E AST BAY INNOVAT ION S T he INSIGHT Spring 2014 MOVING FORWARD HEALTH PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (HPP) The Health Partnership Project (HPP) is a collaboration between East Bay Innovations, Oakland Unified School District, Alameda County Social Services Agency, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, and East Bay Agency for Children. In early 2012, brainstorming and planning for the program began, with the goal of connecting families with CalFresh and health care coverage. ERYN In November 2012, the program started to take shape, running two days per week. Then, in April 2013, the program made a full launch. Four individuals supported by EBI were hired as Health Support Clerks to make this happen! YOU’RE HIRED! JONATHAN JEFF MICHAEL Health Support Clerks work twenty hours a week: calling families, setting up appointments, reminding families about their upcoming appointments, and entering critical data. With support from an EBI job coach, Health Support Clerks perform some of the most important tasks in HPP. Their role in HPP is relied upon and highly valued by the collaborating agencies. To get started, HPP needed to figure out what was preventing families from getting or re-enrolling in health insurance. What they found was that many people were afraid that health insurance would be too expensive. Others just didn’t know where to go to get health insurance, or they were concerned with the amount of paperwork. Some people didn’t think their child would qualify for health coverage. HPP clerks helped families overcome these barriers to enrollment by calling and informing them of costs, eligibility requirements and available assisted enrollment. This method was very successful, and in the first year of the program, HPP was able to connect 236 individuals (107 adult family members and 129 children) to health coverage. CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY TRANSITIONS (CCT) WELCOME HOME LAHKEKA and JAIME! Lahkeka was in a skilled nursing facility in Livermore for one year. Her time there forced her to lose custody of her 12 year-old daughter, who has been in two foster homes since Lahkeka moved into the skilled nursing facility. EBI’s CCT program worked closely with housing-related agencies to find an affordable place for Lahkeka to live. Thanks to their efforts, Lahkeka is now living in a two bedroom, wheelchair accessible apartment in San Leandro and is in the process of regaining custody of her daughter. Lahkeka is the 59th person that EBI has helped transfer out of a skilled nursing facility and back into the community. She and her daughter are looking towards a promising future together. Jaime, a 25 year old man, is the most recent -- and 60th -- person EBI has helped transfer from a nursing facility. After a serious injury, Jaime became paraplegic and spent eight months in (continued on page 3) EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Meet Melissa Martinez People might be familiar with Melissa from her years working as a cosmetologist, as an adventurous traveler who has parachuted out of a plane, or as a student at Sacramento State getting an undergraduate degree in psychology. At EBI, clients and colleagues are fortunate to know Melissa through her work in Independent Living Services (ILS). First as an Instructor and now as a Specialist, Melissa values her relationships at EBI and is eager to understand people’s needs and motivate them to accomplish their goals. Asked what she likes most about her job, Melissa immediately responds that it’s her relationships with clients and peers that are so important to her. To Melissa, it’s all about teaching people. Teaching individuals to cook, so that they can prepare meals on their own when staff isn’t there to help. Teaching people what the consequences are of not taking their medications as prescribed and reminding them what taking their medications does for them. Teaching clients not just how to make a purchase, but how to interact with people during that exchange. And teaching co-workers the tips she’s learned through her experiences and from her clients. “The teaching goes both ways, “ Melissa believes. “We teach them and they teach us.” When she’s not working, Melissa treasures her time with family and friends, enjoys planning future trips, and is always ready for her next adventure! WELCOME HOME LAHKEKA and JAIME! (continued) Fairmont Hospital. Wanting to return to his life in the community, Jaime turned to EBI for assistance. As a first time renter living on SSI, finding housing was a struggle. Needing in-home assistance, Jaime needed a place for both him and his mother, where she could serve as his primary caregiver. EBI worked with Jaime and his mother to overcome barriers to finding affordable, accessible housing. After much searching, EBI was able to help them find a home, and today they are happily settled in the community. Jaime is now able to work towards his goals of finishing school, getting a job, and learning to drive. A shout out to the Housing Authority of the County of Alameda, the Alameda County Housing and Community Development Department, Housing Consortium of the East Bay, and Hello Housing for helping our CCT clients access affordable housing! THANK YOU! Heartfelt thanks to the many individuals who are helping us reach our fundraising goals. THANK YOU! KCE America, Inc. and OSIsoft for generously funding the “challenge” grant that was met by our donors. EBI supporters, new and old, for your spirited response to #GivingTuesday. Car donors for designating EBI when donating your vehicles to Car Donation Services, Inc. (CDS) and to CDS for making the process so easy. THANK YOU! Much appreciation to the current funders and foundations that make our work possible: Alameda County Health Care Services Agency City of Pleasanton Department of Developmental Services Department of Health Care Services Department of Rehabilitation George Miller Youth Fund RAB-DAB Fund/East Bay Community Foundation Regional Center of the East Bay Safeway Foundation Social Security Ticket to Work Program Tarjan Center at UCLA True North Foundation PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK by making a donation in the enclosed envelope or online at www.eastbayinnovations.org WE ARE $6,000 away from reaching our June 30, 2014 fundraising goal! EAST BAY INNOVATIONS Bruce Johnston was a supporter of EBI long before we even opened our doors. And though much has changed over the past two decades, Bruce’s generosity and support of EBI have remained constant. East Bay Innovations 2450 Washington Ave. Suite 240 San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 618-1580 STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Heinz: Ext. 11 DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Tamy Ratto: Ext. 20 SUPPORTED LIVING SERVICES Christine Grabowski: Ext. 18 INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES Samantha Covey: Ext. 25 SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Lori Kotsonas: Ext. 15 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Jennifer Steneberg VICE PRESIDENT Cathy Nielsen TREASURER Benny Kwong SECRETARY Gina Gourley DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Renee Beck FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR Benny Kwong MEMBERS Mary Lou Breslin Gareth Decuir Bryon MacDonald Ken McKinney Karl Mueller Lee Perez Ed Tywoniak DONOR SPOTLIGHT Katy, Tom, Bruce and Emily Bruce Johnston It was more than 20 years ago when Bruce’s now deceased wife, Phyllis, Tom Heinz, and a third colleague, Melanie Lee, sat in the dining room of Bruce and Phyllis’ home, first envisioning and then planning the agency that would become East Bay Innovations. Flash forward and today, Bruce’s older daughter, Emily, is living on her own with support from EBI. Katy, Emily’s younger sister, is a local pediatrician. And Bruce recently married his longtime partner, Tom Noll. Bruce continues to practice psychiatry, seeing an increasing number of college students in addition to his ongoing adult clients and conducting psychiatric evaluations of individuals seeking rehabilitation services after being in prison, the military, and/or struggling with addiction. “Bruce’s generosity and support of EBI have remained constant.” Bruce has been a generous supporter of EBI, monetarily and beyond. Three times in three years, Bruce graciously opened his home to host fundraising house parties for EBI. Each time, local family members of EBI clients, artist friends of Bruce, and neighbors came to learn about, celebrate, and support EBI’s work. EBI had an opportunity to describe our services to people outside the world of disability, a number of whom became ongoing supporters. Bruce Johnston and Tom Noll Thank you Bruce, for inviting us into your home way back when…and continuing to welcome and support us! WHO WE ARE 2450 Washington Ave. Suite 240 San Leandro, CA 94577 Established in 1994, East Bay Innovations (EBI) today supports more than 350 individuals with disabilities to live as independently as possible in their own homes, to be successfully employed, and to feel a sense of membership in their community. Check out our website at www.eastbayinnovations.org E AST BAY IN NOVAT ION S T he INSIGHT THINKING ABOUT DONATING A CAR, TRUCK, VAN, MOTORCYCLE, RV, OR BOAT? Car Donations Services will make it easy for you and the sale of your vehicle will benefit EBI. Call (888) 686-4483 or email info@cardonationservices.com to learn more about making a tax-deductible donation. EBI’S 20th Anniversary is Approaching Plans for a celebration in 2014 are in motion! Stay tuned. Spring 2014 WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS Renee Beck has worked at the City of San Ramon for the last nine years, and is now serving as the City Clerk. She became involved with EBI when looking into employment resources for her son, Brian. Today, after participating in Project SEARCH, Brian is working at the Alameda Alliance for Health. Renee’s appreciation for the services Brian received made her want to be a part of EBI’s board and an active member of EBI’s Development Committee. She is a passionate supporter. Her resourcefulness, experience, and commitment make her a wonderful new addition to EBI’s board of directors. Ken McKinney has extensive experience in philanthropy and non-profit development, having worked in the nonprofit sector as a fundraiser for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, two NPR/ PBS affiliates including KQED in San Francisco, and for nearly ten years at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland. As Director of Philanthropy at Children’s Hospital, Ken became familiar with EBI. His knowledge and commitment make him an exciting addition to the board, where he is currently serving on the Development Committee.
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