Pacific Clinics recently held a reception at the Los Gatos campus to celebrate the opening of its new on-campus professional parent duplex. These homes are a short-term refuge and place of healing for teens in foster care who require more intensive services and supports, as well as their certified professional parent.
This free housing is provided for professional parents who might otherwise not have the space to care for a high-risk child or teen in foster care or the resources and support that come with being next door to our offices.
“The Reber Home will serve as a safe space that will allow kids to blossom and have a sense of safety and belonging through the care of professional parents,” says Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez. “They [professional parents] are comprehensively trained, highly committed, licensed foster parents who are dedicated to the well-being of the child.”
While one side of the duplex will still be called “Reber”, the other side was dedicated and named “Burnside” in honor of a Pacific Clinics employee and foster care advocate who passed away unexpectedly in February 2023.
This ambitious project was made possible through the efforts and generosity of the Swenson Foundation, the Leach Family Foundation, Carol Ross and the Archer Family Foundation. The Swenson Development Team worked alongside Pacific Clinics’ Facilities department to renovate and turn an existing single-family home into a duplex to meet the urgent need for more professional parent homes in Santa Clara County.
“The high cost of housing in our area presents a significant barrier for individuals aspiring to become resource parents,” says Clinical Director Michelle Goodwin. “We are immensely grateful to our donors, whose support was instrumental in overcoming this barrier and making a positive impact on the lives of our foster youth, allowing them the experience of a caring family home.”
Those in attendance at the event were Lisa and Case Swenson and family, the Swenson Development team, Amy Nguyen from Supervisor Cindy Chavez’s office, Maggie Leach and Mike Ullman and members of the Burnside family, as well as the Fund Development, Facilities, and Foster Care and Adoptions Services teams.
What is a Professional Parent?
A professional parent is a resource parent who offers support to children and teens in foster care with higher behavioral health needs. Professional parents provide the bridge to permanent placement for children and teens who may be struggling in certain areas while delivering direct, individualized services for each child.
Interested in Learning More?
We are always looking to welcome new professional parents to our team. If you’d like to learn more, you can contact Fina Muñoz or fill out our online form.
