National Mental Health Month - May 2003

May is National Mental Health Month and the coalition of organizations who are sponsoring this awareness campaign, including the National Mental Health Association, have chosen the slogan, "Mental health matters - every day." Although considerable attention and insurance dollars are devoted to physical health, we know that mental illness is more common than cancer, lung disease, and heart disease combined.
Though financial resources for mental health are increasingly scarce in Washington County, we continue to apply creativity and resourcefulness to the implementation of programs and practices that help folks recover from mental illness. Most notably, House of Hope serves as a meaningful community for many people in recovery. We do not have the funding to develop House of Hope into a certified clubhouse through the International Center for Clubhouse Development, but the program adheres as closely as possible to the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs. The standards emphasize the right of members to be treated with respect, to choose the way in which they utilize the clubhouse, and to participate in all program decision-making.
Not surprisingly, being involved in meaningful activities in a caring and supportive community provides a rich environment for recovery. Members experience a work-ordered day, including but not limited to planning and preparing meals, and performing cleaning and clerical duties. Along with the daily activities that keep House of Hope running, members have been involved in some special projects: "Recovering Your Mental Health: A Self-help Guide." Because they were limited in the number of copies they could obtain from the publisher of this booklet, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), members decided (with permission) to reproduce the booklet. Recognizing the value of reaching out to others who are recovering, members designed and collated five hundred copies to share. Peer support training. Through a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health, House of Hope will host a mental health peer support training for fifteen individuals in June. Trainees will develop and maintain an ongoing peer support group for consumers of mental health services in Washington County. Rummage sale. Although House of Hope is an amazingly cost-effective recovery program, its shoestring budget needs augmented. Members are currently sorting through and pricing donated items for this sale, which will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Marietta on Saturday, May 3rd, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. They will sell a soup beans, cornbread, and dessert lunch, as well. To donate items for the sale or for more information, call House of Hope at 374-9137 This May, remember community members who have been affected by mental illness. Support the House of Hope benefit sale, say a kind word, pay a visit….there are numerous ways to demonstrate support for mental health. Now more than ever, in the midst of war and terrorist threats, mental health DOES matter.