California Hispanic Commission


California Hispanic Center

“Our Way” Client Run Center

 

 

 

  

10012 Norwalk Blvd., Suite #140

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

  

Phone: 562-941-2537 

Hours: 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday

 

Contact: 

Project Director: 

 Isabel Melloni

 Imelloni@chcada.org

 (562) 941-2537

 

Program Manager:

Diane Serna

dserna@chcada.org 

(562) 941-2537

 

STAFF (AS OF SEPTEMBER 2007): 

 

Services Offered:  

          (See bottom of page for details)

 

 

Our Way CRC takes great pride in our clean, comfortable, and lively lounge area. Many things happen in this positive space—enjoy a latte, read the paper, listen to an audio book, watch a movie, play a board game, research a career, day dream, form a club, or have a conversation with someone. Everyone is welcome!

  

All clients are interviewed by a case manager to determine what issues the client faces and how we can best work with the client to meet his/her needs. The client and the case manager JOINTLY develop a case plan that outlines three short-term goals, and spells out the objectives for achieving these goals within a one month time-frame.

The client meets again with the case manager, peer advocate, and program manager after he/she has achieved the short-term goals. This second meeting serves as a review of client progress, and development of a 6 month case plan. The client will meet with the entire case staff every six months thereafter, and with the case manager and peer advocate on an as needed basis during the interim.

 

All clients are referred to a Consumer Advocate (CA) to discuss the particular problems and challenges they face in getting and maintaining the best possible treatment for their particular illness, and in enjoying and succeeding in life. The CA acts as the liaison between the client and various agencies, institutions, communities, groups, and individuals that the client may struggle with. The CA's primary function is to assist and empower clients to overcome any obstacles toward their recovery.

 

Clients may elect to participate in peer support groups, anger management groups, parenting, and life skills group’s workshops. Peer groups are led by clients themselves while other groups are led by professional staff.  

 

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: 

 

Map to the Our Way Client Run Center 

 

Our Way is located off the 605 Frwy. In Santa Fe Springs, CA. 

If you are heading North on the 605 exit Telegraph and head East until you reach Norwalk Blvd. Make a left (north) on Norwalk and go up about 1/16 of a mile. Our center is on the right side. 

If you are headed South on the 605, exit Slauson and head East until you reach Norwalk Blvd. (about ¼ mi.). Turn right (south) on Norwalk and our center will be on the left about 2 miles down. If you reach Telegraph, you’ve gone too far.

 

Public transporation can be accessed directly in front of our center on Norwalk Blvd. Bus tokens are available for transportation to and from the Our Way CRC and to and from treatment. 

An Our Way CRC van will bring clients to the center and return them home again or to treatment on an as needed basis. Clients must call ahead to request this service.

  

Transportation is provided for all Our Way CRC outings and field trips.

  

Use MTA's Trip Planner to find out how to get here on public transit!

  

PARKING:

 Inside Information:

 

Our Way is located in a spacious suite in a business park in the semi-industrial area of Santa Fe Springs. This area contains many such parks that support all types of business and industry from wharehousing to retail surrounded by acres and acres of uncovered parking lot. We are fortunate to be located within the same park as a reasonably priced sandwich and salad deli, a school for translators, a dialysis center, and the corporate headquarters of a major phone company. The neighborhood is clean and safe and the people are friendly. The surrounding blocks contain a business park largely devoted to DCFS offices, a giant graphics design firm, international business headquarters, and a number of resteraunts and coffee shops including the ever-present, Starbucks. Within 1 mile of our center are movie theatres, parks, strip malls, resources for parents and foster children, resources for addicts and alcoholics, community centers, courts, city offices, and schools.

 

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Extended information on Programs  

Outreach Program: Empowerment Through Access (ETA)

 • Conduct weekly site visits to all major homeless shelters in SPA 7 and downtown LA (these include Bell Shelter, Union Mission, etc.) to disseminate information about our center and recruit clients

• Bi-annually disseminate CRC information to supportive services offices of all SPA 7 community colleges, adult schools, and ROP programs, and to General Hospital Emergency medical and psychiatric wards

• Bi-annually disseminate CRC information to all domestic violence agencies and organizations and schools in SPA 7

• Present CRC programming annually at all 22 cities and 5 unincorporated areas of SPA 7 at their respective City Council meetings

 

 Vocation Program: Empowerment Through Skills and Abilities (ETSA)

• Career Research

• Career Counseling

• Resume preparation assistance

• College application assistance

• Vocational programs application assistance

• Educational financial aid application assistance

 

Educational Program: Empowerment Through Understanding (ETU)

• Mental and behavioral illness defined

• Characteristics of the major mental/behavioral illnesses

• Current models of treatment

• Open discussion of limitations and opportunities created from specific mental/behavioral illnesses

• Open discussion of coping skills

• How the LA County public mental health system works

• Skills for dealing effectively with the LA County DMH

• How private and community-based mental health works

• How to access public and private funding opportunities including SSI

 

Recreation Program: Empowerment Through Joy (ETJOY)

• Outings (movies, museums, bowling, concerts, theatre, swimming, beach days, hiking, shopping, farmers markets, special events, etc.)

• Field trips (Santa Barbara, Catalina Island, Big Bear Camping, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Old Town, Hollywood wax museum/Ripppley's Believe it or Not), Universal Studios, Disneyland, LA Botanical Gardens, LA Observatory)

• In-House activities (board games, video/pizza nights, monthly community cocktail party, audio-book hour,

• Espresso bar lounge

• Clubs: gourmet and nutrition club, book club, geo-political club

• Mind/Body Fitness partnership with the YMCA: yoga class, Tai Chi, strength training, basketball, swimming, cycling, etc. (3 hours of fitness 5 times per week)

• Sports teams (non-competitive teams include: bowling, softball, and soccer)

 

OTHER SERVICES

 

Transportation

• An Our Way CRC van will bring clients to the center and return them home again or to treatment on an as needed basis. Clients must call ahead to request this service.

• Bus tokens are available for transportation to and from the Our Way CRC and to and from treatment.

• Transportation is provided for all Our Way CRC outings and field trips.

 

 Client Led Self-Help and Support Groups

• 12 step meetings (NA/AA/Overeaters)

• Women’s Domestic Violence support group

• Support group for family and friends of people with mood disorders

• Bi-polar support group for people with bi-polar disorders

• Schizophrenia support group for friends and family

• Schizophrenia support group for schizophrenics

• Support group for friends and family of people with personality disorders

• Support group for friends and family of people with psychotic disorders

• Support group for people wanting help with or in recovery from depression

 

Anger Management Group Counseling and Skill Building

• Meets twice per week

• Led by a mental health professional with expertise in this area

 

 Parenting Ourselves and Our Children Workshop

• 5 day workshop conducted every 6 months

o How to set healthy limits for ourselves and our children

o How to communicate to our children and be honest with ourselves about how we feel

o How to discipline ourselves and our children in positive ways

o How to deal with negativity in our lives (grief, anger, control, paranoia, excess, etc.)

 

Life Skills Workshop (curriculum changes periodically)

• 3 day workshop conducted every 3 months

o How to consolidate, manage, and eliminate debt

o Fitness and Nutrition for a healthy mind and body

o How to deal with life’s challenges through the business letter, the phone call, and the face-to-face visit

o How to enjoy ourselves

 

 

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