Over the last decade I have had the honor and privilege of working with Recovery Assistants Foundation (RAF). They are a non-profit agency dedicated to helping people recover from mental illness. They raise money to pay for psychiatric evaluations, including brain SPECT scans, as well as coaching, therapy and support. Over the years the Amen Clinics and RAF have shared many amazing stories like the ones below. I want to introduce my readers to RAF and encourage you to financially support this wonderful charity. Here is Joe’s story and then some information on RAF.
Joe’s Story: from Abuse to Recovery
The Making of a Serial Killer
Joe was sexually and physically abused as a toddler and placed in the foster care program. He was receiving therapy and psychiatric care through the county, however his symptoms worsened by the day. At age seven he had to be physically restrained by the police for beating up on his foster mom during a temper outburst. Joe was placed in special education classes due to his behavior of kicking, cursing and running away at any opportunity. Though Joe was sweet at times, Joe had thoughts of both dying and killing and heard voices in his head. Likened to a serial killer, the family was told to “put Joe in a psychiatric facility since he would probably just get worse”.
Instead they found Recovery Assistants Foundation!
Healing the Child RAF assisted this family with the technology of a SPECT Scan at the Amen Clinic revealing Joe’s brain function during times of stress and calm. RAF assisted with a psychiatrist to treat Joe based on the SPECT Scan findings. Therapy was added to work with Joe’s scars due to the abuse and his abandonment issues. Joe’s foster family was assigned a coach from RAF who educated them with resources and a support system to help them work through Joe’s mental health needs, with the school systems and personal weariness.
Today, Joe attends regular classes at school with his peers; he no longer hears voices in his head nor does he run away or rage violently. His scan assisted with targeting two appropriate medications for his brain chemistry issues. Due to his tremendous emotional growth he is even being weaned off therapy sessions. Joe is now capable of telling his foster mom how much he loves her!
Joe is just one out of 62 million children and adults in the United States suffering from a mental health disorder. Untreated mental health disorders can lead to school failure, family conflicts, drug abuse, violence and even suicide. Four of the top ten disabilities are mental health disorders. They are very costly to families, communities and the health care system if not diagnosed appropriately.
More about RAF
Recovery Assistants Foundation is a charitable 501 © 3 organization that offers HOPE for recovery for those struggling with mental health conditions such as ADD, ADHD, depression, addictions, bi-polar, anxiety disorders and the results of childhood abuse .
The Foundation provides support services and programs designed to treat the whole person, by addressing their needs in the areas of mental, physical, nutritional and spiritual wellness.
RAF’s clients generally are unable to function optimally in school, in the workplace or at home, and come to the Foundation through a Mental Health Provider or by word-of-mouth.
Working with the Amen Clinics (ACI), provides RAF a sound benchmark of what condition the client is experiencing and what treatment program will support their recovery. The SPECT scans provide the most accurate diagnosis and are seen as the “wave of the future” in the tailoring of treatment to meet the individual needs of each person. The treatment of mental health conditions could include a combination of medication, therapy, good nutrition and physical fitness. The Amen Clinics provide the client and RAF with the results of the SPECT scan and the prescribed treatment program. At that point, RAF assigns a personal coach to walk along-side the client, supporting them during their recovery process, usually for a period of one year.
RAF recommends psychiatrists and therapists that are using cutting-edge treatment options like the SPECT scans, so that a circle of caring providers can work together for the benefit of the client. RAF knows that this approach helps suffering people change their lives and experience the opportunity to be all that they were destined to be. For instance, Sonya was a young girl being treated for ADHD. Her doctor had her on medication for three years with no relief of her symptoms. RAF assisted with the cost of the SPECT scan and found out that Sonya wasn’t ADHD even though the symptoms were similar! She was bi-polar. Now she is on the right medications and doing well. Her mother wrote “you have saved my daughter from mental torment and stimulants that weren’t even working”.
Another Story of Hope and Healing
“RAF is a huge part of my testimony; this organization has helped to bring health, hope, wholeness and happiness to my life which was depressed, sick, empty, hurting and desperate. RAF has amazing people working on their staff and has great resources to help others. Before RAF helped me, I was burnt out and spiraling downward, there was no way I could even see straight on where to even begin in my recovery. I am so grateful that RAF approaches recovery as helping the whole person I feel much more balanced and healthy because of it. RAF is an amazing ministry/organization that sometimes feels like the best kept secret that I wish more people knew about and supported. Thank you RAF”. Danielle C.
The cost of SPECT scans and other required treatment is typically shared between RAF, the client and the client’s insurance. RAF has a Client Advocate on staff to assist with state and federal benefit information. RAF provides the coaching program at no cost to the client. RAF is supported by grants and private donations. A recent auditor’s report shows that $ .80 of every dollar that is donated to RAF goes directly to the cost of programs for their clients. By the generosity of others, RAF has been able to help nearly 3,000 individuals receive treatment for their mental health disorders over the last 11 years! If you are a professional that is interested in donating a service such as therapy or psychiatric visits, or, you would like to join our team of volunteers to help with fundraisers or other projects, please call RAF’s Director at (714) 560-0120.
If you become a RECOVERY ASSISTANTS PARTNER, be assured that your investment will be monitored and used wisely. You may send your tax ““deductible contribution to: Recovery Assistants Foundation, P.O. Box 10363, Santa Ana, California 92711. You can also go to http://www.recoveryfound.org/html/index.htm to learn more information.
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I am convinced that children in child protective services deserve and need mental health testing and services. In my experience as a CASA guardian ad-Litem working with children over twelve years, I have only rarely seen adequate services provided. A County Judge has provided me with the psychotropic medical prescriptions of the five and ten year old children that have passed through her courtroom in child protectiive services.
What else could explain the suicide attempts by four year olds? http://www.invisiblechildren.org
This article makes my point dramatically:
Trauma and PTSD Among Adolescents With Severe Emotional Disorders Involved in Multiple Service Systems
Kim T. Mueser, Ph.D. and Jonas Taub, M.A.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adolescents with severe emotional disorders who were involved in multiple service systems. METHODS: Sixty-nine adolescents, ages 11–17, and their primary caregivers participated in a system-of-care project in three regions of New Hampshire and were interviewed to determine adolescent trauma exposure, prevalence of PTSD, treatment history, family background, behavioral and emotional problems, functioning, caregiver strain, and strengths and resilience. RESULTS: The rate of current PTSD was 28%, which was underdiagnosed in adolescents’ medical records. PTSD was related to gender (42% for girls and 19% for boys; p=.03), history of sexual abuse (61% among youths with sexual abuse and 15% among youths without), chart diagnosis of depression (47% among youths with depression diagnoses and 16% among youths without), and treatment with multiple psychotropic medications (53% among youths prescribed two or more medications and 26% among those prescribed no medication or one medication). Adolescents with PTSD also were more likely to have run away, engaged in self-injurious and delinquent behavior, reported higher anxiety and depression, and functioned worse at school and home than those without PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD is a common but underdiagnosed disorder among adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders who are involved in multiple service systems. Routine screening for trauma exposure and PTSD should be conducted with all adolescents receiving mental health services so that treatment can be provided to those with PTSD.
We have begun a grass roots movement to bring attention to America’s needy children:
http://www.karagroup.org
has anyone seen the news about this 8 yr old who killed his dad and another man? they are charging him with murder. wow. doesn’t anyone in arizona know about spect scanning? someone needs to scan this kid’s brain! he might have left temporal lobe abnormalities. i hope they look into his head with more than a couch.
I would like to say THANK YOU to Danielle C for what you shared.
Your words gave me hope because you sound just like me, except I’m still on the dark side of the moon.
Thanks so much.
You never know how much we might help someone else when we have the courage to reach out and share.
with gratefulness,
Martha
I watched a PBS special last night, Magnificent Mind At Any Age, hosted by Dr. Amen. I was taken back by Daniel’s insight into the function of the mysteries of the brain. I scrambbled to take notes so I can practice. Unfortunately, I was not able to get all the notes, specifically The Five Ways To Improve Will Power.” I am unable to purchase the series at this time. I am not trying to cheat PBS out of a donation (I used to make yearly donations) I would just appreciate someone, anyone, helping me to fill in the gap. I have to believe that I will recover from my mental illness with my current professional support system, and with a little help from Dr. Amen.
Thank you so much for your time and attention to this matter.
Mona in Massachusetts
to Mona: the book Magnificient Mind… is available from AMAZON.com
I’ve watched Dr. Amen’s MAGNIFICENT MIND AT ANY AGE
presentation 3 times on T.V. and wish I had this information when in medical school and pediatric training. Nevertheless I will disseminate the knowledge and wisdom from Dr. Daniel Amen and refer family, friends and colleagues to his Clinics.
God bless his work.
Betty C. Gaw, M.D.
I am just beginning to read “Change Your Brain Change Your Life,” and I am truly amazed at how many questions I didn’t even know I had are being answered about my own mental health. While I am reading about PMS, bonding problems and deprression, I am continually amazed at how simple these problems have been overcome with medication. However, I am a 7 year recoverd alcoholic who regularly attends A.A. meetings and continually works/practices the A.A. program in my life. I still notice problems with depression, obsessive thinking and especially P.M.S. My hope is to not have to take medication because I am very fearful of getting stuck in a loop of needing more, needing more of other medications I don’t really need, and becoming dependent on substances. While I know there are many people who can successfully take non-narcotic ani-depressant medications successfully in recovery, I feel it interupts my natural spiritual connection to my solution to alcoholism. With that said, are there any alternative solutions that can be as effective on a daily basis to problems in the deep limbic system; i.e. aromatherapy, accupuncture, reflexology, massage, etc.?