The Loop - Nevada (February 2024)

THE LOOP A COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM AROUND NEVADA

FEBRUARY 2024

ISSUE 35

VOLUME 3

Greetings from WestCare Nevada, There’s something different in the month of February. The crisp air appears to carry whispers of love and romance. Hearts tend to skip beats and passion is ignited when Cupid’s arrows hit their targets. Love appears to blossom most everywhere and for some reason, life seems a little more livable when we can share our love and devotion with others.

Now of course, there is no such thing as Cupid or his arrows for that matter, yet the truth is, when we experience life and openly and willingly share our journey with others, even with its challenges, life can and does seem a little more livable.

WestCare Nevada has remained busy with just that: Using our shared experiences, our strengths, and our hopes for the future toward making a positive impact on those we encounter, toward our entire community at large, and abroad.

In this issue of the Loop Newsletter, you will read and see how we were able to demonstrate our overall passion and commitment to serving our community by being one of three WestCare states to host and tour a delegation from the Island of Guam, that included their Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Joshua Tenorio. The beauty in this visit was the fact that the same passion and commitment to serve others was demonstrated by the entire delegation, including the Lt. Gov., and it is great to see that WestCare Pacific Islands will be actively involved in the expansion of services for those in need.

WestCare Nevada had the privilege of attending and participating in the ReCon: 2024 We Are Everywhere Community Awareness Event. This event was previously called Black Monday, so it was actually the 11th event of this type put on by There Is No Hero In Heroin (TINHIH). Spending time with other providers for a full day of events again made a positive impact on everyone involved.

The North Las Vegas Community Correctional Center held its 12th “I Am Possible” graduation and once again, being able to be a part of something greater than ourselves by providing services within a correctional setting and then be able to see the fruit of that labor, absolutely changes us all for the better.

We also asked some of our employees about what Uplifting the Human Spirit means to them as part of World Human Spirit Day and I am sure that you will truly enjoy the thoughts of those who provide services throughout WestCare Nevada.

Our Development Director, Mr. Andrew Moran, and I had the opportunity to travel to WestCare California for their Open House and to tour some of the programs there. To see the magnitude of services they provide there is remarkable. WestCare California is approximately five times larger than WestCare Nevada and it was an absolute pleasure to be able to see the operation and meet some of the committed people making it all possible.

Lastly, I cannot complete this introduction without sharing my personal thoughts and feelings about arguably the most important observance in February, which is Black History Month. For me, it provides an opportunity to recognize, honor, and celebrate the achievements of Black individuals throughout history. It allows me to become more educated while confronting some of the uncomfortable truths about the past regarding some of the severe challenges faced, yet overcome, by members of a different culture than my own. It helps me to set my mind, heart, belief and value system, and life on a path that never, ever, mistreats another for my own personal gain. Instead, it makes me even more aware of how important love is and how my journey must include a willingness to share my love and devotion for others, no matter who they are. Now close your eyes and imagine a world like that and how much more livable it would be for everyone.

Leo Magrdichian, LCSW, LCADC, Vice President

w e s tcarenevada . c o m

A Visit from WestCare Pacific Islands

By Nou Her, Marketing Specialist – CA/NV Traveling from afar, our WestCare Pacific Islands family visited us at WestCare Nevada! We were excited to be one of the three WestCare states to host their stay and tour them around our facilities - sharing and exchanging what we have been doing and hope to do in the many years to come. It is through continual communication and seeing what each of our WestCare operations is doing in their locations that we can learn from each other and strive to expand the ways in which we Uplift the Human Spirit!

Learning from our Family at WestCare California

By Andrew Moran, Development Director, WestCare Foundation On February 28, 2024, our Vice President of WestCare Nevada, Leo Magrdichian, and myself on behalf of the WestCare Foundation Development team, traveled to Fresno, CA and celebrated 50 years of Uplifting the Human Spirit with the WestCare California family!

WestCare California hosted an open house at their new Gateway Campus located at 1850 and 1900 N. Gateway Blvd to celebrate their golden anniversary. Several of their programs and services have moved into these centralized locations for a one-stop-shop of services. This is a wonderful idea for coordinated care and it promotes collaboration and communication between the individuals receiving support. It can improve access to care and make it a more convenient experience for everyone involved without having gaps in treatment.

This location of WestCare California’s new campus has everything from outpatient treatment services to their Veterans program, San Joaquin Valley Veterans (SJVV). SJVV’s Navigators are present and going into encampments to build trust with the community, taking as many as seven initial visits to establish rapport before unhoused community members feel comfortable enough to share their needs and experiences.

Outside of the campus, WestCare California also works with Fresno City College through a program called Project Hope, and they have several Adolescent Services programs providing outpatient treatment in partnerships with Kings school school system. Collaboration with other service providers is key to housing opportunities.

Leo and I were also able to visit more of the amazing programs being offered to Uplift the Human Spirit that were not present at the Gateway location. It made me proud to be a part of such an awesome team of rockstar individuals. From their Marketing team to their Vice Presidents and the Chief Operating Officer for the Western Region, Shawn Jenkins - I was blown away at the coordination and continuity of care at their locations. They are truly giving individuals and families the opportunity to have a better long-term outcome in their journey through treatment and care. All of our jobs and skills are different, but we complement each other’s expertise, and the diversity allows us to tackle any challenge coming our way. Embracing our diversity and inclusion leads to a more successful crew.

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Uplifting the Human Spirit

Marel Cordova

World Human Spirit Day

Peer Parent Partner

This year, World Human Spirit Day is celebrated on February 17 and it is a global celebration of the courage, resilience, and ability to overcome challenges based on the strength within each of us. It focuses on some of the universal values that unite us all as human beings and that regardless of the challenges we may face, the human spirit has the capacity to overcome. However, unlike this once-a-year observance, our mission at WestCare is to Uplift the Human Spirit each and every day and our commitment is aimed at supporting individuals, families, and communities in need. We strive daily to help others create lasting, meaningful changes while empowering and supporting their efforts toward positive change. We asked our WestCare Nevada employees what Uplifting the Human Spirit means to them and here is what they had to say.

Gillian Bridenbaker Counselor “Uplifting the Human Spirit means providing support, encouragement, and empowerment to help our clients rebuild their self-esteem, find hope, and regain a sense of purpose and worth. By creating a nurturing and positive environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a sense of community, we help individuals believe in their own ability to heal, grow, and thrive despite past challenges and trauma.“

“Elevating the well-being of individuals by involving and promoting hope, motivation, and encouragement. We aim and strive to help individuals find their strengths and resilience in challenging circumstances.

Acts of kindness, motivational talks, motivational literature, and especially meaningful connections with others and human beings. Our aim is to foster a sense of accomplishment, a sense of pride, a sense of self-worth - but especially a sense of inner growth.

Life has challenges, but if we can implement these key factors as human beings and project them to others, we might have made another individual's day or maybe just maybe have saved their life.

This is what Uplifting the Human Spirit means to me.

Scott Alexander Facilities Maintenance Supervisor “I believe I need to start with an uplifted spirit in the morning and bring it in to pass it on to co-workers and clients.”

Troy Walker Research Assistant “Uplifting the Human Spirit is about connection, engagement, and experience. These three things help us to operate from a place that is all about building up others in a way that seeks to inspire, motivate, and instill a sense of hope and positivity in people.“

Tara Meirs Counselor

“It means helping people be the best that they can be by identifying their strengths and teaching them how it relates to their dreams.”

Brent Tyler

Assessment Counselor

Larry Largen Counselor “Uplifting the Human Spirit to me means we are giving purpose and self-sufficiency to a person’s life force.”

Edgar Salcido Program Director, Harris Springs Ranch “Uplifting the Human Spirit is to provide what is needed for each person that enters our doors to leave them in a much better place in their life as well as with the newfound skills to maintain and continuously improve their life.“

Anna Thomas

“What does Uplifting the Human Spirit mean to me? It means giving hope where there is little. It means holding someone’s hand while they take their first few steps in recovery. It means being there to build up and support those struggling to remain on their recovery pathway, but most of all, it means being a role model in recovery that others can imitate. “

Behavioral Health Technician “To me, Uplifting the Human Spirit means to help remind others who are struggling that they are worth it - no matter what.”

Marlynn Larivee Advanced Practice Registered Nurse “Uplifting the Human spirit to me is teaching those who believe they have nothing that life has endless possibilities.“

“Our mission at WestCare is to Uplift the Human Spirit each and every day and our commitment is aimed at supporting individuals, families, and communities in need. We strive daily to help others create lasting, meaningful changes while empowering and supporting their efforts toward positive change.”

- Leo Magrdichian @westcarenevada

Uplifting the Human Spirit Black History Month

By Troy Z. Walker, Research Assistant, Connections Fatherhood F.I.R.E. Black History Month is important for individuals of all backgrounds as it allows us to take a moment to ensure that the experiences, achievements, struggles, and contributions of Black people are recognized and acknowledged. It helps to challenge stereotypes and promote a more inclusive and diverse understanding of history. For me personally, learning about it provides a sense of pride in my heritage, fosters self-worth, and promotes a positive self-identity. I hope it does the same for others.

Understanding Black History provides a broader understanding of the socio-political, cultural, and economic factors that have shaped our society today. It sheds light on the legacy of slavery, racism, and discrimination in order for us to recognize, address, and advocate for a more equitable future. Black History encompasses a rich tapestry of diverse cultures, traditions, art, music, literature, and contributions to various fields. It promotes cultural appreciation and understanding among individuals from different backgrounds.

Black History serves as a foundation for social justice movements and inspires activism. By learning about past struggles and the progress made, individuals can gain insight into current issues and work toward a more equitable and inclusive society. Ultimately, this is important as it recognizes and appreciates the diversity and contributions of Black people, fostering equality, understanding, and harmony in our communities and society.

ReCon: 2024 What was previously called Black Monday and hosted by There Is No Hero In Heroin (TINHIH), has evolved. This year, the event became ReCon: 2024. This all-day recovery conference/community awareness event was held on the campus of UNLV and the recovery community came out in full force. This year, the conference offered a resource fair, which WestCare Nevada and WestCare Spiritual Fellowship, participated in with over 50 other providers. There was a remembrance display, Narcan distribution, and Fentanyl test strips available for everyone. What was also offered were Continuing Education Unit (CEU), Continuing Medical Education (CME), and Professional Development (PD) workshops, which made this event different from previous years.

The keynote speaker was Former Miss USA, Tara Connor, who shared her experience, strength, and hope with those in attendance. We look forward to attending again next year.

I Am Possible – 12th Graduating Class You can gauge the success of a program based on many things. However, a few of those things are definitely the number of graduating classes and the type of leadership and community support you have established. Based on those few items, it is evident that the I Am Possible program, which is conducted inside the City of North Las Vegas Correctional Center, is a successful one. On February 26, the program held its 12th graduation ceremony, this time for the male population, and the ceremony was standing-room only. What truly stands out are those who came out to provide remarks, all who were individuals who firmly believe in what is being done in the correctional center. Specifically, both the City of North Las Vegas Chief of Police Jacqueline Gravatt and the City of North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, shared their overall view of the program - reinforcing how this city and its leadership believe in rehabilitation versus just warehousing inmates and believe in the ability for individuals to successfully make the necessary changes within themselves to become more productive in society - even during incarceration. WestCare Nevada is proud to partner with such a great city and believes this type of service/program should be available in all correctional settings.

Continue the journey online!

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