Health

14 HEALTH • November 30, 2015 The quest to treat mental illness like any other \\ By Livia Gershon P aul Fontaine is studying communications at Worcester State University, and he recently got a part-time job working for a UMass Medical School office in Shrewsbury. But he says none of this would have been possible if it weren't for Genesis Club, a Worcester organization dedicated to helping people with psychiatric diseases with education, wellness and employment. "Alcoholism and mental illness has been in my father's side of my family for two generations, and I didn't want to be generation number three," he said. "If I didn't take meds I would not be the same person, and probably become a bad person—kind of like Jekyll and Hyde in reverse, where if you don't take your meds you become a beast." MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: Beyond controlling his illness through medica- tion, Fontaine said being able to do productive work has been a key to his recovery. He's been a member of Genesis Club since 2008, finding opportunities for work and employment through the group. "It's been tremendous," he said. "I'm one of those individuals that just can't not work." Fontaine said he's had great experiences with his jobs. But he said there's still a big social stigma in society around having a psychiatric illness. "I've heard people say things about people with mental illness that they would never say if the per- son had a physical illness: 'Suck it up, you're just being moody,'" he said. "Society is making progress with it, but we still have a long way to go." In Central Massachusetts, there's a growing awareness of how important this issue is. Employers, workers and mental health professionals are increasingly speaking out about the need for better systems to address mental health on the job. Genesis Club alone helps more than 750 people each year get assistance with education, wellness and employment. Executive Director Kevin Bradley said last year, 171 members like Fontaine returned to work or found jobs for the first time. "Most of them have been told that they're unable to work by the system, by friends or family, and the medical profession," he said. "It's such a work- focused environment with members and staff DREAMSTIME.COM

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