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:
CHILDREN'S RESOURCE PROGRAM VIDEO
Patient Testimonials:
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
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.