Welcome to On the Wire with Fred Finch Podcast: Conversations on Youth, Families, the Impact of our Programs, and Their Success Stories. We've embarked on this podcast journey to share compelling stories, vast experience, and the wealth of knowledge we've accumulated over more than a century of dedicated service to disadvantaged young individuals and their families. Our highly trained and dedicated team of clinicians and mental health professionals provides unwavering support and boundless opportunities to youth and their families, particularly those facing complex challenges. Our collective mission remains steadfast: to partner with people, including our participants, their families, and communities, towards the culturally responsive services that cultivate mental and physical resiliency and wellness within their communities. In this ongoing series, we engage in insightful conversations with our experts, field clinicians, and the resilient youth within our programs. These discussions offer a window into the diverse array of challenges and triumphs that shape our organization, ultimately creating a richer understanding of our mission to empower youth and families.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Bridging Gaps in Care – How ECM Connects Families to Essential Support and Life-Changing Resources
At Fred Finch, we believe every family deserves access to the support and resources they need to thrive. Our latest podcast episode explores Enhanced Care Management (ECM) (https://www.fredfinch.org/enhancedcaremanagement) —a vital program that helps Medi-Cal recipients navigate complex health and social service systems.
ECM provides whole-person care through personalized support, including securing food assistance, coordinating medical and dental appointments, and attending key meetings with social workers. This episode shares real stories from families and experts, offering a firsthand look at how ECM transforms lives by bridging gaps in care and breaking down barriers.
Whether you’re a provider, advocate, or someone in need of support, we invite you to learn more. Watch the podcast now to see ECM in action—and find out how you can help connect families to the services they deserve.
📩 Know someone who could benefit? Contact us at ecminquiries@fredfinch.org (mailto:ecminquiries@fredfinch.org) to refer or learn more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
4 Oct 2024
Supporting California’s Latine Community: Bilingual Mental Health Services at Fred Finch
In honor of Latine Heritage Month, Fred Finch proudly presents a special episode focused on how we serve California's Latine community, a vital part of the state’s population. Nearly one-third percent of the families Fred Finch serves are Latine. Our organization ensures they receive access and support in their native language with more than 60 bilingual Spanish-English speaking staff. In this episode, Fred Finch staff share how bilingual services—from school-based counseling to behavioral interventions and supports —help build trust and connection with participants, fostering culturally responsive environments that make every participant feel seen and supported.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
9 May 2024
Expanding Access to Mental Health Care: Fred Finch Therapists in Bay Area Schools
In 33 Bay Area schools, Fred Finch therapists provide crucial mental health care to students, addressing rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior among teens. Join us as we explore how these dedicated therapists work with students, breaking down barriers, and decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health care. Discover the transformative difference they make in the lives of young people and the broader impact they have on school communities.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Oct 2023
Coolidge Court: A Home for Healing and Growth
An 18-unit apartment complex on Fred Finch Youth & Family Services’ Oakland campus provides a safe and nurturing home for young adults, most of whom are former foster youth. These residents have experienced homelessness and contend with mental health illnesses, behavioral health disorders or both. In this podcast episode, we share the stories of Coolidge Court’s residents who, through the support, stability, and sense of community they have found here, have rediscovered their self-worth and now lead lives with purpose and joy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Apr 2023
Specialized Wraparound; Empowering Families with Neurodivergent Youth
An innovative Fred Finch Youth & Family Services program, Specialized Wraparound, gives caregivers the tools to support youth with autism or an intellectual disability. This program is usually a last resort for families who have tried many therapies yet find themselves unable to manage their children’s destructive behaviors. Unlike most interventions where youth are expected to change, this program empowers caregivers with knowledge and strategies to address the underlying causes of dangerous behaviors and to recognize early warning signs of an outburst. In this show, we discuss how Specialized Wraparound works, and we meet Tasha Carey, a single mother, who became part of the program when she started to feel afraid of her then 12-year-old son who has severe Autism. Learn more at https://www.fredfinch.org/specialized-wraparound.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jan 2023
When School Violence Strikes, Fred Finch Counselors Respond: Therapists Create Healing Space for Traumatized Students
Following a shooting and school lockdown at Madison Park Academy in August, Fred Finch counselors began planning how to help begin the healing process for students traumatized by the event. The shooting was an accident and not deadly. Yet, the trauma was real. The next day, Fred Finch counselors opened a center for students, an environment where students could get their needs met with empathy, both for what they had experienced and how they were best able to process it. Students engaged with counselors in different ways, playing board games, making art and talk therapy. We speak to two counselors and the director of Fred Finch’s Alameda County School Based Services to learn how they helped students and the ways they continue to offer compassionate support to Madison Park’s teachers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
21 Sept 2022
Recruiting Diversity: How Fred Finch is Overcoming the Mental Health Professional Shortage
With mental health care workers reassessing their careers just as the demand for them – particularly among youth – increases, finding and holding on to staff has become harder. In this nationwide crisis fueled by the pandemic, Fred Finch Youth & Family Services is tackling the problem with new strategies to maintain staff and to recruit and “grow” new, diverse employees. This time on our show, we connect with the people in charge of filling the vacancies, Fred Finch’s Lois Woods and Alejandro Alvarez, about how the organization has made changes to benefits to offer employees more flexibility and to help them avoid out-of-pocket costs. We also learn about programs to attract and train mental health care workers, particularly those of color, to better reflect the youth Fred Finch serves. We hear from a participant who completed a Fred Finch program that introduces young people to behavioral health care about her hands-on experiences.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
18 May 2022
Rising Oaks Turns 9
In this episode, we explore the critical role transitional housing plays for youth leaving the foster care system and starting lives on their own. To learn more about Fred Finch Transitional housing program and comprehensive supportive services, please visit https://www.fredfinch.org/rising-oaks.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
14 Apr 2021
How CARES Helps Kids with Autism
In honor of Autism Awareness Month, On The Wire is featuring stories from Fred Finch’s CARES program. Based in San Diego County, CARES offers treatment and support services for kids with autism and their families. Providing the behavioral therapy that creates dramatic change to improve the lives of kids and their families is at the heart of what CARES does, but unlike most other autism programs, CARES can provide psychiatric support and mental health counseling for kids and their caregivers. In this show, two families speak to their personal journeys, from their children’s diagnosis – and their initial disbelief – to the care they received from Fred Finch, sharing their struggles and triumphs. We also dig into how the CARES team works with families to provide parents and kids with the tools to reach their goals. To learn more about the services Fred Finch CARES provides, please visit www.fredfinch.org/cares.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
11 Mar 2021
Residential Treatment during a Pandemic
In Episode 3 of On the Wire, we meet Jordan, a past participant in one of Fred Finch’s residential treatment programs. We also meet Mar Smith and Bruce Wexler, who lead the residential treatment programs in Almeda County and San Diego county respectively. While some of our staff were able to pivot to a telehealth model, Mar and Bruce, and their dedicated staff, have had to show up to work daily to care for the most vulnerable population at Fred Finch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
13 Jan 2021
School-Based Therapy In The Age of COVID
As we kick off 2021 still in the grips of a pandemic, the impact on disadvantaged children and teens of color is outsized, with the potential for lasting consequences. To understand how children have been affected, and the role that sustained mental health care during this time can have in helping them cope, we delve into Fred Finch’s school-based therapy with the director of Alameda County School-Based Services, a therapist working with students at a continuation school in Hayward and an Oakland family who are getting therapy through the program. We also offer parents suggestions on what to look for if they are concerned their child may be struggling with mental health and how to get help.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
12 Oct 2020
The State of Mental Health in The Latinx Community
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are starting our program by speaking with Dr. Teresa Chapa, Fred Finch Vice President of Southern California Operations, to discuss the state of mental health in the Latinx community. Approximately 30% of the young people and families Fred Finch serves annually are Latinx. Dr. Chapa grew up in Venice Beach, Los Angeles before the modest bungalows were multi-million-dollar real estate sought-after by Hollywood stars and tech moguls. Her neighborhood was mostly Mexican American. Some had immigrated recently from Mexico, but many more were the children, grand-children or great-grandchildren of immigrants. Her neighborhood was a microcosm of much of the Latinx community across the country.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
8,426
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
5
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
32
Contact On The Wire with Fred Finch Podcast
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of On The Wire with Fred Finch Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
