De'Shavon Hicks

Connections House Program Director

De'Shavon Hicks has used her education and skills to make a meaningful impact in healthcare and community service throughout her career. After studying Psychology and Health Administration, she entered the nonprofit sector where she focused on improving the lives of individuals with mental and physical challenges. Starting in 2012, De’Sha began working at a residential home, where she spent time developing plans and working on establishing short and long term goals for the residents. By 2014 she took on the title of Case manager 2, working with the Regional Center of the East Bay to assess the needs of consumers and create Individual Program Plans (IPP)’s based on the individual's needs. While in this position, She developed partnerships with local businesses to create employment opportunities for those she served over the span of several years. In the beginning of 2017, De’Sha was looking for more meaning and purpose vocationally, and decided to look for other opportunities which brought her to Connections House in 2017. Transitioning to Connections House (formerly Putnam Clubhouse) as a team member in 2017, De'Sha was promoted to lead the DREEAM (Development, Reception, Employment, Education, Administration and Multimedia) Unit the following year.  There, she focused on innovative approaches to member engagement and support. The year 2020 marked a significant shift due to the pandemic, during which she played a pivotal role in developing virtual programming aimed at reducing isolation and hospitalization risks among Clubhouse members. She ensured continuity of care and support despite external challenges. In 2021 De'Sha redirected  her efforts towards her own community, working with Black Infant Health and African American Health Conductors programs.  In these programs, she focused on addressing social determinants of health, taking a leadership role of two teams in West and East County, aimed at supporting health and well-being within BIPOC communities and low-income families. She assisted individuals and families daily, further developing her ability to address health disparities within these populations. During a period of personal and professional life-altering circumstances, De’Sha made the decision to return to Mental Health Connections in November 2023. In July 2024, De’Sha was promoted as Program Director of the Connections House programs. De'Sha is proud to leverage her leadership skills and passion for innovation to increase the impact of Mental Health Connections.