1999-2001

“Change is Hard” billboard campaign, direct mailings, and a film were created after a comprehensive

State Incentive Grant on Binge Drinking

2005-2007

HHREC led a county-wide assessment on habits of use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs -combining nearly 1,000 youth surveys, with a series of adult, and older adult focus groups. The primary outcome was the Alameda County Behavioral Care Services alcohol & Drug Youth Survey - an analysis of data collected on Youth Access, Use and Consequences. HHREC also led a series of focus groups to create a youth specific billboard campaign addressing alcohol use and the two big springtime occasions: Graduation & Prom.

Download the Youth Survey Analysis Here -> BHCS YDS.pdf

See the billboards created out of this campaign --> HERE

Mental Health

HHREC has coordinated multiple outreach and assessment projects in association with the Behavioral Health Care Services department of Mental Health. Most recently, HHREC conducted 26 focus groups and 8 Community Input Meetings to gather community feedback on the best way for the county to allocate the new Prevention & Early Intervention funds generated by Proposition 63 in 2004.

You can keep up with the plan by going to the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care website at www.acbhcs.org and clicking on the “Prevention & Early Intervention Planning” heading.

Alameda County
Strategic Plan for Prevention

2006

HHREC facilitated the Alameda County Strategic Planning Task Force out of which was created the County’s long term Strategic Plan for Alcohol & Other Drug Primary Prevention Services. This plan is a comprehensive approach to unifying and integrating the work of the county’s 15 contracted prevention providers, as well as providing a guide for non-affiliated programs wishing to align their work with the whole county.

HHREC coordinated and facilitated more than 30 focus groups and 8 community meetings in the course of a month to insure the County’s plan reflected the needs of the community.

Download the Alameda County Strategic Plan Here -> BHCS SP.pdf

assessment of access to alcohol and mental health services by women receiving CalWorks benefits. The campaign sought to increase their awareness about the services available to them as part of receiving CalWorks benefits. HHREC coordinated the assessment and the media campaign for Behavioral Health Care Services of Alameda County.

Calworks Campaign

HHREC

HTA

BWMP

Download the PowerPoint
of our findings Here --> PEI PP FINAL.ppt

Berkeley Mental Health

2007-2008

The City of Berkeley, because it long ago petitioned the state of California to receive it’s allotment of state funds separate from the County of Alameda (without taking any money away from Alameda County), has been pushing forward with it’s own planning process for the Mental Health Services Act - the act funded by Prop 63 (see adjacent).

HHREC conducted 8 focus groups, which was compiled into both a PowerPoint presentation and a Final (written) Report.

Download the PowerPoint of the Berkeley
findings Here --> Berkeley PEI Power Point-Final.ppt

Since HHREC’s birth back in 1989, the agency has been working on multiple fronts and in multiple fields to achieve its mission of improving the quality of life for residents of the Bay Area by reducing alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and eliminating racism and violence of all kinds.

Whether spearheading art contests to design a memorial flag for children who have died of violence, coordinating massive outreach on behalf of County administrators, facilitating focus groups and community meetings, or consulting with individual cities on how to integrate authentic community-based process techniques, HHREC is consistently called upon as a valuable resource to the community.

Below you will read about some of the special projects that HHREC has been involved with through the years, including the most recent Transition Age Youth (TAY) Creativity Classes.

Transition Age Youth Creativity Classes

2008-PRESENT

HHREC has partnered with the Transition Age Youth department of Alameda County BHCS Mental Health program to creative a unique experience for youth who are transitioning out of the Foster Care system. The program - designed by Adriana Diaz of HHREC and Rachel Bryant of the TAY deptartment - focuses on empowering participants to open their powers of perception to live with an increased awareness and aesthetic interaction with the world around them.

Through writing and visual art projects, field trips, discussions and sharing of creative processes, students experience amazing growth. To date classes have been held in Oakland and Berkeley and the project looks forward to expanding.

MORE ON THE TAY CREATIVITY CLASSES (including photos!)

Quick Guide for Caregivers

2004

This was a joint project with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (ACBHCS) and representatives of Family Groups in Alameda County. HTA conducted focus group discussions with families throughout Alameda County to discern important information regarding caring for a friend or family member with a mental illness. The result was a “Quick Guide,” providing information to families and friends regarding “What you need know” for support and information on mental health issues. The guide was printed and distributed thorugh multiple Alameda County Mental Health Resources and is posted on the ACBHCS website.

Find the Quick Guide here --> http://www.acbhcs.org/Docs/docs.htm

Grief Cards for Victims’ Families

2005

Working with ACBHCS and Councilwoman Desley Brooks,  HHREC created a set of cards with important information about what steps to take when you’re told that your loved one has been murdered. The goal was to have police officers give these to family members/loved ones at the time they are finding out their loved one has been killed. The cards give information on what to do immediately, common myths about homicide, what one can expect at such a time of grief, stress symptoms and how to cope, and resources for assistance.

Children Who Have Died of Violence Memorial Flag

1994 - Present

Alameda County Supervisor Gaile Steele began this project in 1994 when she realized that the violent deaths of children were going largely unrecognized at the community level. The Supervisor created a Committee which created a Children’s Memorial Grove on Fairmont Ridge in Alameda County, where trees are planted every year for children who have died of violence. The Committee also brought to fruition a Children’s Memorial Day - April 4th - which is a now a state and nationwide annual observance day, where the Memorial Flag is raised at half staff in memory of all children who have died of violence. HTA coordinated the flag design contest, created by youth in Alameda County. The winning design was created both as a full-size Memorial flag and in smaller sizes as a Tibetan Prayer Flag. HTA remains on the Committee and particulates in the biannual events.

See the flag and learn more at: http://www.cwla.org/advocacy/memorialflag.html

Community Service Award

Alameda County Mental Health Board

2009

Tisha Kenny, Executive Director of HHREC, was awarded the 2009 Annual Community Service Award for work with the Media. The Board has a commitment to ensure that the County’s BHCS provide quality care in treating members of the diverse community with dignity, courtesy and respect. Tisha was recognized for her commitment to ensuring these ideals through media campaigns that offer support and breakdown stereotypes about mental illness.