Troubled Teens and Their Needs
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I enjoyed tremendously your article “Troubled Teens Aid Abused Babies” (April 3). Your staff writer, Dennis McLellan, did a very touching, sensitive story on how the troubled teen-age girls receiving treatment at the Florence Crittenton Services program in Fullerton have been helping to care for abused or neglected infants at the Orangewood children’s home.
It is heartwarming to see youngsters who so desperately need love in their lives get that love and share it. I am sure the experience of caring for the toddlers is as meaningful for the adolescent girls as it is for the youngsters.
The article also brought to light two important problems in Orange County. One is that there is a shortage of foster-care homes for abused or neglected infants.
The second problem is that Florence Crittenton Services has overgrown its 58-bed home in Fullerton and is looking to expand to a new site with more than 200 beds. What is needed is to develop a partnership program between government and private interests in this county to make that expansion a reality. There are many more teen-age girls in the county who are suffering from abuse or have other personal difficulties, and need this agency’s fine services.
HARRIETT M. WIEDER
Supervisor, 2nd District
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