Green Door, Washington DC

1998 3rd Place Winner, Advocacy

Green Door has the distinction of being one of the first organizations to win a Lilly Reintegration Award for Advocacy.  The Advocacy award is presented to a program/organization that defends the rights of people living with mental illness. Now, almost ten years later, Green Door continues to thrive and advocate on behalf of the mentally ill.  Founded over 30 years ago to help District of Columbia residents with severe and persistent mental illness learn to live and work independently, today it is nationally recognized as one of the most successful community programs.

At the core of Green Door’s success is, no doubt, the philosophy by which the organization abides.  Members of Green Door are seen as more than their illness – they are seen as whole persons and are given the respect, dignity and empathy they need in order to recover and move on to independent and fulfilling lives.  The organization also strives to provide high-quality, comprehensive services in a safe, attractive and friendly environment.  All of Green Door’s programs are recovery-based and focus on the individual’s strengths.

Green Door’s comprehensive programs are tailored to meet the needs of each individual.  These services include:

·               Community Support Services – As a Core Service Agency certified by the department of Mental Health, Green Door is authorized to provide the full quota of psychiatric services, including assessment, counseling, medication management and case management. They also offer additional services to individuals with a co-occurring disorder of substance abuse.

·            Housing Services - Approximately 90 percent of Green Door’s members are below the poverty line.  The program provides supported housing as well as helps its members to find safe and affordable housing – on Green Door’s properties or through government-assisted housing programs.

·            Job Training and Placement – At the heart of any recovery-based model is helping people with mental illness get the education and training they need in order to live productive lives.  Green Door is the only program in DC that uses the clubhouse model to get people with mental illness back to work.

Since opening their doors in 1976, Green Door has helped close to 3,000 mentally ill move from institutions and homelessness to live independent lives.  Their successes even prompted former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter to declare, “(Green Door is) a wonderful program and a good example to everyone in the country.”

For more information on Green Door, please visit their website at www.greendoor.org.

###