Behavioral Health Services Morale Committee Spread a Little Love

Love is in the Air at Behavioral Health Services! To raise spirits (and funds for other celebrations), the BHS administration building’s morale committee sold and delivered Valentine treats that staff could send to one another. Orders poured in for 310 heart-shaped balloons, 180 decoratively wrapped chocolate bars, and 22 beaded bracelets. The festive atmosphere has generated lots of smiles, showing how giving and receiving promotes good mental health.

BHS Morale Committee boosts the mood all year long: [left to right] Arnel Encabo, San Naovarangsy, Ellen Heigert, Rick Santos, Oscar Talaro, Rose Elwood, and Edd Urbano. Desiree Fuentes and Donna Peterson are not pictured in the photo.

El Cajon California Children Services Visited by Santa and Mrs. Claus

The El Cajon California Children Services Medical Therapy Unit staff worked hard this past month to make sure the kids got a burst of holiday spirit with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The first week in December staff helped to pull out holiday decorations. Stockings were hung and occupational therapists worked with children making snowflakes and paper ornaments in preparation for the upcoming holidays.

In the back corner of the physical therapy area, a bulletin board was decorated with the image of a fireplace with stockings and a tree. Santa and Mrs. Claus took up residence there, with a comfortable place to sit with the children. During this time, parents were able to bring in their children to meet Santa, talk to him, and take a picture.

Considering the needs of the children served by CCS, it can be difficult for parents to bring their children to see Santa in a place such as a mall. This was an opportunity that many parents were able to take advantage of. Parents were given the time they needed to get a good pictureand if the children were scared and began to cry, they could take a break, watch the other children, and try again.

Having this event early in December allowed parents to use the pictures in their Christmas cards, which is a great gift. We received a lot of positive feedback from parents who were appreciative of this opportunity.

Central Region PHN wins “CARE Award”

Martha Garcia, left, received a "CARE" Award fro KXKY Radio. She was nominated by Angie Durdiev, right.

Martha Garcia, Public Health Nurse (PHN) Supervisor for HHSA's Central Region Public Health Center received a “CARE Award” in December at a ceremony and luncheon at the Hotel del Coronado. The “CARE Awards” are sponsored by Radio Station KyXy 96.5 and Azusa Pacific University. The award is to acknowledge San Diego nurses for all their hard work and "TLC".  People are encouraged to nominate their favorite nurses and nine are selected from the hundreds of nominations.  Martha was nominated by fellow PHN, Angie Durdiev, PHN Supervisor at Central Region Public Health Center.

This is an excerpt of Angie’s nomination for Martha:

“Martha has worked as a Public Health Nurse for the County for 10 plus years.  She has served the residents of San Diego in the East, South and Central regions.  In her time with the county she has worn many hats.  As a Maternal Child Health field nurse working in the Healthy Infant Program, her job was to ensure that drug exposed infants and children received the resources and care they needed to become thriving healthy individuals.  She worked with substance abusing pregnant and parenting women, helping to ensure a better life for the client and her baby.

As the Epidemiology/Bioterrorism Public Health Nurse, she became an expert in disaster preparedness providing valuable training to frontline workers who were tasked with meeting the needs of the residents of San Diego in the event of a disaster.

Martha also served as a HealthLink Public Health Nurse, coordinating efforts between the community partners of South Bay to ensure school aged children received health related services to meet their needs.  Currently she serves as a Public Health Nurse Supervisor in the Central Region of San Diego.  She is a mentor to her staff and she continues to lead her peers as she works to develop protocols and standards for future public health nurses as they provide services to pregnant and parenting families all over San Diego.”

Here is a link for more info on the Care Awards: http://kyxy.radio.com/care-award

A Season of Giving in North Central Region

The North Central Family Resource Center clerical staff and their supervising Office Assistant Florence Trent decided this year that instead of going out for a holiday luncheon to do something to help their community. They had an in office potluck and each person contributed what the luncheon might have cost to make a donation to charity. The result was a $150 to Children In Need and $150 to the resource center's Food Pantry. The Pantry is entirely supported by staff on a voluntary basis, and is used to provide food for families who may not be eligible yet for benefits.

San Pasqual Academy Achieves LEED Platinum

As the nation’s only residential campus for foster youth, the County’s San Pasqual Academy is often distinguished for unique social and educational achievements.

But on Tuesday, the Escondido school also was honored for an elite environmental achievement: LEED Platinum certification for its 30 new housing units.

LEED—or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Platinum certification represents the highest standard of “green” building. Only seven other buildings in the region are LEED Platinum certified, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

“This is a very prestigious and well-deserved award,” said the Green Building Council’s Jennifer Owens in an award presentation to the Board of Supervisors.

Owens explained that the U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit that encourages sustainable buildings by promoting the “most rigorous building standards offered throughout the U.S.”

A County policy says all new buildings will aim for LEED certification. Owens commended the County’s commitment to sustainability and green building, noting its many new LEED certified buildings, which include the LEED Gold Ramona Library, the LEED Gold buildings at the County Operations Center, the LEED Silver Fallbrook Library, and the LEED Platinum San Elijo Nature Center.

“This is continuing proof that San Diego County knows how to do it right,” said Chairman Bill Horn, who accepted the award.

Vice-Chairman Ron Roberts and Supervisor Greg Cox, who have steadily supported the 10-year-old San Pasqual Academy, stood next to Horn during the presentation.

The housing units honored Tuesday were built because wildfire destroyed the original residences. In 2007, the Witch Creek Fire forced foster youth and adults to evacuate San Pasqual Academy. When they returned, 29 structures on the campus had been destroyed.   

Legacy Building Services and its design-build team was the contractor on the project, which also included new administration buildings expected to achieve LEED silver certification.

San Pasqual Academy is home and school to 130 foster youth, ages 12 to 18. The new housing, which includes cottages and attached and detached housing, accommodates the alumni, transitional age foster youth, staff and volunteer “grandparents” who nurture and mentor the students and make the school a community.

Make No Mistake, Boston is an Outstanding Community Partner

The County of San Diego has a lot of unsung heroes – County employees who do a lot of good work out of the spotlight and the public eye. One such employee – the Health and Human Services Agency’s Susanne Boston – couldn’t escape notice and was named one of the 2011 County Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) Outstanding Community Partners.

 “When she found out she was getting this award, she thought it was a mistake because she is usually the one doing the behind the scenes work to make everyone else look good,” said Kristin Garrett, President and CEO of CHIP. “I am very proud to have had the honor to work with Susanne for the past 10 years. She’s very deserving.”

Boston is a Health Information Specialist II at HHSA. She has represented the County on the Access to Care for Children Team project, participated with CHIP Needs Assessments, organized numerous health events on an array of public health issues, helped to schedule Question, Persuade, and Refer Suicide Prevention trainings for the North County, has been instrumental in the coordination and implementation of the urban rural roundtable and been involved with the Resident Leadership Academy.

“I would describe Susanne as passionate, energetic, gracious, positive, humble, and committed to serving the community at a local neighborhood level,” said Garrett. “She is just very exceptional in her commitment to helping people.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by those that work closely with her. “Susanne is so passionate about the work she does to further the goals of Live Well, San Diego! and improve the lives of North County residents,” said Barbara Jimenez, HHSA Deputy Director. “We are so proud of her and fortunate that she is on the Health & Human Services Agency team.”

“Susanne is a gem, a true unsung hero who exemplifies the intent of CHIP’s award,” said Carey Riccitelli, Boston’s direct supervisor. “It’s not just that she has a great personality - she’s very passionate about her work, and very fun, but she also has one of the strongest work ethics of anyone I know.”

In 2000, Community Health Improvement Partners, better known as CHIP, launched the Outstanding Community Partner Awards. The awards epitomize those who go above and beyond to volunteer their ideas and expertise and provide leadership.

Previous winners from HHSA include Nick Macchione, Alan Smith, Leslie Ray, Rhonda Freeman, Nancy Bowen, Holly Shipp, Tracy Delaney and Dr. Wilma Wooten.

Health on Wheels

San Diego has mobile food trucks, mobile libraries, and now, mobile medical care at substance abuse treatment facilities! Primary healthcare now comes to the clients who receive treatment for substance abuse at Mental Health System's Harmony West and Central East Regional Recovery Centers. Once a month, the "Kids Express" Mobile Medical Unit from Family Health Centers of San Diego comes to the program sites to provide assessments and care. 

Although called the “Kids Express,” the mobile unit’s services aren’t limited to children. They offer high-quality primary care services to both clients and their family members. In addition to basic check-ups and physicals, the Mobile Medical Unit’s team provides treatment for colds and flus, dental exams and referrals, screens for TB, HIV, STDs, and Hepatitis.

The Mobile Medical Unit makes it easier for people throughout the county to access care. And, thanks to the generous contributions of the donors to Mental Health System's Be The Hope fundraising campaign, services are provided free of charge. 

Best of all, the mobile medical unit is making a real difference in peoples’ lives. One example is the case of a young woman who was diagnosed with epilepsy, but had no medical insurance and was therefore unable to receive regular, consistent treatment. She only received care after suffering public seizures and an ambulance ride to the nearest medical facility. But after treatment from the “Kids Express,” including a necessary prescription and follow-up services, she was referred to a clinic, and is now hopeful that she will be able to get her seizures under control. 

Positive Reinforcement in Action

HHSA contracts with a variety  of substance abuse treatment programs. One such program is Mental Health System’s Harmony West, a program specifically designed for women – particularly those who are pregnant or parenting.  Staff at the program  implemented an incentive program to motivate client participation. Treatment success depends on participation, and staying in the program. A generous donation of high-end skincare products sparked an innovative idea, and the Harmony West Incentive Program was born! It’s proven to be a positive and fun way to motivate clients. Incentive programs have been used successfully throughout the world in many different settings as a way to increase motivation, so why not in treatment?

Clients receive a raffle ticket for perfect weekly attendance, as well as negative drug screen test results. Clients can also earn tickets for anything extra that they do for their positive growth, such as community participation, extra 12-step self-help meetings and commitments, or going the extra mile by being of service at Harmony, or doing something that demonstrates a move towards personal growth.

Incentive gifts are provided through generous donations from community support partners. These include spa days, massages, and a large donation of Avon products. To date, the incentive program at Harmony West is going strong and the women look forward to the last day of each month when the raffle ticket winner is revealed.

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles with Fun

One way to teach people to choose healthy choices is by serving fun, healthy foods. The Incredible Families program works with children with mental health issues and their families to teach a variety of life skills for long-term benefits.

In addition to emotional and social education, the program promotes good physical health lifestyle choices. Staff provide a healthy snack and dinner to program participants once a week during the family visitation meal. The children and their families have an opportunity to try out alternative choices for food, such as whole grains and natural ingredients.   

Taking Steps to Help San Diegans Live Well

[From left to right, starting with back row] HHSA Director Nick Macchione is joined by Karen Ventimiglia (BHS), Beth Sise (Suicide Prevention Council Co-Chair), Sabrena Marshall (BHS), Debra Fitzgerald (Office of Health Systems Innovation), Mental Health Director Alfredo Aguirre, Strategic Planning and Operational Support Director Dale Fleming, and from AdEase [marketing agency contracted to produce It’s Up to Us campaign]: Rob Davis (guest), Leah Rodig, Richelle Brown, Kelly Hollifield, Jana Sczersputowski, Traci Miller, Helen Burdett, and furry friends. BHS Director Jennifer Schaffer, Edward Bacerra and Lupita Castro-Zuniga also participated but were not present for the photo.

Did you know…?

- In San Diego County, almost one person commits suicide each day.

- Suicide is the second-leading cause of non-natural deaths for all ages in San Diego County.

- From 1998 to 2009, suicide took the lives of 3,991 San Diegans.

- Suicide rate among veterans is four times higher than the general population.

- Suicide is preventable.         

Taking the Behavioral Health Service’s “It’s Up to Us” campaign message to the sidewalk, HHSA staff showed their support for suicide prevention by joining the Save a Life Walk, on Sunday, November 13, in Balboa Park. HHSA Director Nick Macchione kicked things off with opening remarks. Dale Fleming, Director of HHSA’s Strategic Planning and Operational Support division, joined Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Director Jennifer Schaffer, Mental Health Director Alfredo Aguirre, and a number of HHSA staff for the fundraising walk. In addition to exceeding their goal by raising $1,095, they hope to raise awareness, and ultimately prevent individuals from taking their own lives. Total event donations exceeded $67,000. The Save a Life San Diego Community Walk is a partnership between the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program and Survivors of Suicide Loss—San Diego, two programs that offer suicide outreach and prevention programs and survivor support services for all San Diegans. The event also included a remembrance tent, resource fair and the release of 80 white doves. For more information, visit BHS’s It’s Up to Us team page.