Herminio’s Story (New York)

I am a survivor of childhood physical and sexual abuse suffered in three of my foster home placements. As a result, I suffered depression at a very young age and I tried to commit suicide when I was eight years old.

I began using drugs as a teenager and became homeless years later not knowing or even realizing that I had a mental illness and a drug addiction. I’ve been in jail many times, but the two years I spent in a state prison opened my eyes to the truth about myself. I didn’t like what my future would turn out to be if I continued on the same path of self-destruction.

After I got out of prison, I was already diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder, anxiety/panic disorder and post traumatic stress disorder from life changing incidences and tragedies that occurred during my life. I looked back and realized that I had been in foster homes for 15 years, homeless for 10 years and addicted to drugs for more than 25 years. However, with the help of my peers, family and friends, as well as my mental health providers, I have been drug-free for almost 9 years.

I attended and graduated from the Howie T. Harp Peer Advocacy Center in Harlem, New York as a Certified Forensic Peer Specialist working to change the lives of my peers as I continue to better my own life. I’m an advocate and a speaker about recovery and change, and I’ve done many presentations across the country on the issues and successes that impact our lives. I’m involved with many organizations and agencies such as volunteering for NAMI-NY Metro, a Technical Assistance Advisor for the Policy Research Associates, and a Steering Committee Member for National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National Latino Behavioral Health Association, American College of Mental Health Association, and newly appointed Legislative Co-Chair for the New York City Peer Network Group.

I’ve also been given the greatest honor of having received in Paramount Studios the 2008 Consumer Leadership Voice Award for my work in the mental health community. I’m very proud to be the first one to receive this award representing the State of New York and the first Hispanic/Latino in the country.

Currently, I’m working as a Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Specialist at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. As a Certified Forensic Peer Specialist, I worked for two years as a Peer Specialist for the Bronx TASC Jail Diversion Program, one year as a Peer Counselor in the Forensic Psychiatric Unit at Bellevue Hospital, one year as a Peer Advocate for the Bronx Peer Advocacy Center-Baltic Street, and a short while as a Case Manager/Peer Specialist for Pathways To Housing. Without the Forensic Peer Specialist training, I would not have gotten this far in my career and not have been able to spread the message of hope to all of my peers and friends.

I am single with no children. I live in Jamaica, New York. Didn’t graduate High School, but I obtained my General Equivalency Diploma. I like listening to music, watching movies, making a documentary film about our recovery, playing baseball and handball, and perhaps run in this year’s New York Marathon.

My life has been so much better since I kept taking my medications regularly, continuously attend weekly individual and group sessions, have regular visits with my doctor, meet my family, friends and peers as much as possible.

The one most important thing I would like people to change their thinking about mental illness is stigma. Stigma has a devastating and destructive effect against people living with mental illness. But the worse type of stigma is self-stigma. We must educate our peers to overcome their own stigma so they can move on with their lives and live happier. We must also educate our community, schools, and society.

The most helpful way for me to cope with my mental health problems was in using my support networks which are my peers, family, friends and mental health providers. Most importantly, it helps more with my support networks when I believe in myself and never lose hope.

There are many like myself that are unrecognized and have not been rewarded for their work in recovery. My story and the Voice Award also belong to all of my peers and friends because everyday we are living proof that recovery is possible for us and for everyone.

Herminio Maldonado
147-68 Village Road
Apt. 91-D
Jamaica, NY 11435
(71 380-8428
hmaldonado2003@yahoo.com / peersunited@yahoo.com

Kim’s Story (New York)

Have you done something for a long time and realized that you wanted to do something else? Did this change happen overnight or did it take a while? This has happened to me and I am really happy that I made the change in my life.

For 18 years, I have attended the CP Rochester Center. I have learned a lot of great things there and really enjoyed working with the staff. While I was in AmeriCorps, I found out that public speaking was the thing I really like to do. When my term with AmeriCorps was up, I was able to volunteer two days a week with the help of Day Habilitation. I wished that I could volunteer everyday. During this time, I learned about self determination.

Six years ago, I started working on a self determination plan. Self determination is being able to tell Medicaid how I want to spend my money and time. It costs so much money to attend a program like the CP Center. With help and support from my service coordinator, some friends and my mother, we came up with a plan for me to get my own van and a personal assistant. This was a long process but on January 20, 2005, we found out that the plan was approved.

I got my van first. I had to go through the steps of signing the lease and getting the insurance. My van has a ramp that I go up and down to get in and out. I sit up right next to the driver. Having my own vehicle makes me feel as free as a butterfly because I can go everywhere in my electric wheelchair and be totally independent.

The next step was to find a personal assistant. LDA Learning and Lifetime Services is the fiscal intermediary for this project. This means that they help me pay my bills and manage my money. The head of human resources assisted me in putting an ad in the paper for the personal assistant. At the same time, I sent an email to my family and friends about my great news. One of my friends, Marie, wrote back to say that she was interested in the job. She used to work with me at the CP Rochester Center and knew the things that I would need help with. I set up an interview with Marie and I was happy with the results. So I hired her.

Marie comes everyday and accompanies me to the Self Advocacy Office and to presentations. She helps me with my volunteer work and makes sure that I get to all of my presentations. We work really well together and I am very happy. I have been busy doing children’ presentations and some staff trainings at the Developmental Disabilities Service Office.

I also have money for a residential habiltator and respite staff. I am in the process of hiring someone for both positions. The respite staff will come to stay with me when my mother wants to go out for a day or evening.

I miss everyone at the center but I get to see them on the days that I have therapy. Having Marie as my assistant and my van makes me feel so independent. I love the things that I am doing now. Making changes can be scary and take time but I found out that the process is worth everything!