Community Healing Centers’ Niñas del Corazón (Girls of the Heart) Programa, is modeled after the S.T.R.E.E.T. After School Program, and provides child mental health services, developmental assistance, education assistance, and more. Using evidence-based models, this program has been proven to be successful at tackling challenges individuals face.
The program serves as a breezeway or safe haven for adolescent girls ages 8 through 15, during critical hours. It is the first of its kind to be implemented in the region and has a new approach that provides immediate support to address environmental factors, needs, and concerns of the community, while focusing on Latina girls and their families. It addresses low academic performance, underage drinking, and drug use and its effects on the family, acculturation trauma awareness and social emotional skills development opportunities.
Transportation is provided through a partnership with Metro Transit and healthy nurturing meals are served daily.
The program is implemented in stages:
- Stage 1: 20 sessions of evidence-based life skills training for middle schoolers.
- Stage 2: 20 sessions of evidence-based life skills training for high schoolers by Gilbert J. Botvin promoting health and personal development.
- Stage 3: An evidence-based program for parents of children ages 9-14 called: Guiding Good Choices by J. David Hawkins, Ph. D. and Richard F. Catalano, Ph.D.
- Stage 4: Participants engage in community volunteer work.
- Stage 5: Graduation ceremony and discussion on college/career planning.
Staff is culturally competent, bi-lingual, and of familiar backgrounds. Educational curriculums are in Spanish.
