Two Clinica Sierra Vista team members recently shared their personal stories on a national podcast, revealing powerful transformations that led them to careers helping other families heal.
Kandi Smith, Supervisor for East Kern Adolescent & Family Services, and Shannon Stephens, Parent Educator for the East Kern Parents as Teachers Program, were featured on “Heartbeat of Human Services” in an episode titled “It’s Never Too Late or Too Soon.”
From Personal Journey to Professional Purpose
Both women courageously discuss their experiences overcoming addiction and how social workers and community resources helped them reunite with their families. What makes their stories particularly compelling is how they transformed their personal struggles into professional dedication, now working directly with families facing similar challenges in East Kern County.
Why These Stories Matter
Family reunification is a central focus of our work at Clinica Sierra Vista. Kandi and Shannon’s experiences bring authenticity and deep understanding to their roles, showing families that recovery and reunification are possible with the right support.
Their work has a direct impact on our community. Kandi, through her leadership in Adolescent & Family Services, and Shannon, through the Parents as Teachers Program, help write new stories of hope every day.
Listen and Be Inspired
These testimonials demonstrate the power of community support, professional intervention, and family bonds. Whether you’re a family member, community leader, or work with families in crisis, their insights offer valuable perspective and inspiration.
Clinica Sierra Vista is proud of Kandi Smith and Shannon Stephens for their courage in sharing their stories and their ongoing commitment to helping families throughout East Kern County.
Listen to the episode at: libsyn.com: https://bit.ly/HeartbeatofHumanServices or Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3HC8F66
About our Differential Response Program
An approach to child support that focuses on expanding the abilities of child welfare agencies in their responses, Differential Response allows for innovation in treating child abuse and neglect.
About our Adolescent Family Life Program
AFLP provides case management and a youth development curriculum to pregnant and parenting teens, as well as their children. Our goals are to reduce repeat adolescent births, enhance education and vocational skills, improve health for parents and children, and build support networks for youth.
