History

In 2009, Via Hope was created out of the Texas Mental Health Transformation Project in an effort to help transform the Texas mental health system into one that is consumer and family member-driven. We provide training and technical assistance to people in recovery, their family members, youth and mental health professionals that further efforts to create a system that is recovery and resilience oriented.

How was the name Via Hope created?

A group of consumers, family members, youth consumers, and professionals spent valuable hours working to come up with the name Via Hope.  The word Via means “traveling through (a place) en route to a destination”.  "Hope" was one of several words considered that represent concepts important in recovery.  Together, the words "via hope" symbolize the journey individuals with mental illness take to recovery.  The tree in the logo symbolizes, among other things, the continual cycle of renewal and rebirth.

Mental Health Transformation

In October 2005, SAMHSA awarded a five-year Mental Health Transformation Grant to Texas, with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) designated as the lead agency. In the Texas Mental Health Transformation (MHT) Project, the state was charged with building a solid foundation for delivering evidence-based mental health and related services, fostering recovery, improving quality of life, and meeting the multiple needs of mental health consumers across the life span.

Via Hope Timeline

From the start and continuing today, Via Hope has sponsored a wide variety of training developed and provided by other organizations.  These trainings are selected based on a needs assessment conducted shortly after Via hope was created.  See the Sponsored Training tab for more information.

One of Via Hope’s first major initiatives was to develop a training and certification program for peer specialists. The training program was launched in 2010. In 2010, Via Hope developed a Peer Specialist Learning Community to assist local mental health centers implement peer support services and develop the kind of recovery oriented organizational culture required for successful peer support. As a result of what was learned throughout the 2010 PSLC, we launched the 2011 Recovery-Focused Learning Community and broadened our focus to significantly emphasize culture and practices that promote recovery. Ten local mental health centers and five state hospitals participated in the 2011 RFLC. In 2012, we launch the Recovery Institute, which is a multi-project initiative to promote mental health transformation, specifically by providing training and technical assistance initiatives aimed at fundamentally changing the traditional mental health system, culture and practice into those that are recovery-oriented, strengths-based, person centered and focused on resilience.  Via Hope continues to emphasize peer support services as a key element in recovery-oriented organizations, but also emphasizes consumer voice and influence within the design of programs and strategic direction of provider organizations in Texas.

During 2011, Via Hope developed and implemented a Family Partner Training and Certification program, with help from stakeholders around the state.  During 2012, the goal is to train and certify all of the incumbent Family Partners in Texas.

Via Hope also works to engage youth and young adults around mental health and wellness, and hosted our first youth retreat in August of 2011.