Executive Team

DW Admin on August 3, 2017

Jaime Wesolowski, President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Wesolowski
President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Wesolowski is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. A healthcare executive with three decades of leadership experience, Jaime is responsible for the overall governance and direction of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Jaime earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Xavier University, and his Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. As a cancer survivor, Jaime is a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society. He serves as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s South Texas Area board of directors and he was appointed as Chair to the recently created South Region Advisory Cabinet, covering eight states from Arizona through Alabama. Jaime believes his personal experience as a cancer survivor has given him more defined insight and compassion to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.

Tony LoBasso
Chief Financial Officer

Tony LoBasso is the Chief Financial Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where he is responsible for the overall financial health of the organization. Tony’s career began in public accounting and spans nearly 35 years of progressive financial and accounting leadership in the areas of health insurance, specialty medical care and hospital systems. He also guides the direction of the organization’s information technology & services, community grants and administrative services & facilities teams to fulfill the organization’s mission and vision. Tony earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Health Care Financial Managers Association.

Xochy Hurtado
Chief Operating Officer

Xochy Hurtado is the Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Building upon 14 years of progressive leadership experience in the healthcare industry, Xochy guides the direction of clinical and regional operations to ensure the organization’s mission and vision are realized. A native Texan, Xochy earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University in College Station and her Master of Science with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio. Prior to joining Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Xochy served in executive leadership roles within HCA Healthcare and the Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio. She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Jennifer Knoulton
Vice President of Regional Operations

Jennifer Knoulton is the Vice President of Regional Operations at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. She is responsible for the operations, financial management, quality and patient satisfaction of the organization’s regional nursing and wellness programs, community engagement, and Sí Texas: Social Innovation for a Healthy South Texas project, a Social Innovation Fund program. She and her team work to engage the community of South Texas in issues of health that most directly impact the underserved community. Jennifer earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and has been a registered nurse for over 25 years. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and Women United – United Way of San Antonio.

Bridget Lamme

Bridget Lamme, PHR
Vice President of Human Resources

Bridget Lamme, PHR, is the Vice President of Human Resources at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she leads the organization’s human resource (HR) operations for over 475 team members. She has a proven track record of delivering results, influencing change and engaging people across her 25+ years of experience in HR. Bridget’s holistic approach to supporting MHM staff considers the physical, mental and spiritual needs of each team member in order to build a thriving, diverse and engaged workforce. Prior to joining MHM, she was previously the Vice President of Human Resources at Harland Clarke — formerly Clarke American Inc. She currently volunteer for the Guadalupe County Humane Society and is a sustaining member of the San Antonio Junior League. Bridget earned a bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University with a double major in marketing and management and has held the prestigious Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation since 2002. Most recently, Bridget earned a Masters in Legal Studies from Texas A&M University School of Law with a certificate in Healthcare Law and Policy in 2022.  

Charito Lincoln

Charito Lincoln
Vice President of Community Investments

Charito Lincoln is the Vice President of Community Investments at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she leads the organization’s strategic grant-making and capacity-building efforts. Her leadership is critical to ensuring MHM’s philanthropic and community investment practices support its commitment to health equity – reducing the inequities inherent across South Texas so the least served have greater opportunities to reach their full potential. Charito brings over 15 years of expertise in designing and executing strategies, governance structure, reporting metrics, and transition plans to her role as VP. Prior to joining MHM, she served as the Corporate Responsibility Director at USAA, supporting grantmaking, employee giving, volunteerism, event planning, sponsorships, diversity & inclusion, and racial equality. Charito has also volunteered with various local and national non-profits and is on the board of the S.A.V.E. Women’s Foundation and is a trainer for the Segs4Vets program of Disability Rights Advocates for Technology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Texas – San Antonio, is a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager, and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.

Oanh H. Maroney-Omitade
Vice President of Organizational Excellence

Oanh H. Maroney-Omitade is the Vice President of Organizational Excellence at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she supports the development of an overall strategic roadmap for the organization. She collaborates with leaders across the organization to prioritize and implement opportunities to improve, enhance and integrate organizational systems and helps implement its strategy for equity, diversity and inclusion work as a foundational element for organizational transformation. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Oanh was named “One of San Antonio’s Rising Stars” under the age of 40 by the San Antonio Business Journal in 2003 and was recognized as one of the San Antonio Business Journal’s 2020 Health Care Heroes. She is an alumni of Leadership Women Texas and member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Sandra Martinez

Sandra Martinez
Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships

Sandra Martinez is the Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she oversees the Strategy and Impact department and the functions of strategic planning and development, research, and partnerships. Sandra provides strategic guidance and executive leadership in advancing MHM’s strategic plan to address systemic and root causes of health inequity. She is currently leading efforts to establish strategic partnerships that support cross sector collaboration and system level change while building MHM’s capacity as a partner, leader, and convener to advance health equity. Sandra received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Political Science. She has more than 20 years of community leadership experience serving in various capacities focused in the areas of health and human services, public policy, and nonprofit sector.

Cindy McCloy
Vice President of Accounting & Controller

Cindy McCloy is the Vice President of Accounting & Controller at Methodist Healthcare Ministries and brings more than 30 years of nonprofit experience to her role where she is responsible for overseeing the accounting, accounts payable and payroll departments; including budgeting, financial forecasting and reporting, tax returns and financial audits. She also supervises more than $24 million in community grants that Methodist Healthcare Ministries awards annually. Cindy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the Leadership Texas Class of 2014.

Jessica MuñozJM - Headshot - PressPages
Vice President of Communications

Jessica C. Muñoz is the Vice President of Communications at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she plays an integral role in managing the organization’s reputation and strengthening its brand, as well as developing the internal communications systems and processes that help team members stay connected to the organization’s mission. Jessica earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Public Relations from the George Washington University and a B.A. from St. Mary’s University. She is an alumni of Leadership Women Texas and member of the American Marketing Association and the Public Relations Society of America.

Leticia Ortiz-Johnson
Vice President of Integrated Healthcare

Leticia Ortiz-Johnson is the Vice President of Integrated Healthcare at Methodist Healthcare Ministries where she is responsible for the operations of the organization’s clinical care programs, including medical, dental, behavioral health and nutrition services. Lety haspreviously served the organization as interim Vice President of Clinical Operations and before that as Director of Medical Operations. Lety has been a registered nurse for the past 28 years and most recently attained her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family nurse Practitioner from Texas Tech University. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Texas Tech University. Lety is originally from Del Rio, Texas.

Chris Yanas
Vice President of Policy & Advocacy

Christine Yanas is the Vice President of Policy & Advocacy at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, where she is responsible for the development of the organization’s public health policies and legislative agendas. Chris is an experienced government relations professional with more than 15 years of specialized knowledge and experience in hospital and healthcare public policy. Prior to joining Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Chris served for seven years as the interim CEO and vice president of operations and advocacy at Teaching Hospitals of Texas (THOT) in Austin where she advocated on behalf of the state’s large teaching hospitals. Her career in policy work began at the state capitol as a legislative staffer for a number of rural and urban members of the Texas House of Representatives. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in English and Government.

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Methodist Healthcare Ministries Media Guidelines

DW Admin on July 20, 2017

The Methodist Healthcare Ministries communications team helps coordinate interviews and gathers qualitative and quantitative data for regional, national and international print and broadcast media outlets. Whatever your needs, we will work to provide you with the content you seek on deadline. To request an interview with a doctor or a patient at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, please contact our team first. A member of the communications team will help you identify physicians, staff or families appropriate for your story, find a space to conduct your interview and coordinate any photo or b-roll shoots at our clinics or on location. 

Need to speak with a Methodist Healthcare Ministries subject matter expert?

We are happy to connect you with doctors, clinic staff, and subject matter experts. Methodist Healthcare Ministries experts can provide information about clinical practices, patient care, health care trends, compelling patient stories and more. 

Need to arrange photos or interviews with our staff or patients?

The communications team will make arrangements for you and accompany you during your visit. A member of the communications team must accompany all media personnel during visits to Methodist Healthcare Ministries facilities. Additionally, we require all patients to sign a consent/photo release form before granting an interview, releasing medical information, or being photographed (parent/guardian signature required for patients under 18).

Contacting our communications team

For media questions, please contact Director of Communications, Jessica Munoz at jmunoz1@mhm.org or 210-546-0992. You can also email communications@mhm.org. 

Using our photography and videos

You're welcome to pull photos and videos from our newsroom for your work. Please credit photos: Methodist Healthcare Ministries, and let us know how you plan to use them. We appreciate your cooperation.

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Get Fit: Santa Rosa summer camp offers fitness tips for kids

DW Admin on July 18, 2017

Originally posted by the Valley Morning Star.
By RAUL GARCIA, staff writer

SANTA ROSA — The district's Get Fit summer camp has kicked off.

The program teaches children the importance of health and fitness.

Santa Rosa High School seniors are employed as camp helpers.

"We are very excited about the program and it is beneficial to the whole community," said Rebecca Corpus, Santa Rosa High School principal.

The Get Fit program is a wellness program funded by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries.

This is the second consecutive year the district has rolled out this program, Corpus said.

The key components of the camp teach the students the importance of nutrition, physical development and character building through the arts.

Corpus said the program helps the high school students earn extra money during the summer, and helps them get ready for college.

She said 25 seniors were hired to work with the students enrolled in the summer program.

The seniors will assist the camp instructors in teaching exercise and nutritional techniques to the participating students.

Alberto Trevino, Santa Rosa Independent School District's After School Program project director, said the summer camp assistants are a big help to the staff, carrying out the daily camp activities.

The program will serve 150 students from grades first through eighth.

It is a 16-day camp held during the month of June, Monday through Thursday.

Every Thursday students will go on a field trip to an area museum, kayaking, bicycling, fishing, bowling, or to the movies.

Students will also use the local swimming pool on Wednesdays.

"They will learn many skills and leadership development they will need when they go to college or work," Trevino said. "They get the experience of actually working."

To view news article on the Valley Morning Star, click here.

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Methodist Healthcare Ministries first-ever CEO to retire after two decades of service

DW Admin on June 28, 2017

Kevin C. Moriarty sets his course for departure

For 21 years, Kevin C. Moriarty has served as the president and chief executive officer of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. But today, Moriarty announced his plans to retire marking the end of an extraordinary career of faithful service to South Texas. Moriarty will continue to serve as CEO until a successor is named and successfully on-boarded. The Methodist Healthcare Ministries' board of directors will engage an executive search firm to evaluate candidates for CEO.

"Kevin's service and commitment to the patients, clients and communities we serve across South Texas over these many years have been steadfast and he has been the fiercest of advocates for the least served, an innovator, and an exemplary model of servant leadership for the MHM team of talent he has led during his tenure," said George Ricks, the chair of the Methodist Healthcare Ministries board of directors. "I know I speak for everyone on the board of directors when I say that we at Methodist Healthcare Ministries deeply respect and admire Kevin for his passion, tenacity and bold leadership."

Kevin was selected to serve as Methodist Healthcare Ministries' first-ever chief executive officer in 1996, one year after a unique and unprecedented partnership was brokered between Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and the former Methodist Hospital Board of Trustees which later founded the Methodist Healthcare Ministries organization and transformed the singular Methodist Hospital into the Methodist Healthcare System.

In his role as President and CEO, Moriarty is responsible for advancing the dual objectives of Methodist Healthcare Ministries' mission: To improve the health of the least served in The United Methodist Church's Rio Texas Conference area and oversight of the quality and charitable activities of the Methodist Healthcare System. Accordingly, Moriarty has been primarily responsible for the executive administration of the primary care medical and dental clinics owned and operated by Methodist Healthcare Ministries, sustaining the grants portfolio, and setting the research, advocacy and policy direction for the organization.

"As a father of five children, I have been driven to provide for all our communities the same levels of care that I would require for my family. Accepting this job 21 years ago has been one of the greatest adventures of my life," expressed Moriarty. "I arrived in San Antonio over 40 years ago as a very young man from New York with hope that I would find a career that was both meaningful to me and gave me an opportunity to make a positive difference in peoples' lives. I was lucky to do it first as a public official with the City of San Antonio for over 20 years, but incredibly blessed to do it again as CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries for over 21 years. To have done all this in the community where I have raised my family and proud to call home is something for which I am very grateful!"

Through the partnership with HCA, Moriarty grew Methodist Healthcare Ministries' strategies for community health from a budget of $3 million for 2,900 clients in 1996, to a budgeted expenditure of $105 million in 2017 through contracts with partners and operated programs impacting 300,000 patients per year in 2017.

The number of nonprofit partners funded by Methodist Healthcare Ministries has grown significantly under Moriarty's leadership; from four grant-funded programs through three nonprofit agencies in 1996 for a total of $1.3 million to more than 120 grant-funded programs to more than 90 partners in 2017 for a total of $26.7 million.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries has also played a pivotal role in the development of state policies under Moriarty's leadership that have helped countless low-income families and the uninsured across the state access care. Under his direction and through his advocacy, the organization played a pivotal role in the development of the Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) and the Texas Women's Health Program. In Bexar County, Moriarty led and supported local efforts to fluoridate the water supply in San Antonio, develop the Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving and Sharing Program—also known as WINGS, the Health Collaborative and Health Access San Antonio or HASA, and managed Methodist Healthcare Ministries' $7.1 million gift to fund construction of Haven for Hope's medical, dental, vision and intake facility in 2008. Outside of Bexar County, Moriarty was vital to the collaboration that established the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the Coastal Bend at the time and which remains a critical source of care for that region's uninsured population. He also created funding relationships through the FQHC network in San Antonio and throughout the 74 counties of the Rio Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church with 17 FQHC's.

"What has motivated me and fills my heart with joy was to try as best I could to live up to what John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, asked of all who follow in this faith tradition: That I did all the good I could do, in all the places I was able, and for as many people as I could," said Moriarty. "There is more to do, and I am confident this organization is prepared for what lies ahead, just as I am ready for the next adventure in my story to begin. This is the legacy I leave for the next generation of leadership at Methodist Healthcare Ministries."

Upon his retirement, Moriarty will remain actively engaged in the community. "I look forward to sharing my gifts and talents in new ventures and relationships, creating pathways forward, for San Antonio and Texas."

About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. is a private, faith-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating access to health care for the uninsured through direct services, community partnerships and strategic grant-making in 74 counties across South Texas. The mission of the organization is "Serving Humanity to Honor God" by improving the physical, mental and spiritual health of those least served in the Rio Texas Conference area of The United Methodist Church. The mission also includes Methodist Healthcare Ministries' one-half ownership of the Methodist Healthcare System, the largest healthcare system in South Texas, which creates a unique avenue to ensure that it continues to be a benefit to the community by providing quality care to all and charitable care when needed. For more information, visit www.mhm.org. 

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Conveying the intangible through photography

DW Admin on June 23, 2017

A few months ago, I sat down with my communications team to discuss ways to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our Wesley Nurse program. Naturally, my inclination was towards incorporating video or photography, and after some brainstorming, we landed on the concept of a portrait series.

Now, the work of a Wesley Nurse can be described on a page through a string of words like faith-based, community and holistic, but there aren't words that I've found that effectively capture the spirit of the Wesley Nurse. While no two Wesley Nurses are the same, their faith and commitment to serving the least served in their communities is evident in everything they do. I've been blessed to have had opportunities to work with many of our nurses, and after every encounter, I'm left in awe and inspired by the influence they each have on countless lives. My challenge was to find a way to capture that feeling while conveying their work.

With these hands is a series of 10 photos that I created to bring together the words used to describe the Wesley Nurse program with the intangible, indescribable feeling of care that every one of them brings to their communities. I chose to focus on the hands of the nurses in this series because like our Nurses, describing hands on paper is easy. Five fingers each (usually), a palm, attached to a wrist. But if you look closely at hands, they are as nuanced as each one of our 83 nurses. They are capable of doing amazing things. They represent so much more than phalanges and metacarpals, muscles and tendons. They're how we experience the world through our sense of touch and feel. My hope is that these photos will impart a sense of feeling and emotion in viewers that words fail to communicate.

I'd like to thank Jennifer Knoulton, vice president of regional operations, nursing, and Catalina Schultze-Kraft, director of regional nursing & wellness programs, for their support and insight with this project. I'd also like to thank my wonderful hand models for their help. Thank you to Pam Castles, Danna Dyess, Yvonne Trevino, Kathy Bates, Sonia Cavazos, Kathy Jimenez, Pat Stepherson, Dawn Gonzales, Celeste Reid and Yvonne Garcia. Please return the favor and give them a hand. Thanks to everyone of our Wesley Nurses for living out our mission of "Serving Humanity to Honor God."

Dustin Wenger is the multimedia production coordinator for Methodist Healthcare Ministries, where he manages all aspects of video production from conceptualization to distribution across various channels. He also oversees all photography for the organization as well as provides graphic design support.

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Looking upstream: seeking community well-being through prevention

DW Admin on June 23, 2017

To whom it concerns:

Several months ago, a friend of mine was tubing on the Guadalupe River when she heard the wails of a small child in a nearby tube. Puzzled that there weren’t any other adults around, my friend drew closer and realized to her horror that the child had several bruises on her chest and face. The girl was crying so hard that she could barely speak. After a few minutes, my friend discovered that the child was all alone and couldn’t remember how she ended up on the river.

Calling to a few people on the shore, my friend directed someone to call 911. Another person wrapped the girl in a towel, and someone had just given her part of a sandwich when an emaciated man with a panic-stricken expression suddenly appeared, trying to keep his head above the water. Immediately, my friend dove back into the river and pulled him to shore.

Noticing the situation, several more people came over to help. Like the child, the man couldn’t remember how he came to be in the river. He was deeply grateful for their help. Shivering and barely able to walk, he needed immediate medical attention.

As a few of the bystanders posted pictures to social media, my friend heard yet another cry for help, and she turned back to the river to see a young woman coughing loudly and gasping for breath. People in crisis seemed to be materializing one after another! As she helped with yet another rescue, my friend began to organize the volunteers around her. She formed a rescue line to pull people out of the water and organized a separate team to provide first aid, snacks, and dry towels.

In the hours that followed, many more volunteers arrived to help, and my friend called me to ask that I set up an online account to receive donations. Over the next few weeks, we constructed a makeshift tent city and successfully sought 501(c)(3) nonprofit status so that we could more adequately respond to the needs of the river survivors. To this day, we’ve grown to 150 staff members who faithfully continue to rescue and assist anyone in distress. Our records indicate that we have saved over 11,340 lives, thanks to more than 150,000 hours of volunteer time and over 430 tons of material donations.

In my now full-time role as Director of Development, I write to ask for your financial partnership as we continue to fulfill our mission. We can’t do it without you!

Sincerely,
                  Director of Development

This isn’t my story. This is a variation on an allegory known as “Babies in the River.” Typically, it is used to launch a discussion about the difference between charity and social justice through questions such as:

  • What did the onlookers fail to do? (They failed to look upstream!)
  • How do you think the volunteers felt about their work?
  • How does this story illuminate or challenge our assumptions about the work we do?

I don’t retell this allegory to belittle charity work. Responding to immediate, basic needs is both noble and biblical, and it is certainly part of Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ mission. Instead, my goal is to remind us that charity can be endless if we don’t also address the root causes that create suffering. Why are we seeing so many people downstream?

Increasingly, the health care industry is concerned with population health. In other words, the overall goal for health care is expanding from: A) a focus on health outcomes for individuals or a panel of individuals served by a common health care provider, to also include B) a focus on health outcomes for the entire population, for whole communities.

To successfully accomplish our mission, we must not only provide the highest quality clinical care to the individuals we serve – we must also look upstream to understand and address the various factors that lead to disease and poor health. What are the root causes of our patients’ ill health? What are the root causes of our communities’ ill health? How can we address those root causes, even when they precede and loom much larger than any clinical care we can provide?

I believe wholeheartedly in policy work. Parallel to our policy efforts, we must also work upstream, partnering with others to prevent disease before it becomes more complicated and costly. Thankfully, Methodist Healthcare Ministries already channels some of its resources in this direction, from fitness and parenting programs to some of our community grants, to local community health efforts involving our Wesley Nurses. How else can we look upstream? How can we bolster and deepen our current efforts? More than anything, how can we become more holistic and intentional in seeking community well-being through prevention?

Perhaps the 58th chapter of the book of Isaiah can help us examine and redefine our work. Faithfully following God means that we loose the bonds of injustice and undo the thongs of the yoke. More than that, it means that we break those yokes and participate in liberation for all! Then our light shall break forth like the dawn, and our healing shall spring up quickly … God will guide us continually, and satisfy our needs in parched places, and make our bones strong. And we shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

May it be so.

Tim Barr is the Collective Impact Strategy Manager for Methodist Healthcare Ministries. He supports, develops, and facilitates collaborative efforts in the Coastal Bend region.

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Funded Partner Spotlight: West Texas Counseling & Guidance

DW Admin on June 22, 2017

Situated inside the historic, elegant Cactus Hotel (the fourth ever Hilton hotel built in 1929), lies the new, modern, loft-style location of West Texas Counseling & Guidance — a funded partner of Methodist Healthcare Ministries since 2013. As the elevator doors open to the sixth floor, the juxtaposition of the grand luxurious hotel building dissipates to an inviting, cozy, serene space, well-suited for patients seeking mental health treatment.

As a nonprofit, West Texas Counseling & Guidance works to ensure individuals and families seeking mental health treatment have access to counseling services, regardless of their socioeconomic status and ability to pay. The objective of the organization is to help individuals learn to heal themselves in mind, body, and spirit utilizing evidence-based practices that are effective, affordable, and promote personal development and independence.

With about 20 counselors on staff, services include individual counseling, couples counseling, family therapy, children and adolescent counseling, veteran services, PTSD counseling, grief and loss support, addiction support, eating disorder counseling and depression and anxiety counseling. With help from Methodist Healthcare Ministries, two play therapists — fully licensed clinicians with specialized training in treating problems with children using the natural language and process of play — are employed. Off-site services are also available at churches and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in seven surrounding rural sites: Brady, Menard, Mason, Eden, Junction, Ozona and Sonora.

Operating since 1976, West Texas Counseling & Guidance has grown out of two previous locations, and in 2016 saw a 25 percent increase in clients from the previous year with approximately 2,500 patients for more than 11,000 sessions. With a new location (equipped with double insulation for sound proof rooms, open spaces, and a welcoming staff), West Texas Counseling & Guidance expects to grow more and looks forward to assisting more patients.

Dusty McCoy, LPC-S, executive director at West Texas Counseling & Guidance, shares more on his organization’s mission of providing the highest quality counseling and educational services for all residents of the Concho Valley.

Q: What does West Texas Counseling & Guidance offer?
We’re a nonprofit counseling center that’s been in existence for 41 years. Our clients range in age from 3 years old to 93 years old. Our approach is cognitive behavior therapy that’s short-term and goal-oriented; our goal is to teach people to become their own therapist. Some need long-term therapy, but our goal is to get you where you need to be and give you skills to move forward and not need us. We provide counseling regardless of insurance or inability to pay. Basically, access to mental health services is what we’re all about. The whole thing is about breaking down barriers for people to have access to mental health services.

We offer a sliding scale fee that goes to zero. I was really adamant about that. Some have suggested that patients at least pay $5-10 to give it a sense of value, but with psychotherapy counseling, for example, treatment starts off at once a week. If someone’s on the verge of homelessness or unemployed, taking $10 a week adds up to $40 a month, and when you’re struggling for food and a place to live that $40 hinders you from getting treatment.

Q: What are some prominent issues in the San Angelo community?
Every year since 2000, our community has had higher than average state and national suicide rates. I think it goes back to stigma, not feeling comfortable to go to therapy. In 2016, only 11 percent of our clients were 50 years or older, and only 36 percent were male. If you look at who are dying by suicide in this community, it’s white males over 50; those are the people that aren’t coming in and accessing mental health services. It’s important for us to break down the stigma. We’re trying to work on all fronts. Anything we could do to increase access is important: breaking down stigmas, providing affordable counseling and offering high-quality services.

Q: What resources are available for those struggling with suicide?
We have a survivor of suicide group with over 20 people that meet weekly: the LOSS Team. The importance of the LOSS Team is when someone has a loved one that dies by suicide, they themselves are at a much higher risk of dying of suicide, 64 percent higher. Those that have lost loved ones to suicide typically take 4.5 years to get help on their own; with the LOSS Team, we can reduce that down to 30-45 days. We take an active approach. We have a veteran’s outreach coordinator who goes to vets and brings them in. Our local outreach to suicide survivors is the same concept, we go to them. In July, we’ll have a live response program; if someone dies by suicide, we’ll go to the scene, wrap services around them, and bring them in for help.

Q: Do you believe the stigma of mental health is decreasing?
Definitely. The average age of our patients is 29. We see a lot of kids, 42 percent of our clients are children, and there’s no stigma with them. They’re more comfortable coming in, just as they would for any other medical condition. I think we’re making progress. I know we have a lot more work to do with the older population, but I think we’ve made progress with younger generations.

We’re trying to overcome stigmas. Tiffany Talley, our director of development and community relations, does a lot of community outreach on what resources are available and that it’s OK to come in. In Texas, there’s a bootstrap mentality. People find it hard to come in; they believe it’s a sign of weakness, so a lot of what we do is education and we work to get prominent citizens to come out and join the conversation, and it’s effective.

Q: How has Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ partnership helped West Texas Counseling & Guidance?
In 2016, Methodist Healthcare Ministries funding totaled 29 percent of West Texas Counseling & Guidance’s total budget. We just couldn’t do what we’re doing without Methodist Healthcare Ministries. We couldn’t see the people we’re seeing, provide counseling at our rural sites, or provide low-cost or free counseling. If we weren’t at those rural sites, and if it weren’t for Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ funding of those FQHC partnerships, most likely people would go without help there. We also do constant referrals back and forth with Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Wesley Nurses, and the grants department has even helped us with other grants and has helped put us in contact with other organizations that give us guidance if we have a problem or need help, so it’s been a fantastic partnership. On every level, Methodist Healthcare Ministries has impacted this community and our organization.

Q: How will this new location help even more?
Being in a nice, new location like this definitely helps people feel comfortable. I think it’s going to bring more clients that maybe wouldn’t have come in the past. Methodist Healthcare Ministries came in at a substantial level to make this a reality.

Q: What is your outlook for the future?
It makes you feel good when you see someone who went through so much distress change their life around. They learn to become their own therapist and live life again. What we’re hoping for, our goal on a bigger level as far as impact, is to look back in three to five years and say that we’re not higher than the state or national average on suicide. To see something of that magnitude improve through our services and outreach … that’s the overarching goal of what we’re doing.

To learn more about West Texas Guidance & Counseling, visit www.sanangelocounseling.org.

This interview was conducted with Dusty McCoy, executive director at West Texas Counseling & Guidance, and Tiffany Talley, director of development & community relations, May 31, 2017, at West Texas Counseling and Guidance’s new location, by Jennifer Perez, Communications Coordinator II at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Photos by Methodist Healthcare Ministries multimedia production coordinator, Dustin Wenger.

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Jaime Wesoloski

President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Wesolowski is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. A healthcare executive with three decades of leadership experience, Jaime is responsible for the overall governance and direction of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Jaime earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Xavier University, and his Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. As a cancer survivor, Jaime is a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society. He serves as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s South Texas Area board of directors and he was appointed as Chair to the recently created South Region Advisory Cabinet, covering eight states from Arizona through Alabama. Jaime believes his personal experience as a cancer survivor has given him more defined insight and compassion to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.