CĔēēĊĈęĎēČ ęčĊ DĔęĘ
Visit us at www.ssg.org
SGG NewsleƩer September - October 2012
Thank you SSG Staff!
2012 SSG STAFF APPRECIATION MONTH
SSG celebrated its wonderful staff by designating September 2012 as ‘Staff Appreciation Month’. We hope everyone
enjoyed their Staff Appreciation Day (Off)!
Also, in keeping with tradition the SSG RAFFLE FUN begins the week of October 15th, 2012. At that time we will also
begin the all-staff distribution of the new SSG keepsake – the SSG commuter mug.
The grand prize this year is a Samsung Tablet Series 7 (11.6” Slate) valued at $1,350 donated by Carlos Bello of Bello
Technologies. Other raffle prizes include three (3) iPads, three (3) $50 gift cards and two (2) $100 gift cards. All SSG
staff will be automatically eligible for this raffle and winners will be announced in the next newsletter.
Also, over 150 gift cards (value $15 - $25) will be distributed agency-wide via raffle.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS WHO MADE ALL THIS POSSIBLE:
PLATINUM LEVEL
Bello Technologies (Carlos Bello)
Clinivate
Konica Minolta
Willis Group
GOLD LEVEL
Benefit Solutions (Parker Lyons)
Chapman & Associates
SILVER LEVEL
Bank of America
John Eckman, Board President
Harrington Group
Harris Stationers
Steve Lee
Mutual of America
Printing Innovations
Donation Page Launched!
We are happy to announce the new
donations page on the SSG website!
We are now able to receive donations
via credit card payments processed
by Network for Good. Donors will be
able to choose to donate to a specific
SSG division or to an SSG general fund.
Look for an email in the near future
with further details such as how you can
incorporate this new resource into your
own division websites. We encourage
you to share the link and help our
fundraising flourish. If there are any
questions, feel free to contact Wendy
Chiu, MSW, SSG Development Team at:
[email protected]. To view the page,
visit: www.ssg.org/donate
Connecting the Dots
P2
SSG NEWS ƭ HIGHLIGHTS
T
P
B
The Painted Brain Makes Their Mark in the World of Consumer Support and Recovery
On October 3, 2012, the Painted Brain (PB) program hosted their first ever “Mental Health Arts Workshop” at Los
Angeles City Community College, which was sponsored by the LA Department of Mental Health. The jam-packed event
captured the interest of over 250 consumers and mental health professionals throughout Los Angeles seeking to learn
more about the benefits of art in the journey to recovery from mental illness. With over 35 different mental health
agencies from Los Angeles and the surrounding counties present, the PB demonstrated their ability to outreach to
underserved groups and create a community that invokes hope, healing and inspiration. The workshop featured fun
and engaging workshops such as: Open Art Studio, Collective Paper Quilting, Drama, Photography, Drumming, Sketch
booking and Dance. Painted Brain Founder, Dave Leon delivered an inspiring key-note address on the importance
of building meaningful relationships and how art can be used as a tool to create community. In addition, PB team
displayed their technological savviness by coordinating a fun ice breaker event that enabled participants to engage in
a group art activity and then view their art work through a live-video stream at the workshop.
The workshop created a space where youth could let their guard down and truly express themselves through the use
of various forms of arts. From theatrical performances to the heart-felt spoken word presentations, the youth were
provided with an opportunity to learn more about the benefits of recovery and community while using everyday tools
and honing in their natural strengths. Youth and professionals received “the painted brain guide to arts groups”
a train-the -trainer manual on how to run art groups in the context of mental health recovery. The curriculum notes
that, “community is the goal; recovery is a consequence of achieving it”. Mental health professionals were also able to
receive Continuing Education Unit (CEUs) for their participation at the workshop. The event culminated with various
gallery displays of consumer’s art-work, a wrap-up session, raffle and an evaluation. The event was so well received
that many participants have already expressed a great outpouring of interest in making this workshop an annual event.
Connecting the Dots
P3
SSG NEWS ƭ HIGHLIGHTS
O
T
T
Occupational Therapy Association of CA
36th Annual Conference
Crystal Dairo, COTA/L and Sarah Bream, OTD, OTR/L
presented on "Building Life Skills for Success in Teen
Parents" at the OTAC Conference held on October 4-7,
2012 in Pasadena.
Their presentation was based on preliminary data gathered
from a Dept. of Labor’s Young Parent Demonstration Grant
that OTTP completed in June 2012. The data indicated
that 70 percent of girls who become pregnant may never
return to school and that teen mothers and fathers
demonstrate lower educational attainment and reduced
earnings potential. It also showed that occupational
therapy interventions successfully assisted teen parents in
developing essential life skills.
Congratulations to Crystal and Dr. Bream on a job well
done!
G
W
C
H
F
Friends of the Food Coalition
The first-ever fundraising event of the newly-formed
“Friends of the Food Coalition” will be held on October
23, 2012 at Stage 33, CBS Television City. Cocktails and
hors d'oeuvres will be served, along with the showing of
an orginal documentary film produced by Elan Sobel, the
son of longtime volunteer and supporter Paul Sobel. This
event is sponsored by CBS and community members, with
proceeds providing support to The Greater West Hollywood
Food Coalition, in commemoration of its 25th year -- and
22nd year as a program of SSG.
The Friends of the Food Coalition is a stand-alone support
organization formed last spring by Kristen Hodess and
Geert deTurck, two new volunteers, in combination with
Paul Sobel and Tim Deegan, two longtime supporters.
Paul owns the newsstand at the Farmers Market at Third
and Fairfax and has had a longstanding relationship with
CBS, right next door. Twelve years ago he persuaded the
network to let the Food Coalition use its commissary to
host a Christmas Dinner at CBS for GWHFC clients. The
Christmas Dinner, now underwritten entirely by CBS and
the Sodexho Corporation, has since become an annual
event.
Kristen Hodess and Geert deTurck are both parents at The
Center for Early Education in West Hollywood, a private
elementary school whose parents and students have long
made sandwiches and soup for the GWHFC nightly meal,
and whose administration and faculty have provided
generous support to the GWHFC in the community. Penny
Landreth, one of the founders of the Food Coalition, has
taught art at The Center for thirty years.
I
H
C
O
S
P
-B
SSG-HOPICS Homeless Women and Children
are Participating in the United Way Annual
Walk to End Homelessness!
HOPICS Homeless Women and Children Program staff
and participants will be participating again in the annual
United Way Walk to End Homelessness. This year’s team
name is “Raising the Bar with SSG-HOPICS”.
The HOPICS HWCP staff has set a goal to build a walking
team of 100 staff and program participants and raise $5000,
double the amount set for last year. You can pledge your
support or get more information at http://unitedwayla.
org/homewalk/.
In the past, the HOPICS HWCP Program has built walking
teams of over 90 individuals and raised more than $4,000.
This year’s United Way walk will take place on Saturday
November 17, 2012 at Exposition Park and Kobe Bryant of
the Los Angeles Lakers will make his annual appearance as
the event’s Honorary Chair.
United Way uses this walk to promote awareness and raise
funds to invest back into communities to help quickly rehouse homeless families and provide permanent supportive
housing to vulnerable, chronically homeless individuals
and veterans.
For more information or to join Team
“Raising the Bar with SSG-HOPICS” by
walking and/or helping to raise money,
contact Maria Granados at
(323) 948-0444 Ext. 758 or
[email protected].
Remember to
Vote
November 6
Connecting the Dots
P4
SSG NEWS ƭ HIGHLIGHTS
Veronica Lewis (HOPICS) Coordinates
Health Care Reform Series
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
and the Price Bedrosian Center on Governance at the
USC School of Public Policy hosted a Health Care reform
panel in a series entitled Shifting the Burden. The panel
included representatives from federal, state and local
agencies. Veronica Lewis (HOPICS Division Director)
serves as VP of Programs on the Board of ASPA Southern
California Chapter and was the lead coordinator for this
event.
The panel focused on how recent and looming changes in
the health care system are likely to affect local entities
and service provision particularly in light of state and
local efforts to implement federal health care reform.
Panelists included State Senator Ed Hernandez, O.D.,
Chairman, Senate Health Committee. Stephanie Hall,
Chief Medical Officer and Associate Dean of Clinical
Affairs at LAC USC Medical Center, Robin C. Kay, Ph.D.,
Chief Deputy Director for the Los Angeles County DMH,
Herb K. Schultz, Regional Director for the U.S. Health
and Human Services Department.
l-r: Veronica Lewis, Robin C. Kay, Herb K. Schultz,
and Paul Hubler, President of ASPA Southern
California Chapter.
R
E
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
(CCPH)
On October 11, SSG’s R&E Team hosted the first planning
meeting of a National Institutes of Health research study
on community-based processes for research ethics review.
This is a collaborative study headed by Community-Campus
Partnerships for Health and the University of New England.
SSG was invited to be one of 5 community partners
because of the contributions our Institutional Review
Board (IRB) has made to the field of research ethics. Other
community partners include SSG’s long-time partner Guam
Communications Network and Papa Ola Lokahi (whose IRB
was a model for our own), as well as Center for Community
Health Education Research and Service (Boston) and the
North Carolina American Indian Health Board.
Back row l-r: Edgar Villanueva, North Carolina American Indian Health
Board, Lou Quitugua, SSG-IRB, Katrina Kubicek, USC Clinical and
Translational Science Institute, Nancy Shore, University of New England.
Elaine Drew, Medical College of Wisconsin, Christie Rainey, SSG-IRB,
Sarena Seifer, Community-Campus Partnerships for Health. Eric Wat,
SSG, Saul Sarabia, SSG-IRB, Jacqueline Tran, SSG-IRB
Front row l-r: Mei-Ling Isaacs, Papa Ola Lokahi, Lola Sablan Santos, SSGIRB, Naomi Kageyama, SSG
O
I
C
C
A
(SSG AFFILIATE ORGANIZATION)
A
P
Annual Dinner
“The greater danger for most of us lies
not in setting our aim too high and
falling short;
but in setting our aim too low,
and achieving our mark.”
Michelangelo
On September 13, 2012, OCAPICA celebrated 15 years of
building a healthier and stronger community at their 3rd
Annual Dinner, Gathering Under the Banyan Tree. The
event held at the Sheraton Hotel in Garden Grove, CA had
nearly 300 attendees. This year, OCAPICA honored Magnolia
High School, Anaheim Union High School District, Southern
CA Gas Company, APEX, and Special Service for Groups. As
a Banyan Tree honoree, SSG received 6 plaques and awards
that included Certificate of Congressional Recognition from
the office of Loretta Sanchez and Certificates of Recognition
from the Office of CA State Controller John Chiang and
the CA Legislative Assembly. We are proud to be a part of
OCAPICA’s ongoing growth and service they provide for the
API community in Orange County. OCAPICA thanks everyone
for their support in making this a successful event.
Connecting the Dots
P5
SSG NEWS ƭ HIGHLIGHTS
“NAMI Walks: Changing Minds One Step at a Time”
Over 20 individuals, including staff members and program participants from APCTC Wilshire and BACUP participated in
the 9th annual NAMIWalk, the walkathon event of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, held at the Santa Monica Third
Street Promenade on October 6, 2012. It is estimated that over 3,000 people joined together to “stomp out stigma” and
social exclusions faced by those affected by mental illness. Over $300k was raised to help bring more awareness and funds
for NAMI programs. The 5K fundraiser, “NAMI Walks: Changing Minds One Step at a Time”, helps support programs of
education, research and advocacy for those who suffer from all types of mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and severe anxiety disorders. NAMIWalks is still collecting
donations on their website for further details visit: http://www.nami.org// Thank you to everyone for their continued
support and dedication in supporting this event!
Team APCTC
Team BACUP
Wilshire
W
C
C
Weber Community Center Partners with
UMMA Community Clinic
Bene its Assistance Clients’ Urban
Project/ LIFE Center
BACUP Celebrates National Recovery Month
This September marked the 23rd annual celebration of
National Recovery Month launched to engage individuals,
families, and communities across the country to improve
their health behaviors, while also exploring their talents,
skills, interests, social connections, and environment
to incorporate other dimensions of wellness. At BACUP,
staff, program participants and newcomers celebrated by
promoting the year-around message that recovery in all its
forms is possible. Building relationships is an integral part
of recovery and has been the main goal for BACUP since
the program started in 1986. For Andrew Posner, BACUP
Division Director, National Recovery Month is a tribute
to the individual desire and the ability to define what
recovery means for oneself. It represents progress in public
policy to promote wellness, diversity and inclusiveness for
challenges faced together as a community. “I am a tribute
to this myself and believe recovery like education never
ends. As we celebrate recovery, we will not forget those
who society has excluded but instead make steps towards
improving the mental health system. As a board member
of the California Initiative on Spirituality, we are opening
doors in local mental health departments by providing
options to enhance recovery through spiritual awareness
and growth.”
In September 2012, Weber Community Center entered into
a partnership with UMMA Community Clinic. A completely
new office was built adjacent to Weber Community
Center and it is there where UMMA Community Clinic will
house their new administration offices. At UMMA’s new
location, classes on health education are being planned
and will begin shortly. Through the new partnership,
primary health care and mental health will be bridged.
Weber Community Center’s mental health therapists and
UMMA’s primary health physicians will be able to directly
communicate and collaborate in order to provide a more
rounded treatment to their clients. UMMA’s mission is to
promote the well-being of the under-served by providing
access to high-quality healthcare, regardless of their
ability to pay. UMMA envisions itself as part of a network
of institutions addressing the health and well-being of
the under-served and needy, mindful of the cultural,
spiritual, social and economic realities that intrude upon
them and the traditional barriers to accessing care. Weber
Community Center looks forward to working alongside
UMMA Community Clinic and to be able to serve clients in
a way that was not possible before the partnership.
l-r: UMMA entrance and WCC entrance
P6
Connecting the Dots
HEALTH, WELLNESS ƭ YOU
Live Well, Work Well
If you suffer from a chronic health condition, studies
show that monitoring your diet, exercise, and stress
management, along with following medical advice, can
improve health conditions on a continuum to a level where
no disease is present. Perhaps no group of chronic disease
sufferers know this more than those coping with diabetes.
They directly see the results of nutrition, exercise and
stress affecting blood sugar during their multi-daily blood
monitoring. Following medical advice is crucial for the
diabetic. Here are some helpful tips:
Managing diabetes well includes making time for important
exams each year. Each test helps you and your doctor
better understand how well-controlled your diabetes is.
Diabetes that stays in check may help you avoid or delay
other health complications. Here’s why annual diabetes
tests are important:
Many times, you may look and feel just fine. Everything
seems to be going great health wise. But certain tests like
an A1C and blood pressure reading tell you and your doctor
what’s happening on the inside…you know, where you can’t
really see or feel what’s going on.
Living well with diabetes includes all of the following tests.
Ask your doctor which ones are right for you and when you
should have them done again.
• A1C Tests (At least two times a year). This simple blood
test shows how well you’ve controlled your blood
sugar over the past three months. Usually, an A1C goal
for people with diabetes is less than 7 percent.
• Blood Pressure Check (Each office visit). High blood
pressure increases your risk for heart disease, stroke
and kidney disease. Aim for a blood pressure level of
less than 130/80.
• Cholesterol Check (Each year). High cholesterol raises
your risk for heart disease. Control cholesterol for
better heart health. Ideal cholesterol levels should be:
- Total cholesterol – below 200 mg/dL
- LDL (“bad” cholesterol) – below 100 mg/dL
- HDL (“good” cholesterol) – above 40 mg/dL for men;
above 50 mg/dL for women
- Triglycerides (tri-glis-e-rides) – below 150 mg/dL
• Microalbumin (mi-kro-al-byoo-min) Test (Each year).
This test measures the amount of protein in your
urine. It checks to see how well your kidneys are
working. Have your blood tested at least once a
year for creatinine (kree-AT-ih-nin) – another kidney
function test.
• Flu Shot (Each year). Schedule an annual flu shot
in October or November. Also, ask your doctor if a
pneumonia shot is right for you.
• Dilated Retinal Eye Exam (Every year). See your eye
doctor once a year, even if your vision seems fine.
APIOPA & Tongan Center - One of the
Official Charities of the
2013 LA Marathon
The Asian and Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance
(APIOPA) is partnering with the Tongan Community
Service Center (TCSC) to run the Los Angeles Marathon on
March 17th, 2013. LA Marathon selected Team APIOPA/
TCSC to be an official fundraising charity of the race
this year. APIOPA and TCSC will be training and running
together as one team, and all funds raised will be split
between the two divisions. The funds will go a long way
to support such programs as Tongan language classes,
youth development, community gardening, communitysupported agriculture, and much more.
The race is a grueling 26.2 miles, and will take this team
of more than 25 individuals from Dodger Stadium to
Little Tokyo, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and many other
local spots, finally ending at Santa Monica Pier. A few
members of the team will be participating in the relay
for the marathon, which pairs up 2 runners to run 13.1
miles each.
Since both APIOPA and TCSC work on promoting healthier
lifestyles, running the LA Marathon is a great opportunity
to not only promote a health message, but also to
engage local communities in LA Marathon activities as
well. APIOPA and TCSC not only want to talk the talk,
but walk the walk (for 26.2 miles). Over the next six
months, the team will be training together in teams,
with up to three runs during the work week, and at least
one long run during the weekends.
If you are interested in running the LA Marathon with
Team APIOPA/TCSC, it is not too late to sign up! Contact
Scott Chan at [email protected] for more information.
Professional Driving Tip
SAVE YOUR BRAKES
If you must travel through water deep
enough to reach your brakes - you will lose your ability
to stop - when going through deep water, keeping your
brakes applied VERY LIGHTLY will help to keep them dry.
Earth Quake Safety
Check with your program’s safety representative
for more information on
emergency preparedness and safety.