Healthy Minds, Strong Communities

In 2022, Washington Health (WH) began gathering community feedback to prioritize local health needs as part of the Community Health Needs Assessment required under the Affordable Care Act. As they had for the prior 12 years, WH interviewed local health and community experts and met with community leaders and residents to provide insight into the health of the community, prioritize local health needs and identify areas for improvement.

Behavioral health was the top priority, with lack of access to behavioral health services and facilities, pandemic isolation and alcohol and drug use cited as main areas of concern. Housing, homelessness and economic insecurity were also factors leading to mental health challenges.

To address this important issue, WH will host two days of education and information focused on behavioral health. The symposium is a day of learning and networking for behavioral health professionals.

On Saturday, June 7, a Community Behavioral Health Fair will take place at the Washington West building in the Conrad E. Anderson, MD, Auditorium. This health fair is a free community event focused on mental health and well-being for all ages.

Kayla Gupta, MPH, WH Community Outreach manager, explained the goal of both sessions is to provide knowledge about existing community behavioral health resources and to connect professionals and community members with them. “Behavioral health is a huge concern and it’s something people are sometimes hesitant to talk about,” Gupta said. “There’s a lot of stigma associated with behavioral health, especially for some of our older populations. We are offering this two-day event to address the needs of our professionals in the community and our folks that are working in our nonprofit and direct care services that are experiencing burnout as well as connect our community members with the behavioral health resources available. Creating an environment where people can make those connections, network, and familiarize themselves with those services is a huge benefit for everyone.”

Professional Symposium

The Friday, June 6, symposium for health care professionals is designed to support resilience, connection and professional growth. The symposium kicks off with a keynote address from Karyn Tribble, PsyD, LCSW, director of Alameda County Behavioral Health Services (ACBH) who will give an overview of behavioral health at the county level, touching on what Alameda County is currently focusing on in the mental health realm and update participants on any changes on the horizon.

Next, WH partner agency Rcoz (Our Cause) will present a short video on South Asians and mental health. Rcoz works specifically around behavioral health with the South Asian community to break down the stigma around mental health, what it means to need extra support and seek therapy. The video, titled South Asians and Mental Health: Work, Family, Silence, and Healing, will be introduced by Washington Health Medical Group (WHMG) Psychiatrist and Rcoz board member Seema Sehgal, MD.

The symposium will conclude with a two-hour resiliency workshop led by Janet Childs, PhD, Director of Education and Critical Incident Stress Response, Centre for Living with Dying program at Bill Wilson Center in Santa Clara. Her presentation, “Unpacking the Backpack: Healing the Loose Ends of Loss and Change,” will provide strategies and tools for behavioral health professionals to build resilience, manage grief and prevent burnout while sustaining meaningful work.

“I’m very excited about Dr. Child’s presentation,” Gupta said. “Health care providers encounter trauma, grief and burnout in their work as caregivers and frequently don’t take time to care for themselves. We want to give them the tools they can put in their tool belt so they can sustain the meaningful work that they're doing out in the community. We want to help support them and help them learn how to process the kinds of things that they encounter day to day.”

Community Health Fair

On Saturday, June 7, the free Community Behavioral Health Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It features a Resource Fair for behavioral health challenges, substance use, wellness services, and other topics. Educational seminars presented by local partner agencies will take place every half hour.

“We’ll be touching on things like intimate partner violence, bullying, opioid safety, mental health stigma in the South Asian community, self-care, suicide prevention and dealing with the emotions associated with pregnancy and postpartum,” Gupta explained. “We're trying to hit all ages, all stages of life, with really good topics that can benefit everyone.”

In addition to the educational sessions, a number of area resources will have booths to provide information on available community resources. These include ACBH, Rcoz, Bay Area Community Health, BrightLife Kids, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health), National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, Fremont Family Resource Center, Union City Crisis Support Services and Youth and Family Services. The WH WOOF Pet Therapy team and WHMG providers will also be on hand to talk about services Washington Health provides.

“We asked and heard that behavioral health is a significant challenge for our community. We responded, therefore, to find the best way to address that in an event,” Gupta said. “I think we have found a meaningful way to start talking about it, bringing people together and working towards solutions to this very challenging social issue for our community.”

While Friday’s event is a day of learning and networking for behavioral health professionals, everyone is invited to attend Saturday’s Community Health Fair. For more information, visit WashingtonHealth.com/events.

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If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, it's important to seek support and resources. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) and SAMHSA's National Helpline (800-662-4357) are excellent starting points for immediate help and referrals.