May 10th RAMS Asian American & Pacific Islander Youth & Mental Health Conference

RSVP: https://ramsinc.ticketspice.com/rams-apa-mental-health-day

Course Description:

In honor of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day and May being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, RAMS (Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc.) is proudly partnering with Stanford School of Medicine (Psychiatry), UCSF, Palo Alto University, and SAMHSA to hold a conference focusing on API youth, mental health, leadership, stigma reduction & suicide prevention.

This multi-institutional and multi-county conference across San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, will highlight youth leadership projects, parental support initiatives, clinical practices, and county initiatives and programs.

Keynote speakers and presentations include:

Francis G. Lu, M.D.
Luke and Grace Kim Endowed Professor in Cultural Psychiatry
Director of Cultural Psychiatry
University of California, Davis

Joyce P. Chu, Ph.D.
Professor, Palo Alto University

Wei-Chin Hwang, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College
Clinical Psychologist & Consultant

Helen Hsu, Psy.D.
President. Asian American Psychological Association
Staff Psychologist, Stanford University

and SAMHSA Fellows.

The conference will connect people working on Asian American and Pacific Islander mental health issues, with a focus on youth, across the Bay including providers, youth leaders, service organizations including counties, community-based organizations, and universities, and promote mental health awareness among the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

You are invited to the 12th Annual Evelyn Lee Diversity & Cultural Competency Training!

Title: Asian Americans and Microaggressions: Clinical Implications
Presenter: Kevin Nadal, Ph.D.
Date/Time: Friday, October 12 (9 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Location: State Building, 455 Golden Gate, SF, 94102 (Milton Marks Auditorium)
Continuing Education: 3 units available for Psychologists, LCSW, LMFT, LPCC

Please fill out this Google Form to RSVP.

We highly recommend that you arrive early to allow time for the security check-in.

(Click flyer images to view larger)

 

 

 

If you have any questions about this training, please feel free to contact Connie Chuang at conniechuang@ramsinc.org or (415) 800-0699.

 

We are Seeking Donations to Support the RAMS Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility

RAMS Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility (BSARF) is a 33-bed long-term residential facility for clients with both medical and mental health diagnoses. We are currently seeking support through the RAMS BSARF GoFundMe page for much-needed replacements of supplies and equipment. Click here for more information about the kinds of support the facility needs and to learn more about how the team works hard to build a healthy and joyful community at RAMS BSARF.

Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate -- Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2018 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course

RAMS, in collaboration with San Francisco State University (SFSU) Department of Counseling, is excited to announce that the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is currently accepting applications for the RAMS/SFSU Fall 2018 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course!

Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course provides a 12-week intensive program that offers training and education for individuals, and family members of individuals, that have accessed behavioral health services & who are interested in (or are currently) providing peer counseling, advocacy and support services in the behavioral health field in San Francisco. Having already successfully completed 16 cohort cycles, the Entry Course has graduated over 230 participants, the majority of whom are actively engaging in work, volunteer, and educational opportunities as a direct result of taking the course. This program is free of cost for the attendee, with books and materials included, and a modest stipend is provided upon completion of the course.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are at least 18 years of age and a resident of San Francisco,
• Have successfully completed at least a High School education or GED,
• Are interested in helping people in a behavioral health setting, and
• Are able to attend 12 weeks of classes, which will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10AM-2PM).
• The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program is funded by the San Francisco Department of Public Health with Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) funds. As such, the course is designed for individuals (or family members) with personal experience with behavioral health services.

Application and Course Timeline:

• Monday, July 16th: Application Release
• Wednesday, July 25th & Tuesday, July 31st: Informational Program Open Houses @ 835 Market
• Friday, August 3rd: Optional Application Help Workshop @ Peer Wellness Center, 1282 Market
• Tuesday, August 21st @ 5PM: Application Submission Deadline
• Week of September 3rd: Notification of Application Status
• Tuesday, September 18th, 2018: First Day of Instruction

Please feel free to contact Program Manager, Kristin Snell, at (415) 579-3021 x102 or certificate@ramsinc.org should you have any questions. Materials are available for download at: http://www.ramsinc.org/peer.php.

We look forward to receiving applications for the Fall 2018 class, and beginning another great cohort!

Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate -- Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2018 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course

RAMS, in collaboration with San Francisco State University (SFSU) Department of Counseling, is excited to announce that the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is currently accepting applications for the RAMS/SFSU Spring 2018 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course!

Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course provides a 12-week intensive program that offers training and education for individuals, and family members of individuals, that have accessed behavioral health services & who are interested in (or are currently) providing peer counseling, advocacy and support services in the behavioral health field in San Francisco. Having already successfully completed 15 cohort cycles, the Entry Course has graduated 200+ participants, the majority of whom are actively engaging in work, volunteer, and educational opportunities as a direct result of taking the course. This program is free of cost for the attendee, with books and materials included, and a modest stipend is provided upon completion of the course.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are at least 18 years of age and a resident of San Francisco,
• Have successfully completed at least a High School education or GED,
• Are interested in helping people in a behavioral health setting, and
• Are able to attend 12 weeks of classes, which will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10AM-2PM).
• The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program is funded by the San Francisco Department of Public Health with Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) funds. As such, the course is designed for individuals (or family members) with personal experience with behavioral health services.

Application and Course Timeline:

·         Thursday, January 11, 2018 - Application Release 

·         Wednesday, January 24^th & Tuesday, January 30^th- Informational Open Houses

·         Tuesday, February 6^th, 10AM-2PM – Optional Application Help Workshop

·         Tuesday, February 20^th @ 5:00pm - Application Deadline 

·         Week of March 5^th - Notification of Application Status 

·         Tuesday, March 20^th – First Day of Class 

Please feel free to contact us at (415) 579-3021 x102 or certificate@ramsinc.org should you have any questions. Materials are available for download at: http://www.ramsinc.org/peer.php.

We look forward to receiving applications for the Spring 2018 class, and beginning another great cohort!

RAMS’ Statement on the Administration’s Rescinding of DACA

RAMS Hire Ability Program Recognized for Highest Success Rates in the Bay Area

The California State Department of Rehabilitation, City and County of San Francisco Behavioral Health Services, along with several Non-Profit Organizations throughout San Francisco, met on July 27th to acknowledge and celebrate the phenomenal strides the San Francisco Mental Health Co-Operative (SF MH COOP) made in FY16-17. The SF MH COOP provides vocational services for residents with severe mental illnesses who want to work. RAMS Hire-Ability ended the fiscal year by meeting 97% (66 out of 68) successful closures (job placements lasting a minimum of 90 days). We look forward to exceeding our goals this current fiscal year.

Remembering Christian Wilcox

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the recent passing of our wonderful colleague, Mr. Christian Wilcox, Peer Counselor at RAMS.

Mr. Wilcox passed away on May 26th, 2017, due to complications from multiple medical issues. He will be missed by many in his native San Francisco, both within the behavioral health community—where he worked for nearly a decade—and by the countless people he motivated and inspired on the street and throughout the city.

Photo credit: GoFundMe page for Christian Wilcox

Mr. Wilcox began working with RAMS in July 2015 as one of the inaugural staff members in the Division of Peer-Based Services. It became clear very quickly that his ability to build relationships with others, his natural way of creating an atmosphere of safety and comfort, and his patience and empathy towards some of the most marginalized individuals in the city were rare and valuable assets for clients and colleagues alike. As one of his colleagues wrote, Mr. Wilcox was “hard as nails on the outside but soft as butter on the inside—my favorite kind of person.”

Mr. Wilcox took great pride in his outreach to people who were homeless or struggling with substance use and mental health conditions, and was always willing to share his expertise and vision with the community. Mr. Wilcox’s passion for this work and his skill with clients will not be forgotten; it will live on in the Peer Counselors he trained and in the clients he helped.

We extend our sincere condolences to his wife and daughter, other family members, friends, co-workers, and others for whom Mr. Wilcox’s larger-than-life presence made a positive and lasting impact.

If you would like to donate to a memorial fund for Mr. Wilcox, please follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/christianwilcox

Welcome Dr. Jorge Wong as RAMS President & Chief Executive Officer

We are happy to announce the confirmation of Dr. Jorge Wong as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of RAMS.

Dr. Jorge Wong is a California Licensed Psychologist with nearly three decades in the behavioral health and human services field, including over 15 years in management and leadership roles. His clinical focus has been in community mental health, correctional and forensic, crisis and culturally adapted evidence practices with underserved limited English proficient immigrant and refugee populations. Immediately prior to RAMS, Dr. Wong was the Specialty Mental Health Division Director of Asian Health Services (AHS) in Oakland, overseeing the establishment of a Specialty Mental Health Division serving moderate, chronic and severely mentally ill API populations in the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), Santa Clara county’s largest community-based health and human services organization focused on Asians, where he oversaw enterprise wide quality improvement, compliance and regulatory functions, as well as managing integrated behavioral health services in primary care, problem gambling, HIV prevention and education, SUD and DUI services, CalWORKs, youth development and prevention, civic engagement, graduate clinical training, professional development, and external relations.

Dr. Wong is a Banana Slug from UC Santa Cruz and graduate from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University (PAU). He completed his APA Internship at Cermak Health Services of Cook County DOC-Rush Presbyterian-Isaac Ray Center. He has served on the American Psychological Association’s Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP), Committee of Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS), State Leadership Committee (SLC), and the editorial board for Psychological Services, the journal for Div. 18: Psychologists in Public Service. He is Past President of the California and San Francisco Psychological Associations, Board member of the California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC), Trustee and Adjunct Faculty at PAU, consultant to the U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division, and past member of the Consumer and Family Leadership Council of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. He has also served in advisory roles to the California Office of Problem Gambling, Kaiser Permanente’s Research Project of Genes, Environment and Health, the City of San Jose Office of the Independent Police Auditor and various international mental health organizations. Most recently he received the 2016 Okura Community Leadership Award by the Asian American Psychological Association and the 2015 Community Heroes Award: Mover and Shaker, by the Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Board.

In his spare time he mentors underrepresented graduate students emphasizing that psychology is not just about practice and research but advocacy, policy and leadership. He encourages the younger generation to get involved professionally and represent the diversity of their respective communities and cultures.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Wong to this significant leadership role at RAMS!

Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate -- Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2017 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course

RAMS, in collaboration with San Francisco State University (SFSU) Department of Counseling, is excited to announce that the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is currently accepting applications for the RAMS/SFSU Fall 2017 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course!

 

Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course provides a 12-week intensive program that offers training and education for individuals and family members of individuals that have accessed behavioral health services, who are interested in (or are currently) providing peer counseling, advocacy and support services in the behavioral health field in San Francisco. Having already successfully completed 14 cohort cycles, the Entry Course has graduated 190 participants, the majority of whom are actively engaging in work, volunteer, and educational opportunities as a direct result of taking the course. This program is free of cost for the attendee, with books and materials included, and a modest stipend is provided upon completion of the course.

 

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are at least 18 years of age and a resident of San Francisco,
• Have successfully completed at least a High School education or GED,
• Are interested in helping people in a behavioral health setting, and
• Are able to attend 12 weeks of classes, which will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10AM-2PM).
• This program is funded by MHSA through San Francisco Behavioral Health Services. As such, the course is targeted to individuals (or family members) with personal experience with behavioral health services. 

 

Application and Course Timeline:

• Thursday, July 6, 2017 - Application Release 
• Wednesday, July 19th & Tuesday, July 25th- Optional Informational Open Houses 
• Thursday, July 27th, 10AM-2PM – Optional Application Help Workshop
• Wednesday, August 16th @ 5:00pm - Application Deadline
• Week of August 28th - Notification of Application Status
• Tuesday, September 12th – First Day of Class

 

Please feel free to contact us at (415) 579-3021 x102 or certificate@ramsinc.org should you have any questions. Materials are available for download at: http://www.ramsinc.org/peer.php.

 

We look forward to receiving applications for the Fall 2017 class, and beginning another great cohort!

RAMS Division of Peer-Based Services PEER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM -- Now Accepting Applications for the 2017-2018 Cohort!

RAMS Division of Peer-Based Services is very excited to announce the Peer Internship Cohort 2017-2018. The Peer Internship Program is designed for individuals with lived experience who are consumers of behavioral health services, former consumers, family members of a consumer, and/or peer providers working for a community agency providing behavioral health services.

The Internship Program offers collaborative learning in a peer-supported environment, in which Peer Interns work with other Peer Practitioners throughout the 9-month program. Peer Interns will attend formal trainings each month provided by RAMS for additional professional development. The Internship Program also provides weekly group supervision from a Peer Supervisor, as well as ongoing individual supervision from a site supervisor.

 

We are looking for individuals who:

 

In order to qualify for this internship, please note that you must meet the following requirements:

• At least 18 years of age,
• Resident of San Francisco,
• Have successfully completed at least a High School education or GED,
• Be able to work 20 hours/week in a behavioral health care setting, AND
• Commit to the nine months of the internship
   

This program is funded by MHSA and other sources through San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services. As such, the Internship Program’s mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with lived experience with Community Behavioral Health System of Care, and/or their family members.

 

Application and Course Timeline:

• Wednesday, June 7th: Application Release
• Friday, July 14th @ 5PM: Application Submission Deadline
• Week of August 14th: Notification of Application Status
• Wednesday, August 23rd: Registration Forms Due
• Tuesday, September 5th: Internship Start Date

Materials are available for download at: http://www.ramsinc.org/peerbased.php. Please feel free to contact us at peerinternship@ramsinc.org should you have any questions or would like any additional information.

New RAMS Director of Development

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the new RAMS Director of Development, Cristiana Baik.

Ms. Baik has been working in the development field for over eight years. Previously, she was the Director of Institutional Giving at Lincoln (formerly Lincoln Child Center) in Oakland. She holds a BA in Gender Studies and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Chicago, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa. She is delighted to join the RAMS team, and is looking forward to helping the agency thrive, and to support staff.

Please join us in welcoming and congratulating Ms. Baik to her new leadership appointment as the Director of Development for RAMS.

You may contact Cristiana Baik at RAMS by telephone at (415) 800-0699 ext. 204 and/or by email at cristianabaik@ramsinc.org.

Annual Richmond Community Health Festival on Saturday, May 6th

RAMS is proud to have co-sponsored our annual Richmond Community Health Festival on May 6th, along with Assemblymember Phil Ting, Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, Kaiser Permanente, Self-Help For The Elderly, and Compassionate Community Care.

The Health Festival featured free clinical health services including blood pressure testing, Hep B screening, and other medical tests & services, as well as free Tai Chi and Fall Prevention Demonstrations. The fair also featured FREE giveaways, food, health education offered by more than 40 community health organizations, children’s activities and family fun, including traditional Russian singing and dance performances.

 

 

 

 

 

Lion Dance Kick-off Performance Video Clip 

The i-Ability Vocational IT Training Program is now accepting applications for Desktop and Help Desk!

RAMS is excited to announce that the i-Ability Vocational IT Training Program is currently seeking applicants for the upcoming cohorts for two tracks: (1) Help Desk and (2) Desktop. The i‐Ability Vocational IT Training Program is offered by Hire‐Ability Vocational Services, a division of Richmond Area Multi‐Services, Inc. (RAMS) with funding from the Mental Health Services Act. Participants in these 9‐month program tracks will receive intensive and supportive on‐the‐job training in the fields of information technology, technical support and customer service.

Please visit www.hire-ability.org, to access videos that provide information about how to prepare for the application process and the program itself, and to access the application, which is also available here: VIEW APPLICATION.

In order to qualify for this program, please note that interested applicants must be able to provide documentation showing that they meet the following requirements: 

1. At least 18 years of age 
2. Current resident of San Francisco 
3. Must be currently receiving services through SFDPH Behavioral Health Services (BHS) 
4. Have successfully completed at least a High School education or equivalent (GED acceptable) 
5. Be able to attend training which is held Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., 7‐12 hours per week 
6. Successful completion of in‐person interview and skills assessment 
7. Must actively participate in developing vocational goals with program staff 
8. Must provide consent for i‐Ability staff to reach out to clinical provider 

The program is accepting about 10 trainees for the Help Desk track and 8 trainees for the Desktop track. Interested applicants can attend information sessions that will be held at the 1st floor Avatar Training Room of 1380 Howard St. on the following dates and times:

• Thursday, May 11, 2017 @ 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
• Wednesday , May 17, 2017 @ 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 18, 2017 @ 1:00 p.m. -2:30 p.m.
• Monday, May 22, 2017 @ 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Application Due Date: 

June 2, 2017 (must be received by manager no later than 5:00 p.m.)

Interviews Conducted: 

Ongoing until June 30, 2017

Notification of Application Status: 

All applicants will be notified no later than July 21, 2017

First Day of Instruction: 

July 31, 2017 (Help Desk) & August 14, 2017 (Desktop)

For more information, feel free to contact:

John Cabiles, Vocational IT Services Manager at (415) 255‐3563 or iAbility@hire‐ability.org

Nancy Gobaleza, Intake Coordinator at 415-282-9675 ext. 207 or nancygobaleza@hire-ability.org 

APIMHC offering FREE Mental Health First Aid Training - April 17 & 18, 2017

The Asian & Pacific Islander Mental Health Collaborative (APIMHC) is pleased to offer a two-day Mental Health First Aid Training facilitated by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Trainer Joyce Diloy. The two-day training will be held in the Auditorium at the Samoan Community Development Center - 2055 Sunnydale Avenue, San Francisco. The training starts promptly at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. each day.

Who to attend:

• APIMHC Community Partners and staff
• FMHI-SF workgroup members
• SEAMHI workgroup members
• SWI workgroup members
• Interested Community members

Space is LIMITED.

 RSVP by Thursday, April 13, 2017 to Anila Pillai at anilapillai@ramsinc.org

Refreshments/snacks will be provided. Please bring a notepad and pen for note-taking.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:

Natalie T. Ah Soon, MPH

Project Coordinator
Asian & Pacific Islander Mental Health Collaborative
(415) 668-5998 ext. 22
natalieahsoon@ramsinc.org

Career Connections Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2017

Career Connections is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for the Summer cohort starting the first week of May 2017.  Applications are due Friday, March 31, 2017.

The Hire-Ability Career Connections Program offers time-limited paid internships to transitional aged youth (TAY) ages 15-25, in order to provide healthy activities and entry-level work experience, and to help TAY consumers of behavioral health services achieve resiliency and maximize recovery.

We are looking for individuals who:
· Are between 15 and 25 years of age
· Are a resident of San Francisco
· Are currently receiving services through SFDPH Behavioral Health Services (SFDPH-BHS)

Contact Information:
Please feel free to contact us with questions about our program. We can be reached by phone at: (415) 282-9675.

Our brochure and application are available for download:

Link to Brochure:
http://www.ramsinc.org/pdf/CareerConnectionsBrochure.pdf

Link to Application:
http://www.ramsinc.org/pdf/CareerConnectionsApplication.pdf

The first group of participants enrolled in November 2016 have completed the initial skills and interest assessment, career exploration and vocational training and are now placed in internships as diverse as a radio station, a museum, and the Department of Public Health.

Career Connections congratulates the interns on a job well done and thanks our community partners for their support!

Now Accepting Summer Bridge 2017 Applications

RAMS Summer Bridge 2017 Fact Sheet

RAMS-Summer Bridge is an 8-week summer mentorship program for youth ages 16 to 20, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools.  Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is collaborating with California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).  The program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

What is the purpose of RAMS-Summer Bridge 2017?

It is a mentorship program for youth from under-represented backgrounds who are interested in the field of psychology. Participants will learn some basics about counseling psychology, mental health, and the many career possibilities in the helping professions. Participants will meet with therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other professionals in the field. Participants will attend weekly field trips within San Francisco. Participants will receive a stipend at completion of the program, during a graduation ceremony with friends and family.

Who can apply?

Youth ages 16 to 20 years old, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools, are invited to apply. 

What will we do each week?

The program will meet from 6/13/17 – 8/3/17 on Tues/Weds/Thurs from 11am – 3pm.  Each of the 8 weeks explores a specific theme, including Identity, Mental Health, Helping Professions, Education, Therapy, and Self Care. The main location is CIIS: 1453 Mission St (in SOMA). On Wednesdays, we will meet at field trip locations within San Francisco.

There are four major components:

§  Meetings at CIIS – team-building activities, guest speakers, experiential activities, small discussion groups, and work on final project

§  Field trips – to community agencies, clinics, and colleges; including the Fort Miley Ropes Course, San Francisco State University, RAMS Child, Youth, and Family Outpatient Clinic, and Psychiatric Emergency Services

§  Journal – weekly journal entries to reflect on the themes of the week

§  Final Project – presentation on what you have learned from the program

What do we need to do to complete the program?

§  Complete and submit application including 2 letters of reference

§  Be selected by committee of Summer Bridge staff and Youth Council participants  

§  Participate in all activities/visits and complete/present final project

§  Follow all rules and policies of RAMS-Summer Bridge 2017

What do we get out of this program?

§  Meet professionals from different cultures, sometimes in real work situations

§  Explore career options in psychology and the helping professions

§  Experience different neighborhoods within San Francisco

§  Learn more about yourself

§  Meet other students with similar interests from high schools throughout the city

§  Lunch provided each day

§  Stipend upon completion of program

RAMS– Summer Bridge 2017 Application

RAMS-Summer Bridge is an 8-week summer program for people age 16 to 20 currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools.  It is a mentorship program for students who are interested in the field of psychology.  Along with the educational aspects of the program, students are given the chance to explore many career possibilities in the helping professions with weekly site visits.  Participants of the program will experience first-hand how psychology applies to human services. 

Deadline for application: rolling admissions, but must be submitted by May 4, 2017!

Application can be e-mailed to: summerbridge@ramsinc.org

U.S. mail to: RAMS, Inc. 3626 Balboa Street, SF, CA 94121, Attn.: Program Coordinator

Or put in envelope at any San Francisco Unified School District High School Wellness Center marked “Summer Bridge application return”

Questions: e-mail summerbridge@ramsinc.org

Click here for the RAMS Summer Bridge 2017 Application

RAMS Reaffirms Commitment to Serving the Community

(Click to view enlarged version)

Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate -- Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2017 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course

RAMS, in collaboration with San Francisco State University (SFSU) Department of Counseling, is excited to announce that the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is currently accepting applications for the Spring 2017 Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course!

Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Entry Course provides a 12-week long training for consumers of behavioral health services or their family members who are interested in becoming peer counselors/peer specialists in the field of community behavioral health. Having already successfully completed 13 cohort cycles, this course has had over 175 graduates, the majority of whom are actively engaging in work, volunteer, and educational opportunities as a direct result of taking the course. This program is free of cost for the attendee, with books and materials included, and a modest stipend is provided upon completion of the course.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are at least 18 years of age and a resident of San Francisco, 
• Have successfully completed at least a High School education or GED, and 
• Are able to attend 12 weeks of classes, which will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). 
• This program is funded by MHSA through San Francisco Behavioral Health Services. As such, the course is targeted to individuals (or family members) with personal experience with behavioral health services.

Application and Course Timeline:

• Thursday, January 12th - Application Release 
• Wednesday, January 25th & Tuesday, January 31st - Optional Informational Open Houses (see Flyer Here for details)
• Wednesday, February 1st, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. – Optional Application Help Workshop
• Tuesday, February 21st @ 5:00 p.m. - Application Deadline 
• Week of March 1st - Notification of Application Status 
• Tuesday, March 22nd – First Day of Class 
• Thursday, June 8th - Graduation Ceremony

Please feel free to contact us at (415) 579-3021 x102 or certificate@ramsinc.org should you have any questions. Materials are also available for download at: http://www.ramsinc.org/peer.php.

We look forward to receiving applications for the Spring 2017 class, and beginning another great cohort!

Important Announcement from RAMS Board of Directors on CEO Transition

Message from Kavoos Ghane Bassiri, President & CEO:

Dear Colleagues, Community Partners, and Friends;

I would like to inform you that I am officially resigning from my position as the President & Chief Executive Officer at Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS). After a comprehensive search & recruitment process, I have been selected as the San Francisco Department of Public Health and San Francisco Health Network’s Director of Behavioral Health Services, with the City & County of San Francisco. My last day of employment with RAMS will be December 31, 2016. It has been an honor to serve this organization, all of you & our community, for over a decade.

I am so proud and humbled to have been the RAMS’ President & CEO for over 13 years. I truly appreciate your vote of confidence and I wholeheartedly cherish the privilege I was provided with to serve in this role at RAMS. I don’t take anything for granted for a moment and am so inspired by & thankful for all the experiences I have had/we have had together. During the past 13 years, RAMS has grown as an organization by leaps and bounds, offering more programs & with more diverse initiatives, serving more people, through quality, compassionate, culturally humble/competent, consumer-driven and community-based services. A lot has been accomplished, in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable, under/un-served &/or disenfranchised population in our community, and I am pleased to say that RAMS’ reputation and operations is at its strongest ever.

I look forward to staying in contact and working with you all in my new role; championing behavioral health care, strengthening our community, and ensuring the wellbeing of all San Franciscans & beyond. Respectfully, Kavoos Ghane Bassiri