COMHAR

🎨 It Opens Tomorrow! 🎨
The creativity, talent, and voices of our community take center stage as the COMHAR Annual Art Exhibition & Sale opens June 2!
Join us in celebrating the powerful artwork created by COMHAR members—each piece reflecting stories of resilience, recovery, and self-expression. From bold paintings to intricate mixed media, this exhibition is more than art—it’s a window into the strength and spirit of those we serve.

✨ Why you don’t want to miss it:
• Experience one-of-a-kind artwork
• Support local artists and recovery journeys
• Connect with a vibrant, inspiring community
• Take home a piece that tells a meaningful story

Every purchase supports our artists and reinforces the importance of creative expression in mental health and healing.
📍 Opening: Tomorrow, June 2 and running through June 4
Come be part of something truly special.
💙 Because at COMHAR, art isn’t just created—it’s lived.

COMHAR is pleased to formally welcome Leon Cushenberry, MD, who joined COMHAR on April 20, 2026, as our new Medical Director.

After an extensive search, Dr. Cushenberry was selected for his broad experience in community-based behavioral health settings, his deep commitment to community psychiatry, and his thoughtful, strategic approach to strengthening clinical and operational excellence. We were also inspired by his visionary mindset and his commitment to advancing innovative, person-centered services grounded in quality care, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.

As Medical Director, Dr. Cushenberry will represent and support the agency across our clinical programs and services. He will work collaboratively with our leadership and clinical teams to enhance and strengthen clinical service delivery throughout COMHAR. In addition, he will provide direct oversight to the agency’s psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, with Dr. Anika Vaughn Cooke and Dr. Gordon Zeis reporting directly to him.

Dr. Cushenberry was born and raised in metropolitan Los Angeles, California. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Davis, and completed his Psychiatry Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Following residency, he completed a Public Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Cushenberry is a community-based psychiatrist with extensive experience serving individuals with serious mental health challenges. His work is grounded in an understanding of the structural determinants of mental health, health equity, and intersectionality as they relate to whole-person, recovery-oriented care. Throughout his career, he has served in several community mental health settings, including Assertive Community Treatment and targeted case management programs in Philadelphia. He has also worked as a psychiatrist in several inpatient hospitals throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region. His professional interests include strengthening local systems of care and exploring the intersections of culture, identity, and mental health and well-being.

Outside of his professional work, Dr. Cushenberry enjoys exploring local and international travel destinations, attending performing arts events and concerts, and learning about aviation and cultural storytelling through food.

Please join me in warmly welcoming Dr. Cushenberry to COMHAR. While his role will take him across many of our programs and locations, his primary office will be based at the Latino Treatment Program, located at 2600 N. American Street. He can be reached at [email protected].

We are excited to have Dr. Cushenberry join COMHAR’s leadership team and look forward to the knowledge, compassion, and innovation he brings to our organization and the communities we serve.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, COMHAR is proud to stand with the individuals, families, and communities impacted by mental health challenges—and with the dedicated professionals who walk alongside them every day.

At COMHAR, we believe mental health care is rooted in dignity, inclusion, connection, and hope. Awareness is more than a moment—it’s an ongoing commitment to reducing stigma, strengthening supports, and ensuring everyone has access to compassionate, person‑centered care.

This May, we reaffirm our mission and honor the resilience of those we serve and the dedication of our staff who make this work possible. Together, we can continue building communities where conversations about mental health are welcomed, support is accessible, and people feel seen and valued.

💚

NATIONAL NURSES WEEK - May 6 - May 13, 2026

During National Nurses Week, COMHAR proudly recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary nurses who dedicate their careers to supporting individuals with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities.

Their work requires more than clinical expertise—it demands patience, empathy, advocacy, and a deep respect for each person’s dignity and lived experience. They walk alongside individuals through moments of challenge and triumph, building trust, fostering independence, and offering stability, compassion, and hope every single day.

Mental health and IDD nurses are healers, listeners, educators, and champions. They help people find their voices, honor their strengths, and navigate systems that are often complex and overwhelming. Their presence brings calm, reassurance, and humanity to care that is deeply personal and profoundly impactful.

To all of the COMHAR nurses, thank you for choosing this meaningful work. Your dedication changes lives, strengthens families, and enriches communities. We are deeply grateful for all that you do—this week and always.

Thank you, NAMI Philadelphia, for another phenomenal CRC event! It was truly energizing to reconnect with so many familiar faces and to make new connections along the way. Huge shout‑out and heartfelt kudos to Amy Federer and her amazing team for the incredible planning, dedication, and hard work that made this event such a standout success!

Amy Federer

Earth Day 2026

This Earth Day, COMHAR staff and members partnered with North Broad Renaissance for a powerful day of service and connection across Philadelphia. Together, we planted flowers, greenery and small trees to uplift and beautify shared community spaces. Our team also repainted benches and flowerpots, leaving behind color, care and lasting impact.

Inclusion - At COMHAR, we are committed to inclusion, visibility and opportunity. Experiences like this allow our members to actively contribute while helping to shift the narrative around intellectual disabilities and autism.

Community - Even through the rain, our members showed resilience, joy, and the true spirit of community.

Impact - This was more than an event. We are a part of this community. We will continue to show strength, value and impact of every individual we serve.

Experience - What made this experience especially meaningful was the intentional inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Each task was modeled with care, ensuring every participant felt confident, capable, and supported.

Despite the rainy weather, our members remained determined and engaged throughout the day. With smiles, teamwork, and perseverance, they pushed through. After, they enjoyed moments of more connection and inclusion over food provided by Santucci's.

NAMI Philadelphia

💚 Mental health matters at COMHAR—today and every day! 💚

As we close out April, we’re recognizing important observances like Stress Awareness Month, National Counseling Awareness Month, and National Minority Health Month, while getting ready to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month on May 1!

This moment is a powerful reminder of why our work is so important. At COMHAR, we are proud to stand for mental health, equity, access, and hope—and to support individuals, families, and communities every step of the way.

Let’s carry this energy forward into May and beyond, continuing to raise our voices, reduce stigma, and champion wellness for all. 💫🧠💚

🎉 Celebrating Continuous Years Of Service 🎉
Honoring Dedication, Impact, and Commitment

COMHAR proudly recognizes a remarkable group of team members who have reached a meaningful milestone. Each of these individuals has contributed time, talent, and heart to our organization, strengthening our mission and positively impacting the lives of those we serve every day.

Please join us in celebrating our Tenure Award recipients!

April is Stress Awareness Month — a reminder that stress is a shared human experience, and support makes a difference.

At COMHAR, we see every day how unmanaged stress can affect mental health, families, and communities. We also see the power of connection, prevention, and compassionate support in helping people build resilience and hope.

This month, we encourage everyone to:
✅ Check in with yourself and others
✅ Practice small acts of self-care
✅ Reach out for support when stress feels overwhelming

Reducing stress isn’t about eliminating challenges — it’s about strengthening the supports that help us navigate them together.
Let’s keep the conversation going and continue building healthier, more resilient communities.

COMHAR CELEBRATES AUTISM ACCEPTANCE WEEK - MARCH 23 - 29