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For Immediate Release

A Woman Living With A Disability Helps Another

Assertive Community Treatment Helps Seek Independence

Lillington, NC, July 10, 2019

It truly is a team effort when it comes to serving people living with mental health challenges at Easterseals UCP.  Men and women with severe and persistent mental health needs can turn to Assertive Community Treatment at Easterseals UCP for assistance in daily living skills, employment, social support and housing.

April Smith is a program assistant at ACT. For 15 years she has been helping people live more independently  through services at Easterseals UCP.  In 1990 April suffered serious injuries after she was hit by a truck. She has had both of her legs amputated but nothing has stopped her from being independent.  She said, “I see my disability as something that can help others and it gives them hope. I do everything myself.”

ACTOne of the women April helps is Leonila Hernandez, who has been in and out of hospitalization for mental health illnesses.  April’s goal is to help Leonila love herself first and learn to manage her life. Leonila receives support for shopping and budgeting her money, life skills at home, and learning to socialize.  Among the skills they are working on, Leonila has learned to make a shopping list and buy necessary items first before spending carelessly on non-essential items.

April’s no-nonsense and tough love approach has helped people like Leonila.  She said, “I tell the people I serve when they say they can’t do something, that if I can do it without legs you can do it with two!”

She’s grateful for this opportunity to help people and believes the team approach at ACT has helped so many adults make progress.

Learn more about Easterseals UCP Assertive Community Treatment services.

ABOUT EASTERSEALS
Easterseals provides meaningful and exceptional services so that children and adults living with disabilities and mental health challenges can live, learn, work and play in their communities.
 

Learn more about Easterseals UCP at www.eastersealsucp.com.  Sign up for the Easterseals UCP eNews.

For more information contact:
Kathy Edgerton
Chief Communications Officer
Kathy.Edgerton@eastersealsucp.com
(O) 919-865-8660 | (C) 919-208-0621
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