more information about 2-1-1 services, check out the 2-1-1 FAQ page.

Thank You to 2-1-1 Ventura’s Supporters

2-1-1 Ventura County is available thanks to support from: First 5 Ventura County, County of Ventura, United Way Ventura County, and the Cities of Camarillo, Ventura, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, Moorpark, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Santa Paula, and Fillmore.

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Interface 2-1-1 Services

Interface_logoIn addition to operating the 2-1-1 Ventura County program, Interface 2-1-1 provides 2-1-1 Call Center services to eighteen additional 2-1-1 county services around the state.

H.E.A.R.T
Helping to Educate, Address & Respond to Trafficking. We work to prevent and heal the effects of abuse, neglect, and abandonment of children, domestic violence, family conflict, teenage crisis, and many similar issues.

Crisis Response
Immediate, in-person response is available when requested by law enforcement or medical providers, to emotionally support adult survivors of sex and/or labor trafficking (both U.S. born and foreign nationals).

Community-Based Advocacy
In-person support and advocacy to help each survivor establish safety, work towards healing from their trauma and achieving self-sufficiency.

Emergency Shelter
A trauma-informed, and confidential shelter for adult survivors of trafficking.

Training and Outreach
Training and technical assistance is available for medical professionals, law enforcement, hospitality providers, and other community agencies.

The Ventura County Project to Support Reentry
Interface Reentry Services are provided to Probation-referred adult clients county-wide. This program is the first Pay for Success project in Ventura and is one of three Pay for Success projects supported by the California Board of State and Community Corrections. This project is designed with the objectives of promoting family stability and economic opportunity for those on formal probation while improving public safety and reducing recidivism.

The CORE Connection Partnership
TThe Core Connection Partnership is a collaborative of community-based agencies with the shared goal of providing necessary and appropriate services to the AB109 population in Ventura County. The mission of the Core Connection Partnership is to remove barriers, increase awareness, and provide community supports for individuals who have been incarcerated in order to promote successful reintegration and reduce recidivism.

LIFT (Lead. Inspire. Focus. Transform.)
The Youth LIFT Partnership program is aimed at diverting youth from initial or subsequent contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. This program will be used to target underserved communities in the Oxnard area in partnership with the Oxnard Police Department. The goal of the project is to provide diversion and alternative-sanction programs, offer mentoring, mental health services and case management to support linkage to community resources, academic- and vocational-education services, and behavioral health services.