THE LOOP
WestCare Family,
As the summer months unfold, we find ourselves reflecting on the progress we've made together as a dedicated and compassionate team here at WestCare. We always strive to provide comprehensive and innovative social services to those who need it most. Over the past six months, we have worked tirelessly to continue delivering on that commitment and are proud to share the substantial strides we have made in advancing our programs. This year has brought with it many changes in the leadership structure, changes and improvements to our facilities, and an expansion of our services. But one thing that has not changed is the dedication of our team. Whether through our operations teams, direct service teams, or administrative teams - we all contribute to making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
We are thrilled to report that our housing programs have thrived and are providing safe and nurturing environments for countless individuals and families. Through a combination of dedicated case management, counseling and advocacy services, and community partnerships - we have witnessed remarkable outcomes, with many individuals achieving long-term housing stability and reclaiming their lives. Through our comprehensive approach, we not only connect them to immediate shelter, but also work diligently to address the root causes of homelessness - enabling individuals to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
Moreover, our commitment to health education and advocacy remains steadfast. WestCare continues to be a beacon of hope and support for those living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS, offering crucial services that promote education, prevention, and comprehensive care.
By empowering individuals with knowledge and resources, we strive to create a healthier future and reduce the stigma surrounding this complex health issue. Planning and preparation for the 12th Annual Fresno AIDS Walk & 5K Run is in full swing and we look forward to seeing you all on Saturday, October 14th at Woodward Park in Fresno.
In line with our dedication to the well-being of families, we have also made remarkable strides with our Celebrating Families! program. Through the weekly sessions, their program facilitators empower families to strengthen their bonds, enhance communication, and cultivate healthy familial skills. By fostering an environment of love, respect, and understanding - we believe we can positively impact not only individual lives, but also the fabric of our society.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering support and encouragement from our passionate staff. We are incredibly grateful for your continued belief in our mission and your contributions that allow us to make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. As we enter the second half of the year, we invite you to join us in celebrating these successes and renewing our commitment to the vital work that lies ahead. Thank you for your steadfast efforts and for being a driving force behind WestCare's achievements. We look forward to sharing more updates and stories of hope as we embark on the rest of this transformative journey together.
Westcare Family,
These past summer months as an organization have been groundbreaking. As we continue to provide social services to the communities we serve, we have also experienced many changes within leadership with the introduction of our new Deputy Administrators and an expansion of our services within our programs. Nevertheless, we have continued to make changes to our facilities as well as continue the commitment to creating an everlasting impact on the individuals that we serve.
With our MLK Residential Facility, we have been getting some much-needed upgrades. There will be new lighting throughout the facility as well as new conference room chairs, client sofas, tables, dressers, and much more. In addition, the staff lounge has also been upgraded to offer our hard-working staff an area where they can relax during their much-needed breaks to feel rejuvenated from the work that they do serving our clients daily.
We were also excited to hear that we were given an extension to continue services for CCTRP (Custody to Community Transitional Reentry Program) - San Diego and with new rates, this will assist in the hiring process of finding quality staff that will provide services to our amazing women served who are finishing their sentence at this facility while beginning their steps towards reentry. This program will continue to assist women to become productive members within their community.
As our new leadership team continues to settle into their new roles, we will remain committed to our work with our various teams in identifying new areas of growth and improvement for our services that we are so proud to offer to the communities in which we operate!
Vice President of Administration
WestCare California
Program Spotlight: Data Systems
By Lenora Brooks-Phillips, Data Systems CoordinatorThe WestCare California Data Systems team is responsible for the data collections, treatment monitoring, data processing, and invoicing for more than 25 active WestCare California contracts. These contracts provide social, mental health, and drug treatment services to over 6,000 participants each year. The larger contracts are Drug Medical, STOP, and Veterans Services. We are contractually responsible for maintaining and collecting statistical information and upon request, will provide this information to our WestCare executive team as well as state and federal agencies. The data team monitors the fidelity of services entered and collected in eight different databases.
The data team also provides training to WestCare employees as well as contracted providers. We make daily data entry corrections as requested by these employees and contractors. Our WestCare staff and contracted providers reach as far North as the Oregon border and as far South as San Diego.
Our Data Systems Team is comprised of:
Jitin Brar, Director
Lenora Brooks-Phillips, Data Systems Coordinator
Leticia Almendarez, Lead Data Specialist
Cathy Garza, Benefit Specialist
Kristi Guinn, Billing Specialist
Elina Herrera, Data Specialist
Jessica Ponce, Data Specialist
Jenia Sears, Data Specialist
Jessica Gama, Data Specialist
Julio Acosta, Data Specialist
Linda Cater, Data Specialist
Mayra Galeana, Data Specialist
Lashon Hamilton, Data Specialist
Nakesha Lee, Data Specialist
Manpal Sidhu, Data Specialist MLK
Lynn Stevens, Data Specialist/Receptionist
In July, we were proud to be at this year’s National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) Conference in Washington, D.C. with representation from our Vice President, Mary Ann Knoy. This annual conference brings together service providers, system leaders, advocates, and people with lived experience of homelessness to learn from each other, discuss best practices, and share new innovations in the field. We were also honored to join fellow members of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) to visit with Representative Jim Costa to advocate for changing the CoC’s funding competition to once every two years instead of every year and increasing funding for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV).
2023 NAEH Conference in Washington D.C.
Movie Night at The Living Room
Every month, The Living Room, hosts a movie night for their clients and community. In June, the movie featured was Moonlight, a coming-of-age film. There were 14 attendees and everyone enjoyed popcorn, snacks, and cookies! Keep an eye out on their social media or contact TheLivingRoom@westcare.com if you’d like to join them for their future movie nights!
On July, members of California’s management team attended CalEducate’s 100-Day Challenge training for providers working to implement the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal model, also known as CalAIM. Through CalAIM, we will see a new whole-person approach to our care for vulnerable populations as well as payment reform that hinges on the outcomes of our services instead of the services themselves. Per the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the main goals of CalAIM are:
Identify and manage comprehensive needs through whole person care approaches and social drivers of health.
Improve quality outcomes, reduce health disparities, and transform the delivery system through value based initiatives, modernization, and payment reform.
Make Medi-Cal a more consistent and seamless system for enrollees to navigate by reducing complexity and increasing flexibility.
We look forward to all of the ways that this new model will help us better meet the needs of our community and enhance the support that that we are able to provide for those in our care!
Congratulations to Stephanie Perez on being promoted to Director of Housing Services! Stephanie started out at WestCare California as a Program Manager for the Day 1 Families Fund and has continued to dedicate herself to her work as well as being a great advocate for our clients.
In her new role, she will continue her excellence as she oversees our Diversion Services, Warm Hand-Off Supportive Services, Adult Re-Entry Grant Rental Assistance Program, Day 1 Families Fund, Opening Doors to Health and Wellness program, and the Permanent Supportive Housing program.
A Housing Services Story Featuring Amy P.
Amy was enrolled in our Opening Doors to Housing & Wellness program in April of 2022. She has had an ongoing struggle with methamphetamine. Just before entering into our program, she was staying with her parents who had given her an ultimatum which led to her being kicked out of their home. Throughout Amy's journey, she has shown improvement in her sobriety as a woman and as a mother. Opening Doors provided her with transportation to and from outpatient treatment programs as well as linkage to the Fresno City College HOPE (Housing Opportunities Promote Education) program. Today, she has been able to have partial-visitation custody of her son, has successfully enrolled at Fresno City College where she obtained straight A's, and has her own one-bedroom apartment through RH Community Builders and FCC HOPE.
May CORE Award Recipients: Leadership
"Phyllis Carra always takes the initiative to ensure her shift is always running smoothly. She always has a smile on her face when she greets clients and is consistent with ensuring medication disposal is done correctly. Thank you, Phyllis, for your hard work and dedication!” - Jenny
Magdaleno, Program Director, MLK Residential
Phyllis Carra
National HIV Testing Day
On June 27, The Living Room hosted their National HIV Testing Day to bring awareness to the importance of testing and knowing your status. As stated by HIV.gov, "HIV testing, including self-testing, is the pathway to engaging people in care to keep them healthy, regardless of their test result," and so we thank all who made the time to come visit them for a test or those who came to learn more from their resource fair!
Tenisha August
Unit Clerk, MLK Residential
"I want to give kudos to Tenisha August for receiving the CORE Award for Leadership. Tenisha continues to learn how to manage the daily grid by assigning staff to groups. She ensures that all clients receive services by the end of each day. She also helps enter all of the UA test results by communicating with staff and supervisors regarding the outcome of each client!” -
Jenny Magdaleno, Program Director,MLK Residential