Kymberly Helwig

Описание: https://www.communityaccess.org/
At a celebration of 50 years of Community Access, Kymberly Helwig shares her experience at the Howie the Harp Advocacy Center.

Founded in 1995 at Community Access, the award-winning Howie the Harp (HTH) Advocacy Center trains individuals with lived experience in the mental health system for direct service, supervisor, and management roles within Human Services.

In addition, we offer an Assisted Competitive Employment (ACE) program for individuals looking to find work, and an Ongoing Integrated Supportive Employment (OISE) program for individuals presently working and seeking ongoing support.

The Howie the Harp Advocacy Center is named in honor of Community Access’ first Director of Advocacy, Howard Geld – better known by the moniker “Howie the Harp” – who tragically died just days before our Harlem center opened in 1995.

In 1968, after spending two years in mental health facilities, an 18-year-old Geld demanded to know why his psychiatric condition, and the label “ex-mental patient,” had come to define who he was. Addressing this sense of injustice propelled him to the forefront of a burgeoning patient rights movement with a fundamental philosophy, which, to this day, Community Access shares: to transform the treatment system, you need to transform its workforce.

Since its founding, HTH has been led by people of diverse backgrounds and experiences, including people of color who have ensured cultural competence among all staff and participants. Throughout its history, HTH has embodied the wisdom that those closest to the problem have a unique part to play in shaping the solution. As Howie once wrote, "To find out what people truly need, ask them."