Painted Brain
Creating Lasting Community Based Solutions to Mental Health Challenges and the Impact of Social Injustice through Arts, Advocacy, and Enterpirse.
SERVICES
To Build Community
Groups
Our groups are facilitated using the psychosocial rehabilitation model through various mediums of art, music, and poetry.
Trainings
Our Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification program offers peers an opportunity to be certified as a Peer Support Specialist in the 17 Core Competencies. Our other trainings cover Digital Health Literacy, Digital Security, and Social Media Marketing for nonprofits.
community Center
Check out the Painted Brain Community Center when visiting the West Los Angeles area where you can meet like-minded individuals living with mental health and trauma challenges engage in enriching activities, developing life-long friendships.
Events
Have the Painted Brain team of peers support your agency in organizing an event which includes supporting with the technical setup, hosting/facilitating, and managing the administration end to ensure the planning, marketing, and execution is successful.
Certification
Become a Peer Support Specialist
In 2009, we began utilizing the arts and training to support people with mental health and substance use challenges. We are a leader in innovative peer-driven services and training in behavioral health, digital literacy, and the arts.
Our reach and staff are representative of the diverse communities throughout California, including the LGBTQ+, reentry, disability, and ethnically and linguistically diverse communities. Our peer-run program is a trusted provider of services that has been transforming lives in California for over a decade.
PB’s Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Training program prepares peers to deliver valuable behavioral health support services by covering the required Peer Support Specialist 17 Core Competencies required for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Training through self-reflection, skill building, practice sessions, and guided group exploration.
Dr. Kristen Ochoa
“Painted Brain has been a great support for our clients, helping them feel valued, build community, socialize and engage positively and grow in their independence through group leadership opportunities. We are grateful for their partnership.”
Christopher Shnieders, Director of The Saks InsTitute
“Painted Brain is transforming lives and supporting our advocacy efforts on multiple projects to improve the quality of care and protecting the agency of those living with mental health challenges to get the adequate care they need to establish recovery.”
Tod Lipka, CEO of Step Up
“Connections to others and a sense of belonging is vital and essential to the recovery process. Painted Brain has provided exactly such an important connection and creative arts community, using the commonality of mental illness, for over ten years. Painted Brain has been of tremendous value to many Step Up members during that time.”
Get Involved With
Our Vision
.Join our community of peers redefining the mental health system of care to improve access and the quality of treatment.
more programs
State-Wide initiatives
September 25, 2020
We thank Governor Gavin Newsom for signing SB 803 (Beall). SB 803 will enable California to expand the behavioral health workforce by allowing certification of Peer Support Specialists. With the passage of SB 803, California will now be in line with the 48 other states that already recognize peers’ value.
Painted Brain is collaborating and heading statewide to nationwide research and program development. Learn more about our projects below and how you may be able to get involved.
Project New Start
Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD)
Disability Roundtable
ARTS AND CULTURE
CALHOPE
Publications
Featured On
Unapologetically black unicorns #UBU
#BLACKMENTALHEALTH PODCASTCo-founder Rayshell Chambers shares about Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs) and her mental health recovery story.
Join Today
Sign up to get access to support and resources in your area and join the community of Painted Brain members living with mental health, trauma, and justice-involved challenges.
LATEST BLOGS
Keep your fingers on the pulse of our mental health community
Taking care of your mental health as an expatriate
Moving abroad is an important step in one’s life that can generate strong feelings. It definitively creates excitement and positive feelings, but it can also trigger more negative ones, such as high stress, loneliness, sleeping disorders, or anxiety. The stress of...
What Do Peer Support Specialists Do
Living in an increasingly fast-paced and demanding world, it's no wonder many people feel isolated, overwhelmed, or misunderstood. Luckily, a compassionate, empathetic person can make all the difference in times of emotional distress or crisis. Enter the peer support...
How Virtual Assistants Can Help Caregivers and Family Members Support Loved Ones with Mental Health Conditions
As a mental health caregiver, it can be challenging to balance your loved one’s needs with your own. Virtual assistants are a technological solution that can help ease the burden of caregiving
PEER TECH
Digital empowerment and free resources below
5 Coping Steps
Apps For Connection
Online Satefy
How To ZOOM
Your Mental Health