Selected Artists for Telecare's Annual Holiday Card & Recovery Calendar

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Telecare’s 2019 holiday card. Artist: toan ph.

Telecare’s 2019 holiday card. Artist: toan ph.

Each year, Telecare collects artwork submissions from partners across our programs to be featured in our annual recovery calendar and holiday card.

This year, we asked artists to submit any work that represents their heritage, culture, journey, or individual uniqueness for our theme of Who We Are.

We are pleased to showcase the selected artists for Telecare’s annual holiday card and 2020 recovery calendar in the gallery below!

Please note: All artwork is attributed and shared with consent and guidance from the artist.


Telecare's LA HOP 7 & HOMES Featured in County Training Video

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staff at telecare’s los angeles hop 7 program prepare for their morning meeting. The team’s collaborative approach is featured in an upcoming training video from the los angeles department of mental health.

staff at telecare’s los angeles hop 7 program prepare for their morning meeting. The team’s collaborative approach is featured in an upcoming training video from the los angeles department of mental health.

rachel schwartz, administrator of Telecare’s la hop 7, homes, and kaiser downey.

rachel schwartz, administrator of Telecare’s la hop 7, homes, and kaiser downey.

Telecare’s Los Angeles HOP 7 and Helping Our Members Establish Success (HOMES) programs in Bellflower, California, are featured in a recent training video created by the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (DMH). The video is part of the LA DMH Full Service Partnership (FSP) Transformation Project, which was created to set standards for what they would like to see in an FSP team and help providers get back on track with the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model. Going forward as they develop contracts, every FSP provider in the county will be mandated to watch the video.

This training video features two FSP teams in LA County and includes an interview with Rachel Schwartz, Administrator of LA HOP 7, HOMES, and Kaiser Downey. Rachel walks through the many aspects of the morning meeting and how that helps bring the team together and game plan for the day. The video captures the big and little things that make the team successful as well as what outstanding teamwork looks like.

The developer is kindly permitting Telecare to share a draft of the video. You can watch it by clicking the link to Vimeo below and entering the password.

Watch the Video:

Corporate Staff Celebrate Thanksgiving 2019

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On Thursday, November 21, the corporate staff at Telecare 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.

Telecare’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 Comes Together for a Holiday Meal

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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!

Telecare + NAMI Oregon Honor Senator Ron Wyden

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The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Oregon has chosen Senator Ron Wyden as the recipient of the 11th Annual Gordon and Sharon Smith New Freedom Award.

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

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.

Telecare 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 Telecare’s Oregon programs, said.

As an organization, Telecare 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 here.

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Shown in Photograph:

Back row from left to right:

  • David Ochoa, Clinical Director, CATC

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

  • Jim Sechrist- Telecare 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, Telecare

  • Melinda Howard, Administrator, CATC

  • Jamie DeRuyter, Administrator, Woodburn Recover Center

Celebrating the Opening of Mark Reed E&T

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Telecare Corporation, with the support of Great Rivers Behavioral Health Organization, 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 Telecare had done to the building.

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

California Launches Statewide Peer-Staffed Warm Line

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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.

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5B Documentary Film Screening at Fort Mason

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Last week, a few Telecare staff (past and present) attended a screening of the documentary 5B to support a longtime leader and Redwood Place Administrator, Cliff Morrison. The documentary was screened at an event in San Francisco’s Historic Fort Mason as part of a larger Q&A session with people involved in the production.

Cliff is featured throughout 5B for his work in the early 1980’s establishing the first AIDS ward in the country at San Francisco General Hospital. Telecare’s been following along on his journey as it headed to the Cannes Film Festival, premiered at Los Angeles Pride, and spoke to NPR’s Fresh Air host Terry Gross in an interview earlier this summer with a former colleague.

Check out images from the Fort Mason event below. We are so proud of cliff and congratulate him on all his successes. For more information on the documentary, visit the 5B film website.

Telecare's Orange County Programs Celebrate Recovery

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This year’s Celebrate Recovery Picnic, sponsored by MHA of Orange County and other community partners such as Telecare OC, was again a huge success with over 200 people in attendance.

Among those enjoying a day filled with food, raffle prizes, music, dancing and games (including Telecare’s Toilet Paper Toss game booth) were Telecare staff and members. Thanks to our Telecare OC staff for contributing to the fun this year: Rebecca Brown, David Calloway, Lei Portugal Calloway, Jorge Camacho, Melissa Carrera, Patrick Conod, Cindy Llora, Diane Long, Richard Maldonado, Jude Martinez, Irioshi Melendez, Shahab Mirzaeian, Alicia Ogden, Alfonso Rey, Michael Thai and Van (Hania) Tran.

Listen to Longtime Telecare Leader, Cliff Morrison, on Fresh Air with Terry Gross!

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Following the success of the recently released documentary 5B, longtime Telecare leader and Redwood Place administrator, Cliff Morrison, spoke with NPR’s Fresh Air host Terry Gross about his experience working on the team that established the first AIDS hospital ward in the country in the early 80s.

Cliff was interviewed alongside Dr. Paul Volberding, a doctor on ward 5B who was also featured in the documentary.

You can listen to the entire segment, or read the transcript, by following the link below!

NPR’s Fresh Air With Terry Gross

More About Cliff’s Journey

Telecare Supports Peer Certification (SB 10)

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Telecare Corporation 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)

California state senator jim beall (15th senate district)

SB-10 Mental Mealth Services: Peer Support Specialist Certification (Beall) 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 Telecare, 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.

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For more information on SB-10:

Download the SB-10 Fact Sheet here.

Learn more about peers at Telecare:

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 Telecare’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 Telecare’s Crisis Assessment and Treatment Center (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.

Telecare Presents and Represents at NAMI CA Conference 2019

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The California National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 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, Telecare’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.

Telecare 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!

Catch Cliff Morrison in the Documentary, 5B, This Weekend!

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A few weeks ago, we shared with you that Telecare leader and Redwood Place administrator, Cliff Morrison, was recognized at the Cannes Film Festival 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, 5B, is gaining even more publicity. Plus, you can soon see it for yourself.

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

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

The documentary premiered at the LA Pride 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 Telecare’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 www.Red.org.


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

The cast of the documentary at LA Pride 2019.

The cast of the documentary at LA Pride 2019.

5B Awards

CANNES LIONS

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