Meet Mark Fadool: Program Operations Director for CARE
Mark Fadool recently joined the CARE for Kids & Family Project as Program Operations Director. He will carry on the work of the CARE team, drawing upon the wellness wisdom of our communities to lead the initiative through the Implementation phase. Specifically, he will support the development of a culturally responsive mental health curriculum template that will be piloted across the state and work with partners to expand and diversify the mental health workforce. Here, he shares a bit about his background and what drew him to work on the CARE project.
“My name is Mark Fadool and I am extremely proud and excited to be the Program Operations Director for the CARE (Culturally Affirming & Responsive) Project. I have had an amazing journey in my life that has led me to this awesome position. As a little boy, I experienced many early childhood adversities that led to my adoption by a wonderful mother at six. I was filled with a great amount of energy, but past deprivation left me with several challenges. My mom did not ignore or avoid my struggles, instead she saw them as opportunities for growth. Being an excellent athlete herself, she saw the many rewards for me to be involved in multiple sports from an early age. Along with this she was a civil rights worker, feminist, social worker and had a strong sense of faith. These values have played a key role on the man that I have become. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to work with children and families to be able to give back as many others had done for me.”
“We are in a mental health crisis, and we do not have the time to see if this system will make drastic changes. Our most vulnerable children do not have the luxury of waiting for this change.”
Background:
“For the past 40 years, I have worked as a therapist and clinical director. I moved to Seattle in 1992 and have had the opportunity to work in group homes, a juvenile detention center, with homeless children and young adults, at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and Childhaven. I have seen many individuals/families having to deal with immense pain and struggles but most importantly I have witnessed the strength, power, and courage of these individuals to fight for a sense of peace and joy. Through all of this, I have become acutely aware of the limitations and pitfalls of our mental health system, especially for the families that are most in need.”
What DRIVES YOU TO DO THIS WORK?
“We are in a mental health crisis, and we do not have the time to see if this system will make drastic changes. Our most vulnerable children do not have the luxury of waiting for this change. This is why I was excited to join the UW CARE Project team who are determined to provide a more culturally responsive mental health experience for families in our state. One key to doing this is expanding the mental health workforce by utilizing individuals from the community who have valuable lived experiences while providing them with clinical support.”
Sharing Gratitude:
“I am extremely grateful for my childhood, ability to go into higher education, my family and the opportunity to do this incredibly meaningful work.”