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

Six Seasons of Summer Bridge

Today's guest post is from Danni Biondini, MA, Behavioral Health Counselor at RAMS who also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program, which is an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions". 

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RAMS has successfully graduated its sixth cohort of future mental health professionals!

Summer Bridge held its graduation at the CA Institute of Integral Studies on Thursday, July 30th. The event was well-attended by the 27 graduates, their families/friends, and RAMS staff.

This event celebrated the culmination of this year's Summer Bridge, our 8-week summer program which introduces youth to the field of psychology. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act, the program recruits SF Unified School District youth from underrepresented backgrounds for an intensive introduction to the mental health field, exploring topics such as: Identity, Mental Health, Education, Helping Professions, Therapy, and Self-Care. As one parent noted at the graduation, he has "never seen a program that includes so much learning and so much fun."

Staff bring in guest speakers, lead interactive activities, and take the participants on field trips. We returned to some of our most popular field trip sites, including the Fort Miley Ropes Course, the GLBT History Museum, RAMS Child Youth & Family Outpatient Clinic, SF State University, and Psychiatric Emergency Services at General Hospital. A new addition to this year's program was a scavenger hunt to different agencies throughout the city. Participants broke into three teams to see who could visit the most agencies within the allotted time. Participants cited this as a highlight of the program! (And the winning team was rewarded with 'highly-coveted' RAMS glass water bottles.)

Summer Bridge Mentors (L-R): Sophia Padilla, Erica Kan, and Jemel Borromeo

This year's participants were a thoughtful, engaged group of young people. About half of them will be going to college in the Fall, hopefully to study Psychology, and the others will return to high school. After completing Summer Bridge, participants are invited to join theYouth Council, RAMS' youth advisory board.

We encourage participants to remain in contact with their mentors, as well as the Summer Bridge staff: Danni Biondini, MA; Ernest Brown, Ph.D.; and Heather Truschel, LPCC.  Looking forward to the future, we will be conducting research to follow the progress of our six cohorts. Additionally, in the coming months, we will be planning how to build on the success of the program.

(L-R): Ernest Brown, Ph.D., Summer Bridge Counselor; Heather Truschel, LPCC, Summer Bridge Counselor; Danni Biondini, M.A., Summer Bridge Coordinator; Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT, RAMS Child, Youth, & Family Services Clinic Program Director; Christina Shea, LMFT, RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services

Summertime and The Learnin’ is Easy (and Over)

Today's guest post is from Danni Biondini, MA, Behavioral Health Counselor at RAMS who also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program, which is an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions".

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RAMS Summer Bridge has completed its fifth summer! A diverse group of youth, between the ages of 16-19, graduated from this MHSA-funded workforce development program. The program culminated in a graduation ceremony at California Institute of Integral Studies on Thursday, July 31st. The participants celebrated with their families, as well as RAMS staff/administration. Each of the 25 participants received a certificate of completion, as well as a stipend check for their involvement.

Over the course of the 8-week program, the participants learned about working in the field of Psychology and the helping professions. Through guest speakers and field trips, they met with licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional clinical counselors. One of the highlights of the program was the field trip to Psychiatric Emergency Services at San Francisco General Hospital, where the participants saw firsthand what it’s like to work in a psychiatric emergency room. Another participant cited visiting the RAMS Fu Yau Project as her favorite experience, since learning about preschool mental health consultation strengthened her resolve to become a child psychologist.

 Besides learning about the various paths to working in the mental health field, the participants were introduced to basic listening and counseling skills, ideas about stigma and the origins of mental illness, and strategies for practicing self-care. They presented final projects on some of the topics that interested them more, including: eating disorders, the intergenerational transmission of trauma.

The youth developed strong relationships with each other, with the three peer mentors, and with the three staff members. One of the most notable comments that the staff received was that

Summer Bridge was the only place some of these youth have ever felt comfortable to be themselves. 

More than just an opportunity to learn, this program provided a new template for social experiences with peers.

 Now, the participants will return to high school, or head off to college, with this new knowledge about steps to take for their futures. All participants are invited to join Youth Council, the youth advisory board for RAMS, which meets throughout the school year. After the program ended, Summer Bridge hosted an end-of-summer reunion for this year’s cohort to meet previous cohorts. To further build upon and sustain lasting relationships, Summer Bridge will host another reunion in the winter.

For more details about this program, visit http://www.ramsinc.org/summerbridge.html

Summer Learning... Had Me A Blast! (Tell me more, tell me more...)

Summer has officially begun as RAMS kicks off its version of a psychology summer camp!

The RAMS Summer Bridge 2014 program started this week. RAMS is collaborating with the Samoan Community Development Center, California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and The Wellness Initiative. CIIS hosts the program on their Mission St campus.

L-R: Ernest Brown, Ph.D., Summer Bridge Counselor

Danni Biondini, M.A., Summer Bridge Coordinator

Heather Truschel, M.A., Summer Bridge Counselor

Summer Bridge is an 8-week summer mentorship program for students who are interested in the field of psychology. Along with the educational aspects of the program, they are given the chance to explore many career possibilities in the helping professions. Participants of the program will experience first-hand how psychology applies to human services.

This is the fifth year of the Mental Health Services Act-funded program, which recruits youth ages 16 to 20 currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools, especially from underrepresented backgrounds in mental healthcare, who want to learn about working in the helping professions. For eight weeks, the youth meet three days a week to explore what therapists/counselors do, the different paths to higher education, and the different roles in community mental health. The participants will meet professionals working in the field, including therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, professors, and researchers. Each week the participants go on a field trip to further explore the themes of Identity, Helping Professions, Mental Health, Education, and Self-Care.

The youth began the week with a visit to the Fort Miley Ropes Course, where they climbed up trees, walked across logs and wires thirty feet in the air, and jumped back down (with a safety harness!) or rode a zip line back to the ground. The group bonded as they encouraged each other to face their fears, and learned what it means to trust and support one another. They will continue exploring how this relates to the work of psychology as the program continues.

Upcoming field trips include: Exploratorium’s The Changing Face of Normal: What is Mental Health exhibition, RAMS Child, Youth & Family Outpatient Clinic, San Francisco State University’s Counseling Department, RAMS Fu Yau Project, SFGH Psychiatric Emergency Services, and RAMS Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility. The program culminates in each participant presenting a final project showcasing their journey and self-discovery over the eight weeks. A graduation ceremony for participants and their families will be held at CIIS at the end of July.

Summer Bridge staff with Peer Mentors

L-R: Kaiqi Guo, Hannah Ramirez, Mike Misa

After the program, the participants are invited to join the Youth Council, the advisory group for RAMS. They may also return to work as Peer Mentors for next year’s Summer Bridge program. The long-term goal is to recruit these youth for the workforce (e.g. healthcare, community mental health, etc.). Eventually, we hope to see these youth return to RAMS as staff!

Guest Post - Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT

Today's guest post is from Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT, Mental Health Counselor at RAMS who also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program, which is an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions".

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RAMS Summer Bridge 2011:  The end of another enriching, memorable summer

Where has the summer gone?  It feels like just yesterday that this year’s cohort in the Summer Bridge program was participating in the Fort Miley ropes course, breaking the ice and getting to know each other through various team-building activities.  Fast forward eight weeks to 8/5/11, when we held the graduation ceremony where 19 participants received their certificates of completion and came together one last time to reflect on all they learned and experienced, as well as the time spent together as a group.  
This cohort eagerly took in all that was offered to them in terms of learning about psychology and the helping professions through the numerous guest speakers and field trips in the program.  However, what was most striking about this group is how open they were to new experiences and learning about themselves in the process.  This was reflected in the depth of trust in each other as seen in the way they shared their personal stories in the small group discussions.  It was also evident in their final presentations where they were asked to present what they learned and experienced in the program.  Most of the presentations were of a very personal nature, reflecting on what they have learned and integrating their experiences from this program into the overall narrative of their lives.  But, most significantly, it was seen in the strong relationships that formed amongst program participants, as well as with program staff.  

One of the goals of this program is to foster a mentoring relationship with program graduates in order to nurture them into this profession, and with the bonds formed during this year’s program, we are hopeful that we will be able to maintain relationships with several of the graduates and support them as they take their next steps towards their dreams.  

Speaking of which, there is an exciting new program that is being started by some of last year’s Summer Bridge graduates.  Three graduates co-wrote and developed a grant proposal to the Youth Empowerment Fund to start up The Bridge Project where Bridge Outreach Workers (BOWs) will be expanding on what they learned during Summer Bridge to give presentations at high schools about mental health issues. The three youth leaders have recruited five Summer Bridge graduates (from both cohorts) to serve as BOWs to increase awareness of mental health issues and the stigma associated with them.  They also have future plans to provide peer-led support groups for those seeking support from other youth. So, as can be seen, they are already giving back to their community and taking tangible steps in pursuit of their goal of becoming mental health professionals.  Best of luck to them!

It's time for Bridge - Summer Bridge!

Despite the unseasonal weather...it’s Summer Bridge time again!

RAMS-Summer Bridge is back for another summer of giving youth an opportunity to dip their toes into the vast waters of psychology and explore the varied career options in the field of mental health.  For those of you unfamiliar with this relatively new program, it is an eight-week summer mentoring program for current and recently graduated San Francisco public high school students age 16-20 who are interested in psychology and want to explore career opportunities in the field.  This is the second summer that RAMS is offering the program and we are off to a good start!  We received over 50 applications for the 20-30 slots we had, and we currently have 19 participants who are well on their way to completing the program.  

The program participants meet 12 hours a week at our partner location, Horizons Unlimited in the Mission.  They are hearing presentations by guest speakers on topics ranging from identity, self-expression, mental health and stigma, LGBTQIQ issues among adolescents and their families, body image and self-esteem, and personal stories from professionals in the field of mental health.  The participants have also gone on various field trips:  a RAMS staff training on racism and mental health, a visit to SFDPH/CBHS, a tour of San Francisco State University and meetings with undergraduate and graduate faculty members, and an introduction to our very own RAMS Child, Youth and Families Outpatient Clinic to learn about psychotherapy and the youth-oriented services provided by the agency.  With so much learning taking place in such a short period of time, we are also providing space for participants to reflect on what they’re experiencing and opportunities to get to know themselves and each other in the process.  This is done through numerous ice breaker activities, experiential activities, and small group discussions.

It’s hard to believe that we are already midway through our program.  There is still a lot more to learn and experiences to be had...oh, and hopefully a lot of fun along the way too!  Stay tuned for another blog entry at the end of the program....

 

Ropes Course...Getting to Know (and Trust) Each Other!

It comes Full Circle!

Nurturing the Next Generation of Culturally Competent Clinicians

The RAMS Summer Bridge program presented a workshop at the Northern Region Cultural Competence and Mental Health Summit XVII titled, “Promoting Equity in Health Services:  The Power of Community Based Services.”  The presentation, which was held on June 27, 2011, was given by RAMS Summer Bridge Program Coordinator Yuka Hachiuma, MFT, and RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, MFT, along with two program graduates.

The presentation introduced the audience to the overarching mission of the Summer Bridge program, which is to nurture the next generation of culturally sensitive, linguistically competent, clinicians.  Christina Shea spoke of how she experienced the lack of such clinicians in the workforce as an issue that could be addressed by providing a mentoring program that reaches out to youth from under-represented communities and introducing them to psychology and the various career opportunities in the helping professions.  Yuka Hachiuma explained how the program was designed and implemented in its pilot year, and described the curriculum and how it was made possible through numerous partnerships with other providers in the community.  The program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act. 

One program graduate shared his experience in the program, and how it changed perception of himself and encouraged him to apply to college instead of going into the military.  He shared that he will be starting at San Francisco State University in the fall and is planning to study nursing or psychology in hopes of becoming a pediatrician in the future.  Another program graduate shared her experience of the program, which allowed her to focus her interest in psychology to becoming a psychotherapist in the future.  She also spoke of her continued involvement with RAMS through joining the Youth Council and starting her own youth-led organization that builds on what she learned in Summer Bridge, called the Bridge Project.  

The presentation was enthusiastically received by the audience who asked numerous questions and expressed excitement for this novel approach to increasing cultural competence in the field of mental health. Several audience members were eager to find out how to implement similar programs in their communities, which bodes well for the future of our profession.  

Christina Shea speaking about the need for programs such as Summer Bridge

Yuka Hachiuma describes the Summer Bridge program

Trainings & Presentations in June 2011

CELEBRATING API CULTURES

WHEN: Thursday, June 16, 2011. 9:30am - 1:00pm
WHERE: Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, 1663 Mission Street, 7th Floor
WHAT: Together with Asian Pacific Islander Family Resource Network (APIFRN) and other API-focused service providers in the community, RAMS shall once again be co-leading a Cultural Competency training on June 16, 2011 titled "Celebrating API Cultures". The aim of the workshop is to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the complexity of how culture of origin and immigration interface with family's priorities and needs. Panelists will represent the Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, and Vietnamese cultures, and food selections from all ethnic groups will be served for lunch.

Click on the image above to enlarge the flyer.

NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT CLINICIANS

WHEN: Monday June 27 - Tuesday June 28, 2011

WHERE: Doubletree by Hilton San Jose, 2050 Gateway Place San Jose, CA 95110

WHAT:  This will be a workshop by RAMS at the Northern Region Cultural Competency Summit - 'Promoting Equity in Health Services: The Power of Community Based Solutions'.  Learn about the pilot year of the RAMS Summer Bridge program, a summer mentorship program for under-represented San Francisco high school students designed to increase awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in pursuing a career in the helping professions.  This will be presented by RAMS Summer Bridge Program Coordinator Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT, and RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, LMFT.

Guest Post - Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi

Today's guest post is from Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi, Mental Health Counselor at RAMS who also served as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program. Taking place from June 14 to August 6, Summer Bridge was an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions".

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Oh, the places you'll go!
"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places.
You're off and away. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go...."

-- Dr. Seuss, "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

In the final week leading up to the end of Summer Bridge, when I stopped to reflect on the past weeks spent with the Summer Bridge participants, the opening lines of Dr. Seuss's classic children's book popped into my head. The book is about life and its challenges, but is also an optimistic encouragement to the reader to go out and conquer the world.

This story came to mind because the message is very applicable to the first group of Summer Bridge graduates. Many, if not most, of them have already experienced various challenges in their lives. These stories came out in the experiential activities we did and engaging discussions we had as we got to know each other throughout the program. The group worked together to create a safe, respectful space where everyone could be themselves while learning and having fun together. There were definitely times when opinions clashed and feelings were hurt. But, they managed to work through their differences and created deeper relationships as a result. What is most notable about this group is their resilience in the face of these challenges, and their desire to give back to their community in the future. This blend of life experience, psychological insightfulness, and community focus makes them very well-suited to pursue a career in the helping professions. My hope is that the Summer Bridge graduates will use this experience as a launching pad to learn more about themselves, pursue their interests, and create opportunities to make good choices for themselves in their lives.

Spending the summer with this group of amazing youth has been an inspiring experience for me, and it has renewed my passion and commitment to nurturing the next generation of mental health professionals. For that, I have them to thank.

-Yuka

Walking on sunshine... and don't it feel GOOD!

In the previous blog post, we introduced our Summer Bridge program for high school students. Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi, is the Program Coordinator for Summer Bridge as well as a Mental Health Counselor at our Child, Youth, & Family Outpatient Clinic program. Together with Yuka, and counselors Ken Lee, LCSW, and Cecilia Nepomuceno, PhD, RAMS is certainly keeping those students busy during the summer! Here's an update from Yuka about Summer Bridge:

"We received a great response of over 50 applicants--which was all through word of mouth! The 21 participants selected for Summer Bridge range in age from 15-19, come from all parts of the city, and reflect the diversity of the communities in San Francisco. We kicked off the program with a retreat, which featured a Ropes course at Fort Miley (check out the photos). Despite some initial grumbling, everyone had a great time pushing themselves past their comfort zone and getting to know each other in the process. It's hard to believe that we are already half way into the program! Time truly flies when you're having fun.

The participants in this pilot year of the program are a really focused, inquisitive group that is very open to learning and experiencing all we have to offer in the program. They have also repeatedly demonstrated their capacity to both challenge and support each other. We are really excited to be working with this amazing group of youth. It's even more exciting to think that they may go on to become our colleagues in the future. I am confident that they will be successful in whatever path they choose for themselves."

Quality time outdoors - what a great way to spend the summer!

Up high in the sky at the Ropes course

Thank you so much for the update and for sharing the pictures with us, Yuka!

It's the "good" kind of Summer School

In keeping with RAMS commitment to community involvement, training, and “growing our own” mental health professionals, RAMS has started the Summer Bridge program, an eight-week summer mentoring program for people ages 16 to 20, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools. This summer program provides participating students with classroom learning, field trips to various providers and agencies, guest speakers, and networking opportunities with future schools and potential employers. The purpose of this program is to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions (social worker, counselor, psychologist, therapist, etc.).

This program started on June 14, and will go through August 6, 2010. We are now halfway through the program, so far it’s been a blast!

Big smile for the Group Shot!

Click HERE to learn more about Summer Bridge. This program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).