Kate Spacher, Interim's Deputy Director, received the Jay Foss Clinical Services Award at the Fiesta of Hope. This award is given each year to a practitioner who has provided outstanding service to consumers of mental health services in our community.

Kate has been the Deputy Director of Interim for 19 years.  During this time, she has advocated for services for those with psychiatric disabilities.  She has always been committed to hope, wellness and recovery principles, long before the terminology was used in the State’s Mental Health Services Act.  

About 10 years ago, Kate started Interim’s Diversity Task Force, which is dedicated to improving cultural competency in the agency.  She has been a trainer for the local chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute for many years and leads Interim’s Consumer Advisory  Committee, which seeks consumer input to improve Interim’s programs.  She was the driving force behind formation of the Monterey County Wellness Recovery Task Force (composed of staff from Interim, Monterey County Behavioral Health, and CHOMP, family members, consumers, and others), which implemented the local Mental Health Fair last fall. 
Kate also worked extensively with consumer leadership to develop the OMNI Resource Center, which opened in December 2006. 

OMNI Resource Advocate and Interim consumer, Kontrena McPheter was also presented with an award, the new Outstanding Mental Health Consumer Award by the Monterey County Mental Health Commission at the Fiesta of Hope celebration in early May. The award cited her involvement at Interim’s OMNI Resource Center where she was instrumental in developing last year’s Mental Health Fair and her work in the implementation of the Mental Health Services Act Workforce Education and Training Component. Kontrena also co-facilitates a group of mental health consumers in the Listening Well program.

Congratulations to you both!