Learn how working on farm crews can offer new hope for those living with mental illness

An upcoming panel discussion will provide families with the opportunity to learn about residential work-based recovery settings, which offer an alternative to more traditional clinical programs. The presentation, sponsored by NAMI Southwest CT, will take place on Thursday, May 12 from 7:30 to 9pm at Tully Health Center, Conference room B, 32 Strawberry Hill Ct, Stamford, CT.

Settings presented will be Spring Lake Ranch, Gould Farm, and Hundred Acre Homestead. At therapeutic work-based programs such as these, residents work on a variety of farm crews lead by staff, side by side with peers. This provides a unique therapeutic experience for those living with major mental illness, where work is central to recovery. Connections formed on work teams can help people break through their isolation, form meaningful connections, and restore a sense of dignity and purpose. Living in a respectful supportive community that focuses on personal strengths is the underpinning of this experience. As residents learn and practice daily living skills in community, they come to see themselves and others in new ways. From their many years of collective experience, the panel shares key lessons learned with families who are looking for treatment options for their loved ones

The panelists include Rachel Stark, the Director of Admissions at Spring Lake Ranch in Vermont, where she has worked with adults with mental health and addiction issues for the past nine years; Donna Burkhart, Director of Client Services at Gould Farm in Massachusetts; and Deborah Betts, Resident Director and Cofounder of Hundred Acre Homestead in Vermont.

NAMI is a national, grassroots nonprofit organization for improving the lives of individuals with mental illness and their families. NAMI Southwest CT serves Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Westport, Weston, and Wilton. www.namisouthwestct.com