Lloyd J Hale II Certified Peer Support Specialist/ Patient Affairs Coordinator for 14 years at the Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center. Lloyd is also a nationally recognized recovery presenter who shares his personal recovery story to increase awareness about the possibilities in recovery. Hale has worked with many families and community leaders to decrease stigma and instill hope in the Charleston Area.

 

     Lloyd was a key presenter in the Charleston areas “Lawful but Awful” training for law enforcement officers to increase awareness about approach and language when interacting with persons with mental health disorders. Lloyd has partnered with SC SHARE (South Carolina Self Help Association Regarding Emotions) to champion the READY FOR LIFE project and THE DREAM TEAM PROJECT aimed to get healthy conversations started (in rural areas) with youth and their families about mental health and resources in their community. 

 

     Lloyd’s worked closely with NAMI to carry the IOOV presentation to national audiences and has been instrumental in the implementation of ENDING THE SILENCE talks in SC and also CIT. With hopes to carry his message and inspire action from others, Lloyd founded RIDE4SPMI (ride4 severe and persistent mental illness), a 210-mile annual bicycle ride across the state of SC to raise awareness and to get people moving in the spirit of recovery.

 

     Featured in the Bevocalspeakup documentary “Beyond Silence” with executive producer, singer and songwriter, Demi Lovato. In the documentary, Lloyd shares an unscripted journey through his recovery and current life with the camera. Hale left the Dept. as a trainer of Cert. Peer Supports in the state of SC (with SC SHARE) and developed standard practices for SCDMH’s Peer Support Program as the Patient Affairs Coordinator for the entire agency. Currently, Lloyd is pursuing an executive seat at the SC SHARE table to train CPSS and other DMH staff statewide while providing ongoing education for peers seeking to better help themselves in recovery.