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PO Box 1927 • Louisville, KY 40201-1927
(502) 637-4361 • Fax (502) 637-4490
Mission
To promote the recovery of persons with severe and persistent mental illness through leadership in the development of quality housing and rehabilitative services.
History and Growth
Since it began in 1982, Wellspring has developed seven staffed residential programs and 88 community-based independent housing units. Most of the housing is in Jefferson County; however, services have expanded to surrounding counties.
Service Fees
Costs for Wellspring’s programs and housing rentals vary according to site. However, all charges are based on a sliding fee scale.
Treatment Philosophy - The Recovery Paradigm
An underlying premise of Wellspring’s work is the belief that when persons with mental illness have the stability and dignity of housing, then the work of psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery can begin. Recovery for persons with psychiatric illness does not mean cure; it means developing a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life despite the presence of mental illness. Recovery is a unique process for each person and local communities must respond with an array of options to meet an individual’s needs and preferences.
Housing & Program Development Philosophy
Wellspring is a multi-faceted agency providing program and housing services and performing all phases of housing development as well. This includes planning, site location, arranging financing and construction contracting. Wellspring takes great pride in developing safe, attractive and affordable housing which improves both the areas where it is located and the lives of the persons with mental illness who live there. In the area of program development, we continuously work to train staff in the recognized best practice methods identified by researchers in the field. We have been especially focused on training staff and implementing the best practices for serving persons with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders, as such a large percentage of persons we serve are actually diagnosed with both illnesses.
The Wellspring Staff
At Wellspring, highly trained professionals are dedicated to helping clients achieve personal growth and fulfillment.
Wellspring is guided by a staff of over 100 professionals and paraprofessionals (peer support counselors) who serve nearly 600 clients in Jefferson and Shelby counties annually.
Members of our management team include:
Executive Director
Katharine R. Dobbins, LCSW
dobbinsk@wellspring-house.org
(502) 637-4361 ext. 14
Chief Operating Officer
Bob Brodbeck
brodbeckr@wellspring-house.org
(502) 637-4361 ext. 11
Director of Programs
T. Patrick Rhodes, LCSW
rhodesp@wellspring-house.org
(502) 637-4361 ext. 15
Program Information Director
Tony Cecil
cecilt@wellspring-house.org
(502) 634-1566
Medical Records Director
Trina Mason-Burton
burtont@wellspring-house.org
(502) 637-4361 ext. 30
Development Director
Nancy Doctor
doctorn@wellspring-house.org
(502) 637-4361 ext. 12
THE WELLSPRING BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Margaret Pennington, Chair
Jefferey Yussman, Vice Chair
George W. Rapp, Jr., Treasurer
Cissy Mills, Secretary
Robert P. Bordogna
Meredith Brown
Christina L. Butler, M.D.
Sanford L. Fleck
William Friel
Gregory E. Mayes
David W. Miles
Alan K. MacDonald
Nancy Neill
Jackie Swigart, Ph.D
Elmore A. "Ack" Willets, III
Honorary Lifetime Members
Philip P. Ardery, Founding Chair
Nancy B. Bell
Roberta Fischer
Frank M. Gaines, Jr., M.D.
The Rev. Richard H. Humke
Clifford C. Kuhn, M.D.
Malcolm R. Mathews, Jr.
Cornelia A. Serpell
Bosworth M. Todd, Jr.
John I. Trawick
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Programs and Independent Housing
CRISIS STABILIZATION UNITS (CSUs)
The Frank M. Gaines Center CSU, founded in 1995, was the first residential community-based crisis unit developed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was joined in July, 2007 by the David J. Block Center CSU. They are this region’s only such programs, serving persons who are experiencing acute symptoms of mental illness such as severe depression, mania or symptoms of psychosis. They are the only Wellspring programs that do not require a severe and persistent mental illness diagnosis to be eligible for services (75% have an SMI diagnosis). The primary criterion is that the individual is experiencing a psychiatric crisis. While at the CSUs individuals receive intensive treatment, close monitoring with high levels of staff support and medications prescribed by a psychiatrist. The goal of the CSUs is to assist clients who are in an acute phase of their mental illness in achieving psychiatric stabilization and avoiding hospitalization. Each CSU houses eight men and women at a time in a homelike setting in downtown Louisville. Admissions are accepted seven days a week. The average length of stay is ten days.
Each CSU has an on-site staff that includes:
- Psychiatrist (both on-site and on-call)
- Three Master’s level clinical social workers
- Art therapist
- 24-hour staff double coverage
- Peer support staff
- 24-hour on-call clinical staff
Of the 404 residents served in FY2009:
- 93% were treated without need for hospitalization
- 80% achieved treatment goals they established at admission
- 74% experienced a 20% or greater decrease in psychiatric symptoms from admission to discharge
- 92% of people reporting depression on admission reported an elevation in mood by discharge
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TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
Ardery House
Ardery House opened in 1982 as the agency’s first site. It was named to honor founding board chair Philip P. Ardery. The goal of the program is to assist persons who are leaving the hospital and/or experiencing homelessness to achieve independent living. All persons served are diagnosed with mental illness and almost half have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder.
Ardery House provides 13 men and women with room, board, life skills training, recreational activities, case management and individual and group therapy. Residents have an eleven-month average stay.
21 clients were served in FY 2009; of 11 exits:
- 100% of clients measured had a reduction in psychiatric symptoms; improvement averaged 55%
- 100% improved their independent living skills; improvement averaged 53%
- 100% of graduates completing our survey reported an improved quality of life; improvement averaged 37%
- 73% (8 of 11) achieved their housing goals
- 91% of the residents who had been hospitalized the year prior to admission were able to remain free from hospitalization
- 100% of Ardery House clients were either homeless when admitted or in imminent danger of becoming homeless
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Journey House
In December 1998, Wellspring opened Journey House as an attempt to better address the needs of Louisville’s dually diagnosed, homeless women who were falling through the cracks of a service system not set up to treat their illnesses simultaneously. The mission of Journey House is to provide support for homeless women with co-occurring diagnoses of severe mental illness and substance use disorder who have frequently been victims of violence and have typically experienced multiple failures in treatment and independent living prior to coming to Journey House.
Journey House is the first residential program in Kentucky specifically designed to serve this population. Staff are trained in the treatment of both mental illness and substance use disorders, and the program is structured to provide extensive support to eight residents as they learn to cope with the issues of recovery from both illnesses. The average stay is fourteen months for graduates.
20 clients were served in FY 2009; 12 exited, 8 completed the program:
- 100% of graduates were substance free for 60 days or more at exit; average sobriety for this group was 16 months
- 100% of graduates went to housing of their choice
- 100% of graduates had some decrease in psychiatric symptoms; their average was a 24% reduction
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PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING
Wellspring operates three supported housing programs which enable persons who have extensive histories of psychiatric hospitalization to live successfully in the community. There is no limit on the length of time someone may live in these houses. Broadway House, opened in 1986, is located in the Phoenix Hill neighborhood. It is home to eight men who live in a congregate environment. Concord Apartments are located in Hikes Point and opened in 1987. They provide housing for eight women in four two-bedroom apartments. Crescent House opened in 2003. It is staff supported housing in a large, single-family house for three men having extensive hospitalization histories.
Staff complement includes:
- Master’s level clinical social workers
- Consulting psychiatrist
- Residential staff coverage (variable according to client need)
- 24-hour on call clinical staff
Of the 19 clients served in FY 2009:
- On average, there was a 100% reduction in days of psychiatric hospitalization compared to the year prior to entering these programs
- 100% of clients are involved in community based activities; nearly 40% are employed on a part-time basis
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INDEPENDENT HOUSING
Wellspring provides nearly 90 units of deeply subsidized rental housing for persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses. These tenants have very limited incomes and many would be homeless or live in substandard housing without this resource. This housing is coupled with appropriate support services from Wellspring and Seven Counties Services to provide tenants a permanent home base for their journey of recovery. Wellspring housing units are varied in type to allow consumers to make wise choices. Although primarily geographically spread throughout Jefferson County, there is also a four-unit residence in Shelbyville. Leasing for tenants is on an open-ended basis.
A 97% occupancy rate was maintained during the most recent fiscal year
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PO Box 1927 • Louisville, KY 40201-1927
(502) 637-4361 • Fax (502) 637-4490
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