Caminar's Perspective on the San Mateo County COVID-19 Recovery Plan

thrive alliance.png

San Mateo County, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, has created a strategic draft plan for the long-term recovery: SMC Recovery Initiative.

Earlier this month, Thrive hosted a virtual community conversation to give nonprofit leaders the opportunity to review and provide input on the draft.

Our CEO, Mark Cloutier, participated in the event and shared his perspective as a mental health provider in the county. You may hear Mark’s remarks here.

In the News: Adrienne Keel on KTVU

ktvu lgbtq.png

On September 10, the Qmunity District, a new LGBTQ+ district, opened on Post Street in downtown San Jose. Our Director of LGBTQ Programs, Adrienne Keel, was an opening ceremony guest. The organizers, Project More, invited Adrienne to paint a stripe of the rainbow with other LGBTQ community leaders and elected officials. KTVU-TV was on hand for the opening and interviewed Adrienne about the importance of this welcoming and safe space for the LGBTQ community.

Please watch the news report here, and see Adrienne at the 1:14 minute mark.

Caminar Awarded $150,000 Kaiser Permanente Grant To Address Homelessness in Solano County

Kaiser.png

Caminar is honored to have been awarded a $150,000 Kaiser Permanente grant to address homelessness and strengthen our operations of Resource Connect Solano.

Resource Connect Solano is primarily funded through a contract with Solano County Department of Behavioral Health and is the coordinated entry system connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to housing throughout Solano County.

The grant will support building capacity among homeless providers, bridging the gap to housing through one-time subsidies, and easing the transition from life on the streets. Individuals and families facing the life-threatening experience of the loss of stable housing will benefit from housing assistance, personalized peer education, and mental health support.

Please read the entire announcement here.

Caminar Participates in San Mateo County COVID-19 Recovery Plan Stakeholder Session

Thrive Event.png

San Mateo County, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, has created a strategic draft plan for the long-term recovery: SMC Recovery Initiative.

On Wednesday, September 9, Thrive hosted a virtual community conversation to give nonprofit leaders the opportunity to review and provide input on the draft.

Our CEO, Mark Cloutier, was pleased to participate in the event and share insights on the perspective of a mental health provider in the county.

We appreciated the opportunity to be involved in this important conversation.

Virtual Health Fair, September 8, 2020

health fair blog post.png

Caminar is pleased to partner with the San Mateo Daily Journal for a virtual health fair on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, from 10 am until 12 pm.

The health fair will include COVID-19 updates, community resources, and mental health education.

Mark Cloutier, our CEO, will discuss ways to stay mentally healthy during this stressful time.

Please use the button below to register. Registration is free.

thumbnail_Virtual Health Fair flyer.jpg

Expressive Arts: Nutritional for the Brain

Through the pandemic, our Expressive Arts program has continued to bring art and music to clients in our residential homes. Our teaching artists, Michael Collopy and Maikel Garcia, join the groups virtually and haven’t missed a beat. 

One participant recently told us, “I like Tuesday morning Expressive Arts group a lot. Michael C. is very supportive of all of us and encourages our next steps to independence. The other Maikel plays really nice music. It is very relaxing and helps keep me peaceful and calm. Music is nutritional for the brain.”

Please enjoy this recent art created by participants in our program.

Save the Date: 10.10.20 - In Concert with Caminar

Please save the date! 

 10.10.20
10th Annual In Concert with Caminar 

An exciting virtual event

Saturday, October 10, 2020  
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 

Featuring

Sheléa 

singer, songwriter, producer, and actress 
back by popular demand

- and -

Dave Clark

special guest emcee
award-winning KTVU-TV anchor

This year’s event will benefit the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund, which is dedicated to funding crucial mental health services for Bay Area families and adults who are in crisis.    

Special thanks to our co-chairs
Linda Leao and Carole Middleton

 Additional information and registration links coming soon.
For underwriting opportunities, please contact us at development@caminar.org or 650.513.1509. 

Caminar_ICWC_EmailBottom_072320.jpg

Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund

July 22, 2020

Dear Friends,

Right now, there’s a dramatic increase in need for mental health and substance use services as a result of the pandemic. An emergency distress hotline recently reported a greater than 1,000 percent increase in demand over last year, which is just one indicator pointing to a looming crisis. But there’s hope and you can make a difference.

I’m writing to personally ask you to support the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund for crucial mental health services for Bay Area families and adults who are in crisis. The next six months are critical—we must raise an additional $500,000 to continue to serve our suffering neighbors in a safe environment.

As the pandemic spread, Caminar’s essential services never stopped. In March, we immediately pivoted to tele-health. For clients who needed in-person services, staff were equipped with PPE and protocols were implemented to keep the organization and our community safe. You were there for your neighbors with your past support and they need you now more than ever before.

This fund will help Jasmine,* whose family wanted you to receive this message about her recent progress:

“ Thanks for staying with Jasmine through the tough times and working so well as a team to meet her needs. The person we previously knew is recognizable again. You were a great part of this change. Thank you!”

You help Jasmine and more than 20,000 people just like her when you support Caminar. Your gift today will help protect our Bay Area community from additional suffering.

Now, more than ever, access to mental health care saves lives. Thank you for taking action today to ensure our most vulnerable neighbors receive the care they deserve.

Sincerely,

Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH
Chief Executive Officer, Caminar

*name changed to protect client privacy

PS: Will you be there for your struggling neighbors? Please give your most generous gift possible and provide crucial mental health services for Bay Area families and adults in crisis right now.

In the News: Generous Donation to Keep Caminar Safe

SMDJ.png

The San Mateo Daily Journal recently featured the inspiring donation of face shields to Caminar.

The Caminar team is so grateful to Reyhan Sabesan, a San Mateo High School rising junior, who donated 3-D printed face shields he created over 50 hours of trial and error! These face shields will give our staff an added layer of protection as we continue to provide mental health services during the pandemic.

Reyhan reached out to Caminar because his grandmother coped with bipolar disorder, and he and his family wanted to help people in the mental health community. We are thrilled with the donation and so inspired by his generous contribution to our community.

Reyhan is pictured in sharing his donation with Kaitlyn Paris, RN, a member of Caminar's Medication Clinic team. Thank you, Reyhan!

Caminar Jobs Plus: Connecting people with meaningful employment

Jobs Plus.png

Having a purpose in life is a cornerstone of wellness and recovery. Caminar Jobs Plus connects people who would otherwise be excluded from the workplace with meaningful, paid jobs.

Nothing delights our team more than finding the perfect job for a well-qualified and hard-working individual, and hearing how happy they are with their job placement.

Sincere appreciation to our Jobs Plus client who shared this note of thanks with us.

In the news: San Francisco Is No Queer Utopia

bold italic blog.png

The Bold Italic featured quotes from Adrienne Keel, our director of LGBTQ programs, in an article on Wednesday, June 24, 2020:

“We shouldn’t think naively about how progressive or leftist our community is — there are still many people here who have outright hate for certain communities,” says queer resident and community leader Adrienne Keel.

Keel is the program director at San Jose’s LGBTQ Youth Space, which provides free mental health services and other resources to queer teens and young adults ages 13 to 25 in Santa Clara County.

Read more on The Bold Italic.

Carol finds employment and stability with the help of Jobs Plus

Carol.png

For two and a half years, Carol* was homeless and bouncing between living on the streets and Mission Solano shelter. It was a hard life, and Carol needed to find a way to improve her circumstances.   

In October 2019, Carol moved into the Damascus House transitional housing program in Fairfield, CA. Along with the stable housing, Carol began to receive from case-managed care from Caminar. 

Carol also began working with our Caminar Jobs Plus team to secure employment with better pay and ample hours. With the help of her Jobs Plus employment specialist, Carol found a job at Walmart with more hours. Since January 2020, Carol has worked as a Walmart cashier, and her employment specialist continues to provide support to ensure success in this new job. 

At Walmart, Carol receives health benefits, an employee discount, and earns enough to save a portion of each paycheck. Recently, Carol was delighted to purchase a car, all in cash she had saved! The next step for Carol will be to secure permanent housing.  

Carol has loved working with her employment specialist, who always encourages Carol with her coaching and positive words. Her employment specialist is equally pleased to be working with Carol, remarking that Carol is a hardworking, dedicated, and optimistic essential employee. Looters targeted the Walmart where Carol works the other day. However, despite all the chaos and turmoil, Carol has remained cheerful; she is grateful to be gainfully employed and working during the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and protests.  

With special thanks to the donors and funders who support our life-changing Jobs Plus program.

*Client name changed to protect privacy. 

Caminar’s Butte County Base Camp Village Offers Housing for Homeless and Mentally Ill 

BCVillage.png

In March, Caminar purchased Base Camp Village, a permanent supported housing complex in Oroville, CA, located in Butte County. The property was recently built by non-profit organization Base Camp Village. Individuals from the Butte County Sherriff’s Work Alternative Program helped build the complex, which Caminar purchased through a Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant. 

In April, all 11 units in the property were filled with tenants selected from the Butte County Coordinated Entry System. All tenants are clients of Butte County Department of Mental Health.   

A property manager lives on site. In addition to the 11 units, the complex has a community room, a property manager’s unit and office, a counseling office, and a laundry room.   

The Enterprise Record reported on this project in February.