Mental Health America of Los Angeles has seen thousands of individuals return to
a place of hope and new beginnings.
‘MHALA Came Through for Me’
As a young girl living in New York City, Dee dreamed of going to California and figured that the best way to get there was to enlist. She spent five years in the US Marine Corps, stationed in El Toro. When she was honorably discharged, Dee — whose father is also an Army and Air…
‘MHALA Got Me on My Feet’
In a year of a worldwide pandemic, Mental Health America of Los Angeles found new ways in which to continue providing care, assurance, and hope to thousands across LA County. Powered and inspired by the evolving needs of our community, MHALA reinvented its service delivery, continuing to offer our integrated mental health services with appropriate…
‘The Skills I Learned at MHALA Helped My Mom and I Get Jobs’
Angel got his MHALA start at the Transition-age Youth program in the Antelope Valley. As he began building his confidence, he learned about the Employment Services program, eventually joining the work adjustment team. “I worked janitorial at MHALA for about three months,” says Angel. “That was the first job I ever had.” After a few…
‘They Did So Much to Help Me Out’
After living in the East Coast all his life, Steven visited California in 2019 and decided to stay. As he adjusted to having no familial support in the area and to the demands of starting a new life in a new location, he reached out to MHALA for assistance. Steven was homeless for nearly two…
‘TAY Helped Me to Stay Motivated’
Areanna became homeless in 2016. She bounced around friends’ homes for some time; later, she lived in her car and in a shelter in the Antelope Valley. It was at the shelter that she learned about MHALA’s TAY program. She arrived at the TAY program in Lancaster with nowhere to live and no job. Her TAY team began by finding her a room in which to stay for…
‘TAY Has Helped Me Come Out of My Shell’
Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Los Angeles County, Julian attended weekly group meetings at the Transition-Age Youth Academy in Long Beach. Every Friday, he and the other TAY students would come together to enjoy food, talk about community issues, and play games. Every so often they would enjoy outings to area attractions like Knotts Berry…
‘I Took My Weakness and Made it a Strength’
“I’m an immigrant. I came here when I was seven and was raised by a single mom.” Karen’s mom was abusive when she was growing up. Her family would occasionally intervene but most of the time it was just the two of them. One day, her mother hit her as her neighbor watched. Karen was…
‘This Is Where My Miracle Happened’
My name is Rennie and there’s not enough time in a day to tell you of all the trauma, poor decisions, impaired judgement, all the different things that set my life on a self-destructive path from age 8 to age 47. I have been all over this country wreaking havoc and running through people’s lives…
‘My Job Brought Back the Fire in My Heart’
Jordan enlisted in the U.S. Army right out of high school, serving as a supply specialist. While in the military, he learned “the value of bonds.” “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, the color of your skin … you’re out there with people who have your back — and you have…
‘MHALA Loved Me Back to Life’
It was the promise of a hot shower that convinced Roxanne to visit Mental Health America of Los Angeles. Roxanne was a copywriter at a radio station before her world came slowly crashing down. A back injury, depression after a failed marriage, and lapsed health insurance banded together to pull her into a downward spiral.…
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