Success Stories from 2008/09
Building Organizational Capacity and Growing the Reach of Coast
Coast Mental Health is a non-profit organization established in 1972 and accredited with Accreditation Canada. Coast improves the lives of people with a mental illness by providing practical support including housing, jobs, rehabilitative social and recreational opportunities, food, clothing and basic life skills training. Coast currently provides supportive housing to over 700 people in 40 different homes and apartments in Metro Vancouver. By 2012 Coast will provide housing to over 1,000 people.
In September 2008, Coast Mental Health announced the Coast Strategic Plan 2008 – 2012. The plan focuses on growing the reach of the organization, while ensuring that Coast has the capacity and infrastructure to handle that growth.
Highlights from the past year on how Coast is building organizational capacity include; accreditation from Accreditation Canada, management training program, IT Project Manager, implementation of ComVida: Employee Management Software, proactive budget reviews, Cantonese and Mandarin general brochure and dedicated phone line and clarification of Coast’s brand through an updated Communications Plan for 2009 – 2012.
Highlights from the past year on how Coast is growing the reach of the organization include; participating as the lead service provider for the Intensive Case Management component for the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s research project on homelessness and mental health, Dunbar Apartments, Pender Apartments, St. Helen’s Hotel renovations, Forglen, Timber Grove Apartments, Great Beginnings micro street cleaning, Peer Support Training Program, Clubhouse Transitional Employment program operating at an all-time high and SFU Affiliation agreement.