Project REAL: Raising awareness on mental illness

Posted by Justin | August 6, 2007 .

Project REAL offers various programs that allow independent living. We have established supervised apartment programs and supervised group homes to help our clients establish their own lifestyle, Lutton said. Our long term supported program allows residents to be very active, working and going places on their own. These individuals become part of the community and it assists in their own rehabilitation. We pride ourselves on being able to help people with disabilities by offering services that have never been offered before.

When Project REAL was established, what were the program’s main goals? We were established by a group of concerned parents of people with mental illness. Our mission is to provide rehabilitative housing with supports for individuals diagnosed with mental illness. We are trying to fight the stigma of mental illness. People give donations and support to other causes. Mental illness is often neglected. We want to raise awareness and break the bias of people that have mental illness.

What services do you provide to your residents? We have three levels of rehabilitation. Our Congregate Treatment Program includes community residences where the staff is available 24 hours a day. In our Apartment Treatment Program we assist residents who have achieved more advanced living skills and have attained a greater level of independence. Our Supported Program is a long-term independent living plan with case management services. We offer residential counseling to each individual in each program. We are then able to assess individuals at multiple levels and observe their progress. We coordinate with their psychiatrists and therapists to offer them the coordinated support they need. Many of our clients are in day or work programs that keep them active and assist in their rehabilitation. A number of the residents participate in IPRT (Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Programs). We teach job skills to help the clients become more independent and allow them to become a part of their communities and our society. In addition, we promote socialization by going out to restaurants and participating in many community activities. These various services help our clients function at a higher level and feel comfortable in a world that can be intimidating at times.

What are some routine responsibilities that occur in the homes? The residents are taught how to do basic tasks. They learn how to cook, clean and be in social settings. We teach them about their medicines, educate them about dosages, symptoms they may have, and what to do if they become uncomfortable. Our goal is to help the clients as much as possible, to prepare them for any situation they may encounter. All the clients have dinner together every night and our objective is to create a family environment in each home.

How do you decide when residents are ready for an increased level of independent living? We track each individual’s progress and the supervisors meet weekly to assess each situation. When clients are ready, we offer increased responsibilities and freedoms. We want to see a level of stability in each individual. Some clients receive government assistance as a source of income, but many want to work. We give them travel training in order to teach them how to use public transportation. When individuals can function at this higher level, it is beneficial for our clients to work and be productive. We have one woman who went through the Apartment Treatment Program and moved on into our Supported Program. She works as a part time office assistant for us and independently travels to work each day. When your clients succeed, it makes you see that your organization is really helping people rehabilitate.

How has the interaction been with the surrounding community? We have been very lucky. We have never had a problem with our clients and the communities where they reside. Our neighbors are great and we try to give back to our communities. One landlord had expressed some concern about our clients being alone at some points, but this just shows the bias against people with mental illnesses. People are unclear about these individuals and have misconceptions about them. These individuals are not dangerous and they want to live productive lives.