WESTLAKE WOMAN TO GUIDE PROGRAMS AT CASA PACIFICA.

Byline: Deborah Sullivan Daily News Staff Writer

A Westlake Village woman has been named as the new director of residential treatment at Casa Pacifica, a position that has been vacant for nine months.

Louanne Shahandeh has taken over as head of the residential treatment programs at the 28-bed facility for severely emotionally troubled youth at the 50-bed-total center, said Steve Elson, executive director.

``I'm delighted we were able to bring in someone of Louanne's stature and experience and professionalism,'' Elson said.

Shahandeh has worked with emotionally disturbed children for 18 years, 17 of them at Hathaway Child and Family Services in Lake View Terrace, where she rose from child care worker to director of child care services.

She left that center to work as managing director of Phoenix House, a Sylmar adolescent drug and alcohol treatment program for about 18 months before joining Casa Pacifica.

``Louanne has a very, very strong commitment to teamwork,'' said Gail Guglielmino, former development director for Phoenix House. ``She's very child-focused. She starts everything based on what's the best treatment for the child, and she builds teams around that.''

In addition, Guglielmino said Shahandeh had a rare ability to acquaint herself with every child in the 150-bed facility.

``One of the biggest things that can turn around a kid's life is feeling that somebody cares, and if that starts at the top and runs all the way through the staff, that in itself is the beginning of changing a kid's life,'' Guglielmino said. ``That creates an environment of caring and trust, and I think she sets that tone for the agency.''

Shahandeh's role will be to coordinate the efforts of staff, clinicians, social workers and mental health professionals to help kids overcome violent, anti-social or self-destructive behaviors.

``When a kid comes here for treatment, they're given . . . behaviors they need to improve, or things they need to work on,'' she said.

That might include building positive peer relationships, reducing violent outbursts, or ceasing self-mutilation or suicide attempts, she said.

Her job is to manage the many facets of that care, and to ``oversee and make sure that things are running consistently,'' she said.

She will also help implement changes required to keep the shelter operating after a series of troubles.

A state report released in May identified a litany of problems with the program, including children harming themselves, sexually abusing other children or suffering injury while physically restrained by staff.

The shelter risked losing its license, but recently reached a probationary agreement with the Community Care Licensing Board, an arm of the state Department of Social Services, that allows it to continue operating.

As director of residential treatment, Shahandeh will be overseeing staff training specified by the agreement, and will also be in charge of expanding its program to include evening and weekend activities, Elson said.

Shahandeh said she hopes to nurture communication and teamwork among Casa Pacifica staff and the community agencies that work with it.