What does mental health recovery look like? For Benz, who made his way to Massachusetts after leaving Haiti at the age of eight, recovery means independence and giving back to the people who have helped him along the way.
Noah, 9, bounces from one couch cushion to the other. He giggles as his glasses fly off his face. His mom beams and gives him a quick hug before he darts down the hall. This wasn’t always the picture in this house. Smiles and laughter were rare.
While living on the streets in Dorchester, Tim started having medical complications. With the help of his family, he connected with a doctor and found out he had Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system.
When asked how long he has worked at the community based human services provider, Advocates, Director of Clinical Services, Developmental Services (DS) Division Eric Millen said, “Thirty years this past Valentine’s Day.”