Childhelp Merv Griffin Village
Situated across 121 acres of beautiful scenery, the Childhelp Merv Griffin Village has been dedicated to the 24-hours-a-day treatment of abused, neglected, and at-risk children of California since 1978. Committed to creating a genuine community environment, the village houses as many as 84 children ranging in age from 6 to 15 years old. The children are referred by various judicial authorities and child welfare offices that rely on Childhelp’s team of mental health professionals to assess each child arriving at the facility and develop an individualized treatment plan. The treatment plan incorporates activities and services to allow the children opportunity to grow, heal and develop. Each individualized treatment plan may include:
- Clinical therapy
- Art therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Animal-assisted therapy
Our skilled and compassionate staff of therapists, teachers, behavioral health specialists, nurses, physicians, case managers, and chaplains work together to restore the mind, body and spirit of every child.
The goal is to see a child ‘graduate’ to a less restrictive, positive placement including being reunited with family, adopted, placed with a foster family, or relocated to a less intensive treatment facility. The village responds to the needs of abused and at-risk children with critical community partners including neighboring school districts, county placement partners and the Southern California County Department of Public Social Services. Through these collaborations, residents are provided quality, comprehensive services to help each child succeed.
Key Staff
- Diana Correa, MS, Director of Program Operations, California
- Manuel Barragan, Assistant Director
- Kurt Kozma, MFT, Clinical Director
- Duff Wenz, Director of Human Resources, California
- Lynn Elder, Community Relations Coordinator
- Jose Gonzalez, Residential Coordinator
- Bill Shupe, MA, Principal
- Additional Staff:
- 1 Chaplain
- 175 Child Care Workers*
- 12 Therapists
- 4 Medical Staff
- 11 Teachers
- 2 Instructional Assistant
- 6 Activities/Equestrian Staff
*including on-call and part-time child care providers
School Accountability Report Card
The Academy at Merv Griffin Village
The Academy at Merv Griffin Village, a non-public school, is designed for children and youth who require a therapeutic environment as a component of their elementary, intermediate, or secondary education. The Academy serves students with socio-emotional and behavioral needs that cannot be accommodated in a public school. It provides children with high quality supervision, structure and individual accommodations to ensure personal and academic success.
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Current Status
- The Art Therapy Program is operated by a certified art therapist and provides children with an opportunity for creative expression.
- The Ranch Program provides therapeutic opportunities for children through animal care, equine and animal-assisted therapy, resident jobs and special events.
- The Village’s onsite accredited non-public school serves children with special needs.
- Recreation and wilderness activities, sports, field trips
- Literacy and Computer lab programs
- Voluntary chapel services (non-denominational)
- The Village Special Friends Program matches children with screened volunteers who provide support, mentoring, interaction and lifelong friendships after the children leave the village.
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The Academy at Merv Griffin Village’s School Accountability Report Card.
Program Statistics, Fiscal Year 2014
- 152 Children Served (Under Age 18)
- 45,089 Service Units Provided (Therapy Sessions, Recreation Program, Literacy and Computer Lab Program, Garden Club, and Special Friends Program)
- 84 Residential Capacity
- 95% Average Daily Occupancy
- 132 Nonpublic School Students
- 95% Percentage of Attendance
- 1,532 Nonpublic School Units of Service
Contact
Get in touch with Diana Correa at dcorrea@childhelp.org or 951-845-3155.
Childhelp Merv Griffin Village
P.O. Box 247
Beaumont, CA 92223
T 951-845-3155
F 951-845-8412
For General Questions and Inquiries, please fill out the contact form below.
Volunteer
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Childhelp. There are countless ways for you to use your passion and talents to help children in your community and nation-wide. Our mission is possible only with the dedication of helping hands across the country. Compassionate individuals just like you are essential to our commitment to bring hope, strength and joy into the lives of children suffering from neglect and abuse.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please fill out the form below and a representative will contact you soon. What you do today will offer a child in crisis a brighter future tomorrow.
