Safe Haven Wellness and Recovery Center faced many challenges over the past few years, including the loss of its prior location to fire and the end of congregate activities during the pandemic.
But the popular Behavioral Health program officially switched back on their “open” sign Tuesday, during an open house at their new location at 124 E. Webster St., Colusa.
Jeannie Armstrong, Safe Haven’s clinical program manager, said the open house happened to fall on “Go For Broke Day,” which was solidified as a catchphrase during World War II to mean commitment, perseverance, hard work, and integrity.
“I believe our Behavioral Health staff has gone for broke in reopening Safe Haven,” Armstrong said. “We have created a membership packet, updated rules, formalized policies and procedures, added new resources, like our computer room and a laundry room, clarified the role of Behavior Health staff and Safe Haven Leadership Committee, and we’ve varied our groups to include health and wellness for a whole person approach. So, we have certainly gone for broke and have given it our all.”
Safe Haven, established in 2008, is a peer supported drop-in center that serves adults and older adults who are in recovery from substance abuse, dealing with mental health issues, or overcoming isolation through social interaction with peers.
In addition to promoting mental health and substance use awareness, Safe Have strives to reduce stigma and advocate for and empower others to progress toward wellness and recovery.
“It’s this mission that guides us in the work we do, and reminds us of the importance of pee-to-peer support to aid in wellness and recovery,” Armstrong said. “
The center provides a number of recovery and resiliency-focused groups run by peers and Behavioral Health staff.
Peer Support Specialists Valerie Stirling and Amanda Davis essentially run the program and are at the location daily to lead groups, provide one-on-one support, and link members to other resources available in the community.
County officials and community members enjoyed a tour of the new facility, which also has a conference room, meeting room, food pantry, arts and crafts room, popcorn machine, kitchen, and game room.
“The most exciting room in the whole place is our upcoming computer lab,” Stirling said. “We have IT being put together for us. We have three computers. This is something we have needed all the years that I have worked here. We never had this.”
The leadership committee, which includes President Wally Osbourn, are also helping to merge the “old” program with the new.
Anyone 18 and older who wants to participate in their wellness and recovery can become Safe Haven members, officials said. All services are free of charge.
One of the most significant changes in the program is that Safe Haven, which was previously run as a nonprofit organization, is now entirely under the umbrella of Colusa County Behavioral Health.
While no longer reliant on fundraising to survive, Safe Haven and Behavior Health will have their annual Veterans Car Show as outreach to the community and to raise awareness of their programs.
The car show will return to Memorial Park (10 AM to 2 PM) on May 14 in celebration of “Mental Health Month” and will be held in conjunction with their annual “Stamp Out Stigma” campaign.
Car registration is $10 per car. The event provides free admission, free lunch, live entertainment, and a free raffle ticket for donated prizes.
For more information about Safe Haven programs or the Veterans Car Show, call Stirling at (530) 458-0707 or Davis at (530) 458-0799. ■