What Can I Say?
In thinking about an article for this newsletter, a bit of apprehension came over me. What should I write about? Who is going to read it? As a member of the Board, I could take the time to explain the various board duties and functions, however, then you would have ample reason to call us members of the "bored".

Positive Changes and Stability
The agency's leadership has changed at the staff and board level. Our executive director, Janet Gorewitz, has brought new energy, ideas, and expertise to our agency. She does a fantastic job representing, supporting, and when necessary, defending the interests of volunteers, staff and callers in working with the Board of Trustees.

We are recruiting new Board members who are changing the face and expertise of the Board, but we have retained our veterans. This ensures that we have the history and memory needed so that we never lose sight of our original purpose. Barbara Wolfinger, our Past Board President, is a mainstay and is not shy about bringing us back on track if and when we stray. She truly is the "Dean" of our Board.

Our Foundation
I see the agency anchored by four distinct and equal groups comprised of volunteers, staff, the Board, and our supporters. Each is essential. CSS cannot survive without all four.

The Staff

CSS' staff manages daily operations by supporting both volunteers and callers. Among a host of responsibilities, the staff provides the means for the organiaztion to operate on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week. Crisis takes no holiday and we must let our callers know that we are here for them all the time. The staff's accomplishments are commendable and professional in every respect. Our staff makes all of us look good to our colleagues in the human services community.

The Board

The Board sets policy, identifies and secures resources and the tools to help deliver the vital services that the community needs. Our future goals include: solidifying our fiscal base, increasing our pool of volunteers, identifying our callers without violating their confidentiality and increasing public awareness of who we are and the services we provide.

To Our Supporters

Lastly, our donors and supporters are critical to our success. You provide the financial support that enables CSS to provide crisis services to the community. Each dollar donated translates directly into lives saved!

A Final Word

Many years ago during an interview about my former agency, a reporter questioned one of our long-time volunteers about the type of caller and type of problem heard day in and day out. At one point, the reporter asked, "Don't you ever get tired, depressed or even angry at the callers or their situations? Do you ever want to just leave these people to their own problems? How can you do this work?" The volunteer looked her in the eye and replied, "Lady, this work is who I am."

Teens for Life is an outreach program we have created to help kids identify the signs of depression and suicide and to inform them of how to go about finding help. Our in-school workshops also provide an opportunity for teens to share their own personal experiences with depression and suicide.

With just two staff and a handful of dedicated volunteers, we worked with over 10,000 Alameda County students this year -almost double the number we had seen the year before. We were particularly happy last year to conduct workshops at schools that were new to us.

A student evaluation form developed this year has provided important feedback from the students. The evaluations confirmed hopes that this program is helpful and important to youth. An overwhelming majority of students reported that the presentations gave them the skills they needed to recognize warning signs and get help for themselves or a friend who might be suicidal.

As a natural extension of Teens for Life, in 1997 Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, the Alameda County Mental Health Board and CSS jointly initiated the Save Our Youth series of conferences. The intent of this annual conference is to address a range of youth-at-risk issues. The event is free of charge, courtesy of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, as part of May is Mental Health Month. Individuals attend because they have dedicated their professional lives to promoting the welfare of kids.

The first year's conference focused on depression and suicide prevention; last year the focus was on youth and violence. This year's focus was slightly different. Once again, issues that place kids at risk were discussed, but with a special emphasis on resilience and solutions-what is working. What makes some kids more resilient than others? What "best practice" programs can be translated successfully to other environments? And how can schools, community, mental health and the family work together to respond to our children in need? The conference was a huge success.

It is easy to become discouraged when working with some of these overwhelming problems. Having the opportunity to see some of the effective programs and strategies that really seem to be making a difference in kids' lives is inspiring. The conference concluded with a spectacular performance from the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Seeing these youth perform with talent and pride was heart-warming, inspiring and hopeful. It was the perfect note on which to end the day and to wind up a successful year of working with the youth of Alameda County.