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Health Matters: Providence Mission Hospital | 5 I n 2020, Carmen, a single mother of two, was struggling emotionally and financially. The South Orange County woman had left an abusive relationship, was overwhelmed with bills and was becoming increasingly depressed. She heard about the Family Resource Center (FRC) in San Juan Capistrano and sought help. Carmen received counseling, case management services, emergency assistance and information, and referrals to other resources. She regularly attended mental health counseling sessions and found herself empowered to change the direction of her life. Today she is working on her GED certificate and has enrolled in community college. She works part-time and was able to buy a car. Carmen's story illustrates the power of the services offered at the Family Resource Centers, which are funded in part by the Community Health Investment program at Providence Mission Hospital. We are honored to care for our community and strive to provide a broad range of preventive care and social services to meet physical and mental health care needs. Providence conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years to identify areas of need in the community and then identifies priorities to support those needs, says Christine Cornwall, director of community health investment– Southern California for Providence. Recent priorities include mental health and substance use prevention; affordable housing and homelessness; and equity and racial disparities. The Family Resource Centers, located in Lake Forest and San Juan Capistrano, are examples of how Community Health Investment meets local needs, Cornwall says. The community- centered facilities offer a variety of social service programs for local families, with a particular emphasis on those families with the fewest resources. Last year, the two centers provided more than 49,000 visits for health insurance enrollment, parenting classes, mental health counseling, case management, food distribution, legal aid, domestic violence and other services, she says. "Our focus is to support and empower South County residents, with a focus on those with fewer financial and social resources," Cornwall says. Programs and services at these Family Resource Centers are funded in part through Families and Communities Together (FaCT). FaCT receives funding from federal, state and county agencies and is administered by the County of Orange Social Services Agency. Providence provides the Family Resource Center buildings and manages operations and programming within the facilities, she says. While Providence offers certain services, many services are provided by nonprofit partner agencies that are housed in the facilities. For example, Cornwall says, Saddleback College offers English-as-a second-language classes. Other organizations provide health insurance enrollment, legal assistance, domestic violence support, parenting classes and life skills groups. Many services are offered in both Spanish and English. "The unique thing about the Family Resource Centers is that they are really reliant on partner agencies working under the same roof to provide services," she says. "The collaboration is unique, and we are grateful for the partnerships." Community members have come to trust the organizations housed at the centers, she adds. "The community knows they can come to us, and we're a safe place." The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for services because many families experienced job loss or illness or are experiencing the grief of losing loved ones to the disease, Cornwall says. The Family Resource Centers were able to quickly pivot to meet the community 's pandemic-based needs. For example, the pandemic created more food insecurity. Today food distribution events are held monthly to support local families. The financial assistance, support and mental health counseling—which helped Carmen learn skills to manage stress and take charge of her life—have led her to a life she can be proud of, she says. "I used to be unsure of how I was going to make ends meet," she told her Family Resource Center caseworker. "Thank you for thinking of me and my daughters." Contact the South Orange County Family Resource Center, 22481 Aspan St., Suite B, Lake Forest, at 949-364-0500. Contact the CHEC Family Resource Center, 27412 Calle Arroyo, San Juan Capistrano, at 949-489-7742. Caring for Our Neighbors The Community Health Investment program targets areas of need in South Orange County. The centers provide help, support and services to all ages.

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