MHSOAC Unanimously Approves Yolo County’s Innovation Projects
Recently, the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) approved two project plans that will greatly improve services and support for people with serious mental health problems in Yolo County.
Youth Provide Recommendations for Improving Mental Health Services in Marin County
In July, a group of young adults presented their recommendations for improving access to mental health services in Marin County. The group discussed the mental needs of transition-aged youth (TAY) and the barriers experienced by members of this population when accessing services and supports.
Modeling Effective Leadership
At RDA, we know that effective leaders help unify their teams around a shared vision, which can increase staff engagement in and excitement for their work. We also know that leadership can be shared across all levels as an organization strives to fulfill its mission.
We’ve Moved!
We’re happy to announce that we have a new office location in Oakland! After several years at our office in Jack London Square, RDA has moved across town to a new location off the northwest corner of Lake Merritt.
RDA Mourns the Passing of Founder Robert Bennett
On Friday, June 2, Robert Bennett, Resource Development Associates’ Founder and Chairman of the Board, died suddenly following a hit-and-run accident in Oakland. He founded Resource Development Associates as a vehicle for his vision to strengthen our public systems, though he had not been actively involved in the organization’s day-to-day operations since 2004. Since then,…
The Benefits of Evaluation in Afterschool Programs
Expanded learning programs are in the news recently because they are the focus of severe cuts in the White House’s proposed budget. RDA has long been invested in supporting these programs. Through evaluation, we have found that these programs provide significant benefits to their communities and the children and families they serve.
The Power of Seeing Change
Much of our work results in reports that recommend changes to public systems. If we do our work well, we achieve buy-in from our clients prior to issuing the report, which facilitates implementation of those recommendations.
In Los Angeles County, we are working with the Probation Department on a study that will help guide reforms.
Welcome to Our New Website!
Welcome to RDA’s new website! We hope you enjoy the new look. The site has been redesigned to help ease navigation and increase compatibility with all devices. We anticipate that the new site will be a dynamic platform for sharing our work. This is a pivotal time for government agencies, nonprofits, and foundations working to…
Employee Engagement
Research on workforce engagement demonstrates that there are 12 primary indicators used as measures of employee engagement. The first is “I know what is expected of me at work everyday.” Some may think that if an employee has a job description, has received adequate orientation, and has an assigned manager who provides supervision, this should be enough. This is not the case.
Engaging Youth for Our Future Health Care
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) pledged funding to support enlarging and diversifying our country’s current health care workforce. For example, it contributed $11 billion towards creating 350 additional community health centers and $1.5 billion to the National Health Services Corps to support a professional loan repayment program for providers working in underserved rural counties or inner cities.
Diversity of Health Care Providers
Research shows that access to and quality of health care services improves when the health care workforce reflects the racial, ethnic, economic, and cultural diversity of its patients. A diverse network of providers can better overcome language and cultural barriers that patients may experience when receiving health care services.
Incentivizing Health Care Providers in Areas of Need
Our country’s health care workforce is experiencing a major shortage of providers who can serve individuals recently enrolled in the ACA’s health care reform insurance plans. Did you know that, by 2020, it is estimated that there will be a deficit of 45,000 primary care providers (PCPs)?
Meeting the Affordable Care Act’s Promise
In a series of four posts, we will explore key issues raised by the Affordable Care Act pertaining to our need for more health care providers to serve the many new enrollees. What are your thoughts on what public health care agencies should do to address this growing demand? Next week, we explore how incentives…
The Importance of Managers
By Patricia Marrone Bennett Research tells us that the best way to promote staff retention, higher productivity and employee satisfaction is to ensure that people are engaged in their work. Did you know that 70% of employee performance is directly related to the manager? Many managers are promoted into managerial positions having done the work…
Leveraging Our Greatest Organizational Resource
By Patricia Marrone Bennett There is no doubt that there is increasing pressure to do more with less. Whether you manage a government department or a non-profit organization, the needs of those we serve typically outweigh available resources. Moreover, there is an increased demand for transparency requiring us to demonstrate that we are doing our…