Painted Brain
Creating Lasting Community Based Solutions to Mental Health Challenges and the Impact of Social Injustice through Arts, Advocacy, and Enterprise.
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.
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
The Benefits of “Anti-Oppressive” Practice in Mental Health Care
“Liberating education consists in acts of cognition, not transferals of information.” ― Paulo Freire By: Madi Aho, MSW Intern What is “Anti-Oppressive” Mental Health Care? The history of psychology and psychiatry is not free from race, gender or class-based...
5 Ways Depression Can Affect Your Physical Health
The American Psychological Association states that depression is one of the most common mental disorders. According to Healthline, although we think of depression as being a mental and emotional disorder, it can have various effects on our physical well-being....
The Reality of Living with both Anxiety and Depression!
The reality of living with anxiety and depression is that it's not easy. However, if you are able to work on identifying your triggers and have coping mechanisms that can help you reduce your anxiety and stress, that can go a long way. If you are suffering from...