Casa Pacifica: Touching Lives, Transforming Futures

At the 2025 HOME Conference, Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families took the stage to spotlight new housing and support for transition-aged youth. Casa Pacifica’s presentation emphasized the deep connection between emotional security and housing stability, which is foundational to healing, growth, and long-term well-being.

Opening in 1994 as a children’s emergency crisis care shelter, Casa Pacifica now serves annually over 2,100 children, young adults, and their families, offering a wide continuum of care that includes mental and behavioral health services, crisis stabilization, housing support, and family counseling. By combining behavioral health treatment with stable housing and wraparound case management, Casa Pacifica helps children, young adults, and their families rebuild their lives from a place of safety and dignity.

Transitioning Youth Toward Independence

In 2010 Casa Pacifica began providing services for transition-age youth (ages 18–25) who are aging out of foster care or other systems of support. Without intervention, many of these young adults face housing insecurity within months of independence. Through supportive housing, workforce development, and mentorship, Casa Pacifica provides a bridge from vulnerability to self-sufficiency — ensuring these young adults have a place to live, necessary skills, and a path forward.

CEO Shawna Morris detailed how, over the last four years, their Lewis Road campus has been reimagined, now providing a modern, trauma -informed environment supporting healing, stability and independence. Their Stepping Stones program guides young adults toward independent living.

Using a combination of a State Homekey award, HHAP (Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention) grant, County funds, and private donations, all totalling $7.5 million, they completely renovated three cottages to provide space for 27 young-adults to live, grow, and thrive. This project nearly tripled their capacity to serve young adults, some with small children of their own.

With $3.1 million in funding from State BHCIP (Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program), and STRTP (Short -Term Residential Therapeutic Program) funds, Casa Pacifica now has 10 beds in two remodeled homes to serve local children in need.

Throughout this process Ms. Morris explained their Keys to Success: 1) Robust partnerships with sound communication, weekly team meetings, and shared responsibility and accountability; 2) Staying curious and assuming positive intent; 3) Being flexible to reflect community needs and shifts, funding, programmatic changes, and learning curves.

Community Partnerships in Action

Casa Pacifica’s model thrives because of collaboration. The organization partners with local government, schools, and nonprofits to identify youth in need, early risk factors, and intervention before homelessness occurs. This interconnected framework mirrors the conference’s overarching theme: that solving the housing crisis requires shared responsibility across sectors. Their success stories serve as tangible proof that when agencies align housing with holistic support, communities grow stronger from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

Housing stability is essential to mental health and long-term well-being.
Over 2,000 local children, young adults, and their families are served by Casa Pacifica each year.
Supportive housing and intervention programs reduce youth homelessness.
Collaboration across agencies is key to lasting change.

Closing Thought

Casa Pacifica’s message resonates far beyond the conference hall: every home is more than four walls — it’s the foundation for hope, healing, and opportunity. As Ventura County continues to tackle housing challenges, their work stands as a model of how compassion and coordination can create a future where every child and family has a place to belong.

Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME)

PO Box 191, Camarillo, CA 93011

Phone: (805) 323-6534

Email: info@vchome.org

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