When a person is focused on food security and their ability to maintain a stable living environment they are less able to focus on wellness and recovery; once recovery becomes less central to daily living the possibility for interruptions in wellness and/or sobriety is high and, of course, wellness can be lost entirely in a scenario such as this one.
The Purple Light Project was created in 2020 initially to bring support to our behavioral health emergency department patients seeking treatment at Hartford Hospital. Purple is for “the purple pod” which is the psychiatric section of the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department (ED) and the light represents Hartford HealthCare’s (HHC) commitment to serving patients around the clock, ensuring the light is always on for those suffering a mental health crisis. Through Purple Light our vulnerable patients benefit from basic needs; for instance, warm winter clothing, medicine, food, hygiene supplies, blankets, taxi/ bus vouchers, or a bicycle to get around. Since its inception, the need has grown and Purple Light has striven to bring support to the entire HHC BHN behavioral health system. More patients now benefit from food vouchers, safe transportation to treatment and/or services, and support in finding shelter, warm winter clothing, dignity and hygiene items or human experience items for while they are in treatment with us. Purple Light also organizes staff educational retreats to fuel front line clinicians, doctors and nurses with current material on how to best treat mental health patients. Supporting our staff is one of the best ways we can provide excellent care for our patients.
