Para Los Niños began providing mental health care to families more than 20 years ago and remains the only children’s mental health provider in the Skid Row neighborhood. In the spirit of Mental Health Month, we want to share what makes our staff and program exceptional as well as encourage our community of staff, supporters and families to prioritize their wellbeing.

TW: This story includes mention of substance use issues and suicidal ideation and may be triggering to some readers.

Silvia Colmenares receives mental health support at Para Los Niños (PLN). Her journey with PLN began after her daughter relapsed into drug use, prompting social services to intervene and ultimately requiring her to leave their home. This prompted Silvia to make a crucial decision about whether she would be able to foster her grandchildren. Ultimately, she chose to take on this responsibility.

Today, Silvia’s grandchildren are 17, 16, 12, and 11 years old, and she has been caring for them on her own for the past four years. Just a few weeks ago, the adoption process was finalized, and she now has full custody of all four grandchildren. At the beginning of this challenging journey, Silvia struggled significantly. Not only did she suffer from insomnia, but it had also been many years since she cared for young children, and managing her new life proved overwhelmingly difficult. Her stress became so intense that she contemplated suicide, considering jumping off a nearby bridge. She also frequently visited the emergency room due to anxiety attacks, which ultimately led her to seek help.

Recognizing the need to foster a stable environment for her grandchildren, Silvia, now 60 years old, reached out for support. Her therapy sessions have focused on learning to manage her stress through breathing techniques and simple exercises that have effectively reduced her anxiety. Having someone to talk to has been invaluable, especially since she had no family or friends available to support her in her grandchildren’s care. In addition, she has been taking medication for anxiety and depression, which has helped alleviate her symptoms and significantly improved her sleep.