For decades, Leon Evans has been a relentless champion of mental health improvement.
He is the former President of the Center for Healthcare Services, has received the American Psychiatric Assoc. Gold Award, was named a CNN Mental Health Warrior, and has testified before Congress.
Thanks to his innovative, mission-driven, and hope-based, bottom-up approach, Leon has made incredible strides in many areas of mental healthcare.
He has created and been part of many innovative programs including:
- The Restoration Center in Bexar County, TX, where people can get mental healthcare, help with substance abuse and more
- The Mommies program, which helps heroin-addicted pregnant women get proper prenatal care and helps them get off of drugs
- Working to get the mentally ill treatment for their illness, instead of continuing the cycle of incarceration
- Training law enforcement officers and other first responders in soft skills to help de-escalate situations
- Reducing homelessness by targeting the mentally ill through a peer-based program with incredible success
Leon says giving people hope is one of the keys to success.
Connect with Leon:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-evans-ba2bb618
Topical time codes:
1:08 – Entering the mental health field in 1966
2:41 – Ground-up, not top-down approach
4:35 – Giving hope
5:07 – Ti-County Industries litter abatement program – hiring the mentally ill, giving them hope, purpose, benefits, and good pay
9:21 – Mommies program and the Restoration Center
13:47 – Using a peer-based program to help the homeless
15:10 – Success of collaboration between providers/law enforcement/first responders
18:13 – Scaling the personal connection and compassion (listen, and include family)
22:55 – Getting buy-in for the programs
24:24 – Training law enforcement in soft skills
