A Selection of SBHG Awards and Recognitions

While these awards recognize our programs and staff, it is the California taxpayers, human service advocates, federal, state and local governments that make it possible for quality mental health services to be funded and operated successfully. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve and we extend to them these acknowledgements of successes!

• National Council on Community Behavioral Healthcare Excellence in Service Delivery Awards (2006) to SBHG (for STARS Community Services, Valley Star Children and Family Services, and Star View Community Treatment Facility) for implementation of evidentiary practices with older adolescents and transition age youth. This included applications of Aggression Replacement Training (collaboration with California Institutes of Mental Health) and the STARS CS Transitional Age Youth Program (collaboration with Alameda County Behavioral Health).

• Linda Gueringer Award for Consumer and Family Voice and Choice (2007) to Star View Community Services for leading and providing PEI outreach, education, and advocacy in the LA community through their partnerships with NAMI and other local organizations to deliver the NAMI Family to Family Education Program, the Michael dePalo Educational Video Series, the NAMI Holiday Food and Gift for Families Program, and Clothing Drives.

• President’s Volunteer Service Award (2008) to Community Crusaders, a Star View Adolescent Center all volunteer youth team for their leadership and contributions to the community through outstanding volunteer efforts that impact youth at-risk of juvenile delinquency (involving outreach/collaboration with many local organizations).

• Long Beach City Prosecutor’s IMPACT Award (2009) to Star View Community Services, High Risk, High Needs team for their outreach and effectiveness in working with the police department’s Asian gang unit to effect successful community re-entry of juvenile justice youth after being incarcerated for very serious crimes.

• California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth (CMHACY) Collaboration Award (2009) to Star View Community Services Functional Family Therapy EBP implementation in collaboration with the California Institutes of Mental Health and the LA County Departments of Mental Health and Probation.

• Modern Healthcare Spirit of Excellence Award (2009) to Starlight Community Services for developing a strong internal program culture of teamwork and excellence for the delivery of home, school, and community based services, including recent intensive community collaborations with gang-diversion programs serving Santa Clara’s juvenile offender population.

• California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth (CMHACY) (2010) Program of the Year Award to Stars Behavioral Health Group for the STARS Academy which engages varied provider organizations in ongoing staff training and development related to the implementation of best practices in mental health care (e.g., statewide training on the Transition to Independence Process (TIP).

• National Council on Community Behavioral Healthcare Lifetime Vision Award (2011) to Mary Jane Gross, RN, MN, recently retired founder, president and CEO of Stars Behavioral Health Group.

• San Bernardino County Department of Mental Health’s first annual “Zero Errors” trophy (2011) to Valley Star Children and Family Services for 0% documentation errors for their EPSDT Medi-Cal counseling program.

• San Bernardino Behavioral Health Commission’s Award for Excellent Leadership and Program Development (2011) to Valley Star Children and Family Services with special recognition to Sherie Park, SAP Clinical Supervisor for outstanding leadership.

• Bay Area Newsgroups Top Work Places Award (2010 and 2012) included Starlight Community Services among the top 35 small workplaces in the greater San Francisco Bay Area based upon a written submission and 86% response rate among all SLCS employees to a series of 18 questions about their organization.

• Bay Area Newsgroups Top Work Places Award (2013) for Starlight Community Services and Stars Community Services which were ranked #26 for mid-sized agencies. They were also recognized for staff diversity programs in related articles in the Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the San Mateo County Times and the Santa Cruz Sentinel

• The Los Angeles Business Journal’s Healthcare Leadership Award (2012) to Stars Behavioral Health Group for providing important mental health services to those who might otherwise “fall through the cracks”.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Science and Service Award (2011) awarded to Star View Community Services for exemplary implementation of evidence-based interventions shown to prevent and/or treat mental illness and substance abuse. SAMHSA noted that “Star View outpaces California’s EBP comparisons on a range of indicators.”

• Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2012 Top Places to Work to Star View Community Services and TEAMMATES, based on confidential employee surveys and a 70-question questionnaire about employee programs and benefits

• San Bernardino Behavioral Health Commission’s Award for Outstanding Leadership, Service and Commitment in 2013 to Valley Star Children and Family Services with special recognition to Steve Hale, Program Coordinator.

• San Bernardino County “Shining Star Award – The Brightest Star” (2013) to Wandalyn Lane, IYRT/PRAAC Program Manager

• Mentoring Recognition Award for San Bernardino County’s Valley Star’s Interagency Youth Resiliency Team (IYRT) program (2014) by the Children’s Network

• San Bernardino County’s “Behavioral Health Contract Program Award” (2014) to Valley Star’s Crisis Residential Treatment Center called The STAY.

• Certificate of Recognition to The STAY by County Supervisor James Ramos (2014)

• Certificate of Recognition to The STAY by County Supervisor Josie Gonzales (2014)

• Recognition to IYRT for services to youth by the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Commission (2014)

• National Association of Counties (NACo) Award to the Family Resource Center for its PEI programs, 2013 and 2014

• San Bernardino County DBH award to Valley Star High School’s Day Treatment for lowest recoupment rate in the County (0%); June 2014