Written by Sadie Works
Meet Ernestine Perreault, Community Outreach team Supervisor in Lewiston. Ernestine has been with the agency for almost three years and was a former Tri-County Mental Health Services employee that joined Spurwink when the two agencies came together. When Ernestine is not at Spurwink, you can find her kayaking or creating a new piece of art.
How did you become involved with working for Spurwink? I have been with the agency almost three years now, and was a former TCMHS employee that crossed over last year. I’ve been in the field now for 34 years, starting out as a Mental Health Liaison in the U.S. Air Force during Operation Desert Storm.
What Spurwink program do you connect the most with? I am the supervisor for the Community Outreach Programs team in Lewiston, which represents nine grants and currently a team of 15. They provide a boots on the ground style of delivering support, resources, and connections to services and treatment, to the communities of Androscoggin County. My staff are out on the streets, at encampments, shelters, parks, libraries, jails, schools and area businesses every day, some alongside law enforcement and EMS services, offering connection and hope to anyone that may need help.
Why do behavioral health resources and programming matter to you? I grew up with the deck stacked against me; born into and raised around family and friends struggling with addiction, incarceration, mental health crises, homelessness, very little education, and severe poverty. I saw a lot of them lose themselves and even their lives, to these struggles. But along the way, I was also given powerful examples of perseverance, resilience, hope, and the understanding that things can get better. Those lessons were often given to me by complete strangers, and it changed my life, saved my life. That is why this work is so important to me. Without someone else believing in me and giving me chances to thrive, I might not have a story to tell. Growing up, I had always hoped that someday I might be able to do that for someone else.
Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had while working in your field? I will sum up all of my experiences of doing this work into the feeling that happens when seeing someone come into my office for the first time, and realizing just how much guts and courage it must have taken for them to just cross that threshold. I respect and admire that so much because I have been there, and I feel honored that they chose me to walk along side them on their journey.
What are the words you live by? My grandmother always told me, “Everywhere you go, leave a mark.” It’s the lens that I have looked through my whole career when trying to help people.
What is one small habit that has made a big difference in your life? Having a bit of a commute (mine is an hour) from work to home—it helps me to transition from the challenges of the work day to then being a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and grandmother to my loved ones.
What is the best piece of advice you have received? Just keep believing in something, anything, until you believe in yourself.
What is your dream travel destination? Italy
Music or Podcasts? Music-all genres, but mostly from the 80’s
What is your favorite way to spend a rainy day? Spending time with my family, having a nice meal and playing board/card games.
You can read more about Spurwink’s Community Outreach Services on our website through this link.
