#10 Breaking the Stigma Behind Mental Illness, Don Scuvotti

Don’s unexpected long and difficult journey all began when his 16-year-old son started showing signs of peculiar behavior. The diagnosis: schizophrenia. Struggling through a mental illness he was not fully aware of and a 20+ year marriage beginning to collapse, Don’s journey led him to discover a world we all must understand. The stigma behind mental illness has long been overdue to exploit and educate upon. Don’s story and the development of Elevation House, where adults with mental illness learn to thrive and share in community learning, has elevated his own health and relationship with his family.

In this episode, Don vulnerably shares his story with us and encourages us to explore a world in which we are all not quite fully aware.

Before founding the non-profit organization Elevation House, Don Scuvotti spent 30 years in the business world, holding senior leadership positions in a variety of areas including Marketing, Customer Development and Corporate Strategy. During his three decades in the business world, Don focused on building and leveraging his leadership skills in three the key areas which he believes are most critical to achieving success: Building trust, cultivating team-talent and executing effective strategies.

Don is also the father of a 26 year-old son who was diagnosed with serious mental illness in 2009. Their journey toward recovery has been challenging and Don and his son have experienced, first-hand, the difficult challenges faced by those living with mental illness along with their families. Over the last 11 years, Don has been exposed to a vast array of social advocacy and support programs for those living with serious mental illness and he has developed a great deal of passion for helping individuals and families who are effected by serious mental illness. Don retired from corporate life in May of 2017 with a strong desire to help families effected by mental illness and in 2018 he founded Elevation House, a non-profit with a mission of ending ecomonic and social isolation for adults living with serious mental illness. Elevation House offically opened their doors in June of 2019. Don has also served on the Board of Directors for The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), an advocacy organization focused on supporting people living with mental illness along with their families.

Don and his wife Halei make their family’s home in Cedartown Georgia and they have three children including two sons and a daughter. Don is originally from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and he holds a bachelors degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Don is a Christian, an avid outdoor enthusiast and a passionate Pittsburgh Steeler fan!

Connect with Don Scuvotti:

Don’s Cell: 404-395-5960

Don’s Email: don@elevationhouse.org

Elevation House Webite: www.elevationhouse.org

Elevation House Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pg/ElevationHouseRomeGA

Elevation House Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevationhouseromega/

Elevation House Twitter: https://twitter.com/elevaterome

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