What is HOPE Academy?

The purpose of Hedwig House's HOPE Academy Program, is to assist individuals with serious and persistent mental illness and/or co-occuring substance abuse disorders.  This objective is met through a five phase curriculum-based approach in which participants set and achieve personal goals in their Living, Learning, Working and Social environments.  Multiple settings, including mobile, site-based and on-on-one instruction are provided in service delivery.

Central to HOPE Academy are the following beliefs:

* People with serious and persistent mental illness can recover.

* Recovery is defined by the individual.

* The value of self-determination is empowering.

* The right mixture of skills and support foster achievement.

How HOPE Academy Works:

Individuals participating in HOPE Academy chose a specific goal, such as moving from a residential program into an apartment. Through HOPE Academy, the specific consumer-chosen goal becomes the cornerstone of the service.  HOPE Academy is entirely consumer-focused in the design and delivery of service. It also consists of five phases, each of which has its own timeframe for completion. These phases are:

As previously indicated, HOPE Academy is a focused, time-limited service. Individualized services are offered to participants once a week.  Services are also offered in a group/class setting twice a week.  Group sizes are limited, however, to allow for focused work among participants.

Referrals to HOPE Academy can be downloaded from this website at any time.

Admission Criteria:

-  Individuals should be between the ages of 18 - 30 years old.

-  Reside in Montgomery County and be ready to work towards personal recovery.

-  Have a primary diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Major Mood Disorder, Psychotic Disorder NOS, Schizoaffective Disorder, or Borderline Personality Disorder.

-  Must demonstrate moderate to severe functional impairment in one or more life domains.