The organization's therapeutic focus is based on the concepts of Recovery, Resilience and Readiness and seeks to help youth build confidence and discover and develop skills to break through barriers—both emotional and situational—to grow up and lead healthy, productive lives.
In 2011, CII received a $5 million, three-year Social Innovation Fund[6] award to expand its presence in the Watts and Central Los Angeles communities.
In July 2014, the organization announced in a partnership with Pritzker-prize-winning architect Frank Gehry[7][8] to design a new full-service campus[9] in the Watts community of Los Angeles.
[14] CII is a multi-service agency that utilizes evidence-based practices and an integrated service model offering coordinated prevention, intervention and treatment assistance for children and their families in at-risk neighborhoods across Greater Los Angeles.
[citation needed] Kee MacFarlane, an employee at the center, had the idea to use hand puppets and anatomically correct dolls during interviews with children, believing they would aid disclosure and therapeutic recovery.