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First 5 Humboldt Coordinates Response to Childhood Trauma
Vesper Society is committed to finding long-term solutions that help leaders and organizations in rural areas improve the well-being of their children and communities. In November 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10, the “Children and Families Act of 1998” initiative. The act instituted a tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products to provide funding for early childhood development programs. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax must be used to enhance the early growth experiences of children, enabling them to be more successful in school and ultimately to give them an equal opportunity to succeed in life. When voters passed Proposition 10, they launched a new model of responsive public agencies. In each of the 58 counties, the First 5 Commission was formed—made up of local community leaders, experts, and advocates. Complementing First 5’s efforts, the California Children and Families Foundation (CCFF), a nonprofit public benefit corporation, conducts regional and statewide projects that assist county commissions and the children and families they serve. With support from Vesper Society, CCFF funds First 5 Humboldt ACES/Resilience Project. Adverse childhood experiences (ACES)— stressful traumatic experiences and household dysfunction—are one of the greatest public health crisis facing Humboldt County. Growing up with family members with substance abuse disorders, witnessing domestic violence, child abuse, and neglect are some examples of ACES. Research shows that when children are exposed to chronic stressful events, their ability to cope diminishes and this can lead to substance abuse and behavioral problems. Humboldt and Mendocino counties have the highest percentage of residents in California with four or more ACES. Research shows that a person who has experienced four or more ACES is 12 times as likely to attempt suicide, ten times more likely to use injection drugs, five times more likely to suffer from depression, and twice as likely to have a... Read More
FACES for the Future – Hayward Students Attend Retreat
Vesper Society is committed to improving the well-being of youth. So, we link arms with leaders and organizations creating long-term solutions in their communities. FACES for the Future at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, CA, was founded in 2007 as a two-year program to motivate and prepare underrepresented youth for careers in the health industry. Partnering with the Eden Area Regional Occupations Program in Hayward, FACES provides high school students with unique opportunities to learn from healthcare professionals in various hospital settings and explore career options in the health professions. Students benefit from academic enrichment opportunities, including individualized tutoring and college preparation activities, leadership training, and multi-faceted psychosocial support services, including one-on-one case management. The program also assists FACES alumni with job and internship placements, academic and career guidance, and ongoing life coaching. In December 2017, the students of the FACES for the Future-Hayward program had the opportunity to attend an overnight retreat in San Francisco. The retreat, offered in partnership with St. Rose Hospital Foundation, Vesper Society, San Francisco State University, and Vision Quilt, taught the students about public health issues and to develop their skills as advocates for their own communities. And of course, they had a lot of fun, too! Students began their retreat by participating in a Ropes Course at Fort Miley where they cheered each other on, spot-checked their peers, and faced their fears of heights. Later that day, students visited at San Francisco State University (SFSU) and were welcomed by Dr. Leticia Marquez-Magana, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, and Director of the Health Equity Research Laboratory. Dr. Marquez-Magana taught them about the field of Public Health, and got them thinking about the reality of health disparities and social determinants of health. The students completed exercises to understand how they can influence the... Read More
Welcome Asian Health Services
Every day, Vesper Society links arms with leaders in overlooked communities that want to create a healthy future and helps them devise ways to do it. Established in 1974, Asian Health Services (AHS) provides comprehensive health care to low-income Asian immigrant and refugee adults and youth in Alameda County. They provide mental health services in primary care clinics, with the support of mental health therapy and/or case management. Faced with the imminent closure of a decades-old mental health program that served many low-income Asian/Pacific Islander (API) immigrants and refugee youth and adults, the Alameda County Health Care Agency reached out to Asian Health Services in 2016. Committed to serving those with mental health care needs in a culturally and linguistically competent manner, AHS heeded the call, understanding how important it was to continue these specialty mental health services for over 400 patients. With this additional service, AHS broadened its continuum of mental health services to treat low, moderate and severe mental health clients. AHS providers soon faced challenges in treating patients within the framework of their existing program. First, some patients had more urgent needs: their daily functioning level was low, they had difficulty complying with treatment plans, and/or they had negative responses to their prescribed medications. Second, some patients had lessening needs: daily functioning levels had improved, and a primary care center was sufficient to meet their needs. But they didn’t want to stop serving these patient groups – who both needed continued psychiatric medication management and minimal mental health/case management support to sustain a higher level of daily functioning. More importantly, without AHS, the patients were unlikely to receive services that were culturally sensitive and respectful. With support from Vesper Society, AHS was able to set up additional services for these two groups so they can navigate... Read More
Introducing United Indian Health Services Behavioral Health Program
Every day, Vesper Society links arms with leaders in overlooked communities that want to create a healthy future and helps them devise ways to do it. Through partnerships and collaborations, we are better able to leverage resources that have great impacts on the communities we serve. United Indian Health Services (UIHS) in Northwest California has been providing comprehensive healthcare to Native American communities for over 40 years. Dedicated to providing mental, dental, vision, behavioral health, and community wellness services to two counties, UIHS serves more than 10,000 Native American clients. Behavioral health services are particularly beneficial to the Yurok Tribe in the Weitchpec area of the Yurok Reservation in eastern Humboldt County. Prior to 2016, the community had extremely limited and sporadic access to behavioral health services due to the difficulty and costs of staffing in the remote location. After the Yurok Tribe declared a State of Emergency in 2015 in response to a cluster of Native youth suicides, UIHS set out to support the community in a culturally-appropriate and significant way. The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Agency (SAMHSA) reports that Indigenous communities that work to preserve their cultural heritage and work to control their own destinies are dramatically more successful in protecting their youth against the risks of suicide. This approach of combining culture and healthcare is essential in developing sustainable and impactful changes within this community. After UIHS hired a full-time behavioral health clinician to work in this area, the organization focused on suicide prevention activities and education efforts in the region, and collaborated closely with county and tribal leaders to address the crisis. It was incredibly effective: the community did not experience any suicides for two years. The State of Emergency declaration expires early this year, as does tribal funding for those services,... Read More
Welcome New Board Members!
Vesper Society is happy to link arms with three new leaders who join our board of directors: Adina Safer, Lyell Sakaue, and Cynthia So-Armah. These three share Vesper’s belief in the simple idea that a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. We look forward to working with them to find long-term solutions that improve the health and well-being of overlooked communities. Adina Safer has spent her career focused on the business and the changing ways healthcare providers are receiving payments. And for over fifteen years, she has worked to increase access and equity in public education. Lyell Sakaue has collaborated with numerous organizations in the social sector to refine their strategies to achieve greater social impact. His work emphasizes creating pathways to improve economic mobility, racial justice efforts, and initiatives to shape public policies. Dr. Cynthia So-Armah is a primary care internist in Massachusetts where she serves a predominantly Dominican immigrant patient population. As a student, she helped to found a nonprofit in the Dominican Republic to create access to quality education for students there. These remarkable individuals reflect our commitment to our values of service, justice, and partnership. With their compassion and expertise on our board, we are one step closer to realizing the potential for healthy communities to thrive and prosper. Learn more about board... Read More
Thank You
Vesper Society believes in a simple idea: a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. Every day, Vesper Society links arms with leaders of overlooked communities that want to create a healthy future. How does a board of directors do this? Last month, 12 Vesper board members gathered in the San Francisco Bay Area and made the six-hour drive to Humboldt County to meet with community leaders. Over the next three days, the board members connected to a part of the state that many had never visited before. While there, we learned so much from our program partners–United Indian Health Services and Open Door Community Health Center. Leaders from the North Coast Grantmaking Partnership, McLean Foundation, California Center for Rural Policy, and True North generously gave of their time and talent to share their knowledge and life experiences. We were especially struck by the warm welcome we received in Fortuna where each Vesper board member received a personal note from a community member. One person thanked Vesper Society for “seeing humanity in a larger sense,” and “for reaching out to help people in need, and for understanding that caring is much more than just words.” The letter concluded, “It is you and people like you who help all of us have hope for the future of humanity.” We were touched by the sentiment, and we also turn that gratitude to each of you reading this. These bonds of friendship, of sharing together, of being together in our struggles to improve our communities is what sustains us during both the good times and difficult times. During this holiday season, we are grateful for your partnership, for being able to make a difference at the local level, and to count each of you as part of... Read More