Fred Cardenas, Family Services’ Director of Early Childhood Well Being, brought our briefing @TheIntersection this week on Helping Families find that Glimmer of Hope.
Quick recap
This meeting focused on children and youth mental health, with Fred Cardenas from Family Service presenting on supporting children’s resilience and hope in challenging social contexts. Fred shared examples of current challenges facing children, including COVID-related disruptions, increased screen time, family stress, and political uncertainty, while highlighting glimmers of hope he observes in his work with families. He emphasized that children’s mental health is closely tied to adult well-being and stressed the importance of consistent, loving adult presence in children’s lives. The discussion included questions about Family Service’s engagement processes, volunteer opportunities, and the utilization of Sacred’s resource portal for youth services. Ann announced upcoming community events including the Annual Behavioral Health Conference and Pathways to Hope event, and promoted next week’s meeting about WEAVE grants from the Aspen Institute.
Summary
Nonprofit Mental Health Collaboration Events
Ann opened the meeting by discussing the importance of collaboration among nonprofits in San Antonio, particularly in addressing mental health issues. She announced upcoming events, including the Annual Behavioral Health Conference, the Oblate School of Theology Summer Institute, and various gatherings focused on mental health and community action. Ann also highlighted the next roundtable on June 11th, which will focus on storytelling for traction, and mentioned an upcoming Action Lab in July on older adults and the community portal.
Children’s Mental Health and Resilience
Fred presented on children’s mental health and resilience, highlighting how children’s well-being is closely tied to adult mental health. He shared examples of hope and resilience from his work with families, emphasizing the importance of consistent, loving adult presence in children’s lives. Fred concluded by suggesting simple activities that can promote both children’s and adults’ mental well-being, encouraging participants to connect with children and support families in engaging in these activities.
Family Services Program Demand
Fred explained that Family Services faces high demand for their programs, with some services having waiting lists due to limited funding. He described their efforts to integrate services across their 400-employee organization and connect families to appropriate resources. Fred confirmed that volunteer opportunities are available through their community development department and website, with many programs also relying on unpaid university interns, and noted that formal volunteer opportunities exist through partner agencies like CASA and FDA.
Youth Services Portal Discussion
The group discussed youth services and resources available through Sacred, with Billy and Bill clarifying that while there isn’t a specific youth portal, youth-related content is distributed across existing portals based on specific needs like mental health or IDD support. Bill mentioned they are open to exploring a youth-specific portal and noted that organizations like Family Services and Good Sam Center are already using Sacred extensively. Fred confirmed that Family Services utilizes Sacred extensively, with one of their board members previously being a Sacred clinician who promoted its use throughout the organization.
Community Partnership and Funding Updates
Peter discussed the success of the neighborhood place model and requested an update on the care zone support at Athens Elementary School, which has since moved to Dwight. Fred confirmed they still have a partnership with the district and provide mental health services through their behavioral health department, visiting schools in the area. Ann announced an upcoming meeting about WEAVE grants, which offer funding for community projects, and encouraged attendees to spread the word about the opportunity.