Meet Our 2025 ESPRIT Award Winner: Michael Alcantara
Michael Alcantara has only been a Behavioral Health Counselor with VNS Health’s Children’s Mobil Crisis Team for a year and four months, but he’s already had a huge positive effect—both on the children and families in crisis that he serves, and on the colleagues who work alongside him.
“The most rewarding part of my job is the impact we have on the children and families,” Michael says. “Being able to help these kids in crisis is incredible. We provide them with the tools they need to live a better life.”
One client who made a particular impression on Michael was a teenage boy who was grieving his stepfather’s death. He was suddenly left without a father figure. The boy was masking his pain, but Michael helped him tap into his emotions so he could begin learning how to cope with his raw feelings.
“It felt great to have him trust me enough to open up,” Michael recalls. “I understand what these children are going through, and I know how to empower and help them navigate through life’s situations. This is my passion, and I am lucky to be doing it every day.”
His fellow team members praise Michael for helping clients feel a little less alone and more hopeful, despite their challenges. “He always makes sure that they are heard and understood in what they are going through,” one colleague notes. When a client needs services beyond the program’s scope, Michael connects them to outside resources that can help. He also recently spent over two hours safety-planning with a client, helping them see things from a different perspective and develop coping skills.
Michael brings this same energy to his interactions with the rest of his team. “I’m very grateful to have a group of people who allow me to be my authentic self,” he says.
Michael sees a direct connection between that authenticity and his ESPRIT Award. “To receive this award is confirmation,” he says, adding that the award validates “my showing up as myself, and my passion for destigmatizing mental health. It proves I am on the right path.”
