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Benchmarks of Success for the Outreach Program
Different Benchmarks of success for the Outreach Program In today’s society, we are often driven by benchmarks or goals in our places of work: visible signals of success such as raises, promotions and title changes or milestones like significant increases in productivity or meeting a new sales goal. These hefty standards drive the workforce, especially in the corporate sphere. To many, these markers feel like […]
Meeting Neighbors Where They Are
Anita Green refers to them as “neighbors.” It’s a term she uses to let those experiencing homelessness know that they’re still part of the community. “It takes a lot of the stigma away,” she explains. This attitude—one of seeing individuals on the street as members of the community—is central to her work as Outreach Manager at The Well. Her critical role in the Outreach Program, […]
Depression: Hard Facts About a Common Struggle
National Suicide Prevention hotline: 800-273-8255 It’s about as prevalent as asthma, but often it’s spoken of far less openly. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI) ,about 21 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2020. Also know as major depression, this condition is characterized by feelings of sadness or loss of interest for at least two weeks, and […]
A Well World: In the Shadow of Illness
Health is on our minds a lot these days. With COVID-19, with the delta variant, with RSV continuing to threaten and to scare, we are all evermore aware of the need to protect ourselves and others the best we can. These ever-looming contagions have taken center stage for 18 months. The warnings are constant; the impact is devastating. In the U.S., nearly 40 million people […]
Help Wanted: Resource Center Coordinator
At The Well Community the interdependency between mental health and physical health is obvious every day. This connection can’t be overstated (see An Interconnected Challenge: Physical Health in the Shadow of Mental Illness). That’s why The Well offers holistic care for its members. In addition to addressing emotional needs such as isolation, depression or loneliness, The Well serves its members’ spiritual, cognitive and physical well-being. In […]
An Interconnected Challenge: Physical Health in the Shadow of Mental Illness
Mental health challenges impact far more than the brain. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), individuals living with a serious mental illness have an increased risk for chronic disease—in some cases, a greatly elevated risk. For example, they are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular and metabolic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. And, adding to this struggle are […]
A Well World: Family Needs
I’m guessing at least five times a week I get a call from a parent, sibling, spouse or friend who is looking for help for someone in a mental health crisis. The calls are panicked. The questions are desperate. They are looking for housing, for medical intervention, for compassion and understanding. Some of the time I have answers handy. Most of the time I can […]
Supporting Families
Families with loved ones dealing with mental health issues often find housing to be one of the greatest challenges. Jacob’s House, The Well’s City of Dallas licensed boarding home for men, is one way The Well supports families. By providing affordable, safe housing within an understanding and accepting community, The Well gives families peace of mind knowing their loved one is off the streets and […]
Seven Ways to Support Family Caregivers
When someone has cancer or is experiencing another health issue, friends and extended family members often surround that person and his or her household with support in the form of everything from meal delivery to assistance with rides to cards of encouragement. However, when the challenge at hand is a mental health struggle, the response is often quite the opposite, and many times family caregivers […]
A Well World: Reaching out
It’s a bit shocking when you think about it. In a 2021 research project* about individuals living in homelessness, 33 percent of all respondents self-identified as having mental health issues. That means about one out of three homeless people are living each day not only with the challenges of poverty and insecure housing, but also with mental illnesses. What incredible obstacles they face! It can […]