Community Support Services is a division of New Horizons North that offers flexible and individualized treatment and rehabilitation for persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Its mission is to create opportunities for people with mental illness in Ashland and Bayfield Counties to live in homes of their choice and to participate fully in the affairs of their communities. It works to help people make their own choices and realize their own goals. It also assists people to organize and coordinate the supports they may need from family and friends and other agencies. These services include:
• Education about mental illness, symptom management and medications
• Chemical dependency treatment
• Psychiatric and counseling services
• Supported Employment/linkage to educational opportunities
• Social/recreational activities
• Assistance with daily living skills
• Service coordination
Community Support Services is guided by a set of principles:
1. It is the right of every person in our community, disabled and non-disabled alike, to pursue a life of “liberty and happiness”. We believe that the people we serve should have access to homes, jobs, friends, family and acceptance as valued community members. We do not exclude or reject any person from our services based on the nature or severity of their disability or past history.
2. We believe that people with disabilities have a need, equal to that of any other citizens, to control their own lives, to manage their own affairs, and to make their own decisions. Our role is to organize supports in such a way as to enable people to communicate their interests and preferences and to develop decision-making abilities. We aim to promote interdependence not dependence. When a person is legally adjudicated as incapable of acting effectively in his/her own behalf, we support links to citizen advocates, attorneys and guardians.
3. We believe people learn most effectively if given the day in day out opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of life in our community. Our role is to organize the supports which help people manage their own affairs and use the stores, restaurants, churches, recreation facilities and other community resources available to all of us. We measure our success by the same quality of life standards we use for ourselves, our family and friends.
4. We challenge ourselves to help the people we serve open doors to personal relationships and community involvements with non-disabled citizens. We strive to represent ourselves and the people we work with in ways that enhance people’s reputations and break down negative stereotypes.
