On Thursday, November 21, the corporate staff at ɫ��ɫ celebrated Thanksgiving by holding a luncheon.

Turkeys were cooked by staff members, and everyone brought in appetizers, side dishes, and desserts to share with one another.

ɫ��ɫ’s CEO and President, Anne Bakar, wanted to share her photos from the event and wish everyone at all of our programs nationwide a very happy Thanksgiving.

Oregon ACT staff and members gathered together to celebrate the holidays by sharing a nice meal together.

More than 26 members, an interpreter, and staff from both ACT and the Recovery Center at Gresham were involved.

Staff thoroughly planned, organized, cooked, gave rides, set-up, served, decorated, and cleaned after the event.

There was plenty of music, food, and decorations to set the tone for the beginning of a wonderful holiday season.

Enjoy their photos below!

The has chosen as the recipient of the 11th Annual Gordon and Sharon Smith New Freedom Award.

SENATOR RON WYDEN (COURTESY OF WWW.WYDEN.SENATE.GOV)

Created by NAMI Oregon in 2009 to honor the mental health advocacy efforts of former United States Senator Gordon Smith and his wife, Sharon, the New Freedom Award is presented annually and recognizes an individual or individuals for their leadership on mental health issues.

ɫ��ɫ and NAMI Oregon leaders were present at Senator Wyden’s award ceremony on October 1 at the Portland Downtown Waterfront Marriott.

“Senator Wyden has been a champion for mental health for many years,” Jim Sechrist, Regional Director of Operations for ɫ��ɫ’s Oregon programs, said.

As an organization, ɫ��ɫ is a proud supporter of NAMI and its programs in the communities we serve. Together, we want to continue to raise awareness of the importance of mental health advocacy, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health disorders, and provide resources for those who may be in need of services.

To find your local NAMI chapter, click .

Shown in Photograph:

Back row from left to right:

• David Ochoa, Clinical Director, CATC

• Janet Bardossi, Floating Administrator, Northwest
  Chris Bouneff, Executive Director,

• Jim Sechrist- ɫ��ɫ Regional Director of Operations

• Megan Chaloupka, Administrator, Gresham Recovery Center

Front row from left to right:

• Lisa Naito, Lobbyist

• Linda Reese, Vice President of Operations, Northwest, ɫ��ɫ

• Melinda Howard, Administrator, CATC

• Jamie DeRuyter, Administrator, Woodburn Recover Center

ɫ��ɫ, with the support of , is pleased to announce the opening of Mark Reed Evaluation and Treatment Center in McCleary, WA.

This new 16-bed facility is designed to provide recovery-centered inpatient care for individuals experiencing an acute behavioral health crisis. The goal is to help those in need to regain stability, connect to additional resources, and return to regular life as soon as possible.

The program serves adults in Grays Harbor County who meet the criteria for an Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) detention and/or a 14-day commitment, and it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Nearly 50 people gathered to celebrate the center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 14. Many people who had worked at the facility when it was a hospital and were thrilled to see what ɫ��ɫ had done to the building.

The Mark Reed Evaluation and Treatment Center is ɫ��ɫ’s first program in partnership with Great Rivers Behavioral Health Organization. We are honored to be new members of this community.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on Thursday, October 10, the state of California debuted a statewide mental health phone line to help those who need help, but aren't in crisis.

Most counties already run a suicide prevention hotline, however, only a few have a “warm line.” Warm lines, which offer emotional support and resource referrals for people who are experiencing depression, anxiety and other symptoms, are considered a lower level of care. They’re ideal for those who may need someone to talk to and are not suicidal.

During its initial launch, the warm line will be staffed for most of the day. Staffed by peers, individuals can choose to either call or text the line.

• 7 a.m. through 11 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

• 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. (Saturday)

• 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. (Sunday)

By the end of the year, the call center is expected to operate 24/7.

The line is funded by $10.8 million from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first budget to expand the line statewide and operate it for the next three years.

ɫ��ɫ proudly joins a powerful coalition of California counties, health organizations, and advocates who are calling upon the state to standardize high-quality peer and family support services.

California state senator jim beall (15th senate district)

would establish professional standards and certification for health providers known as peers. Peers are individuals with lived experience in mental illness or substance use disorders. This bill also requires the Department of Health Care Services to administer the peer certification process, allowing California to use best practices and improve mental health outcomes.

Currently, peer providers are utilized in many settings. However, there is no statewide standard of practice, consistent curriculum, training standards, supervision standards, or certification protocol.

At ɫ��ɫ, peer specialists are an important and unique part of our multi-disciplinary teams, bringing their own experiences, stories, empathy, and hope to the people we serve. Paired with the skills and knowledge they bring from their formal training, the sharing of this lived experience contribution can be extremely powerful.

Additionally, research demonstrates that the use of qualified peer support specialists has measurable benefits to clients, including reduced hospitalizations, improved functioning, alleviation of depression and other symptoms, and enhanced self-advocacy. This also provides peers with a career ladder so that individuals working in mental healthcare can fully translate their experience into meaningful employment.

SB 10 (Beall) was heard by the Assembly Health Committee on July 2 in Sacramento. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and was re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

For more information on SB-10:

Download the SB-10 Fact Sheet here.

Learn more about peers at ɫ��ɫ:

Christina Roberts: From Member to Peer Specialist

Former member-turned employee Christina Roberts emotionally shares her story about why her job as a peer specialist at ɫ��ɫ’s WIT Program means the world to her.

Peer Support in Crisis Settings

In the above story, you’ll hear from the administrator and clinical director at (CATC) in Multnomah County, OR, on how peer services have helped create a program culture built around respect and dignity, and how they give clients a glimpse of what recovery can look like.

The held its annual conference in Newport Beach, CA on May 31 - June 1, 2019. This conference was a huge milestone for the NAMI CA organization, as it celebrated 40 years of providing statewide work in California.

“NAMI is a promise we’ve kept for the last 40 years, that has carried our dreams to unimaginable heights and will carry us even higher. NAMI will be here tomorrow, and every tomorrow to come until we live in a world where we can all live the lives we deserve with all the potential within us,” Jessica Cruz, MPA/HS Chief Executive Officer NAMI California said in a letter to conference attendees.

This year, ɫ��ɫ’s Sarah Nudel and Robin Weintraub were chosen to present on the Behavioral Health Court Model (BHC). BHC is a specific type of program designed to serve individuals who have mental health needs and are involved with the criminal justice system.

ɫ��ɫ also had a booth staffed with friendly employees who were able to provide helpful resources to peers, families, and community members.

We are always proud to support the NAMI branches and events in our communities. Thank you for all of your hard work, and we’ll see you in 2020!

A few weeks ago, we shared with you that ɫ��ɫ leader and Redwood Place administrator, Cliff Morrison, was recognized at the for his efforts as part of a team who established the first dedicated AIDS wing in the country at the San Francisco General Hospital during the epidemic in the 80s.

This week, we’re proud to share with you that the film, , is gaining even more publicity. Plus, you can soon see it for yourself.

ɫ��ɫ’s Cliff Morrison and Actress Elizabeth Chambers at LA Pride 2019.

The documentary premiered at the event on June 7. Cliff had the honor of walking the red carpet with actress Elizabeth Chambers, and gave an interview with Halle Berry for Access Hollywood.

What could be more fun than that? Cliff chose ɫ��ɫ’s own VP of Operations, David Heffron and David’s husband, to attend the event.

“I still can’t believe that the message of this film has caught on everywhere it has been seen,” Cliff said.

Want to catch the flick yourself? We have good news. 5B hits select theaters nationwide on June 14th. To celebrate the premiere, Cliff will be on the Today Show that morning with actress Julianne Moore.

Additionally, 30% of net proceeds earned from the film will be donated to (RED)’s Global Fund .

To find 5B in a theater near you, click .

The cast of the documentary at LA Pride 2019.

5B Awards

Entertainment

• Non-fiction Film: Over 30 minutes – Grand Prix (Top Prize!) 

Film Craft

• Direction – Gold Lion

• Editing – Silver Lion

Health & Wellness

• Corporate Image & Communication: Film – Silver Lion

• Corporate Image & Communication: Film Craft: Direction – Shortlisted

Film

• Local Brand – Shortlisted

• Social Behaviour & Cultural Insight – Shortlisted

5B Press Coverage

NBC OUT / NBC News THINK

Global Citizen

SHOOT Online

AdWeek

AdAge

 The Drum

 Windy City Times

Working Nurse

Open House Event

Connecting with Families & Community

ɫ��ɫ will open the doors of its second community crisis home, , in mid-May, 2019. Located in Sacramento County, California, Herald House will provide crisis services for people 18 years of age or older diagnosed with both mental illness and developmental disabilities that are returning to the community from locked, institutional settings.

The , which is designed to help people with both developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Residents at this level of care are in crisis and have higher-intensity needs as they are primarily stepping down from locked institutions. Services are designed for residents to receive very intensive and highly individualized support in a home-like environment. The goal is for each member to eventually move into a lower level of care, such as a group home or with family.

Herald House held an open house event on April 26. Attendees were able to see the new home, meet staff, and learn more about the program’s services and role in the community.

Each Herald House resident (up to four total) will have a private bedroom and may stay for up to 18 months. The program will provide residents a comfortable environment in order to support recovery. Residents living at Herald House can explore a explore a variety of interests such as cooking, gardening, budgeting, and practice the living skills that will enable them to be as independent as possible. Herald House staff will also focus on community integration and arrange for opportunities for residents to be involved in school or work programs, participate in group outings, attend local events, and spend time with family and friends.

Click to learn more about Herald House.

The is by and for people in recovery, mental health consumers, clients, and survivors. Presented by SHARE! and Peers Action 4 Change, the conference took place on March 9 in Culver City, CA and included over 400 attendees with more than 70 workshops.

Presenting "Peers of the Roundtable" was Lei Portugal Calloway, Peer Team Lead at Orange County AOT in Santa Ana. Participants shared their journey, successes, and challenges as they maneuver through their lives and careers. The 75-minute discussion included what's going on with peer roles in our communities and within our organizations, giving and receiving support, and brainstorming about the future of peer support.

Shown in the group picture are ɫ��ɫ employees Jude Martinez (first from left), who is a Peer Recovery Coach at TAO Central and Jorge Camacho (second from left), who is a Peer Support Specialist at TAO North. Photo taken by event attendee and ɫ��ɫ employee David Calloway (Housing Specialist at STEPS).

We are excited to announce that ɫ��ɫ was once again recognized as a San Francisco Business Times Best Place to Work in the Bay Area.

In 2019, ɫ��ɫ ranked 13th in the large companies category (with more than 1,000 employees). This is the 17th time ɫ��ɫ has made the list.

We are especially proud to be recognized with this award, because inclusion on this list is based entirely on feedback received from employee surveys.

It’s ɫ��ɫ’s staff members who make ɫ��ɫ a great place to work! Their passion, dedication, and commitment to excellent care make all the difference, and enable us have a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.

Thank you, Team ɫ��ɫ!

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 3/29

ɫ��ɫ & Customers Celebrating Success

After temporarily closing for a year in order to build a brand-new facility, ɫ��ɫ celebrated the grand re-opening of the in Milton, WA on April 1. 

An open house event was held on March 29 to welcome the community. Attendees were able to tour the building, meet staff, and get a sneak peek at the facility’s recovery-centered design.

The reopening of Pierce E&T brings 16 beds of acute psychiatric care back to the local community, making it easier for clients and their families to get the support they need close to home.

The former Pierce E&T program was located on the grounds of Western State Hospital. The new facility is located in Milton, WA, and provides intensive mental health and psychiatric treatment services for adults experiencing a mental health crisis. A multidisciplinary team is on hand to work with clients throughout their stay, as they work in partnership to stabilize symptoms and establish linkages and referrals that will support them as they transition back to the community upon discharge.

“We’re so grateful to our facilities team. Each of them puts a tremendous amount of work into making sure the facility design fits our vision,” Anne Bakar, ɫ��ɫ’s President and CEO said. “Being able to recover in a home-like environment, surrounded by nature, and enjoying plenty of natural lighting is exactly was our vision — and they delivered 100%.”

Click to learn more about services offered at Pierce County E&T.

Congraulations to Morton Bakar Center for completing their first “Skillympics” (Skill and Olympics) event!

What are the Skillympics? Great question! It is a unique and FUN way to educate staff in all aspects of Morton Bakar’s policies, procedures, and many state and federal regulations that are critical to the proper management of the facility. The goal is to make learning fun, engaging, and competitive.

Like the Olympics, there was a torch and a parade. However, in true MBC style, they were exclusive in the series of competitive academic events. The events were managed and graded by the department heads. The winners were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals based on academic and skills performance. Each employee had the opportunity to interact with all departments, gaining critical knowledge and skills throughout the process.

This event will now be held quarterly. The goal is also to prepare employees for the annual state and federal survey by having each employee be academically competent and engaged.

The Skillympics is also intended to be a staff development and team building event!