The Fresno Hacienda

United Way Women’s Intitiative Adopts A Room at Hacienda

jbates1 — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 02:35:33 +0000

[gallery]A special thank you to the United Way’s Women’s Intiative group for adopting a room for the Hacienda Transitional Living program. A special thank you to Sue Liskey and Kathy Winter for spearheading these efforts to the group. Here are some pictures of the newest room.

“Be the Hope” Fundraiser

jbates1 — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:03:14 +0000

Mental Health Systems invites you to attend our inspiring “Be the Hope” Luncheon on February 1st. This is a free lunch for people to come and learn more about how Mental Health Systems’ is improving lives for individuals, families and communities. You will be asked to consider making a contribution. There is no minimum and no maximum gift requested. It will be the job of the organization to inspire people to want to give. As much as anything, we want people to come and find out about the great programs offered here in the Fresno area.

When: Tuesday, February 1, 2011 • 12-1pm
Please plan to arrive early to allow for parking and getting to the room as the event will start promptly at noon. Registration opens at 11:30 am.

Location: Golden Palace Banquet Hall, 2625 West Vassar Avenue, Fresno, CA 93705

COST: No Cost
Come learn more about the difference MHS is making in the lives of Fresnans and the impact of MHS programs on our community. There is no cost to attend and you will have the opportunity to support MHS programs after the event.

RESERVATIONS
Please RSVP by January 25th to Jenny Bates via email at jbates@mhsinc.org or by calling 559-264-7521 ext. 2001.

PARKING
Parking is on site at the banquet hall and is complimentary.
Detailed directions will be sent to registered guests.

Mental Health Systems is a non-profit agency founded in 1978 to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities facing substance abuse and behavioral health challenges. Toward this end, we provide mental health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in an innovative and cost-effective manner. MHS serves up to 10,000 clients each day through our nearly 90 programs.

For more information please visit www.mhsinc.org

Central Valley Regional Office
The Hacienda • 2550 W. Clinton Avenue
Fresno, CA 93705 • (559) 264-7521

Mental Health Systems Will Be On KYNO Radio

jbates1 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:39:35 +0000

Hi Friends, Mental Health Systems is going to be a guest on KYNO radio on Wednesday, July 14th and also July 20th at 12:15pm. Jenny Bates, Vice President of Central Valley Region, as well as, a graduate of one our programs will be on the air to share our story. It would be great if you are free to listen and even call in. If you are listening on the radio, it’s 940 AM; on the internet, you can listen at www.940kyno.com. Call in at (559) 485-2940.

Adopt-A-Room is taking off…

jbates1 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:38:23 +0000

Click to view slideshow.More and more units are being reserved in the Adopt-a-Room program. There is a lot of decorating going on and more an more groups and individuals are getting involved.

This is a tranistional housing program and the women coming to the program have literally nothing. Some come with children. For the most part they have been a part of a substance abuse program and have worked hard to obtain employment. Many of them have never had such a wonderful place to live–complete with furnishings, decorations and a secure enviornment. It is important that these women have a warm and inviting place to occupy to go with their new and exciting life-style.

So far we have had a room adopted by Fresno County Women Lawyers, EVS Home Staging, Fresno Women’s Medical Group, The Bessners, The Newman Club and Mrs Marian Hawkey (who donated for the transformation of two rooms). Thank you does not seem like adequate enough words for what these groups have done to help

More Hacienda Happenings

jbates1 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:10:02 +0000

Click to view slideshow.Another happening at the Hacienda has been a long time in coming. Since we have occupied the facility the flag pole has been in poor shape. The area has been neglected except for an occasional weeding—Enter Nicholas Lamphear, Senior at Liberty High School in the Madera Ranchos. Nick was in need of an Eagle project for Boy Scouts and we were in need of a refurbished Flagpole. Applying for your Eagle Scout award is not simple—it takes a report that is very specific and includes diagrams and measurements. Nick finally was approved and the work commenced on Friday and Saturday evening the 14th and 15th of May. Thanks to Acton rentals we had a lift and it went all the way up to the pole. The pole was painted white, re-strung and the top was painted gold as well as the bottom. Nick had the help of his Boy Scout family including scouts and parents. The area by pole was re-planted and it is a site –in the near future, Nick will provide us with a flag and we will have a Flag Raising ceremony presented by the Scouts in his troop. With the help of a benefactor, the project was paid for and we also want to acknowledge Mary Jo Mottino of our facilities department for her help.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over four million youth members in its age-related divisions. In 1907, British General Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in England using elements of Seton’s works among other influences. Several small local Scouting programs for boys started independently in the U.S., soon after, many of these programs merged with the BSA. Scouting and Boy Scouts are well-known throughout American culture. The term “Boy Scout” is used to generally describe someone who is earnest and honest, or who helps others cheerfully.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men. The title of Eagle Scout is held for life, thus giving rise to the phrase “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle”.

Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements.** Congratulations Nicholas on your achievement and we are so glad that you chose the Hacienda to complete your project!
**information from BSA

Hacienda Happenings

jbates1 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:46:17 +0000

There has been a lot going on at the Hacienda recently. The clients of Fresno FIRST has started a garden. With some donations and some purchased materials they have established a garden complete with signs denoting what is growing where. The ladies are responsible to tending to the garden. Gardening is one of the most therapeutic projects that anyone can do. There is something about putting your hands in soil and watching it grow. The plan is to eventually have a community garden and perhaps even a farmers market. See how our garden is growing. Our clients are like gardens, once they are planted, they grow roots, those roots start to grow and nurish the plants and then the plants grow and are a bountiful harvest for all of us–our clients come to us as seedlings and as they are allowed to explore life without drugs they begin to grow and blossom and whether they bear a lot of fruit or just a little, they are an inspiration to us all…..Remember “To plant a garden is to believe in the future”

You Tube Video on our Casa Aurora Program

jbates1 — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:58:29 +0000

Check out our You Tube Video about our Casa Aurora program in Bakersfield. This is the program that we hope to have in Fresno someday. The Female Rehabilitative Community Correctional Center is on hold for Fresno until the State budget improves.

To view the video go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZTZcpKEylM

Check out our updated website

jbates1 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:09:35 +0000

Mental Health Systems has an updated website, check it out!

www.mhsinc.org

Meetings to be held at the Hacienda

jbates1 — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:10:14 +0000

Please see the letter below–Hope to see you at one of the two meetings.

Central Valley Region Administrative Office

2550 W. Clinton Ave.• Fresno, CA 93705

(559) 264-7521 • fax (559) 441-0293

www.mhsinc.org

January 29, 2010

Dear Neighbor:

Mental Health Systems Inc. has completed its first year and a half at the Hacienda and has made great progress in our mission to change lives. We have made many improvements to the site and have shown our commitment to being good neighbors to our Fresno community by operating without any incidents.

We would like to invite you to attend an informational meeting to describe our request to modify some parts of our city permit and to answer any questions you may have.

No Rehabilitative Community Correction Center (FRCCC) clients have been at the center so we are requesting the elimination of the Fresno police officer requirement until such time that there is a contract in place and the clients are on the facility grounds.

We are asking the city to allow up to 16 permanent housing units on-site and reduce the number of transitional supportive housing units to 36. The total number of units will remain the same at 52.

The original approval required us to cover 42 parking spaces with carports. Most of our clients do not drive so we are asking only to construct 25 carports and to allow parking by transitional housing clients in the parking lot off of W. Clinton Avenue.

Should the FRCC program return, we request the opportunity to change our client limit of 96 to 100 with a corresponding client base for transitioning in and out of the program.

Mental Health Systems will have two informational meetings regarding the requested changes. The meetings will be held February 6th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and on February 16th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Hacienda site located at 2550 West Clinton Ave., Fresno. We will also provide tours after the meeting for anyone who might be interested.

We look forward to seeing you at either one of the informational meetings. If you have any questions regarding this project or cannot attend a meeting, please feel free to contact me. I feel confident you will feel comfortable with our modifications and continued commitment to be a good neighbor.

Sincerely yours,

Jenny Bates, LCSW

Vice President

Central Valley Region

Mental Health Systems Needs Your Support

jbates1 — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:54:25 +0000

We are hoping to get some support from the Fresno community. Many of you have been following the construction and news of our Hacienda site. We are continuiing to move along but have had some barriers in relation to the State Budget which has made some changes our Conditional Use Permit. At this point, our Hacienda site will not have any inmates on the property. The CUP required an officer on our site due to the inmate population. Due to this change, we are requesting this be eliminated at this time. The City has asked for community support on this decision. In addition, we have some other changes to our CUP that we would like to change all at once. Below you will find the items we wish to change in our CUP. We are hoping anyone who would like to suport us to give me a call so I can send an official letter to you.

Please call Jenny Bates at 559-977-5515

The requested changes to our CUP include:
1. Eliminating the police officer requirement until such time as the Female Rehabilitative Community Correction Center (FRCCC) is re-instated.
2. Allow up to 16 permanent housing units on-site and reduce the number of transitional supportive housing units to 36. The total number of units will remain the same at 52.
3. Reduce the number of required carports from 42 to 25.
4. Approve temporary parking by transitional housing participants in the parking lot off of W. Clinton Avenue.
5. Allow a 14 resident increase to the FRCCC.