Empowering 31,000 Lives Annually: Caminar's Impact Report Unveils Ongoing Commitment to Bay Area Mental Health Needs

Local behavioral health organization continues building strength and stability through comprehensive mental health and substance use treatment

SAN MATEO, Calif., March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Caminar, a leading Bay Area behavioral health care agency, today released its annual Impact Report for the fiscal year 2022-2023. Over the last twelve months, Caminar's programs and services reached more than 31,000 youth, adults, and families across six Bay Area and Northern California counties through services that include counseling, addiction treatment, housing support, and education programs.

Behavioral health needs continue to increase, with the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reporting that among individuals experiencing housing insecurity, one of California's ongoing challenges, nearly 21% have a serious mental health condition. Caminar remains steadfast in its devotion to promoting mental wellness and accessibility for all and within the last year was able to assist 14,283 individuals through housing outreach efforts, providing stable housing and comprehensive supportive services to ensure their continued residence.

"We are committed to delivering exceptional care to our clients, grounded in the highest standards of science and compassion. None of this would be achievable without the unwavering support we receive from our employees, board members, donors, and the greater community. We thank them for enabling us to create ripples of positive change in the lives of clients and their families," says Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH, CEO of Caminar.

Throughout the last fiscal year, Caminar had the opportunity to broaden its impact and expand its services. As a contractor of Contra Costa's Health, Housing, and Homelessness (H3) Program in partnership with Contra Costa's Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD), Caminar has provided two categories of assistance to at least 59 families involved with the child welfare system. In addition, the organization has developed new programs such as the Expressive Arts Program, which brings the therapeutic power of the arts to clients in San Mateo; and the Healthy Equitable and Respectful Together (HEART) Program, which offers support and safe space to build healthy relationships to bring an end to domestic and intimate partner violence.

In continuing to meet the needs of its community, Caminar expanded its team in 2023, by welcoming a number of new executives and board members. Three new C-suite executives have joined the organization including: Chief Clinical Officer, Audrey Klein, PhD, MBA; Chief People and Equity Officer, Sherita Nzali, MS, MBA; and Executive Director for Mild to Moderate Services, Daryl Tilghman, PhD. Several new board members have joined the agency as well, including Joanne Wu Jennings, Gio Granato, PhD, Daniel Kwak, and Carmen Román, PhD.

Caminar's dedication to extending its reach in the community doesn't stop at providing services.  Last November, the agency hosted its Annual Fall In Celebration event featuring an exclusive panel interview with former professional baseball player and mental health advocate Drew Robinson and Director of Mental Health and Wellness Dr. Shana Alexander, both from the San Francisco Giants. Caminar events expand awareness of the growing mental health needs in the community by helping to destigmatize care access.

About Caminar
Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization that supports 31,000 youths and adults in the San Francisco Bay Area each year. Through 60 different programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery across six counties, Caminar delivers high-quality services to those with complex mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs. The organization was founded in 1964 and is driven by compassion, science, and an understanding of root causes. To learn more, please visit www.caminar.org.

Media Contact: 
Wendy Garrish, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Caminar to Host Annual Fall Celebration on November 4th to Increase Mental Health Awareness and Foster Courage, Hope and Community

Caminar to Host Annual Fall Celebration on November 4th to Increase Mental Health Awareness and Foster Courage, Hope and Community

Special Guest Drew Robinson, Former San Francisco Giants Player, to Speak about the Importance of Destigmatizing Mental Health

[San Mateo, Calif. October 19, 2023] - Caminar, a leading Bay Area behavioral health care agency, is continuing its mission to reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage ongoing mental health advocacy through its annual celebration on Saturday, November 4, 2023. The event is open to the public; community members, elected officials, and healthcare advocates are encouraged to attend.

As seen through Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Services Act, mental health reform is at the forefront of state issues and Caminar remains dedicated to cultivating a safe space for the Bay Area and providing services that address root causes. Caminar strives to be a leader in mental health in the local community by fostering hope, courage, and community – the three pillars of this year’s event.

On Saturday, November 4, Caminar will host its “In Celebration with Caminar” event with special guests Drew Robinson, San Francisco Giants Mental Health Advocate, and Dr. Shana Alexander, Director of Mental Health and Wellness and EAP for the Giants. Robinson and Dr. Alexander will be having an intimate conversation about Robinson’s personal experience battling mental health and ways that parents, coaches, and caretakers can recognize the signs of mental health hardships early on.

“Anxiety and depression are very common, but because of stigma, it can be hard to discuss openly. Respected figures like Drew have a powerful platform to advocate for mental health.  Drew can reach people we can’t, and we are honored to have his voice raising awareness,” said Caminar CEO, Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH. 

“It takes a lot of strength to recognize and admit that something might be off, and although challenging, it is empowering. By providing a safe space for our peers, we can foster the support people need to share their stories and talk through their struggles,” said Robinson. “While it’s not easy sharing my story, it’s incredibly important for me to help others through events like this, to show that they’re not alone, and prevent others from going through what I did. It’s important to remind people that we would rather hear from you, than about you.”

The evening’s entertainment will be provided by the Champian Fulton Quartet. Guests are invited to enjoy cocktails, dinner, a Fund a Need auction, and the program for the evening. The celebration is sponsored by Carole Middleton, Michael and Kathy Chinn, Newfront, Barbara Patterson and Andrew Menkes, MD, Celeste P. Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD and Wendell W. Birkhofer, Linda and Richard Leao, Chick and Rick Runkel, Hanson Crawford Crum, Mark Cloutier, Sue Merrill, Tze Pin Tai and David Tai, and BPM. 

For more information or to register for Caminar’s celebration, please visit the event page. 

About Caminar
Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization that supports nearly 17,000 youths and adults in the San Francisco Bay Area each year. Through 60 different programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery across five counties, Caminar delivers high-quality services to those with complex mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs. The organization was founded in 1964 and is driven by compassion, science, and an understanding of root causes. To learn more, please visit www.caminar.org.

Media Contact: 
Wendy Garrish, Director of Marketing & Communications

Panel of Mental Health Experts To Address Youth Mental Health Crisis in Upcoming Webinar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
May 2, 2023
Contact: Wendy Garrish

Join Caminar's Speakers Series on May 19th for a Powerful Discussion

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 2, 2023 -- Caminar, a leading Bay Area behavioral health care agency, will hold its annual Caminar's Speaker Series virtually on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 12:00 - 1:30 pm PT with an esteemed panel of psychologists, clinicians and professors. The conversation will address large and compounding issues that, combined with other stresses of adolescence, contribute to a sense of persistent anxiety and depression; what happens when trauma in youth goes unaddressed; and how to find actionable ways to nurture hope and resilience in our youth.

Youth today have been subjected to climate crises, mass shootings, COVID-19, lethal drugs, polarized politics, and many other issues that have led to heightened anxiety, depression and distress. According to Mental Health America, over 2.7 million youth in America have severe major depression. It's critical that we address these issues, and improve our youth's resilience to prevent further mental health issues from continuing to pass down to future generations.

"We see on a daily basis how recent events have impacted our youth that we care for here at Caminar," said Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier. "Research tells us that thoughtful, knowledgeable and empathic engagement by parents and trusted adults can buffer the psychological harm caused by the compounding issues facing this generation, and prevent these large issues from contributing to more severe mental health conditions in the future. Hosting this annual speaker series and bringing leading mental health experts to the conversation to educate our community is so critical, and we must instill hope in not just our youth, but their parents, caregivers, teachers and support systems in order for the mental health crisis to improve."

The topic of nurturing hope and resilience in our youth will be discussed between subject matter experts with Caminar CEO, Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH, moderating the panel. At the end of the panel discussion, there will be a Q&A led by media partner Rob Waters of MindSite News.

The panel discussion will include perspectives from:

• Elizabeth Allured, Clinical Psychologist and Educator at the Suffolk Institute, who teaches clinicians and the public about the interface of the climate crisis and mental health

• Anne E. Brodsky, PhD, Professor and Chair of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), who focuses her teaching, research, administrative work, and practice on resilience, psychological sense of community, social justice, and the role of communities in creating and resisting societal risks and oppressions, including violence, poverty, racism, and sexism

• Susan Clayton, PhD, Whitmore-Williams Professor of Psychology at the College of Wooster in Ohio, who examines people's relationship with the natural environment, how it is socially constructed, how a healthy relationship with nature can be promoted, and how climate change can threaten mental health

• Faria Tavacoli, public health major at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), who focuses on programming to increase awareness of mental health resources while increasing kindness and bravery in young people

This event is sponsored by Forty Niners Football Company, LLC, Hansen Crawford Crum, Barbara Patterson and Andrew Menkes, MD, Christine and Michael Curry, Kaiser Permanente, and Peninsula Health Care District. Media partners include The Daily Journal, MindSite News, Punch Magazine, San Francisco Business Times, and Silicon Valley Business Journal.

To register for Caminar's Speaker Series, visit the event page.

About Caminar

Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization that supports nearly 17,000 youths and adults in the San Francisco Bay Area each year. Through 60 different programs focused on prevention, treatment and recovery across five counties, Caminar delivers high-quality services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. The organization was founded in 1964 and is driven by compassion, science and an understanding of root causes. To learn more, please visit www.caminar.org.

Media Contact:
Wendy Garrish, Director of Marketing & Communications
650.513.8667

In Celebration with Caminar Benefits Adolescent Behavioral Health and Features Keynote Speaker Marlee Matlin and Live Concert by Maikel Garcia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
October 6, 2022 
Contact: Wendy Garrish

San Mateo, CA: In Celebration with Caminar is an evening of cause, community, and connection featuring keynote speaker Marlee Matlin, Oscar-winning actress, activist, and author. The event will also feature a live concert by Cuban saxophonist and composer Maikel Garcia. Proceeds raised will help meet the behavioral health needs of our community’s most vulnerable adolescents, young adults, and families. Caminar, a nonprofit organization, reaches more than 14,000 Bay Area residents annually through compassionate and science-based mental health and substance use treatment services.  

Who: Marlee Matlin | Maikel Garcia | Mark Cloutier, Caminar CEO | >200supporters, community leaders, mental health advocates and music fans 

What: In Celebration with Caminar, an event to raise funds and awareness of the behavioral health needs of adolescents, young adults, and families. The event will feature keynote speaker Marlee Matlin, a live concert by Maikel Garcia, and Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier.  

Where: Fox Theatre Redwood City 

When: Saturday, October 8th, 2022, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. PT 

Event Timeline  

5:00 p.m. Pre-Reception with Marlee Matlin  

6:00 p.m. Reception  

7:00 p.m. Opening Remarks, Keynote by Marlee Matlin, “A Family’s Journey” Video, Fund-A-Need  

8:00 p.m. Festive Food and Drinks, Live Concert by Cuban Saxophonist and Composer Maikel Garcia 

9:30 p.m. End of Event  

Why: This is Caminar’s largest fundraising event of the year, and it will help secure crucial funds and awareness of the behavioral health needs of our community’s most vulnerable individuals. No one should suffer because they lack access to quality, affordable behavioral health care. 

Behavioral health conditions can feel lonely and solitary. Yet, one person’s hardships affect so many others. The benefits of the education, prevention, treatment, and recovery services our donors make possible ripple far beyond an individual and out to families, schools, workplaces, and the entire community.  

Media: Contact Wendy Garrish, Director of Marketing & Communications at 650.513.8667. 

Speaker and performer bios and photos are available by request. 

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About Caminar Founded in 1964 as a mission-driven, community-based behavioral health care agency, Caminar helps 14,000+ people annually in the Bay Area. Driven by compassion, science, and an understanding of root causes, Caminar delivers high-quality prevention, treatment, and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs. Caminar conducts client assessments, provides evidence-based psychiatric care and therapy, medication management, domestic violence prevention and care, support for clients who are unhoused or seeking employment, LGBTQ+ programs for youth and adults, and school-based services to help students and train teachers.  

About In Celebration with Caminar In Celebration with Caminar is led by co-chairs Michael & Kathy Chinn and Crysta Krames & Clayton Peters. Major event sponsors include Michael & Kathy Chinn, Linda & Richard Leao, Rod & Jo-Ann Sockolov, Celeste P. Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD & Wendell W. Birkhofer, Dr. Joseph Haggerty & Diane Haggerty, Crysta Krames & Clayton Peters and Betsy & Bill Pace. Corporate sponsors include Newfront, Bank of America, BPM, San Mateo County Association of Realtors Foundation, Hanson Crawford Crum, Fremont Hospital, Heritage Bank, Law Office of Michelle Leu Zaccone, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Fraenkel Gallery, HEALTHTrust, and Hoover + Krepelka Family Law Attorneys. Media partners include The Almanac, Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Online, NOB HILL Gazette, San Francisco Business Times, The Daily Journal and Punch Magazine. Arrangements for the appearance of Marlee Matlin made through UTA Speakers, New York, NY. More information is available online. 

BHCA to Partner on Campaign for Mental Health Awareness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and members of the Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association (BHCA) of Santa Clara County are partnering on a joint campaign to spread the word about mental health awareness and resources that are available to those who need support.

This is the second year the agencies are joining forces to share out media assets created for their #MentalHealthMatters campaign to their social networks, including a web page https://bit.ly/mentalhealthmatters2022 with a description and link to each organization.

The growing international mental health crisis makes these types of localized efforts more important now than ever. BHCA member organizations all report large increases in demand for their services since the start of the pandemic.

“Folks who need mental health help—for themselves, a friend, or a family member—are already in a world of hurt,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg notes – “Mental health and wellness is just as essential as our physical health in our ability to lead full and productive lives. Thankfully there is growing recognition that we need to integrate mental health in our understanding of wellness, provide more accessible resources for people in crisis, but also to promote healthy coping, stress management, and supportive care across the lifespan.”

In the first year of the COVID pandemic, “global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%, according to a scientific brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO) this March. One major explanation for the increase is the unprecedented stress caused by the social isolation resulting from the pandemic. Linked to this were constraints on people’s ability to work, seek support from loved ones and engage in their communities. Loneliness, fear of infection, suffering and death for oneself and for loved ones, grief after bereavement and financial worries have also all been cited as stressors leading to anxiety and depression. Among health workers, exhaustion has been a major trigger for suicidal thinking.” (News Release from WHO March 2, 2022)

According to National Public Radio, a coalition of the nation's leading experts in pediatric health has issued an urgent warning declaring the mental health crisis among children so dire that it has become a national emergency. "This worsening crisis in child and adolescent mental health is inextricably tied to the stress brought on by COVID-19 and the ongoing struggle for racial justice and represents an acceleration of trends observed prior to 2020.”

Behavioral Healthcare agencies are critical to address the ongoing crisis as a result of the pandemic and its impact on our children, teens and young adults.

The #MentalHealthMatters awareness campaign will run throughout the entire month of May through social media and other communications from BHCA member agencies and community partners.

The agencies participating this year are:

• Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)

• Alum Rock Counseling Center

• Caminar

• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

• Children’s Health Council (CHC)

• Community Solutions

• The Health Trust

• Mekong Community Center

• Momentum for Health

• National Alliance on Mental Wellness (NAMI) Santa Clara County

• Pacific Clinics

• Seneca Family of Agencies

About BHCA

The Behavioral Health Contractors Association (BHCA) is a Santa Clara County-wide network of community-based, non-profit organizations providing essential mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, and supportive transitional housing services to children, adolescents and adults, under contract with Santa Clara County's Behavioral Health Services Department.

BHCA is comprised of over thirty (30) non-profit providers serving Santa Clara County's most vulnerable residents. BHCA members provide services in over fifty (50) languages in community settings throughout the County.

BHCA proactively supports the continued development of a mental health and drug and alcohol system that meets the needs of Santa Clara County residents through client centered services that are focused on wellness, prevention and recovery. Services should be accessible, culturally and linguistically competent, and cost effective. BHCA member agencies help people affected by mental illness and substance use to have the same opportunities to fully participate in life as others in our community.

Caminar's Speakers Series Aims to Revolutionize Behavioral Healthcare by Putting Racial Equity at the Heart of Mental Well-being

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2022

Social Justice Leader Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy, Ph.D. to keynote April 5th Speaker Series on Racial Inequity and Mental Health

SANTA CLARA, Calif. , March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --  Caminar, a mission-driven behavioral health care organization in the Bay Area, is holding their Speakers Series virtually on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, from 12:00-1:30 pm PT. This year's theme of racial inequity and how it negatively impacts mental health will be discussed between industry leaders, Caminar CEO, Mark Cloutier, and President of the Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice and Director of the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships, Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy, Ph.D.

Racial discrimination is a well-known mental health stressor with both physiological and psychological effects. Approximately 67% of Black adults have reported that discrimination is a significant source of stress in their lives. Caminar's Speakers Series focuses on elevating emerging behavioral health topics such as these to educate communities on all facets of healthcare.

"Racism can lead to trauma through verbal or physical attacks, persistent microaggressions, and racist portrayals of BIPOC people in our culture," said Caminar CEO, Mark Cloutier. "As part of a commitment to social justice and mental wellness, behavioral health organizations have an important role to play in identifying and treating racism at the community and individual level. Caminar is excited to bring these conversations to the forefront through our speaker series."

Caminar's Speakers Series will include opening remarks and a fireside chat where attendees will learn how cultural insensitivity and lack of cultural competency can contribute to incorrect diagnosis and treatment among those seeking mental health treatment, as well as specific practices and processes organizations can take to address implicit bias, structural racism, and white privilege to better support BIPOC staff.

This event is sponsored by Kathy and Michael Chinn, Barbara Patterson and Andrew Menkes, M.D., Hanson Crawford Crum, San Francisco 49ers, Patti and John Bentley, Ted's Village Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente, Stanford Health Care, Scott and Shelly Taylor, Peninsula Health Care District, San Francisco Business Times, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and The Daily Journal.

To register for Caminar's Speaker Series, and submit questions for Dr. Hardy, visit: https://caminar.liveimpact.org/li/7678/sevent/evt/home/183624/69

About Caminar
Caminar is a behavioral health service provider in the Bay Area that has been providing quality assessment, treatment, and care for complex mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs since 1964. Driven by compassion, science, and our understanding of root causes, we deliver 60 high-quality education, prevention, treatment, and recovery programs to those with complex mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs. For more information on Caminar visit www.caminar.org.

Contact:
Kristy Carabello
kristy@beyondtrendingpr.com 

11th Annual In Concert with Caminar Benefits Caminar’s Behavioral Health Equity Fund and Features Music by Judith Hill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2021
Contact: Wendy Garrish, wgarrish@caminar.org

San Mateo, CA: The 11th annual In Concert with Caminar benefit gala will feature Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill. Our evening’s special emcee will be KTVU-TV morning anchor Dave Clark. Proceeds will benefit Caminar's Behavioral Health Equity Fund. Caminar’s Behavioral Health Equity Fund was created to continue our response to the urgent behavioral health needs of the Bay Area’s underserved populations. The nonprofit organization Caminar reaches more than 18,000 Bay Area residents annually through compassionate and science-based mental health and substance use treatment services.

Who: Judith Hill | Dave Clark | Mark Cloutier CEO | >450 philanthropists, mental health advocates and music fans

What: 11th Annual In Concert with Caminar concert benefitting benefit Caminar's Behavioral Health Equity Fund. Music by Judith Hill, with emcee Dave Clark of KTVU-TV and Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier.

Where: Virtual, live-streamed through Vimeo

When: Saturday, October 9, 2021, from 6:50 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT

Event Timeline

6:50 p.m. Live stream pre-show begins; client and donor quotes, statistics and videos from elected officials 7:00 p.m. Program

• Welcome by emcee Dave Clark and Mark Cloutier

• Video highlighting Caminar's Behavioral Health Equity Fund and a client who is healing from trauma with the support of Caminar

• Invitation for guests to donate to Caminar’s Behavioral Health Equity Fund

7:15 p.m. Performance by Judith Hill
8:00 p.m. End of event

Why: The purpose of In Concert with Caminar is to increase awareness of behavioral health issues while raising funds to strengthen services for vulnerable members of the community. This year’s event benefits Caminar's Behavioral Health Equity Fund, which was created to continue our response to the urgent behavioral health needs of the Bay Area’s underserved populations. COVID has had a profound effect on the behavioral health of BIPOC communities, essential workers, adolescents and people who are insecurely housed. Event proceeds will allow Caminar to provide behavioral health – mental health and substance use – services for thousands of our low and very low-income neighbors.

Media: For more information about the event, to arrange interviews or to receive the event link, please contact Wendy Garrish, Caminar Director of Marketing & Communications at wgarrish@caminar.org or 650.513.8667.

Speaker and performer bios and photos are available by request.

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About Caminar Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, Caminar and our divisions transformed the lives of more than 18,000 youth and adults through behavioral health care and support. Driven by compassion, science and our understanding of root causes, we deliver high-quality prevention, treatment and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. More information at www.caminar.org.

About In Concert with Caminar In Concert with Caminar is led by co-chairs and Caminar board members Betsy Pace and Jo-Ann Sockolov. Major event sponsors include Betsy and Bill Pace, Rod and Jo-Ann Sockolov, the Whitfield Family Foundation and Newfront (Formerly ABD Insurance and Financial Services). Corporate sponsors include Bank of America, BPM, Barulich Dugoni & Suttmann Law Group, Inc., Carlson Beck, Law Office of Michelle Leu Zaccone, Hanson Crawford Crum and Heritage Bank of Commerce. Media partners include the Daily Journal, Gazette, Palo Alto Online, Palo Alto Weekly, PUNCH Magazine, San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal. More information at www.caminar.org/concert.

Leading Mental Health Expert & Advocate Available For Live Guest Segments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2021
CONTACT: George Devine, Jr.
GDevine@Caminar.org

San Mateo, CA— Anyone who lives, works or studies in the Bay Area can share how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their lives. From children learning at home instead of inside classrooms, dining rooms being transformed into remote offices and many families facing sudden economic hardships, the pandemic affected all of us. These factors and more drove a rise in people seeking assistance from a system that was already stretched to its limits pre-pandemic.

Caminar has served the mental health needs of the San Francisco Bay Area for more than five decades. Caminar’s CEO, Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH, can speak about the increased demand for services during the past year and the ongoing challenge of increasing access to quality and supportive care for underserved communities. Mr. Cloutier can also explain how technology can increase access to care while helping achieve better outcomes for individuals and our community.

Mr. Cloutier will moderate a live, online forum entitled Revolutionizing Behavioral Healthcare: Caminar's Speakers Series on April 23, 2021. Leading up to April 23, Mr. Cloutier is available for both live, on-air discussions and for interviews that can be inserted into reporter packages.

Here are some potential interview topics:

• How much did COVID-19, stay-at-home orders, school closures and closing of public events worsen the mental health of the Bay Area.

• How the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on mental health will continue to drive demand for services even after the pandemic.

• How technology has helped expand access and quality of care during the pandemic and what needs to happen to foster innovation.

• The opportunities to increase access to quality mental health care for all community members, regardless of their ability to pay.

• What individuals, community groups and elected leaders can do to reform mental health care in our state.

For more information and to secure interviews with Mr. Cloutier, please contact George Devine via email GDevine@Caminar.org

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About Caminar: Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, Caminar and our divisions transformed the lives of more than 18,000 youth and adults through behavioral health care and support. Driven by compassion, science and our understanding of root causes, we deliver high-quality prevention, treatment and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. More information at www.caminar.org.

10th Annual In Concert With Caminar Benefits the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund and Features Music by Sheléa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2020

San Mateo, CA: The 10th annual In Concert with Caminar benefit gala will feature singer, songwriter, actress, producer and protégé of the legendary Quincy Jones, Sheléa. Our evening’s special emcee will be KTVU-TV morning anchor Dave Clark. Proceeds will benefit the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund, which was created to meet the rising demand for mental health services -- compounded by the COVID-19 Pandemic -- for Bay Area families and individuals who are in crisis right now. The nonprofit organization Caminar reaches more than 20,000 Bay Area residents annually through its compassionate and science-based mental health and substance use disorder services.  

Who: Sheléa | Dave Clark | Mark Cloutier | >350 philanthropists, mental health advocates and music fans 

What: 10th Annual In Concert with Caminar concert benefitting the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund. Music by Sheléa, with emcee Dave Clark of KTVU-TV and Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier. 

Where: Virtual, live-streamed through Vimeo 

When: Saturday, October 10, 2020, from 6:50 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT 

Event Timeline 

6:50 p.m. Live stream pre-show begins; slide show with client and staff quotes  
7:00 p.m. Program 

• Welcome by emcee Dave Clark and Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier 

• Video highlighting the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund and three clients who are on the path to recovery and wellness with the support of Caminar 

• Invitation for guests to donate to Caminar’s Mental Health Regional Response Fund 

7:15 p.m. Performance by Sheléa  
8:00 p.m. End of event 

Why: The purpose of In Concert with Caminar is to increase awareness of behavioral health issues while raising funds to strengthen services for vulnerable members of the community. This year’s event benefits the Caminar Mental Health Regional Response Fund, which was which was created to meet the rising demand to provide crucial mental health services for Bay Area families and individuals who are in crisis right now. Event proceeds will allow Caminar to adapt in this crisis and continue to provide individuals science-based, compassionate treatment and recovery services tailored to their needs, strengths and goals.   

Media:  For more information about the event, to arrange interviews or to receive the event link, please contact: 

Wendy Garrish, Caminar Director of Marketing & Communications  
wgarrish@caminar.org | 650.513.8667 

Speaker and performer bios and photos are available by request.  

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About Caminar 
Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, Caminar and our divisions transformed the lives of more than 20,000 youth and adults through behavioral health care and support. Driven by compassion, science and our understanding of root causes, we deliver high-quality prevention, treatment and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. More information at www.caminar.org. 

About In Concert with Caminar 
The In Concert with Caminar gala committee is led by co-chairs and Caminar board members Linda Leao and Carole Middleton. Major event sponsors include Carole Middleton, the Whitfield Family Foundation, ABD Insurance and Financial Services, Norman S. Wright Mechanical Equipment Corporation, Linda and Richard Leao and Wendell Birkhofer and Celeste Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD. More information at www.caminar.org/concert. 

Caminar Awarded $150,000 Kaiser Permanente Grant to Address Homelessness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2020

 
Caminar Awarded $150,000 Kaiser Permanente Grant to Address Homelessness
Administered Through a Donor Advised Fund at East Bay Community Foundation,
the Kaiser Grant will Strengthen Caminar’s Operation of Resource Connect Solano

San Mateo, CA - Caminar has received a $150,000 one-year Kaiser Permanente grant administered through a donor advised fund at East Bay Community Foundation. The grant will strengthen Caminar’s operation of Resource Connect Solano, which is primarily funded through a contract with Solano County Department of Behavioral Health, and is the coordinated entry system connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to housing throughout Solano County. Specifically, the grant will support building capacity among homeless providers, bridging the gap to housing through one-time subsidies and easing the transition from life on the streets. Individuals and families facing the life-threatening experience of the loss of stable housing will benefit from housing assistance, personalized peer education and mental health support.

Caminar’s Resource Connect Solano was launched in 2017 to serve individuals and families living throughout Solano County who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. As the founding operator of the county’s coordinated entry system, Caminar coordinates providers’ efforts, manages a real-time list of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and works to quickly connect them with appropriate housing resources.

Resource Connect Solano helps individuals like T.J.*, who suffers from a chronic mental health condition and experienced housing instability for 10 years. With Resource Connect Solano and Caminar case management, T.J. was placed in permanent supported housing, received medical care for an underlying health condition, and began medication to manage his mental health condition.

“Access to safe and affordable housing is a social determinant of health and key to reducing structural inequities, which are even more apparent in this time of COVID-19,” says Mark Cloutier, CEO of Caminar. “Kaiser Permanente’s long-time support of local health and housing programs is a testament to its deep commitment to the health and well-being of all individuals in our communities.”

“Investing in affordable housing and addressing homelessness is an important part of our strategy to improve conditions for health and equity in the communities we serve,” says Yvette Radford, vice president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California External and Community Affairs. “We know that stable housing changes lives for the better, and we’re proud to support Caminar’s work to connect people experiencing homelessness to housing and supportive services.”

Caminar and its divisions have been the beneficiary of nearly $1.3 million in Kaiser Permanente grants since 2013.

About Caminar: Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, Caminar and our divisions transformed the lives of more than 20,000 youth and adults through behavioral health care and support. Driven by compassion, science and our understanding of root causes, we deliver high-quality prevention, treatment and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. More information at www.caminar.org.

*client name changed to protect privacy

MEDIA CONTACT: Wendy Garrish | wgarrish@caminar.org | 650-513-8667

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Virtual Event: Adolescent Mental Health Now and After COVID-19

MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2020

Virtual Event: Adolescent Mental Health Now and After COVID-19
Evidence-based strategies to help our youth now and beyond this public health crisis

WHO: Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH, Caminar CEO
Jess P. Shatkin, MD, MPH, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine

WHAT: Nationally-recognized child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jess Shatkin will discuss

• what a pandemic and isolation may mean developmentally and psychologically for children and adolescents,

• what to look for as worrisome symptoms and 

• how to foster resilience and mental health during this time. 

Dr. Shatkin will then focus his remarks on adolescent mental health and evidence-based strategies for helping our youth beyond our current crisis. 

Mark Cloutier will discuss how to proactively address mental health and substance abuse disorders that may be prevalent during a pandemic. 

Dr. Shatkin and Mark Cloutier will also answer questions.

WHEN: Friday, April 24, 2020, at noon PT

WHERE: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsaT9jKZpHI

ABOUT: Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization in the Bay Area, headquartered in San Mateo, California, with a $43MM budget. Last year, Caminar and our divisions transformed the lives of more than 20,000 youth and adults through behavioral health care and support. Driven by compassion, science and our understanding of root causes, we deliver high-quality prevention, treatment and recovery services to those with complex mental health, substance use and co-occurring needs. We are here to empower and support the most vulnerable members of our community to move toward wellness, resilience and independence. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Wendy Garrish | wgarrish@caminar.org | 650-513-8667

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Advocate and Author David Sheff to Speak at Local Benefit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          
March 7, 2019                    

MEDIA CONTACT 
650.513.1509
development@caminar.org

Advocate and Author David Sheff to Speak at Local Benefit
16th Annual Circle of Support Luncheon Presented by Caminar and its Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley Division to Highlight a Family’s Journey with Addiction

San Mateo, CA – Nationally-recognized advocate and best-selling author David Sheff will be the featured speaker at the 16th Annual Circle of Support Luncheon in Menlo Park on April 26, 2019. This annual benefit event, which is presented by the nonprofit organization Caminar and its Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley division, raises funds for local behavioral health and supportive services. Annually, the organization’s prevention, treatment and recovery services reach more than 20,000 people of all ages on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.

Speaker David Sheff is the author of “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction,” which was adapted as a feature film in 2018, and “Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy.” Among other honors, Sheff has been named to the Time 100, Time Magazine’s list of the World’s Most Influential People, and received a Special Tribute Award “in recognition of his voice and leadership for families who are struggling with addiction” from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. A U.C. Berkeley graduate, Sheff lives with his family in Northern California.

Registration is now open for the luncheon, which will be hosted at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park on Friday, April 26, 2019. The annual event convenes nearly 300 local guests and benefits the work of Caminar and its Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley division. The event highlights an aspect of the nonprofit’s organization mission. In recent years, guests have heard from Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, a leading voice in the world of psychotherapy and brain-based learning; Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland: The True Story of America’s Opioid Epidemic; Transgender Icon Dr. Marci Bowers; and Leslie Morgan Steiner, presenter of the 1st TED Talk by a domestic violence survivor.

The 16th Annual Circle of Support Luncheon is generously underwritten by individual and corporate supporters, including Carole Middleton, El Camino Hospital, the San Francisco 49ers and Hanson Crawford Crum. This year’s event is chaired by Rod Sockolov of Atherton.

For more information or to reserve tickets, please visit www.caminar.org/events, email events@caminar.org or call 650.513.1509.

About Caminar

Founded in San Mateo, California, in 1964, Caminar serves more than 20,000 individuals annually in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. The nonprofit organization’s portfolio of behavioral health and supportive services empowers and supports individuals and families to move toward resilience, wellness, and independence. The continuum of prevention, treatment and recovery services includes residential and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment services, youth development, supportive housing, vocational rehabilitation and supported education.

Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley, the originator of the Circle of Support Luncheon, became a division of Caminar through a merger in January 2017. The division was founded in 1948 and provides services throughout Santa Clara County.

Caminar is a 501(c)(3) organization. More information is available at www.caminar.org.  

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Photo of David Sheff
High resolution image available for download:
http://www.fcservices.org/cos-media-center/
Photo credit: Bart Nagel.

Media Contacts
To apply for media credentials to attend the event, please contact:
650-513-1509 or development@caminar.org

Caminar Announces Mark Cloutier as New CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT
650.513.1509
development@caminar.org

Caminar Announces Mark A. Cloutier as New CEO
New Leader of Northern California Behavioral Health Nonprofit
Brings Extensive Background in Health and Public Policy

San Mateo, CA – The Board of Directors of Caminar has announced the appointment of Mark A. Cloutier, MPP, MPH, as Chief Executive Officer of the $39M nonprofit behavioral health organization. Dedicated to empowering and supporting individuals and families with complex needs to move toward resilience, wellness and independence, Caminar serves more than 20,000 people each year in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California.

Cloutier has dedicated his career to increasing access to quality health and supportive services and improving communities’ overall health and well-being. With Master’s degrees in public policy and public health, Cloutier has held leadership roles in health and behavioral health services organizations and foundations, including Horizons Services, San Francisco Foundation, the Center for Youth Wellness, Kaiser Family Foundation and San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

“In addition to top caliber leadership experience, we sought a CEO who has vision for and commitment to the work of Caminar,” says Suzan Getchell-Wallace, President of the Board of Directors of Caminar. “Mark believes strongly in the comprehensive services we offer and the importance of offering optimal care to the communities we serve.”

Founded in 1964 in San Mateo County, Caminar has grown significantly over the last two years in response to the growing complexity of behavioral health needs affecting the communities it serves. With a five-county service area encompassing San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano and Butte counties, the organization delivers programmatic innovations and solution-focused services that address fundamental issues affecting the health of individuals and families, including mental wellness, addiction recovery, family violence and homelessness.

“Improving the health of communities begins with understanding the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and social determinants of health in predisposing individuals, families and communities to poor mental health and physical health outcomes,” says Mark Cloutier, CEO of Caminar. “Caminar is in a unique position to address the comprehensive needs of individuals, families and communities though our trauma informed, evidence based clinical services and our collaborations with government, nonprofit and community institutions to focus on and remedy root causes.”

In order to best serve the increasingly complex needs of individuals and families, Caminar has been evolving toward a whole person care approach, in which the essential factors underlying a person’s health, from physical and mental wellness through housing and employment, are addressed holistically.

Recent mergers have advanced this aim by adding complementary programs and expertise to Caminar. Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley, based in Santa Clara County, brought expertise in adult substance use treatment, family violence prevention, school-based counseling programs, adolescent mental health services, and programs for LGBTQ communities. The addition of Healthy Partnerships, based in Solano County, enhanced the organization’s continuum of care in the county by expanding mental health services and adding adolescent and adult substance use treatment services. Project Ninety, based in San Mateo County, expanded the organization’s substance use treatment and recovery services capacity in the region.

Cloutier started in the role of CEO on January 31, 2019.

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Photo
Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH, CEO, Caminar

About Caminar

Founded in San Mateo, California, in 1964, Caminar serves more than 20,000 individuals annually in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. The nonprofit organization’s portfolio of behavioral health and supportive services empowers and supports individuals and families to move toward resilience, wellness, and independence. The continuum of prevention, treatment and recovery services includes residential and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment services, youth development, supportive housing, vocational rehabilitation and supported education.

More information about the organization is available at www.caminar.org.

Nonprofits Caminar and Project Ninety Announce Merger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          
June 5, 2018

MEDIA CONTACT
650-513-1509
development@caminar.org

Nonprofits Caminar and Project Ninety Announce Merger
Partnership Will Expand Capacity for Integrated Behavioral Health Care on the Peninsula

San Mateo, CA – Two nonprofit behavioral health organizations with decades of service to individuals and families on the Peninsula have joined forces. As of June 1, 2018, Caminar and Project Ninety, both headquartered in San Mateo, have merged, making Project Ninety the newest division of Caminar. By bringing together mental health and substance use treatment programs, Caminar and Project Ninety will strengthen support in San Mateo County for individuals in recovery, especially adults with co-occurring disorders.

Caminar and Project Ninety have collaborated for many years to serve local residents with complex behavioral health needs. The new organization has an operating budget of $37 million and more than 450 employees. Caminar, which serves more than 14,000 individuals annually, also has operations in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano and Butte counties. As a division of Caminar, Project Ninety will help to advance the organization’s mission: to empower and support individuals and families to move toward resilience, wellness and independence.

Caminar has been expanding over the last 18 months through partnerships with established, pioneering behavioral health organizations. In January 2017, Family & Children Services of Silicon Valley, which has been serving children, youth and adults in Santa Clara County since 1948, became a division of Caminar. In May 2018, Caminar acquired Healthy Partnerships, which offers mental health, substance use treatment and DUI programs in Solano County. The addition of Project Ninety continues the organization’s strategy of extending its continuums of care to meet the complex needs of individuals and families.

Jim Stansberry (left) of Project Ninety division, with Caminar COO Karen Gianuario and CEO Charles “Chip” Huggins

“By bringing together Caminar’s and Project Ninety’s expertise and programs, we will enhance care for San Mateo County adults who are living with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders,” said Charles “Chip” Huggins, CEO of Caminar. “Our organizations share a strong belief in recovery and in the importance of empowering people with essential skills and support to advance wellness and recovery.”

“San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services has enjoyed a partnership with both Caminar and Project Ninety for many years to provide behavioral health services to our consumers and families. We are pleased to learn that they will be joining forces to enhance their services and strengthen their work with persons with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders,” said David A. Young, PhD, MPH, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, San Mateo County Health System. “We look forward to our continued relationship with the merged organization in our mutual commitment to serving communities in San Mateo County.”

Through the merger, two members of Project Ninety’s Board of Directors have joined the Board of Directors of Caminar: John M. Bentley Jr. and Ken Koskella. Project Ninety Executive Director Jim Stansberry, who joined the organization in 1989, will assist with the merger transition in a consulting role.

“Project Ninety is looking forward to the joint continuation of services to the community and those in San Mateo and the Bay Area,” said Jim Stansberry.

Project Ninety’s San Mateo County programs are continuing. More information about Caminar’s growing portfolio of programs is available at www.caminar.org.
 

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About Caminar

Founded in San Mateo, California, in 1964, Caminar serves more than 14,000 individuals annually in San Mateo, Solano, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Butte counties. The nonprofit organization’s portfolio of behavioral health and supportive services empowers and supports individuals and families to move toward resilience, wellness, and independence. More information at www.caminar.org.  

About Project Ninety

For more than four decades, Project Ninety has served individuals, families and the Bay Area community through its residential alcohol and substance abuse recovery services. The organization operates licensed residential substance abuse treatment programs in San Mateo County. More information at www.projectninety.org.

Caminar Announces CEO Transition

Caminar's CEO Charles "Chip" Huggins recently announced that he will be moving on to pursue opportunities outside of Caminar. This move is effective July 1, 2018. The Board of Directors has appointed Karen Gianuario, Caminar’s Chief Operating Officer, as Interim CEO beginning on July 1.

While the Board is engaged in a search for a new CEO, Caminar will be in quite capable hands with Karen at the helm. Karen has been with Caminar for almost five years, fully understands Caminar’s programs and operations, and has the full support of both the Board and Caminar’s Executive Management Team.

Should you have any further questions, please contact us at 650.513.1509 or development@caminar.org.

Caminar Announces Expansion of Behavioral Health Programs in Solano County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2018

MEDIA CONTACT
650-513-1509
development@caminar.org

Caminar Announces Expansion of Behavioral Health Programs in Solano County
Healthy Partnerships Now a Division of Caminar

Caminar has announced its acquisition of Healthy Partnerships’ behavioral health programs in Solano County. Through the arrangement, which took effect on May 1, Healthy Partnerships is operating as a division of Caminar. The move positions Caminar, which offers behavioral health and supportive services in Solano County and four other Northern California counties, and Healthy Partnerships to respond to the growing need for mental health and substance use treatment services in the county.

This acquisition further enhances Caminar’s continuum of care to address the complex behavioral health needs of individuals in Solano County. The combination of Caminar’s Medi-Cal Mental Health programs and Healthy Partnership’s Drug Medi-Cal Substance Use Treatment programs creates a powerful synergy of capacity and expertise.
 
The boards of directors of both entities approved the acquisition. Healthy Partnerships programs are continuing under the leadership of executive director Charles Anderson, now as part of Caminar’s operations in Solano County. Healthy Partnership’s owners, Sharon Loveseth, Steve Loveseth and Rosa Thomason, have moved on to personal projects.

“We have collaborated with the staff at Healthy Partnerships for many years, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to welcome them to Caminar,” said Charles “Chip” Huggins, CEO of Caminar. “The combination of Caminar’s and Healthy Partnerships’ programs and expertise will allow us to offer optimal care for individuals throughout Solano County today and as the behavioral health field continues to evolve.” 

“When we began looking for a home for Healthy Partnerships’ programs, Caminar was the obvious choice,” said Sharon Loveseth. “We have worked with Caminar for decades to address local needs and felt the organization would continue the important work of Healthy Partnerships here in Solano County.”

Under the leadership of Solano Region Executive Director Christopher Kughn, Caminar serves close to 500 individuals annually in Solano County through intensive mental health services, homeless outreach programs and supportive employment services. In 2016, Caminar was selected to manage the Coordinated Entry System for the county. Known as Resource Connect Solano, the new program is helping to ensure the most vulnerable people in the community are connected with limited housing resources.

Healthy Partnerships offers outpatient substance use treatment, Driving Under the Influence (DUI) programs and mental health programs. The company has been a provider of substance use treatment services for Solano County for 21 years.

“This is an exciting time in the behavioral health field as we move toward integrated care that serves the whole person,” said Christopher Kughn, executive director of Caminar’s Solano Region. “We see tremendous possibilities by bringing together Caminar’s and Healthy Partnerships’ programs, expertise, and commitment to benefit the health and well-being of this community.”

Both Caminar and Healthy Partnerships offer CARF-accredited programs and operate client-serving locations in Fairfield and Vacaville. More information about Caminar’s programs is available at www.caminar.org.

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About Caminar
Founded in San Mateo, California, in 1964, Caminar serves more than 14,000 individuals annually in San Mateo, Solano, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Butte counties. The nonprofit organization’s portfolio of behavioral health and supportive services empowers and supports individuals and families to move toward resilience, wellness, and independence. In Solano County, Caminar operates intensive mental health services for adults with severe mental illness, homeless outreach and engagement services for adults with mental health conditions, supported employment (Jobs Plus), crisis residential treatment and supportive housing programs. Caminar also is the provider of coordinated entry services for Solano County, helping to ensure the most vulnerable individuals and families experiencing homelessness are connected with housing resources. More information at www.caminar.org and www.caminar.org/solano. 

About Healthy Partnerships
Since its founding in 1997, Healthy Partnerships has provided high-quality behavioral healthcare in an atmosphere of compassion, respect, and cultural competence. We operate within the Bay Area and offer services to Central Valley residents. Outpatient prevention, intervention and treatment services offered at Healthy Partnerships reflect a deep and abiding belief in the value of treatment; and a strong commitment to promoting recovery on an individual, family and community level. The primary goal of Healthy Partnerships programs is to provide individuals and families the education, support and skills necessary to live productive and healthy lives at their optimum levels. As of May 1, 2018, Healthy Partnerships is operating as a division of Caminar. More information about services at www.healthypartnerships.com.