Hope, Compassion, & Incredible Results: Interview with Mental Health Champion & Expert, Leon Evans

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 - Tri-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