People with psychiatric disabilities or mental illness experience disturbances in thinking, feeling, and relating. Hearing voices, feeling extreme despair or elation, having chaotic and disjointed thoughts, or feeling especially creative, are just a few experiences common to people with psychiatric disabilities. For different individuals these alterations in thinking or feeling may be mild or severe, short term or chronic. Schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder (manic-depression) and severe depression are the most common of the serious psychiatric disabilities.
People with psychiatric disabilities have a wide range of interests, experiences, and abilities. For some people, alterations in perceptions can at times be a great source of inspiration and creativity which we all know through the works of Van Gough (schizophrenia), Beethoven (bi-polar disorder), and Virginia Woolfe (depression). At other times, these same disturbances in perception can be very confusing and disabling, making the demands of daily living an almost impossible struggle.
You Are Not Alone
Approximately 4,600 people in Santa Cruz County struggle with a serious psychiatric disability, or mental illness. You might have a psychiatric disability yourself--or you might be a child, a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a friend, a teacher or a colleague of such a person. Whatever your relationship--you are not alone. The Mental Health Resource Center and the Family Partnership Program are here to help you find the support and information you need.
We Offer
Education to help mental health clients, their families and friends learn about the nature of psychiatric disabilities and effective coping strategies. We provide:
- Private Consultations
- Classes
- Library Resources
- Community Resource Directories
Information and Referral to help you locate community resources such as:
- Support groups and advocacy organizations
- Services from doctors, therapists, and attorneys
- Housing, employment, and income assistance
- Crisis support
Community Outreach both to counter stigma through public education and to help people develop skills in working with people with mental illness.
The Resource Center
Journey of Hope Education Class
An eight week education class on mental illness. Learn what mental illness is, tools for working with family members who have the symptoms, timely information about services, medications and treatment.
Community Education
We have teams of volunteers who are available to make presentations about serious mental illness to groups.
Consultations
Through private and confidential consultations we will help you learn about psychiatric disabilities, effective coping strategies, and community resources.
Volunteer Opportunities
Services provided by the Mental Health Resource Center depend upon the efforts of volunteers. Our volunteers contribute a wide range of skills, interests, and perspectives which are important to the community.
