View fullsize

FROM LEFT: DR. MICHAEL YBARRA, SUTS DIRECTOR; NADIA NADER, CRT CLINICAL DIRECTOR; ANITA BARNAS, SVP/CHIEF PROGRAM OPERATIONS OFFICER; SAM SHAPIRO, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE; JENNIFER BRISCOE, ADMINISTRATOR; DANIELLE VOSBURG, regional director of operations

Now that nearly all program staff are vaccinated, members of the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ Executive Team are starting to tour programs again! Recently, Anita Barnas, SVP/Chief Program Operations Officer, along with Sam Shapiro, Director of Operational Excellence, visited /

As Chief Program Operations Officer, Anita tries to get to each program every few years (with over 140 programs, it takes a while to get to all of them!). Starting in June of 2021, she has been making up for lost time by attempting to visit as many programs as possible, including this most recent visit to /. Other recent visits include LA Step Down, LAOA, CATC, 72nd Avenue Recovery Center, La Conexion/La Claridad, and Kaiser ICT and other Sacramento programs.

While at the program, Anita discusses with staff how the pandemic affected them, how things are now, what’s working well (and what we can learn from them!) and what might need some additional attention to improve.

Anita has also been learning about the creative approaches staff are taking to implement best practices, stay safe, and keep clients on the road to recovery. The opportunity to celebrate success and mourn losses together has been deeply moving. She’s been taking time to attend morning meetings and groups, talking with staff at all levels, and having discussions with leadership about future strategies to improve operations at the program.

At a recent visit to Muriel Wright CRT/SUTS, Anita and Sam Shapiro, Director of Operational Excellence, were thrilled to see all the cool things happening (and to celebrate !). Administrator Jennifer Briscoe has been working at both Muriel Wright and Partners in Wellness, sharing her expertise and joyful spirit with both programs as we all try to adjust to our new reality, safety protocols, and other stressors. Anita and Sam were very impressed with how these teams are thriving even through many changes, due in large part to Jennifer’s ability to bring out the leadership skills of staff at all levels.

In the near future, Anita hopes to visit /CSU, Riverside MHRC, Connect I, II, and III; Jeremy House, Willow Rock Center, Jay Mahler Center, FACT, MAPS, and Merrill CSU, as well as La Paz, Sanger Place, LA HOP, La Casa PHF and MHRC, the MHUCC, and El Dorado PHF.

Other executive team members are getting out to visit programs as well. Faith Richie, SVP/Chief Development Officer, has been making the rounds in several regions and hopes to continue to schedule visits through the end of the year.

As infection rates in our programs decline with the rise in vaccinations, we look forward to more executives visiting programs throughout the coming months.