The compassion and grace that comes naturally for many staff when working with clients is essential to the work done at A&C. But it doesn’t stop with the clients—it’s also essential to the relationships forged between colleagues.
That’s why Matt Bane, Behavioral Health Liaison, wanted to make a change when he started sensing some negative biases surrounding his openness about his mental health and struggles he was going through.
His desire to make a difference came to fruition through his involvement in New Employee Orientations (NEOs), where he had the opportunity to talk with new staff with full transparency and set the expectation that A&C would be a place that they could be wholly seen and heard.
“I usually tell everyone a little bit about my story before I start the training. I let them know that I was a client with Adult & Child before joining the team and that it’s because of A&C that I am here where I am today, living the sober journey,” Matt said. “Being that vulnerable, staff were starting to reach out to me afterwards.”
Matt naturally became a listening ear to a lot of staff members who had questions about anything from sobriety to mental health and many things in between. Annika Chosnik, Skills Development Specialist, was one of those staff members who connected with Matt. They shared a pivotal conversation about facing stigma surrounding mental health issues while working in behavioral health. Knowing that A&C staff wear a lot of different hats and don’t have much extra time to spare, they believed that there should still be a space for staff to access compassion and understanding.
“There should be some time to sit down and talk with one another, be vulnerable, talk through things we’re going through at work or at home, be supportive of one another, and share lived experiences and resources,” Matt explained. “If we can take just an hour once a month in our busy schedules to sit and talk about these things, it makes a huge difference.”
From these conversations, the H.O.P.E. Taskforce was born. The foundation of the taskforce is a monthly meeting, split into two sessions, where members receive a presentation on a mental health topic and then have a safe space to talk openly. After Matt’s ideas started taking shape around early fall of 2022, he presented the Taskforce to Clinical Council and was met with positivity and encouragement. The employee sessions officially launched in January of 2023 and due to their success, an additional cohort for Team Leaders, led by Christina Ladd, Team Leader, was launched in June.
What began with just Annika and Matt has grown to nearly 75 members, with an average of 24 attendees over the two meeting sessions each month. In the Taskforce’s early days, each meeting mainly focused on the presentation. As Taskforce members have grown more comfortable, the meetings have evolved and become more conversational.
For Matt, one of the most rewarding parts of the taskforce is seeing how it’s grown.
“More staff are understanding that it’s not just an hour to come and learn about a self-care topic,” he said. “We’re getting to know more about one another and it’s highly beneficial in a working environment. It’s continuing to grow, and we get to see members branch off and do their own thing or get inspired.”
Maybe even more rewarding, though, is the Taskforce’s potential to influence others beyond A&C. When Matt talks to outside providers about the Taskforce, he says that they’re excited to ask questions and learn more.
“We are an organization that I truly feel wants to be known in the community by other organizations. We want them to look and see ‘A&C is doing this; how is it that you’re doing it so successfully?’ The goal is for it to be a structured thing that we can help others implement to empower staff, allow vulnerability, and help employee retention.”
The H.O.P.E. Taskforce has created a space for employees and leaders to talk about their struggles, free of judgement and stigma. Matt hopes it can also stand as an example and as proof to others that anyone with an idea can impact change at A&C.
“I’m a huge brainstormer. One of the amazing things about this agency and about my team is that I can go to them with some of the most far-fetched brainstorm ideas,” Matt said. “I would highly encourage anyone who does have an idea to find someone to listen and to guide you.”
