Newsletter

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In this issue we highlight the newest CASRA Member Agency, Berkeley Food and Housing Project, whose vision is based on the belief that everyone has the right to affordable housing and healthy food to eat.

We shine the spotlight on BHFP's CEO, Calleene Egan.

What brought you to/made you want to join CASRA?
I was formerly with another CASRA member organization, Caminar, so I saw the benefits firsthand.

What do you hope to get out of your association membership?
I think this will be a great training and informational resource for our staff. I am also hoping this will be an opportunity to build partnerships with other service providers, especially around the nexus of behavioral healthcare and supportive housing.

If there was one thing you wanted all of the other CASRA organizations to know about BFHP, what would it be?
We are not just in Berkeley! BFHP serves the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Amador.

If there was one thing you wanted all of the other CASRA organizations to know about you, what would it be?
I am always open to new partnerships. Do you have an idea for how we could work together to advocate for the people that we serve? Reach out!

Do you share your food?
Absolutely! At BFHP food is a huge part of how we serve our community, which trickles all the way down to bringing donuts to the office. And, personally, as the mom of a small child, I wind up sharing my food a lot! 

To learn more about Berkeley Food and Housing Project, visit their website.

CASRA is a statewide organization of private, not-for-profit, public benefit corporations that serve clients of the California public mental health system.

Member agencies provide a variety of services that are designed to enhance the quality of life and community participation of youth, adults and older adults living with challenging mental health issues.

Read more

The California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies

Mailing Address:
3350 E. 7th Street, #509
Long Beach, CA 90804

Email: casra@casra.org

Phone: (562) 343-2621

To reach us: use our Contact Form

Our member agencies are continually looking for new employees or volunteers to join their workforce.

To see current openings and find out additional information about CASRA's partners, please click on the agency name.

Please note that the city listed for each organization is the headquarters location. Several CASRA member agencies serve multiple service areas and sites. Check each to learn more.

• Baker Places (PRC), San Francisco
• Bay Area Community Services, Oakland
• Berkeley Food and Housing Project, Berkeley
• Bonita House, Oakland
• Buckelew Programs, Novato
• Caminar, San Mateo
• Community Action Marin, San Rafael
• Commuity Connections, Santa Cruz
• Community Solutions, Gilroy
• Conard House, San Francisco
• Consumers Self-Help Center, Sacramento
• Didi Hirsch CMHC, Culver City
• El Hogar, Sacramento
• Hope Cooperative (Formerly TLCS), Sacramento
• Interim, Inc., Monterey
• Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco
• Mental Wellness Center, Santa Barbara
• Momentum for Health, San Jose
• NVCCS - Iversen Center, Chico
• Pride Industries, Roseville
• Progress Foundation, San Francisco
• Project Return Peer Support Network, Huntington Park
• San Fernando Valley CMHC, Van Nuys
• Transitions - MHA, San Luis Obispo
• Turning Point Community Programs, Sacramento
• Turning Point of Central CA - Hope House, Madera
• Visions Unlimited, Sacramento
• Yolo Community Care Continuum, Woodland

A benefit of membership in CASRA is receiving 4 hours of training for your staff. For more information, please contact joe@casra.org.

CASRA welcomes Berkeley Food and Housing Project as newest member agency!

CASRA’s Executive Committee recently approved Berkeley Food and Housing Project’s application to become a provisional member of the Association. Founded in 1970, BFHP provides a range of services in six counties, with a focus on individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In April CASRA’s Executive Director was privileged to receive a tour of BFHP’s currently under construction Hope Center from their CEO, Calleene Egan. When completed, Hope Center and the co-located Berkeley Way project, which is being built in partnership with BRIDGE Housing, will be the largest housing project in Berkeley for persons experiencing homelessness.

Please join us in welcoming BFHP to the CASRA family!

State Leaders Should Prioritize LGBTQ+ Californians’ Mental Health

From California Budget and Policy Center
By Kayla Kitson and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, May 2022

Mental health is an essential part of overall health and well-being for Californians no matter one’s age, zip code, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy and thrive, yet LGBTQ+ people disproportionately experience mental health challenges compared to non-LGBTQ+ people.1 This was true even before the pandemic, when many Californians experienced stress, grief, isolation, depression, and other hardships. Read More

What Is the Role of the Prosumer in the Mental Health System?

From Mad in America
By Max E. Guttman, LCSW, May 6, 2022

First and foremost, I identify as a prosumer. As a prosumer, I have both lived and professional experience of the mental health system.

The term prosumer came into being in the 1980s, coined by the American futurist Alvin Toffler to describe both consumer and producer. The term is mostly used in the context of technology, the economy, and/or consumerism-based fields. The word never gained much traction in mental health.

I have long tried to explain the phenomena of “living in two words.” The peer world is grounded in lived experience, but also in the traditional mental health professions, e.g., social work, psychiatry, and psychology. I believe the term prosumer is the best term to describe people who are consumers of mental health services but who also function as traditional professionals in mental health care. Read More

Strengths-Based Approach in Social Work: 6 Examples & Tools

From Positive Psychology
By Jo Nash, Ph.D., May 31, 2022

The strengths-based approach to social work focuses on a client’s personal, relational, and community assets, rather than their deficits.

It is a holistic, collaborative approach concerned with identifying a client’s inner and outer resources to promote resilience.

Client strengths include their individual talents and problem-solving abilities as well as the resources available in their support networks, such as family, friends, and the wider community. In short, this approach focuses on what is strong, not just what is wrong. Read More

The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Looks Forward to the Future with New Management

The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association and the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Foundation (PRA/F) have partnered with Meaningful Measurement, Inc. (MM) to revitalize the organization and breathe new life into the recovery workforce. Together, PRA/F and MM are kicking off exciting new projects and initiatives that will provide new resources and support to the industry. Meaningful Measurement has overseen test development and psychometric services for PRA's CPRP and CFRP certifications for over a decade. Because of this, they have a deep understanding and appreciation for our field and share our hope and optimism for our organization's future.

“I am pleased PRA/F is moving toward independent operations with Meaningful Measurement,” said Steve Miccio, Chair of PRA/F Board of Directors. “It is a new era for the organization.” Read More

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, there are resources available to provide free and confidential support. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or Teen Line at 1-800-TLC-TEEN or The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 for LGBTQ young people.

Mental Health Workshops, Panels, & Advocacy!
June 6 - June 7

This year's two-day free virtual event theme is "[OUR] J[OUR]NEY." Our programming will embody this theme as we center our advocacy through artful expression, workshops/trainings, and panels around empowering and highlighting the journey of transitional age youth (TAY) advocates across the State of California. This year we will also be highlight the journey of CAYEN's Transitional Age Youth (TAY) advocates who continue to lead local behavioral health systems transformation to create changes for Youth by Youth. 

More Information and Register

If you are a CASRA member agency and would like to advertise your learning opportunity, training  or event for the benefit of other CASRA member agencies, please contact us at events@casra.org.

There are a few guidelines:
You are a CASRA Member Agency
Your event is free of charge
and, as a reminder the Newsletter is published on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month

Member Agency Job Openings

Employment oppportunities with CASRA member agencies are now available on the website under the tab Member Agency Jobs. Agencies are listed by county and clicking on the organization name will take the user to the Careers/Job Openings page of agency's website.

Newsletter Library (Coming Soon)

The library of the current and past newsletters will soon be available on the CASRA website. More infomation to come.

“Be the person your dog thinks you are.”

Ricky Gervais