2012 Annual Report - Mental Health Advocacy Services!
2012 Annual Report - Mental Health Advocacy Services!
2012 Annual Report - Mental Health Advocacy Services!
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<strong>2012</strong> <strong>Annual</strong><br />
<strong>Report</strong><br />
“Thank you for your help. You are my angel!” –MHAS client
From Jim Preis, Executive Director<br />
We’re pleased to share with you this <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> to highlight<br />
some of <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Advocacy</strong> <strong>Services</strong>’ accomplishments in<br />
<strong>2012</strong> and to thank everyone who so generously supports our work.<br />
In this difficult economic climate, we face increasing challenges to<br />
maintain our programs. Yet we know it’s worth the struggle<br />
because we continue to be inundated with new clients seeking our<br />
help. We continue to be relied upon by families trying to make<br />
sense of the mental health system, and we continue to be sought out by other organizations<br />
for our expertise. Our tremendously knowledgeable and dedicated staff works hard every day<br />
to meet the needs in our community.<br />
We want you to know that by supporting MHAS you have made a difference in the lives of<br />
thousands of people. You helped a low-income family access mental health services for a<br />
child who was out of control and failing in school; enabled a homeless person to obtain the<br />
SSI disability benefits needed to get off the streets; and prevented a tenant from being<br />
illegally evicted due to her mental health history. Multiply those three examples by 1,000 to<br />
get an idea of the impact you made in <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
Volunteers are critical to our success, and we are fortunate to have had so many talented<br />
volunteers contribute their time over the years. In <strong>2012</strong>, over 60 volunteers worked with us,<br />
and without them our services would have been drastically reduced. Our Board of Directors<br />
and Advisory Board are also highly valued volunteers. Their commitment to protecting the<br />
mission and ensuring MHAS’ sustainability was especially important in <strong>2012</strong>. We thank all of<br />
the Board members for their generous support and their efforts to make the <strong>Annual</strong><br />
Celebration our most successful event ever. In particular, I want to acknowledge Doug Hall,<br />
who served as President for three years, and Francis Ryu, who has taken the helm as<br />
President for 2013.<br />
At the <strong>Annual</strong> Celebration in October, we presented our Advocates Awards to Valerie<br />
Vanaman and Neal Halfon for all they have done to help children with mental health<br />
challenges. We greatly appreciated their participation in the event, and we continue to be<br />
inspired by their tireless advocacy to improve children’s lives.<br />
This report will give you a glimpse of what we did in <strong>2012</strong>. If you’d like more information,<br />
please feel free to ask me. I’m always happy to talk about MHAS’ work and why it is so<br />
important. Thanks for your support,<br />
Staff and volunteers at<br />
our <strong>2012</strong> volunteer<br />
appreciation event.<br />
Jim Preis and honoree<br />
Valerie Vanaman at the<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Celebration.<br />
Jane Anderson, honoree Neal<br />
Halfon, and Jim Preis at the<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Celebration.
Legal <strong>Services</strong> Completed in <strong>2012</strong><br />
(Total = 2,987)<br />
Gov't Benefits, 35%<br />
Consumer Finance, 2%<br />
Family, 3%<br />
Education, 12%<br />
Conservatorship, 3%<br />
Other, 13%<br />
<strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, 8%<br />
Juvenile, 2%<br />
Individual Rights, 4%<br />
Housing, 18%<br />
Community Training Sessions Conducted in <strong>2012</strong><br />
(Total Attendees = 3,261)<br />
Education<br />
62%<br />
Fair<br />
Housing<br />
13%<br />
Gov't<br />
Benefits<br />
8%<br />
Other<br />
17%
<strong>2012</strong> Highlights<br />
<br />
Education<br />
<br />
Juvenile<br />
Our Special Education Outreach<br />
Project reached over 1,500 families in<br />
<strong>2012</strong> through 111 community training<br />
sessions at Head Start programs and<br />
other locations throughout Los<br />
Angeles County. We directly assisted<br />
356 children and their families in<br />
obtaining appropriate services. We<br />
also provided training and technical<br />
assistance to mental health service<br />
providers, with a focus on recent<br />
changes in California law regarding<br />
Educationally Related <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
<strong>Services</strong>.<br />
<br />
Fair Housing<br />
In <strong>2012</strong> we completed a HUD-funded<br />
outreach and education project aimed<br />
at increasing fair housing awareness<br />
among mental health consumers. Our<br />
“Fair Housing Tip of the Month”<br />
messages were distributed to over<br />
1,300 individuals and 200<br />
organizations, and our community<br />
trainings were attended by over 400<br />
people. We also assisted 491<br />
individuals with issues related to<br />
housing discrimination or other<br />
housing-related problems.<br />
<br />
Government Benefits<br />
Since 1997 MHAS has helped over<br />
6,000 clients obtain Supplemental<br />
Security Income (SSI) and Medi-Cal.<br />
These benefits prevent homelessness<br />
and enable individuals with mental<br />
disabilities to live independently in the<br />
community. In <strong>2012</strong> we initiated 423<br />
new SSI applications, assisted 454<br />
individuals with other issues related to<br />
government benefits, and conducted<br />
trainings for mental health consumers,<br />
family members and other<br />
organizations.<br />
Since 2001 MHAS has worked to<br />
address the grievances of minors<br />
being held in Los Angeles County’s<br />
juvenile detention facilities. In <strong>2012</strong><br />
our attorneys and volunteer law<br />
students continued to provide<br />
individual advocacy to minors in<br />
Central Juvenile Hall and worked with<br />
the Probation Department to improve<br />
conditions in the facility. We also<br />
represented individual children to<br />
ensure that they received mental<br />
health, education, and other services<br />
they needed to reach their full<br />
potential.<br />
<br />
Stigma and Discrimination<br />
Reduction<br />
Since 2011 MHAS has collaborated<br />
with Disability Rights California and<br />
the California <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Services</strong><br />
Authority on a policy advancement<br />
project aimed at reducing mental<br />
health stigma and discrimination.<br />
MHAS’ efforts have been focused on<br />
children and transitional age youth.<br />
Our <strong>2012</strong> activities included<br />
disseminating information on access<br />
to mental health services, as well as<br />
conducting trainings for parents,<br />
mental health providers and school<br />
personnel regarding discrimination in<br />
schools.<br />
<br />
Impact Litigation<br />
MHAS often participates in impact<br />
litigation aimed at improving the lives<br />
of people with mental disabilities. For<br />
example, in <strong>2012</strong> MHAS served as cocounsel<br />
in Franco v. Holder, a federal<br />
class action seeking due process<br />
protections in immigration proceedings<br />
for detained immigrants with serious<br />
mental disabilities.
<strong>2012</strong> Staff Positions<br />
(Total = 12.72 positions)<br />
Sales<br />
<strong>2012</strong> Volunteer Hours<br />
(Total = 4,739 hours)<br />
Advocates<br />
33%<br />
Attorneys<br />
42%<br />
Support Staff/<br />
Administrative<br />
18%<br />
Fundraising/<br />
Events<br />
7%<br />
Law<br />
Students<br />
62%<br />
Attorneys<br />
22%<br />
Administrative<br />
13%<br />
Other<br />
3%<br />
<strong>2012</strong> MHAS Staff Members: Patricia Abs • Abraham Apraku • Johanna Bloomfield • Maggie<br />
Brandow • John Cisneroz • Tiffani Cortez • Renee Cook • Sherrill Martin • Pamela Marx •<br />
Jesse Norgaard • Luz A. O’Neil • James Preis • Fernando Ramirez • Nicole Roberts •<br />
Caity Saggese • Nancy M. Shea • Carey B. Stone • Madeline Walder • Mary V. Webster<br />
<strong>2012</strong> Income<br />
(Total = $993,799)<br />
<strong>2012</strong> Expenses<br />
(Total = $1,086,958)<br />
Government<br />
Grants<br />
45%<br />
Training/<br />
Service<br />
Contracts<br />
16%<br />
State Bar<br />
Grants<br />
10%<br />
Other Grants/<br />
Contributions<br />
14%<br />
Program<br />
<strong>Services</strong><br />
85%<br />
Special Event/<br />
Fundraising<br />
8%<br />
Administration<br />
7%<br />
Special<br />
Events<br />
11%<br />
Other<br />
Income<br />
3%<br />
Attorneys' Fees<br />
1%
Thank you to our <strong>2012</strong> supporters!<br />
Stars<br />
($5,000 or more)<br />
Jane and Ken Anderson<br />
Cynthia Anderson-Barker<br />
and Tim Barker<br />
Anonymous (2)<br />
Margaret Bloomfield<br />
California Community Foundation/<br />
Shirley & Ralph Shapiro<br />
Family Fund<br />
Disability Rights California<br />
Lucy and David Eisenberg<br />
Los Angeles County Bar Foundation<br />
Los Angeles County Dept.<br />
of <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
The Morrison & Foerster Foundation<br />
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP<br />
OPCC<br />
Ralph M. Parsons Foundation<br />
Steve and Debby Scherer<br />
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher<br />
& Flom LLP<br />
State Bar of California Equal<br />
Access Fund<br />
State Bar of California Legal <strong>Services</strong><br />
Trust Fund<br />
UCLA <strong>Health</strong> System and the David<br />
Geffen School of Medicine<br />
at UCLA<br />
U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban<br />
Development<br />
Gregory and Juanita Weingart<br />
Champions<br />
($1,000-4,999)<br />
Deborah and Andrew Bogen<br />
Richard Chernick<br />
Cornell University<br />
Areta Crowell<br />
The Laurie David Foundation<br />
Alexander Faust<br />
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher<br />
The Guerin Foundation<br />
Catherine Halfon and Family<br />
Douglas L. Hall<br />
Thomas Hansen<br />
Andrew and Megan Hirsch<br />
Ralph Hirschmann<br />
Shirley and Matthew Kirby<br />
Roger L. Kohn<br />
Latham & Watkins LLP<br />
Lefkowitz Family Foundation<br />
The Hyman Levine Family Foundation:<br />
L’Dor V’Dor<br />
The Ed and Mary Lewis Foundation<br />
Newman Aaronson Vanaman<br />
O’Melveny & Myers LLP<br />
Jeromie and Krisa Park<br />
Jewish Communal Fund/Susan J. Troy<br />
and Larry Zipursky Philanthropic<br />
Fund<br />
Sarah and Jason Powers<br />
Nora Quinn<br />
Neil Rubin<br />
Ryu Law Firm<br />
Stephen Sadowsky and<br />
Hon. Maria Stratton<br />
Elyn R. Saks<br />
Shapiro Family Charitable Foundation<br />
Sandy Sigal<br />
Michael E. Soloff and<br />
Sue L. Himmelrich<br />
UCLA Center for <strong>Health</strong>ier Children,<br />
Families & Communities<br />
Richard and Kay Van Horn<br />
Wargo French<br />
Weingart Foundation<br />
Wells Fargo<br />
John P. Williams<br />
Benefactors<br />
($500-999)<br />
Barbara Ackermann<br />
Anonymous<br />
The Atlas Family Foundation<br />
Taylor and Jennifer Ball<br />
Peter D. Brandow<br />
City of Pasadena<br />
California Community<br />
Foundation/Unger Fund<br />
Areta Crowell<br />
David Cruz<br />
Stephen English<br />
Grover and Caroline Heyler<br />
The Audrey & Sydney Irmas<br />
Charitable Foundation<br />
Jewish Community Foundation/Arnold<br />
& Jeanne Geffner Fund<br />
Robert and Marilyn Johnson<br />
Mickey Kantor and Heidi Schulman<br />
Mark and Stefania Magidson<br />
David Meyer<br />
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP<br />
Betty Nordwind<br />
James Perzik<br />
Gary D. Roberts<br />
Andrew E. Rubin<br />
Francis Ryu<br />
Nick and Nancy Saggese<br />
Christopher and Ann Stone<br />
Valerie Vanaman<br />
Supporters<br />
($150-499)<br />
David Abel and Brenda Levin<br />
Bob and Sara Adler<br />
Brigitte Ammons<br />
Anonymous<br />
Patrick Bailey<br />
Gary Blasi<br />
Hon. Aviva Bobb<br />
David Bower<br />
Brad Brian<br />
Ed Brostoff<br />
California Community Foundation/<br />
Sarah Carpenter and Robert<br />
Newman Family Foundation<br />
Richard and Jody Chutick<br />
JoAnn Clark<br />
Devora Cohen<br />
Joseph Cohen<br />
Jan Costello and Dick Rothschild<br />
George D. Crook<br />
The Daar Family<br />
Echo Horizon School<br />
Susan Edelstein<br />
Richard D. Esbenshade<br />
Sean Eskovitz<br />
Barbara Flicker<br />
Debra Garvey Genung<br />
Kathleen Godfrey<br />
Meredith Goetz<br />
Maureen Graves<br />
Sarah Gustafson<br />
David Guthman<br />
Timi Hallem<br />
Louie Hasson<br />
LeRoy Haynes Center<br />
Robert Henderson<br />
Arthur and Gwen Hiller<br />
Lynard Hinojosa<br />
Bret Israel<br />
Jewish Community Foundation/<br />
James L. and Judith T. Perzik Fund<br />
Judith Johnson<br />
Steaven and Judith Jones<br />
The K.E.N. Project<br />
Hon. Cliff Klein<br />
Deborah Koeffler<br />
Vickie Kropenske<br />
Luis and Lee Lainer<br />
Learning Rights Law Center<br />
Joseph Lee<br />
Robert Leventer and Jenna Blaustein<br />
Jan Greenberg Levine<br />
Loeb & Loeb LLP<br />
Richard Mainland
Susan Mandel<br />
Marilyn and Marshall Martinez<br />
Claudette May<br />
Dan Maydeck<br />
Steven A. McGinty<br />
Paul McIver<br />
Alex Morales<br />
Susan E. Nash<br />
NAMI-Los Angeles County<br />
NAMI-San Fernando Valley<br />
Marianne and Michael Newman<br />
Andrea Sheridan Ordin<br />
Noelle Orsini<br />
Ellen Pearlman<br />
Desiree Pierce<br />
James Powers<br />
Alan RaderSara Ritter<br />
Robie & Matthai<br />
Karen Rothberg<br />
A.M. Erika Scremin<br />
Bodil Sivertsen<br />
Eric Small<br />
Arthur and Diane Spring<br />
Janeen Steel<br />
Alice Stevenson<br />
Ann Stone and Dave Pilon<br />
William Temko and Sarah Bowman<br />
Steven Thomas<br />
Trude Tsujimoto<br />
United Advocates for Children and<br />
Families<br />
Evelyn Vodhanel<br />
Lori Waldinger<br />
Kathleen West and Alexander Capron<br />
Jennifer Ziegler<br />
Friends<br />
(up to $149)<br />
Inyite Ani<br />
Anonymous (3)<br />
Lawrence Apodaca<br />
Heather and Abraham Apraku<br />
Ellis M. Balsam<br />
Austin Barron<br />
Tania Benacerref<br />
Carole Bender<br />
Brenda Berrisford<br />
Ilene Bezahler<br />
Christopher Bradford<br />
Hazel Braxton-Owens<br />
Maria Brown<br />
Shirley Brown<br />
Diana and Jim Brueggemann<br />
Scott Burleigh<br />
California State Employees<br />
Charitable Campaign<br />
Gwen Campbell & Associates<br />
Terri Cheney<br />
Alan Clark<br />
Kathy Clyman<br />
Renee Cook<br />
Allan Cutrow<br />
Jill Dauska<br />
Richard Drooyan and Anita Dymant<br />
Susan Edelman and Sandor Fuchs<br />
Adar Eisenbruch<br />
Marion Fein<br />
Christopher Forrest<br />
Georgia Franklin-Shutan<br />
Joan Freeman<br />
Jonathan Friedman<br />
David Ganz<br />
Harry and Dorothy Gartsman<br />
Martha Gillis<br />
Hon. Arnold H. Gold<br />
GoodSearch.com<br />
Sara Gordon<br />
Audrey Greenwood<br />
Arthur Grossman<br />
Sheri Halfon<br />
Barbara Helfing<br />
Gordon Hendler<br />
Elissa Henkin<br />
Kaaren Hoffman<br />
Hal and Patsy Hollister<br />
Katherine Huang<br />
iGive.com<br />
Christian Jordan<br />
Gael Kalkauski<br />
Milly Kayyem<br />
Gregory Keating<br />
Barbara Kekich<br />
Jeffrey Kichaven<br />
Elizabeth Kim<br />
Stephen Kristovich<br />
Kroger Company/Ralphs Grocery<br />
John Land<br />
Ann R. Lane<br />
Fran and John Lasker<br />
Arleen Leibowitz<br />
Kenneth H. Lewis<br />
Nancy Lewis<br />
Jerome and Eve Lubin<br />
Mary A. Lulucki<br />
Sherrill Martin<br />
William P. Martone<br />
Pamela Marx<br />
Jane B. Matz<br />
Nancy Milburn<br />
Lori Mintzer<br />
MissionFish (Ebay)<br />
Hon. Anthony Mohr<br />
Marilyn Montenegro<br />
Carol Morava<br />
Berda Morley<br />
David Morris<br />
Stephen J. Morse<br />
Robert Myers<br />
Robert Nava<br />
Barbara Reeves Neal<br />
Will Nicholas<br />
Jesse Norgaard<br />
Ruth Olson<br />
Allan and Janie Orenstein<br />
R. Samuel Paz<br />
Paula Pearlman<br />
Hon. Jan Perry<br />
Marc Poster<br />
Jim Preis<br />
Peter K. Preis<br />
Fernando and Melissa Ramirez<br />
Cynthia Reich<br />
Con and Diana Reid<br />
Jane Reid<br />
Michael R. Rhames & Associates<br />
Vikki Rice<br />
Claire Rogger<br />
Herb Rubinstein<br />
Nicole and John Ruskey<br />
Hon. Philip Saeta<br />
Ray Sandona<br />
Ellen Satkin<br />
Alyssa Schabloski<br />
Barry and Sue Shanley<br />
Nancy Shea<br />
Judith Siegel<br />
Sierra Madre Playhouse<br />
Ron Sievers<br />
Joan and Alan H. Simon<br />
Linda Spiegel<br />
Richard St. John<br />
Starbucks Foundation<br />
Linda Stude<br />
Barbara Swindall<br />
Annette Tarsky<br />
A. Marco and Kathryn Turk<br />
Anne Von Der Ahe<br />
Madeline Walder<br />
Monica Weil<br />
Lois Weinberg<br />
Jeffrey White<br />
Michael Wicen<br />
Dan and Barbara Willick<br />
Jess Winfield<br />
Stanley and Dorothy Wolpert<br />
In-Kind Donors<br />
(Donors of Goods or <strong>Services</strong>)<br />
Johan Julin<br />
L.A. Shares<br />
Sherrill Martin<br />
Julianne Lapham McMurtry<br />
Neil Rubin<br />
Nancy Shea<br />
Francis Ryu<br />
Village Roadshow Entertainment Group<br />
Woodenhead Vintners<br />
Tributes<br />
Gifts were made in honor of the<br />
following:<br />
Jane Anderson<br />
Maggie Brandow<br />
Lucy Eisenberg<br />
Peter Gelblum<br />
Neal Halfon<br />
Jordan Perzik<br />
Kristin Tahler<br />
Valerie Vanaman<br />
Richard and Kay Van Horn<br />
Dr. Lois Weinberg<br />
In Memoriam<br />
Gifts were made in memory of the<br />
following:<br />
Danny Hinden<br />
Katherine Krause<br />
Walter Verbanic<br />
This list reflects contributions received in<br />
<strong>2012</strong>. We make every effort to ensure<br />
accuracy in our acknowledgements. Please<br />
contact communications@mhas-la.org with<br />
any corrections.
Board of Directors<br />
(as of 12/31/<strong>2012</strong>)<br />
President:<br />
Douglas L. Hall<br />
Wells Fargo Equipment<br />
Finance, Inc.<br />
Vice President:<br />
Francis Ryu, Esq.<br />
Ryu Law Firm<br />
Treasurer:<br />
Neil A. Rubin<br />
Latham & Watkins LLP<br />
Secretary:<br />
Sarah F. Powers, Esq.<br />
Wargo French LLP<br />
Jane A. Anderson<br />
Cynthia Anderson-Barker, Esq.<br />
Law Offices of Cynthia Anderson-<br />
Barker<br />
Taylor S. Ball, Esq.<br />
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP<br />
David E. Bower, Esq.<br />
Faruqi & Faruqi LLP<br />
Houman Ehsan, M.D., Esq.<br />
O’Melveny & Myers LLP<br />
Lucy Eisenberg, Esq.<br />
Virginia Flores<br />
Topa Equities, Ltd.<br />
Shirley L. Kirby, Esq.<br />
Jeromie Park<br />
Goldman, Sachs & Co.<br />
Prof. Elyn Saks<br />
USC Gould School of Law<br />
Stephen E. Scherer, Esq.<br />
Scherer Bradford & Lyster<br />
Kristin Tahler, Esq.<br />
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher<br />
& Flom LLP<br />
Whitney Walters, Esq.<br />
Sheppard Mullin Richter &<br />
Hampton LLP<br />
Gregory Weingart, Esq.<br />
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP<br />
Advisory Board<br />
(as of 12/31/<strong>2012</strong>)<br />
Prof. Alexander M. Capron<br />
USC Gould School of Law/Keck<br />
School of Medicine<br />
Areta Crowell, Ph.D.<br />
Los Angeles County Dept.<br />
of <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, retired<br />
Edmund D. Edelman, Esq.<br />
Los Angeles County Board of<br />
Supervisors, retired<br />
Arthur N. Greenberg, Esq.<br />
Greenberg Glusker<br />
David H. Guthman, Esq.<br />
Grover Heyler, Esq.<br />
Latham & Watkins LLP, retired<br />
Jo Kaplan, Esq.<br />
Los Angeles County Probation<br />
Commission<br />
David Meyer, Esq.<br />
USC Institute of Psychiatry,<br />
Law & Behavioral Science<br />
Ralph Shapiro<br />
Richard Van Horn<br />
<strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> America of Los<br />
Angeles, retired<br />
Eduardo Vega<br />
<strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Association of<br />
San Francisco<br />
<strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Advocacy</strong> <strong>Services</strong>, Inc., is a private non-profit<br />
501(c)(3) corporation. The mission of MHAS is to protect and<br />
advance the legal rights of children and adults with mental<br />
disabilities, in order to maximize autonomy, promote equality, and<br />
secure the resources needed to thrive in the community.<br />
3255 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 902<br />
Los Angeles, CA 90010<br />
213-389-2077<br />
www.mhas-la.org<br />
MHASLA<br />
MHAS_LA
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