Adelante: Moving Forward Together—Building a Bilingual Behavioral Health Workforce in Imperial County

“Adelante” means moving forward—and that’s exactly what our Fred Finch Center for Autism Research Evaluation and Service (CARES) has been doing in Imperial County.

We’re proud to celebrate the successful completion of our Adelante program, a Spanish English bilingual Behavior Education and Skills Training (BEST) initiative designed to expand access to culturally responsive behavioral health services while creating meaningful career pathways for local community members.

With generous support through a grant from the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities, this program has helped bridge a critical gap: the need for trained, bilingual Registered Behavioral Technicians (RBTs) who can serve children, youth, and families in their own language and cultural context.

Through Adelante, participants completed a comprehensive 64-hour RBT training, gaining foundational skills in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The program goes beyond technical instruction—equipping interns with real-world competencies that strengthen both clinical care and community connection, including:

• Trauma-informed care

• Crisis intervention

• Cultural humility and responsiveness

• Spanish-language medical and behavioral health terminology

This holistic approach ensures graduates are not only clinically prepared, but also deeply connected to and reflective of the communities they serve—investing in people and strengthening communities.

This work comes at a critical time. Imperial County continues to face a growing demand for behavioral health services—particularly for children and youth with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges—while language barriers and workforce shortages can limit access to care. Adelante directly responds by expanding the bilingual behavioral health workforce, increasing access to culturally and linguistically responsive services, and helping reduce disparities for Spanish-speaking families. By investing in local talent, we are strengthening a more equitable and responsive system of care.

“I am incredibly excited to see three Adelante graduates from this cohort step into permanent roles with our team. This is exactly what the program was designed to do—create opportunity, build a strong bilingual workforce, and expand access to care in the communities we serve.” — Britney Medrano, MA, BCBA, CBS Regional Clinical Supervisor

At its core, Adelante is about more than training—it’s about transformation and creating real career pathways. We’re especially excited to share that three program graduates have accepted permanent positions with Fred Finch CARES. Their journey—from interns to team members—reflects the heart of this initiative: opening doors, inspiring careers, and building a workforce rooted in community impact.

These new team members will now play a vital role in supporting children and youth across Imperial County, helping families navigate challenges and access the care they need.

Please join us in welcoming Emma Stephens, Raquel Lara, and Promesa Gonzalez who will be joiningn Fred Finch CARES as permanent team members this May 2026!

Adelante graduates celebrate earning their certificates—three of whom have now joined Fred Finch CARES as permanent team members.

Looking Ahead

Adelante is more than a program—it’s a model for how we move forward together. By combining workforce development, cultural responsiveness, and community partnership, we are creating sustainable solutions to complex challenges in behavioral health.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities for their partnership and belief in this work. Their support has made it possible to invest in people, strengthen communities, and expand access to care where it’s needed most.

This program’s success was made possible through the dedication, collaboration, and commitment of our CARES and Specialized Wraparound staff, isntructors, mentors whose support helped guide interns throughout their learning journey: Brenda Ayala, Lillian Llamas, Deanna Garcia, Dania Rodriguez, Roberto Diaz, Leslie Ruiz, Andrea Villafuerte, and Liz Fuentes.

And to our graduates: congratulations. Your dedication, compassion, and commitment are already making a difference—and we can’t wait to see the impact you will continue to have.

Adelante—together, we move forward.

About Fred Finch CARES: The Center for Autism Research Evaluation and Service (CARES) at Fred Finch provides comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral health services for children and youth with autism and related developmental challenges. Through culturally responsive care, family-centered support, and workforce development initiatives like Adelante, CARES is committed to expanding access and improving outcomes for diverse communities across California.