2012 Annual Report - Mazzoni Center

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5 Open Door: Affirmative Counseling for LGBTQ individuals Providing a safe and supportive space for someone in crisis is often the first step toward helping them achieve recovery from addiction and embrace a healthier life. Here’s a real-life example of how our Open Door staff helped a young man we’ll call “Scott” this year. When he first arrived for his intake assessment, he was a heavy user of crystal meth, concerned about how his habit was impacting his behavior, and leading him to take great risks with his body and his health. In nearly every aspect – personal, financial, professional - Scott felt his life spiraling out of control. Based on his intake assessment, our staff determined that his addiction was serious enough to warrant inpatient services, and recommended he seek help from a residential treatment program. Scott wasn’t ready to take that step yet – but he had made a connection with our counseling team. He continued to show up periodically, seeking help from one of the therapists or REACH counselors, or attend a support group meeting. At each visit, our counselors would listen, offer support, and gently encourage him to consider more treatment, while reinforcing the benefits of more stability and control over his life. After eight months Scott decided he was ready, and checked into an inpatient detox program. These days he is more than nine months clean, with stable housing, greatly improved physical health, and perhaps most importantly, peace of mind. Often helping a client like Scott means first establishing trust, and then letting him set the pace. Our team at Mazzoni Center’s Open Door counseling program understands that each individual has their own unique history and set of challenges: our goal is to help people realize their potential for a healthy and fulfilling life. The Open Door program is a duallylicensed outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment provider. Our highly trained therapists each have distinct areas of expertise, and provide support for clients in the areas of: individual, couples, and family therapy; dynamic support and therapy groups; expressive and creative therapies; psychiatric care and medication management; recovery services; as well as resources and referrals to communitybased adjunct services. In FY2012 we provided 501 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals, couples, and families with professional, accessible and culturally-affirming psychotherapy or psychiatric services. We performed 41% more drug and alcohol assessments this year, thanks to a streamlined intake system. Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery Programs In FY2012 we saw a significant growth in the number of clients accessing drug and alcohol (D/A) services: with a 41% increase in D/A assessments, and a 14% increase in the total number of D/A counseling sessions. Much of this growth can be attributed to a conscious commitment to streamlining our internal processes through the addition of fulltime intake specialist Sean McNamara. Thanks to this position, we are better able to assess callers for drug or alcohol issues, and to ‘fast-track’ those whom we identify as in need of addiction services, to ensure they are seen by a counselor within one or two days. The sooner someone struggling with addiction can see a therapist, the greater their likelihood of following through with treatment. Individuals seeking help with substance abuse or addiction through Mazzoni Center have the option of receiving individual therapy, and/or attending one of two dropin support groups which are offered weekly, free of charge, and are tailored to meet the needs of LGBTQ people, whether they are just beginning the process of recovery, or have been on the road to recovery for some time. Our approach differs from the 12-step model, in that we use a harm reduction approach which may include abstinence. Our therapists develop uniquely tailored goals with a client and work to build skills to support and achieve these goals.
REACH: Recovery, Empowerment, and Community Health Most traditional mental health and substance abuse programs operate on the premise that clients will come to them. We know there are many people struggling with addiction who are overwhelmed by their situation and simply don’t know where to turn, or perhaps they don’t realize all the resources and supports that are available. Mazzoni Center’s REACH program distinguishes itself with an aggressive approach to outreach, geared specifically toward gay, and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly in communities of color. The goal is to identify men at high risk for HIV/STD transmission, and engage them in conversation about modifying their behavior in order to reduce that risk. REACH provides each client with a peer ‘partner’ in the recovery process, whose aim is to provide ongoing support in a variety of innovative ways – in face-to-face sessions, by phone, or via email. You’ll find the REACH team working alongside our HIV counselors and testers at the Washington West Project, or consulting with case managers at Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine. They’re also frequently out and about in the community – connecting with people in bars, at balls, and bathhouses. “What’s unique about the program is that we’re bringing an outreach component to mental health and substance abuse,” REACH Project Manager John Edwards explains. REACH counselors are trained to assess where someone is, in terms of their substance use and willingness to engage in a recovery program. “We’ll work with the person no matter where they are,” Edwards says, adding: “It’s very important for us to communicate our willingness to be there for each client, and not judge or reject someone who doesn’t commit right away. Just because they’re not ready today doesn’t mean they won’t be ready tomorrow.” Currently in its fourth year, REACH has enrolled nearly 800 individuals and has maintained an impressive 81% follow-up rate over the past four years with clients who have been enrolled for six months. The program serves as an invaluable “safety-net” for many clients who would otherwise not have sought, or completed, a behavioral health care program. Living with HIV Support Group Every Tuesday evening, Liza Linder, MSW/ LCSW, meets with a group of individuals who range in age from 19 to 70. They come from all walks of life and all corners of the city and surrounding areas, but they have one thing in common: they are all living with HIV/AIDS. Since 2006 Liza has been facilitating the “Living with HIV/AIDS” support group, which offers a friendly, welcoming forum for any HIV+ individual who identifies as LGBTQ to discuss what’s on their mind – everything from dating and disclosure, to dealing with family, new developments in treatment, recovery issues and general mental health. It continues to be our longest-running and most highly attended drop-in support group, with an average of 20 attendees every week. Liza says it’s a natural extension of the work Mazzoni Center does. “We have so many clients who are HIV positive,” she says, “and there’s still a stigma around HIV/AIDS. Sometimes the stigma can be stronger within the LGBT community than outside of it.” As a result, some people with HIV feel very isolated: “not necessarily in every aspect of their lives, but when it comes to talking openly about the disease,” she explains. She’s had people show up who were just diagnosed that morning, and others who’ve been living with AIDS for 20 or 25 years. “It can be reassuring for some of the newer folks,” she says, “to meet people who have been living happily for many years, and to know that they can have a similar prognosis.” Sean, aged 30, just started attending the group this year, and says being a part of the group has given him hope and made “At the time,” James says, “I could feel myself just giving up... I wouldn’t be the same today if this group weren’t available...” him feel less isolated. Coming to group, he explains, “You feel like you are part of something. I feel like I have a future and I am determined to handle whatever obstacles come my way.” Another member, James, says the people he met through this group “helped steer me in the right direction,” and away from an abusive relationship, in the months that followed his positive diagnosis. “At the time,” he says, “I could feel myself just giving up.” Since then he has come a long way. “I wouldn’t be the same today if this group weren’t available,” James says. “I try to surround myself with supportive people but this group provides a kind of support I can’t get from people who aren’t in my situation.” 6
Page 1 and 2: Leading the Way to a Healthier Futu
Page 3 and 4: table Of COntents Message from the
Page 5 and 6: WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON LGBT HEAL
Page 7: PILOT PROGRAMS: BRIDGING THE GAP In
Page 11 and 12: For many of our clients medical car
Page 13 and 14: outreach, which remains one of the
Page 15 and 16: Trans* Care Services Transgender an
Page 17 and 18: Breakdown of cases in FY2012 reques
Page 19 and 20: Individual, Foundation, and Corpora
Page 21 and 22: Stephen Assenheimer Mark Aufdemberg
Page 23 and 24: Public and Government Support Phila

2012 Annual Report - Mazzoni Center

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