PEERS 2011-2012 Annual Report
Content
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012 Section Title | 1
OUR MISSION AND VISION PEERS is a consumer-run organization that inspires hope and contributes to the resiliency and well being of mental health consumers through a not-for-profit commitment to compassion and excellence in eliminating mental health disparities.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends, Peers and Colleagues, As PEERS begins its second decade of service and advocacy within our consumer community, I am filled with gratitude – for the dedication and commitment of our staff and Board of Directors, for the support of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services and the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63), our primary funding sources, and for the love the entire community has shown us as we have traveled this road to wellness together. PEERS has much to celebrate, and more to accomplish too! Together ogether,, we have achieved great things — from expanding our core Wellness Recovery Action Planning program, reaching more people than ever before, to successfully leading Alameda County in eliminating mental health stigma and discrimination through the Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign. PEERS would not be the organization it has become without you, our dedicated Board, staff, and community supporters! Together Together,, we have made a difference in the lives of people in need in Alameda County, across the state, and even in the global mental health h ealth community. community. Together Together,, the future of PEERS is strong — and getting stronger every day! As we grow and change going forward, we can look back with pride of accomplishment, and look forward to a future that sparkles bright with possibility and promise for even broader and deeper impact. I hope that you will continue to support us by committing yourself to our cause and making a personal pledge to take action. With you, PEERS can achieve our goals and live our values of hope, self-determination and empowerment, peer support, and collaboration. Our success is a reflection of YOU — consumers, family members, providers and all stakeholders coming together as a community. Thank you for helping us build a strong future for that community by supporting PEERS growth and success — together we can do anything! Sincerely,
Khatera Aslami Tamplen, Executive Director, PEERS 2007-2012
From the Executive Director Director | 3
OUR VALUES Hope: We believe there is hope and that recovery is real and possible or everyone who experiences mental health challenges.
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Social Inclus Inclusion: ion: We strive to create a barrier-ree community ree rom discrimination and stigma, where individuals labeled as “mentally
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ill” are included and treated as equals with dignity, compassion, mutual respect, and unconditional high regard — where we live, learn, love, work, play, and pray in saety and acceptance. Self-determination: Sel-determination is essential or recovery to occur. We need to be in control o our own lives and have voluntary choices and options in our community. We define our own lie goals and design a unique path toward those goals.
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Cultural Responsiveness: We value the strengths o our cultural and ethnic communities. We honor their voices, experiences, and leadership.
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Empowerment: We take personal responsibility or our own seldevelopment, sel-care, and journey o recovery. Trough actively engaging in our wellbeing, we increase our personal strengths.
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Persona Personall Responsibili Responsibility: ty: We take personal responsibility or our own sel-development, sel-care, and journey o recovery. Trough actively engaging in our wellbeing, we increase our personal strengths.
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Strengths-based: We ocus on valuing and building on the multiple capacities, resiliencies, resiliencies, talents, ta lents, abilities, and uniqueness o individuals. By building on these strengths, we leave the “I can’t” mentality behind and engage in new lie roles (e.g., partner, caregiver, riend, student
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or employee). Peer Support: We provide mutual support, including the sharing o experiential knowledge and skills and social learning. We encourage and engage other consumers and amily members in recovery and provide each other with a sense o belonging, supportive relationships, valued roles, and community.
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Collaboration: We collaborate with consumers, their amilies, mental health providers, and the community as a whole to transorm the mental health system to a wellness, recovery, and resiliency model.
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Lived Experience: We know each person is an expert on him- or hersel and we know rom our ull range o lived experiences what works because WE ARE HE EVIDENCE!
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ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL INCLUSION CAMPAIGN
“Stigma is the most formidable obstacle to progress in the arena of mental health.” Surgeon General’s Annual Report, 1999
PEERS and Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services are ully committed to the cause o social inclusion with support rom the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA, Caliornia Proposition 63). In FY 201112, PEERS hosted a series o activities and events as part o the campaign.
SOCIAL INCLUSION MENT MENTAL AL HEAL HEA LTH AND WELLNESS WALK PEERS hosted the inaugural Mental Health and Wellness Walk on Saturday, October 1 at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley to increase mental health awareness in the community. Te day included a morning walk throughout the park, remarks by prominent community leaders, live entertainment, Enrique Lopez, Jader Tadefa, and Toshie Narita
resource tables, children’s activities, act ivities, an arts and crafs center, and stories o hope and recovery rom consumers, providers, and amily members.
Black Men Speak and Purchased
Open to all ages and all members o the community, participants in the ree, amily-riendly event enjoyed dancing by local Carnival parade avorite Karibbean Vibrationz and drumming by world-renowned steel drum percussionist Val Serrant. Unlike traditional social justice awareness walks that solicit donations, the PEERS event raised non-monetary pledges or social inclusion. Te “Stigma Stops with Me” pledge is a personal commitment to help end stigma and discrimination against people with mental health challenges. Visit the PEERS Facebook page to make your own and share with others. Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign | 5
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SPEAK Lif Every Voice and Speak is a new speakers bureau at PEERS that empowers consumers through shared engagement and development o strengths to tell their personal stories, increasing participants’ abilities to influence public perceptions o mental health consumers. Ultimately, the objective is to eliminate selstigma and discrimination through sharing personal experiences, messages o hope, and the triumph o resilience.
Brian Hill at Toastmasters meeting
6 | Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign
Lift Every Voice and Speak members
TARGET-SPECIFIC STIGMA CHANGE MODEL AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HOUSING COMMUNITIES
Research has shown that stigma reduction is achieved through Targeted, Local, Credible, Continuous, Contact (TLC’s x 3) with people in recovery. Using Dr. Pat Corrigan’s stigma change model that focuses anti-stigma efforts on specific “power groups” and discriminatory behaviors, PEERS is working alongside the community to end discrimination and stigma against those with mental health issues in Alameda County. Our current emphasis is on the African American community and housing providers.
BLACK MEN SPEAK
WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION ®
Black Men Speak is a speakers bureau organized rom the Pool o Consumer Champions (POCC) in 2009. Now a program o PEERS, Black Men Speak’s mission is to inorm and enlighten people about issues concerning Arican American men with mental health and substance abuse challenges. Stories eature challenges o trauma, amily issues, and community violence as well as the importance o spirituality in the journey towards wellness and recovery. Black Men Speak members
PLANNING (WRAP ) IN THE COMMUNITY In an effort to expand PEERS’ signature program WRAP® to more Arican American consumers and amilies, two ongoing WRAP® sessions were held at aith-based organizations in Berkeley and Newark. Te two locations were chosen or the pilot program because o their strong leadership and previous work with mental health consumers.
Target-Specific Stigma Change Model | 7
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
I was recently told by my therapist that I was a ‘severe case.’ I was never asked about where I draw support, hope, or strength. I attended WRAP in my church for the first time and learned more about myself and recovery in two hours than I did in two years of therapy. — Anonymous WRAP group participant
Screen shot from Snapping the Chain
SNAPPING THE CHAIN
DeWitt Buckingham
As part o the Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign, PEERS is dedicated to promoting education and ending stigma around mental health in the Arican American community. Listen to the inspiring stories o community leaders DeWitt Buckingham and Brianna Williams and learn more about this important social issue. www.peersnet.org/videos
A BASIC HUMAN NEED PEERS is also dedicated to educating housing providers and working to end discriminatory prac-
Screen shot from A Basic Human Need
8 | Target-Specific Stigma Change Model
tices against consumers. Nearly one quarter o homeless individuals suffer rom a severe orm o a mental illness. And despite these individuals’ best efforts to gain housing, many cannot because o discrimination on the part o housing power holders, such as landlords or property managers. Learn more about the link between mental health issues and homelessness and what you can do to help. www.peersnet.org/videos
EMPOWERMENT DEFYING STIGMA & PROMOTING WELLNESS
REFORMATION: MOVING BEYOND STIGMA
masks were then exhibited in a storeront space on downtown Oakland’s Broadway Avenue next to the
Designed to empower participants in eliminating both internal and external stigma through art, PEERS developed and presented a two-day workshop providing space and materials or participants to create a dialogue about who they truly want to be.
Paramount Teater or two months. Other exhibition venues have have ollowed. ollowed.
In the process, consumers created personalized masks using a variety o visual v isual materials rom magazines, magazines, drawings, writings, and other artistic tools. Te outside o the mask eatures words and imagery depicting how the participant believes he or she is perceived by society, while the inside eatures words and imagery reflecting how the consumer sees him- or hersel. Te
Abu Rahim’s Rahim’s mask
Christal Byrd’s mask
Yaffa Alter’s mask
Jader Tadefa’s Tadefa’s mask mask Empowerment | 9
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
What a great memory this evening will be for Feliz and me — a time to learn, laugh, meet, greet and and celebrat celebratee our love love for each each other. other. Tose who were there laughed a lot. Tere were so many smiles all around the room. If I had not been told it was raining hard on this day, looking the smiles you would have never known that. Feliz and I were so encouraged to be with the PEERS family family.. Yaffa Alter, Empowerment Coordinator and leader of poetry workshop
“THE WAITING PERIOD”
POETIC EXPRESSIONS WORKSHOP
On March 9, PEERS hosted a special undraiser event eaturing Brian Copeland’s one-man play on depres-
Sixty-five participants took advantage o a PEERS workshop introducing them to sel-expression
sion and a post-show reception with the actor. “Te Waiting Period” is a hard hitting yet comical look at Copeland’s personal struggle with chronic depression. Te show centers on 10 days — the mandatory waiting period beore he could receive a newly purchased gun with which he planned to take his lie. In this work, Copeland uses his unique dramatic talent and hilarious wit to shed light on the ofen debilitating epidemic known as depression.
through poetry. Te budding poets learned how to have un with words, find their voice to create and make lie changes, and deepen sel-awareness to gain a stronger sense o sel and utilize a creative orm o sel-expression.
“The Waiting Period” promotional flyer
Take Heed
oo many misconceptions of people’s trials and tribulations. Mental Men tal disorder disorder and psychot psychotic ic behavior behavior... ... Tose hurtful labels send out false information in this here nation. I am not a freak, I am unique. No more judging or name-calling. No more smashing my passions, have some compassion. Not crazy and lazy. I am a human being with every right to plightn-plight Let us unite! ake heed, ignorance is bliss! — Yaffa Alter
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SPIRITUALITY & SOCIAL INCLUSION As part of the Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign’s goal to integrate spirituality with mental health and wellness empowerment, PEERS has launched three new initiatives in spiritual communities.
PRAYER PRA YER BEAD WORKSHOP On December 9, 15 mental health consumers came together at PEERS to participate in the first Prayer Bead Workshop. Created and led by Rev. Lujuan Tompson, the workshop intended to stimulate an interest in the use o prayer beads and one’s own creativity as a spiritual practice or calming and centering the mind. Afer starting with a brie history o prayer beads, participants introduced themselves and discussed how they saw spirituality and prayer beads playing a role in their wellness.
MENTAL HEALTH & SPIRITUALITY 101 On June 30, a diverse group o aith leaders packed a Marriott Courtyard meeting room in Oakland or the Mental Health and Spirituality 101 training. Designed to help aith leaders be more supportive o those with mental health challenges in their congregations, attendees learned about topics such as signs o
mental health distress and what to do when services and spiritual practices oppose one other.
Mental Health 101 Faith Leaders
MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR) TRAINING From Feb. 27–Mar. 2, the ofen-buzzing PEERS office was inused with a mellow energy as 25 participants rom the community learned about body scans, sitting and walking meditations, and using yoga as a orm o mindul movement. Te practices involved ocusing on the breath, being conscious o eelings and sensations, and checking in with onesel with “nonjudgmental awareness.” Participants in the PEERS training were encouraged to teach the practices to others in the community and to ollow up with scheduled monthly check-ins ollowing the training. Spiritualit y & Social Inclusion | 11 Spirituality
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
SOCIAL INCLUSION MEDIA The Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign includes a strong media emphasis to encourage mental health awareness and address issues of stigma and discrimination in the general population.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN BY THE NUMBERS
Advertising Advertisin g Campaigns Campaigns
Website 13,715 unique visitors to www.peersnet.org www.peersnet.org
BAR, AC ransit, Oakland Magazine, Alameda Magazine, Magaz ine, East Bay Bay Express, KPFA, Express, KPFA, Oakland Business Review
Radio
Media Features
646 unduplicated visitors to 15 podcasts
CBS Bay Sunday (X2), (X2), 7Live, KPFA with Davey D (X2), Oakland ribune, Oakland Post, Oakland Business Review
Video 4,590 views via web; 12 episodes o Ment o Mental al Health Health Matters Ma tters via via cable (MHM) (MHM) Social Media 23,550 Youube views; 650 Facebook ans, witter mentions and retweets
Stigma Stops with Me pledge Jenee Darden creates a podcast for Mental Health and Wellness Radio 12 | Social Inclusion Media
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
W a L Kfor change
Want to increase your business and build a better community?
Did you know that one in five Californians is diagnosed with a mental health issue and experiences unfair treatment? Join the community and walk to end mental health stigma anddiscrimination.
Mental Health and Wellness Walk Saturday, October 1 • 9am-4pm Cesar Chavez Park, Berkeley (near the Berkeley Marina)
In an effort to make its media watch volunteer program accessible to a broader audience, PEERS launched its new smartphone media watch application
Certified Welcoming Community
Welcoming Communities flyer
in March.
FEATURING: KPFA DJ Davey D Live music Dance performances Art exhibition Raffle prizes Giveaways Kids’area Hands-on activities Mental health resources ...and more! For more information, visit www.peersnet.org or call (510) 832-7337.
TAYi Art of View Gallery & TAYi Appreciation Reception
Broughttoyouby:
June 22, 2012 from 3-6pm 333 Hegenbeger Road, Suite 250 Oakland, CA 94621
& Proposition 63 (Mental Health Services Act)
Sign up and form your team at: http://peerswalk.eventbrite.com.
Mental Health and Wellness Walk flyer
IPHONE APP
Refreshments Refreshmen ts will be served. Contact Letty Elenes at [email protected] or (510) 832-7337 x211
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T RANSITION A GE Y OUTH I NITIATIVE
TAYi Art of View Reception flyer
Te application is available or iPhone users, allowing individuals to identiy both positive and negative media depictions o mental health while browsing online and immediately send those examples to PEERS staff. It also allows indi viduals to send emails emails to the authors authors or or creators creators o media examples, either congratulating a positive or well-balanced depiction or pointing out a negative or unbalanced one. Find and download the iPhone app by searching PEERS Media Watch on iunes!
ROBERT WHITAKER PODCAST PEERS’ Mental PEERS’ Ment al Health Health and and Wellnes Wellnesss Radio attended Radio attended the 2012 CASRA Conerence to catch up with award-winning awardwinning journalist and science writer Robert Whitaker. He spoke with host Jenee Darden about the pharmaceutical drug industry, how most studies show short-term medical use results in higher rates o recovery than long-term use, and discusses the growing problem o children being prescribed psychiatric medication. Whitaker is the author o Mad o Mad in America Americ a and Anatomy tomy and Ana of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America. Jenee Darden and Robert Whitaker
Social Inclusion Media | 13
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
MEDIA MEDI A WATCH WATCH PEERS’ Action Alerts are notices placed on the PEERS Web site that alert readers to news items and actions to take when the entertainment and news media report on issues related to mental health.
More than 34 Action Action Alerts were posted posted last year year including these examples:
NEW YORK TIMES REPORT In June 2011, the New the New York York imes imes published published a news piece entitled “Expert on Mental Illness Reveals Her Own Fight” by Benedict Carey. Te story introduces readers to Dr. Marsha Linehan, a psychologist at the University o Washington, Director o the Behavioral Research and Terapy Clinics and developer o Dialectical Behavior Terapy (DB). For the first time to the public, Dr. Linehan shared her own struggles with schizophrenia in an effort to end the stigma o mental illness. As a mental health consumer who managed to overcome her own troubled past and provide support and guidance to others in similar situations, Dr. Linehan models how people with mental health challenges can lead ull, happy, productive lives. In profiling Dr. Linehan and highlighting the voices o 14 | Media Watch
prominent and respected consumer-providers, Carey promotes and illustrates the ideas o hope, peer support, and most importantly, recovery. PEERS’ Action Alert encouraged readers to contact Mr. Carey thanking him or his compassionate reporting on Dr. Linehan and this issue.
“MEYER’S TAKE” STRIP IN THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Mental health state budgets are taking huge blows across the country due to the recession. Cuts to stateunded mental health care programs and organizations mean ewer resources or many consumers who need help. In February, Cartoonist om Meyer drew a comic about the issue in his “Meyer’s ake” strip or the San Francisco Chronicle. But instead o being unny, his cartoon was distasteul and stigmatizing on multiple levels. People with mental health challenges are ofen stereotyped as dangerous and scary; Meyer’s
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
cartoon reinorces this harmul idea. PEERS’ Action Alert suggested that readers express their disappointment directly to the cartoonist and editor, encouraging them to be more thoughtul about the stigmatizing effect o their editorial choices in uture.
AB 1421 OP-ED IN THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE In March, Dan Brzovic wrote an opinion article about AB 1421 or the San Francisco Chronicle expressing Chronicle expressing opposition to renewing the legislation in “Laura’s Law is Ineffective. Ineffective.”” AB 1569 (Allen), or Laura’s Law, proposes yet another extension o involuntary outpatient programs established under the 2002 AB 1421. It has been promoting expensive, orced outpatient treatment o people with mental health disabilities on the pretext that they might become become dangerous to themselves or others. Along with Brzovic, an attorney or the Oakland office o Disability Rights Caliornia, the majority o Caliornia’s community mental health treatment organizations, clients, and amily members also question the value o this law. PEERS’ Action Alert gives kudos to the Chronicle Chronicle or or bringing in another side to the debate and thanks Mr. Brzovic or arguing on behal o mental health consumers’ rights.
Stop the stereotypes. 60 percent of TV characters with mental illness are portrayed as violent. But in reality, people with mental illness are more likely to be victims rather than perpetrato perpetrators. rs. Tell Hollywood to keep it real. Download the free PEERS Media Watch app for iPhones and help end mental health stereotypes in the media.
Don’t have an iPhone? Participate online at www.peersne www.peersnet.org. t.org. ce e s s a i c c
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Media Watch palm card Media Watch | 15
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLANNING PEERS’ core WRAP® programs form the basis of our work with Alameda County consumers and the community. From humble beginnings, the range and depth of our WRAP® services has expanded to include a wide array of individuals including transition age youth, family members, the African American community, the Spanish speaking community, students on college campuses, spiritual leaders, homeless shelter recipients, and wellness center participants.
WRAP ® Wellness Recovery Action Plan®, or WRAP®, is PEERS’ signature consumer empowerment program and is now recognized by the ederal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as an evidence-based ev idence-based practice. Creator Creator Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD, first introduced WRAP® in 1989 as a means to promote personal, organizational, and community wellness and empowerment through group work proven to maintain wellness on a day-today basis. Since PEERS’ ounding in 2001, we have provided WRAP® trainings and services to more than 15,000 participants in Alameda County and introduced WRAP® to hundreds o consumers, amily members, and mental health providers in FY 2011-12
16 | Wellness Recovery Action Planning
Matthew Federici, BJ North, and Mary Ellen Copeland
alone. WRAP® is used worldwide bychallenges people who areby managing mental or general health and those who seek high levels o wellness.
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
I felt more deeply inspired to maintain and increase my own wellness, as well as support, enhance, and share information with others like me. — Jeanne Mason
®
WRAP FOR HEAL HE ALTH TH CONFERENCE CONFEREN CE In partnership with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, PEERS hosted the inaugural WRAP® or Health Conerence on May 1, eaturing keynote speaker, Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD, author o the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®). Te conerence, which was held at Caliornia State University, East Bay, eatured talks rom leaders in the mental health field and multiple educational workshops. Participants learned how WRAP® can improve health outcomes or individuals in all care settings through the key concepts o recovery.
LOOKING AHEAD….
WRAP ® AROUND THE WORLD CONFERENCE Te Copeland Center or Wellness and Recovery and PEERS will co-host the second s econd international international WRAP® Around the World Conerence on January 25-27, 2013, in Oakland! Te conerence will bring together people in recovery, recovery, peer specialists, providers, amily Second International WRAP Around the World Conference members and supporters. Learn more about how organizations and providers can use WRAP® to maintain their own wellness and how WRAP® works
and people rom a multitude o different cultures. Come share with people rom all over the world about wellness and recovery skills, strategies, and stories.
PEERS FIRST WRAP ® CENTER OF EXCELLENCE In October 2012 PEERS was recognized by the Copeland Center or Wellness and Recovery as the first International WRAP® WRAP® Center o Excellence. Trough the Center o Excellence program, the Copeland Center recognizes and certifies WRAP® Centers o Excellence to highlight and promote high quality transormational experiences through Wellness Recovery Action Plan acilitation. Te Copeland Center recognizes PEERS as a wellness-oriented organization that has demonstrated programs based on WRAP® acilitation, reflects core WRAP® values and ethics, and has a robust, sustainable and integrated WRAP® initiative.
Te Copeland Center recognizes the excellence and commitment of dedicated facilitators who continue to carry the hope of WRAP® across the country and across the world. We also recognize the key role organizational partners have have in WRAP’s success. o o support organizational progress, we have developed the Center of Excellence designation. — Matthew Federici, Executive Director of the Copeland Center
Presents:
January 25-27, 2013 | Oakland Marriott City Center Oakland, California, USA
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan®, or WRAP®, is an evidence-based practice used worldwide by people who are dealing with mental or general health challenges and by those who want to attain the highest possible level of wellness. Featuring keynotes by:
MaryEllen Copeland, PhD Author, WRAP
DarrellSteinberg CA Senate PresidentPro Tem
RobertWhitaker Author, Anatomyofan Epidemic
Additional conference highlights include: • • • • •
Dozens of workshops given by experienced recovery educators Panel on international perspectives on WRAP Refresher credit available for WRAP Facilitators of all levels Opportunity to write your own WRAP Arts and entertainment to support your wellness
Enjoy a special low rate in the Bay Area of California for only $129 per night! night!
CEUs available. For more information, visit www.copelandcenter.com or call 1-888-959-2649. Hostedby:
Sponsoredby: L T H S E R R A V E A O SI E H I T I O C O P R O R P
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with kids, veterans, trauma, people withhealing addictions, transition age youth,
I learned that there now exists a wonderful outlet and opportunity for one who suffers to seek and find the love, help, and support that they need to heal and to express and to learn that they are not alone and that they are valued members of their communities. — Kenneth Kozi Arrington
WRAP ® Around the World conference flyer Wellness Recovery Action Planning | 17
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH INITIATIVE (TAYi) TAYi is a new youth movement created and managed in partnership with ACBHCS TAY System of Care, Pool of Consumer Champions TAY, and PEERS. The TAYi program is a vital component in the delivery and development of mental health services to young people in Alameda County. TAYi participants support one another while promoting leadership and empowerment through community education and involvement, utilizing shared skills and abilities to end stigma and improve the lives of TAY.
AYi participants range in ages rom 16 to 24 years old and sel-identiy as having lived experience within mental health care, oster care, and/or justice systems. Diverse in race, ethnicity, and spirituality, participants learn rom one another’s experiences through events and activities such as AYi Slam (creative sel-expression), sel-expressi on), AYi AYi WRAP® groups, and the AYi AYi Annual Celebration.
I love the people over at AYi because they really care about you, and want you to be able to take full advantage of the service they offer. — E.A.
18 | Transitional Age Youth Initiative
TAYi TA Yi members at their Art of View Gallery reception
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
Val Serra Serrant nt drumm drumming ing at the the Tale Talent nt Explo Explosio sion n
Consum Con sumer er art art piece piece
Leann Simpson, Community Liaison, at the Talent Explosion
TALENT EXPLOSION! PEERS has talent – and it was on display or all to see at this not-to-be-missed night in June that celebrated creative sel-expression as an empowerment tool.
LOOKING AHEAD….
CAMPUS MENT M ENTAL AL HEAL HEA LTH PROJECT PROJ ECT Following a competitive application process, PEERS was awarded unding to engage in a new initiative geared toward increasing awareness o mental health issues and fighting stigma and discrimination on college campuses. Te PEERS AYi AYi program, Caliornia State University East Bay, and the Peralta Community College District are partnering to create programs and campaigns that involve students, counselors, and aculty in understanding and addressing mental health consumer needs through WRAP® workshops, trainings, special events, and web-based peer support. Te program also aspires to reach student counselors as they enter the mental health workorce so that they can better serve consumers through peer-led initiatives.
Transitional Age Youth Initiative | 19
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA PROJECTS Initiation of the Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign has resulted in numerous partnerships and new collaborations to engage the media in addressing mental health stigma and discrimination. These activities have helped to extend PEERS’ impact far beyond Alameda County into the rest of California and beyond.
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES ENTERTAINMENT I NDUSTRIES COUNCIL PEERS has joined a team o communications and community outreach organizations in a three-year program to end mental health stigma and stereotyping in entertainment and news media. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) administered by the Caliornia Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and led by the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc., the effort aims to change public attitudes about people with mental health challenges and encourages individuals who are struggling to seek mental health services beore
Te program is part o the Prevention and Early Intervention Statewide Initiatives designed to eliminate stigma and discrimination, prevent suicides, and improve student mental health. PEERS is working with
problems become crises. Leann Simpson and Tando Goduka at Shine premiere 20 | Entertainment & Media Projects
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news media and mental health stakeholders throughout Caliornia to encourage accurate and balanced reporting o mental health as well as gather stories o individuals who either live with or have recovered rom mental health issues and are valuable contributors to society.
DOCUMENTARY SHINE DOCUMENTARY As part o its expanding effort to promote dialogue about mental health in the youth community, PEERS was recently named one o six winners o the national SAMHSA Campaign or Social Inclusion State Awards. PEERS was granted $20,000 to create a documentary film telling the personal stories o youths living with behavioral health issues and the impact o violence and trauma in Oakland. Shine Shine ollows one young man’s battle with depression afer an armed robbery leaves him paralyzed and a young woman living with PSD and depression afer years o sexual abuse. It also eatures another young woman who speaks on her mental health challenges in adolescence and the importance o peer support.
Shine movie poster
Jose Esquivel and Dan Reilly behind the scenes of Shine
Entertainment & Media Projects Projects | 21
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
NEW INITIATIVES TO FIGHT STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION, PROMOTE WELLNESS
MHASF CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR DIGNITY, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND STIGMA ELIMINATION E LIMINATION Te Mental Health Association o San Francisco is leading a new statewide project with support rom PEERS. Te Center or Dignity, Recovery and Stigma Elimination works to advance the effectiveness o community-driven stigma change programs. Trough strategically located partnerships across Caliornia, the Center creates a “living laboratory” or learning about and incubating stigma change at the local level. It is firmly grounded in lived experience, advocacy,
Abu Rahim, Peer Mentor Coordinator
Sally Zinman, CAMHPRO Founding Member
Kelechi Ubozoh, Statewide Project Coordinator
Sharon Kuehn, SI Program Manager and CIT Coordinator
education, support, research, and challenging the stigma associated with mental health conditions.
JOHN GEORGE PEER MENTOR PROGRAM John George Psychiatric Pavilion and PEERS’ collaboration on the Peer Mentor Program is a groundbreaking effort that improves the lives o individuals institutionalized with mental health challenges. Te program provides riendly support to consumers who have been discharged rom the psychiatric hospital and are transitioning back into day-to-day lie. Imple-
22 | New Initiatives
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mented or over 18 months, the program currently hosts 60 participants and 26 mentors. All o the mentors themselves have lived experience with mental health challenges, hospitalizations, and recovery. At the one year mark, the pilot program saw a 71 percent drop in mentees returning to the John George Psychi-
LOOKING AHEAD…
atric Pavilion in Alameda County.
cisco, and Consumer Sel Help Center o Sacramento — to create a coalition called the Caliornia Association o Mental Health Peer Run Organizations. Te mission o CAMHPRO is to transorm communities and the mental health system in Caliornia to empower, support, and ensure the rights o consumers, eliminate stigma and discrimination, and advance sel-determination sel-determina tion or all those affected by mental health issues by championing the work o consumerrun organizations.
CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING Crisis Intervention raining, or CI, is an innovative first responder model o crisis intervention that trains police officers on how to better understand and interact with a person who is having a mental health crisis. Additionally, it helps acilitate relationships and collaborations between police officers, the mental health system, amily members, and consumers.
CAMHPRO FOUNDING MEMBER PEERS is partnering with ounding organizations and statewide leaders in Caliornia Ca liornia — including Project Return Peer Support Network, MHA o San Fran-
PEERS partners with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, the Family Education Resource Center, and the Oakland Police Department to implement this program.
New Initiatives | 23
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
OPERATIONS & SUPPORT S UPPORT
PEERS KEEPS ON GROWING! A special thanks to our extraordinary extraordinary Board B oard o Directors or all their support during this exciting year! We welcome the addition o Chad Saunders, an employment law specialist, and bid a ond arewell to Jonathan Griggs, Board member and reasurer or the last six years. Luther Jessie continues his exemplary service as Board President, Paulette Paulette Malak as Secretary, Quintara Nielsen as reasurer, and Melany Spielman and Marti Winterhalter as members at large. HANK YOU or your service to PEERS and to the mental health consumer community!
In addition to the staff changes we made last year, we continue to grow and change as our programs evolve. In 2011-12, we welcomed the ollowing new staff: Harry Caldwell, Community Liaison; Kelechi Ubozoh, Statewide Project Coordina C oordinator; tor; Leann Simpson, Community Liaison; Sherman Park, Video Production Specialist; ando Goduka, Receptionist; and Kimberly Marquez, AYi Coordinator.
HEADQUARTERS EXPANSION When PEERS moved to the new headquarters on Hegenberger in 2010, we made sure that t hat there was room or expansion — and this year, we added 1,525 square eet to the office by securing the adjacent space. Te Empowerment Suite houses the WRAP® and AYi programs and staff, houses a conerence area, and provides extra work- and computer stations or consumers and AY A Y participants. par ticipants.
PEERS staff members congregate in the main conference room 24 | Operations & Support
2011 - 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL RESOURCES Te diagram below highlights the allocation o fiscal resources over the course o the last year. Te majority o FY 2011-12 unding was dedicated to the Alameda County Social Inclusion Campaign, supporting access to educational and ellowship resources or the Pool o Consumer Champions (POCC), delivering WRAP® training and acilitation and to developing new AYi and student resources.
PEERS ANNUAL BUDGET 2011–2012
WRAP 9%
CSUEB/ TAYi MHASF 5% 8%
JGPP 3% Other 5%
MHIX (POCC) 16%
Social Inclusion Campaign 54%
Operations & Support | 25
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
CONNECT SITUATIONAL & MAKE ANALYSIS A DIFFERENCE & PROCESS PEERS NEEDS YOU to make a difference in the life of a mental health consumer – support them by connecting with us and participating in our work!
DONATE!
BOARD SERVICE
Tis coming year marks a new era in undraising and resource development at PEERS. Help us by making a contribution, donating your time as a volunteer, and helping us spread the word. Contributions can be made to PEERS and every dollar you give will go towards making help available to consumers and to fighting stigma and discrimination.
As PEERS continues to grow, so does our Board. Te Board has recently undertaken a Board development initiative and we will seek to add new members to the Board over the next year. I you are interested in Board service and are a mental health consumer, amily member or provider/proessional, we would like to hear rom you!
VOLUNTEER AT WRAP® AROUND THE WORLD CONFERENCE Expand your WRAP® understanding and work with the international consumer community! Tis unprecedented event is possible only through the dedication and generosity o volunteers and the consumer community. Help make it happen! Be a part o the movement!
PEERS needs you to get involved in spreading wellness and recovery. Support us by participating in our work and in your community. 26 | Connect & Make A Difference
THANK YOU!! The people who help us and contribute to PEERS’ success are numerous and varied. Thank you for all you’ve done over the last 10 years to support mental health consumers live better, more fulfilling lives and to take their rightful place in society. We couldn’t do it without you!
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS) 333 Hegenberger Road, Suite 250, Oakland CA 94621 Phone (510) 832-7337 | Fax (510) 452-1645 www.peersnet.org
Front & back cover image: Leann Simpson
