The Children’s Resource Program (CRP): Established in 1984, the CRP addresses oral health and vision care needs of disadvantaged children in Ventura County.  By partnering with local dentists and vision care professionals, VCMRF facilitates donated services for children, throughout Ventura County, who would otherwise lack access to these essential health services.  

The Children’s Resource Program (CRP) provides free dental and vision health care services and supplies to underserved children residing in Ventura County.  The free services are donated by oral health and vision health care specialists because these children are at the highest risk for health care issues.  Their parents lack resources to pay for cleanings, x-rays, a specialist to fill a cavity, or extract a tooth, braces and spacers for medical reasons, or a root canal. These children are at the highest risk of feeling neglected because they feel no one cares about their health. Many of these children, whose household income qualifies for insurance, may not receive the services because of barriers to access, including personal/cultural barriers: transportation issues, language barriers, and financial issues.  The CRP understands that getting high-quality oral health care, vision care and/or mental health care, and having screenings by a dental or vision care provider, on a regular basis is the most effective way to protect the child - with early detection, in order to prevent disease and decay.  The CRP has served several generations of low-income, underserved families in Ventura County.  They know and trust the CRP and are not afraid to see the donor health professionals who work with us. On their first visit, they receive services, check-ups, consultations, x-rays, and learn how to improve their health and prevent oral health disease.  The CRP holds itself accountable to the community for the donated resources entrusted to its care, as well as for the preservation of the human dignity of all of its participants.The goal of the CRP's system of care is for patients to be seen by donors in the city they reside in.  As a result, appointments can easily and regularly be scheduled, and a relationship can be built with the doctor, who is providing them with prevention education.

The CRP sees an annual increase in the number of children needing dental or vision health care services.  Many of these children required extensive dental and/or vision work and services because they had no resources to pay for a dentist, orthodontist, periodontist, endodontist, optometrists, ophthalmologists, or eye specialists.

The CRP and its donors provide an average of 5-20 services per child depending on the severity of the case.  Over 3,000 services and over $150,000 are donated by our donor health care professionals in Ventura County, every year.  

For over four decades, the Children’s Resource Program has successfully fostered collaborative, long-term relationships with oral health care specialists, vision care specialist, school districts, government agencies, churches, non-profits, hospitals, nurses, physicians, social workers, farm workers, and the underserved.  

To learn more about the Children's Resource Program, download our flyer (available in Spanish and English):

Children's Resource Program Flyer (PDF)

If you would like to make a referral for a child in need, or know someone who would like to refer to our program, please complete the referral form below (parents cannot refer their own children):

Children's Resource Program Referral Form 

Thank you to the Children's Resource Program (CRP) Funders:

THE SWIFT MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION

THE ESPER A. PETERSEN FOUNDATION

Check out the article about The Children's Resource Program (CRP) that was in the Ventura County Star, by clicking the link below:

https://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/editorials/2019/06/29/there-plenty-ways-ensure-dental-services-children/1565414001/

CHILDREN'S RESOURCE PROGRAM VIDEO

Patient Testimonials:

• Thank you for all your support and everything you do for this community.  We appreciate the services you donate, it means a lot to us parents and kids that benefit.  Thank you!

• Thank you for that big heart. God gave you, to have the gift of helping small children like me. I thank you with all my heart for helping me to improve, with my vision. I would like to tell you a thousand things, but those thousand things are transformed into one thousand thanks. May God bless you today, tomorrow and always.

• I wanted to personally thank you all for all the help you provided me by taking out my wisdom teeth. Everyone there at the office was extremely kind and generous to me and it felt great knowing you all cared. After learning how expensive these procedures truly are, I don’t know how to thank you all enough for everything, especially all the donated time and resources. Without this surgery, I would’ve likely encountered much worse dental problems in my future, and I don’t know how well I would’ve been able to prevent that all from happening on my own. As an 18-year-old whose already all on their own and still in the process of graduating high school, it’s great knowing that there are people like you all in the world that will help people, like me, who may be going through similar situations. I do apologize for how late this thank you letter is, being an adult is really hard and life just doesn’t go your way sometimes. So, trust me when I say, I have and will not ever forget all you did for me. You’re all amazing people and I hope something great happens in your lives.  Thank you so much.

• I respectfully address you, in the opportunity to thank you for the ophthalmological consultations and corrective lenses that were donated to my children, who were very urged of them, since they looked affected in their school classes in their respective schools.  These consultations were made on a Friday and the children received their glasses the following Thursday.  My children are very intelligent and disciplined children, we have just arrived from Venezuela, and our goal is to give the best of us to this beautiful country.  In such a short time in their schools and even without English proficiency, they have managed to obtain the position of best students of the month.  Our family reiterates infinite thanks for this donation that has significantly changed the lives of my children.  We hope you continue this commendable work, which benefits children in need so much.  With nothing further, I remain sincerely yours.

• My daughter made it through 3 cavities today with the help of the “Awesome” Dentist and the wonderful staff! She has another appointment on Monday for the other 4 cavities. I believe what you guys do is amazing and I'd like to spread the word as I have been invited to the Foster/Bio Parent Convening Conference in Seattle again this year! Thank you for always checking in on us and for your ongoing support of our family.

• I would like to start by saying thank you for providing this HUGE support to our community. I am happy to continue to refer children at our school who have dental and vision needs. Many students have a hard time in classes due to their vision. They are moved to the front of the class to meet their needs, but that doesn’t always help. Sadly, some students have a hard time paying attention.  Once again, thank you for this ongoing support! We are trying to help as many students as fast as we can, and we are willing to help them get to their appointments if needed. With Gratitude, Migrant Education Guidance

• To whom it may concern, thank you for helping me with the cost of my tooth. Thank you for the help because it took away the pain and let me concentrate in class. Thank you very much.  

• I want to thank you for being able to give me glasses.  They really are a big help

• Thank you for being a great orthodontics and always being nice and having a great attitude.  You are a funny guy.  Good work and keep it up. 

• I wanted to give you a huge thanks for what you have done for me.  You have cured my teeth.  You are a very good person.  I will never forget that you cured me, cleaned, and fixed my teeth; they were so damaged.  I was already resigned that they would never get fixed and that people would make fun of me forever.  Thank you for setting my life on a different course.  Bless you for having donated you time and money to help me.  I will be eternally grateful to you and the other lady that was in the room helping you.  I can finally smile without being scared and embarrassed.  I no longer have to cover my mouth.  I am so happy to have a beautiful smile.  Thank you, a million times, for what you have done for me.  You have changed my life.  My god bless you and your family, always.

• We want to thank the Clinic of the doctor for the donation of my daughter's glasses that have helped her vision a lot, and thanks also to his staff - the girl at the front desk was very kind and we appreciate that they care about the community that does not have access to glasses.  Thank you very much for your help and generosity.