Mental Health Association of Greater St. Louis     1905 S. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63104 314-773-1399 Info@mhagstl.org    A United Way Agency

Representative Payee Program

The Representative Payee Program is like a strange bank. We have no drive-up windows and we don’t make loans or even a profit. We help our participants, all suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse problems, manage their Social Security disability or VA benefits and try to make their money last while paying their bills and work toward their goals.

One of our participants is a veteran. He is a neatly kept, compact wiry African American man who has smooth, dark skin, a bright ready smile and impeccable manners. At first, he didn’t like having someone tell him how to spend his money. In fact, we initially “butted heads” over several issues including the purchase of a used car. We felt he should delay this purchase until he had several other bills paid off. He didn’t want to wait. After sitting down with him and explaining the budget we had prepared for him, he understood that if we were to pay off those bills he would have enough money to purchase a car. Happily, he has paid those bills and has purchased a vehicle by spending his funds wisely.

This individual was chosen for several reasons as an example of how the Representative Payee Program works. He has not only worked hard to get back on his feet financially, but his greatest project has been himself. He is now calm, focused and about to graduate from the Salvation Army Veteran’s Program. He will soon have an apartment of his own.

The pride of his hard-fought return to the mainstream of life has been a long journey. While he deserves the credit, the Representative Payee Program was there to help him along the way!
 

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