Sister Roseann Walker: Advocate for the Mentally Ill

Written on: April 30, 2013

On April 30, 2013, Sister Roseanne received an award from the Bucks County Mental Health Association for her work as a pioneer in advocacy and peer support of the mentally ill in Upper Bucks County.

The award was presented at Delaware College during their yearly ceremony of what’s happening for the care of the mentally ill in Bucks County during the year of 2012.

The award reads:
“In Recognition of Your Creativity, Perseverance, Leadership and Guidance in the Development of Peer Support in Bucks County”

This award joins six others that Sister Roseanne has received since she began her career of volunteer work.

Upon her official retirement from teaching, Sister felt a strong call to work with the poor. After some research she discovered that some of the poorest people are those in psychiatric institutions. That was the impetus which led her to pursue a degree in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from Trenton Psychiatric Hospital to better equip herself for her new mission. Since she began her volunteer work, Sister has worked with literally hundreds of individuals who would have otherwise been overlooked.

She worked as a human rights advocate, mentor and role model. She was on the Patients Advisory Council and was asked to be president of the Volunteer Association, but refused because it would take her away from her main love, the patients, and she was appointed by the Bucks County Hospital to be on the State and County Hospital Boards.

Of all that Sister Roseanne has accomplished, she unhesitatingly says she is most proud of is the Assertiveness Training Curriculum that she wrote and from which she taught the patients to respectfully but assertively express their needs.

Congratulations Sister Roseann, you have been a “voice for the voiceless”, a true champion of peer support.

This entry was posted in From our Sisters