Our Vision
- “I have had the pleasure of working with this organization and am quite familiar with the successful outcomes in their work as I we have hired 5 clients at our store.” Shawndra, Owner, Davis Grocery Outlet (formerly Fairfield location)
- “Working with Dreamcatchers at Walgreen’s has been a great learning experience concerning the benefits of working with people with disabilities.” Tyler, Store Manager, Walgreen’s
Our Mission
Our mission at Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network is to empower and provide hope to youth and adults with limitations and disabilities by providing assessments, job preparation, job placement and job coaching through informed choice and by collaborating and creating of community partnerships with other agencies.
Philosophy
The philosophy at Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network is a client-centered approach to providing services with respect and dignity, as well as educating the community on the benefits of employing people with limitations. We believe that when an individual achieves meaningful employment, the community benefits from the exposure and contributions of individuals, who are frequently marginalized. Dreamcatchers employment services are key to fighting stigma and discrimination for individuals with limitations.
We strive to create an environment that is participatory, goal-oriented, enjoyable, and holds trustworthiness and loyalty at the core of all we do.
DREAMCATCHERS STRATEGIC PLAN
Our Values
Choice
- Support clients by sharing information to make informed choices.
- Our clients have ownership of their destiny
Empowerment
- Creating a focus on self-sufficiency rather than dependency
- We show our clients their strengths and build on them by partnering to open doors, overcome obstacles and support them on their journey to employment.
- Providing encouragement to believe that they CAN!
Trust
- Building bridges of hope and honesty with clients and community
- By being reliable, respecting confidentiality and treating each client with integrity
- Protecting the value of the person by providing a safe and nurturing environment for our clients to develop and grow
Collaboration
- Incorporating diverse agencies, employers and our clients in the decision making process for employment
- Team Work makes the Dream Work
Commitment
- Dedication of staff to our mission to provide services to our clients by walking with them throughout the employment process.
- To our roles, to each other and to the greater good in helping others succeed.
Leadership Principles
- Promote teamwork, because the best results are obtained when the team holds responsibility.
- Make decisions in a participatory or consultative way and involve people closest to the issue.
- Set examples and provide opportunities for ongoing, open communication and feedback.
- Provide ongoing training, support, resources and information to promote an environment where we can maximize our potential.
- Create an environment where creativity, humor, transparency and risk-taking are encouraged.
- Promote innovative solutions, recognizing that both successes and failures provide opportunities for learning and growing.
- Promote business decision-making linked to ethical values, compliance with legal requirements and respect for people, communities and the environment.
Our Board
Patricia Blum: Chairman of the Board
Ms. Blum has been working in mental health care for more than 30 years, and has held both clinical and executive positions within the field and also is an Executive Vice President at Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc. With a PhD degree in psychology and as a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP), she has pioneered mental health rehabilitation programs in residential and community settings. Ms. Blum is an advocate of mental health clients' rights and has presented stigma, trauma-informed care and mental health recovery topics at numerous local, national and international conferences.
George C. Lytal:
George C. Lytal is the Chief Executive Officer of Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc., one of California's largest providers of mental health services and has been with the company since 1978. He is also the founding Chairman of Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network. Mr. Lytal has dedicated his life to this field and embodies the servant leader. He embraces and fosters a belief in persons served wellness and recovery and is an advocate against the stigma associated with mental health issues. His personal philosophy emphasizes high standards and socially responsible business practices.
Patricia Curtin:
Ms. Curtin is a partner at the law firm of Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP. She also serves on the firm’s management committee. With 25 years of focused experience, Patricia advises clients on applicable planning, zoning and environmental laws, prepares land use applications, and obtains project approvals. She manages and directs development projects from inception to ribbon cutting and represents several public agencies as special land use counsel. She received her J.D. from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Ms. Curtin is the recipient of the East Bay Commercial Real Estate Women 2013 “Sustained Leader ECHO Award” and recognized on the San Francisco Business Times’ 2015 list of “Most Influential Women in Business.” For more information, visit: www.wendel.com/pcurtin.
Derek Dobbins:
Mr. Dobbins is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Crestwood Behavioral Health Inc. Crestwood operates 34 programs in 24 various campuses throughout California. Mr. Dobbins has been with Crestwood since 2004. He operates as a servant leader and he has a passion for advocating for the underserved populations of society. Mr. Dobbins takes great pride knowing that he worked his way from an entry level position to one of executive leadership, learning all facets of the business along his journey at Crestwood.
Larry Kamer:
Kamer Consulting Group LLC (www.kamergroup.com) and Partner, Prosper Group LLC (www.prospergroup.net). Management and communications consultant specializing in risk, controversy, and crisis. Advisor to agency owners on business strategy, succession, and exit planning.
Maria Stefanou:
Ms. Stefanou has been a certified public accountant for more than 28 years. She has worked with clients in the transportation, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Her role as a financial manager has included the preparation and review of financial statements and tax returns, acquisitions and refinancings of real estate holdings and a liaison between her clients and the financial community. She is also a board member of Greencrest Insurance Company that provides reinsurance for workers compensation and general liability insurance. She became a board member of Dreamcatchers in 2002 because she strongly believed in their mission of empowering persons with disabilities to live independent lives.
Dr. George Woods:
Dr. George Woods has been a Senior Clinical Consultant for Crestwood Behavioral Health for the past few years and served as a key member on the Pandemic Response Committee, helping to lead Dreamcatchers' response through the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Woods is a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah Medical Center, the first psychiatrist ever selected. Dr. Woods also received the Historical Prixe from the University of Milan in July 2019. He is currently President of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health. Dr. Woods has been a lecturer and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Davis, and Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
Len Statham:
Len Statham is the Chief Operating Officer with the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services. He has worked with people with mental health and substance use issues for more than 20 years, promoting recovery focused services and service provision. Combining his clinical and vocational background, Mr. Statham has trained and provided technical assistance about employment services and the capabilities of people with behavioral health issues to providers and people in recovery, across New York State and nationally. He has helped facilitate the adoption of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment statewide in Utah, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Mr. Statham also works at a national level on SAMHSA’s Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS-TACS) initiatives as well as with Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Employment Project.
Donna Fontenot:
In 2016, Ms. Donna Fontenot retired from her 21-year social work career at San Francisco Housing Development Corporation with a PTSD diagnosis acquired by working under tremendous strains with dual diagnosed and underserved families. She had also served as a UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Board Member for six years where she advocated, educated, surveyed, conducted research, and facilitated Community Public Health Fairs to raise cancer awareness. Ms. Fontenot, a servant leader, was the Health/Wellness President for the Body & Soul Healthy Grant Indicative at True Hope COGIC Ministries for 12 years. She was herself a recipient of Dreamcatchers’ supportive services. Ms. Fontenot has since returned to school and acquired a Certified Life Coaching Credential from It’s My Time To Rise Empowerment Institute and also is a recent hire with the California Department of Public Health.
