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If someone seeks help but doesn't know where to find it, they could be in trouble.
Those in need of mental health services have an outlet for that help in a non-clinical setting at New Hopeful Heart in Rifle.
They are a drop-in center for mentally health consumesr, and “provide a sanctuary for consumers,” Executive Director Lu Anne Herman said.
“We want a place where they can feel comfortable and not be judged. So much of overcoming a mental illness is to feel empowerment. If that person feels good about what they are doing, they are much more likely to not fall into other ways of coping with their illness, like alcohol or drugs,” she said.
The center is there for people who want a nice place to go to just talk to other people who might be suffering from the same condition. Along with chatting, there will be educational classes on résumé writing and interviewing, and hobbies like art, woodworking and gardening.
“It can be hard for a consumer. It is hard to accept yourself, and then you have to be able to manage whatever it is that you have. You have to be able to recognize when the little red lights are going off and ask for help,” Herman said. “It can be humiliating to ask for help, and it takes a lot of strength. We want to channel their negative energy in a different way; help them to be happy.”
Mental health conditions go hand in hand with other issues. Herman said she’s seen people who develop depression because an injury limits their once-active lifestyle. An abrupt change of one’s setting can bring on many problems stemming from one separate incident.
“Anyone who comes here can make friends with similar people and not feel the stigmas of feeling different. That’s huge for their development to be with people who know what they are going through, not just giving them medication,” she said.
One of the main attractions to New Hopeful Heart is its homey atmosphere. The living area is adorned with couches, chairs, a pool table and a woodburner. The kitchen is like any other kitchen you’ve seen. A soon-to-be computer room is flanked by an office and a conference room. The basement houses a work out room and a weight room. One day, five people will come in, then no one the next day.
A big part of feeling accepted is to be in a comfortable setting, and New Hopeful Heart offers just that.
“The biggest thing we can do is help these people be accepted. Being accepted is empowering for both parties. For the consumer who is struggling, to see someone who’s now doing well, it shows them that they, too, can take hold of their lives.
Hopefully, the consumer who is doing well will be more than open to help the other one. It is a mutual relationship,” Herman said.
Someone who knows all about the workings of New Hopeful Heart is treasurer Arnold Austin, who has been with the center for eight years.
“When I first came here, I was carving the Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey and helping do dishes, and now I’m helping with finances. We’d like to get to the point where we have so many people coming through the door that we can’t handle them,” Austin said.
“He’s the perfect example of what a consumer can do,” Herman said. “He started out in the kitchen and is now on the board of directors.”
There are six members on the board of directors for New Hopeful Heart, but Herman started out with just three.
“I’d like to have some more community leaders who are interested in what we are doing to show their support and join our board,” she said. “All of our ideas stem from the consumer, and that is anyone from a board member to someone seeking help.”
The drop-in center has been in Rifle since 2001, but “has had some bumpy years.” Herman, who has been on the job since May, thinks forming the board is a “solid start.”
They are working on partnerships with Grand Junction’s Center for Independence, YouthZone, Habitat for Humanity, Colorado Job Service Center and Mountain Valley Developmental Services in Glenwood Springs to try and help as many people as possible.
As for funding, a portion comes from Colorado West Mental Health and the rest is from Colorado Health Network. Some of the funds received from both are from Medicare.
Herman would like to get to the point where they could be open on the weekends and offer up a big screen television for Broncos games.
“There’s a lot of people out there who could use our help, but a lot of people don’t know we’re here. We’d like to raise the community awareness about what we offer here. It makes all the difference to someone who is on disability and is feeling fine to someone on disability who is using alcohol. People always fall through the cracks. They’ll be told they aren’t disabled enough. That’s just wrong,” she said.
Those in need of mental health services have an outlet for that help in a non-clinical setting at New Hopeful Heart in Rifle.
They are a drop-in center for mentally health consumesr, and “provide a sanctuary for consumers,” Executive Director Lu Anne Herman said.
“We want a place where they can feel comfortable and not be judged. So much of overcoming a mental illness is to feel empowerment. If that person feels good about what they are doing, they are much more likely to not fall into other ways of coping with their illness, like alcohol or drugs,” she said.
The center is there for people who want a nice place to go to just talk to other people who might be suffering from the same condition. Along with chatting, there will be educational classes on résumé writing and interviewing, and hobbies like art, woodworking and gardening.
“It can be hard for a consumer. It is hard to accept yourself, and then you have to be able to manage whatever it is that you have. You have to be able to recognize when the little red lights are going off and ask for help,” Herman said. “It can be humiliating to ask for help, and it takes a lot of strength. We want to channel their negative energy in a different way; help them to be happy.”
Mental health conditions go hand in hand with other issues. Herman said she’s seen people who develop depression because an injury limits their once-active lifestyle. An abrupt change of one’s setting can bring on many problems stemming from one separate incident.
“Anyone who comes here can make friends with similar people and not feel the stigmas of feeling different. That’s huge for their development to be with people who know what they are going through, not just giving them medication,” she said.
One of the main attractions to New Hopeful Heart is its homey atmosphere. The living area is adorned with couches, chairs, a pool table and a woodburner. The kitchen is like any other kitchen you’ve seen. A soon-to-be computer room is flanked by an office and a conference room. The basement houses a work out room and a weight room. One day, five people will come in, then no one the next day.
A big part of feeling accepted is to be in a comfortable setting, and New Hopeful Heart offers just that.
“The biggest thing we can do is help these people be accepted. Being accepted is empowering for both parties. For the consumer who is struggling, to see someone who’s now doing well, it shows them that they, too, can take hold of their lives.
Hopefully, the consumer who is doing well will be more than open to help the other one. It is a mutual relationship,” Herman said.
Someone who knows all about the workings of New Hopeful Heart is treasurer Arnold Austin, who has been with the center for eight years.
“When I first came here, I was carving the Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey and helping do dishes, and now I’m helping with finances. We’d like to get to the point where we have so many people coming through the door that we can’t handle them,” Austin said.
“He’s the perfect example of what a consumer can do,” Herman said. “He started out in the kitchen and is now on the board of directors.”
There are six members on the board of directors for New Hopeful Heart, but Herman started out with just three.
“I’d like to have some more community leaders who are interested in what we are doing to show their support and join our board,” she said. “All of our ideas stem from the consumer, and that is anyone from a board member to someone seeking help.”
The drop-in center has been in Rifle since 2001, but “has had some bumpy years.” Herman, who has been on the job since May, thinks forming the board is a “solid start.”
They are working on partnerships with Grand Junction’s Center for Independence, YouthZone, Habitat for Humanity, Colorado Job Service Center and Mountain Valley Developmental Services in Glenwood Springs to try and help as many people as possible.
As for funding, a portion comes from Colorado West Mental Health and the rest is from Colorado Health Network. Some of the funds received from both are from Medicare.
Herman would like to get to the point where they could be open on the weekends and offer up a big screen television for Broncos games.
“There’s a lot of people out there who could use our help, but a lot of people don’t know we’re here. We’d like to raise the community awareness about what we offer here. It makes all the difference to someone who is on disability and is feeling fine to someone on disability who is using alcohol. People always fall through the cracks. They’ll be told they aren’t disabled enough. That’s just wrong,” she said.
