Behavior and Recovery Resource Center

Our objectives are:

1. To educate the general public about mental illness and mental health.
2. To assist with community programs, festivals, health fairs, etc.
3. To serve as staff liaison on a standing committee of the BRRCWC Board of Directors.
4. Shall be responsible for recommending educational programs including public lectures, publications, professional training programs, and special events, which will contribute to the education, both of the general public and of special groups within the county.
5. Shall be members of the Behavior and Recovery Resource Center in Wells County. Dues $10.00.

HUD 811 Program
The MHAWC is supportive of this program. the purpose of this program is intended to improve the overall quality of life for individuals who have a significant mental disorder by providing clean, safe, supervised, and secure housing to those individuals who are prone to living in inadequate, lower quality housing due to poverty.

Nursing Homes – Christmas Gift/Card
All the residents in the are nursing homes receive a Christmas card and each nursing home (5) is given a gift that most of the residents can enjoy throughout the year.

Christmas Gift Lift – Logansport State Hosp.
The Wells County area churches, individuals, and organizations support and donate monies for this project by purchasing requested gifts for the residents.

Hermina Weiking founded the Wells County Mental Health Association in the early 1950’s. She realized there was a need to support the Vera Cruz Opportunity School and make donations to the Richmond State Hospital. Volunteers provided parties to as few as 15 to as many as 75 patients at the Fort Wayne School for the mentally handicapped. At the Vera Cruz school, residents learned to sew on a sewing machine and make aprons. These volunteers were called Gold Women and Gold Teens. Dan Steiner was the president.

During the 1960’s, Anna Lee Ault, her mother, and grandmother were all members of the association who participated in the program called Adopt-a-Patient. This program was chaired by Dorothy Gitlin, who was involved in choosing a patient to write to and remembered on holidays and special days. Today its purpose remains the same, but the name was changed to “Friend to Friend”. The Wells County Home Economics Clubs currently operate this program under the auspices of the Mental Health Association in Wells County.

Other programs were organized such as collecting suitcases for residents of the Logansport State Hospital and sending Christmas cards to every resident in nursing homes in Wells County (chaired by Rena Soper). Gwen Payne still sends cards to hospital patients who have birthdays each month. After phasing out volunteering in state hospitals another direction was taken. Through MHAWC Annual Gernaium sales and donations, each nursing home is allotted $200 in December to select something that would benefit everyone.

In 2003 the Mental Health Association of Wells county (Now called the Behavior and Recovery Resource Center) expanded its services again – publishing “Issues and Insights” a quarterly newsletter was established in 2003 by Melba Cole and Nancy Bonham. Contributing members were Kaye Manges and Sharon McMillan. The newsletter promoted awareness regarding mental health issues, legislation, educational programs and projects, and coming events, but has since ceased publication. In 2004, an educational committee was formed. Programs are geared towards mental health education in the schools, organizations, and the work place.

Meetings have changed to 2nd Monday of the month, at 10:30 am, Courthouse Annex (unless otherwise announced).  Anyone is welcome to attend!

December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010

Spring 2007
Summer 2007
Winter 2007
Spring 2008
Summer 2008
Winter 2008
Spring 2009

MHA of Wells County Member Handbook

Accepted by-law changes at the 2009 Annual Membership meeting

Annual Report to Wells County Commissioners