Bay Area Community Services (BACS)

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BACS Receives Community Excellence Award

The Oakland A’s and Kaiser Permanente are pleased to announce BACS (Bay Area Community Services) is the recipient of the inaugural Kaiser Permanente Community Excellence Award. As part of this recognition, BACS will receive a special on-field recognition on Thursday, Aug. 22 before the A’s play host to the New York Yankees. 

“We are proud to recognize BACS with the inaugural Kaiser Permanente Community Excellence Award,” said Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval. “We created this award with Kaiser Permanente to honor community members and/or organizations who have shown extraordinary support and contributions to help build a more vibrant Oakland community. BACS was selected because of their big and bold initiative to end homelessness in Oakland.” 

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BACS Connections July 2019

Going Paperless: BACS Milestone

BACS is excited to share that our Intensive Case Management team is pioneering paperless client charts for the agency! This is a huge milestone for BACS, as it will reduce time spent by staff on paperwork, cut down on the carbon footprint and paper waste, decrease necessary storage space,  increase efficiency, and cut costs, allowing more time and resources to go to BACS clients.

Congratulations to our ICM team, which has paved the way by piloting many BACS innovations throughout the years, on the successful implementation! We look forward to watching each program go through this process until the very last program has no more paper charts. 

Dr. Porshia Mack Joins BACS Board

BACS’ Board of Directors is delighted to welcome its newest member, Dr. Porshia Mack. Dr. Mack has 13 years of experience with non-profits and FQHC programming, and worked for LifeLong Medical Care for 9 years.

Dr. Mack is currently the Chief Medical Officer at a FQHC, where she is committed to advocating for under-served individuals and ensuring quality of care. We are so excited to have her expertise and oversight!

Two New Housing Programs

BACS opened the North County Housing Resource Center, serving Berkeley, Emeryville, and Albany. We are so grateful for the community support that allows us to continue on the work towards ending homelessness in this region.

BACS is also replicating our Berkeley program, the Pathways STAIR Center, in Hayward. BACS is bringing our signature rapid re-housing services that help people transition from encampments into permanent housing, with mental health and job supports to help the housing ‘stick.’

BACS Leaders Emerge

This month, we are celebrating and congratulating three excellent BACS team members who  will use their talents to have an even greater impact on the agency and the community! Ann Marie Ramos, Eric Johnson, and Terrell Hegler  were all recently promoted. Ann Marie is now leading the charge for our Oakland Housing Resource Center, and we are very excited to have her in that role.

Terrell is moving into a new agency wide position, overseeing all property management functions throughout the agency while also continuing his work with the Keep Oakland Housed Program.

Last, but certainly not least is Eric Johnson. Eric has been promoted to program manager of the Stair Program in Berkeley.

Staff Appreciation BBQ

BACS celebrates our wonderful staff members each year at our Annual Staff Appreciation BBQ! This year, we celebrated the 240+ staff, and their friends, family members, and pets who help lift them up and make BACS special. Our team celebrated each other and the hard work each person has done over the last year. BACS is fortunate to have an incredible, talented, and dedicated staff. Thank you to everyone who came!

Program Anniversaries

BACS is celebrating the anniversaries of two of our programs: IPS Supported Employment (2013) and OPC (2011). OPC provides outreach, housing and financial support, mental health and care management, substance use, and primary care to individuals who are homeless and have mental health issues. IPS provides job placement services to help individuals with complex needs find competitive, satisfying, and sustainable employment to uplift them from poverty.

Invest in Your Community

Micah square

Our work has profound individual and community impacts. Every person that comes to BACS for help can achieve stability, move off of the streets, get a job, live safely with their mental health issue, or stay out of jail. And for each of those success stories, our community gets better. We see fewer people living on the streets or in poverty. We spend less on emergency medical services. We see less of our tax money going to prisons. Your investment in BACS, and in the people we help, transforms our community.

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 390 40th Street, Oakland, CA 94609. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly.

BACS Connections June 2019

Ending Senior Homelessness in Oakland

Victor N. receives his keys to his new home in Oakland. Victor is a veteran, and became homeless in January. He lived in his car, which made his health problems worse. After being hospitalized, he came to BACS and we were able to get him into housing. #HOUSED

BACS is partnering with Kaiser Permanente to house 515 homeless seniors in Oakland. This is a transformative change to how someone goes from homelessness to housing in the Bay Area.

“This partnership with Kaiser is a game-changer. So far, we have more than 250 seniors out of encampments, off the streets, and into permanent housing. With more programs like this, we are going to end homelessness in Oakland.” – Jamie Almanza

BACS is so grateful to Kaiser Permanente for funding this initiative, and proving that with flexible investment from our community, homelessness is a problem that can be solved.

Contra Costa County Welcomes BACS

BACS housing

Due to great community need in Contra Costa County, BACS is stepping in to sustain a crucial homeless program and two mental health programs after Anka Behavioral Health discontinued its services. BACS is now provides the Don Brown Housing Fast, Nierika House, and Nevin House programs. These three programs meet BACS’ mission, and support mental health and housing for populations that BACS has worked to uplift for more than 65 years.

After a very fast process, BACS stepped into these programs in June with zero interruption of client care. BACS is honored to work with the community, partners, and County of Contra Costa. To support this work, make a sustaining donation today.

Programs Celebrate Annual Successes

This month, BACS is celebrating 3 program anniversaries!

STAIR Center in Berkeley: In 2018, BACS partnered with City of Berkeley to open the STAIR Center – and in just one year, the 87 people are off the streets in Berkeley and in permanent housing.

Rosewood Place in Vallejo: Rosewood opened in 2017, providing community-based support to supplement or replace psychiatric hospitalization. This program helps hundreds of people each year, and saves taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Full Service Partnership (FSP): BACS’ first FSP opened in 2007 as the original “whatever it takes” program – and last year, we opened 3 more programs helping people who need it most. BACS’ FSPs break mental health, housing, and community barriers that hold people back.

Achieving Incredible Goals

Robert, a participant in BACS’ Supported Employment program and regular member of our Wellness Centers, recently completed a Biotecehnology Certificate Program at Ohlone College! Robert showed extreme dedication in reaching this goal, and his proud family joined him at his graduation to celebrate his achievement in completing the course, managing his wellness, and working full time. Congratulations, Robert!

Start a Career with BACS

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our career opportunities on our website, and learn more about what makes BACS special.

BACS welcomes people of all backgrounds and expertise to apply. Even if you have never worked in the mental health or homeless solutions fields, but you are inspired to make a change, reach out to BACS – we have many training and entry-level positions.

BACS provides benefits and perks like: fully covered medical/dental/vision/life insurance, tuition reimbursement for loans and tuition, clinical supervision hours towards licensure, internal growth opportunities, and more! BACS also works with a wide variety of populations, and has many opportunities for learning and advancement.

Invest in Your Community

Micah square

Our work has profound individual and community impacts. Every person that comes to BACS for help can achieve stability, move off of the streets, get a job, live safely with their mental health issue, or stay out of jail. And for each of those success stories, our community gets better. We see fewer people living on the streets or in poverty. We spend less on emergency medical services. We see less of our tax money going to prisons. Your investment in BACS, and in the people we help, transforms our community.

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 390 40th Street, Oakland, CA 94609. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly.

“We are going to end homelessness in Oakland”

BACS is partnering with Kaiser Permanente to house 515 homeless seniors in Oakland. This is a transformative change to how someone goes from homelessness to housing in the Bay Area.

“This partnership with Kaiser is a game-changer. So far, we have more than 250 seniors out of encampments, off the streets, and into permanent housing. With more programs like this, we are going to end homelessness in Oakland.” – Jamie Almanza

Thanks to Kaiser, BACS helped Victor N. end his homelessness. Victor, pictured here, receives his keys to his new home in Oakland. Victor is a veteran, and became homeless in January. He lived in his car, which made his health problems worse. After being hospitalized, he came to BACS and we were able to get him into housing. 

[Read more…]

BACS Connections May 2019

Governor Newsom Visits BACS

(Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

On May 21, BACS was thrilled to host Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Libby Schaaf, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Supervisor Keith Carson, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, and others to announce a new taskforce & $1 billion investment to address homelessness in California. Governor Newsom toured BACS’ Housing Fast Support Network, which moves people directly from encampments to BACS sites and sees 88% of participants find permanent housing after just 4-6 months. Governor Newsom emphasized the importance of local solutions, saying ““homelessness is a matter of statewide concern, but solutions will come from the local level.”

Community Supports Women at BACS

Kaiser VIP Yvette Radford connected her local Women’s Group to LINK them with homeless women at the Holland Housing Fast Program. The group came Sunday, April 14th and dropped off beautiful backpacks with a plethora of high end hygiene products. Clients received the gifts and told their story and thanked everyone for their support. Just another way the community is helping put an end to homelessness in Oakland. Thank you!

Supported Independent Living sites celebrate 46 years!

BACS is buying ‘a house a year’ to end homelessness – and we have been building this program for decades.

BACS opened our first Supported Independent Living (SIL) site in 1973 to help individuals who have mental health and other health-related issues such as homelessness and want to pursue sustainable housing in a safe environment.

Our SIL sites have made a difference for thousands of people over the last 46 years. Help us keep them open!

10×10 Wellness Event

BACS employees never cease to amaze! The 10×10 We Move for Health event in early May was extra special this year, thanks to the massive turnout of BACS participants and volunteers to enjoy the day in the sun. Our table made affirmation cards and connected with community members. Many thanks to all of the BACS programs that came to volunteer and participate, to bring their range of language abilities to reach more community members, and for helping our participants enjoy the event!

Older Americans Month

May is Older Americans Month, and BACS is honored to recognize older Americans who have contributed and made such a difference in our community. BACS knows that community activities help to enrich the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the population.  Older Adults offer a great deal of wisdom and experience to other generations. Let us all take some time this month to honor an older American and continue to promote healthy aging. Older Adult FSP info!

Job & Resource Fair

The May 2nd Job & Resource Fair at the Eden Area AJCC was a huge success!  The event was co-hosted by Rubicon Programs and Department of Rehabilitation.  A special thank you for the Hedco Staff – Linda Nguyen, Virgil Bagaoisan and Astrid Scott for helping at the event.  There were a total of 24 vendors who participated and approximately 80 job seekers.  The next BACS Job Fair is bring planned for mid-August at Hedco Wellness Center.

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