Preventative measures This summer marked the second annual public mental health screening event, which provided mental health assessments free of charge to hundreds of community members. “A lot of people don’t even know they have [mental health] problems,” says STOP Marketing Director Vincent Faust. “We make sure everybody can understand the way they are and get help for it.” A two-pronged initiative, the screenings not only assess individuals directly and connect them with resources, the scale and public nature of the event acts to reduce the stigma of mental illness and generate discussion of it in the public discourse. The in-the- community grassroots approach is equally effective at addressing HIV/AIDS and its associated stigma. STOP and ODAAT provide free STI screening and distribute condoms and literature on safe sex practices, along with additional resources for treatment. Once again, they initiate public discussion of the prevalent issues that often go ignored. And because STOP and ODAAT are so entrenched in the Philadelphia community, they can identify the most strategic locations throughout the city to set up their services for people who might not otherwise have access to them.
An active presence Outreach goes beyond the preventative efforts of testing, screening and educating. ODAAT takes an active role providing shelter to the homeless during the winter months. When the city issues a “Code Blue,” indicating highly dangerous winter weather conditions, Program Coordinator David Suender says their vans hit the streets in search of anyone without shelter, to offer them a place to stay. “We’re out there on the ground,” says Suender. “Anyone we see out there, we’re going to get them talking to us and give them the option of housing.” In addition to the active outreach and direct transfer of services, STOP and
ODAAT maintain visibility within the community and at its events. They are active in anti- violence marches, block parties and candlelight vigils, to name a few. When a neighborhood is struck by a violent crime, they arrive to provide support and further resources to the affected community. Having a strong presence isn’t an obligation, it’s just what STOP and ODAAT do to serve and unite the community and its members, increasing the overall wellness along the way. The broad scope and function of outreach programs mimic the holistic nature of the recovery they offer, and the message is the same - change comes when you work at it together.
“Anyone we see out there, we’re going to get them talking to us and give them the option of housing.” - David Suender ODAAT program coordinator
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