(Pictured left to right: Kerr Governing Board members Kimberly Curry and Laurine Apolloni with Kerr CEO Allison Stark)
Dear Friends of Albertina Kerr,
This week, we are celebrating National Nurses Week, and I want to thank our dedicated nursing staff at Subacute and our residential homes. Their tireless efforts perfectly capture this year’s theme, “Nurses Make the Difference.” We are incredibly grateful for all they do! (Pictured bottom left, Subacute care team members: Walter Malanowski, RN, Subacute Nurse Manager, and floor nurses Charlotte Lotenschtein, RN, and Allison Ward, RN)
In recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month, we organized a highly successful Conversation on Oregon Teen Mental Health, shedding light on the challenges faced by Oregon’s teens. I want to extend a huge thanks to our panelists for their valuable insights. They represented a broad range of perspectives, from the statewide systems level view to a teen and her mom’s lived experience navigating the system. I also want to thank Governing Board members Laurine Apolloni and Kimberly Curry for hosting this important event and to Walen Construction, our event sponsor, for their generous support. (Pictured top right: Panelists Chris Howmiller, MSW, Kerr Clinical Supervisor and Dr. Jenny Tsai, M.D., Adult & Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist)
During the recent CARF International evaluation of our mental health programs, our services were highly praised, described as “stellar” and “exceptionally responsive.”
Our Medical Director, Dr. Naomi Fishman, recently advocated for improved access to children’s mental health services at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (AACAP) Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. Her advocacy and hard work have not gone unnoticed. We are thrilled to announce that the Oregon Council of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (OCCAP) is honoring her as Psychiatrist of the Year later this month. We’re so proud of Dr. Fishman’s recognition! (Pictured right)
I am also excited to share that three of Portland’s high school CommuniCare programs have awarded grants to Kerr. A special thanks to the student grantmaking committees at Central Catholic High School, Roosevelt High School, and Tualatin High School for their support.
We are pleased to introduce Artemus Guice as Kerr’s first Self-Advocate Coordinator. As a former client and participant in our programs, Artemus will be instrumental in helping us shape person-centered policies and practices and bring needed perspective and lived experience to our work.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to our mission. Your involvement is crucial to our success and profoundly impacts the communities we serve.
Sincerely,
Allison Stark
CEO, Albertina Kerr