Category Archives: Workforce Development

Reflecting on Culture in the Workplace

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We are so blessed to be surrounded by a multitude of cultures, thoughts, and perspectives within our workplace. Every day we have opportunities to connect and effectively communicate when others are willing to share, and we are willing to listen. Overall, our workplace can be a great place to celebrate our cultures coming together. Here are some examples of how we can celebrate culture in the workplace!

Connection: As we continue sharing stories, experiences, and learn similarities among each other, we can connect on different levels which fosters growth within our workforce and trust within the communities we serve. For example, many cultures place heavy importance on family, particularly elders which may guide decision making. Furthermore, at times, especially when the events of the world feel darker and our hearts feel heavy, connections help draw us back to each other and to the challenges that we can only overcome together. These struggles remind us of the fragility of humanity and that work, though seemingly an isolated space, is still yet another environment where we can potentially grow and heal with others.

Communication: Communication has always been key to increased understanding, but the key to communication can differ depending on the individual and their culture. Learning about the values of our teammates and the way they work can be vital in our efforts to collaborate, achieve work goals and overcome challenges. For example, within BHRS’ Office of Diversity & Equity, our team’s simple but important discussion of love languages helps us support each other more effectively. This deeper understanding gives insight about how to lift one another up. In turn, the creation of these environments allows for a better space to be productive and progressive.

Celebration: Culture is such a great thing to celebrate! From the preservation of language, art, holidays, to traditions, our workforce represents such a range of exciting backgrounds. Each lens reflects the hearts of the individuals within our workforce and the unique perspectives that we can access as we evolve our approaches to care.

My hope is that we continue to embrace culture within the workplace, ask questions and celebrate the beauty of our melding cultures!

Written by Irene Pham (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity Workforce Education & Training (WET) Training Coordinator

Meet ODE’s Workforce, Education and Training (WET) Team!

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Angela Quiroz, Elise Cabilatazan, Andrew Tardiff, Stacy Williams, Irene Pham

The love of learning, hope for growth and passion to be part of the fight for equity are some of the values that drives BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity‘s WET team. The WET team, consisting of new and seasoned members, is excited to come together to continue fostering growth within our system while also seeking to accomplish established goals and support the learning needs of our staff through a variety of trainings, workshops, and programs.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the WET team is striving to bring back a number of trainings both in-person and virtual including Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behavior, and Motivational Interviewing, to name a few, as well as increasing staff’s access to Continuing Education (CE) eligible trainings.

Moreover, the internship program is spurring to action and preparing to welcome our next round of clinical and ODE interns. The WET team is kicking things off with an in-person orientation; an event that has not happened in 2 years due to the pandemic. A number of interns will benefit from being identified as cultural stipend participants and have the opportunity to work alongside one of the Health Equity Initiatives (HEIs) on a community related project. The internship program is also being revamped to include new outreach strategies to help bolster the training opportunities offered in our county.

We aim to do our part to support our teams with their professional and personal growth and will continue to look for ways to improve and excel.

Written by Irene Pham (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity

Become a Cultural Humility Trainer Through 5-Day Training!

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Become a Cultural Humility trainer by learning the teachings of Melanie Tervalon, MD, MPH and Jann Murray-Garcia, MD, MPH, from Briana Evans and support our BHRS Multicultural Organizational Development (MCOD) framework to advance equity, diversity and principles of cultural humility and inclusion in the workplace.

You may only apply if you have already taken Dr. Melanie Tervalon and Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia’s Cultural Humility training as a participant.

It is required that you attend all five Training of Trainer sessions:

  • May 24, in-person | 9:30 A.M. – 4 P.M.
  • May 25, in-person | 9:30 A.M. – 4 P.M.
  • May 31, virtual | 1 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. 
  • June 7, virtual | 1 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. 
  • June 21, in-person |  1 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

Expectations upon completion of this training:

  • Commit to providing a minimum of 3 Cultural Humility trainings (2 of which for BHRS staff) on an annual basis. 
  • Attend the Cultural Humility Cohort meeting every 1st Monday at 10 A.M. where you will dialogue with other facilitators, support one another, and continue growing as a facilitator.

If you are interested to apply, please email KFLui@smcgov.org for application. Deadline to apply is 5/1. Note: Supervisor signature will be required on the application.

Please share this flyer with your networks.

Cultural-Humility-TOT-2023-FlyerDownload

“Living Into Our Mission” by Dr Erica Britton

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Isn’t it true that “everyday life” teaches us lessons we didn’t know we needed to learn?  Or, that there are events that happen as a part of our daily lives that shine a light on things that need to be seen?  I think so.   Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with a healthy, vibrant, joyful 76-year-old with no major health problems, my mother*, a Black woman who, as a teenager, migrated with her family from the American South to East Palo Alto in the 1960s.  Lately, she has been experiencing pain and other symptoms that are far outside her normal daily living experiences.  The symptoms were starting to take a toll on her emotionally.  She asked me to “sit in” on a virtual Doctor’s appointment with her.  When she described the pain and swelling, she is experiencing, the Doctor asked her several follow up questions which Mom answered succinctly without much elaboration.  Based on Mom’s answers and her upbeat, cheerful tone, the Doctor suggested compression stockings.    That would have been the end of the appointment.  Instead, Mom has two upcoming medical procedures that are going to improve her life both physically and psychologically.  So, what happened? Why does she have two medical procedures instead of compression stockings? After all, Mom reported her experience.  The Doctor who has a good relationship with Mom, listened closely and did an assessment. What had happened was, the Doctor was not aware of Mom’s deft use of African American English and code-switching.  Since I had seen the swelling and knew her actual level of discomfort, I asked Mom some additional questions and asked her to share her answers with the Doctor. Once the Doctor heard the additional information, she insisted that Mom come for an in-person visit.  The result of the in-person visit revealed two significant problems which would have otherwise been missed.

Consider this. Several years ago, a local Black psychiatrist was called to the emergency room of a Bay Area hospital. The ER staff did not know what to do to support or contain a man absolutely overcome with grief. His grandmother had been shot by a stray bullet, just a few houses down from her own home, and now, she lay dead on a gurney in the ER, despite the efforts of determined physicians. The Grandson was not screaming or shouting epithets or kicking over furniture. He was not violent by any definition. He was doubled over weeping, rocking back and forth, and humming amazing grace. ER staff had alerted security because he would not leave his grandmother’s side. He continued to weep, rock and sing. He was not going to leave her. The psychiatrist went to the emergency room, was briefed by the staff, and left them to be with the young man. He stood and watched from a distance for a few minutes and understood exactly what he was seeing. Grandson was expressing grief in the only language that he knew–the gospel music of his home and community–and rocking his body for comfort. In the aftermath of that trauma, he needed to be exactly where he was, doing exactly what he was doing.

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Office of Diversity and Equity Job and Internship Anouncements

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ODE Logo_Hi Res_Transparent.pngThe Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) is excited to announce two new job and internship opportunities. ODE advances health equity in behavioral health outcomes of marginalized communities throughout San Mateo County. ODE works to empower communities; influence policy and system changes; develop strategic and meaningful partnerships; and promote workforce development and transformation within BHRS. 

1) ODE is seeking Community Health Planners.

There are currently two vacancies 1) a permanent Community Health Planner position that will support Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) implementation and technical assistance across BHRS; and 2) a limited-term position, through June 30, 2021, that will support the development and implementation of a comprehensive, outcome-based evaluation, data collection and reporting infrastructure for MHSA funded programs.

Application available here. 

2) ODE is seeking Cultural Stipend Internship Program (CSIP) interns.

The 2019-20 Cultural Stipend Internship Program (CSIP) Awardees complete and present their cultural humility related projects to clinic sites, Health Equity Initiatives (HEI), and community groups. CSIP awardees spend the academic year participating in one of nine HEIs and coordinating a year-long project, in addition to their regular duties as clinical interns. 

CSIP provides a stipend of $7,000 awarded annually to up to 10 interns. Awardees are selected based on their expressed interest in and commitment to cultural awareness and social justice in both community and clinical settings; personal identification with marginalized communities; and/ or lived experience with behavioral health conditions. Priority is given to bilingual and/ or bi-cultural applicants whose cultural background and experience is similar to underserved communities in San Mateo County. Once selected, awardees are then matched with an HEI and tasked with conducting a project that helps BHRS becomes more culturally sensitive on a systemic level, and more accessible to marginalized communities. 

Application available here. 

To learn more about the Office of Diversity and Equity, visit our website at http://www.smchealth.org/bhrs/ode

For other job and internship opportunities with ODE visit https://www.smchealth.org/pod/job-internship-opportunities

Become a Cultural Humility Trainer Through 2-day Training!

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Become a Cultural Humility trainer with creators of the multicultural-affirming tool, Melanie Tervalon, MD, MPH and Jann Murray- Garcia, MD, MPH. As a trainer, you will be able to teach Cultural Humility trainings to other organizations in order to further educate the importance of critical self- reflection and life-long learning; changing power dynamics for client focused care; advocating for and maintaining institutional consistency; and community- based care and advocacy. 

Please note: You may only apply if you have already taken Melanie Tervalon’s Cultural Humility training as a participant. 

Deadline to apply is January 31st. Application can be found here. 

For more information, contact Erica Britton at ebritton@smcgov.org or (650) 372- 6153. 

Amazing Dialogue with New BHRS Interns

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This past Friday,  the Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) capped off a two-day orientation for 38 new BHRS interns and trainees with a fun and interactive Amazing Dialogue event and contest in which the interns/trainees get to learn all about ODE and the Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) as they visit table displays and have “amazing dialogues” with staff and representatives. The interns/trainees also get to vote for their favorite HEI table display (the Pacific Islander Initiative took the win this year!) and they take a short pop quiz  for 1st runner up, runner up and grand prize.

“I really liked all the presenters.  The passion that they have for the work they do is inspirational.”

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“I enjoyed all of the training given by the clinicians, it gave me perspective and insight about my role as an intern.  I also enjoyed the lived experience panel as well as the WRAP facilitators and the interactive activities.”

Sounds like the trainees/interns are off to a strong start  this year!

The BHRS Intern & Trainee Program provides training opportunities to psychology interns, masters-level trainees, alcohol and drug certificate program students, and psychiatric residents each year.  The  program includes:

  •  A two-day informative and fun orientation, which includes learning from staff across BHRS, receiving clinical training in trauma-informed care and self-care, hearing from the Lived Experience Academy about how to be a thoughtful and effective clinician, and the Amazing Dialogue event.
  • Placements at various BHRS sites, including the Youth Services Center, BHRS clinics, Service Connect, Serramonte Therapeutic Day School, Pre to 3, School-Based Mental Health, Canyon Oaks, Pathways programs and others.
  • Bi-monthly psychiatric grand rounds and regular in-service trainings.
  • Cultural Stipends for interns/trainees who provide services to underserved populations and participate in a HEI project/program.

Visit the BHRS Intern & Trainee Program website to learn more.

 

Cultural Stipend Internship Program Projects are a Wrap!

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NAI Agenda Image

 

The 2015-16 Cultural Stipend Internship Program (CSIP) Awardees have completed and presented their cultural humility related projects to clinic sites, Health Equity Initiatives (HEI), and community groups. 15 awardees spent the past academic year participating in one of nine HEIs, and coordinating a year-long project, in addition to their regular duties as clinical interns.

CSIP provides a stipend of $5,000 awarded annually to up to 20 interns. Awardees are selected based on their expressed interest in and commitment to cultural awareness and social justice in both community and clinical settings; personal identification with marginalized communities; and/or lived experience with behavioral health conditions. Priority is given to bilingual and/or bi-cultural applicants whose cultural background and experience is similar to underserved communities in San Mateo County. Once selected, awardees are then matched with an HEI and tasked with conducting a project that helps BHRS become more culturally sensitive on a systemic level, and more accessible to marginalized communities.

millhs_022516This year’s projects consisted of 2 Clinical Trainings, 4 Community Events, 4 Research Projects, 2 Communication Campaigns, and 1 Research Paper. All projects are posted on the CSIP webpage. They are posted with the intention of being utilized, duplicated and institutionalized by BHRS staff and partner agencies. Please feel free to share the ways in which you are using them. If you have any questions, contact Kim Westrick (kwestrick@smcgov.org).

CSIP is truly a collaborative effort between interns, supervisors, Health Equity Initiative co-chairs and members, the Office of Diversity and BHRS staff.  Thank you to all of those who continue to dedicate their time and energy to making these projects a success and providing the intern’s an invaluable experiences and opportunity to make a difference.Predair Opening Slide Image

CSIP applications for 2016-2017 are currently being reviewed by the committee and awardees will be announced in August, 2016.

South San Francisco High School Peer Leaders Trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid

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MHFA

In collaboration with South San Francisco High School Counselor, Ms. Jeanne George, twenty-two (22) current and future peer leaders are now trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid. The Peer Leader Program is a year-long class, where students are hand selected to work as tutors by providing academic support and serve as mentors and role models to other students at the high school.

1 in 5 youth will experience a mental health challenge in their lifetime. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is an 8-hour public education training program designed for any adult or student peer working with or assisting young people, ages 12-24. In 2013, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE), partnered with the County Office of Education to begin offering this training to all schools throughout the county. Classroom teachers, school site administrators, school office personnel, coaches, bus drivers, afterschool providers, parents, teacher’s aides, school health aides, yard duty staff, crossing guards, peers and other school personnel are strongly encouraged to become Youth Mental Health First Aiders.

For more information about YMHFA, visit http://smchealth.org/bhrs/ode/CommunityEd#YMHFA or contact Natalie Andrade at nandrade@smcgov.org or 650-372-8548.

 

Introducing our Newest HAP Graduates

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In March and April 2016, the San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) was proud to introduce our eight newest Health Ambassadors to the Mental Health & Substance Abuse Recovery Commission. These individuals were awarded a BHRS Health Ambassador Certificate and were given a few moments to reflect on their experience participating in the Health Ambassador Program (HAP) and their hopes as a Health Ambassador.

HAP 1 4-2016

[Our Health Ambassadors recognized in March from L to R: Darryl Stubblefield, Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti – HAP Coordinator, Nora Perez, and Maria Anguiano. Bold names are our newest HAP recipients.]

HAP 2 4-2016

[Health Ambassadors recognized in April 2016 from L to R: Marlenne Fajardo, Alejandra Cudos, Yrene Orue, Maggie Furey – Parent Project Coordinator, Maria Cuellar, and Sandy Bay. Bold names are our newest HAP recipients.]

We would like to congratulate these dedicated individuals and recognize them for their commitment and work to broaden our services and assist in addressing health disparities in our San Mateo County communities. We recognize their passion to help others and their pledge to continue learning. We acknowledge their continued work, as a BHRS Health Ambassador, to decrease stigma, assist individuals and families who are in need, to be a liaison with our communities & to teach others the tools to wellness.

To become a BHRS Health Ambassador, individuals must complete the ODE Parent Project® and 4 additional ODE community education courses. More information can be found at www.smchealth.org/bhrs/communityed.

 The Health Ambassador Program is supported by SMC BHRS, ODE & is funded by the voter approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63).

 

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