New Narrative

Our values drive every decision we make and every interaction we have in the work we're doing every day here. At the heart of our approach to mental healthcare is the belief that people should be the architects of their own lives, in order to live the life they choose. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our practices, exploring new approaches to mental healthcare, and listening to feedback from our community of partners, staff, and participants to optimize their experience along the journey. Learn more about our work and approach: https://lnkd.in/g2EvwPxt. #MentalHealthMatters #OurValues

Our Impact Report for FY2023 is available on our website! Read stories from participants, learn about our partnerships, and celebrate the impact of mental health and housing services in Greater Portland. Read the highlights and access the report on our website: https://lnkd.in/gcEVPMmg #ImpactReport #MentalHealthServices

July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month–a time to focus on the unique strengths and challenges that Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) face when it comes to mental health. Bebe Moore Campbell was a journalist, teacher, author, and dedicated mental health advocate for the Black community and other underrepresented groups. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was established and named in honor of her work. Mental Health America has created its BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit to help BIPOC communities reduce mental health stigma, facilitate intergenerational conversations, and address mental health myths. Learn more at their website, and use this month to start (or, hopefully, continue) conversations around #BIPOCMentalHealth in the workplace and beyond. Find their toolkit here: www.mhanational.org/july #BIPOCMentalHealthMonth #MentalHealthMatters [Graphic: Mental Health America]

The deinstitutionalization of mental health care in our country may have begun as a progressive social movement, but very quickly lost its way. For anyone curious about how we got to this point in our mental health and houselessness crisis, NPR's Up First Podcast recently hosted an episode shedding light on the history of deinstitutionalization for mental health patients in the 1960's and the consequences of a lack of integrative healthcare solutions to replace the role of mental hospitals. There are no easy answers, but affordable community housing access is a BIG missing piece of the puzzle today, one which agencies like ours are working hard to rectify. Listen to the episode on their website: https://lnkd.in/eihHVtA #Deinstitutionalization #MentalHealth #MentalHealthHistory #MentalHealthProfessionals #CommunityHousing #HousingIsHealthcare

In honor of #WorldBloodDonorDay, our peer program Comfort Zone is hosting a blood drive TODAY in partnership with Bloodworks Northwest at the Comfort Zone location, open until 4:00 PM! There are still times available - sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gUfNHWDw Also, take a listen to Comfort Zone Peer Support Specialist Vivilynn Webster as she discusses the mental health benefits of blood donation, on faer experience donating after transitioning, and the community programming that Comfort Zone offers to anyone who is seeking a safe place to relax and be themselves. Find the podcast episode here: https://lnkd.in/gfyC_nwV

We are so proud to be recognized as a Gold Seal recipient in this cohort! Thank you Mental Health America for this distinction. 💡 One of our recent agency updates based on staff feedback was the inclusion of eight hours of leave available upon hire for all employees, to invest in their personal self-care and wellness. We will continue building on best practices for mental health in the workplace - our incredible staff are worth it! What are some workplace practices that have brought better mental wellness to your company culture? #BellSeal #MentalHealthProfessionals #MentalHealthWorkplace

🌈New Narrative wishes everyone a happy Pride this month! It is critical that we support our 2SLGBTQIA+ community especially now with a historic number of anti-trans legislation being passed in our nation and violence on the rise. This hostility contributes to the disproportionately high percentage of mental health challenges experienced by people who hold one or more of these identities. 🌈 We affirm ALL of our 2SLGBTQIA+ neighbors, staff, and participants and recognize that health care has historically been and continues to be, gatekept by cisgender-heteronormative standards which causes great harm to the community. 🌈 It is for this reason that New Narrative is committed to celebrating joy in all forms of gender expression and sexual orientation. This drives us to pursue equity and access for all who seek mental health care. 🌈 Let’s support our neighbors, siblings, colleagues, and loved ones to access the care they need and live the life they choose now and all year round. 💗🧡💛💚💙💜 #PrideMonth #Pride #HealthCareForAll #MentalHealthForAll

A warm thank you to the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation and to the AVID CommuniCare Class at Grant High School for selecting our Compass Rose program for a $5,000 grant! These funds will provide our program with the means to celebrate transition-aged foster youth on their birthdays! Many of our participants have not had birthday celebrations while in foster care and this generous grant will go a long way toward healing and creating happy memories associated with their birthdays. Funds will also support other needs, including community-building and resources such as furniture or household items as we continue to equip these young adults in becoming successfully independent and relationally connected in our community as they age out of DHS care. Thank you for providing mental health and housing support through this grant!

For the first time in his 54 years of life, David has an apartment to his own name. But receiving the key was just the beginning of his journey; read more about David's experience with our Multnomah County Rental Assistance Program and his advice to behavioral health providers working with newly-housed people on our website: https://lnkd.in/dXyEM72J. #HousingIsHealthcare #NewNarrativePDX #MentalHealthMonday

As we wrap up #MentalHealthMonth, the work continues! We need a new narrative for mental health that works for ALL of us. ✔We believe that everyone deserves access to personalized, quality mental health care and the opportunity to pursue their dreams and goals.  ✔We believe everyone has the right to be seen as a person instead of a diagnosis. ✔We believe that each person in our community deserves a safe, stable place to call home and that housing plays a critical role in mental health recovery. If you agree, you can play a vital role in supporting mental health and housing in Greater Portland. Visit https://lnkd.in/g-kR3eFc to get involved today. #MentalHealthAwareness #SupportMentalHealth