Racism is a Public Health Crisis

On March 16, 2021, a consortium of county leaders, including the County Behavioral Health Directors of California, issued a statement supporting that racism is a public health crisis.  Please review the attached document for the commitment our department is making with this statement.

Please note that the issuance of this statement is not a box that we check off, and then, sit back.  This statement is part of holding ourselves accountable to do the work that the statement commits to.  Our department is already on this path and I am hopeful that our continued work will move us steadily toward these aims.  I am committed.  

- DBH Leadership Team

Behavioral Health Equity

Behavioral Health Equity is the right to access quality health care for all populations regardless of the individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or geographical location. This includes access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for mental and substance use disorders.

Advancing health equity involves ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This also applies to behavioral health. In conjunction with quality services, this involves addressing social determinants, such as employment and housing stability, insurance status, proximity to services, culturally responsive care – all of which have an impact on behavioral health outcomes.

What We are Doing to Advance Health Equity-

Reducing Health Disparities and improving health equity is important to the Department of Behavioral Health. It is not a check box for us, nor do we want it to be for any who provide services in our system of care. While there are areas for improvement in our system of care, we also feel we are making advances in improving health equity. In the past few years, we have started self-examination of areas for improvement. We’ve invested in new trainings and changing processes which have contributed to disparities. We have sought to get greater community input and create programs that better meet the needs of our diverse community. Health Equity is not a singular goal for our Department and system of care, but rather an ongoing continuous process to best meet the on-going needs of our diverse and changing community. 

Health Equity Multi-Cultural Diversity Training (HEMCDT)

• 2018-2019 FY HEMCDT Training Dates(PDF, 129KB) 
• 2017-2018 FY HEMCDT Training Dates(PDF, 1MB)
• 2017-2018 FY HEMCDT Training Details(PDF, 207KB)

Providers with access to the Department's Learning Management System, Relias can access additional foundational trainings.

Resources

• Complimentary Healer Policies(PDF, 648KB)
• Application for Eligibility Complimentary Holistic Providers(PDF, 837KB)
• CRDP Phase II Fact Sheet(PDF, 273KB)
• 2012 Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment(PDF, 535KB)

Mental Health Terms — Resources

• CCC Glossary of Terms English/Spanish(PDF, 25KB)
• Hmong MH Terminology(PDF, 85KB)
• Language Access For MH(PDF, 267KB)

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Land Acknowledgement

The Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health acknowledges that we are on the traditional territory of several nations including the Yokuts, Western Mono/Monache, Eastern Mono/Monache, Numu (Northern Paiute), Ohlone (Amah Mutsun), and Salinan.                                                            

What is a land acknowledgement and why do we do it?

A land acknowledgement involves making a statement recognizing the traditional territory of the Indigenous people(s) who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases still do call it home. Providing a land acknowledgement at the beginning of an event or meeting gives time for reflection and demonstrates recognition and appreciation of Indigenous lands, treaties and peoples. It involves thinking about what happened in the past and what changes can be made going forward in order to further the reconciliation process and work towards reducing disparities and improve health outcomes.

2023 Cultural Humility Survey

The Department of Behavioral Health will be administering the 2023 Client Cultural Humility Survey and Family/Caregiver Cultural Humility Survey starting Monday 3/6/2023 through Friday 3/17/2023. The purpose of these surveys is to measure individual perception of services and obtain feedback on the delivery of culturally responsive behavioral health services in Fresno County.

•             ENGLISH - Client/Person-Served Cultural Humility Survey 2023: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/clientpersonserved2023

•             ENGLISH - Family/Caregiver Cultural Humility Survey 2023: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/familycaregiver2023

•             SPANISH - Client/Person-Served Cultural Humility Survey 2023: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/clientepersonaatendida2023

•             SPANISH - Family Caregiver Cultural Humility Survey 2023:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/familiacuidador2023

•             HMONG - Client/Person-Served Cultural Humility Survey 2023: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tustxaiskevpab2023

•             HMONG - Family Caregiver Cultural Humility Survey 2023: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tsevneegtussaibxyuas2023

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 DBH Spanish Language Guide

The Department of Behavioral Health has developed a document to assist service providers when caring for persons-served whose preferred language is Spanish.

The guide is constantly being reviewed and improved upon. The current version was revised on 10/6/2022.

Access the guide HERE(DOCX, 146KB)