Independent Perspective #1597

Guest:  Maura Kelley

Topic:  MHPC's big public outreach

Duration:  05:51

Published:  February 18, 2020

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Maura Kelley, Director of Mental Health PEER Connection (MHPC) and your host is yours truly Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program Maura.

Guest:  Thank you. It's great to be here again, Ernie.

Host:  And we're pleased to have you. You're our guest today because you are in charge of an exciting new development with MHPC. First can you tell us why was there a need for this new public outreach?

Guest:  So, Ernie, we've been providing services here with MHPC, under the umbrella of the WNYIL for the past 27 years. And we know what we do works. It works for people who choose recovery from serious mental illness. And it seems though lately people are looking at all different directions for how to help themselves with mental illness. And we thought it was very important that the community know that MHPC helps people with serious mental illness, live in a community, not live in cars. I lived in a car, Independent Living helped me get out of that. Now I own a nice home. Now people get better through peer connection, independent living services, advocacy through empowerment, equality, and choice, and people don't understand that those are the three components needed for recovery from serious mental illness. So, we're out here, saying that in broadcasting that that hey, look at us. You can get what you need here.

Host:  Just in case people haven't realized it from what you've already said what advantage would you say the peer aspect of your program has over more traditional mental health agencies?

Guest:  Okay, one aspect primarily I want to stress is that all the peers are certified under the New York State certification, and they all meet the requirements, standards and ethics of our agency. But peers to peers, help one another share one another. I know when I was in the hospital, other patients helped me. I help them, it feels good to help one another. It made me feel good enough to be able to leave the hospital, it's sharing one's experience with another experience in, camaraderie, hope, and challenges.

Host:  So, would you say that compared to traditional agencies that have non consumer professionals acting as counselors, consumers of the agency have more of a relation to our counselors who are indeed peers?

Guest:  Well, I can say from my own experience, I see a counselor, LMSW, my insurance covers her. And it's not the same as a peer relationship. I have no idea about this professional I see. They just sort of focus on me, me, me, and I don't give back, it's not an equal relationship, it's helpful. But there's more to mental health recovery than using traditional mental health providers, and that's what we are, we are an adjunct. We are the only thing for some people. We are a solution to this terrible epidemic in our community mental illness.

Host:  And in order to take care of the lack of public awareness of just how important MHPC is, you have just begun an outreach to the public to raise your profile, what are some of the ways that people are going to hear about you?

Guest:  Yes, we're doing a blitz in the community of Erie County, have billboards, television commercials, bus side boards, all on the media about mental illness is debilitating. And MHPC is a solution to that debilitation.

Host:   Maura, I'm sure people are going to have some questions about this, how can they reach you?

Guest:  They can reach me through my email which is mkelley@wnyil.org

Host:  Thanks so much for being with us. You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Maura Kelley, Director of MHPC and your host was yours truly, Ernie Churchwell.