May 2025 - Hopewell Therapeutic Farm

How Hopewell Helps Families Thrive: Support, Services & Success

Posted on May 27, 2025October 9, 2025 by Ann Thompson

By Sarah Turner, Clinical Services Coordinator

It starts with a phone call, most often from a family member looking for help for their loved one. These calls can be difficult as callers recount the mental health struggles, hospitalizations, failed treatments and the impact on their entire family unit. Residential mental health is not covered by most insurance companies. If there is any coverage at all, it is most often for only a few days. Paying for services out of pocket can be a financial struggle for many people. Thanks to our many generous donors, Hopewell is able to offer a discounted rate for those that qualify.

Once an admission happens, Medicaid eligibility is assessed, and if the resident qualifies, we start the Medicaid application process. Medicaid will not pay for residential mental health treatment; however they will pay for medications, medical visits, hospitalizations, lab testing, even vision and dental care. Even if a resident already has a private or commercial plan, Medicaid can be used for secondary coverage. Medicaid establishment is useful for discharge planning as well. There are many providers and mental health services in the Cleveland area that are excellent discharge options for Hopewell residents but require Medicaid establishment.

Discharging from Hopewell is an exciting time for residents, but it can also be anxiety inducing. Leaving residential treatment without having worked in months, sometimes years, brings many challenges. We are able to connect residents with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation to help with job readiness and job placement.

For residents who are unable to work, Hopewell can help them to apply for disability benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides monthly income to individuals who are limited in their ability to work because of physical or mental disability and have contributed Social Security tax contributions through prior work. As of 2019, over two million people received SSDI benefits due to mood, psychiatric, or other mental disability, amounting to one in five SSDI beneficiaries.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program that provides financial assistance to disabled individuals with low resources. Eligibility requires a disability determination and financial need determined by income and assets. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), currently about eight million individuals rely on SSI benefits, including many people with severe mental health conditions. Having income, even disability income, can help foster a sense of independence for individuals who are experiencing mental health struggles and are unable to work.

Entering residential mental health treatment can be a stressful time for individuals and their families. At Hopewell we do everything we can to help ease the financial strain and help our clients foster independence.

Meet Sami Petty, Consulting Nurse Practitioner

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Ann Thompson

I graduated from Malone University in 2011 with my BSN and passed the boards that year. My first job was at South Pointe, Cleveland Clinic on an observation unit.

Fun fact, I went to work at a camp in Pennsylvania for a summer as a lakefront director. It was there that mental health was presented to me as an interest. Many of the staff struggled with mental health. They felt safe coming to talk with me. I felt the Lord really lay on my heart that talking about mental health, and helping others through their difficulties, was a gift that I have, and I should pursue that career. I searched psychiatric nurse positions back in Cleveland and found Windsor Laurelwood Hospital.

I worked at Laurelwood for almost 5 years as a psychiatric nurse with kids from 5-18 years old. After two years I discovered that becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner was a career path so I studied at Case Western Reserve University. In my studies, I started to develop certain beliefs with treating psychiatry. I believed in a holistic approach and that medication was not the only way to treat mental illness. I started working at Hopewell as a program facilitator with the hope of working here as a nurse practitioner one day.

In 2018, I started working at University Hospital in the outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry division. I saw mostly teens and young adults, diagnosing, prescribing and providing some psychotherapy. I was able to integrate working at Hopewell twice a month.

Within the last year I started teaching full time at Case Western Reserve University. I teach 3 classes in the BSN program: Wellness, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, and Teaching and Learning in the Community.

A Bit About Me Personally

I really love music and sports. My favorite instruments are piano and guitar and I play in the worship band with my husband at church. They are a good outlet and way of expression for me. I played soccer for one year at the college level. I love the Cleveland Browns… most of the time. We have a pickleball court in our driveway and really try every and any sport we can. I used to be a triathlete – I raced for 6 years and loved it. Now I would say that my two young sons are my hobby!

I love writing, creating, filming, and editing. Currently, I am trying to start a podcast with a friend about mental health and mindset. I also enjoy speaking in front of others. I’m consistently looking for opportunities to speak on meaningful topics to help others in their learning process.

Truthfully, my faith is my foundation. It holds me together and provides a path forward. Without a doubt, God has called me to this work. Looking back, I can see He’s been orchestrating everything to bring me to where I am today. This is my platform and how I’m to connect and love others well.

I realize that I can’t fix everyone with a mental illness. But I’m going to do the best I can to be there, support them, and help them manage their symptoms. Mental illness doesn’t have a formula. Yes, there are a group of symptoms that lead to a certain diagnosis, but symptoms also look different for everyone. I’ve seen the look of desperation in residents/patients, the look of “please help me.” If I can be present and be there for them in that moment, then it’s worth it.

Working at Hopewell

I see residents weekly for one-on-one appointments where we discuss their progress at Hopewell and their concerns with medication treatment. I collaborate with the clinical team to help provide the best care I possibly can. I love to walk and see residents outside in nature, as I find being outside can prompt richer conversations.

Hopewell is very important to me personally. I’ve seen Hopewell in different capacities, and I love every bit of it. No place is perfect. But Hopewell is one of those places that you fall in love with so much that the negatives don’t really matter as much. It’s so unique but in my eyes the best way to care for those with mental illness. It doesn’t make sense to me that more places like Hopewell don’t exist. I’m so honored to be a part of Hopewell. For however long my time is here, I appreciate every day that I have the privilege to serve these residents. The staff here genuinely care. It’s authentic. You can’t find that in many places in healthcare.

A great day at Hopewell is working with residents, checking their progress, spending time outside with them, joining the community for lunch and connecting, and collaborating with staff.

What Might the Future Hold?

I’m presenting a poster for Hopewell at the American Psychiatric Nursing Association national conference in October 2025. I plan to publish more in journals or other sources. One life goal is to write a book. In addition to teaching at Case, I’m currently in a Doctor of Nursing program and plan to do my project on engagement, specifically with nursing students’ engagement in their lecture classes. I’m trying to bring holistic and experiential learning into the classroom.

From Farm to Table: The Link Between Agriculture and Mental Health

Posted on May 6, 2025October 9, 2025 by Ann Thompson

By Jennifer Miller, Food Service Manager and Wellness Educator

Sometimes healing begins at the table.

The Farm to Table movement has grown from a culinary trend into a broader lifestyle choice embracing health and sustainability. The physical benefits of eating fresh, locally sourced and homegrown foods are well known, but fewer people are aware of the amazing impact that it can have on mental health.

Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole foods contain higher levels of the essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for brain functioning. Vitamins and antioxidants are abundant in the rainbow of fresh garden produce and are directly linked to improved mood, reduced anxiety and lower the risk of depression. Garden fresh fruits and vegetables are picked and eaten at their peak of ripeness when they are the most nutrient dense. Store-bought produce is picked early so that it will last longer while in transport or storage, meaning it has not had a chance to fully develop its rich potential.

Our busy schedules often lead to poor choices when it comes to mealtimes and the food we eat. The supermarkets are loaded with processed and prepackaged convenience foods that are very enticing to a hectic lifestyle. Unfortunately, these foods offer very little nourishment to the mind and body. People suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses are even more likely to choose these foods rather than fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. This may be due to lack of access to fresh foods, or just the motivation to prepare food from scratch. Often people do not understand the power that whole fresh foods have to nourish and heal the mind and body.

Farm to Table at Hopewell

The farm and garden at Hopewell offer an amazing opportunity for clients to learn about and raise the food that they eat each day. Many of the clients come in with very poor diets and little knowledge of what a nourishing meal looks like. Here they have an opportunity to help with planting vegetables and getting their hands into the earth. They see the plants grow, producing the fruits of their hard work. They care for the animals, feeding and watering them, and collecting fresh eggs. There is a sense of pride when they help harvest and prepare the produce. A craving for the simple, yet delicious flavor develops. Clients learn skills to grow their own garden or seek locally sourced foods and the value of a nutritious meal.

Making conscious choices about food empowers individuals to take control of their health and well-being. Cooking meals from scratch using fresh ingredients can create a sense of accomplishment and purpose. For many, this simple act of choosing what to eat and how to prepare it becomes a powerful form of self-care. In a world where mental health struggles are increasingly common, the solutions don’t always have to be high-tech or clinical. Farm to Table isn’t just a way to eat, it’s a healer, and a path to greater mental clarity and good health.

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