ORLANDO, Fla. — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Central Florida soon will have more services for those struggling.

Dave’s House, which offers permanent supportive housing for those with serious mental health issues in Orlando, is expanding its reach into Seminole County.

Many in the community are not getting the help they need, according to Dave's House Chief Executive Officer Ellen O'Connor.

“In the Central Florida area, we know through the Homeless Services Network that over 2,000 people are living in homelessness and over 30% of that population has a serious mental illness,” O'Connor said.

Seth Farrell is already receiving help from Dave's House in College Park. He meets often with one of the organization's volunteers-turned-friend Adam Schwartz.  

“We are like best buddies forever," Farrell said. "He is like a gift to me.”

Schwartz concurs. "And I would say the same," he said. "Seth and I have just a have a wonderful, genuine friendship.”

They connected at Dave’s House as Farrell, who lives with a serious mental illness and deals with drug and alcohol addiction, is a client there.

“We are very aware that one in 20 people are living with serious mental illness, and Seth’s life is really an example of what happens when you get the support that you need and, most importantly, when you have safe, stable housing,” Schwartz said.

Not long ago, Farrell needed a roof over his head, as he was battling addiction and suicidal ideation.

But since living at a Dave’s House property, he’s been able to reclaim his life by having an affordable place to live, access to mental health and behavioral services through Aspire Health Partners and support from people like Schwartz.

“Serious mental illness is not the whole person," Farrell said. "It’s about the wholeness of a person because there is this stigma that this person is sick and will never get better, and it’s only a part of me but there is a whole other humanity of beauty within me and the belief that I can recover is something that you guys have helped me with.”

Now, he’s able to live a life he didn’t know he could, and he’s excited for others to do the same as Dave’s House expands into Seminole County.

“The new complex is expanding the greatness of what Dave’s House has done for me and how many other people you can help,” Farrell said.

He’s so grateful, that he now volunteers at Kate’s Clubhouse, where Dave’s House clients can come and connect.

“It has taken us a couple years to get to where we are at, but we are very close to be able to announce an expansion in Seminole County," O'Connor said. "And we are thrilled about that because we are going to be able to house 39 adults who will be able to live together in the same community, and we’ll be able to bring in the services they need and really create efficiencies but also really have an integrated life for these people.”

Right now, Dave's House has six properties in Orlando for clients to live in as long as they’d like.

“It’s a beautiful lakefront house," Farrell said. "We enjoy each other, and it's a great opportunity to live well, live sober, live in harmony and have close friendships.”

The house gives Farrell a chance to build the community he always wanted.

“That’s what I have to live for, giving to other people, just being of service, not just my mental health diagnosis," Farrell said. "I am Seth, and I am proud of myself today.”

Dave’s House and Aspire Health Partners have teamed up for the past 15 years to offer the services. Anyone interested in living in the Seminole County location of Dave's House when it opens must first go through Aspire Health.