Over the past few years, the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) and Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) officers have sponsored a mentoring program for local high school students in the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD). In 2024, thanks to Susanna Osorno-Crandall, MPA, a Community Health Manager for the Northern California Region, MHTP successfully expanded its mentoring initiative to include the West Contra Costa County Unified School District (WCCUSD). Dr. Chinue Brown, a JEDI Officer, leads these programs, which engages trainees from MHTP across Northern California.
In AUSD, the mentoring focused on students at Dozier Libbey Medical High School, while in WCCUSD, it targeted students at Pinole Valley High School. Starting with just 5 students in 2021, the programs collectively mentored nearly 30 students by 2024. Mentors included MHTP Post Master’s Fellows, Doctoral Interns, and Postdoctoral residents with mentoring sessions conducted virtually at Dozier Libbey High School and in person at Pinole Valley High School.
Mentorship combines practical experience with reflective guidance, offering mentees additional support and direction. One mentee described their experience, stating, ” I felt like my mentor was so much help and felt as I had this different kind of support, a push and a bit more motivation!”
The mentoring program aims to provide diversity-focused mentorship, particularly encouraging pathways into clinical psychology, licensed clinical social work (LCSW), marriage and family therapist (MFT) or licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) thereby enhancing inclusivity and excellence in the field. Its primary goals include raising awareness about mental health and psychology, fostering collaboration between the community and MHTP, and creating pathways into mental health careers while combating stigma.
Reflecting on the program’s impact, a mentor highlighted, “Having the privilege to guide someone as they take their next big step after high school. I wish I had someone to guide me through things that I never would have thought of, going into college” was an important aspect to the mentoring program. A key take away from another mentor is “the opportunity to walk alongside high school students interested in mental health/medical field, share my experiences, help them explore and pursue their goals while learning about and from one another.”
For those interested in participating in JEDI MHTP’s mentoring programs, please contact Dr. Chinue Brown at chinue.brown@kp.org for more information.
Contributed by Dr. Chinue Brown
