@NAHC HR Buzz: Personal Safety
By, Yvette Torres HR Generalist, Senior/Compensation Analyst For several months NAHC Safety Committee has brainstormed ways to assist staff with ensuring safety while at work, as well as staff’s personal safety. The ever rising concern for safety in our community has caused us to look for ways to help our staff remain safe will coming to and leaving work. Some ideas we came up with are to, when possible, park close to your worksite, walk in groups, contact a member of the Fruitvale SNAP Team (see contact information below) or a NAHC staff in the maintenance department to walk you to your car. One very important must for personal safety is to always remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times. On January 7, 2013, NAHC contracted Ken McCullum, founder of A.W.A.R.E. Self Defense for Women to train our staff in personal safety techniques and tactics. In his A.W.A.R.E class he gave beneficial information that will help staff protect themselves from violent crimes or reduce the risk of becoming a victim. If you are interested in attending Ken McCullums, A.W.A.R.E. training he will return to NAHC at the following dates : Oakland 7Directions February 15, 2013: 1pm -2pm San Francisco 160 Capp February 22, 2013: 1pm -2 pm
Below is some information he provided our staff: Be AWARE: • • • • • • • •
Awareness is essential. Your ability to recognize possible confrontation will help you avoid them. The best defense is to NOT be where trouble starts. Prevent yourself from being in dangerous situations. Learn to trust your instincts; if a situation doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. At night always park in a well light crowded area. Keep It Simple: If you are being robbed give up your material possessions. It is only when the assailant is trying to kidnap or move you to another place do you fight back. When it is not possible to avoid a situation, you must disable the assailant and escape as quickly as possible. A big part of disabling an assailant involves employing simple techniques and tactics. Always attack the vital areas of the body to disable the assailant and escape as quickly as possible. The vital areas are: The eyes, throat, groin, nose, shins, knees, and feet.
SNAP Program Contact Information: (510)719-3514 If you have more questions or need more information please contact Yvette Torres
February Anniversaries
Thank you for your service to our agency Darlene Petropoulos Billing
Start Date: 2/6/1976 37 Years of Service
Michele Maas SF CWD
Start Date: 2/10/2003 10 Years of Service
Monica Marquez Central Registration
Start Date: 2/9/2004 9 Years of Service
Rachel Pedamonte Oakland Medical
Start Date: 2/19/2007 6 Years of Service
Jacqueline Lomeli SF Dental
Start Date: 2/9/2008 5 Years of Service
DeJuana Presley Oakland Medical
Start Date: 2/1/2009 4 Years of Service
David Kagel IT
Start Date: 2/10/2009 4 Years of Service
Michelle Shawnego Administration
Start Date: 2/17/2009 4 Years of Service
Veronica Shawnego Nutrition and Fitness
Start Date: 2/1/2010 3 Years of Service
David Samlan Oak CWD
Start Date: 2/8/2010 3 years of Service
Aurora Mamea SF CWD
Start Date: 2/16/2010 3 Years of Service
Harold Davis Jr. Maintenance
Start Date: 2/2/2011 2 Years of Service
Christopher Alexander SF Medical
Start Date: 2/11/2011 2 Years of Service
Yesenia Fuentes Central Registration
Start Date: 2/22/2011 2 Years of Service
Barbara Burley Administration
Start Date: 2/1/2012 1 Year of Service
Yvette Torres Administration
Start Date: 2/27/2012 1 Year of Service
! C H A N @ s e New Hir
Essie Santana Tuttle, Licensing and Compliance Associate Administration
Cirila R. Perez Registered Dental Assistant SF Dental
Sonia Palencia On Call Registered Dental Assistant SF Dental
Lorraine Harvill On Call Registered Nurs 7D Medical
April McGill Program Manager, CWD SF
Edris Kareemzadeh Registered Dental Assis 7D Dental
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Cris Bissonnette, Nurse Practitioner, On-Call 7D Medical
Priscilla Craven On Call Medical Assistant 7D Medical
Generations By, Sandra Tavel Grants and Contracts Administrator
Shamika Dokes Peer Specialist CWD
I found this image a while ago and it made me think of the ways urban life has impacted generations of American Indians in the SF Bay Area. NAHC finds itself in a position of having to explain its identity and demographics consistently with funders as well as to the community. We aren’t an I.H.S. (Indian Health Service) clinic, although we receive funding from them. I.H.S. clinics tend to have a more homogenous demographic because of their rural locations. Our patients’ tribes span the entire United States and even other places in the Americas. How do urban people keep their traditions and communities alive while still adapting to the cultural demands of life in a large city? What emotions or thoughts does this image inspire?
The Cultural Exchange Pt. 2 By, Kateri Chiu Clinical Coordinator, CWD Oakland The Cultural Exchange was created with the intention of giving Native American youth an opportunity to feel like they belong to something that respects and values their cultural identity and the diversity of their lived experience. We wanted opportunities for Native youth to share, through the development of relationships that span across urban and reservation lands. In October 2012, the Yurok tribe welcomed 12 Bay Area Native (NAHC) youth to their home, sharing their food, their culture and their traditions Youtube to video highlighting experience can be found here: http://youtu.be/cNRQ0x0bh9k On January 31st the Bay Area Native youth welcomed Yurok tribal youth to join in a series of events that intimately revealed the urban Indian experience. The exchange began at the Intertribal Friendship House’s Community Dinner, where a group of youth shared a short documentary film about Relocation, created from interviews with elders. This project displayed the resilience of Indian people and the importance of IFH in uniting the community. On Friday, Andrew Vargas lead the morning activities as he welcomed 60 youth, including those from Scotts Valley Tribal TANF’s developing youth program, with articulate words from the heart. Marty Waukazoo addressed the group with encouragement as he spoke about the value of cultural identity and the mutual benefit of developing strong relationships with each other. In collaboration with Stanford University’s Native American Cultural Center 50 Native American youth were provided with a tour of the campus and an opportunity to hear from a panel of 5 Native American Stanford students about their academic endeavors. The students shared some of the challenges of leaving home and the benefits they have found through
education. From Stanford the youth traveled to UC Berkeley, where they interacted with UC students, who shared the importance of culture and how the relationships they make today will impact their tomorrow. A panel of Native American writers; Janet King, Penny Opalplant, Michael Horse, Mica Valdez, Tommy Orange and Shunkila Black Calf, exemplified the power that comes from one’s voice. The youth were deeply impacted by these artistic pieces and openly addressed issues of cultural identity and belonging. The next day, youth rode BART over to San Francisco to take a ferry to Alcatraz. Nearly 100 Native people gathered to understand the historical importance of this island. Linda Aranaydo, Karen Harrison and Lana Knight shared stories about their time on Alcatraz during the Occupation and the significance of those struggles. Lakota Harding spoke to the youth about Idle No More, and the importance of being proud to be Native. Afterward, the youth were taken on a special tour of Alcatraz that highlighted aspects of the Indian occupation. Youth Services in San Francisco opened their space for a dinner gathering. One young child asked, “Why are there so many stairs?” which allowed for a discussion about space and the value of having a place to feel safe and belong. Digital stories were shared and youth were able to relax and spend time together. The Cultural Exchange closed out on Ocean Beach with a circle of youth, parents, and staff gathered around a fire. The youth shared stories, laughter, and free-style rapping. Everyone was given an opportunity to express their words of appreciation, words of belonging, and words of hope.
GKAS 2013 Give Kids a Smile Day
Give Kids a Smile Day 2013 took place Friday, February 1st. It was a fun and successful day for all in NAHC’s Oakland Dental Department. In the morning staff visited 7 schools in our community dressed as dogs and cats and cheetahs, with costumes and painted faces. In all, 450 kids were enrolled at these sights, and all received a goody bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, as well as oral hygene instructions, and information on what good foods and bad foods were. In addition to this, staff provided kids with good brushing techniques, and to teach them how to floss, they utilized Dino the dinosaur and allowed kids to practice while having fun as well. In the afternoon at 7D, we had a table with educational pamphlets, facepainting, healthy snacks, and a balloon figurine maker named Buster. We saw a total of 38 kids on our site. The #1 health issue affecting children enrolled in Head Starts nationwide is ACCESS to oral health services. There is an increased risk of dental disease in underserved, low socio-economic populations as a result of shortage to dentists serving the medi-caid population and shortage of dentists serving ages 0-5. In a 2008 survey conducted by California Health reported 24% of all children in California have never visited a dentist and 49% of all children in California have NEVER visited a dentist by age 5. It has always been our goal, in the Dental Department, to see a child by their 1st birthday. In the Spring of 2012, our services expanded through the partnership with The Unity Council’s Head Start program, where our services were requested and very welcomed by the children and the community. As a result of our partnerships and expansions, we were able to provide Oral Health services at 30 Head Start/Early Head Start schools and increased access to 561 children. HeadStart screenings will begin on Monday, February 11th, 2013.