Project Return Peer Support Network

Founded in 1980 as part of Mental Health America Los Angeles, PRPSN is the first peer mental health program in California. What began as a “clubhouse” within a Board and Care facility grew rapidly into a model where people from all over Los Angeles were coming together in a wide variety of settings to support each other and show what people with mental illness can do with and for themselves. Spun off as an independent 501(c)3 organization in 2010, Project Return now serves thousands of individuals and families each year. We pick up where traditional mental health services leave off, and our staff utilize lived experience to support and serve others with mental health challenges, bringing their own personal knowledge of what it is like to live with and recover from mental health conditions. We advocate to eliminate stigma by sharing our stories of recovery and provide hope and empowerment to those we serve by holding the belief that all people living with mental health challenges can recover. (More information is available at www.PRPSN.org.)

Our Long Beach based program, Hacienda of Hope, offers a safe alternative to emergency hospitalization for individuals with mental illness who are experiencing a stressful life event or crisis. The two-story home is a welcoming, non-clinical environment, staffed by others who are able to relate, empathize and offer hope and support through crisis. Located on the campus of Century Villages at Cabrillo in Long Beach, the house has nine bedrooms which can accommodate up to eight guests at a time. This short-term respite home offers the space where peer-guests are able to stay short periods of time (usually a few days) to work on their personal growth and wellness in a safe space free of charge. Hacienda of Hope Guests have the opportunity to create individualized wellness and recovery plans and connect with local resources for employment, housing, and mental/physical health care. On-site support groups are available to guests and members of the local community. In addition to the Hacienda of Hope program, PRPSN also offers in-person self-help groups throughout Long Beach. Groups meet weekly in a variety of locations for discussion, friendship and social activities. For many, these peer support groups are the first steps towards recovery, self-help and wellness.