We’re publishing answers to the questions our audience submitted at January’s Ceasefire Summit. (Read part one, with responses from OPD’s Sean Whent and members of Oakland Ceasefire, here.) Today, we provide answers from Sara Bedford and Peter Kim from Oakland’s Department of Human Services. We also have one question to, and answer from, Reverend Damita Davis-Howard.
How is your work trauma-informed? What mental health resources, if any, are given to clients?—Maria Dominguez, PUEBLO
Under Measure Z and beginning in the fall of 2016, Oakland Unite will fund technical assistance and training for our network of funded service providers with the goal of increasing capacities and competencies in a number of areas, one of which include Trauma Informed Care practices.
Outside of this, most of our providers already take it upon themselves to undergo training in trauma-informed approaches from experts and/or clinicians. Depending on the strategy or intervention, agencies will provide trauma-informed trainings to their staff to help augment inform their work (ie: Intensive Case Management) or it will actually be a primary, required component of their services (ie: mental health counseling, restorative justice services, crisis response, healing circles, etc).
But even more broadly, all of our funded agencies are embracing this understanding that the individuals and communities we work with suffer from intense trauma (on an individual and a generational level) and that to uncover the roots of the challenges they face, especially around violence, workers must approach interventions and support services through a trauma-informed lens.
Mental health counseling services are provided to Oakland Unite program participants in the following strategies: Intensive Case Management for Adults (i.e. Ceasefire participants), Intensive Case Management for Youth (i.e. juveniles on probation), Violent Incident and Crisis Response (i.e. shooting victims at Highland Hospital, families/friends of homicide victims, domestic violence victims), and Innovation Fund (i.e. provide schools in high violence areas with support around culture and climate change meant to reduce violence among youth, all within a mental health framework of support service).
To Sara Bedford: What does “clients being served” mean?—Maxwell Park NCPC
By this we are referring to the actual participants who receive direct services as participants in OU-funded programs. Across all Oakland Unite funded programs, we project that we will serve over 3,000 individuals who are at highest-risk of being impacted by violence under Measure Z this coming year. This number includes the 200 young men identified by Ceasefire who actively commit to and engage in Intensive Case Management services.
How many case managers are there presently devoted to Ceasefire? How many work for Oakland and how many for non-profits? Will there be more, and if so when?—Anonymous
We will have a total of ten (10) intensive case managers, or “Life Coaches” who work with Ceasefire participants: four (4) work for the City of Oakland as HSD/Oakland Unite staff; six (6) are staff at community-based non-profit organizations. Currently, eight (8) of the ten (10) positions are filled, and we expect full hiring by end of April. With eight (8) Life Coaches hired, we have had more than enough capacity to accommodate all the referrals received thus far.
We do not have plans on securing more than ten (10) total Life Coaches since we project having more than adequate capacity to absorb all referrals of Ceasefire participants. We base this calculation on the average rates of referrals made and of service uptake over the last three years.
Does Oakland have a liaison dedicated to finding jobs and mentoring CF clients in their jobs? How is this effort working out?—Anonymous
OU is currently working on developing an Request for Qualifications for an Employment/Community Liaison position. This position is geared to develop relationships with employers that prioritize entry-level yet career-track opportunities in the health, construction, technology, and service sectors. This high-level position will focus much more on strengthening the employers’ ability to effectively and successfully employ this very-difficult-to-employ population, as well as strengthen our job training service providers’ ability to effectively and successfully prepare participants with specialized job readiness and skills training.
What are stipends? Are the members of the 300 being paid? How much?—Anonymous
A more accurate term is “incentives” since these payments (in the form of an agency check) are used to incentivize Ceasefire participants to engage in services and work towards “Life Map” milestones that are developed by the participant and his intensive case manager, or “Life Coach.” Milestones vary in scale or scope, according to where a participant is at in their personal development, and incentive payments also vary accordingly. For example, milestones can include the initial, smaller goals of consistently meeting w/ a Life Coach, getting a Drivers License or Ca ID, attending Manhood Development groups, completing a resume, or staying in consistent compliance with their Probation terms. These goals typically earn $25 to $50 each per month. Over time, milestones can include enrollment in a GED or Job Training program, attending a job interview, opening a bank account, getting a positive probation report at a court hearing, attending mental health or substance abuse counseling, etc. These can earn $50 to $75 each per month. Larger goals include graduation from a GED or Job Training program, securing employment, gaining custody of a child, securing and maintaining independent housing, dismissal from probation or parole, etc. These can earn $100 to $150 each per month. All participants who engage and commit to working with a Life Coach has access to incentive payments.
And the one question to, and answer from, Rev. Davis-Howard:
For Rev. Damita: How do our faith-based Ceasefire strategies differ from the Boston Miracle? Where are we better? Where can we borrow more from it?—Anonymous
It would be very good to have more clergy in the streets and directly involved, as they were in the Boston Miracle.
