Medical Services
Audrey Hansen
Medical Assistant Supervisor
How long at KMHS: 12 years
What do you do? Communicate with clients about their psychiatric medications, answer questions and monitor side effects; assist medical providers; coordinate with insurance; administer testing required for certain medications; be an advocate for clients
How does your role support clients? We are big problem solvers. If the pharmacy is saying a client can’t have their meds, we’re saying, ‘The client really needs this. What can we do?’
What do you like about your job? Advocating for clients to reach their medication goals and be successful.
What would you like people to know about KMHS? That we provide great services, that we really care and that we will do what we can to get clients’ needs met.
Therapy
Tarcha Goodine
Therapist
How long at KMHS: 3 years
What do you do? Provide psychotherapy as part of a treatment plan based on clients’ needs, strengths, supports and goals
How does your role support clients? I help them set goals that are specific, realistic and timely, and empower them to use tools to help manage their mental illness.
What do you like about your job? I like the clients. I like being an asset in their stabilization and helping them take steps, sometimes big steps, toward recovery. If you put in the work, you do see that hope really does live here.
What would you like people to know about KMHS? We are working to better the community.
Peer Services
Carol Lara
Peer Specialist
How long at KMHS: 10 years
What do you do? Share my own mental health challenges with clients to show them that recovery is possible, and to serve as a resource
How does your role support clients? Peers are advocates. I help connect people to resources and teach them wellness tools and coping skills.
What do you like about your job? Once I was hired as a peer, I finally felt like I had the purpose I was meant to have in my life. When people are willing to do the work (of recovery), I get excited.
What would you like people to know about KMHS? Since I moved to Washington in 2006, KMHS has been a constant light in my life, first as a client and then as a peer.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Ada Moore De La Cruz
Co-OccurRing Disorder Clinician
How long at KMHS: 5 years
What do you do? Provide individual counseling and facilitate group counseling for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
How does your role support clients? The recovery process is theirs. I teach them how to use the tools that work for them.
What do you like about your job? I love working with some of the more challenging clients that are falling through the cracks. I’m known as an advocate for our clients, and I love being a voice for them.
What would you like people to know about KMHS? We’re embracing client-centered care and including a mental health component into substance use treatment. You can’t treat one without the other.
