ebritton@smcgov.org

Transformation and equity work require resiliency and at ODE, Erica is our go-to support system for personal resiliency.  She also gets to advocate for resiliency at a systemic level in her role as the BHRS Workforce, Education and Training Director.  Erica is passionate about “being able to cultivate providers that will provide better care for marginalized communities.”  This passion is a direct result of her personal life experiences. “It’s a matter of life and death,” says Erica. Erica identifies as belonging to the African American and LGBTQ communities, which have been historically marginalized and victimized. She believes that providing the timely and appropriate trauma-informed interventions and care could make all the difference for these communities and ultimately lead to better health outcomes. Erica is particularly proud of the individualized support she was able to provide, along with other ODE staff, to one of our substance use treatment providers regarding the collection of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data.  The ODE team listened to the concerns, challenged assumptions and supported the agency in implementation of this transformative new policy to improve access and treatment for LGBTQ clients.  “ODE is manifesting exactly what equity work is about,” Erica states.