HHSA - Be Well - Winter 2026

HHSA Launches Be Well Mobile Services

For years, Napa County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) envisioned creating a more accessible and centralized point of entry into its wide range of programs and services. Through extensive collaboration with community partners and input from the community we serve, that vision has become a reality.

HHSA's Be Well Mobile Services unit expands access to critical safety net services beyond the fixed office locations meeting individuals and families where they are whether that be in their neighborhoods, at community centers, neighborhood hubs, or local events throughout Napa County.

HHSA Be Well Mobile Services staff provide onsite enrollment for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs, as well as Behavioral Health screenings and referrals for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder treatment.

Staff offer quick screenings, same-day connections, and personalized support to help residents enroll in and maintain vital benefits that promote health, wellness, and economic stability.

Drop-In Services Available. Regular Napa locations include:

• Downtown Napa, 3rd & Coombs
• Napa Senior Activity Center, 1500 Jefferson St.
• Heritage House and Valle Verde, 3700 Valle Verde Drive
• Valley Lodge Apartments, 200 S. Coombs St.
• St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 2725 Elm St.

Launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 29, 2025, in downtown Napa, the Be Well Mobile Services unit represents a major milestone in advancing both the Community Health Improvement Plan's Priority Area III: Access to Health Services and HHSA's Strategic Plan Goal 2: Strive for Excellence in Service and Outcomes, Objective 1: Actively reduce barriers to access to services in all programs.

By meeting residents where they are, HHSA continues to remove barriers, ensure equitable access to essential services, and foster a healthier, more connected, and resilient Napa County-one stop at a time.

Visit the website for the latest calendar updates and service details.

ACCESS In Action-Meeting People Where They Are

HHSA has partnered with the Napa South Shelter since 2019. Despite the challenges posed by COVID, this partnership has resumed stronger than ever, providing on-site eligibility services that help reduce transportation barriers for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Yanely Lopez, our dedicated eligibility specialist in Self Sufficiency Services, plays a key role in this effort, providing compassionate, hands-on support to help clients apply for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, general assistance, and guide them through their case. Her commitment has delivered results, helping clients maintain or obtain benefits. In one instance, she processed both CalFresh and Medi-Cal applications for a client on the spot. By coordinating with our main office, we were able to deliver the client's EBT card and temporary Medi-Cal card, providing immediate access to food and medical services.

I look forward to the days I work at the South Napa Shelter, where I have the privilege of providing full services and compassionate support to one of our most marginalized communities. This experience has strengthened my commitment to equity and social justice, deepened my understanding of the systemic barriers people face, and reminded me of the power of direct, human connection in creating meaningful change. -Yanely Lopez, HHSA Eligibility Specialist

HHSA's expanded work at the Napa South Shelter is already making a meaningful difference for community members who face barriers to accessing our main office. By increasing our onsite presence, we are offering more integrated, place-based support directly aligning with Strategic Plan Goal 1, Objective 2. Staff have seen a rise in clients reaching out for information and assistance, demonstrating how meeting people where they are helps build trust, reduce stigma, and create smoother pathways to essential services.

Our continued partnership with the shelter strengthens this collaborative model and reflects our commitment to bringing services into community settings where individuals feel safe, supported, and connected. HHSA will keep advancing this approach as part of our long-term effort to improve access for all Napa County residents.

Quotes from clients:

• "Really cool that you guys get to come to us, instead of us traveling all the way over there (to S. Campus)."
• "Thank you for having this as it makes it easier/closer for our community to receive services."
• "When I came into the shelter for the first time I had nothing, no friends, no help and when I came to you, you told me you could do the whole process. You were able to approve my CalFresh and give me my EBT card. The services you guys provide for Cal Fresh go above and beyond. I am able to get hot food from Taco Bell. The level of help you provide by being at the shelter is so impactful to us because it's not easy for us to get transportation to the main office and you can do it all!"

The ACTS Project - Reflective Supervision

Supporting the People Who Support Families

HHSA, through Child Welfare Services, is partnering with theAdvancing California's Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS) Project to bring reflective supervision into our daily work. ACTS, based out of the Chadwick Center at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego and supported by the California Department of Social Services Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP), helps staff pause, process challenges, and stay connected to their purpose: helping children and families thrive.

HHSA selected ACTS as part of our strategy to retain and strengthen a skilled, resilient workforce. Across the country, child welfare agencies face high turnover as caseworkers leave early in their careers due to stress, heavy workloads, and limited support. These challenges affect not only staff well-being but also families who rely on consistent, quality services from experienced workers.

In Napa County, maintaining stability is critical. When turnover increases, workloads grow, and consistency of care suffers. Reflective supervision addresses these pressures by providing staff with intentional space to process their experiences, receive guidance, and build confidence.

Through the ACTS model, supervisors create safe, trusting environments where staff can reflect without judgment. This helps them understand how stress and trauma, both professional and personal, can influence their responses to families. The result is stronger communication, clearer decision-making, and improved outcomes for children, caregivers, and the community as a whole.

This work directly supports HHSA's mission: supporting children, strengthening families, and building communities. By investing in our workforce, we strengthen the quality and stability of services families receive and depend on. Reflective supervision is not an add-on; it is a vital practice that helps staff feel valued, supported, and equipped to meet the complex demands of child welfare work.

With ACTS, HHSA is investing in people, purpose, and lasting positive outcomes for families.

Preventing Veteran Suicide in Napa County

September marked Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and strengthen community connections that save lives. HHSA's Comprehensive Services for Older Adults (CSOA)-home to the county's Veterans Services Office-partnered with Mentis to host the Suicide Prevention Conference at the Yountville Community Center on September 17, 2025.

Napa County HHSA strategically leverages Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding in alignment with community health priorities, including suicide prevention. This funding supports the Suicide Prevention Council and key initiatives like the conference, which brings together service providers, advocates, and residents, to share education, resources, and hope.

At this event, County Veteran Services Officer Dell Pratt led a well-received discussion sharing valuable education and resources on recognizing concerns, supporting community mental health, and addressing the unique needs of veterans and their family members in Napa County. The session emphasized the power of early intervention, community bonds, and awareness, in preventing suicide among veterans.

The Veterans Services Office plays an essential role in Napa County's broader network of care, working collaboratively with other programs and community based organizations that serve veterans, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. This strategic co-located effort ensures that veterans and their loved ones have access to the benefits, care, and support they need.

This collaboration and HHSA's thoughtful investment in community partnerships advances HHSA's Strategic Plan goal 3: "Collaborate with Community Partners to Maximize our Reach and Collective Impact to Enhance Community Health and Well-Being."

If you are in a crisis, please call the Napa County Behavioral Health Services 24-hour Crisis Line at 707-253-4711 or dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

HHSA's WIC Strives to Improve Healthy Food Access for Families

Nutritious foods play a crucial role in our health and wellbeing, especially during critical periods of one's life such as during pregnancy and for young growing children. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) helps support these critical periods by providing nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, healthcare referrals, and EBT cards for healthy foods.

WIC serves prenatal and postpartum individuals, infants, children up to age five, and their caregivers who meet eligibility requirements. In California, approximately 60% of infants are eligible for WIC, and locally, HHSA's WIC program serves about 2,240 individuals.

To support families in making the most of their WIC benefits, staff introduced a new text-message reminder system that lets participants know when and where they can use their Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons. This simple, convenient outreach effort has strengthened connections with families and helped ensure they have every opportunity to access fresh, locally grown produce.

While FMNP coupons were not issued statewide in 2025 due to broader budget decisions, WIC is continuing to prioritize produce access for Napa County families.

Participants can still use their regular monthly Fruits and Vegetables Benefit at WIC-authorized farmers markets, and HHSA's WIC team is partnering with the Napa Farmers' Market to expand the number of authorized vendors.

These efforts help sustain access to nutritious, local foods supporting children's health and our community year-round.

HHSA Expands Behavioral Health Services in Napa County's New Jail Facility

In mid-August, the Napa County Department of Corrections successfully transitioned into the long-anticipated replacement jail facility, marking a major milestone in improving both safety and rehabilitative opportunities for individuals in custody. Since the move, the HHSA Behavioral Health Services team has adjusted seamlessly, leveraging new technology, expanded programming space and a modernized environment that better supports the delivery of behavioral health services.

Behavioral Health Enhancements

• The new facility provides purpose-built clinical and group areas designed to foster engagement, privacy, and therapeutic participation. In October, pilot groups launched for both male and female populations.
• The women's group, Managing Stress and Building Resilience, focuses on mindfulness, coping strategies, and empowerment.
• The men's Psychoeducation Group explores rotating topics such as mood regulation, communication, and substance awareness.
• Early participation has been outstanding-groups have been well received, and individuals have expressed genuine interest in learning new skills and engaging in recovery-oriented activities.

Technology Improves Access

• Interest in behavioral health services has skyrocketed since the implementation of individual tablets for the incarcerated population. The tablets allow individuals to request mental health services directly and access a library of self-help, wellness, and re-entry resources.
• This innovation has streamlined communication, reduced barriers to care, and allows for faster staff response.
• Recent data reflect this rise in engagement. In October 2025, with an average daily population of 260, 74% of individuals were seen by mental health. There were 308 referrals to Behavioral Health Services-our highest number this year-with 37% identified as having a mental health condition, including 21% with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). These numbers demonstrate the effectiveness of new technology and expanded services in meeting the needs of those in custody.

Justice-Involved and Re-Entry Initiatives

Behavioral Health continues to refine re-entry services, strengthen support for individuals transitioning back to the community, expand linkages to outpatient providers, enhance pre-release coordination, and deepen collaboration between custody, probation, and community partners. These efforts align with broader California justice-involved initiatives.

Looking Ahead

The transition to the new facility has reinvigorated staff morale, strengthened cross-departmental coordination, and enhanced opportunities for treatment and rehabilitation. The Behavioral Health Services team remains committed to expanding evidence-based services, promoting trauma-informed care, and building re-entry pathways that foster wellness, dignity, and successful reintegration.

Meet the Team

The dedicated team providing behavioral health services at the Napa County Department of Corrections includes:

• Supervising Mental Health Counselor, Danae Duffy, LMFT
• Forensic Mental Health Counselors:
  • John Saygbe, AMFT
  • Jessica Prothero, ACSW
  • Sarah Frisch, AMFT
• Tami Downing-Cramer, LMFT - Re-entry Specialist
• Angelica Prieto, ACSW - Extra Help (Not Pictured)

The team provides on-site behavioral health services seven days a week, ensuring consistent access to care, crisis intervention, and support for the incarcerated population.

Together, they uphold HHSA's mission, vision, and values through a commitment to deliver compassionate, timely, and evidence-based behavioral health care to justice-involved individuals.

Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA)
2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Bldgs. A & B., Napa, CA 94558, 707-253-4279
Behavioral Health Services, Child Welfare Services, Comprehensive Services for Older Adults, Public Health Services, and Self Sufficiency Services

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