Martha arrived at Casa Kokopeli just two months before her 18th birthday. During the intake process, staff learned that Martha spoke an indigenous dialect. She had limited ability to communicate in Spanish or English and was provided a translator. After the first few days of her stay, she demonstrated some unusual behaviors that indicated she...
During the holidays, Southwest Key Programs works to ensure all of the youth in our care enjoy special celebrations, activities and traditional holiday meals. Staff at our shelters take extra care to celebrate various cultural traditions with the children during this time of year, such as La Posada, Noche Buena and Dia del Los Reyes....
Initially, Luis came into Workforce Solutions Cameron to further his job search after experiencing many barriers and challenges . There, he received more assistance than he ever expected....
Fernando, 16, arrived at Casa Amanecer a bit unsure of what was to come, and hoping he and his 13 year-old-brother had ended up somewhere safe. Both boys had worked as fishermen in their home country of Honduras and had come to the United States in search of their father....
Luis is the Assistant Lead Clinician for Southwest Key Programs at Casa El Presidente. On an average day, Luis works to make sure the physical and mental health needs of the youth in our care are met. This often includes designing and planning group counseling sessions, assisting with psychological follow-ups and making sure his team...
Every year, you start to hear about more and more cases of the flu and the various strains of this virus. The flu and cold season lasts from October to February. Besides the typical symptoms of body aches, fever, and chills, being sick with the flu also affects our school and work attendance and adds...
At Casa Padre not all of the staff walk on two legs. Eight dogs make up the on-site Emotional Support Team. This program began with an idea from Jeissa Melendez. In addition to her work as a clinician at Southwest Key Programs, Jeissa also specializes in the human-animal bond and volunteers with her therapy dog,...
Knitting Without Borders, is a project dedicated to sharing love and care to children around the world with volunteers, pictured above, who knit bears for children. In October, Knitting Without Borders handcrafted 250 bears and delivered them to our shelters in South Texas....
Southwest Key Programs proudly supported the Annual “Fandango De Los Muertos” theater production as a sponsor for the 3rd year . This interactive event brings the community together to take part in the authentic traditions of the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday. The event is produced by Proyecto Teatro, Austin’s only all-Spanish speaking...
I began my career at Southwest Key Programs over 13 years ago. In my first role, I worked in Youth Justice helping kids stay accountable for their whereabouts in an Outreach and Tracking program. I went on to work with students at East Austin College Prep, initially as the youth services coordinator and then transitioned...