May 2013 HelpDesk Training program now accepting applications!

We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to learn skills that many employers are looking for.

The RAMS Hire-Ability program is currently accepting applications for the May 2013 HelpDesk training program.  The program provides intensive, supportive, high-quality, and time-limited training in the fields of information technology, technical support, and customer service. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the primary goal of the HelpDesk program is to offer consumers of community behavioral health services or their family members with on-the-job training and paid, part-time work experience while providing front end user support primarily over the phone, under the direct supervision of the instructor.

Hire-Ability is seeking applicants with basic to intermediate computer skills, who are able and willing to commit to a nine-month long training program of 10-15 hours a week with a regular schedule. The application and program information are available on the Hire-Ability website (www.hire-ability.org).  This will be the fourth cohort of this program, with several graduates have succesfully secured positions in the field!

Applications and program information are available online on the Hire-Ability website at www.hire-ability.org (click HERE to go directly to the RAMS i-Ability Information Technology Help Desk Training Program page). Applications are due on Friday, March 29, 2013 at 5:00pm. Please feel free to contact i-Ability Program Manager, Terry Golden at tgolden@hire-ability.org for more information.

See the brochure images below for more details (right-click on the image and select any of the "Open Link" options to view)

RAMS Co-Presenting at 2013 CAAMFest

RAMS will be co-presenting two feature films at the upcoming 2013 CAAMFest, formerly known as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, held by the Center for Asian American Media.

One film, Invoking Justice, explores the way women in Tamil Nadu, South India are challenging tradition to demand equality and justice in their communities.  Fed up with an increasingly corrupt system that allows men to interpret the Qu’ran for personal gain, the first-ever Women’s Jamaat is formed to address issues of women’s rights. Despite initial harassment, the organization flourishes as women from the community and the Jamaat gain the courage to speak frankly about the daily violence they endure. Invoking Justice follows three cases (two murders and a divorce) as the core members of the Jamaat raise their voices with humor, tenacity and heart to demand retribution. This intimate portrayal offers the women of Tamil Nadu an additional opportunity to “talk back”—to the male-Jamaats, to their aggressors and to anyone who has ever doubted the power and autonomy of a Muslim woman.

 

The other film, Dead Dad, is a more intimate story focusing on family dynamics, on children dealing with their parents' imperfections.  When their dad dies unexpectedly, estranged siblings Russell, Jane and their adopted brother, Alex, come home to tend to his remains. Though a stubborn and proud bunch, they are able to agree on one thing: nobody wants to keep the ashes. With little guidance and mounds of resentment among them, the three must work together to achieve a proper goodbye. The man who split them apart brings them closer together as the siblings learn what it means to be a family without their dad. From Director/Writer Ken Adachi, his goal was to to tell a story about our generation and the inherent estrangement that often exists among family members. What if our parents suddenly passed, leaving us to deal with siblings we primarily communicate with via texts, emails and social networking? His hope was to touch upon those small and seemingly insignificant moments that make us love and hate our family members, those moments that make us wonder 'how the hell did I come from this family?'

We hope you join us at the CAAMFest for these highly anticipated films!

New Beginnings, Whichever Way You See It…

The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is proud to announce yet another wonderful cohort has graduated from the program. Over a dozen students from the Fall 2012 cohort celebrated their great accomplishments and received their certificates of completion at their graduation ceremony in December of 2012. These students put in a tremendous amount of hard work and commitment throughout the duration of this 12-weeks long intensive training program, where they learned techniques and skills on becoming peer counselors in the field of community behavioral health. We were especially honored at this graduation ceremony to have the full Executive Management Team of San Francisco Department of Public Health, Community Behavioral Health Services in addition to many community members attend the wonderful even. To date, 5 cohorts have completed the program, bringing our total number of graduates to 68! Congratulations again, class of Fall 2012!

We are also happy to announce that we are currently accepting applications for the Spring 2013 term of the program. Applications and program information are available online HERE at the RAMS website's Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program webpage. Applications are due on Friday, February 15 at 5:00pm. Classes start Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013. Please feel free to contact Program Coordinator, Christine Tam at christinetam@ramsinc.org for more information.

 Photo Credit: h.koppdelaney via Compfight cc

Happy Holidays from RAMS

Wishing you a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season

From all of us at RAMS

 

Inaugural 2013 Staff Awards for Outstanding Service

RAMS is pleased to announce the first annual Awards for Outstanding Service. There will be three individuals that will be honored in the following ways…

• Consumer/Community Advocate Award: This award honors an individual who has been an outstanding voice for consumer empowerment by promoting client centered decision-making & change, access to information & resources, and creating relationships that foster hope, safety, and a sense of self-efficacy. S/he is mindful not only of consumer needs, but also of the needs of the larger community. S/he goes above and beyond the “call of duty”, outside her/his regular responsibilities to advocate on the behalf of the organization, consumers, their communities, and the “cause” at large.

• Excellence in Service & Cultural Competency Award: This award honors a skilled & compassionate individual who exemplifies the values and ideals of RAMS’ mission in her/his work & interaction with staff, consumers, and the community. S/he has given superior, sustained commitment to quality services, along with unwavering dedication to serve the organization (including other staff, consumers & their communities) with professionalism, integrity, respect, and humility. This individual is not only skilled at what s/he does, but also values diversity, is able to conduct self-assessments, manage & embrace the dynamics of difference, acquire new cultural knowledge, and adapt to the cultural context of the people s/he serves. S/he has a lasting positive impact on the organization and the communities.

• Rising Star/Leadership Award: The award honors an individual that has shown exceptional promise in leadership by demonstrating their skills within the organization and our communities. S/he has shown accomplishments in improving the operations of a program, the administrative/supportive functions, and/or the lives of consumers and community we serve using an effective and efficient approach. This individual leads the way with fresh energy, strong ability, and steadfast commitment.

To be considered for this recognition, anyone working at RAMS may self-nominate or be nominated by anyone else within the agency. A committee representing staff and management personnel will review all nomination submissions and notify the final award recipients. All nominations will be collected in January with awards being presented in 2013 at a RAMS event. Each recipient also receives $1,000.

RAMS is excited to be able to have this annual recognition for staff, and will be making the announcement early next year!

Meet RAMS - Alison Ching, LMFT and Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT

On October 30, 2012, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors commended individuals in each supervisorial district for their work in the mental health field. We are proud to announce that Supervisor Eric Mar awarded RAMS counselors Alison Ching, LMFT and Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT with Certificates of Honor as the individuals representing the Richmond District of San Francisco.

Here’s why:

Alison Ching, MA, Ed.M., MFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of experience in the human services field. Beginning as a Research Assistant Intern for one of the first U.S. studies on HIV and substance use in Asian American populations, Ms. Ching has since worked with a range of culturally diverse communities of children, youth, and families providing clinical assessment, psychotherapy, and health education. She has been working at RAMS, since 2006, as a Behavioral Health Counselor for teens and families providing culturally competent assessment, therapy, and crisis intervention services for students on-site at Washington High School and Lincoln High School (and previously Burton High School) through the Wellness Initiative. She exhibits passion and dedication to working with culturally diverse youth and families, while demonstrating tireless advocacy and providing effective client-centered mental health services.

Yuka Hachiuma, MS, MFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 10 years of experience in the mental health field. A bicultural, bilingual Japanese-speaking therapist, Ms. Hachiuma works at RAMS as a Mental Health Counselor providing culturally competent counseling to youth and their families, on-site at Washington High School. Specifically, she serves students & families with limited resources and youth receiving special education services while providing consultation to school faculty and administrators. While at RAMS, Ms. Hachiuma previously served as the first Coordinator for the agency’s launch of the Summer Bridge program, a summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students designed to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions. She continuously exhibits unwavering commitment to serving the diverse San Francisco community of children and youth, while modeling and inspiring compassionate & quality mental health care in the field.

Please join RAMS in congratulating Alison and Yuka for this commendation, and in celebrating all the honorees of the various San Francisco districts!

The San Francisco Wellness Initiative

If you'd like to read more about how the Wellness Centers program is structured, the San Francisco Wellness Initiative website is a great place to start.

The mission of the SF Wellness Initiative is to improve the health, well-being, and educational outcomes of San Francisco Unified School District high school students.  RAMS, Inc. is the core provider of behavioral health services for the Wellness Initiative. 

Check out the latest videos (featuring RAMS staff!) from the San Francisco Wellness Initiative YouTube page to learn more about how San Francisco collaborates to support the health of our adolescents.