Holiday Giving Across the Ocean

By: Maya Carlyle, Recruitment and Events Associate, The Valley Foundation School of Nursing

In August of 2023, Linda Higgins (nurse and teacher in The Valley Foundation School of Nursing – and a “firebrand of a person”) watched the news and was heartbroken. Now she has 40 large, very full boxes in her garage, waiting to travel to Hawai’i in early December.

That night, on the news, Linda saw the reports of a series of wildfires on the Hawai’ian island of Maui, in and around the city of Lahaina. The fires, driven by dry, gusty winds prompted evacuations and caused widespread damage, destroying homes, businesses, and two of the elementary schools.

“I had a wild idea that came to me in the middle of the night,” Linda shared, “If I had thought it through, I probably wouldn’t have done it. I would have been overwhelmed.”

That wild idea? Help the children who would have attended some of those schools, and give them something joyful this holiday season.

Since August, Linda and “hundreds of family and friends and friends of friends” had put together 900 handmade stockings and 40 non-holiday themed gift bags, filling them with cloth backpacks, treats, play doh, crayons, toys, toothbrushes and toothpaste, hair brushes, and other things to bring some joy and comfort to impacted kids – all of them, ages 4 to 11 years old.

To make all of this happen, Linda has been working with other teachers – those in Lahaina, working to keep their kids learning and safe, and on the mainland, in the Bay Area. After hearing about the project, several instructors at West Valley College joined the project. The Fashion Design department made about 300 of the stockings which are heading over, and the Maker Space in the Interior Design department used their 3D printing lab to make bookmarks with banyan trees for the stockings.

The story of these gifts has made it pretty far. Linda was interviewed by Becky Worley for Good Morning America (the interview aired on December 8th), and Southwest Airlines donated the travel to get Linda and the 40 boxes of gifts over to Lahaina.

“That was the biggest, giant-est gift of all,” Linda said of the Southwest Airlines support. “And, I really just want to thank the people who have been so generous in helping out – at least 60 of my friends have been in my house for a week [in late November], stuffing stockings and bags.”

“This whole thing is so not the nursing method of ‘assess and make a plan first’ – I just implemented and then looked back, and I swear to all, I’m not sure how any of this happened. At one point I got 12 stockings in the mail from someone on the East Coast who I had never met or talked to.”

Linda shared that she intends to keep this project going – though, she hasn’t made a plan for that quite yet.

For more information about The Valley Foundation School of Nursing, please reach out to:
Email: Nursing@sjsu.edu
Phone: 408-924-3131

SJSU Human Rights Institute Moves to CHHS and Hosts Inaugural Event

By: Dr. Michael Dao, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology

On November 8, 2023, the College of Health and Human Sciences with the San José State Human Rights Institute (HRI), now located in CHHS, partnered with the Santa Clara County Single Payer Coalition to screen the documentary “Healing US,” which compellingly lays out the human, moral and material cases for single-payer health care. The Santa Clara County Single Payer Healthcare Coalition brings community organizations together to organize, energize and educate our community to bring equal and quality healthcare to all people who reside in California.  This documentary details the multifaceted costs associated with the current health care insurance system in the U.S. when one is underinsured.  For example, approximately a half million families will file for bankruptcy this year due to unaffordable medical costs.

As part of the 2023 SJSU Transforming Communities programming, this screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Kenny Ballentine (Director of Healing US), Dr. Yusra Hussain (Chair, Physicians for a National Health Program South Bay/Silicon Valley Chapter), Ash Kalra (Rep. California’s 25th Assembly District and promoter of healthcare for all), Alissa Shaw (Adjunct Professor, Department of Public Health and Recreation, SJSU) and Ryan Skolnick (Community Organizer at National Nurses United).

The panel discussion was thought-provoking and highlighted the need to promote adequate healthcare for all, especially those on the margins. As the first event of the college’s Human Rights Institute, it launched a focus on health as a human right and health equity. Moving forward, the Human Rights Institute will focus on events and research that broadly centers on health as a human right. Stay tuned for more events from the college and the institute.

Oldest OT Program in the Western U.S. Celebrates its 80th Anniversary!

By: Dr. Luis Arabit, Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy

On November 3, 2003, the Occupational Therapy department, in the College of Health and Human Science at San José State University (SJSU) proudly celebrated its 80th founding anniversary. The program was founded in 1943 as one of the first occupational therapy programs in the Western United States and is the oldest accredited Occupational Therapy program in the California State University system.

The celebration was held at the SJSU Student Union Ballroom and featured two well known leaders in the OT field as co-keynote speakers, Dr. Lela Llorens and Dr. Penny Kyler. Both speakers discussed the importance of membership in OT professional organizations and also addressed the significance of increasing diversity equity and inclusion in the OT workforce through advocacy and recruitment. The event included attendees such as former alumni and faculty who have contributed to the OT program’s rich history. The celebration also hosted concurrent educational sessions for attendees with invited guest speakers who are graduates of the OT program. The celebration culminated with a dinner reception complete with a photo booth, a jazz band and raffle prizes provided by event sponsors.

Tremendous appreciation goes out to the Chair of the OT department, Dr. Gigi Smith, the OT Staff, Faculty and the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) who volunteered their precious time to contribute to the success of the celebration! Happy 80th Anniversary to the OT Program!

**A little piece of SJSU OT Program history: In March 1943, the OT curriculum was presented to the AOTA Council on Education for approval and by June 1944, the program was fully accredited with Ms. Mary Booth as the first appointed occupational therapist in charge of the program. Soon thereafter, Ms. Booth received an academic appointment as Assistant Professor and was responsible for establishing the foundation upon which the program was built. During Ms. Booth’s tenure as department head, the department grew as well as the quality of the educational curriculum. Through a gift in Ms. Booth’s will the College established the Mary D. Booth Occupational Therapy Endowment Scholarship in her memory. (Lorraine Pedretti, 1993.  History of the department of occupational therapy, 1943-1993).

Empowering the Next Generation of Nutrition Professionals

By: Emilia Gomez and Giselle Garcia, Fall 2023 WHISK Ambassadors (and Jamie Kubota, WHISK Director)

NUFS 192, the senior capstone field experience, is a prime example of experiential learning provided to undergraduate students in the Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging.  Completed during one of their last two semesters, students self-place into volunteer or paid positions that augment their academic coursework and allow them to build technical skills and confidence, build their resume and professional network, explore areas of industry, and prepare for entry level work after graduation.  Potential sites include: hospital nutrition and food services or skilled nursing facilities, school districts, senior nutrition programs, food banks, restaurants, food science labs, private practice, and cooking classes and camps for children to name a few. In addition to an exciting array of off-campus opportunities, other students fulfill their field experience on-campus as CHEW instructors teaching cooking classes for their peers, working with SJSU athletics in support our student athletes, or within the NUFS&PKG department serving as WHISK Ambassadors.  Senior nutrition student and WHISK Ambassador, Emilia Gomez, shares her experience:

As senior nutrition students at San José State University, we have the opportunity to join and become Ambassadors for the program, Wellness and Health Inspired Student Kitchens (WHISK). WHISK allowed us to fulfill our NUFS 192 field experience on campus and to create a better connection with our fellow San José State students. As WHISK Ambassadors, it is important to understand the purpose of the nutrition program and the targeted audience. In this case, we provide student-led nutrition education and cooking demonstrations for the purpose of promoting healthy eating behaviors among the San José State community.

As part of WHISK, we plan events and conduct collaborative projects with other campus programs such as Spartan Eats, the SJSU Campus Community Garden, the NUFS Club, and SJSU Cares, to name a few. As our target audience is primarily college students, we strive to provide resources and create nutrition education that is appropriate for both on-campus and off-campus students. The nature of our work can vary depending on the specific event but some tasks include designing educational like fliers and recipe cards, leading online meetings, and holding tabling events that communicate essential nutrition information to diverse audiences. We also have the opportunity to conduct virtual cooking demonstrations via Zoom doing everything from planning the logistics of the event to engaging with participants. Called WHISK Cooks!, WHISK provides Hello-Fresh-style ingredient bags for the first 20 students to pick up a bag.  In each bag are the recipe(s) and all the ingredients needed to make each recipe. Participants then Zoom in to cook together or follow along from the comfort of their dorm room or home kitchen. Aimed at increasing cooking confidence and self-efficacy, these events also help address food insecurity among college students. WHISK also focuses on engaging with the San José State community by participating in events with other programs on campus to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in food, reducing food waste, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

“Our professional development is enhanced by receiving hands-on experience and exposure to nutrition education. This allows us, as nutrition students, to apply our knowledge and skills to designing educational materials, conducting events online and in person, and engaging with diverse populations in our community. With this field experience, we are able to gain a better understanding of specific interests within the broader field of nutrition, which will allow us to make informed career choices as we graduate and enter the professional world.”

WHISK Ambassador, Giselle Garcia, echoes similar sentiments, adding “Although our event participants do not see the background work put into all these events, WHISK is able to provide experiences that help nutrition students to learn new skills that can be applied to future jobs.  In my opinion, WHISK is a small golden gem in the Nutrition department looking to help students inside and outside of the department to develop healthy relationships with food.”

Behavioral Health Stipend Helps Make Dreams for Future Social Workers Come True

By: Paola Quintanilla, Graduate Student Leader and Social Media Specialist, School of Social Work

Duc-Trung Tong is a recipient of the Public Behavioral Health MSW Training Program. Check out what Trung has to say about his experience!

“Hello! My name is Duc-Trung Tong. I go by just Trung. My pronouns are he/him/his, and I am currently in my final year of my MSW with the Online/Hybrid program.

I am currently interning with Gardner Health Services in San José. The specific program I am assigned to is the Forensic, Diversion, and Reintegration (FDR) program which is a full-service partnership (FSP) program that provides intensive mental health and substance use treatment to individuals in the criminal justice system. In the past two months, I have had many new experiences working in behavioral health, as the bulk of my work in this internship requires direct services in the community with my clients. Compared to my employment which is based in an outpatient substance use treatment program, I work with clients in some of the most vulnerable times of their lives. Whether clients are recently released from incarceration or emergency psychiatric services (EPS), I am pushed to provide much-needed case management and therapeutic services to ensure success in their reintegration back into their communities. I believe the skills I will continue to grow will prepare me for many situations and environments in my career in behavioral health.

The Public Behavioral Health Program (PBH) aligns with my goals and aspirations in the field of behavioral health. Years before applying to the MSW program, I hoped to eventually earn the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential to provide therapeutic services in mental health and substance use for underserved communities in Santa Clara County. The PBH program not only supports me financially in paying for my college tuition but will also provide me with the training to expand my scope of practice and clinical skills.

My goal post-graduation is to work towards earning the LCSW and continue working in a public-funded community-based organization. I also plan on advancing my current credential in substance use to become a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LAADC). With the dual credential and specialization in substance use, I hope to contribute to advancing the field of substance use as the professionals and field as a whole have been historically under-appreciated compared to solely mental health professionals. Furthermore, my overall goal is to rewrite the narratives of formerly incarcerated individuals as I will join the small number of therapists who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.

The stipend has validated the existing goals and purpose I have of serving my community. I feel honored to be chosen as one of the final candidates and will continue dedicating myself to the path I envisioned many years ago.”

Training sites include publicly-funded behavioral health programs in community clinics, outpatient and residential treatment programs, inpatient psychiatric units, schools, SELPAs, regional centers, inpatient and outpatient health care settings, child welfare units, juvenile delinquency programs, and adult corrections settings, among others. Specialized training content will focus on preparing students for the realities of public behavioral health practice and emphasize the coordination and integration of services provided to adults, children, and families through multiple systems of care.