In the early 1970s, a local nun named Elaine Smith was searching for appropriate care for a relative who was living with serious mental illness. During this time, care options were limited and often inadequate due a mental health system in significant transition, which led Sister Elaine down the path that would result in TR’s founding and establish the model of community-based care that we provide today and instill the values of respect, dignity, and compassion we strive for every day.
Sister Elaine saw a critical gap when searching for care; there was no place for young adults diagnosed with serious mental illness to help them transition back into community living after hospitalization. Faced with few options and a system that was in major transition and woefully underprepared to provide the support needed, Sister Elaine turned to Dr. Jack Brown, a local psychiatrist. Together with help of many other compassionate and like-minded community-focused friends and groups, they decided to do something to support those who needed it, and they founded TRY House for Young Adults.
At the time, creating a place where people could receive compassionate care and stable support was both pioneering and courageous. Advancements in psychiatric medications and the movement of deinstitutionalization were in the early stages of discussion for mental illness reform, and people were beginning to consider questions not thought of before: could people who were living with serious mental illness live and function in their communities and lead healthy, stable lives? It was only a fringe theory at the time, but a small group of people believed it was possible.
TRY House (as it was known back then) gained nonprofit status in 1976 and purchased the house on 2970 SW Avalon Way that would become the cornerstone of our future programs in July of that year. We served our first clients in 1978, young adults ages 18 – 30 who were living with serious mental illness. Under Sister Elaine’s clinical leadership, TR helped pioneer the successful model we use today of integrated housing and behavioral health services. What began as a response to one group in need eventually grew into a broader mission: ensuring that people living with mental illness have access to safe housing, reliable behavioral health treatment, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Today, that mission continues. Each month, we serve more than 120 people, providing stability, treatment, and community support to help individuals move from crisis toward recovery and independence.
Fifty years later, the need for compassionate, community-based behavioral health care remains as important as ever. Our founding reminds us that meaningful change often starts with one person who, through compassion and resolve, takes the necessary small steps that eventually builds to something strong and successful with the help of community.