Meet Greg

Meeting Greg for the first time, one is struck by his unassuming demeanor. He has an effortless Southern Californian air about him: delicately windswept salt and pepper hair, a posture and walk that is assured yet unhurried, and a gentle manner of speaking, which is purposeful yet unpretentious.

It’s his self-effacing manner that might surprise someone to learn of his past struggles. Like many others in our community, he is on the road toward recovery.

CERRC helped Greg overcome the challenges he faced. September 2022.

And now, his matter-of-fact openness with his past struggles denies the opportunity for stigma to step in. He shares his past with humility and earnestness that demands one’s absolute attention.

Greg grew up the fourth of five children in what he describes as a typical suburban family in Sacramento. It was not until he was older that he realized his mother was an alcoholic, and his father, consumed by his work, rarely had time for Greg. After his parents divorced, he always yearned for a close relationship with his father—something he carried into adulthood.

After a devasting rollover car accident, Greg was prescribed painkiller medication to help with his excruciating pain.

“I ended up addicted to heavy doses of opioid pain medications for twelve years,” Greg recalled. “It wasn’t until later that I was able to stabilize my chronic pain and get myself off the medications.”

And after a brutal divorce from his first wife, Greg again found himself turning to substances for comfort.

“I masked and escaped my past so hard that I became addicted to meth at 55 years old,” Greg said. “I was absolutely alone and, in the darkness, fighting with my demons.”

Fortunately, Greg found support from his faith and his family.

“One of my favorite Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11:

‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plan to give you a hope and a future.’

So, I reached out to my brother and found my first sober living home in Phoenix,” Greg said. “I stayed there six months, then helped my brother open his first sober living home in San Diego.”

Shortly thereafter, he returned to Sacramento. He got connected with the recovery community in Sacramento, and things were looking up for Greg. 

“I got involved in my new fiancé’s respiratory services business, and we grew it into a profitable business,” Greg said. “All was good until the dreaded COVID hit.”

Not only did Greg have to find other ways to make enough money to survive, but many of his recovery meetings also shut down entirely, cutting him off from his network of support.

“I went on a long, lonely, and dark relapse,” Greg said.

Recovery is a journey, not a destination. And though he’s been on this road before and stumbled along the way, Greg keeps pushing forward. This drive led him back to San Diego again, looking for a fresh start.

His brother-in-law connected him to ECS’ Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC), an intensive, outpatient substance use disorder program in City Heights.

“When I returned to San Diego, I aspired to get into a recovery program, build a recovery plan, and work it,” Greg recalled. “I needed a sponsoring agency that could support me, and CERRC was that program.”

But those early days of recovery were challenging for Greg.

“I was trying to heal mentally and physically,” Greg said. “It took me 90 days until things were fleshed out. It was then that I was doing the recovery—and not out of obligation. I looked forward to every day.”

Greg credits his experience with CERRC for helping him on the path toward recovery.

“CERRC took me to the next level,” Greg said. “They gave me a relapse plan and helped me build my goals. They were calming and reassuring, and you don’t get that all the time.”

Greg and CERRC Counselor Summer. September 2022.

On top of that, working with his counselor, Summer, proved to be the difference for Greg in those early days.

“I needed regular meetings and structure,” Greg said. “Working with Summer helped me stay in recovery. She gave me the structure I needed. It helped me be less anxious. It helped me to slow down and take the time in the process.”

Now, Greg has so much to look forward to. He celebrated 11 months of not using substances. Still, he’s keeping his feet firmly on the ground and attending a weekly group session at CERRC.

“This is a mile marker along the way,” Greg said about his recovery journey. “The next phase is working with my wife and repairing that relationship. I’m being patient. That’s what’s different this time.”

Because of your support, Greg is thriving on the road to recovery.

“I look back; it makes me grateful that there are people out there supporting this program,” Greg said. “I know I’m in the right place and in the right program at ECS to build my recovery. I feel like I’m on the right path right now. God keeps opening doors for me daily, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Watch Greg share the impact CERRC had on him.

Episcopal Community Services’ Para Las Familias Expands Mental Health and Behavioral Services for Children Ages 6-12

Expansion Funded By a $238,090 Grant from the County of San Diego

As San Diego’s children continue to experience an unprecedented need for mental health services, Episcopal Community Services (ECS) is expanding its Para Las Familias mental and behavioral health program to include access for children ages 6 to 12 and their families through a recent grant from the County of San Diego.

ECS has been awarded $238,090 toward its Para Las Families program, which initially provided services to children 5 years of age and younger, to expand services to children ages 6 to 12 and their families starting Sept. 1, 2022, through the county of San Diego’s K-12 Youth Services Community Grant Program. The need for expanded therapy services was highlighted during an expert panel discussion at ECS’ recent Annual Meeting in June by Dr. Willough Jenkins, inpatient medical director at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego and assistant professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego. She shared that the pandemic added even more barriers to accessing mental health support and San Diego’s children are experiencing an increase in diagnosed mental health disorders.

“The data is showing mental health illness in children has risen during the pandemic, and we are seeing a record high number of children coming into the emergency room at Rady Children’s Hospital with a mental health crisis,” said Jenkins. “Wait times for services are longer than they’ve ever been, almost nine months to a year. The social-emotional effect of the pandemic has been huge on children and there is an unprecedented need right now.”

Established in 2000, Para Las Familias provides outpatient bicultural and bilingual therapy services to low-income children and their families in southern San Diego County and helps them to strengthen the foundational bonds that will set children on track for healthy relationships, self-confidence, and success in school and beyond. The program already serves 250 children and their families ages 0 to 5 years old annually.

“Being able to help a wider age range of children through Para Las Familias allows more children in our community to reach their unlimited potential,” said Elizabeth Fitzsimons, chief executive officer of ECS. “For every child we serve, we see the immediate impact in their family. From there, the ripple effect is exponential. Expanding access to quality and affordable mental and behavioral health therapies in our county will go a long way not only for our children’s well-being, but also for our community.”

Para Las Familias’ therapists provide screening, assessment, family and group therapy, school observation, and teacher/provider consultation at Para Las Familias’ offices, or in the child’s home or classroom. In addition, Para Las Familias also provides adult mental health services and weekly parenting groups to the caregivers of the children it serves. To learn more about Para Las Familias and how to access services, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/para-las-familias or call (619) 565-2650.

About Episcopal Community Services
For more than 97 years, ECS has been taking action to end generational cycles of hardship, advancing equity and opportunity across our region. The organization is focused on breaking barriers and empowering individuals to create a community where all can pursue an abundant life. Serving more than 6,000 individuals a year, ECS’ programs increase access to early childhood education and development services and strengthen the mental and behavioral health of individuals and families in our communities. For more information on ECS, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/. 

ECS Para Las Familias Receives a $70,000 Grant from San Diego Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Foundation

PLF receives a grant to continue providing therapy services to families and children in the San Diego community. August 2022.

Episcopal Community Services’ (ECS) Para Las Familias program provides critical mental and behavioral health services for the youngest members of San Diego’s community and the need for these therapy services continues to grow. To continue to help ECS provide these services at no cost, ECS was recently awarded a $70,000 grant from San Diego Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Foundation.

“For more than 22 years, our Para Las Familias program has worked to strengthen the mental and behavioral health of children throughout our community,” said Elizabeth Fitzsimons, ECS chief executive officer. “We have seen firsthand the impacts traumatic experiences can have not only on children, but also on their parents and caregivers. Through Para Las Familias, we aim to provide accessible and affordable therapy services. This grant from San Diego Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Foundation allows us to continue building upon the good work we are already doing.”

ECS’ outpatient bicultural and bilingual Para Las Familias program serves children 18 months to 12 years old and their families throughout south San Diego County, and works to strengthen the foundational bonds that will set children on track for healthy relationships, self-confidence, and success in school and beyond. Para Las Familias’ therapists provide screening, assessment, family and group therapy, school observation, and teacher/provider consultation at Para Las Familias’ offices, or in the child’s home or classroom. In addition, Para Las Familias also provides adult mental health services and weekly parenting groups to the caregivers of the children it serves. To learn more about Para Las Familias and how to access its services, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/para-las-familias or call (619) 565-2650.

About Episcopal Community Services 

For more than 97 years, ECS has been taking action to end generational cycles of hardship, advancing equity and opportunity across our region. The organization is focused on breaking barriers and empowering individuals to create a community where all can pursue an abundant life. Serving more than 6,000 individuals a year, ECS’ programs increase access to early childhood education and development services and strengthen the mental and behavioral health of individuals and families in our communities. For more information on ECS, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/. 

ECS Welcomes Four New Board Members

Fueling the organization’s mission to break barriers and transform communities within San Diego, Episcopal Community Services (ECS) is adding four new members to its board of directors to support ongoing program enhancements and increase awareness throughout the community.

New board members include: Hezekiah Herrera, special education teacher for the Alpine Union School District; Erica Martin, senior counsel at San Diego Gas & Electric; Katie Tran, marketing and events director at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Oscar Gomez, chief operations officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. The directors will leverage their unique experience and talent to support ECS’ vision of an equitable society where all have unlimited potential.

“With the reinvigorated focus of our new strategic direction, ECS is tapping into talented partners throughout the San Diego region to join us as we work toward our vision,” said Elizabeth Fitzsimons, CEO of ECS. “Our new board members each bring valuable experience and dedication to our community. They will help fuel ECS’ commitment to working collaboratively through partnerships to advance our shared goals, enhance our programs for greater impact, and strengthen awareness within our community to drive regional change.”

Hezekiah Herrera (top left), Katie Tran (bottom left), Oscar Gomez (top right), and Erica Martin (bottom right) join ECS Board. July 2022.

In addition to Herrera’s special education classroom experience, he brings a unique perspective to the board as a former client of ECS’ Para Las Familias program, which provides bilingual behavioral and mental health services to families with young children. His experience as both a teacher and an ECS client will ensure the client experience remains top of mind for the board.  Before becoming an educator, he worked in the public affairs and communications field and has also served on multiple city, county and nonprofit organization boards and commissions. Herrera resides in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego with his two children.

Martin is senior counsel at SDG&E and practices in the areas of regulatory and environmental law, representing the company before the California Public Utilities Commission and other federal, state and local agencies. Martin’s knowledge of the regulatory environment and her vast network of relationships throughout the region will help support ECS’ goals for increased partnership and collaboration. In addition to joining the ECS board of directors, Martin currently sits on the advisory board of the Copley-Price YMCA and is the legal advisor to the Vestry at St. Michael’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Carlsbad. She resides in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego with her husband, Kyle, and their two children.

Through her role at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Tran’s experience in creatively executing virtual, hybrid and in-person events, profitable budget and contract management, and improving the overall event experience will play a critical role in enhancing ECS’ range of events to reach targeted communities and bring awareness to the organization. Alongside her position on the board, Tran is currently co-leading the formation and direction of the ECS Young Professionals Group to help engage young leaders in the community and serves on the Resource Development Committee for ECS. Tran lives in the Oak Park neighborhood of San Diego with her husband, Duy, and their son.

Gomez brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood education and operations work with nonprofits to his role on the board. He previously served as the deputy of director of child development at MAAC, overseeing the organization’s Head Start program, performance standards and federal reviews. With his extensive knowledge of the Head Start program and as a proud Head Start alumnus, Gomez will help elevate the voices of the communities in which ECS serves through education and leadership. He is currently the chief operations officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego and previously held roles as the director of parenting services at Jewish Family Service and operations chief of the United States Marine Corps. Gomez resides in Oceanside with his wife, Melinda, and their two children.

About Episcopal Community Services

For more than 97 years, ECS has been taking action to end generational cycles of hardship, advancing equity and opportunity across our region. The organization is focused on breaking barriers and empowering individuals to create a community where all can pursue an abundant life. Serving more than 6,000 individuals a year, ECS’ programs increase access to early childhood education and development services and strengthen the mental and behavioral health of individuals and families in our communities. For more information on ECS, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/.

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