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New Rochelle, NY -- The Westchester Consumer Empowerment Center (WCEC) has announced the start-up of its toll-free Peer Support Warmline to deter crisis and reduce the use of professional emergency services. Individuals from the Upper Bronx, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties who are diagnosed with mental illness,can now receive support and empathy from peers by calling (877) HELP-800. Warm Line does not serve individuals from Manhattan, Kings, Queens, and Nassau Counties. The Warm Line operates Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WCEC is a unique vocational rehabilitation mode, operated by people diagnosed with mental illness to provide peer support and self-help services to residents of Westchester and Rockland Counties.

"The Warm Line is staffed and operated by peers who have completed Peer Advocate telephone training," said James J. Rye, Executive Director of WCEC. "The line serves to help others work through difficult situations, as well as share in positive experiences. We are hoping to operate the Warm Line on a 24-hour, seven days a week basis," says Rye.

Now at its new location, 612 Main Street, WCEC's addition of the Warm Line to its program roster is among the recent changes affecting the organization. In all, the Center currently offers five programs.

Dimensions, the Center's milieu, is a program that provides peer support, daily self-help groups, art workshops, computer instructions, daily lunches, social events and a place to visit for those diagnosed with mental illness.

Westchester/Rockland Advocacy Coalition (WRAC) is an award-winning psychiatric inpatient peer advocacy program. It has received local and statewide recognition in advocating for the rights of inpatients. WRAC provides one to one advocacy, systems advocacy and self-help at five locations in Westchester and Rockland Counties: Rockland Psychiatric Center in Orangeburg, New York; United Hospital in Port Chester, New York; Mount Vernon Hospital in Mt. Vernon, New York; Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, New York and WorkLink Workshop, a vocational rehabilitation center in Yonkers, New York.

The Professional Education Program (PEP) educates the public on mental illness and tells how to approach individuals diagnosed as such. The program's aim is to reduce the negative effects of common myths and stereotypes attributed to mental illness. Since it began last Fall, PEP has provided a four-month training to the White Plains Police Department, a briefing with Gannet Suburban Newspapers' editors and reporters of The Journal News, seminars at SUNY Purchase and the College of New Rochelle, as well as a lecture series at New Rochelle's public schools.

Project Return is a program designed to emphasize and nurture independent thinking while building self-esteem and confidence. It provides facilitative assistance and a way to recovery for patients diagnosed with mental illness who are Westchester residents at Hudson River Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Founded in 1996, the Westchester Consumer Empowerment Center is a non-profit organization, which supports and advocates for people diagnosed with mental illness. WCEC has approximately 25 employees with its headquarters in New Rochelle. For more information about WCEC call 914-576-7022.