The COTS Collective: January 2023
Joining the COTS Community
In December, former COTS Chief Executive Officer Chuck Fernandez retired, leaving big shoes to fill. Chuck’s work at COTS left a beautiful legacy full of hope, determination, love, and kindness. I am honored to carry on these traditions in service to COTS and the larger Sonoma County community.
Homelessness is a complex issue—an issue that cannot be solved without community partnership, determination, love, and compassion. As the new COTSChief Executive Officer, I vow to work alongside our incredible team, and promise to ensure COTS remains a prominent ally in ending homelessness in our community.
Here at COTS, we are eternally grateful to bring light and hope to those we serve, and we couldn’t do it without supporters like you. We are inspired by the incredible changes we see within our clients every day, and I am excited to have the great privilege of writing this to all of you.
Please join me in a sincere thank you to Chuck Fernandez for his dedication and compassion, and a hearty cheers to enjoying his retirement.
I am delighted to continue to provide these monthly updates—your questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome here.
Until next time,
Chris Cabral
Mission Moment: Solutions Through Partnership
The issue of homelessness did not occur overnight. Permanent solutions take time, resources, and changing strategies to address the evolving needs of our most vulnerable community members. Lasting results demand strong partnerships between service providers, governments, and community members.
We are all part of the broad system of change—without robust partnerships and collective participation, the system fails.
Ask any human services professional about their work and you’re sure to hear words like “burnout,” “frustration,” or any number of synonyms for “tired.” This work is critical, and this work is hard. People in this field are dedicated, compassionate, and demonstrate a “do what it takes” attitude toward their collective mission.
Providers are asked to solve complex human issues with too few resources, often resulting in inefficiencies and workforce fatigue. Despite this, what you’ll find in this field are professionals who show up every day ready to ask, “how can I help?”
COTS is not alone in this experience. Our nonprofit partners, government officials, and community supporters understand the complexity and difficulty in addressing deep-rooted societal factors impacting chronic homelessness. This shared understanding means we can address these factors better together, unifying our efforts and expertise to best serve those who need it most.
True partnership is hard. It takes work, requires patience, and insists we listen to proposed solutions with an open mind. True partnership forces us to reflect on what we do well, but more importantly—what we can improve.
Looking forward, COTS is prioritizing and leveraging its partnerships in service to the Sonoma County community. By taking intentional steps to strengthen our partnerships with other providers, government officials, and community members, COTS can continue its legacy of accessible, quality services in our mission to end homelessness.
In the past month, COTS has increased the availability of mobile showers at the Mary Isaak Center by 50%. In addition, COTS has strengthened its existing collaboration with the City of Petaluma to best align strategic priorities, ensuring COTS clients and others without shelter have access to the services they need, when they need them. We are working with other experienced providers to learn new and innovative practices, and to share our best practices in serving this population. COTS, along with the City of Petaluma, is leading a collaborative effort to amend and improve shelter regulations countywide—a welcome change for our clients, staff, and those experiencing homelessness.
We are unrelenting in our pursuit to end homelessness, but we can’t do it alone. Envisioning a healthy, accessible, and prosperous Sonoma County for all—COTS will continue to lead by example by continually strengthening our bonds with existing partners, and welcoming new supporters with open arms.
As always, thank you to our advocates, our supporters, and our community for your support of our critical work.
Sincerely,
Chris Cabral, CEO
Mobile showers give Petaluma’s unhoused the gift of cleanliness
The local program provides hot showers, clean clothing and more to residents in need. Currently, the showers are available on Mondays and Fridays at COTS and Tuesdays at the Petaluma Salvation Army.
EMMA MOLLOY
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
January 23, 2023
Lisa's Story
Eight years ago, Lisa came to the Mary Isaak Center for the first time due to domestic violence.
“When I came here, it was a blessing,” she says. “I was able to focus on healing, plus getting my life in order, because I was dysfunctional before I came here. They helped me to stand on my feet, get my self-esteem back, grow from my experience, and to be able to see that, as a woman, I could step out of it and be a survivor.”
Even then, Lisa was determined to turn her life around. “I ended up volunteering in the kitchen.…I went to school, and then I got a job, got an apartment, and moved out. Rapid Re-Housing helped me from there. And it lasted for a while. This time, I’m back again, not for the same reasons, but for some of the same behavior.”
For many of our clients, breaking the cycle of homelessness takes years of effort. But while Lisa’s setbacks have brought her once more to the Mary Isaak Center, her determination and self-awareness are helping her make a plan to get back into permanent housing. “I’m doing the same thing I did last time, because it worked,” she says.
She’s volunteering again in the kitchen, this time with the support of Executive Chef Janin Harmon, who is encouraging Lisa to get her culinary degree at Fresh Starts Culinary Academy in Marin, where Janin herself is a graduate. “Here, it’s so nurturing,” Lisa says, “and so different from any other place that I’ve really ever been. Because it’s like, you get a lot of love. You get a lot of tough love, but you also get experience from the other staff that has been here and done that.
“It’s a little embarrassing to come in all broken and talk to somebody that has book knowledge, because they really don’t know where you’ve been at. The staff here lets you know, ‘Hey, look, I’ve been there. And you don’t have to feel afraid to let me know what’s going on with you.’ So it’s easier to get a footing and a foundation, to be able to face the world again, with a different perspective, but a stronger character.”
Chuck's Virtual Coffee - September 2022
As COTS’ CEO, each month I take a moment to consider what I want our community to know about our organization and our progress in serving Sonoma County’s homeless. I look forward to sharing these thoughts with you in this Virtual Cup of Coffee – my monthly communique about the business and mission moments of COTS (Committee On The Shelterless).
My best,
Chuck
Transitions at COTS
We are going through two major transitions at COTS that will significantly improve how we serve those experiencing homelessness.
The first is our entry into Medi-Cal through the CalAIM program (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal). CalAIM is expanding services available to some of the most vulnerable populations in California, including those experiencing homelessness. The intent is to meet the unsheltered and sheltered where they are – on the streets, in encampments, living in their car, or in a shelter – and then collaborate with health centers to provide services such as enrolling them into Medi-Cal, an appointment with a primary care provider, helping develop a care plan, and hopefully getting them stably housed. California is investing billions of dollars into CalAIM as part of their solution of offering a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered approach to health care delivery. We are going to serve our clients through a whole new discipline – a medical model.
The second transition is a stronger focus on getting people housed. Thanks to a continued collaboration with our respected partners in Novato, Homeward Bound of Marin, we are moving from a traditional Emergency Shelter to a Housing Focused Shelter. Homeward Bound has an impressive 70% exit rate from their shelters into permanent supportive housing. That means when someone enters our shelter, our expectations are made clear immediately – “you are here to get housing – this is not a free hostel. If that doesn’t work for you, then this is not the place for you.” Then together, we will create a housing plan, and residents will have to meet with their housing case manager weekly. Accountability to their plan is key to staying in the shelter. Getting housing becomes a shared responsibility, but our housing case managers will not work harder than or do all the work for our residents. It’s their responsibility to get housing, and we will help them. This new approach empowers our team, and they are very excited about the possibilities. We are also aligning this new approach with the City of Petaluma’s Strategic Action Plan to End Homelessness and their Pathway to Housing.
We have a responsibility to our community to get people off the streets and into housing. Getting people stably housed is also a big part of their health care plan. And with these two transitions, we believe we can end homelessness.
These transitions won’t be easy. One of my favorite books is by William Bridges called, Managing Transition – Making the Most of Change. Bridges says that change is situational – such as moving offices, restructuring roles, or the retirement of key personnel. Transition, however, is psychological. For any change to succeed, getting people through the transition part is essential. He says that transition is composed of three parts:
- Letting go of the old way of doing things. An ending.
- Neutral zone – when the old is gone but the new way is not yet fully operational or doesn’t feel comfortable. This is also a creative zone where organizations can develop into what they need to become and renew themselves.
- New beginning – coming out of the transition where people develop new identities, experience the new energy, discover a new sense of purpose, and make the change begin to work.
Bridges said that transition starts with an ending and finishes with a beginning. For some on our COTS team, the work they do is personal. A family member, friend, or even they themselves may have experienced homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health challenges. Thus, we cannot impersonally manage the transition and treat it merely as a transaction or change. Sometimes it’s not the change we resist but the ending and having to give up something. We need to be mindful and respectful of the letting go process and the feeling of loss it might create.
Our New CEO
And…we have a third major transition happening at COTS. I am extremely excited about our new CEO at COTS – Chris Cabral. She is wonderful and will help lead COTS to new levels of success – locally and nationally. I was on the search committee and like everyone else, was wowed by her. The committee described her as smart, professional, highly capable with strong leadership skills, dynamic, lots of energy and positivity, humble, vulnerable, and innovative.
The committee was looking for someone that aligned with COTS’s values of integrity, respect, and collaboration. We wanted someone that could build on our wonderful culture, connect with our team members, and listen to and accept them for their strengths. During the interview process when she was asked what her vision was for COTS, she said, “to be the premier partner that people would call upon for help or guidance; and to be the ‘Nike’ of homeless service providers everywhere.” Her references came back glowing. People described her as “in tune with staff, mindful, collaborative, organized and meticulous, follows up, phenomenally intelligent, highly ethical, and does not cut corners.”
Chris starts on January 1, 2023. My last day with COTS will be December 31. I will make myself available to Chris for the month of January. I am also preparing a lengthy CEO Transition Guideline for Chris. WELCOME Chris. We are so excited for you to lead this wonderful organization.
Until next month,
Chuck Fernandez
Petaluma nonprofit Committee on the Shelterless hires new CEO
Chris Cabral, who has worked for almost eight years at nonprofits in Sonoma County, will succeed CEO Chuck Fernandez, who held the position since 2018 and announced his retirement earlier this year.
REBECCA WOLFF
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
September 26, 2022
California wanted to end homeless shelters. Instead, COVID reinvented them
It was Jan. 16, 2004, and Gavin Newsom was the new mayor of San Francisco. His signature homelessness initiatives — including a 10-year plan to end it — wouldn’t come until later that year, but on this day he was already laying down an audacious marker.
Lauren Hepler,
Raheem Hosseini,
Kevin Fagan
SF Chronicle
Sep. 7, 2022
COTS Voted one of the Best Places to Work in Sonoma County
North Bay Business Journal announces the companies and organizations being recognized for the 2022 Best Places to Work awards.
Petaluma City Council approves homeless action plan
“The city of Petaluma is showing an above-average demonstration and commitment to try and serve people experiencing homelessness,” a consultant said.
AMELIA PARREIRA
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
June 22, 2022
Petaluma motel site in line for $15 million from state for homeless housing conversion
The Montero Way property is up for purchase by the city and conversion into homeless housing under the state Homekey Program.
Petaluma welcomes first nine homes at People’s Village emergency shelter site
The first phase of Petaluma’s pilot emergency shelter housing program called the People’s Village is complete, and new residents are being welcomed to nine brand-new units on the site.