Santa Cruz Mental Health Program Honors Volunteers
Santa Cruz >> Larry Lester is certain that without Community Connection, a program focused on helping people diagnosed with mental illnesses cope in society, he would be dead.
"To me, it actually saved my life and my well-being," said Lester, a Santa Cruz resident diagnosed with bipolar disorder, paranoid psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lester, 48, was one of 100 people recognized by Community Connection on Wednesday during its annual award ceremony, "Celebrate Potential." Award recipients, most of whom are clients, were nominated for their progress in controlling their mental disabilities and their contributions to the program's volunteer efforts.
"There's a huge stigma around psychiatric disabilities," said Laurel Hillerson-Spear, program supervisor for Community Connection. "By having them volunteer in the community, they're reducing that stigma by being good stewards."
The program stems from the 1970s, when the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County was housed near the county's mental health building. When the center hosted its annual pumpkin patch, mental health clients volunteered to help, Hillerson-Spear said.
"What was discovered was that the individuals who volunteered ... had some really positive benefits from the volunteer work," she said. "It's grown into a provider for services mostly for individuals who are in county mental health care."
The Volunteer Center started the program in response and it has flourished, growing into a program that supports individuals and families through their issues, teaching them skills to become more independent and confident. Many of the clients work as volunteers through the program, helping other county nonprofits.
Lester, who said he owed his life to the program, learned to cope with larger groups and handle stressful situations.
"Through all the classes we have here, they teach us how to maintain and, when we have symptoms, how to act on them," he said. As Lester walked up to receive his certificate, a crowd of clients cheered.
"I'm blessed that I'm being recognized just for my help," he said. "That builds character and aids in me wanting to participate more."
Jennifer Wentworth, 30, has attended the program since 2008 and seen her confidence grow. Wentworth, who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 years ago, did not talk about her condition. But she's regularly talking about mental health illnesses to community groups that invite her.
"I'm very open about my mental illness (now)," said Wentworth, of Live Oak. "I don't shout it on the corner but I tell anyone I feel needs to know."
She came to the program's building four days a week until her schedule became busier lately.
"It's done so much for me that I'm so involved in the community that I don't have as much time to come here," she said with laughter. "I'm busy volunteering or working or doing other stuff."
Karen Delaney, executive director of the Volunteer Center, also talked about the importance of erasing the stigma against people with mental disabilities through volunteer work.
"It's great for people in businesses and nonprofits to know we have a lot of really great people who would be great volunteers if given an opportunity," Delaney said.
For information about the program, visit www.ccsantacruz.org.
Source: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_25670568/santa-cruz-mental-health-program-honors-volunteers
"To me, it actually saved my life and my well-being," said Lester, a Santa Cruz resident diagnosed with bipolar disorder, paranoid psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lester, 48, was one of 100 people recognized by Community Connection on Wednesday during its annual award ceremony, "Celebrate Potential." Award recipients, most of whom are clients, were nominated for their progress in controlling their mental disabilities and their contributions to the program's volunteer efforts.
"There's a huge stigma around psychiatric disabilities," said Laurel Hillerson-Spear, program supervisor for Community Connection. "By having them volunteer in the community, they're reducing that stigma by being good stewards."
The program stems from the 1970s, when the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County was housed near the county's mental health building. When the center hosted its annual pumpkin patch, mental health clients volunteered to help, Hillerson-Spear said.
"What was discovered was that the individuals who volunteered ... had some really positive benefits from the volunteer work," she said. "It's grown into a provider for services mostly for individuals who are in county mental health care."
The Volunteer Center started the program in response and it has flourished, growing into a program that supports individuals and families through their issues, teaching them skills to become more independent and confident. Many of the clients work as volunteers through the program, helping other county nonprofits.
Lester, who said he owed his life to the program, learned to cope with larger groups and handle stressful situations.
"Through all the classes we have here, they teach us how to maintain and, when we have symptoms, how to act on them," he said. As Lester walked up to receive his certificate, a crowd of clients cheered.
"I'm blessed that I'm being recognized just for my help," he said. "That builds character and aids in me wanting to participate more."
Jennifer Wentworth, 30, has attended the program since 2008 and seen her confidence grow. Wentworth, who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 years ago, did not talk about her condition. But she's regularly talking about mental health illnesses to community groups that invite her.
"I'm very open about my mental illness (now)," said Wentworth, of Live Oak. "I don't shout it on the corner but I tell anyone I feel needs to know."
She came to the program's building four days a week until her schedule became busier lately.
"It's done so much for me that I'm so involved in the community that I don't have as much time to come here," she said with laughter. "I'm busy volunteering or working or doing other stuff."
Karen Delaney, executive director of the Volunteer Center, also talked about the importance of erasing the stigma against people with mental disabilities through volunteer work.
"It's great for people in businesses and nonprofits to know we have a lot of really great people who would be great volunteers if given an opportunity," Delaney said.
For information about the program, visit www.ccsantacruz.org.
Source: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_25670568/santa-cruz-mental-health-program-honors-volunteers
Comments
Post a Comment