
Melinda (Mindy) McFarland, LMFT
Staff Development Officer
Mindy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Staff Development Officer with Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI). Mindy began working with the County in 2016 and has been with PEI since 2017. Mindy provides technical assistance and support to PEI’s contracted program providers in the areas of Triple P, Seeking Safety, Celebrating Families!: Strengthening the Circle, and Stand Against Stigma. Mindy is a certified trainer in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), and Honest, Open, Proud (HOP). Mindy is lead coordinator for PEI’s Virtual Trainings as well as Mental Health First Aid. Mindy supports Riverside County’s Suicide Prevention Coalition with her liaison role for the Measuring and Sharing Outcomes sub-committee. Mindy’s work also includes partnership with Public Health and Riverside County Office of Education in the development of standardized suicide risk assessment tools and the collection of data to better inform suicide prevention efforts. Mindy tries not to take herself too seriously, and always enjoys a good laugh and a good meme. She loves spending time with her family, enjoying foodie delights, and traveling.

Sarah Abdelmiseh, LMFT
Staff Development Officer
Sarah is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). She received her master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University in 2018. Sarah has been working with Riverside University Health System (RUHS) – Behavioral Health (BH) – Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) since April 2023 as a Staff Development Officer. She provides technical assistance and support to PEI’s contracted program providers in the areas of Community Mental Health Promoter Program (CMHPP) and Keeping Intergenerational Ties in Ethnic Families (KITE). Sarah is a Provisional trainer in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and safeTalk. She provides virtual trainings to the community regarding mental health and suicide prevention. Sarah supports Riverside County’s Suicide Prevention Coalition by being part of the Training sub-committee. Sarah speaks English, Arabic and German fluently. She has experience working with children, teens and their families providing intensive outpatient services as well as school-based services. Moreover, she has experience working with older adults who used to experience homelessness. Sarah likes to hike, travel, and experience new adventures.

Carmina Hernandez
Social Service Planner
Carmina Hernandez is a Social Service Planner with Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI). Carmina joined Riverside University Health Systems – Behavioral Health in 2015 and has been with PEI since 2021. Carmina provides support to SFP Strengthening Families Program, BRAAF Building Resiliency to African American Families, and Celebrating Families Native American Program. She is responsible for the programs data tracking, updates and thoroughly reviews and observes programs fidelity. She is also certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in both English and Spanish. Carmina also provides support to the community by facilitating Virtual Presentations in Spanish and English. Outside of work Carmina loves to travel and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Anniemarie Morales
Behavioral Health Specialist II
Anniemarie is a Behavioral Health Specialist II with Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI). She has an associate degree in psychology and continues to pursue higher education. Anniemarie recently joined the team in June 2023. She supports the Staff Development Officers with planning, organization, and coordination of PEI community events, conferences, and workshops. Anniemarie also plays a pivotal role in supporting the Riverside County Suicide Prevention Coalition's meetings, events, conferences, and initiatives. She loves providing support to her amazing team to promote mental health awareness and stigma reduction. Anniemarie is Bilingual in English and Spanish. In her free time, Anniemarie loves to spend time with her family, attend live music shows and go on new adventures.

Mirna Andrade
Peer Support Specialist
Mirna is a Peer Support Specialist for Prevention and Early Intervention. Her journey with PEI began in August of 2021 as an Office Assistant III and promoted to a Peer Support Specialist in 2022. She coordinates and presents in the Stand Against Stigma program, where she shares her lived experience with mental health challenges and substance abuse in the hopes of reducing stigma, encouraging others to reach out for help and inspiring hope. Mirna also facilitates groups in Seeking Safety, which teaches participants the skills they need to cope with and overcome trauma and substance abuse. She also assists with outreach in the community and is the outreach and program coordinator Mid-County region of Riverside County. When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, watching reruns of The Office or Game of Thrones, as well as reading and riding horses.