Bay Area Community Services (BACS)

Supporting People, Supporting Community

Join Our Email List

GET HELP
Twitter icon Facebook icon Email icon
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Corporate Profile
    • Leadership
  • What We Do
    • Residential Services
      • Crisis Residential Treatment
      • Housing Fast
      • Recuperative Care
    • Intentional Care
      • Wraparound Services
      • Supported Employment
      • Wellness Hubs
    • Housing Solutions
      • Prevention
      • Housing Fund
      • Project Reclamation
  • Careers
  • Ways to Give
  • News
  • Contact
  • Donate

BACS Connections August 2018

August 27, 2018

Thunder Road Updates

This month, BACS is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of operating Thunder Road! It has been an amazing year of start-up, solidifying the program and treatment model so the youth and their families get the help they need.

BACS is also excited to announce that the first stage of remodeling Thunder Road is complete! The youth at Thunder Road have moved in to their new home, which is finally up to the BACS standard of beautiful, welcoming, engaging places to encourage recovery and wellness!

The Thunder Road Treatment Program has so many strengths and assets that are building on top of one another: new 7 Challenges Model, new Home, and a community that cares so much about one another and our youth and families. If you want to help us finish the remodel, donate today!

Jamestown Supports BACS’ Berkeley Homeless Program

BACS is honored to announce a significant donation from Jamestown LP, a real estate investment company founded in 1983, with an office in San Francisco. Jamestown donated $25,000 to the Berkeley Pathways STAIR Center. This generous donation invests in the future of our community, by helping people get out of homelessness through BACS’ rapid re-housing program. Learn more on their website!

We Met the Match!

In March, BACS announced a new partnership with the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which awarded BACS $100,000 to support our housing & homeless solutions programs in Oakland. The Foundation also offered a $50,000 challenge grant – and thanks to supporters like you, we met the match! BACS raised more than $60,000 from our community.

Thanks to this generous support from our donors and the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, BACS will be able to support homeless individuals through our Housing Fast Support Network, ensuring they have access to all the necessities it takes to move from homelessness to housing!

Program Anniversary

Solano County hills

BACS is happy to celebrate the anniversary of our Prevention Engagement Program (PEP), which opened in Solano County in 2014. PEP, a prevention and early intervention program, provides brief services for individuals exiting inpatient hospital stays, or experiencing early-stage behavioral health issues, who need support to prevent relapse and promote well-being. PEP was also BACS’ first program in Solano, and opened the door for us to provide many more services. BACS is grateful for the staff who make the program special, the participants who are part of the program, and the County of Solano!

Peer Specialist Graduation

This month, BACS is celebrating our participant Ronnie, who is the first BACS participant to graduate from the Alameda County Accelerated Peers Specialist Program! Ronnie came to BACS’ Supported Employment IPS program ready to make a change. Though the road has not been easy, he has shown determination, strength of character, courage, and persistence towards meeting his career goals. He completed the Accelerated Peer Specialist program, and is on his way to becoming a Peer Specialist with a partner agency. He hopes to serve and give back to the community he loves so much and lead by example. We have no doubt Ronnie will be successful as a peer specialist and wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors!

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.

Employee of the Month

BACS is delighted to announce Khalil Tokhey, of the Hedco Wellness Center, as our Employee of the Month!

Khalil says, “I think BACS’ work matters because there are so many individuals that do not get services/get the right services/know that services are available to them. We are here to help them. Each day, I open the doors not knowing what the day will bring.”

Khalil loves the team work at BACS, and the flexibility within his job to make a difference, but his favorite part of his job is “seeing a participant smile after a hard event happen or seeing the success (big or small) of the participants.”

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.

Tagged With: adolescent treatment, berkeley, berkeley city council, donate to nonprofit, invest in community, jamestown, jamestown lp, jon logan, jonathan logan, jonathan logan family foundation, pathways, stair center, thunder road, youth addiction

BACS Connections February 2018

February 27, 2018

Results Are In: Making a Difference

Each year, BACS conducts a survey of our many participants across our housing programs, behavioral health services, and community programs – and this year, our results were better than ever! This is part of BACS’ Continuous Quality Improvement process, so we can consistently tweak and improve our programs to best serve the community, Many thanks to the staff and participants who made this possible.

Thank You to Mayor Schaaf

BACS would like to extend our gratitude to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who has been an important partner. Mayor Schaaf not only donated Warriors Suite tickets for BACS to auction, benefiting our housing programs, but also visited a BACS housing program to help a participant celebrate 30 days of sobriety!

If you want to end homelessness in Oakland, you can help! If you have a room to rent, email us at RoomsInOakland@bayareacs.org. Or, you can donate to help a community member get back on their feet.

BACS Makes Major Investment in Staff

BACS is excited to celebrate our 65th anniversary as a local non-profit! BACS started in 1953 in Oakland, serving a few hundred people per year. Today, BACS serves more than 7,500 people each year, has services in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Solano County, and has helped more than 100,000 people in the last 65 years.

This would not be possible without the dedicated, passionate, diverse staff who work every day to make a difference in our community. In recognition of their commitment and their successes, and to celebrate 65 years of doing ‘whatever it takes’, BACS is raising pay for our staff ‘on the streets’ to the top of any non-profit in the Bay Area, making a monumental and unprecedented investment in our direct care staff. This will have a long term effect on the outcomes of our programs by reducing turnover and investing in the economic development of our communities.

Black History Month at BACS

“When we think of Black History Month, we are reminded of the Black excellence that has trail blazed our current steps.  What is just as important is the cultivation of Black Future month as this is where the inventors of tomorrow will be, the change makers, the social justice warriors that will continue in the work laid before us.  Black excellence is tomorrow, it’s today, and it’s now.” – Sage Williams, Program Manager and Cultural Responsiveness Committee Chairperson

Program Anniversaries: Woodroe, FREE, FIRST, SAGE

This February, BACS is celebrating program anniversaries for four of our community programs! Woodroe Place opened in 1996, and provides short-term residential services for individuals in active psychiatric distress, in a welcoming and open environment. BACS also celebrates two of our re-entry programs: FREE opened in Alameda County in 2016, and FIRST opened in Solano County in 2016. These two programs provide care coordination for people living with severe mental health issues who are re-entering the community from jail/prison. Finally, BACS is celebrating our SAGE program, which opened in 2016 and provides coordination services for people with mental health challenges who need assistance to obtain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through legal advocacy.

Join Our Cause

Do you want to join BACS in our mission to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes?

Micah square

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly!

Or, donate gently used blankets, canned goods, and other items to our housing programs. Email us to learn more.

Work Here

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our job opportunities. Learn more on our website or by calling 510.613.0330.

Planned Giving

Many people leave a charitable gift in their will. Do you want to make a lifetime of impact in the community you care about? Email us to learn more!

Tagged With: contra costa county, diverse workplace, diversity, housing, investment, job satisfaction, libby schaaf, mayor schaaf, mental health, Solano County, thunder road

BACS Connections July/August 2017

August 11, 2017

Thunder Road Joins BACS

Thunder Road

BACS is delighted to announce the official opening of Thunder Road Adolescent Treatment Center as a BACS program, as of August 1, 2017!  BACS is honored to be bringing our substantial experience and expertise to ensure continuity of a critical community program.

Thunder Road is the only program of its kind. Thunder Road helps youth with mental health and substance use issues, which can prevent lifelong issues including becoming caught in the justice system. BACS’ Thunder Road uplifts these youth.

We look forward to connecting with the dedicated Thunder Road community. If you are a supporter or Thunder Road, or someone who has been supported by Thunder Road, you can stay connected to program updates and events by emailing us.

BACS is transitioning this program from our Sutter Health partners who have run it for decades and that it needed a new home and BACS stepped up to the plate to ensure its continuity. Thunder Road, located in Oakland, has served more than 7,000 people since it began in 1987. Thunder Road makes sure nobody falls through the cracks, through intensive inpatient and outpatient services that are proven to succeed. Our BACS team is delighted to bring Thunder Road into the fold of our programs, to keep this crucial Bay Area program in operation. You can read our full announcement here.

CARF Reviews Programs

CARF, the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, visited BACS from July 24th to July 27th. BACS was delighted to host CARF at our sites, to demonstrate the quality of performance of our services, and to accept recommendations as part of our Continuous Quality Improvement process.

CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services. CARF accreditation focuses on quality, results. The accreditation process applies sets of standards to service areas and business practices during an on-site survey. Accreditation, however, is an ongoing process, signaling to the public that a service provider is committed to continuously improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community. Accreditation also demonstrates a provider’s commitment to enhance its performance, manage its risk, and distinguish its service delivery.

They are doing a ‘deep dive’ into our programs, helping BACS achieve excellence!

BACS Annual Staff Appreciation BBQ

2017 Staff Picnic

BACS celebrates our wonderful staff members each year at our Annual Staff Appreciation BBQ! This year, 120 staff, friends, family members, and pets of BACS spent a beautiful day in the sunshine at Lake Chabot. 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!

Michael Ward, Esq., Joins BACS Team

Michael Ward

BACS is welcoming Michael Ward, Esq., as the new Senior Director of Administration!  Michael is retiring after 22 years as an attorney, partner, and managing partner for an Oakland-based law firm where he managed all business operations including finance, IT, marketing and development, facilities, compliance, HR, and also held numerous non-profit accounts for the corporation.  Additionally, he has held board chairpersonships with sister agencies including his current role with Beyond Emancipation, prior board and advisory roles at Fred Finch Youth Center and East Bay Community Law Center.  Earlier in his career, he worked in a residential treatment facility as a rehab counselor and is very excited to step in to our agency to manage our QI and administrative functions.  Michael holds a juris doctor from UC Berkeley School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stanford University.

Host a Party, Help BACS!

Evite

Are you hosting an event, and rather than gifts or flowers, planning to ask for donations to BACS?

Evite Donations allows you to add your favorite nonprofit organization (BACS!) to your invitation and let guests donate directly, whether they attend your event or not

When you are creating your Evite, in the event options on the right side of the screen you will see a Donations Options tab. Click it to open, then type “BACS” into the search key. Select Bay Area Community Services, Inc.

Then, guests can make charitable donations directly to BACS! If you need assistance, please email us.

 Valley Wellness Center BBQ

Valley Picnic

A pleasantly breezy 85 degree day greeted the picnic hosted by Valley Wellness Center. Valley, South County and Hedco Wellness Center communities chipped in supplies such as cakes, cookies, water, potato and macaroni salads, chips.  Hedco filled out two vans with enthusiastic members!

The charcoal grilled hot dogs were a treat.  The scratch made baked beans with left over barbecue rib meat made by Hedco’s Member of the Month Mr. V were well appreciated.  There was some football tossing before the heat wilted that idea which was when Kelly brought out her cache of water guns and a bubble machine.  Much laughter was had by all.  The afternoon of fun and play ended with Dave leading Simon Says until he ran out of moves and passed the role of Simon to member Susan.

Employee of the Month

Tamahtra

BACS is delighted to honor Tamahtra McClure, Employment Coordinator with our IPS team, as our Employee of the Month!

Tamahtra says “My favorite part of my job would be the end results for the clients that I serve. I am always so touched by watching my client growth and seeing the smile on their faces once they have obtain a job and become more independent. The tears of joy that some of my clients have shed as they didn’t think gaining employment or obtaining training was a possibility.”

Congratulations, Tamahtra, and thank you for all you do on the BACS team!

Three Program Anniversaries

img_0333

BACS is happy to celebrate the anniversaries of three of our programs: IPS Supported Employment (2013), OPC (2011), and PEP (2014).

BACS opened PEP, a prevention and early intervention program, to provide brief services for individuals exiting inpatient hospital stays, or experiencing early-stage behavioral health issues, who need support to prevent relapse and promote well-being. PEP was also BACS’ first program in Solano, and opened the door for us to provide many more services.

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.

Employees Narcan Training

narcan-shield

Drug overdose was the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. last year – but it is preventable. Narcan, an FDA-approved emergency treatment for opioid overdoses, is one of the best ways to help someone who has overdosed.

BACS is committed to doing whatever it takes to help our community, and we are committed to a harm reduction approach to treatment. Our downtown Oakland program site hosted HEPPAC to do a Narcan training, so that we can help high-risk individuals. BACS’ goal is to have at least one person at each site who is trained in Narcan use, to further education around overdose prevention and to save lives.

Join Our Cause

Do you want to join BACS in our mission to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes?

Micah square

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly!

Or, donate gently used blankets, canned goods, and other items to our housing programs. Email us to learn more.

Work Here

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our job opportunities. Learn more on our website or by calling 510.613.0330.

Planned Giving

Many people leave a charitable gift in their will. Do you want to make a lifetime of impact in the community you care about? Email us to learn more!

Tagged With: CARF, donate, generousity, homeless, homelessness, housing, nonprofit, thunder road

BACS Connections March 2016

March 23, 2016

BACS Opens Criminal Justice Programs

Criminal Justice Progras

BACS is delighted to announce our new Criminal Justice programs!

BACS Criminal Justice programs serve adults age 18+ who are involved in the criminal justice system. Services assist individuals in all three phases of detention (in custody, re-entry planning, and post-release case management).

Our Criminal Justice programs make sure nobody falls through the cracks, and help prevent recidivism by connecting individuals with their community. Individuals struggle when exiting prison or jail if they lack a support system or experience poverty and/or mental health issues. BACS prevents recidivism by targeting all these issues. Our staff focus on rehabilitation through competitive employment programs, life skills development, behavioral health services, and more. We work to make sure that individuals succeed in re-entering the community, instead of re-entering the criminal justice system.

Happy Anniversary to Case Management!

jeff-quote-portrait

BACS is pleased to celebrate the 23 year anniversary of BACS’ Intensive Care Coordination / Case Management Program.

BACS opened our Case Management program in 1993 to fill a crucial need in the community: providing psychiatric services and care coordination for people with severe behavioral health issues and trauma.

Our Intensive Care Coordination programs have made a difference for hundreds of people over the last 23 years. Learn more about our Intensive Care Coordination programs here.

Thank you to everyone who makes our Intensive Care Coordination program special!

Participant Success in Wellness Co-Ops

Mitchell W
For more of Mitchell’s story, visit our Facebook page!

In 2015, Mitchell W. saw a flier for the Wellness Co-Ops at a local mental health clinic, and visited Valley WC. He quickly became an active member of our community.

Mitchell started coming to get out of the house, but after a few visits, he had an epiphany. “It occurred to me then that I needed money and I wanted a job.” Mitchell thought about the support and services available to him at the Wellness Center.  With support from Valley staff, Mitchell got a job!

“My advice to someone that’s looking for work is even if they put in applications and get turned down, don’t get discouraged.  Just keep trying.  Put in more applications!”

Congratulations, Mitchell, and thank you for sharing your story!

 Happenings at Towne House

Towne House

Towne House has been a hive of activity recently! In addition to our partners at the Lakehurst, our Peer Counselor, Engret Moore, has been getting out into Oakland to assist people from various local residences.

With more people are able to refine our groups and program offerings to accommodate the people participating, and there are many new peer-led activities. Towne House is a vibrant community of people supporting each other, whether over food, art, movies, housing and employment, or fulfilling our mission.

We have developed a partnership with FERC, Family Education and Resource Center, and are offering monthly support meetings for people whose loved ones are living with challenges associated with mental illness. This group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6:30-8 PM, all are welcome to attend.

We have also begun to support participants by providing employment support in the form of collaborative discussions with one of our Employment Specialists, Jason Ortega. Jason will be facilitating check-ins with people, supporting them to strategize ways to find sustainable, competitive employment.

Towne House is partnering with City Slicker Farms to develop and expand our garden. In the coming year, you can expect the vegetable, herb and flower garden to grow, strengthening our nutrition program and teaching us all about plants and healthy eating habits.

Hope Intervention Program Success

shaun

Shaun Orrante, of BACS’ Hope Intervention Program, was recently honored by family members of one of our participants.

This individual struggled with mental health issues, and came to HIP because he wanted to recover and develop independent living skills. The entire HIP team worked together collaboratively, and Shaun went further by providing psychoeducation and referral to FERC for the parents. Ultimately this participant became connected to ongoing treatment team, psychiatry, and an independent living skills program.

Shaun says “I really enjoy working as a member of HIP. Many participants we work with, in addition to their mental health symptoms also struggle with self-esteem, independent living skills, and family relationships. One of my favorite things about HIP is that I am able to work directly with participant’s and their families in order to support them through difficult transitions. This aspect of my role was particularly significant in the work with this family.”

Great job, Shaun!

Employee of the Month

Kelly-Johnson-EOTM

Kelly Johnson, Quality Assurance Coordinator is our Employee of the Month for March!

Kelley was nominated by her colleagues and the leadership. Many people noted her accountability to the mission and values of the organization. Her integrity for the daily operations of our vast QA system is what allows all of the thousands of services that we provide per month to get billed and for the agency to get reimbursed! Additionally, Kelly took on a major role in our recent headquarters move, and has played an integral role with grace, dedication, and a stability that allows BACS to continue its mission.

Congratulations, Kelly!

Join Our Cause

Do you want to join BACS in our mission to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes? The community has asked us to provide more services than ever, based on need. In 2016, help us make this possible!

Donate today!

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612.

Or, donate gently used blankets, canned goods, and other items to our housing  programs. Email us to learn more.

Work Here

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our job opportunities.

Learn more on our website or by calling 510.613.0330.

Tagged With: criminal justice, employee satisfaction, employment, non-profit, thunder road, towne house

Thunder Road Joins BACS Programs!

March 19, 2016

BACS is bringing our substantial experience and expertise to ensure continuity of a critical community program.

We are pleased to announce that Sutter Health has chosen BACS to lead Thunder Road into future success.

Thunder Road provides substance use treatment and intensive residential services to youth and their families, affecting more than 7,000 adolescents since 1987. Thunder Road, located in Oakland, makes sure nobody falls through the cracks, through intensive inpatient and outpatient services that are proven to succeed. [Read more…]

Tagged With: adolescent, substance use, thunder road, treatment, youth

Subscribe to Receive BACS News

Sign up to get community news, updates, and ways to get involved delivered to your inbox.

Join Our Email List

BACS Connections Monthly Newsletter

BACS Connections May 2023

BACS Connections March 2023

BACS Connections January 2023

Connections August/September 2022

View All Newsletters

Our Site

Site Map

Follow Us

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter:
Join Our Email List

Get in Touch

Phone: 510.613.0330

Email: bacs@bayareacs.org

Donate

Get Help

BACS is accredited by CARF, an international independent accrediting body, whose focus is on ensuring high-quality services.

© 2023 Bay Area Community Services

Site Design by KenCreative