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St. Vincent de Paul Village
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Leading Clients to Options, Possibilities and Resources While
most of us were busy shopping for presents during the last holiday season,
Alicia Tapia received a phone call at her office in St. Vincent’s
Joan Kroc Center. “One of the families I helped had just moved out of the Village,” recalls the case manager. “The mother told me how thrilled she was with her new home and her new job. It was the first Christmas in the new home for the family.” “This
is our Christmas present,” the mother gushed, a gift Alicia helped
make possible. As
the family’s case manager, Tapia was there every step of the way.
She referred the mother to an addiction recovery class, encouraging her
to stay focused. She helped guide the mother through the Village’s
requisite courses on education, parenting and setting goals. “The
mom fought long and hard and sometimes she came in frightened and upset,”
Tapia explains. “It was an uphill battle, but she vowed to make it
up to her children. ‘I put them through so much,’ she told me.”
Tapia guided the mother through the process of overcoming an addiction,
planning for the future and, ultimately, regaining custody of two children.
It’s all in a day’s work for Tapia and the Village case managers. “I
guide the clients to help them see the possibilities and options, make
sure they attend class, take care of themselves and children with doctor
visits, and find the resources they need,” says the bilingual Tapia.
“Sometimes we begin with baby steps, working our way up to bigger
steps. Once clients see the opportunities, their determination really
kicks in.” Since
joining the Village staff nearly a year ago, Tapia’s conscientiousness
and commitment have impressed both clients and staff. “I’ve
seen the trust her clients place in her,” says Kathi Bradshaw, program
manager for Case Management. “She earns that trust.” A
San Diego native, Tapia worked for an adolescent family program in Los
Angeles before coming to St. Vincent’s. “The Village has the
most comprehensive program I know of,” she says. “There is so
much that goes on. In the long run, our programs are beneficial to anyone
who walks through the door if they take advantage of all the services.
They have to put in their part, too.” “Case
managers have a lot of flexibility,” she continues. “We’re
allowed to make decisions when working with the clients. The supervisors
will listen to our logic and put trust in us. The supervisors and program
managers are very supportive.” The
managers’ trust is well placed. Clients often bring photos of their
children to Tapia, which she proudly displays on a bulletin board by her
desk. Even after graduating from the Village, clients contact her to share
their progress. “All
of them are thankful that the Village was here for them and they were
able to use all the services. They talk about getting a second chance.” “A lot of families will come here with nothing, like that mother who called me before Christmas,” says Tapia. “There’s no better part of this job than hearing them tell me ‘God bless you. Tell Father Joe and everyone thank you for everything.’” |
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