This last Thursday, DBSA  had a mental health resource night.

We were lucky to have as our guest speaker, Casey from Safe Harbor. 

Casey is currently a supervisor at Safe Harbor.

So, what exactly is Safe Harbor?

Casey explained that Safe Harbor is considered a ” Hospital Diversion” program. 

A place to go when you’re having a tough time or even just a difficult day, and you need someone to confide in.

Casey did share with us a little bit of her life story. She shared that her life has always been chaotic. Casey grew up in an abusive home, and had a very traumatic upbringing. More or less it was a ” don’t ask, don’t tell” type of environment.  Growing up she always felt like something was not quite right.

Her Mom started to notice Casey’s highs and lows when Casey was about 8 years old. At nine years of age Casey started using. Eventually she finally started talk therapy, and the talk therapy she took part in finally started to help.  She eventually received her high school diploma, and graduated from addiction treatment. She also took training to become a certified Peer Support Specialist, and through that training found a job at Safe Harbor. She feels that working as a Supervisor at Safe Harbor has given her a way to give back to the community. 

     Safe Harbor is a peer-run ” crisis diversion ” program. It’s for adults who are experiencing a crisis, and who do not need immediate psychiatric or medical care. The services are free of charge, and no insurance is needed to take advantage of the service. You can stay at Safe Harbor up to 24 hours, as an alternative to seeking help through a hospital or emergency room. Safe Harbor also has a ” warm line” which you can call for any kind of support and speak with someone who is a trained peer specialist. Their specialists are not there to judge or to tell someone what to do. Their specialists are there to lend you a supportive ear.

Safe Harbor contact info: 402-715-4226

They are located at 415 South 25th Avenue, Annex building, in Omaha.