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Before telling you some of the concrete things we are working on at the Bronx Peer Advocacy Center, I want to touch on an issue that I believe relates centrally to our work. Mental illness is not just about weakness. We work (and play) with our strengths as well. A tremendous amount of energy goes into being psychotic, and while to the undiscerning observer the utterances and behavior may all seem like gibberish, frequently-in terms of a push towards self-growth-they have, at least in part, an underlying rationale. I know that I, personally, during many episodes pushed myself to the limit on a variety of subjects: homelessness, giving away money, communication with God-a whole litany of issues. And while I might not have been always able to synthesize the jumble of my thoughts then, I was weighing and balancing ideas and, ultimately, the work itself was invaluable. I have built present day outlooks, approaches and philosophies on many of the things I learned from those experiences. At Bronx Peer Advocacy Center we credit our clients with having similar growth experiences to draw upon. We go the extra mile, as we have learned to do, for them. With training and with our own ingenuity we have put together some workshops that are well-enjoyed and benefit all concerned. We know to keep our antennae up for any signs of what the clients are looking to hear and talk about. The workshops that respond to their concerns are 1) general recovery and hope discussions, 2) money management, 3) self-care, 4) self-esteem, 5) various excursions into love-related topics: How does one fall in love and make lifelong friends? For love and money, The effects of love on self-esteem and so forth. Other workshops that have met with success include those that seem more like lectures although group participation seems consistent for us. These include workshops on advance directives, social security, including a mock SSI appeal, housing alternatives, independent living skills, employment issues, etc.

We also have advocates "outposted" one day a week at a variety of locations in the Bronx. These include Fordham Tremont Mental Health Outpatient Program, Bronx Lebanon and Our Lady of Mercy Hospitals, Boulevard Clubhouse and Federation of Employment and Guidance Services.

We run an office of nine advocates. Our caseloads are bulging. We have, since opening our office in February of 2001, helped people get placed in apartment programs. We have seen people who have come to us find job training and eventual employment. People have felt relief and assistance with all manner of benefit and service issues. We have our own Notary who also steps up to the plate in helping those who need it with their legal concerns.

We are thrilled to be able to make a positive difference in people's lives. Thank you Baltic Street Mental Health Board for permitting us to earn our livings in such a wonderful way! Thanks to Baltic Street, we can earn our livings without having to be ashamed of or hide in any way who we are or where we have been. Our histories as being mental health consumers are an asset here, rather than a liability. Times certainly are changing for the mentally ill. Certainly, I don't recommend any type of disability to anyone, but standing up for one's peers, with the backing of an organization like this one, is a response to an affliction such as ours that brings a certain nobility to a difficult situation.