In this month's newsletter, we celebrate Black History Month and share a statement from our Racial Equity Workgroup highlighting some of the many local and national efforts to celebrate and honor Black History. We will also present ways to grow with Encompass through one of our many Clinical Internship/Training programs.
Our Nursing Director, Tristan Mayo, has news about a new Encompass workgroup aimed at fighting the devastating impacts of Fentanyl in our community. We are also so excited to feature our Links2Health program, and its amazing staff. Lastly, don't forget to check out the newest Encompass job opportunities or join us in welcoming our new team members!
A STATEMENT FROM OUR RACIAL EQUITY WORKGROUP
As we celebrate Black History Month, the Racial Equity Workgroup would like to honor and highlight the incredible contributions of our Black Community Leaders, Activists, and Community Facilitators, both past and present.
On a local level, we would like to acknowledge our own Bookshop Santa Cruz, which facilitated a discussion between two nationally known Black American authors, Ibram X. Kendi (professor, anti-racist activist, historian of race and discriminatory policy in America) & Nic Stone (author of young adult fiction and middle grade fiction), regarding their new book, How To Be A (Young) Antiracist. Aimed at readers 12 and up, How To Be A (Young) Antiracist serves as a guide for teens seeking a pathway to acknowledge, identify, and dismantle racism and injustice.
We would also like to call attention to nation-wide efforts to keep Critical Race Theory in our educational system, so that we as a nation can continue to honor the true history of what Black Americans have had to continually endure in this country.
We are continually inspired by communities who consciously choose to engage in anti-racist work!
Encompass’s Racial Equity Workgroup is a staff-led effort comprised of staff from across the agency who are dedicated to cultivating an organizational culture that promotes equitable pay, hiring practices, and thresholds for growth within the agency. We recognize that diversity in all levels of our organization is an asset to our agency and the communities we serve.
Are you interested in, or currently working towards, becoming a clinician who works with youth and families?
Encompass provides a supportive learning environment where our interns work alongside staff members as an integral part of our team and provide critical services for a client population that is ethnically, culturally, socially and religiously diverse. Interns gain clinical knowledge, skills, and experience in supporting individuals and families challenged by trauma, mental illness, homelessness, substance use, and poverty.
This month we are featuring internships offered by the Youth & Family Outpatient Services School-Based Mental Health Counseling Program.
We offer a broad spectrum of services that help heal and nurture the mental and social well-being of middle- and high-school youth and their families. Our interns are placed at a local secondary school site and also provide outpatient mental health service for youth ages 12-to-20 and their families. Our internship program is designed to begin in August and go through May.
Encompass Interns work within a 9-to-12-month timeframe based on academic requirements and program-specific needs and are provided with the following:
• Comprehensive training, supervision, and support
• Weekly individual and group clinical supervision by licensed and highly experienced professionals
• Work schedule based on 20 hours a week - depending upon program placement
• Adequate client caseload to meet direct client service hours required for graduation
We are here to help you become exceptional as a behavioral healthcare provider! Our goal is to provide interns with a solid theoretical and experiential base that will become the foundation for their future professional work in mental health and social services. You can expect to learn the following during your time with us:
• Individual and family therapy
• Client advocacy with families, youth, and adults
• Facilitation of therapeutic groups
• Therapeutic skills with individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders
• Crisis intervention and evaluation skills for individuals experiencing mental-health related crises
• Psychosocial assessment and client-centered treatment planning skills
• Case management experience, linking individuals to services within Santa Cruz County’s system of care
• Training in evidence-based practices: trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based approaches
• Working within multi-disciplinary teams: psychiatrists, nursing staff, social workers, community partners
If you wish to work in an environment that will challenge you professionally and allow you to make a positive impact locally, inquire about our current internship opportunities and consider joining our team. Email: internship@encompasscs.org; website: www.encompasscs.org/internships
We are thrilled to spotlight someone on our team who came to us as a part of our clinical internship program! Gary H joined us as an intern in 2020 and is now a Youth Substance Use Disorder Therapist for Encompass.
We were so excited to hear Gary’s story. When asked about his experience in the internship program, he said “I really enjoyed it! I learned a lot, worked with the Mental Health team; supportive and rich work environment.” He continued, “After a short break away from Encompass, I returned and now work with teens with substance use disorder. I love working with this clientele and can see myself doing this for a long time.”
In addition, Gary mentioned, “Another great thing about Encompass is the focus on mindfulness work. It is so useful to share this with clients! I also really appreciate the staff and structure of Youth Services. My supervisors are great.”
Thank you, Gary, for all you do, and your passion for serving the youth of our community!
Fentanyl use is on the rise in communities and populations around the world. Fentanyl is present in a wide array of common drugs and pills that are sold on the street. Our county is experiencing the devastating impacts of fentanyl as well. Our clients, families, friends, and neighbors are at risk. In an effort to combat the effects of fentanyl in our community, Encompass has established the Fentanyl Response Workgroup.
The goal of the Fentanyl Response Workgroup is to engage the agency to serve our community in preventing opioid-related deaths. Our hope is that, as we come together, we can learn from one another and navigate a path forward. The workgroup meets monthly and is comprised of staff from each of our service areas.
If you would like to learn more about our Fentanyl Response Workgroup, please reach out to our Director of Nursing, Tristan Mayo, at Tristan.Mayo@Encompasscs.org.
Encompass Links2Health is a comprehensive program designed to provide wraparound care to community members to help them meet essential life needs and improve health outcomes. Made possible by new Medi-Cal funding, our program offers an exciting new way to provide comprehensive case management and care coordination for qualifying Medi-Cal beneficiaries such as adults/families experiencing homelessness, adults with serious mental illness, or substance use disorder, and adult high utilizers of the healthcare system.
We work to reduce barriers to quality care and break down the traditional walls of health care to meet those we serve wherever they are - in the community, in a shelter, in their doctors' office or at home - to help them meet their greatest health needs.
The services provided at Links2Health are provided by a wonderful and caring staff, who work tirelessly to reach these community members every day! Meet our Links2Health Staff.
For more information on the Links2Health Program visit our Links2Health information page.
Shannon - As the program coordinator, I manage invoicing, operations, and collect program data. I work on helping the program complete its goals. I started at Encompass in 2019 as the Program Assistant for Santa Cruz Residential Recovery. I joined the Links2Health team in July 2022. I was excited to join a brand-new program and help build it from the ground up. I like knowing that the work I do makes a difference in people’s lives. In my free time, I love crafting and baking. Making things with my hands like crocheting or making cookies is super relaxing and lots of fun.
Alissa - As the Community Support Case Manager I conduct outreach activities and provide case management to individuals who are experiencing homelessness and may be in the following settings: encampments, on the streets, places not meant for human habitation, meal programs or day centers. My focus is serving individuals experiencing homelessness with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance use disability. I joined the Links2Health program in July of 2022. I was drawn to Links2Health because we serve the population I love serving. What I enjoy most about my job is being able to work with people hands on and see them grow and accomplish their goals. In my spare time I like going on hikes with my family.
Ally - As the Enhanced Care Manager (ECM), I provide wraparound case management support to medically vulnerable clients with a variety of needs, and advocate for them with community partners to help them reach their goals. I was the first person hired for Links2Health ECM. The scope of this new program has so much potential. I was, and am, excited about the possibilities. I enjoy making a difference in people's lives. In my free time, I enjoy camping with my spouse and our two kids, traveling, and getting creative.
Jaymie - As the Links2Health Nurse, my job is helping clients to establish/ reestablish medical/specialty care. Assist with obtaining necessary durable medical goods, medications and MH services. I joined Encompass two years ago as the onsite Nurse at Santa Cruz Residential Rehab, I recently joined Encompass' new program Links2Health in January of this year! Working previously in residential SUD I saw firsthand how many clients needed continual medical assistance and/or housing navigation support. Although I moved out of the area, I was not ready to stop working for Encompass Community Services. When this role opened up, I was beyond excited to be able to continue working in a remote capacity and help our clients in Santa Cruz, helping clients to navigate to needed medical care that otherwise is made all too difficult at times to access. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the outdoors and spending time with my family and my pups at home!
In addition to the client-facing staff, the Links2Health Program is also supported by Senior Manage Kristie Brenda, and Director of Nursing Tristan Mayo.
We thank you for all the hard work and dedication you provide to reach and support the community! We are so excited to see your hard work is paying off, as we see more and more community members benefiting from these services!
Click HERE for a complete list of job openings and details on the following positions...
Clinical & Counselor Positions (Clinician (Pre-licensed & Licensed), Clinical Manager – Sí Se Puede Program, Case Manager positions, Clinical Counselor, DUI Counselor, Transition Age Youth (TAY) Case Manager, In-custody Counselor for Adult Outpatient, Adult Residential Counselors, Adult Night Counselor, Multi-Site Counselors and On-Call Counselor positions for both SUD and mental health residential programs)
Early Childhood Education Positions (Head Start/Early Head Start Director, Childcare Assistant, Early Head Start Teacher, Head Start Teacher Director, Mental Health Coordinator, and Early Head Start and Head Start Teacher Assistants)
