About Us

Native American Family Center Program
New Change for Positive Alternatives, Inc.

Brief History
New Change for Positive Alternatives (NCPA) a 501(C) 3 non-profit organization, began as a family resource center in Long Beach, California in 1999. That same year NCPA began by offering family services and supports. We provided crisis intervention counseling to individuals and families, child custody-family re-unification advocacy, spiritual guidance and incarceration alternative-community service programs.

We operated for several years on a voluntary bases. Our programs survived by the generous support of donors that noticed how individuals and families were being helped.

In 2005 the California American Indian Recovery Program (CAIR) approved NCPA as a service provider, becoming our primary source of funding. Immediately we extended the hours of operation and hired several professional service providers. That same year we opened our first Native American Family Center (NAFC) in Long Beach, NAFC with its rapid increase in client intake led to the opening of two additional sites. The unserved and underserved population of Native Families and individuals came from all around Southern California for services and support. Some came from the Inland Empire others from Orange County. The world was out:

“There is an Indian center in Long Beach that is doing good things for the Native community.”

By 2006 Native American family center was serving tribes in four counties, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino.

In 2007 NCPA/NAFC was able to serve over 300 participants, adults and children with numerous programs, events, family activities and services. Our community services and supports are primarily directed toward the health and well-being of each family.
Our special focus set on keeping children and young people in a safe and healthy environment. Someone once said: “To accomplish this we must be mindful of the medicine we use to protect our children."
It was further quoted: “This medicine is at its strongest when its power is drawn from our spiritual and cultural beliefs, values and traditions.” We totally adhere to these statements.

In 2007 NAFC served the Native Community of Southern California by providing direct social services, marriage, and child counseling, career guidance, arts & crafts, youth summer activities and after school week-end tutoring programs

That same year we had a Family Conference called, Families Stronger Together Parenting, followed-up with family groups and counseling. We had our first spiritual leaders speaker motivational speakers series, including an all day spiritual gathering with key note speakers from various Native American tribes throughout the South Western part of the United States. Our rapid increase also prompted the launching of a sober-living facility, Four Winds (Tate Topa) Sobriety house. Here, NAFC provides housing to approximately 20 people undergoing drug/alcohol and rehabilitation and offers drumming and talking circles, sweat lodges and job training. Also we opened up our first seasonal community garden in the city of Long Beach where clients and their families have been able to plant and grow flowers, fruits and vegetables as part of their early prevention, counseling and rehabilitation.