Virginia Street Project

Halloween party, Ginny Cutler, ??, Nikki Chrisman, me

Mark, Jeremy, Charity and Natalia at the same party

Stockton Ave, where VSP use to be

in front of DTMHC Me, Ginny, Karen Wrinkle, Dr. K, Nikke, ??,Alexis Horozon, Kelly Laur, ??, Gary Goldberg, Art Lhowe

employee of the month VSP

VSP and board of supervisors (Ron Gonzalez, Rod Diridon, Mike Honda)

When I started working for Santa Clara County, I worked for Virginia Street Project, an intensive case management program.  The idea behind the program was to work intensively with mentally ill clients who had been in the hospital multiple times.  There was a reserch project comparing this project to other case management programs Community 'Companions and Downtown Mental Health.  The research provided evidence the intensive program kept people out of the hospital, and saved the county money in the long run.  However it was a very intensive project, with and average of 15 clients per worker. We had psych techs and occupational therapist, in addition clinicians and psychiatrist.

When I started with the county, we were located on Stockton Ave.  They had been on Virginia Street before this.  After about six months we moved to the Downtown Mental Health, as security was a problem.  It was a warehouse, with no rear exit. 

As a result we were given more and more cases.  The developer of the model visited with us, and was saddened that his model was almost non-existent.  Virginia Street Project was folded into Downtown Mental Health as part of a reorganization process. 

Our boss, who was very much invested in the project, passed away shortly before the program folded.  She had a relapse of cancer and didn't survive.  Kelly Laur and I sang at her funeral.

As a side note, Kelly signed for my hours when I got my clinical liscensure.  Nikke had been my supervisor, but as she passed away, was unable to sign.