Ms. Fredericka (Ricka) L. White-Soso, MSW, LCSW, BIPF, CEAT
Executive and Clinical Director
Executive Director/ CLINICAL DIRECTOR
msricka@elpidahouse.org
Ms. Fredericka (Ricka) L. White-Soso, MSW, LCSW, BIPF, CEAT, is a professional Social Worker whose special interests are community health issues, including mental health, interpersonal violence, health disparities, health and wellness, foster and transitional age youth advocacy and public service. She has worked in the behavioral health and social services field for the past 30+ years, showing a lifetime commitment to the betterment and health of her community.
Ms. Ricka (as she prefers to be called) worked as a group home counselor in earlier years. This position moved her to further her education, which led her to the work she does today. She has a wealth of experience working and managing programs in group homes, residential, day treatment, foster/adoption agencies, behavioral managed care, hospital, and private practice settings with diverse populations from a variety of backgrounds: persons with severe mental health challenges, abused, chemically dependent, developmentally disabled, persons with chronic medical conditions, foster/transitional age youth, victims of crime, and criminal offenders.
Maintaining membership in professional organizations that promote high professional standards, integrity, and social justice is important to Ms. Ricka. Currently, she is the Vice President of the Bay Area Association of Black Social Workers (2022-2024). She is a two-term past Region C Director of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) California Chapter and has served on a number of NASW state and national committees, as well as the Founding Secretary of the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy.
Ms. White-Soso has a passion for Social Work and stays active by participating in opportunities that allow her to help promote the profession. You can see her in action briefly in the documentary “The Waiting Room” which is now on YouTube.
Austin McElhaney
Program Director
austin@elpidahouse.org
Austin McElhaney has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years, with 5+ years working as a Case Manager. Her career began supporting homeless families working towards stable housing. From there, Austin worked with adults in crisis in different acute settings. Austin has a background studying Biology and Medicine, and she holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Sonoma State University. Her education and training emphasized a Humanistic approach, which encourages looking at the individual as a whole person and their capacity for growth and well-being. Austin has supported Elpida in various capacities over the years and is passionate about the program’s core value of “hope” and the understanding that long-lasting, positive changes take time. Austin enjoys all that the outdoors have to offer, tending to her garden and taking her dog for long walks in nature.
Walter Howard
Assoc. Therapist
whoward@elpidahouse.org
Walter Howard received his MA in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Francisco. He has had 12 years of experience working in the mental health field and residential treatment centers where he has worked with children, adolescents and adults. His work has included Victor Treatment Center in Santa Rosa, TLC Child and Family Services in Sebastopol, and he has also worked as a school counselor at Redwood Middle School in Napa.
Philip Wyatt
Case Manager
phil@elpidahouse.org
Philip Wyatt has been working in the field of mental health for nearly 20 years, beginning his career working the night shift on a suicide hotline in Northampton, MA. He worked for Buckelew Programs in San Rafael for nearly 10 years and began working for Elpida Programs in 2013.
Prior to that, Philip served on the Board of Trust for the Vipassana Meditation Center in Onalaska, WA for 5 years. He also spent 3 years living in Asia (Taiwan and Japan) in the 1990s teaching English as a second language. Philip also worked as a staff photographer for the Pacific Sun for 6 years in the 1990s. Philip has degrees in Diagnostic Ultrasound and in Fine Arts.
Rene Reyes
cASE MANAGEr
rmedina@elpidahouse.org
Rene Reyes is a Case Manager at Elpida Residential Programs. His career within mental health began working as a support staff and subsequently taking on a leadership role at a residential treatment facility in Newport Beach, CA, working and supporting individuals with co-occurring disorders. Rene has a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services with an emphasis in Mental Health Recovery. He completed an academic internship with the Los Angeles Police Department Mental Evaluation Unit, receiving training in mental health intervention, crisis response, and suicide prevention. Additionally, he completed an academic internship with the Los Angeles County Probation Department, working with at-risk juveniles and juvenile probationers. His education and training is that of a strengths-based and humanistic approach that focuses on the strengths of the individuals and their capacity for growth. Rene enjoys supporting the Elpida community in any capacity promoting positive outcomes.
Catherine Bell
cASE MANAGEr
cbell@elpidahouse.org
Catherine Bell has been working in the Mental Health field for over 20 years. Her career started out working in transitional/residential treatment in Southern California. Later she moved to the Bay Area where she worked for Haight & Ashbury clinic where she held her position for 5 yrs. She also held a position at Baker Places Inc. in San Francisco as an SUD counselor/ Case Manager for 71/2 years. She also worked for Homeward Bound in San Rafael for 3 years.
Pamela Outten
cASE MANAGEr
poutten@elpidahouse.org
Pamela Outten has spent over 20 years inspiring and challenging perspectives by being a forward thinker and fostering community connections. Pamela gained a BA in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology at Temple University in Philadelphia Penn. After graduating from Temple she worked at Charles Drew Center, first as a Program Specialist then a Case Manager Supervisor. .
Pamela, dissatisfied with the lack of services in Pennsylvania, knew more could be done and volunteered to sit on such committees as The ARC of Pennsylvania, and The Education Task Force. These community organizations put money into research to develop the studies for people living with developmental disabilities. They both were charged with ensuring that the mandated right to education consent agreement was carried out throughout the commonwealth. She became a Supports Coordinator Supervisor for adults at Progressions and was granted QRMP status through the State to help guide programs through Person Centered Services. While working at (CBH )Community Behavioral Health Services as a Sr. Member Services Representative which is a part of (DBH) Department of Behavioral Health, Pamela was selected by DBH to be one of 12 people assigned to a committee in 2009 to review services and recommend changes that would provide assistance with locating, monitoring and paying for services and support in Philadelphia. In response to those concerns Congressed passed Rosa’s Law which changed the reference of MR services to Intellectual Disability and DBH became DBHIDS. Person Centered services became available for all people under the IDS and MH umbrella
Upon moving to California she began doing contract work off and on for people with disabilities through Leblanc Consulting. The next couple of years would see her traveling back and forth throughout Europe, Africa and Jamaica to rekindle family ties. She met up with an old friend from Philly who started The Bay Area Mural Arts Program and requested her to take on as the Assistant Director to help him recruit local artists, set up an HR department, staffing and finding an affordable brick and mortar to house the program. In everything she does Pamela continues to work in the community and for the community towards bringing people together in a culture of inclusion and respect that welcomes everyone. Pamela continually searches for new ways to create dialogue around mental health and current affairs from a viewpoint of the vulnerable.