Blog Posts

ACHCH StreetHealth Staff Visit the Capital

2/7/2020

On February 5th, Aislinn Bird, MD, MPH and Seth Gomez, PharmD, BCPP convened at the California State Capital with Governor Newsom’s administration, legislators, state leaders, and other officials to present on Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless’s StreetHealth model and services. This was a critical opportunity to describe and demonstrate the value of street medicine services to our community and clients we serve.

Aislinn and Seth were invited by Words to Deeds, a project of the Forensic Mental Health Association of California. The project advocates and creates policy movements to decrease forensic interaction among individuals who have mental health conditions and create a space to highlight best practice models of health services to vulnerable populations for state policy leaders.

It was an honor to present our work to such a wide audience of people who are committed to finding the best solutions to care for our most vulnerable neighbors. With this opportunity, ACHCH is hopeful that this motivates and enacts legislative change to align and support street health programs to deliver care to individuals who may otherwise not be able to access health services for our county and beyond.

View presentation here.

IN THE NEWS | Street medicine outreach and cultural sensitive care - KCBS Radio

9/13/2019

KCBS developed an hour long program focused on mental health services that address a wide range of issues including care for unsheltered populations, programs for victims experiencing a mass incident such as Gilroy, and school programs addressing similar trauma.

ACHCH and the Street Health Team was recently interviewed by a KCBS reporter who shadowed the team during a recent encampment visit. Below is a short clip of the segment.

Remembering Kimberlee Burks

7/1/2019

Kimberlee Burks, a member of the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Consumer/COmmunity Advisory Board (ACHCH CCAB), passed away last week, felled by a sudden cerebral bleed. She was 52 years old, and leaves behind a grieving family and community. Kimberlee was the single most active and important person to those experiencing homelessness in Hayward, CA. Emerging from her own experience of homelessness, she never lost her connection and care for those around her. She was one of the original organizers of the BlueHouse, a drop-in center for Hayward people experiencing homelessness, which became the White House in downtown Hayward where it was closed down due to business opposition. She advocated for and then ran the Hayward Winter warming center, and ran the informal safe parking program at South Hayward Parish.

Kimberlee was working at Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) where she worked tirelessly to house disabled persons and taught independent living and transportation skills. She also maintained the Hayward GRID list of homeless service sites. Kimberlee was a key member of the ACHCH CCAB for the past four years. A year ago, Kimberlee was awarded an Alameda County Local Hero Award by the ACHCH CCAB at their 2018 Summer Solstice event. Kimberlee participated and spoke at the 2017 National Health Care for the Homeless Conference in Washington, DC.

Kimberlee also worked closely with the ACHCH staff in coordinating care for the hundreds of people experiencing homelessness that she worked with night and day. Kimberlee was an inspiration to all those around her, a light in the darkness around her, passionate and driven by love, who touched literally thousands of people in crisis. She worked in a hard place, Hayward - and all can agree that the movement that Hayward has made in recent years towards compassion and care for its homeless residents has been fruit of Kimberlee's dedicated and never ending work.

A Celebration of Love will be carried out on Saturday, June 15th at First Presbyterian Church of Hayward in Castro Valley: 2490 Grove Way, Castro Valley 94546; 10am-12pm.

We love you and will miss you, Kimberlee. We will continue our common work in your memory and with you in our thoughts.

HCH Consumers Celebrate Strength & Resiliency of People Experiencing Homelessness in Summer Solstice Celebration 2018

9/7/2018

Homelessness Is Not Permanent! On June 21, 2018 the longest day of the year, the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Consumer/Community Advisory Board (HCH CCAB), along with staff of the HCH Program and Lifelong TRUST health center, celebrated the strengths and success of people who are overcoming incredible barriers to gain housing, create community and support our common mission of ending homelessness.
The Summer Solstice is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. It is a day filled with light, and it is one in which we can honor the strength, resilience, and spirit of individuals who have overcome the multitude of obstacles people experiencing homelessness face in obtaining stable housing. For years we have observed the Winter Solstice, the darkest day, by mourning those who have died on the streets in homelessness. This was the first time the HCH CCAB celebrated Summer Solstice.
The HCH CCAB joined partner programs in New York City, Miami, Baltimore, Seattle, San Francisco, in their Solstice celebration, coordinated through the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB).
The celebration included a luncheon served to some 60 homeless participants by HCH and Lifelong staff. Participants enjoyed inspirational music performed by Brenda Whitfield and Tom Rudderow. Master of Ceremonies Bennie Whitfield and other HCH CCAB members presented five community members with Local Hero Awards, and each gave a speech. The awardees included:
·       Nino Parker: Inspiring and leading all through energetic organizing for homeless-led cleanup work, self-organizing and support services to those living alongside him at the Lake Merritt encampment.
·       Janny Castillo: For year years of dedicated service, support and organizing of aging people experiencing homelessness as a beloved member of St. Mary’s Senior Center, WRAP and many community organizations.
·       Kimberlee Burks: Honored for her years of struggle to overcome homelessness and her strength and love in supporting countless persons in the Hayward area as an advocate, organizer and friend.
·       Pastor Preston Walker: Celebrated for his political wisdom, his organizing, drive and focus in meeting the spiritual and health needs of people experiencing homelessness in downtown Oakland.
·       Mavin Carter-Griffin: Saluted for her dedicated and determined organizing and leadership at the Wood Street encampment in Oakland, representing for the rights of people experiencing homelessness on an international stage.
·       Bobby Qui: Bobby has lived a full life of struggle, and is currently dedicating his work to the work of The Village/Feed The People, working tirelessly to build tiny homes and community at The Village encampment at 23rd Avenue in Oakland.

Each awardee gave a heartfelt and uplifting speech, inspiring and moving the 60+ attendees and staff. The event was followed with a raffle including prizes donated by members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Lifelong Medical Care and East Oakland Community Project. The HCH CCAB would like to thank all our supporters, and salute the strength and resiliency of all the folks who participated this year. See you next Solstice! ck here to edit.