Josh’s Hope Foundation, Inc. offers a paid, go-at-your-own-pace life skills, vocational training, and family support program for young adults with mental health and/or substance abuse challenges.
"WHY Josh's Hope?"
Steve Bailey and Tripp Jarvis from Josh's Hope Foundation, Inc., will present the March 2024 program to discuss and answer the question, "WHY Josh's Hope?"
Josh's Hope was formally incorporated in 2010 after operating for a year as an education and support organization helping parents of transition-age adult children living with mental illness to better navigate the mental health system as things change from child to adult services.
Steve and Julie Bailey, co-founders of Josh's Hope, initially created Josh's Hope to be a foundation to raise money in support of other nonprofit organizations and agencies who worked with young adult clients, preparing them for employment, community living, being a sort of one-stop shop for families to reconnect and gain strength. They quickly learned that no such organization existed, so changed their mission to provide a community-based program and serve the 18-35 year old population who live with mental health issues.
In 2013, the organization added a hands-on vocational training program, Tools for Hope (T4H). Josh's Hope prides itself on being able to meet the individual needs of each client by providing an experience that holds their interest and is self-paced. The vision continues to be "to bridge gaps in services for young adults with mental illness."
Josh's Hope works to reduce risk factors around unemployment, homelessness, substance use, frequent hospitalizations, isolation, incarceration, and substance use by engaging with each client in ways that can improve their overall quality of life and strengthen their coping and resilience skills. Steve and Tripp will share information about Josh's Hope from its early beginnings to how it survived the Covid-19 pandemic, stories of growth, discuss organizational needs, and share their personal lived experiences in mental health during their presentation.
Steve Bailey and Tripp Jarvis from Josh's Hope Foundation, Inc., will present the March 2024 program to discuss and answer the question, "WHY Josh's Hope?"
Josh's Hope was formally incorporated in 2010 after operating for a year as an education and support organization helping parents of transition-age adult children living with mental illness to better navigate the mental health system as things change from child to adult services.
Steve and Julie Bailey, co-founders of Josh's Hope, initially created Josh's Hope to be a foundation to raise money in support of other nonprofit organizations and agencies who worked with young adult clients, preparing them for employment, community living, being a sort of one-stop shop for families to reconnect and gain strength. They quickly learned that no such organization existed, so changed their mission to provide a community-based program and serve the 18-35 year old population who live with mental health issues.
In 2013, the organization added a hands-on vocational training program, Tools for Hope (T4H). Josh's Hope prides itself on being able to meet the individual needs of each client by providing an experience that holds their interest and is self-paced. The vision continues to be "to bridge gaps in services for young adults with mental illness."
Josh's Hope works to reduce risk factors around unemployment, homelessness, substance use, frequent hospitalizations, isolation, incarceration, and substance use by engaging with each client in ways that can improve their overall quality of life and strengthen their coping and resilience skills. Steve and Tripp will share information about Josh's Hope from its early beginnings to how it survived the Covid-19 pandemic, stories of growth, discuss organizational needs, and share their personal lived experiences in mental health during their presentation.
Steve Bailey is the Co-Founder and Executive Director at Josh’s Hope, having co-founded the non-profit organization with his wife, Julie, in 2010, following the murder of their 20-year-old son, Josh, who lived with lifelong mental health issues. Steve is an alumnus of Marshall University in Huntington, WV, with an education in Business. He has worked in accounting and business management since 1976.
Steve and Julie’s introduction to the world of mental illness came in 1996 following the adoption of their three sons, a sibling group, who all struggled with multiple mental health issues and learning disabilities. They both began attending workshops and training offered in the community to gain a better understanding of their children’s challenges and learn how they could become strong advocates to best help their kids. This led to Julie being hired by the Mental Health Association in Orange County (later named Mental Health America of the Triangle) to launch the Family Advocacy Network (FAN) program, working with other parents raising children with mental health conditions. Steve was recruited as a volunteer in the program and served as support to many parents in need of a safe, non-judgmental friend to help them navigate the System of Care treatment services and resources maze. Steve’s lived experiences as a parent of children living with co-morbid mental health conditions include having navigated the following on their behalf: multiple hospitalizations, multiple treatment providers, multiple out-of-home residential placements, special education, transitioning from child to adult treatment services, secured legal guardianship, and been the driving force in their being able to maintain their Medicaid and SSI benefits. To that end, Steve says, “The mental health system is not easy to navigate and it seems that one agency or another is always putting my kids at risk of losing their benefits. It often feels like a battleground – one that I’m willing to fight because my kids wouldn’t survive without those benefits. But it makes me wonder and worry about all of the people in our state who don’t have strong advocates like me and Julie. How many of them have lost their health and housing because nobody knew how to advocate for them and they didn’t know how to advocate for their selves?” The Baileys have attended the Annual Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health since 1998, talking to legislators, serving as presenters, on the leadership team, and advocating for improvements in treatment services across the State of North Carolina. Josh’s Hope has been a proud sponsor of the event ever since sponsorship opportunities were initiated and Steve has served as the event fiscal agent for over 12 years. In 2017, he and wife Julie were presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in Mental Health Advocacy’ by the Annual Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health organizers. Learn more about the organization at joshshopefoundation.org. For information on program admissions or to schedule a private tour of the facilities, call 919-245-0072, or email [email protected]. |
Tripp Jarvis has been the Tools for Hope Program Director at Josh’s Hope Foundation since spring of 2021. However, his involvement with the organization began a few years earlier when he taught welding and plasma cutting to Josh’s Hope clients and staff at Liberty Arts in Durham. Tripp is a practicing sculptor and holds an MFA from East Carolina University. He also studied abroad at the Estonian Academy of Art in Tallinn, Estonia. His works have been exhibited in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and across the United States. He has taught at East Carolina University, Craven Community College, and Durham Technical Community College.
Tripp has lived with schizoaffective disorder since he was 19 years old. He has a longstanding relationship with The Hope James Foundation who produced the documentary “Temple of the Heart,” by filmmaker Ajit Anthony which featured Tripp and the healing journey he discovered through art. He has presented at the NC Art Therapy Institute and participates in many of their events to educate and inspire all those who are affected in any way by trauma and mental health issues. In addition to serving as the Program Director, Tripp is a certified as a Peer Support Specialist (PSS), and also holds certificates in the evidence-based mental health model for Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention. Tripp is a visionary whose lived experiences with mental health and the arts continue to help chart the course for program development and growth at Josh’s Hope. Learn more about Tripp at trippjarvis.com where you can also view “Temple of the Heart.” Tripp can be contacted at [email protected]. |