This week marks the eighth anniversary of the opening of the VIP Community Mental Health Center. As we remember all the accomplishments of these past years, help us look to our future and the futures of the children and families we serve.

Back to School

VIP is gearing up for its next Back to School Day on August 26 with our annual Back Pack Drive. Our goal is to hand out new back packs full of needed supplies to hundreds of children. Please help make this day a success!

Special Thank You

In 2008, the UniHealth Foundation helped support the creation of VIP's Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders subspecialty clinic. The program has shown outstanding results, and now VIP's friends at UniHealth are helping spread the word about this challenging diagnosis by featuring a story about the FASD clinic on their website. UniHealth has also just awarded VIP a new grant to expand its medical and mental health care services to children in foster care.

Welcome Aboard

The Board of Directors of the VIP Community Mental Health Center is pleased to welcome two new members to its ranks - Cornelia Funke and Lauren Bender. We invite you to get to know these amazing women and all the dedicated volunteers on the Board.

A Stronger HEART

VIP's auxilliary support group, H.E.A.R.T., is looking for new members - 100 to be precise. H.E.A.R.T. - Helping Ease Abuse Related Trauma - is dedicated to making a thoughtful impact on the lives of children and the moms who strive to keep them safe. They do this by giving time and financial resources that are dedicated to client services. A gift of any size to the H.E.A.R.T. fund at VIP will ensure your yearlong membership in a community of dedicated and creative women.

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The Violence Intervention Program is a nonprofit, hospital-based program located in East Los Angeles at the LAC+USC Medical Center whose mission is to protect and treat all victims of violence. As the first Family Advocacy Center in the United States, VIP is a multi-disciplinary public-private partnership at that provides comprehensive medical, mental health, forensic, and support services to victims of interpersonal violence of all ages, and community and school-based violence prevention and early intervention programs. The VIP Community Mental Health Center is an exempt nonprofit under the VIP umbrella that provides mental health and supportive services to victims of family violence and sexual assault.

For more information, visit www.violenceinterventionprogram.org or call 323.226.2097.