THE LOOP A COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM AROUND CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 2023
ISSUE 116
VOLUME 9
DECEMBER 2022
As we continue into 2023, we are welcomed by a new year full of new possibilities for our organization, opportunities for growth for our staff, and services that we will be fortunate to provide to the communities in which we serve. However, we also can’t help but look back in pride of what we accomplished this past year and hope that we will be able to not only reach, but surpass the bar that has been set. But, never forget that all that we accomplish is thanks to the contributions of passion, talent, knowledge, and energy that we collectively bring to the table. After all, WE are WestCare!
health assessments, suicide prevention education, case management, and assistance with obtaining and coordinating public benefits and linkages to help enrich the lives of the Veterans and their families that we serve in Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus Counties. We are honored to be one of four recipients of this grant within the greater WestCare family alongside our operations in Kentucky, Oregon, and Tennessee! Stay tuned to the Loop in the coming months for exciting updates on this program that we are proud to offer to those who have served!
While we are still early into this new year, we do have some exciting updates to share regarding our programs and services offered in California!
Last but certainly not least, in the domain of Education and Prevention, our Behavioral Education And Treatment (BEAT) program also received a renewal, enabling us to continue to provide specialized treatment and rehabilitation services in Fresno County to individuals with a substance use disorder who are HIV positive or at-risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Through this program, we are able to not only guide participants onto a path of recovery, but reduce the further spread of the virus by reducing risky behaviors associated with its transmission. We’d also like to take this time to congratulate their new Program Coordinator, Ashley Morris, on her recent promotion this past month!
In the service domain of Treatment and Rehabilitation, our Bakersfield Outpatient program received new Drug Medi-Cal funding from Kern County Behavioral Health, which allowed them to add four additional staff members to their outpatient team! Welcome to the WestCare Family! In Criminal Justice services, our STOP (Specialized Treatment for Optimized Programming) Area 1 and 3 contracts each received a three-year extension, allowing them to continue to serve recent parolees by way of linkage to local treatment services upon reentry to their community as well as vocational support, transitional housing, and more. As for our Veterans Services, our San Joaquin Valley Veterans (SJVV) program received a renewal for their Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant from the Veterans Administration (VA), allowing them to continue providing permanent supportive housing for local Veterans and their families. We were also honored to be a recipient of the VA’s Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). Through this grant, we will provide outreach, baseline mental
As we continue into this new year, I see nothing but new opportunities for success and a year that brings peace, love, and happiness to you and your loved ones!
Chief Operating Officer WestCare Foundation - Western Region
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