Hope Haven respite center takes shape in Superior
Jan. 31—SUPERIOR — Hope Haven Peer Run Respite, a center that will provide free, voluntary short-term programs for people experiencing a mental health crisis, is taking shape.
"We've done a lot of work actually patching holes in the walls and painting," said Chrissy Barnard, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Lake Superior South Shore WI board of directors.
The nonprofit NAMI affiliate purchased the split-level, four-bedroom home in October from Harbor House Crisis Shelters with a
$200,000 grant from the city of Superior.
Barnard said the home at 19 N. 21st St. had been vacant for three years.
Volunteers have hauled out truckloads of accumulated items and are steadily replacing the former bright colors and patterns on the walls with pale blue, green, purple and gray.
"I don't struggle with my mental health and I found it overstimulating," Barnard said. "So we decided to go with more calming colors and also mental health-themed colors."
The peer-run respite house will provide a safe, homelike environment staffed 24/7 by people with lived experience who can provide resources and support services. It offers
intermediate care for people in mental health crisis
— something lacking in Douglas County.
"We only have inpatient (services) in Duluth," Barnard said. Although Douglas County has outpatient services, there is a 10- to 12-month wait to be seen.
Wisconsin has peer-run respite homes in Appleton, La Crosse, Madison, Menomonie, Milwaukee and Pewaukee, which is for veterans only.
Barnard cited one data set collected by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that showed three months after staying at a peer respite, 70% of guests reported an increase in their quality of life, 71% reported improvement in their recovery and 77% reported a decrease in the use of crisis services.
Hope Haven is on track to open this summer, she said.
A community push has been underway to bring the peer-run respite house to Superior, guided by a partnership between the Miller Dwan Foundation and the
Douglas County Care Team.
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation is contributing toward programming and staffing costs for the house; Essentia Health donated money for a 24/7 warmline, a peer-run hotline that offers callers emotional support and is staffed by volunteers who are in recovery themselves; and Cenovus Energy provided funding for electronics, a snowblower and lawnmower.
"All those things you don't think of but you really do need when you have a house," Barnard said.
An additional $120,000 from the city
was secured to fix water damage to the upstairs bathroom and for the roof above it; to buy a new boiler and hot water heater; and to build an accessible bathroom and bedroom that meet Americans with Disability Act requirements. NAMI Wisconsin has bought small appliances such as coffee pots, blenders, toasters and a vacuum cleaner.
Community members and businesses have purchased items from the group's Amazon Wish List and donated books.
"It's been wonderful how the community has come around to support this initiative," Barnard said.
More is needed, however.
"We have funding from the city for the construction portion of it, but we don't have funding for the staffing," Barnard said. "So we are looking for granters and donations for staffing."
Visit the NAMI Lake Superior South Shore WI website,
or
Facebook page
for information on how to volunteer, become a member or donate to the project.
Visit the Livewell! Northern Wi website,
or
Facebook page
to learn about other mental health initiatives that have been rolled out, from healing spaces to community activities.
