Lassen Aurora Network-Mental Health Advocacy Group

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

The Lassen Aurora Network is a self-governing, consumer run, non-profit mental health advocacy and recovery organization supported by Lassen County Health and Social Services. Aurora not only advocates for themselves and others, provides wellness services, participates in service planning and quality improvement, but also contracts for county services in outreach and community education. Aurora enables persons with a mental health problem to live meaningful lives in the community while meeting county requirements for consumer advocacy and consumer participation. The partnership reflects the change in view of consumers from “do to” to “do with.” The partnership shows the values held by county leadership to move beyond treatment to wellness and recovery and to contract directly with a consumer organization for support services. The county developed the latent infrastructure within its own community rather than purchasing new services elsewhere. The mental health consumers responded to the opportunity and grew into a thriving advocacy network that sits at the table with mental health staff during discussions of all program aspects. The project built the local infrastructure for individuals with mental illness and their families to develop their own journey of healing and transformation throughout Lassen County, a large geographic county with a small population.