TLC provides behavioral health treatment services that are culturally competent and holistic involving the entire family. Our goal is to increase access to recovery services and treat quality of life challenges such as: substance abuse, domestic violence, family reunification, and job preparedness. We serve men and women, pregnant women and their children, and people with a range of issues such as mental health, physical conditions, and HIV/AIDS.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
"Un pueblo informado jamas sera enganado"
"An informed community will not be deceived"
por/by Carlos E. Galindo
"Pride And Strength Comes From Knowing Who You Are!"
The Latino Commission (TLC) was organized and incorporated in early 1991 by concerned community members. The impetus was the common recognition that alcohol and drug abuse problems among Latinos were serious and growing at alarming rates. This was aggravated by the fact that there were numerous barriers preventing Latinos access to the substance abuse treatment system as it was configured at the time. The formation of The Latino Commission was an empowerment initiative for direct community involvement in substance abuse treatment issues.
Today, The Latino Commission operates multiple residential programs, transitional facilities, and outpatient treatment centers. Services are offered in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Tulare Counties. Although TLC's initial focus was to the Latino community, due to its success in reaching communities of color, it is fast becoming one of the leaders in multicultural programming. Assistance is provided to all who "walk through our doors" regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual preference, or age.
The agency currently serves approximately 250 clients annually, with a static capacity of 80 within its residential programs. In the county of Tulare, a minimum of 1,250 families are fed and clothed annually through its pantry and 32 young women, ages 14-17, participate in the pregnancy prevention program.
San Francisco and San Mateo County Services
The services offered in the Bay Area are: Residential, Outpatient, and Transitional.
Residential Programs consist of 24 hours 7 days a week programming with an average length of stay of three months.
The Outpatient Center provides services to the community such as: intake assessment, screening, individual and group counseling, relapse prevention, anger management, HIV education, domestic violence groups, family reunification, parenting classes, and resource/referral.
Transitional Housing is an extension of treatment offering those who do not have a clean and safe environment to stabilize while continuing treatment, looking for a job, or going to school.
Contact Person: Camilo Gonzales
Our Services Include:
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP COUNSELING
RESIDENTIAL & OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
RELAPSE PREVENTION
ANGER MANAGEMENT
HIV EDUCATION
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
FAMILY REUNIFICATION
PARENTING CLASSES
RESOURCE & REFERRALS
Tulare County Services
The services offered in Tulare County are: Community Center, Transitional Housing, and Teen Girls Program.
The Community Center offers: emergency crisis assistance, referral services, and food pantry and clothes distribution. The transitional home is a home for men, which is clean and sober, targeted to the immigrant field worker. The emphasis of this home, along with a safe environment from exploitation, is on self reliance and empowerment.
Teen Girls Program is a pregnancy prevention program targeted at girls, 14-17 years old. This is an 8 week cycle that educates young girls on: the consequences of sex, HIV infections, attitudes and beliefs about HIV/AIDS, condom use, STD's, pregnancy negotiation skills, domestic violence: identification of abuses, cycle of violence and getting help, teen pressure to date, healthy vs unhealthy relationships, media images and nutrition.
Contact Person: Sarahi Ovalle
Adelante Latina is a Teen Pregnancy Prevention program especially designed for and by young Latinas. Latinas have the highest teen pregnancy rate of all major racial/ethnic groups in the United States.
Adelante Latina was established in September 2009, with the great mission to reduce the high rate of Teen Pregnancy among Latinas in Tulare County. Part of our mission is to educate our young Latinas at an early age and teach them about the different options they have. Our program consists of: 8 weeks | Meetings are held 2 a week | 3 hours per week; with a total of 16 sessions that cover a variety of topics some including, Getting to know yourself and making your dreams come true, STD'S, Condom use, Teen dating, Domestic Violence, Self-Care, Consequences of Sex, etc.
When I first came to TLC I was broken..physically, mentally and spiritually. My last prayer I prayed to GOD before I went into the program was,"Lord, if you can't help me get out of this life I'm living then just take me out, cause I am tired of living this way"...hooked, alone and hopeless. I had been using heroin for 28 years and I always knew that was the way I was going to die and I was okay with that. I came into the program (Casa Maria) and kicked cold turkey. If you could of looked into my eyes at that time it was like looking into the eyes of a dead woman, cause I was dead inside, empty and dark. My family had given up on me and I felt so alone and unloved, I didn't even love myself so how could I expect anyone else to. At TLC, the staff loved me and treated me with dignity and respect. They made me feel like I was important and worth something. They were gentle and loving, never judging me. TLC helped me get my family and my life back. I gained self-confidence and self-worth. I learned how to forgive myself. I graduated on Oct. 8th, 2004 and I have been clean ever since, going on 8 years, by the grace of God!! I began working at TLC as a night attendant, then to counselor, then moved up to Program Supervisor. They helped me go back to college and I am now a certified C.A.T.C. II. TLC staff became my extended family. I will be forever grateful to everyone at TLC for believing in me, encouraging me, loving me and guiding me...Thank you Debra and all the staff at The Latino Commission...TLC gave me back my life!!!!!
With Love,
Shirley Nevel
January the 6th is a special day in Mexico. Known as 'El Dia de Reyes' (Three Kings Day), this holiday represents the height of the Christmas season. The date marks the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas and commemorates the three wise men who traveled from afar, bearing gifts for the infant baby Jesus. The children of Mexico in particular look forward to this holiday as traditionally, gifts are exchanged on this date, not on Christmas day.
In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus doesn't hold the cachet that he does in the United States. Rather, it is the three wise men who are the bearers of gifts, who leave presents in or near the shoes of small children. The holiday is also known by the name of the Epiphany which dates back to the 4th century. A grand feast would be held on this day to honor the occasion of Jesus' baptism and to pay homage to the three wise men.
Los Tres Reyes Magos
Many believe mysterious events preceded Jesus' birth with perhaps the most notable being the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. This new star appeared in the evening sky just prior to the arrival of Jesus. Three wise men or Magi as they were then known, whose names were Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, traveled a far distance to pay homage to the Christ child. They brought with them fine gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
BAY AREA
TULARE COUNTY
January 2012
8th Annual Voices of Latin Rock, Autism Awareness Benefit
Date: Thursday, January 26, 2012
Location: Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco, CA
Time: Doors open at 6 p.m. show starts at 7 p.m.
Cost: $55 and up
Mouthwatering Mission Cooking Class and Tasting Tour
Date: Saturday, Jan 28, 2012
Location: Mission Pie, 2901 Mission St. SF, CA 94110
Time: 11 a.m.
For more info: 415-282-4743
February 2012
Mission Arts Performance Project (MAPP): Enjoy free live music, Spoken Word, and Performing Art.
Date: Thursday, February, 2, 2012
Location: Mission Area in San Francisco
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost: Free Admission
ArtHop on Reedley's "G" Street (interactive kids art area)
Location: 845 "G" Street, Reedley, CA 93654
Date: Every third Thursday of the month
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Living History: Come see staff and volunteers demonstrate activities that would have taken place here in the 1800's.
Location: Old Town, San Diego Ave, Fresno, CA
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 (every Wed. & Sat.)
Time: 10 a.m.
The After Dark Book Club
Location: Borders in Visalia, CA
Date: Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Celebrate Recovery
Location: 120 S. Locust St. Visalia, CA 93291
Date: February 21, 2012
We are a non-profit health agency providing culturally competent substance abuse treatment services in San Francisco, San Mateo and Tulare counties.
Annually, we help:
250 people in our Recovery Treatment Programs.
1,250 families free emergency food and clothing.
32 teenage women in our Pregnancy Prevention Program.
OutPatient Services Hours:
Monday thru Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Groups and One-On-One by appointment.
Telephone Number: (650) 244-1444
Administrative Office Hours
Monday and Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
(closed for lunch everyday 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.)
TLC - Administrative Office
301 Grand Avenue #301
So. San Francisco, CA 94080
SAN MATEO COUNTY
Casa Adelita, San Bruno
Casa Aztlan, Redwood City
Casa Los Hermanos, San Bruno
Casa Maria, Brisbane
Entre Familia, So. San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
Casa Aviva, San Francisco
Casa Ollin, San Francisco
Casa Quetzal, San Francisco
Adelante Latina, Cutler/Oriso
Nuevo Comienzo, Cutler
Thoughts from the Executive Director as we end the year.
PANCHE BE
Panche Be: – To seek the root of the truth, –buscar la raiz de la verdad (Martinez Paredez 1970.)
This is the season when many reflect on the past year and seek the truths to take forward into the new year. “Panche Be” is our indigenous teaching that envelops this concept and it encourages us to take it a step further as we apply it to lives.
To seek the root of the truth, it urges, that the root is the part of the plant that is below the ground where eyes cannot see and it is the vehicle that conveys nourishment from the soil. In seeking truth, we must look inward to the depths of our soul, where no one can see but ourselves and our creator. We deliberately investigate those things we have internalized and put them to the test in order to see if they transmit truth. We inspect them to determine if we receive nourishment or destruction from what we find hidden so deep within. We scrutinize and uncover the messages that we hear. Are they messages of life or messages of death coming from our discoveries? We also test the soil of our environment and check to see if it is contributing to our success or our demise. Does our soil carry food of growth and nourishment or food of poison, crippling our soul adding devastation to our life? This is “Panche Be” where complacency gives us “root rot” keeping us from the truth we yearn to know. We are thinking people, so let us be relentless in our search for the truth as were are ancestors. Let us practice “Panche Be” in the pursuit of healing in the new year to come.
Debra Camarillo
12/9/11
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Olga Alldana, President
Suzy Sandoval, Sec./Treasurer
Mabel Gomez
Doren Martin
Di Di Rodriguez
© The Latino Commission All rights reserved
