About Campus Vernon Kilpatrick

CVK Mission

Campus Vernon Kilpatrick (CVK) will provide detained girls and gender-expansive youth with treatment services, connect them to essential resources, and help them develop skills that promote long-term success in their communities.

CVK Vision

Campus Vernon Kilpatrick (CVK) is committed to end girls’ incarceration, improve the lives and wellbeing of girls and gender expansive youth, while ensuring healthier and safer communities. This includes creating safe, welcoming spaces that offer gender-affirming products and services, as well as educational, vocational, and life skills programs designed to prepare youth for success. It also provides opportunities for creative expression, peer mentorship, leadership development, and access to quality medical, mental health, and reentry support services.

CVK Core Principles

• Gender-Responsive Approach
  • Recognize the distinct pathways into the justice system for females and gender-expansive individuals (often tied to trauma, poverty, and systemic inequities).
  • Design programs, spaces, and policies that meet these needs without reinforcing stereotypes.
• Trauma-Informed Care
  • Assume trauma is prevalent; avoids practices that re-traumatize.
  • Build trust through predictability, choice where possible, and emotional safety.

• Equity and Inclusion
  • Affirm all gender identities and expressions, including trans and non-binary youth.
  • Ensure language, facilities, and programs reflect diversity.
• Human Dignity & Respect
  • Every interaction upholds the humanity of youth.
  • Cultural humility is embedded into staff training and practice.

The Department has established a collaborative partnership with the Department of Youth Development (DYD), the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), the Vera Institute, Community-Based Organizations, and Board of Supervisor Justice Deputies to implement the end girl’s incarceration initiative. This partnership provides a strong foundation to advance the vision and ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative.

Implementing trauma-informed, integrated approaches to improve reentry and reduce system involvement will sustainably decrease recidivism. Metrics will be regularly evaluated to inform strategies that prevent girls and gender-expansive youth from being detained.

CVK stands as a safe space that values dignity and growth, acknowledging that many pathways here are influenced by trauma, inequity, and systemic obstacles. CVK is dedicated to creating an environment focused on healing, empowering individuals, and supporting their successful reintegration into the community

The LA Model

Launched at Campus Kilpatrick in 2016, the “LA Model” is an approach to juvenile justice that focuses on positive youth development through relationships and skill building in a small-group therapeutic environment that is characterized by a culture of care rather than a culture of control. The foundation of the model was developed in collaboration with participants from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles County Probation Department, Department of Mental Health Services (DMH), Juvenile Court Health Services (JCHS), Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), National Council of Crime and Delinquency, Probation Commission, and numerous community stakeholders over a two-year period.

• Safety & Healing Environments
• Positive Youth Development
• Family & Community Connection
• Culturally Relevant, Gender-Responsive Practices
• Goal: Reduce re-traumatization and build resilience.

LA Model Approach

• Small groups
• Home-like environment
• Youth-centered collaborative approach
• The Model provides the youth in our care a robust Developmental Stage System embedded with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
• The probation department has established a higher bar of programming throughout the residential treatment services bureau (RTSB) and campus community.

Trauma Informed Care

CVK recognizes that many youth in its care have experienced significant trauma and that these experiences influence behavior, emotions, and decision-making. The facility’s approach focuses on safety, trust, and emphasizes understanding over judgment. Staff are trained to recognize signs of trauma and to respond in ways that reduce re-traumatization while promoting healing and growth. By creating a supportive and predictable environment grounded in empathy, CVK helps youth build resilience, develop coping skills, and work toward positive change.

Gender Responsiveness

CVK practices gender-responsive care by recognizing that the experiences, needs, and challenges of youth can differ based on gender and that these differences should be thoughtfully addressed in all aspects of programming and support. Staff are trained to recognize how gender influences behavior, relationships, and coping strategies, and to respond in ways that foster respect, equity, and personal growth. By creating a supportive and inclusive environment grounded in empathy, CVK helps youth build confidence, develop positive self-identities, and work toward lasting change.

Partnerships and Collaborations

CVK is committed to partnerships and collaboration that recognize positive outcomes for youth are strengthened through coordinated efforts with families, community organizations, schools, and support services. By fostering open communication, sharing resources, and working together toward common goals, the facility ensures that youth receive comprehensive support tailored to their individual needs. This collaborative approach not only enhances the effectiveness of programs and interventions but also helps build a network of guidance and opportunities that promote long-term success and reintegration.