Burness Helps to Raise Awareness about Mental Illness
By Michelle Dirst, May 12, 2015
On Wednesday, May 6, Burness staff volunteered for the Green Door Remarkable Journeys Gala, to help raise awareness about mental illness. Green Door serves thousands of individuals in the Washington, D.C. area struggling with mental health issues such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, and co-occurring substance abuse problems. Through clinical treatment and support services — housing, employment, and education — people receive the care they need to help them live, work and thrive in the community.
Throughout the night, attendees took a journey to learn about the challenges individuals with mental illness face, but also their fierce determination to overcome their illness and what the community can do to help.
They heard about the work of the night’s Master of Ceremonies and NBC 4 news anchor, Doreen Gentzler, to break down the fear and stigma related to mental illness through its Changing Minds Campaign.
Green Door clients also shared their inspiring stories about hope and recovery. Brian Pitts, who was featured in a News 4 Changing Minds segment, spoke about how the Green Door helped him put his life together. After years of short-term hospitalizations, he found Green Door. It was a stabilizing force that helped him to understand and manage his illness, as well as rebuild his relationships, graduate from college, and start a career.
Remarkable Journey Awards were given to Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) for their work to get signed into law a demonstration program based on their bipartisan bill – Excellence in Mental Health Act.
Also honored, were Pete and Kevin Earley for their steadfast advocacy efforts to change the mental health system. Pete, a former Washington Post reporter, blogger, and author of many books, most notably, Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, talked about the harrowing troubles he faced in getting mental health treatment for Kevin, who is now a peer-to-peer specialist and mental health advocate, giving support and hope to so many others facing the same plight he experienced.
Green Door CEO, Richard Bebout, closed out the night by encouraging everyone to remember that mental illness can happen to anyone – a friend, neighbor, family member – and, we, as a community need to be there to help.