ANNUAL REPORT
July 1, 2007 – June, 30, 2008
Purpose, Activities, and Accomplishments
Origins: The Brain Foundation (TBF) was established by Trudy Harsh in 2003 in order to educate the public about brain diseases and provide housing for those afflicted by brain diseases. With the help of many professionally talented and devoted members on the Board of Directors, TBF obtained IRS certification as a 501 (c) 3 non profit organization and the State of Virginia recognizes it as a charitable organization authorized to solicit contributions for its activities. Trudy is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of TBF. She also is:
- Realtor – 1977-Present; Associate Broker, Long and Foster Realty – Current;
- Former member and President of the Northwest Center Mental Health Advisory Board – 1990-96;
- Member, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board Residential Housing Committee – 1990-98;
- Appointed Sully District Representative to the Fairfax - Falls Church Community Services Board – 2001-Present;
- Member, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board Mental Health Committee – 2001-Present;
- Member, NAMI; formerly known as the National Association for the Mentally Ill – 1990-Present;
- Founder and President, Friends of Rock Hill, a mental health residential facility – 1991-96;
- Recipient, United Way In My Back Yard (IMBY) Award -- 1996;
- Principal supporter of the existing Stephenson House in Fairfax and principal proponent for building two more such houses -- 2008;
- Recipient, Nancy McDonald Beyer Exemplary Community Service Award -- 2005;
- Commendation, the Virginia House of Delegates – 2006;
- Recipient, Volunteer Service Award for working with Persons with Disabilities by Volunteer Fairfax – 2008;
- Recipient, Joshua Steven Collins Award of Excellence by NAMI-VA – 2008.
Mission: The mission of TBF is to enable those who are afflicted with serious and persistent brain diseases to live in dignity and safety within communities that respond to them with recognition, acceptance, protection, healing, and opportunity.
There is no clear line of division between the mind and the body. No one of us has been spared at least occasional and mild disorder in our brain. But serious and persistent brain disease such as schizophrenia, bipolar disease and depression are chronic, disruptive, devastating and even deadly to those who suffer and tragic and costly to families who suffer with them. Brain diseases occur no less frequently than disease in other organs of the human body but it is more misunderstood, more feared, and more neglected.
Although there is still so much to learn about causes and solutions, serious and persistent brain diseases are treatable and manageable. When provided the best of our knowledge and resources, the vast majority of people who suffer can live fulfilled lives, participating in and contributing to their families and communities. In those few cases where current medical treatment is not effective, alleviation of the consequences of disease are still possible, effective and obligatory.
TBF is comprised of people who accept an obligation to educate, advocate, alleviate, and collaborate in the world of the complex, challenging reality of mental illness (brain diseases). They diligently collect, organize, and disburse a wide array of resources to do effective, concrete work for and with those who have serious and persistent brain diseases.
The work of TBF is organized to provide affordable housing, improve public education, and enable social integration for those afflicted with brain diseases. Such individuals often live on Social Security Disability insurance and cannot afford to pay more than 1/3 of the cost of safe and adequate housing. TBF is committed to raising about $25,000 per house annually to subsidize the remainder of these costs. With inflation and debt reduction, these homes will become self sustaining
Fund Raising: The establishment of the first “Laura’s House at Wilcoxson” in November 2006 opened several avenues of support. On June 6, 2007, TBF received a $50,000 Northern Virginia Regional Grant. It was spent by July 1, 2008, as required by the grantor, to support Laura’s House at Wilcoxson and provided the support needed to open the second “Laura’s House Layton Hall” in November 2007. These funds enabled the retention of a carryover reserve of about $145,000. TBF has a policy of targeting about two years of reserve funding (i.e. about $50,000) for each house before purchasing another.
In December 2007, the Philip Graham Fund provided a $40,000 grant to provide a down payment on another house. A foreclosure property was purchased in June 2008, refurbished and will be ready to rent at affordable rates to four men afflicted with brain diseases by August 2008. It was named “Laura’s House at King Edward”.
While the challenge of sustaining the unfunded costs of this operation is great, TBF expects continued contributions to be forthcoming. The 2008 and first annual United way of the National Capital Area campaign designated nearly $7,500 to TBF. It has been approved to participate again in the 2009 United Way as #8594, the Combined Virginia Campaign as #8278, and the Combined Federal Campaign as #56716. The 2009 designations are expected to be substantially greater because fundraising campaign letters will be sent from the Board of Directors to friends and business associates explaining the merits of designating funds to TBF.
In late June 2008, TBF was notified that the United Way of the National Capital Area would provide a $24,000 grant in quarterly installments for subsidizing the rental costs at Laura’s Houses. In addition, TBF has been approved for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development (HUD) rental subsidy assistance. This assistance will last for up to 10 years on two of its houses based on the resident’s low incomes and their inability to pay fair market rental rates. These annual contributions, grants and HUD’s rental subsidy assistance will be supplemented from the reserves, if necessary, and sustain the Laura’s Houses into perpetuity.
Addressing the need of those who suffer from brain diseases: TBF operates exclusively to support charitable purposes. It intends to provide help to individuals who are disabled and disadvantaged as a consequence of brain-based diseases. Its initial and primary focus is the needs of the population within that group who suffer from serious and persistent mental disease such as bi-polar disease, schizophrenia and chronic or major depression. TBF is dedicated to providing and promoting substantial increases in the availability, quality and effectiveness of a broad range of assistance so that such individuals may live in dignity and safety within communities that respond to them with respect, acceptance, protection, healing and opportunity.
Providing housing: TBF directs most of its net resources to providing affordable housing and the remainder to public education and social integration. Hundreds of thousands of mentally ill Americans who, prior to the mid-1950s, would have received treatment in medical institutions have been relegated to the unfulfilled promise of adequate community-based treatment and support.
All too often, people who should be receiving medical treatment in appropriate environments are instead homeless or in prison. Estimates from sources such as The National Institute for Mental Health and advocacy groups such as NAMI estimate that more than fifty percent of homeless individuals have a brain-based disease. A 200 page report released October 9, 2007, by Virginia’s General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission concludes that after four decades of emptying the mental wards of its state hospitals, jails now house more people with mental illness than state and private hospitals combined. Of the more than 6,350 mentally ill people in hospitals or jails on a single day in 2005, 60 percent were in jails. In 1936, only one person with mental illness was in jail for every six in state hospitals. In 2005, that ratio had gone to five people in jail for every two in a hospital. A person who received SSI benefits in 2008 lives on $637.00 a month; yet, in Fairfax, Virginia average monthly rents exceed $1000.00. Recent major cuts to state and local funding have exacerbated an already severe shortage of subsidized housing and the number of ill and needy people with nowhere to go is a national disgrace. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania proved that it costs society no more to house and treat an ill individual than it does to leave him or her untreated or inadequately treated and on the streets or in jail. TBF intends to replace such conditions with safe and stable housing.
In October 2007, TBF was awarded its second loan from the Virginia Housing Development Authority to purchase a house in Fairfax, VA. It is home to four brain diseased women and was named “Laura’s House at Layton Hall”. A third housing loan was awarded in June 2008 and that home was named “Laura’s House at King Edward”. All of these homes have been beautifully furnished with donated items and donated services. Pathway Homes, Inc., which has experienced social workers, is managing the care of the residents and has placed brain diseased men and women in these homes.
Supporting health care needs; social integration; day care and employment opportunities; legal services; and, promoting human rights: The remainder of TBF’s resources will be devoted to alleviating the many challenges that adversely affect people with brain-based disorders.
The need for adequate counseling and pharmacological treatment for psychological disorders and adequate and effective treatment for other healthcare needs such as dental care is pervasive. One recent study demonstrates that, over a three year period, the cost of one group of anti-psychotic medications increased 192 percent.
The recent Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health states: “Stigmatization of people with mental disorders has actually increased since the 1950’s. Stigmatization leads others to avoid living, socializing or working with, renting to, or employing people with mental disorders. It reduces patients’ access to resources and opportunities and leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and hopelessness. It deters the public from seeking, and wanting to pay for their care. It deprives patients of their dignity and interferes with their full participation in society.”
TBF addresses these requirements by directly supporting other programs that provide health care services, mentoring, counseling, education, recreation, day programs, employment, and human rights advocacy. It has been using some of the funds to support other organization’s activities related to improving the quality of life for those afflicted by brain diseases.
TBF is a strong proponent of the need for Fairfax County to provide two more Stephenson type houses. It has provided leadership on how to organize and manage affordable housing for the brain diseased. Dave’s House in Fairfax is one example. An organization in Roanoke has asked for technical assistance too. In addition, various local NAMI organizations have asked TBF to provide information on their business model in order that they could emulate our approach to providing housing for those with brain diseases.
TBF is continuing to sponsor Friday Night Socials; 28 were held annually since 2006. About twelve brain diseased people have attended each event. TBF served dinner and entertained the guests by playing cards, Bocce ball, listening to musicians, singing songs and entering interesting discussions. The future is bright. A fourth house will be bought later this calendar year.
