CP Mental Health Services Fighting the Good Fight
Stereotypes and Prejudices
In the communities we serve, there are many stigmas and stereotypes about those with mental illnesses. They are seen as being violent, unpredictable, weak, incompetent, or cursed. These labels kept many from getting the help they needed. To make matter worse, the help locally available for them are mainly doctors and medications; psychotherapy and social services are in very short supply.
CP Answering the Call
CP started to get involved in 2017. Now there are 10 staff members who work in our Mental Health Services department. As of 2023, CP runs two services centers, and one special program in the GL area. We adapted a holistic approach of services, trying to support our clients’ physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing. Though it takes lots of effort to help our clients to get proper treatment they need, and even greater effort to help them integrate into the community, but it’s worth it because it makes a tremendous difference in our client’s lives.
Susan’s workshops
We set up our services center as an inviting place for folks with mental illnesses to hang out and get together. They can make crafts, explore artistic activities, play ping pong, table games and pursue other pastimes. We also offer help through individual counseling sessions, small group therapy, outings, and lectures. Instead of being lonely and hiding at home, they are now leading much richer lives by coming out and joining other at the centers. Better still, many of them are doing volunteer work to pay back the community. Some of them have been able to return to the job market or started their own career.
Special Program at GL
CP also runs one special program at GL, overseeing the wellbeing of all the families with member with mental illnesses at the area. We do home visits and outreach to offer help in whatever way to improve the well beings of the whole family. CP’s staff members work with people with mental illnesses to enhance recovery and independence, and we do family education to help family members to gain better understanding with the illnesses and how to help their love ones. We also pay special effort to help them learn to care for themselves and to build their own support system. The program has been on for 2 1/2 years and we have worked hard to help families to resolve tough issues and to mend broken relationships. After earning much approval of both our clients and the local authority, it becomes a model program for other areas.