November Newsletter 2019

Holiday Night Out for Wellspring On GIVING TUESDAY, enjoy dinner at Red Hog Restaurant & shopping for fair trade products from low-income artists & farmers throughout the world at Just Creations. A percentage of sales from both establishments will benefit Wellspring!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Louisville, KY Permit No. 1105

P.O. Box 1927 Louisville, KY 40201-1927

November 2019

New: Wellspring’s Hansen Intensive Program Helps Homeless Wellspring has seen a steady increase in high-need clients seeking services. For more than a year, we’ve been developing an intensive program to better meet this increased need and to complement existing services; and, a year ago, a particular gift became a turning point.

The gift was made in memory of a long-time and beloved staff member: Kris Hansen (1945-2007).

Kris

DECEMBER 3rd Red Hog Restaurant & Butcher Shop 2622 Frankfort Ave. Just Creations 2722 Frankfort Ave. (Shopping 6:00-8:00 PM)

Save the Date!

Ignite Club

The 22nd Annual Derby Preview Party is April 21st, 2020 Board of Directors

Alan MacDonald, Chair Steve Kerrick, Vice Chair Rosmond Dolen, Secretary Curtiss Scott, Treasurer Rolandas “Ro” Byrd Rif El-Mallakh, M.D. Rich Freeman Bill Friel Gregory E. Mayes, Jr. Margaret Pennington George W. Rapp, Jr. John “Jack” Trawick Jefferey M. Yussman Chief Executive Officer Katharine R. Dobbins

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Wellspring 225 W. Breckinridge Street (502) 637-4361 www.wellspringky.org

To say this group of young professionals ignited change at Wellspring would be a huge understatement! Within six months, the seven members of a Leadership Louisville program made recommendations that impact Wellspring invaluably ways (but could be valued at more than $53,000)! Challenged to foster community engagement among a younger generation, this outstanding team combined talents and resources to: • Create a new, more modern and mobilefriendly website (www.WellspringKY.org), • Research, develop, and recruit what could become a young professional, • Ambassador Board or Council to benefit Mike Patterson, Kathleen Cogan, Holly Wellspring’s mission, Poe, Josh Lester, Katie Graf, Shantelle • Produce a Public Service Announcement Simpson, Serrita Bell (PSA) video to distribute to local media, • Provide community awareness through Texas Roadhouse Dine to Donate and Louisville Trivia events, • Create new referral connections with Park DuValle Community Health Center Wellspring would not have been able to afford many of these services, nor could we accomplish so much in such a short time frame! The Ignite Club members created momentum and recommendations that will benefit Wellspring and the Louisville community for years to come, and we couldn’t have done it without each wonderful and talented team member! We are truly grateful for the Ignite Club team!

Our Mission: Wellspring promotes mental health recovery and supports individuals in building healthy and hopeful lives through behavioral health, housing and employment services.

Kris Hansen

was instrumental in Wellspring’s development. This thoughtful gift enabled us to hire Paul Bliss, who has strong expertise in serving the most vulnerable adults with mental illness. We then pursued funding to add psychiatric services for these high risk clients.

This summer, both Metro Louisville and the James Graham Brown Foundation agreed that our efforts merited their support and each made significant contributions to help launch the Hansen Intensive Program, which includes a two-prong approach of ACT with outreach services and PUSH (Perkins Supportive Housing).

We are forming an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team that will consist of: •2 Master’s level clinical social

workers, •a peer specialist, •a part-time nurse, and •a part-time psychiatrist.

All members of the team are in place (with the exception of the psychiatrist, who should be in place

by Dec. 31st - stay tuned for an exciting announcement!). ACT is an evidence based approach that has proven successful with the most high risk clients - such as people who are homeless, often chronically homeless with serious mental illness who have not been able to get or keep housing due to untreated mental illness.

Often these clients have substance abuse and their lives are marked by significant instability— hospital stays, ERs, the jail, and back to the streets.

Client Spotlight: Carlton’s Story Carlton knew something was wrong, he just didn’t know what.

He was incarcerated and finally realized that the repeated pattern of shadows and voices he had experienced since his 30s meant something. He promised himself that when he was released, he would find out what was wrong and never go back to jail.

“I knew there was something wrong and I had to reach out to get the help I needed,” Carlton said.

He was in a half-way house after his release and started getting help from the VOA. Then he completed his parole and had to leave. He became homeless. He sought help through several agencies and on his journey of discovery and healing,

Carlton found Wellspring.

He credits Wellspring with helping him understand his mental illness, learning strategies for coping with it, and pointing his life in the right direction. He came to accept his own mental illness. His father had an undiganosed mentally illness and he didn’t want to be like him.

“Mental illness is something that we might not ask for, but it is something we learn we have, and have to understand it better.

Wellspring put the icing on the cake as far as really understanding mental illness and stay steadfast when I need to.”

Carlton has done so well in his program at Wellspring that his case manager stepped him down to a

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lower level of care. He still attends group therapy weekly, takes his medication, actively works on his recovery and is continuing to learn about mental illness. He bought a car, and wants to start volunteering.

“I’m still learning more but I’ve come a long way since I first started.”

crisis stabilization services | supportive housing | case management services | outpatient services | supported employment

“The Well” atWellspring Supports Clients

Hansen Cont.

With a strong multi-disciplinary team and access to two specialized programs within the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, we believe that Wellspring will make a big impact in the lives of vulnerable clients and the entire community as high need individuals move from the streets to their own homes.

PUSH is named for Wellspring’s first Executive Director, Steve Perkins. It serves chronically homeless adults with serious mental illness who need strong support but do not require the same intense level of the ACT team. As ACT team clients stabilize, a significant number may become PUSH clients. PUSH provides case management, therapy, and peer support; and, like ACT, works with the Metro Housing Authority to move these chronically homeless mentally ill clients off the streets and into housing where their recovery can really take off.

We are excited about the Hansen Intensive Program! We will work with U of L with whom Metro Louisville has contracted for research on the Homeless Initiatives that the City is funding.

We are part of a larger initiative and are very excited to see that we, and our partners, are able to address the serious problem of homelessness in our community. And, to give those who have been trapped in homelessness the best chance to move on and rebuild their lives.

We Need Elves!

Join us in providing Holiday Cheer for Wellspring’s clients! Nearly all of our clients live below the poverty level. Many previously have been homeless and are separated from family connections.

Most clients will not receive holiday gifts unless the kindness of strangers comes shining through.

Please consider donating a gift card to a client or program or organizing a group to provide gift cards that range from $5-$40 each. Popular choices for gift cards are Kroger, Target, Walmart & Walgreens

Client Financial Services are a Valulable Resource

Mental illness can impact personal behaviors in subtle, but still devastating ways. One symptomatic behavior that has immense consequences is poor financial management.

Because the majority of Wellspring clients already live below the federal poverty-level, responsibly managing money becomes a vital part of the recovery process to build a healthy and hopeful life.

But, if you are living with symptoms that interfere with routine tasks, how do you manage money? If you are behind in rent payments, facing utility termination, and/ or struggling to afford groceries, how can you get on solid ground? If you are a Wellspring client, you can go to The Well.

“The Well” at Wellspring is a client financial services program that serves as Payee - an appointed representative to manage benefits and expenses and to keep financial records for clients. About 35 clients are using The Well services, which is a number that has tripled from 12 enrolled clients five years ago. Currently, Wellspring does not charge clients for this service.

“We offer this as a benefit to Wellspring clients,” says Nick Murphy, Wellspring’s Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable Clerk. “We believe by helping manage finances and working with Case Managers to develop better behavioral patterns and financial literacy that enrolled clients will one day be their own payee again.”

Typically, Wellspring becomes a client’s payee when either a family member abdicates payee responsibilities, the State determines Wellspring be the payee or guardian, a Case Manager recommends it or a client recognizes they need this assistance. Wellspring works with clients to set up payment plans, process bill payments, and manage cash expenditures.

“These services are not just about caring for a client, but elevating them,” Murphy says. “When we work together, we help a client stay housed and healthy, and help the person as a whole.”

The Well is at maximum operational capacity right now, but if additional funding becomes available, designated staff would be able to offer more services. If you would like to contribute, contact Kim Johnson at 502-753-1453.

Congratulations!

If you could’ve seen it just six months ago, you would be amazed at the transformation of Wellspring’s property near the corner of Algonquin Parkway and Dixie Highway.

On the west edge of the property, a large pit had become an overgrown, mosquito breeding ground full of debris now, it is a functioning Al Spotts rain garden and retention basin. There was a vine-covered wood fence - now, it is a cleaner, more manageable border. This enormous make-over is the work of just one dedicated man, Al Spotts.

Al has been a friend to Wellspring for more than a decade and he has seen a change in more than just the landscape.

“I’ve talked to residents and neighbors about being more involved, and now that they see a change they seem more willing to help.”

Since May, Al has removed piles

A Legend Retires

of brush and all the trash hidden beneath it.

He cut back trees damaged in previous years’ ice storms and he continues to battle the vines that weave themselves into the bushes and border fences. He has been a one-man wonder planting wood poppies, columbine, coneflowers and black-eyed susans - items he says will regenerate their beautiful selves year after year. Plus, Al says they are plants with a purpose: to hold the soil in place when the basin floods during heavy rains. He would also like to add trees to help stabilize the ground.

Even with all this accomplished, Al still sees more potential for the property. He is eager to mulch around the buildings and fence to keep maintenance more manageable. He would also like to assist the residents in creating a garden in the backyard area, which is open and gets good sunlight.

When asked why he continues to spend hours upon hours working on a property for which he previously had no personal connection, Al says he just wants to see it in the spring when the flowers are in bloom and the basin is doing what it is meant to do, which is to reduce the amount of storm water runoff into the City’s system.

Everyday Heroes “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” – Sherry Anderson This summer & fall, teams of volunteers from Norton (through the United Way Day of Action), KEEN, Spalding University & the Muhammad Ali Center’s Council of Students have painted clients homes, removed old flooring, cleared debris & prepared client lunches and hygeine kits. We are so grateful to all of them!

Wellspring celebrated the retirement of a legend in October, Jan Massey.

Jan was a pioneer in the Peer Support field. She started working with Wellspring as a Peer Support Specialist in 2003 before the State developed a certification program for Peers.

She has worked in our Crisis Stabilization program, our homeless services, and with WISH (Wellspring Intensive Supportive Housing).

Jan earned a statewide reputation for her contributions to the mental health consumer movement in Kentucky. She was awarded the Kentucky Stars Peer Excellence Award.

We are fortunate to have had her on staff for 17 years. She will be greatly missed, but we wish her all the best on the next phase of her journey!

Jan Massey

KEEN

Congratulations to Shanda Cool, Wellspring’s CSU Director! She recently earned her designation as a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)!

Drop off: Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00 225 W. Breckinridge St., Lou., KY 40203.

Mail: Wellspring, P.O. Box 1927, Lou., KY 40201

Amazing Amity Activity

Shanda Cool, LCSW

Muhammad Ali Center

Norton

Spalding

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To make a gift visit our website at www.wellspringky.org - OR - write a check and mail it to Wellspring, PO Box 1927, Louisville, KY 40201 - OR - call 502-753-1457 and let us help you make a donation via credit card.

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