...helping people build skills, self-confidence and support

	News to Note...
	We’re pleased to announce our latest grant from the Boeing Company. Boeing is supporting our new Military Resource Center, which provides outreach, education and counseling for returning military personnel, veterans and their families. This center, part of our new service site, has received generous support from and was named in honor of the employees of the Tybrin Corporation in the valley.

Introduction 

Following our deep commitment to reach out to communities in need of mental health care, MHA has served the Antelope Valley part of our county since 1988. Today, we continue to be the only nonprofit mental health program for adults and young adults with mental illness and homeless people with mental illness.

In this community – often a needy but neglected part of the county – collaboration is the cornerstone of our work. We work closely with others – service systems, elected officials, business and community leaders – to create a cohesive community so the people we serve can find an open, accepting environment and opportunities to achieve their goals. We are fortunate to have a dynamic advisory committee to guide us in these efforts.

Services

From our first self-help club, we have built a broad spectrum of services:

		Integrated Services for Adults In this program, we work one-to-one with adults who have mental illness. We customize a full range of services – mental health care, housing assistance, job training, substance abuse recovery, social skills training and money management – to each individual’s goals.
		Transition Age Youth Program We help young people with mental illness ages 17 to 25, many coming from foster care, make a safe and secure transition to adult life. We assist them in locating housing and provide training in daily living skills. We link them to education and help them train for work and find jobs.
		Homeless Assistance Program MHA offers the valley’s only service for homeless people with mental illness, including those who have substance abuse problems. Services at our drop-in center meet immediate needs for showers, laundry, clothes, and links to food and shelter. Our long-term assistance in finding housing, learning living skills, and receiving health and mental health treatment is the key to helping individuals move to safety and stability off the streets.
		Housing “Housing Plus” pairs our care with housing certificates for low-income, disabled people. We help individuals apply for the certificates, find apartments in the community, move in and be successful in their new homes.
		Discovery Center This is the valley’s first center run by and for people with mental illness. It offers education classes, recovery group meetings, life and work skills training, a resource library, get-togethers at the center and social activities in the community.

Honors

In recognition of our contributions to the community, United Way of Los Angeles’ Antelope Valley Region named us “charity of the year” for 1997 and 2001, the same year our valley services director was named “volunteer of the year.” In 2002, we were “charity of the year” specifically for work with the Access Center, a collaborative we helped start.

Our Antelope Valley director has been recognized for her leadership. She is the valley’s 2003 “Athena Award” winner for professional excellence, community service and mentoring. In 2000, she received special recognition for lifetime achievement from the “Welcome Back Awards,” a national program sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company to recognize excellence in individuals’ work on behalf of people with depression. Mental Health America honored her with the Clifford Beers Award, its highest honor, in 1996.

Funding

Our services are supported by contributions from the community and contracts with government. We have received support from the Boeing Company, Lancaster West Rotary, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Corporation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Our services are funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, California Departments of Mental Health and Rehabilitation, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

Contact Us

We are Located at 506 W. Jackman Ave., Lancaster, California; our phone number is 661-726-2850. The Discovery Center is located at 1609-G E. Palmdale Blvd., Palmdale, California. Its phone number is 661-947-1595.