John Strain: Help Lake House

John's Online Journal, Mandeville, Louisiana:

The folks at Lake House operate a 6 bed group home named Carroll Street. The group home made it through the hurricane, but Lake House did not. Three feet of water destroyed all of their furniture, office equipment, kitchen appliances, television, and the list goes on. The building is a 5000 sq. ft. rental. There is roof damage along with the water damage and the repairs probably won't be completed for months.

As a social worker, I refer people to Lake House. What they provide in our community is unique. They provide a place for folks with a mental illness to come hang out. The people at Lake House help people with whatever they need. They help with trips to the mental health clinic or doctor, grocery shopping, a listening ear, help getting a job, and providing a place where they are accepted and treated like family.

See also a 9/15 message to his department by SAMHSA administrator Charles Curie:

I have just completed my second trip with Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to survey a greater portion of the damaged region, to interact personally with more survivors, and to meet face-to-face with more State and local officials. At every stop, officials articulated a clear need for mental health and substance abuse services. More often than not they had placed these at the top of their lists.

SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, within the Department of Health and Human Services.