Why We Are Different –Our Beliefs, Our People
We want people to dream because we know that …
happiness resides not in saying “NO” to life’s roadblocks,
but in saying “YES” to life’s possibilities.
Music, an important part of the Community Living Room experience
This statement captures the essence of COMHAR’s service philosophy. It is this belief that inspires us and pushes us to create the atmosphere, the motivation, and the opportunity for individuals and their families to choose and benefit from the services we offer. At COMHAR, inspiring hope, building self confidence, and encouraging independence are important elements in our service array.
We recognize that people are complex systems and that a problem in any one area cannot be treated in isolation and so our care must be and is integrated. We know that people are spiritual beings who seek meaning and purpose for their lives and so we are committed to holistic care. It is these beliefs that define and differentiate us, our culture.
The following principles underpin our service approach and are what make our programs unique:
- Every individual is a valuable person with unique capabilities; we respect them as such.
- Those who come to us for service are people first; they are much more than their diagnosis or disability.
- We meet each person where he or she is and, from there, we build trust and a sense of partnership.
- We help individuals identify strengths to build upon and dreams to aim for, making recovery a believable possibility.
- Individuals choose their goals, own their growth and recovery process, we are there to guide, coach, support, and encourage.
Ultimately, it is the extraordinary community of individuals, those who put these beliefs into action each and every day that make COMHAR different. It is “COMHAR People” who make it possible to actually change lives for the better.
“At the Clubhouse I got my self esteem back. I also got the will to work back…So, with all my heart and soul I want to thank COMHAR for caring about me and for hiring so many staff that care about people.”
---Robert, Open Door Clubhouse
From program to program, their spirit and commitment permeate the agency. Their work is more than a job to them. The individuals they work with are more than clients. They give generously of themselves because they believe the individuals they work with are capable of growth and success, individuals do grow and do succeed.