Centerstone Takes Home Award

The Healing Arts Project, Inc. (HAPI) honored Centerstone with their Community Friend Award at the Phoenix Art Gala held in Nashville.

HAPI provides free art classes taught by professional artists, art exhibit and publication opportunities and outreach events.

The annual gala features live music, a silent art auction, dinner and awards. The silent auction features fine art created by artists in mental health and addiction recovery. Proceeds enable HAPI to provide art recovery services for approximately 400 hundred individuals in mental health and addiction recovery each year.

Reducing Stigma

The event highlights the value of arts in recovery while recognizing efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

For those of us in the mental health field, the struggle to reduce stigma and prejudice against people with mental illness refreshes our gratitude for all those who work hard for the independence and well-being of others.

Reducing stigma, providing affordable mental healthcare and meeting the challenges of mental illness are tall orders, but we remain dedicated.

Understanding involves accepting mental illness as real, treatable and equally important as physical health.

Willpower grows with understanding and acceptance and serves as an engine to move citizens, leaders and legislators to develop supportive attitudes, legislation and fund resources for those in need.

Understanding weakens stigma and willpower recharges our efforts, elbow grease—research, developing better treatments and working to make treatment affordable for all.

Peer Support Services

Centerstone Chief Operating Officer in Tennessee, Ben Middleton, accepted the honor by thanking HAPI volunteers and Centerstone Peer Support Services staff and clients for their administrative, therapeutic and creative efforts.

Centerstone Peer Support Services provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals with mental illness or addiction gain confidence, build social skills, develop new friendships and engage in learning and leisure activities with peers.

These activities may include:

• Community outings (movies, shopping and others)
• Holiday and special occasion celebrations
• Creativity (with Healing Arts Project, Inc.)
• Neighborhood service projects
• Health and wellness classes
• Learning to manage mental illness
• Developing and pursuing recovery goals

Eligibility

Services are available Monday through Friday and provided at no cost to adults through a grant from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. No insurance is required, but participants must be current or past consumers of mental health and/or addiction services.

Locations

Participants can access these engaging and supportive services at Centerstone locations in Middle Tennessee counties.