Field Project
I was debating a great deal on where to attend for this project. Since I have lived in Redding for only a short while I am not too familiar with the area. There are numerous mental health locations where I am from in the Bay. I finally decided on Milestones to better acquaint myself with the area and services it provides.
While attending Milestones I noted that the staff and consumers were friendly, informative and quite supportive of one another. The walls were covered with supportive posters, past local projects and art and tables had a variety of magazines and literature. There is a flat screen TV with DVD player for renting movies and a large sofa to relax and socialize.
One wall poster read:
10 Ways to Beat Stress Before it Beats You
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Don’t over commit
Simplify your life
Learn to relax
Resolve conflicts
Be physically active
Be good to yourself
Feed emotional life
Keep balance in your life
Master one big change at a time
I believe that the vast majority of the consumers at Milestones are going through these motions.
Milestones is an outpatient clinic in Weaverville, Ca. The cost of the services is free. Donations of clothing, blankets and other household items are always accepted. There are a variety of therapies available as well. Primary forms are group and individual therapies – all peer-based. While they do not specialize in a specific 12-step program, Milestones’ Recovery (consumer) Model setup is based off of the 12-step program. Some consumers have been there for years, others a short time and some stop by for a break or information in their travels. The Recovery Model Motto is “Nothing about us without us.”
Milestones utilizes the Recovery Model of mental health in that it emphasizes and supports each individual's potential for recovery. Recovery is seen within the model as a personal journey and that journey is supported through peer support.
For privacy reasons I will refrain from using consumers’ names. One consumer jokingly remarked that he “feels right at home because everyone [here] is crazy.”
Another consumer said that “you are accepted as you are.” She goes on to say that people come and “read, socialize, sit…just a family.”
Other free services provided are free lunches, resume assistance, computer and cooking classes, life skills groups, local activities and local outreach through the MOST (Milestones Outreach Support Training) program at Alpine House where clinical assessments are given. The services provided are more than listed.
Consumers are involved in the planning process. They organize and implement the Milestones Board of Directors. Activities and classes are offered by and for consumers. There is a great eight-week Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) class followed by a WRAP support group.
There are no certified therapists on staff, but all those on staff have had personal experience in the area of mental health. The staff is to facilitate groups, not diagnose - They assess people for the best treatment path. They do, however, identify those 18 and older with mental disorders from alcoholism to chronic illness. Another group that utilized the facility is AODS that helps with alcohol and drug abuse.
People of all ages, etc are served at Milestones from small children, to transition-aged youth to older adults.
They practice “errorless learning” – learning for the sake of learning. Dealing with people instead of “professionals” who many consumers feel try to make “mountains out of molehills.”
Funding is provided by a 1% tax on individuals making $1 million or more annually through the Mental Health and Services Act (MHSA) of California, passed in 2004, specifically created to assist people in mental health facilities.
The MHSA mandates that all programs funded through the act must be: client-centered and family focused, based on wellness and recovery principles, be culturally and linguistically competent, and provide an integrated service system.
It was said by a staff member that the annual operating cost of $6,000 was derived solely from the MHSA. Some of the staff is contracted by the county, but as a contractor they do not get paid over their allotted hours.
I feel that the services provided are fantastic on such a modest budget (understatement of the year award). I have an issue with the MHSA, which has nothing to do with Milestones itself, and it is simply on moral and basic funding grounds. Why discriminate others from the millionaires? Sure the wealthy can “afford “ it but why not put the 1% tax on everyone as it is the average “everyone” that will be utilizing the service? That will maximize revenue and is a fair tax. Personally I feel better utilizing something knowing I helped pay for it. Again, it is a political issue, not a milestones issue.
I enjoyed seeing the vast garden in the back of the facility. Gardening is relaxing and cultivates a sense of need and a desire to serve. The friendly atmosphere and “frank” speaking is reassuring that these people are just people; they are not trying to figure you out or do anything more than what you are comfortable with. It is hard to find that in most places of society. It is comforting seeing such a community.
At no time did I feel uncomfortable nor did I ever feel that any consumer/staff member was insincere or claiming something that was not fact. The side commentary was often humorous and informative itself. It gave insight to peoples’ personalities and character. I would recommend this program to anyone in search of a path to recovery.
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