VISTAS Hawthorne Adult Day Program
The VISTAS Hawthorne Day Program opened its doors originally in 1988 in the city of Inglewood. In August 2000, the program relocated to the city of Hawthorne, hence the name VISTAS Hawthorne. VISTAS Hawthorne is an exceptional day treatment program that provides outstanding behavioral-management services to adults with an emphasis on providing emotional and behavioral support. Consumers at the VISTAS Hawthorne program are taught how to develop a number of important life skills (i.e., independent-living, community-integration, socialization, anger-management, health and safety) in a classroom and community-integrated setting. This program has routinely been recognized by the regional center as one of the top programs on the westside. The program has a superb group of staff members lead by its program director, Kelly McKenna, PsyD. When people visit the VISTAS Hawthorne program it becomes immediately evident to them that the staff members have created an atmosphere of love, compassion, support, empowerment, and inclusion. The number of consumer success stories over the years at this program is immense!
Kelly Mckenna, PsyD
Program Director
Kelly Mckenna is the program director for VISTAS Hawthorne. She has been the program leader for over 26 years. She oversees and operates the Hawthorne program in a highly structured, organized, person-centered, inclusive, and supportive manner. It is evident upon setting foot in the VISTAS Hawthorne program that the consumers are treated with love, compassion, and respect. The energy of the program is undoubtedly upbeat and the expression on the consumer’s faces is one of joy and empowerment. This all starts with the leadership skills and compassion implemented and modeled by Kelly. In addition to running an outstanding day program, Kelly has earned a doctoral degree in psychology and is a certified sexual educator. She teaches sexual education workshops for regional center consumers and her classes are consistently reviewed as outstanding and highly educative. We are very grateful to have had such an outstanding leader and person at VISTAS Hawthorne for the past 26 years!
Deborah Verbeeck
Assistant Program Director
Deb Verbeeck is the assistant program director at VISTAS Hawthorne. Deb has been a stalwart of the program for the past 22 years. Deb’s calm, caring and experienced approach has been instrumental to the program’s success and the consumers achieving behavioral and emotional growth and improvements. Deb’s extensive knowledge in areas such as behavior-modification, mental health, developmental disabilities, the social services system, and regional center system has also been key to the program’s success and consumer’s well-being. Deb is also highly skilled technologically. This has undoubtedly helped the program offer outstanding remote services in addition to its traditional services model. Deb’s wonderful personality, experience, and skill is greatly appreciated and the VISTAS family is grateful to have her!
Additional Services Provided at this Location
CONSUMER SEXUAL EDUCATION CLASS
VIstas Hawthorne provides a 12-week course on consumer sexual education for adults and teenagers taught by Kelly McKenna, PsyD. Consumers are taught how to form healthy relationships, advocate for themselves, and will learn the ABCs of sex education.
Meet Our Team!
Christina "Tina" M
Counselor
Raxana C.
Counselor