Transforming Lives - The Newsletter of The Harris Center Issue 1 - Summer 2016 | Page 2
myStrength
The health club for your mind™
The Harris Center is implementing a
new tool that will support wellness for
the individuals we serve, their families,
our staff and the community at large it’s called myStrength.
As a supplement to the services we
provide that will be accessible 24/7,
consumers of The Harris Center will be
able to learn new ways to stay healthy
between therapy appointments, and/or
practice the skills learned during group
sessions.
Ana Oyarvide is the recovery manager
at The Harris Center. She is leading the
myStrength project implementation
team.
According to Ana, “The program will
help empower the individuals we
serve before, during and after the time
they are in our care. myStrength is an
efficient and effective way to increase
access to care and will be a great
addition to the services our agency
offers."
The safe, secure and HIPPA-compliant
myStrength web and mobile tools will
help users by providing personalized
inspiration for their recovery to get
better and stay mentally strong.
Family members, staff and the
community at large can also create a
myStrength account through The Harris
Center's license and enjoy the benefits
of the program. Overall access to the
program will be available by August
2016.
The Harris Center Public Affairs team
worked with a media crew from the
Mental Health Channel to support
its efforts to produce a special
documentary that highlights the
intersection between mental illness and
the criminal justice system.
A segment of this special features Dr.
Regenia Hicks, Director of the Harris
County Jail Diversion program, the
story of one program participant, and
the support provided by Case Manager
Joseph Eaglin and Peer Specialist Joan
Green of The Harris Center. A clip of this
segment is available online. You may
watch it via this link:
bit.ly/JailDiversionHarrisCounty
This clip, accompanied by a moderated
discussion, will air on Texas PBS stations
this summer.
Letter from Steven Schnee, Ph.D.
Executive Director of The Harris Center
Dear FriendsWelcome to the inaugural issue of Transforming Lives, the newsletter of The Harris
Center for Mental Health and IDD (formerly the Mental Health Mental Retardation
Authority of Harris County). I invite you to read through this publication to learn
more about the innovative work being done by our dedicated staff and contract
providers to better ensure that persons with mental illness and/or intellectual and
developmental disabilities may live with dignity as fully functioning, participating
and contributing members of our community.
It has been my privilege to serve as executive director of The Harris Center for
almost 24 years. As I look back on this time, I feel a great sense of fulfillment and
pride in knowing that The Harris Center has evolved into an Agency that provided
high-quality, innovative and cost-effective services to over 48,000 individuals last
year alone. I also feel a deep sense of gratitude to our board members, staff, local
leaders, collaborators and supporters because without you, our work would not be
possible.
Most importantly, I am grateful to those individuals who we serve and their families
for all that they bring to our Agency and for the trust they place in turning to us for
assistance. Whether I’m watching the Texas Home Living Choir perform or listening
to one of our peer mentors deliver an inspirational speech, I am constantly amazed
and in awe of the strength and generosity displayed in so many ways.
As many of you know, I recently announced my intention to retire from my position
in 2017. While this decision was not made lightly, I am very much looking forward
to the next phase of my life and appreciate all of the well-wishes received so far.
However, there is still much work to be done before that happens.
Please know that all of us at The Harris Center are working diligently to ensure that
this upcoming transition goes as smoothly as possible so that the individuals we
serve and other stakeholders are impacted as little as possible. My commitment
to you remains the same as always, which is that I pledge to continue to diligently
work to better meet the ever-increasing need for mental health and IDD services and
supports in our community.
Again, thank you for your interest in The Harris Center and your support of our
efforts to continue Transforming Lives.
Sincerely,
Steven B. Schnee, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Mental Health Matters In Criminal Justice
A special documentary