Case Study Of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services

A stigma is defined as, “a strong lack of respect for a person or a group of people because they have done something society does not approve of,” by the Cambridge Dictionary. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to harbor these negative opinions towards people who suffer from anxiety or depression or emotional instability. Discrimination against the mentally ill has become interweaved in our societal norms, and one may not even be aware that they’re a part of the problem. Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services strives to educate individuals across cultures about the validity and severity of mental illness. Their mission is described on the Didi Hirsch website as follows: “Didi Hirsch transforms lives by providing quality mental health and substance

For example, having the idea of suicide as the unpardonable sin of the Christian faith does not actually prevent or relieve suicidal thoughts; it only indoctrinates a fear factor and brings one deeper down into the hole that is mental illness. Being teased for having anxiety attacks or given the cold shoulder for temporarily distancing oneself is bound to produce a negative stereotype in the mind of the sufferer, eventually leading to the feeling that something might be wrong with them. Due to our culture’s misconception regarding mental illness, this leaves many without jobs, access to satisfactory health care, and a general feeling of ostracization from society. Didi Hirsch aims to erase these stigmas surrounding mental illness and support those fighting their battles with illness. The Suicide Hotline is a particularly intriguing part of the agency, mainly due to the fact that it is entirely ran by volunteers. After a six week training program, participants are then offered a 4-hour shift of their choice and are closely monitored for 3 months. To continue volunteering, one must take quarterly classes which reiterates the initial training sessions. Other services are offered including classes that help inform others about mental illness, professional psychiatric treatment, and counseling for families with emotional

Unemployed women suffering from mental illness during the great depression obviously did not receive a lot of attention. A group of philanthropists saw these women required psychiatric treatment and thus, the organization was born. With time, the nonprofit began receiving attention and finally established themselves in an area near downtown Los Angeles. By 1974, a headquarters building was founded in Culver City and the agency became recognized as an official Community Mental Health Center. Didi Hirsch, a long-time advocate for mental illness awareness and substance abuse treatment, became the face of the agency through her boundless contribution to the cause. Being a social worker, she supported the agency with determination and it was cordially renamed in her honor. Didi Hirsch now aids over 70,000 people per year in many different cities around California, erasing harmful stigmas and saving lives one person at a