Issuu

WestCare Family,

THE LOOP

A COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM AROUND CALIFORNIA

ISSUE 138

As we reflect on the past year, we are thrilled to share the remarkable achievements and milestones that have defined WestCare California's programs in 2024. Our commitment to providing compassionate care, innovative solutions, and transformative spaces has propelled us to new heights, touching the lives of individuals and families in need. From Mental Health & Wellness to Treatment & Rehabilitation, Veterans Services, Criminal Justice, Housing Opportunities, and Education & Prevention - we have continued to uplift spirits, support our communities, and change lives throughout the Golden State!

This past year was particularly special since we were proud to celebrate our golden anniversary with 50 Years of Uplifting the Human Spirit in California! We are truly proud of our journey that began in 1974 as an upstart residential facility in Fresno, CA, for male heroin addicts with 14 clients called The Third Floor to becoming a statewide provider of behavioral health and human services with a presence in 38 of California's 58 counties and over 2,500 clients served on a daily basis. As part of the celebration, we collaborated on a special edition of the WestCare Express that chronicles our story over these past five decades and presented two very special events to commemorate our anniversary. These events kicked off with an open house in February for our Gateway Campus in Fresno and the various programs and services offered there. In October, our second of two anniversary events was our First Annual Spirit Gala, where we raised funds for our Wings Advocacy Fresno program and recognized five inspiring community leaders for their selfless efforts in giving back to their community with our first round of Spirit Awards

On the topic of anniversaries and Wings Advocacy Fresno, we celebrated our first full year since this wonderful program joined the WestCare California family of programs! In support of their efforts, we hosted the First Annual Fiesta on Gateway mixer in May, various pillow drives, the aforementioned Spirit Gala in October, and the 30 Days of Giving Challenge in November to raise awareness and funds for their furniture bank that furnishes living units for newly-housed individuals, families, and Veterans, as well as women and women with children affected by domestic violence. For more information on how you can assist them and their committed volunteers in their mission of Restoring Hope & Dignity, please send an email to wingsfresno@westcare.com

We also rolled out our CalAIM - Enhanced Care Management (ECM) & Community Supports Program to provide statewide Medi-Cal benefits available to eligible Medi-Cal members with complex medical and social needs. This program allows members to have their own care team, including a Lead Care Manager, who will work with the member and their doctors, specialists, pharmacists, case managers, social services providers and others to make sure the member gets the care that they need. Community Supports are services that help address members’ health-related social needs such as support to secure and maintain housing, access to medically tailored meals, support for short-term recovery and a variety of other community-based services.

We were also proud to expand our service domain of Education & Prevention with the Opioid Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program, who began providing educational and supportive services to reduce fentanyl-related opioid overdose deaths in Fresno County. For more information, please see page 3 of this issue. None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication, passion, and hard work of our incredible WestCare team. Your commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others is truly commendable and we extend our deepest gratitude for your unwavering dedication. From counselors and case managers to administrative staff and volunteers, everyone has played a crucial role in the milestones we celebrate today. To our WestCare team, partners, and the communities we serve: Thank you for an incredible year! Your work is the driving force behind our mission to empower individuals, strengthen families, and build healthier communities. Thank you and take care,

Jenny Gonzalez

Vice President

WestCare California Vice President WestCare California

Giving Thanks at MLK Residential

(Characteristics of Remarkable Employees)

This past Thanksgiving, our dedicated team at MLK Residential in Fresno came together for volleyball, musical chairs, and more to lift the spirits of those that they serve and each other! We are thankful for the strength, laughter, and community we share. Here’s to healing, hope, and

This month, we held our 13th Annual Fresno AIDS Walk at Woodward Park in benefit of The Living Room and the continued support that they provide to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. This year’s event was extra special as it was held on World AIDS Day, a day synonymous with remembrance, awareness, and community support! Thank you to everyone who came out to walk and run in honor of those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS and those who live with it. It was empowering to see our friends, family, and community partners brave the cold weather and gather together to support our cause and help spread awareness of the virus’ local impact! We were also proud to present this year’s Jules Mastro/Toni Harrison Community Spirit Awards to longtime supporter, Mizz Stolengoodz and our very own Outreach Specialist for The Living Room and longtime WestCare staff, Ruben Cueva, for their enduring efforts in supporting their community and those who have been impacted by the virus. To our sponsors, donors, walkers, runners, vendors, volunteers, and planning committee members - thank you for your continued generosity and enthusiasm! We hope to see you all in 2025 when the event goes back to its regular month of October as we celebrate our 14th year!

The 2024 Fresno AIDS Walk

Kings Partnership for Prevention's 2024 Annual Prevention Awards

Every December, Kings Partnership for Prevention hosts their Annual Prevention Awards ceremony to recognize and honor dedicated people and organizations for their positive impact in Kings County. This year, our Adolescent Services team in Hanford proudly accepted the award for Excellence in Prevention Programing. This award is for any prevention program creating positive change in the lives of Kings County community members. Congratulations, team!

Our Programs Receive Some Holiday Warmth from Their

With the holiday season comes many acts of generosity from our community! Three of our Fresno-based programs recently received donations in the form of presents at San Joaquin Valley Veterans’ HomeFront GPD transitional living program from the Daughters of the American Revolution, children’s coats and toys for our Day 1 Families Fund program from a generous donor, and toys and gifts from an angel donor for our MLK Residential facility's Learning Center! Gifts like these contribute immensely to the lives of the individuals, families, and children that we serve!

Our Opioid Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) team regularly conducts outreach efforts on the streets of Fresno County. This includes providing opioid education, overdose training on reversal medication, Fentanyl test strips, hygiene kits, and social service linkages for community members in need. During this particularly cold December, in addition to their usual efforts, they also provided hot soupandcoffeetoourunhousedbrothersandsisters.

Want more information? ContactOENDbycalling (559) 832-2068 or sending an email to oend@westcare.com

Spirit Week Festivities

Our WestCare California family has many annual traditions and one of those is Spirit Week, celebrated every December to spread just a little bit of holiday spirit through dress-up days and other fun activities! As part, our Belmont Health & Wellness team organized a Candy Cane Day in which staff were encouraged to wear red and white. Meanwhile, our Housing Services team took part in a Christmas Sweater Day!

SJVV HomeFront GPD

Day 1 Families Fund

MLK Learning Center