As the year’s end approaches, one Longmont nonprofit looks to expand education opportunities to its staff.
Rise Phoenix Rise, or RPR, is a nonprofit organization that settled in Longmont in 2019, offering a safe and stigma-free environment for people looking to better their mental health while working with rescue animals.
The short residence in Longmont prior to the pandemic has left the nonprofit struggling to find its place in the community, however, not completely.
In March 2020, RPR scheduled its first public meeting, however, COVID restrictions prevented the organization from following through. Looking at ways to pivot while trying to help the community, RPR turned to the written word and hosted a book discussion group over the summer. The group talked about the book Get Happy, Dammit.
Furthering their online presence, the group began an Animal Antics Zoom session where participants discuss the benefits of animals on one’s mental health.
With the relief in COVID restrictions, RPR has begun working with individuals through the Recovery Café — also a Longmont nonprofit that supports adults as they rebuild their lives and break the cycle of addiction or overcome crisis and trauma, according to the website.
In the last year, RPR has steadily increased its foothold in the community, now actively helping 20-30 locals with their mental health needs, according to Traci Cerrano Jones, founder and executive director of RPR.
“Rise Phoenix Rise has been a lifeline for me. These services are a big part in my recovery and helped me get back into the community,” said Lori G. a participant in the program. Lori’s last name was not included to allow her anonymity as she works on her mental health journey.
According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, there is an increase in all treatment areas of mental health. Anxiety disorders have risen to 84% from 74% since 2020, followed by depressive disorders which are now up to 72% from 60% of cases seen by professionals.
“As more people seek treatment for mental health conditions, the demands on psychological practitioners have increased,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., Ph.D., APA’s CEO in an October article on the American Psychological Association website. “Like many other health care providers, psychologists are feeling the pressure.”
The demand for mental health support is also being felt by RPR. This year they hope to add three additional peer specialists to their team.
“It’s vital to our programming that we train more mental health specialists who understand the struggles of their peers and who guide peers through their wellness journey,” Jones said. “Our programs attract people who are desperately in need of support, including blind and unsheltered participants and single parents who are especially vulnerable. We aim to give our mental health peers top-notch support and resources as they recover, and to do this, we need more trained certified peer recovery specialists.”
RPR is a 501(c)3 nonprofit funded by donations and a few grants. As RPR looks to grow its support resources, it is in need of additional funding resources to pay for training. This year, RPR, as has other local nonprofits, set up an account for Colorado Gives Day.
The nonprofit wishes to pay for training through the Animal Assisted Therapy Program for all its new team members but the training costs $1,100 per person, Jones said.
"Traci's animal support group is something our members look forward to every week. It's not just the wonderful dogs that bring automatic smiles to everyone's faces, but the actual peer support given on a variety of subjects, including the masks we wear, standing up for mental health needs, and creating and sustaining resilience. Traci has an incredible connection with the folks who attend her group, and she facilitates amazing conversations," said Becky milanski, volunteer coordinator and certified Colorado Peer and Family specialist for Recovery Café Longmont.
