Stirring the Pot

"I always like to stir the pot up a bit," chuckles Rose Rheault, as she reminisces about her career in social work. "If the way things are isn't good enough, I fight to make them better."

A Women of "Firsts"

Over her thirty-year career, Rose's feistiness and optimism have certainly made things "better" for the Montréal community. She has been a pioneer in the fight against the stigma of mental illness and has demanded dignity and suitable housing for all vulnerable people in our society.

For the past 13 years, she has worked for the Douglas as a resource worker in the Residential Resource Department, finding and preparing homes for patients in the community, supervising and helping caregivers, and maintaining high housing standards for patients. In 1977, she created the first Anglophone shelter for teens in Montréal, together with a colleague. And in 1979, she started Montréal's first Family Support Program at Ville Marie Social Services (now Batshaw Youth and Family Centres), helping to change dynamics in troubled families so, whenever possible, children would not have to be removed from their homes.

Housing…For All

Rose's career has always been linked to housing. "I remember in 1969, when I first arrived in Montréal," she recalls, "I saw an older women - probably in her fifties - combing through garbage bags. She was pushing a big shopping cart and was obviously homeless. I suspected she might be suffering from a mental illness. I was very emotional. "I didn't think this should happen…ever."

A Booster for Independent Living

Until she retires from the Douglas in January 2007, Rose will pour every ounce of energy into providing quality housing for people with mental illness and helping them have a meaningful life.

In the past ten years, she has become a vocal advocate for supervised apartment living for people with mental illness, "For some people, the best option is still a foster home (overseen by a caregiver) or an intermediate resource (overseen by staff). However, many people with mental illness can live with more autonomy in supervised apartments. With some additional services, they can cook and care for themselves, pick up and take their medication, and become more socially independent and confident.
"Their independence helps to remove the stigma of mental illness by showing other
citizens what they can do, and by pulling them into community life."

Recent Successes

Rose was also recently instrumental in encouraging the community organization Expression LaSalle to welcome Douglas patients.

"I joined their advisory committee and brought a Douglas caregiver along to help advocate. Until then, many of their clients had some sort of mental illness, like depression, but had never been in-patients at psychiatric hospitals. Now they're welcoming Douglas patients into art, music, and expressive writing classes, plus group discussions, and they are doing beautifully. The Expression LaSalle staff has been very welcoming."

"I also participated in a Douglas project to reassess patients in its CPC3 ward, to see if they could live in the community. Some had lived on the unit for 20 years. As of now, three are in an intermediate resource, two more are planning to move into an intermediate resource, and two more will be moving to long-term care facilities (CHSLDs)."

As well, in 2000, Rose initiated a partnership with Projet Suivi Communautaire (PSC), helping people with mental illness integrate into the community. And in 2005, Rose was instrumental in forming a partnership with Forward House for the MIR Plus program, which specializes in teaching reintegration skills - creating a transition program to free up emergency beds.
No wonder her supervisors and peers - who she thanks for their support - call her "a jewel of a worker"!

And Rose's Wish is to…?

Topping Rose's wish list is her desire to see patients hired to counsel other patients. She explains, "I want to see services restructured to include the hiring of clients as peer supporters. I believe they are the ones who will do the most to demystify stigma. They know what it feels like to struggle with a mental illness and to successfully deal with it. It would benefit their self esteem to be involved and they would be great role models as counsellers. Its time has come."

Small Town Strength and Retirement

Rose grew up on a dairy farm in New Liskeard, Ontario, the eighth of nine children. As she watched her parents manage the farm, she learned how to plan ahead, take action, assume responsibility, be sensitive to other's needs, and never give up on what she knew was right.

She leaves us with these strengths as she begins a new career in the private sector.
Thanks Rose. Happy sailing.

In a Word or Two…

What word best describes mental illness?
Vulnerability

What film has most influenced your thoughts on mental health?
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

How do you maintain a balanced lifestyle?
Meditation

Who is doing outstanding work in destigmatizing mental illness?
Patricia Deegan, activist for people with mental illness

In 125 years, will the Douglas still be here?
No, because hopefully mental illness will be treated more effectively.

One word that describes the Douglas?
Research