Who We Are

The Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center is seen as a focal point of therapeutic arts services for children and youth in Orange County. OCCTAC offers high-quality, comprehensive-multicultural curriculum and programs that combine the ARTS, academics and creative therapies to empower youth. OCCTAC’s vision prioritizes on empowering children and youth of limited resources, from diverse backgrounds through academic support; creative expression through the arts and parent education.

OCCTAC is committed to providing access to services for all children and families impacted by physical, cognitive, language, social, emotional or learning disabilities. We accomplish this in part by serving as a catalyst for expanded quality services and by developing new programs to fill identified gaps in the community. We continue to ensure that the foundation of the organization rests with committed and compassionate Board of Directors, staff and teachers, who are talented artists, musicians, educators and therapists.

What We Do

OCCTAC serves a wide variety of ages, from very young children and their parents to young adults. Our programs include the following:

• After-School ARTS Program provides artistic training in the fields of Music, Visual Arts, Dance, Musical Theatre, and Technology to children and youth of all ages and backgrounds;

• Therapeutic Arts Program offers music therapy, art therapy and expressive arts therapy to children and youth with special needs;

• Early Start Program serves very young children (6 months to 2 1/2 years of age) with and without disabilities;

• Parent & Child Preschool Program serves young children ages 3, 4 and 5 and their parents;

• After-School Tutoring Program provides tutoring and homework support to children and youth through individual or small group instruction;

• Youth Job Training Program provides Transitional Age Youth (17- 21 yrs.) educational skills, job training, work experience and career counseling in the field of Arts, Education & Technology;

• Other Community Support Programs (See Programs).

How We Started

The Orange Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center (OCCTAC) was founded by Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami in the year of 2000.  After the tragic death of her parents, Aidita and Freddy Jimenez, Dr. Jimenez started the center in their memory.  Her love for children with special needs and her parents’ humanitarian work gave her the inspiration to start this unique community organization that focuses on the ARTS as a vehicle to empower youth in Orange County.

In the summer of 2000, the Center began to provide after-school music and art classes to children with special needs.  One year later, the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS center expanded its’ mission to provide services to typical children and at-risk youth due to the high need in the community, and lack of artistic programs for underprivileged families.  Since then, the ARTS Center has grown tremendously, and expanded its’ level of services offering educational, therapeutic and other support programs for culturally diverse families from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds in Orange County.

Links to Our Friends

Success 4 Teens – Motivational Resource of Solutions and Guidance for Teenagers