What’s
Up
NEWSLETTER
Director’s Message
JANUARY 2023
Peer-to-Peer
Cristina Cardenas
Dear OC Health Care Agency
“I started with the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) in May 2020, in the midst of
(HCA) Team,
the COVID-19 pandemic, because my passion is to serve the ever-changing needs of individuals with mental illness, trauma and substance use chal-
Happy New Year to you! I hope
lenges,” despite the pandemic, joining the HCA was a natural step in the
your holiday season has been
career of Peer-to-Peer recipient Cristina Cardenas, Mental Health Specialist
enjoyable and fulfilling. As we
with the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) South in Mission
start the new year I wish you
Viejo. When she joined the HCA, Cristina had already been connecting clients
the best both personally and
with Agency programs while working with a contracted vendor, and she
professionally.
understood the importance of the HCA’s mission. “Our County of Orange (County) behavioral health clinics play such a vital
I’m pleased to share that Orange
role in providing access to consumers who
County (OC) is one of just 15
are in need of treatment,” said Cristina.
counties across the nation
“For many consumers, our clinics are their
selected to participate in the
first experience in treatment, and we
National Health and Nutritional
take our role seriously in helping them
Examination Survey (NHANES)
understand their diagnosis, treatment
conducted by the Centers for
options and improve their quality of
Disease Control and Prevention.
life,” and Cristina said that makes her
Surveys have been mailed out to
value her role in the HCA and motivates
randomly selected households
her to provide quality services to all,
throughout the county. The
“I am proud to play a small part in
residents/household selected
someone’s recovery journey by
. . . continued on page 2
FEATURED ARTICLES
offering support, compassion and hope.” Cristina said she and the PACT team care
OC Probation Chief’s Awards....4
for clients who are
Nutrition Services...................6
high risk and high
Tobacco Use Prevention Program...................................8
need. Even though it . . . continued on page 2