Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
The American mental health system is broken beyond repair. Rather than trying to tweak a system which fails everyone, it is time to commit to a bold vision for a better way forward. This podcast explores the American system against the plumb line of an international best practice, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Trieste, Italy. The 40-year old Trieste model demonstrates how a community-based treatment system upholds the human rights of the people served. The Trieste story is anti-institutional and models the therapeutic value of social connection. Topics will address contemporary challenges in the American failed mental health system as contrasted with the Italian approach toward accoglienza – or radical hospitality – as the underpinning of their remarkable culture of caring for people. Interviews will touch upon how the guiding principles of the Italian system – social recovery, whole person care, system accountability, and the human right to a purposeful life – are non-negotiable aspects if we are to have any hope of forging a new way forward in our American mental health system. This podcast is curated and hosted by Kerry Morrison, founder and project director of Heart Forward LA (https://www.heartforwardla.org/). Heart Forward is collaborating with Aaron Stern at Verdugo Sound as the technical partner in producing this podcast (https://www.verdugosound.com). Kerry Morrison is also the author of the blog www.accoglienza.us.
Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
Housing That Heals Part Two: A Conversation with Lauren Rettagliata and Teresa Pasquini
Lauren Rettagliata and Theresa Pasquini, AKA as “ Moms on a Mission,” took a CA road trip in 2019 to search for housing solutions for people with serious mental illness. “Housing First” is not a viable option; their loved ones require a full system of care that provides care before, during, and after homelessness, crisis, hospitalization, or incarceration. Housing That Heals is a prevention and intervention plan that will systemically flatten the harm curve for those who live with serious mental illnesses.
Part Two of this two-part interview takes us on the 2019 road trip where they traveled 3,170 miles to visit 20 distinct residential facilities or home settings throughout CA. We will specifically talk about five of these locations that were particularly noteworthy and satisfy the six values identified by the Institute of Medicare (safety, patient-centered, equitable and the like).
The places to be discussed include:
John Henry Foundation
Garden Park Apartments
Ever Well Integrated Health
Psynergy
California Psychiatric Transitions
More information about each of these facilities and organizations can be found in their report below.
Resource guide:
Housing that Heals Facebook page
Housing that Heals: A Search for a Place Like Home for Families Like Ours. By Teresa Pasquini and Lauren Rettagliata, May 2020.
Some of the terms discussed:
IMD Exclusion
anosognosia
conservatorship
Follow on Twitter
@rettagliata
@tcpasquini
Special thanks to Peer Mental Health for their technical support.