Community Health Workers and Sonoma County Schools

This month as students return back to school, we would like to highlight two of our partners, Northern California Center for Well-Being and Sonoma County Office of Education, for the work they are doing to incorporate the Community Health Worker role in Sonoma County Schools. Through this collaboration, youth and families will in the future have more access to trauma-responsive resources and support.

The Northern California Center for Wellbeing and Sonoma County Office of Education are partnering to provide a cohort of nearly fifty educators and community health workers with 40 hours of education and support. By the end of this training participants will have completed the first of a two-part State-aligned Community Health Worker certification offered through a grant by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), in collaboration with Aliados Health and Touro University. This educational opportunity is aimed to uplift the wisdom and support the continued learning of some of our most valuable support providers in our school and health communities, and to empower school-based employees with the knowledge, skills, and tools to help youth and their families thrive.

Through this cross-sector, core competency training, participants will learn about:

• Understanding the Health Landscape
• Social Determinants and Structural Drivers of Health
• Effective Communication Skills
• Interpersonal and Relationship Building Skills (with emphasis on young people and their families)
• Outreach and Advocacy (in the Healthcare, Mental Well-being, and Educational Systems)
• Teaching and Facilitation
• Suicide Prevention
• Trauma Responsive Practice/Trauma Informed Care
• Self-Care, Positive Coping Mechanisms, and Strategies to Mitigate Secondary Traumatic Stress
• Regulation Neuroscience
• Capacity Building
• Service and Coordination Navigation

Post training, an optional paid on-going Community of Practice will be offered for school based CHW to offer continued support for educators.

Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos ARPA Quarter 4 Report

In July 2022, Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos was awarded $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding. The focus of our collaborative work is to provide a comprehensive response to the root causes of mental health disparities and enduring health inequities along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. Through our ten partners (Aliados Health, the Botanical Bus, Center for Wellbeing, Community Action Partnership of Sonoma, Child Parent Institute, Hanna Institute, Humanidad Therapy, La Luz Center, Raizes Collective, Sonoma County Office of Education) the funding is being used to increase and strengthen client-centered, culturally responsive mental health support for our community.

• As of June 30, 2023, 5,815 ndividuals have received culturally responsive mental health supports through farmworker clinics, stress reduction education, individual therapy, group and community convivencias, community building & cultural events, cross sector resource connection, and in-home family therapy.
• 916 individuals have received professional development and/or training through mental health systems change partners. These staff, providers, and community members are better equipped to implement trauma-informed practices with potential to influence the lives of children, youth, and families throughout Sonoma County.

Upcoming Action Team Meetings

This month, the Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos Action Teams will be working on the agenda items below:

ACE Screening Implementation Action Team 

Thursday, September 7, 2013 | 3:00pm-4:00pm

We will have a guest speaker coming from American Academy of Pediatrics to discuss the Data Exchange Framework which is a new statewide data sharing agreement to expand the exchange of health information among health care entities, government agencies, and social service programs beginning in 2024. We will also explore the emerging funding opportunities as part of this framework.

Community Accountability Action Team 

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 | 3:00pm-4:30pm

Join us to discuss CHW workforce developments, systems change work happening in our community, DEB (diversity, equity, and belonging), and more.

Resource Connection Network Action Team  

Monday, September 25, 2023 | 1:00pm-3:00pm

Join us to participate in decision making regarding next steps in the implementation of the Resource Connection Network 

Our Action Team meetings offer simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. 



Join us in moving this important work forward by attending an upcoming meeting!

September is both National Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month

For students in #recovery, September marks #RecoveryMonth and a transition #BackToSchool. It can be an exciting, yet often overwhelming time. One way to cope is to stay connected with supportive and trusted friends, family, and mentors. Learn more: samhsa.gov/mental-health/how-to-talk/young-people-looking-for-help

Access SAMHSA’S National Recovery toolkit to share messages likes this and more: 

This Suicide Prevention Month, know that the #988Lifeline is here for everyone—no matter the reason someone is struggling. #YouMatter #MentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionMonth #MentalHealthMatters #Suicide

Help promote 988 awareness with SAHMSA’s 988 Partner Toolkit

Community Events and Learning Opportunities

Nepantlah of On the Margins

On the Margins announces the launch of Nepantlah, a program in Spanish and Spanglish for bilingual and multicultural mental health practitioners, culture workers, and students who are dedicated to self-understanding, healing, and growth. 

The goal of Nepantlah is to cultivate a virtual network where practitioners can share knowledge, deepen skills, and nurture connections with others who are working with Latine populations and striving for a decolonial praxis. 

The Nepantlah program consists of 10 workshops in Spanish and Spanglish. Registration can be made for individual workshops, or for the entire 10 month training at a discounted fee. Each workshop meets the qualifications for continuing education credits for LMFT’s, LCSW’s, LPCC’s and LEP’s as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Translation for English speaking participants will be provided.

Celebration of Dreams

The Center for Well-Being is hosting an evening of gratitude under the harvest moon, celebrating 29 years of advancing health equity for all on September 23! 

All proceeds support free access to Center for Well-Being’s programs and services!

CAP Sonoma Youth Financial Literacy Program: Fall 2023

In partnership with Luther Burbank Savings, CAP Sonoma will hold a 5-week after-school course for high school students to learn about saving, goal setting, budgeting, debt, credit, adulting, investing and banking. Classes will be held once a week (Mondays or Fridays) from 6-8pm beginning September 5th - October 6th.

The sessions will be held at CAP’s main office at 2055 Northpoint Parkway in Santa Rosa. Food will be provided, and students can receive a $100 match for a savings account.

Connection is Prevention

When: Sunday, September 10, 10am-1pm

Where: Old Courthouse Sq, Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Lethal Means Safety Counseling and Lock Box Distribution

When: September 26th from 12pm-2pm 

Where: Finley Center 

In collaboration with the local Veterans Affairs office, MHSA are offering a free two-hour course on Lethal Means Safety Counseling (LMSC) which is an evidence-based intervention intended to promote the safety of a person in suicidal crisis or in anticipation of a crisis. This training will explain the importance of addressing means of safety as part of suicide prevention and how the implementation of LMSC can enhance suicide prevention efforts in your own community. They will distribute fee lock boxes following the presentation, and the lock boxes, which can store medications or a handgun, can be a vital part of safety planning.  

Bridging the Gap – Connecting Schools and Youth-Serving Community Organizations

When: Thursday, September 28 | 3:30pm-5:30 (location soon to be announced)

Cradle to Career Sonoma County, invites you to a reception connecting school and district representatives with representatives of children and youth-serving organizations. The primary focus of this year's Bridging the Gap event will be supporting the development of wellness centers on local school campuses. RSVP Required.

Center for Wellbeing’s Sonoma County Community Health Worker Network Meeting

Meets the third Wednesday of the month from 12:30-2:00pm via Zoom

• Learn about local community resources and services
• Learn about training and job opportunities
• Connect with peers and share information
• Hear from panels and guest speakers 

NAFFA's 19th Annual Fatherhood is Leadership Conference

When: November 7-9, 2023

Where: Mesa, Arizona at the DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix Mesa.

The Fatherhood is Leadership Conference will gather individuals across the nation from similar organizations, tribal communities, school districts, professional businesses, etc. This conference is meant for every individual and every family, to become inspired and learn more about resources available!

Want to see your events featured?

Are you a community partner and would like to see your upcoming events featured in Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos’s newsletter? Please contact Mariana Raschke mraschke@sonomaconnect.org.

We accept submissions until one week prior to the beginning of each month.

We express our appreciation to our funders!

www.sonomaconnect.org

Your information will not be shared with anyone other than the Sonoma Connect/Sonoma Unidos team.