Staff called SDC Advisors help participants create person-centered recovery plans and corresponding budgets. They also assist participants with arranging services and making purchases of approved goods to achieve recovery goals. Several SDC Advisors are available for participants to choose from. All program staff believe in the ability of participants to recover and manage their own wellness.

The SDC Advisors are:

Walter Norris, M.A.
214- 205-7435
walter.norris@texassdc.org

I’m pleased to provide this information to help you know me as the program director and an advisor to assist you in achieving your goals. I have worked with individuals with mental illness for about 10 years and with individuals living in poverty for about 20 years. I have a Master of Arts Degree in Church and Community Ministries (sociology) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and I have done post-graduate work at Texas Woman’s University in Family Studies. I was on the board of NAMI – Dallas for four years. Also, I was a member of the Family Self-Sufficiency Committee for the Plano Housing Authority in Plano, TX for four years. 

As the program director and as an advisor, I hope you will find me to be an advocate, empathic, friendly, honest, and a person committed to helping others overcome adversity in their lives. I have been told that I am compassionate, a person of integrity, outgoing, and committed to helping the people I serve.

I am married with three grown children, six granddaughters, one cat, and have lived in the Dallas area continually since 1986. Actually, I was born and raised in Dallas, but I have lived in other countries at different times in my adult life due to military service.

I strongly believe that everyone can recover from adversity in their lives. I believe in working with the individual, by helping him/her discover personal strengths and what is needed to overcome barriers to recovery. With Self-Directed Care, consumers of mental health services should have a primary role in their recovery planning and greater control over how resources are spent to meet their needs. I aim to help provide that service. By engaging in Self-Directed Care, I believe people in mental health recovery can live productive lives in the community.  

All people have the following rights:

• To be treated with respect and dignity
• To have choices
• To decide what services/treatments/supports are best for them
• To be assured of their privacy and confidentiality

As your program director and an advisor, I am committed to your recovery by helping you plan out that recovery and providing you with the resources and tools to accomplish that task. And as your program director and an advisor, I promise to advocate on your behalf, listen to you, stand by you, and guide you in recovery. 

 

Luis Moreno, B.S.W
214-244-5332
luis.moreno@texassdc.org

Hi, I am Luis Moreno. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. Also, I am a Registered Medical Assistant and hold a Certification in Mediation and Dispute Resolution in the state of Texas. I am currently obtaining my License in Social Work as well as pursuing my Masters Degree in Social Work. I was born in El Paso, TX, but have called Dallas my home for the last 13 years.

I love giving back what has been given to me. I currently volunteer for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) teaching the class, “Visions for Tomorrow.” I also enjoy teaching English as a Second Language for LIFT (Literacy Instruction for Texans). I enjoy visiting with my nieces and nephews. I am proud to say that my oldest niece, Bianca, will be going off to college this summer.

To me, recovery is on going. It means being better today than yesterday. On those days that things are not so well, it means knowing that it has been and will be better. Recovery is a very personal process that involves learning to live with an illness or challenges. It is finding your unique self. It is living a life that YOU find meaningful and purposeful. Recovery is best when someone is there to provide support and acknowledgement. As your Self-Directed Care Advisor, I will learn with you what recovery is for you and what choices you will make towards that process. I will stand by you and be your advocate.

 

Cheryl Gayles, M.A.
214-991-1080
cheryl.hunter@texassdc.org

Hi, my name is Cheryl Hunter.  I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Howard University, a Masters of Biblical Counseling degree and a Masters of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.  I previously worked as a substance abuse counselor at a recovery center in Dallas.  In addition to providing me with significant insight into the needs of those recovering from chemical dependency, I also gained keen awareness of the needs of those recovering from mental health issues.

I am very passionate about supporting, educating and advocating on behalf of those with mental health issues.  In the past, I have provided education for lay counselors and phone counselors on recognizing and working with individuals suffering from various mental health conditions.

I believe that a mental health disorder does not define who an individual is.  It is just something to be managed.  I believe that individuals recovering from a mental health disorder have the same gifts, talents and abilities as those without a diagnosis.  Many simply have yet to discover and/or actualize these gifts, talents and abilities. I believe that individuals with mental health conditions have the same dreams, goals, passions, and values as those without out a diagnosis.  Persons with mental health diagnoses are just in need of the proper support, guidance, resources and life management skills to make these dreams, passions, and goals a reality.

As your Self-Directed Care Advisor, I am committed to advocating for you and assisting you in obtaining the necessary resources for your recovery. I am committed to walking with you through this new season of self-discovery and self-empowerment as you become the whole individual that you desire to be.  I am committed to supporting you thorough the challenges of this process and rejoicing with you in every victory that you achieve.  It will truly be my privilege to join you on this journey. 

 

Tommy Wornick, B.A.
214-673-4499
twornick@texassdc.org

Hello, my name is Tommy Wornick and I am excited about the opportunity to work with you. Specifically, I am glad to be part of a team that is working toward greater self-actualization for individuals who have been diagnosed with one or more mental health difficulties. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and will complete my Master of Science in Sociology from UTD in May of 2010. While sociology covers many areas, ranging from the sociology of religion, education, and criminality, it also includes the field of health, illness, disability, and mental health. Throughout my education, my interests have continually gravitated toward issues concerning mental health; these interests may well derive from my personal experience with both addiction and the Texas MHMR.

I personally have been clean and sober since May 16, 1992 and therefore, the term “recovery” has special meaning for me. While this is obviously one of the main “buzz” words within the Self-Directed Care program, it can mean different things for different people. For some, it may simply mean being able to get out of bed in the morning and cooking breakfast. For others it may mean staying clean and sober on a daily basis. For those with mental illness diagnoses, it may mean being able to live meaningful, independent, and/or productive lives. For all of these, however, I believe that recovery is not only a life long process, but also a process in which I myself must participate and for which I must take responsibility! Because recovery can mean so many things for so many different people, I believe that given the effort, and given the appropriate supports, anyone can realize their own recovery goals.

It has often been said that two of my greatest assets are patience and empathy. As your Self-Directed Care advisor, I will use these personal assets to assist you on your road to recovery. Within the bounds of the Self-Directed Care program, I will make every effort to share all that I have learned in my personal journey of recovery as well as all that I have learned in my academic career. I look forward to getting to know you and walking with you on your journey.  

Dong Tran, B.A.
214-707-1668
dong.tran@texassdc.org

Hello, my name is Dong and I am pleased to be involved in the Texas Self-Directed Care team as an Advisor. I have been living in the U.S. for sixteen years and Dallas/Fort Worth has been my home for the previous 10 years. I received my baccalaureate degree in Sociology from the University of Texas (UTD) at Dallas and I'm currently working towards a Masters of Science in Applied Sociology at UTD as well. My academic and career interests are in health care policies and research.

To me, recovery is a process that individuals must continually work on in order to maintain or reach their goals. Through this process, individuals attain a level of self-sufficiency, independence, and self-realization that will enable them to become productive members of society. For the individuals that I have worked with, this process requires patience and compassion from their advocates. I believe through compassion, cooperation and supportive measures, we as a larger population can bring positive changes to these individuals of our society.

I have been involved with the nonprofit sector of Dallas for the about six years and through my work experience and education, I grew passionate in working with disadvantaged groups. As a Self-Directed Advisor, I am committed to working with you towards accomplishing your goals through your process of self-realization and independence.