In 1997 Lily Marie, program liaison and a group of clients from Nevada County Behavioral Health visited Sacramento, Solano and Sonoma county Drop-In Centers. We acquired information to start our own self-help service program and compiled our own Peer Counseling education manual. Caring Hearts Peer Counseling became a reality.

In 1998 we conducted our first Peer Counseling class and we continue to teach classes annually. We started providing services at Behavioral Health by phone, and then organized a drop-in support group.

In 2003 we evolved into an independent Public Benefit Nonprofit Corporation 501(c)(3), SPIRIT Peers for Independence and Recovery, Inc. We envisioned and started planning for a Holistic Peer Empowerment Center to serve Nevada County. Joan Buffington and Dan Scanlin secured a Sound Partner’s community education grant, which partnered our organization and the local public radio station KVMR, for the purpose of bringing awareness to the public about mental health issues and services.

In February of 2004 we secured our current location for our drop-in Center. We chose the name SPIRIT Peer Empowerment Center because we wanted to be more than a drop-in center. We planned to empower peers to find purpose and fulfillment in their lives, and to focus on their whole being. Our grand opening celebration was on April 1, 2004. We received overwhelming support from the community.

We are open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-2pm for drop-in services and other extended hours for support groups and activities. The commitment and dedication of our volunteers to serve the general public is what keeps our organization alive and running. SPIRIT Center has proven to be an asset to the community. We also educate peers from surrounding counties about how to develop their own empowerment centers and holistic programs. We help people understand and overcome the fears related to mental illness by providing the “Stomp Out Stigma”, an educational outreach program.
Presently, we are supported and funded by private donations, Nevada County Behavioral Health, and SPIRIT Fundraising Events. We continue to pursue other grant monies. Currently we have a volunteer staff of twenty Peer Counselors and many other volunteers to manage and operate the SPIRIT Center, providing a variety of Peer Counseling opportunities.