FRIENDS OF THE CASTLE
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Mission Statement
Agency Mission: The Mission of the Friends of the Castle, Inc.: “The Castle is a gathering place of trust and friendship which supports people with mental illness and disorders to achieve their highest level of competence and independence. Agency Vision: Dignity, health, and quality of life for people with mental illness and disorders through trust and friendship. Agency Goals: 1. Increase Member Participation in Social activities. 2. Increase Peer involvement in planning activities and special events of Social Club and in recovery activities. 3. Grow the influence of peer support recovery in the county. 4. Expand recovery center offerings. 5. Strengthen community education relationships and training.
About This Cause
The Castle for 28 years has been a safe haven for members who experience mental disorders, a place where trust and friendships are formed and where living and social skills are fostered. It is our responsibility to provide guidance, encouragement, advocacy, and re-direction when needed. The "clients" that utilize our services are called "members" as each pay dues of one dollar each month to belong to the “club". Members annually elect officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Social Director). They have monthly meetings. They conduct fund-raising for their members’ activity fund. One of the members serves as their client advocate. There are approximately 300 hundred members of The Castle and all are currently from Montgomery County; each must have a mental health diagnosis. Almost all members are at or below the poverty level of income and /or economic status. The Castle initiated a new and exciting expansion of its mission and purpose which fits in well with the ADAMHS strategic plan of establishing a “comprehensive continuum of services for individuals at risk.” The Castle has expanded its peer support services solely a social club (providing informal, activity focused support) now offering formal recovery services for a higher functioning population. In the recovery program, individuals work on their personal recovery in groups facilitated by trained Co-facilitators who themselves are in recovery. The Castle has established a formal working relationship with South Community Behavioral Health Services and is continuing its relationship with Eastway. South provides a Consulting Clinical Director for two hours a week and Eastway provides bus transportation three days a week. The people who attend The Castle now have a continuity of services from socialization to mental health care and recovery and eventually to job training and accessibility. This plan is an exciting development. Implementation is currently underway, but funding is needed for the support elements of the program; i.e. publicity, marketing, community relations, and training of Peer Support Specialists and other staff. The Castle receives no federal or state monies money although most of our members have Medicaid healthcare coverage. We provide transportation for members of the social club ¬ (that live within the established pick up boundaries) Monday through Friday with the assistance of an Eastway driver and van 3 days a week. We also provide transportation to and from any scheduled outside field trips. The Social Club offers a nutritious meal every day; we depend on donations and volunteers to keep this much needed program going. For some members the Castle lunch will be the only meal for the day. We expect the members to act responsibly; to adhere to the rules; to respect themselves as well as others; to keep The Castle clean, to pay their dues in a timely fashion and to be ready and on time when the Castle driver or Eastway driver comes to pick them up as well as to take them back home.