“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about
progress and prosperity for our community ... our ambitions must be broad
enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for
our own. “Cesar Chavez
A Story
Like many small towns, Aurora’s once
thriving downtown was dying. Businesses closed, unable to keep pace with the big
box stores in the next town. Residents considered it inevitable, a sign of
“progress.” But to members of Harmony House, the psychosocial rehabilitation
clubhouse, Aurora was their town, too. When the town manager began a
revitalization project, they were the first on board. They knew that as part of
the community, it was important to be involved, not only for themselves, but
for others. Harmony House members led the way through a collaboration with a local
businessman. The result was the rehabilitation of two dilapidated buildings for
a restaurant and a thrift store. This gave the community a place to shop and
eat as well as opportunities for employment and social networking. Others,
seeing signs of rebirth, began opening antique stores, restaurants, shops and
even an Urgent Care clinic. Members of Harmony House partnered with Habitat for
Humanity to build the first Habitat home in Aurora.
What was once a downtown with
crumbling buildings and shuttered storefronts became a destination. Through a
focus on their community, Harmony House members realized they had improved
their own lives. They made a difference, they were important and their participation
and contributions were valuable. There
were jobs, places to visit with friends and to forge new relationships. Fifteen years later, Aurora is still
thriving, thanks to a true community effort.
Supports and Services
Below are
some key elements essential to providing effective supports and services:
- Integrated,
coordinated services recognize that community participation and inclusion is
individual. Supports to access community resources and networks are essential
and result in integration into community life to the extent desired by the
person.
- Recovery-oriented
services successfully engage peers in providing information, supports and
mentoring. Artificial distinctions
between “staff” and “consumer” are avoided. Each person is valued and supported
to participate and to contribute to their community in a way that makes sense
for them.
- Safe,
affordable housing, employment and education are important to everyone. For people with behavioral health needs,
information, training and supports must be individualized and updated in
response to changing life circumstances.
- Successful
recovery depends on having a meaningful life.
A combination of advocacy, education about resources, training, peer
support and mentoring, along with strong relationships and individualized
supports are essential to this ongoing process.
Resources
The
following are websites with links to information, articles and services
applicable to behavioral health and addictions.
The National Mental Health
Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse Directory of Programs:
http://www.cdsdirectory.org/directory.html
The Inclusion Institute:
http://www.socialinclusion.org.uk/home/index.php
The
National Association of Peer Support Specialists:
http://www.naps.org/
The
Partnership at DrugFree.org:
http://www.drugfree.org/
“We are less when we don’t include everyone.” Stuart Milk