Pat Houghton, Founder/Coordinator, Amador Co. Senior Peer Couseling Program
Nominated by: Marj Stuart, Chair, Amador County Commission on Aging

Some people get paid to lead their community in planning and providing health care services.  Pat Houghton, MFCC, did her share of that as Mental Health Director for Amador County for six years.  But her retirement in 2002 gave her the opportunity (time) to launch an all-volunteer senior peer counseling program in this rural county of 30,000, which she says is as satisfying as anything she ever did for pay. 

Pat knew firsthand the lack of mental health services for seniors in this community.   After completing special training at the Santa Monica Center for Healthy Aging, paid for by a grant from the Area 12 Agency on Aging, she inaugurated the Amador County Senior Peer Counseling Program.  With the loan of limited time from a colleague still working at County Mental Health, Pat annually recruits, screens and conducts a 22-week course to train senior volunteers in basic counseling skills, information about physical and psychological issues of aging, and substance and elder abuse, as well as introducing them to what local resources there are.  She also conducts twice-monthly group sessions to provide case management and ongoing support for her volunteers. These services are offered to seniors at no charge. The volunteers assert that the program does as much for them as for their clients.

The initial grant for this free program from Area 12 for $1200 is long gone.  Amador Senior Foundation, Amador Community Foundation, and County Mental Health kick in small amounts to cover the minimal costs of running the program – printing of brochures (which Pat writes) and training materials, and an occasional recognition dinner for volunteers and families. Pat solicits the donations as needed. 

The original plan was to turn the program over to County Mental Health within five years.  However, the fifth year is ending, and county government funds are spread even thinner than they were in 2003. Although severely limited by the lack of funding, this volunteer program is impacting in a positive way the lives of local seniors, and is gaining local recognition. Pat is not about to walk away from it. We could use at least 10 more just like her to fill some of the other holes in county health services.

Article posted on 1/6/08