Places For People Wins Lilly Reintegration Award For Housing

Oct. 12, 2009 - PRLog -- St. Louis, Mo. - On Oct. 15, Places for People (PfP) will accept a first place “2009 Lilly Reintegration Award” from The Center for Reintegration at its 13th annual awards ceremony in Indianapolis, Ind. Sponsored by Eli Lilly & Company , the national awards program honors treatment teams, individuals, programs and services that provide assistance to people with severe mental illness.

As a first place recipient in the Housing Services category, PfP receives a $5,000 grant helping to continue its comprehensive housing support and services to people living with mental illness. Since its inception in 1972, PfP has assisted thousands of individuals with serious psychiatric disorders to live independently in the community.

“Our staff is honored by this recognition,” says PfP’s Executive Director Francie Broderick. “We hope this recognition reinforces our strong belief that housing is health care and stable, safe housing is a critical component in helping people recover from serious psychiatric disorders.”

Part of the Lilly event includes a day-long forum where Broderick and her peers share best practices and learn about public relations, fundraising, transitional employment and other related topics.

“It is our duty to create an awareness that helps change public perception,” says Broderick. “By working together and comparing stories we can help our clients reach their fullest potential.”

Since 1997, the Lilly awards program has celebrated the achievements of people who dedicated themselves to improving the lives of individuals with serious mental illnesses, and the achievements of those living with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder that battle tremendous odds to improve their own lives and the lives of their peers.

ABOUT PLACES FOR PEOPLE - Founded in 1972, Places for People is a private, non-profit agency that provides individualized, high-quality and cost-effective services to more than 480 adults with serious and persistent mental disorders.  The agency accepts a special responsibility to serve individuals who rely on public funding and offers an array of comprehensive support services for hundreds of mentally ill in the St. Louis area.  For more than 35 years, Places for People has empowered citizens living with mental illness to live, work, and socialize in environments of their own choosing and is supported from funding provided by public and private organizations and institutions.

For more information on this release or about programs and services offered by Places for People, please contact Pam Boelhauf at 314.535.2310 ext. 254.

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Places for People's mission is to provide individualized, high-quality and cost-effective services to adults with serious and persistent mental disorders so they can live, work, and socialize in environments of their own choosing. We accept a special responsibility to serve those individuals who rely on public funding.