The Work of Wellness
Jayme Bottke Guides Tehama County Health Services Forward…
In an ever-changing landscape of healthcare policies and public health concerns, there’s one assurance Jayme Bottke can offer when she hires new staff at the Tehama County Health Services Agency. “You’ll never be bored,” she tells prospective employees. “There are always so many changes that are coming at us.”
Bottke is just over four years in as executive director at the agency, with more than 23 years dedicated to it in a few different positions. She’s never been bored and says she is energized by the rebounds the agency has made in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Tehama County Health Services Agency has four main components: Public Health, Behavioral Health, Substance Use Recovery and a rural medical health clinic. Services are as vast as primary care, disease prevention and surveillance, medication support for treatment of opioid addiction and other substance use recovery services, and more. As each component strives toward integration and buildings see updates and renovation, “our goal is to have one door for all services,” she says. “We’re really focusing on how to bring overall health to our community.”
While there’s convenience and value in housing all services in one location, it’s not a panacea. A community crisis response network has been activated for mobile response that reaches people where they are. This response to a mental health crisis in the community aims to reduce harm through de-escalation and prevent crime or
major hospitalizations.
While internal collaboration is a norm, so too is cooperation among other county agencies and nonprofit organizations. “You know the people you work with. We collaborate on a level that is unmatched. It’s a very caring community,” says Bottke. “It’s a small community all working together to uplift each other.”
One such collaboration is a program called Circle of Hope that supports the mental health of postpartum women of children up to 2 years of age. The combined efforts of First 5 Tehama, Public Health and Behavioral Health identifies and treats women with postpartum depression.
“We’re going for a national accreditation,” says Bottke, noting that Public Health is going through a series of key informant interviews and assessments in a multi-year assessment process. “The process helps you focus on quality assurance and looking at data to define quality programs. It also helps focus on workforce development.” Key identified issues so far are access to health care, including substance abuse treatment and mental health services, as well as food security and nutrition.
In an area that has struggled to hire qualified professional staff, Bottke says, “We are very much on an upswing as far as filling our vacancies.” A point of pride for her is the many employees who grow into new positions through opportunities the agency can provide for internships and practicums that let them advance their skills.
“I think it comes down to having staff take pride in what they do,” she says. “We’ve seen people come into the organization at lower levels and see and love what they do and want to advance.” Through these growth opportunities they can maintain a livelihood while advancing their skills. “It’s a win-win situation,” she adds.
The challenges of a county health services agency are immense, especially in an area where half the population is Medi-Cal or Medicaid eligible. Supports go beyond basic primary care to the complexities of addiction and mental health challenges, along with food and housing insecurity. The agency addresses the specialized needs of each with an eye to an integrated whole, all in a time of rapidly changing health insurance policies.
“I’m just thankful to be working with a lot of wonderful folks,” says Bottke. “We have a lot of new faces and new staff at the agency. I’m really seeing them come together in an integrated health system as we face these headwinds of significant change. It’s not the work of an individual, it’s the work of a team that moves initiatives forward. In very small or large ways we can make a difference.”
That, of course, will never be boring. •
