2018 Employee Recognition Awards - Health
GOLD - 2-way tie between Shannon Shalespeare-Leon and Yvette Tavera:
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In her role as a medical assistant, Shannon supports the work of the Integrated Behavioral Health team at Emeline, comprised of 10 licensed direct service providers. Shannon has an extreme workload due to the support she’s required to provide, but she approaches everything that she does with immense patience and caring toward the people that her team serves, and goes above and beyond in her role, acting as a coordinator of sorts. Shannon truly embodies operational excellence, specifically providing patients with outstanding and culturally responsive services, and playing an essential role in increasing access to integrated mental health, substance use disorder, and health care services.
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As a medical assistant, Yvette is the Integrated Behavioral Health star of the Watsonville team, as the program has grown exponentially with a corresponding workload. Often, she is the first line of contact for patients and non-clinic employees, performing numerous duties outside of her medical assistant role. Due to the nature of her position, Yvette is often the recipient of complaints from disgruntled patients and other providers, but her caring and compassionate attitude lead to a smooth resolution of any and all issues that come her way. Yvette ensures that all patients receive the highest quality of service, while making them feel that they’re the top priority in the clinic.
SILVER - Kim Chavez:
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Kim has worked for the County in Juvenile Hall for over 23 years, and she consistently demonstrates her commitment to inclusive and exemplary care and services to an often-underserved population. Kim has been one of the primary providers coordinating and providing medical services at Juvenile Hall, and she ensures that every youth receives individualized and high-level care. She always goes above and beyond, and has stepped up, especially in the past couple of years, to work many overtime shifts in order to meet medical requirements, and always with a smile on her face.
BRONZE - Shared by members of the Jail Behavioral Health Team, including:
Back Row, Left to Right:
Robert Annon
Jeff Goodyear
Rob Vickers
James Russell
Front Row, Left to Right:
Brenda Campbell
Dr. Oya Soysal
Molly Friedman
James Reggio
Not Pictured:
Dr. Karsten Heil
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Members of the Jail Behavioral Health Team are regularly faced with jail overcrowding and a high number of individuals with mental illness who are in custody. This team displays collaboration, respect, support, and trust while working under incredibly challenging and stressful conditions, participating in daily multi-disciplinary team meetings to review the cases and needs of inmates with a variety of treatment needs. Members of this team provide quality services while supporting individuals in their stabilization, recovery and successful re-entry and linkage to supports in the community.