Patricia Benedict
Research Associate I, Department of Psychiatry
Citizens Community Enhancement Project Director
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patricia.benedict@yale.edu Phone: 203.843.2476 Fax: 203.764.7595 Program for Recovery & Community Health Department of Psychiatry Yale University School of Medicine Erector Square Building 1 319 Peck Street New Haven, CT 06513 |
Role in Program:
At PRCH, I am responsible for the development of curriculum, teaching classes, supervising and training staff, and providing support services and counseling to students of the Citizens Community Enhancement Project (CCEP). I am also responsible for training and supervising forensic peer staff of the CREST Program, a court mandated program that provides services and support for people with mental illness and who have current involvement in the criminal justice system. Some of my other duties include assisting with the development and implementation of other contractual training projects, the development of publications and the implementation of research projects.
Professional Interests:
I have spent 35 years working in the field of human services. I have been a social service provider, program developer, advocate, mentor, counselor, administrator, educator and community organizer throughout these years. For the first sixteen years, I had the honor of working exclusively with my own Native community in many of these capacities. Incorporating what I had learned, I continued to build upon my knowledge and broadened my scope of work to include people of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. I have been blessed to be given so many opportunities and learning experiences.
I have to say that my first love is working directly with people. I find my greatest joy in watching people grow and empower themselves to move forward and accomplish goals that are important to them. Two lessons I find to be true regardless of whom I work with; I never stop learning and the people I work with are usually my greatest teachers. Too often, this society underestimates the value of lived experience. Those who overcome or live with challenges are many of society’s most talented, intelligent and creative people.
