Founded in 1942 as Los Angeles Psychiatric Service, the agency was the first nonprofit mental health outpatient clinic for adults in Los Angeles. Its original mission was to help Los Angeles residents cope with the emotional aftermath of the Great Depression. Since its beginning, the Center has evolved in response to the needs of our increasingly complex community and expanded its service to include clients of all ages.

In 1965, the agency began contracting with the County of Los Angeles under the provisions of California’s Community Mental Health Services Act. The next year, the agency developed a special program dedicated to helping under-served minority communities. The agency expanded even further in 1974 when it received federal designation as a comprehensive Community Mental Health Center.

At that time, the agency moved to newly constructed headquarters in Culver City. The Center was renamed in honor of Didi Hirsch, who along with her husband King Hirsch, provided the seed money for the new building. A powerful advocate for the mentally ill, Didi Hirsch was a Board Member with training in social work and a generous supporter of the agency. Over the ensuing years, Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center has merged with several failing agencies in order to preserve vital community-based programs. Most recently, in 1997 Family Service of Los Angeles became part of Didi Hirsch, thereby maintaining services in Metropolitan and South Central Los Angeles.

We believe that healthy individuals and nurturing families are the foundation of a healthy community. Since 1942, Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center has fostered the emotional well-being of people of all ages

ADULT SERVICES

Crisis Residential Care

Day Rehabilitation/Clubhouse

Intensive Case Management

Outpatient Treatment

Employment Services

Caregivers Support Groups

New Board Members Have High Hopes – September 2004

Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center welcomes two new board members, Rudolph I. Estrada and Howard M. Loeb.

Rudolph I. Estrada is the President and CEO of Estradagy, formerly known as the Summit Group. He founded the Summit Group in 1987, after serving as an executive for many years at one of the world’s largest international banks. Prior to banking, he was the District Director for the United States Small Business Administration’s largest district, and has held positions as a Commissioner on the White House Commission on Small Business and on The President’s Commission on the White House Fellows.

Rudolph serves as a Board Director and Trustee for numerous organizations, including Pacific Crest Bank, the Monarch Fund, the Los Angeles Community Development Bank, Women Incorporated, and most recently, the California State Parks Foundation, which advocates for the preservation of California’s 277 State Parks. As a member of the Board of Directors at Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center, he currently serves on the Budget and Finance Committee and chairs the Government Relations Committee.

Whether through one’s own personal experience or through the experiences of a friend or loved one, Rudolph’s belief that mental illness touches us all inspired him to join the Center’s Board of Directors. He has personally experienced the pain that suicide can inflict. A close family member committed suicide, and the Estrada family was faced with the challenge of coping with the loss. He hopes to change lives by supporting the Center in its endeavor to educate people about mental disease and erase the stigma of mental illness.

“If we can change the life of one person, we will change the life of an entire family,” says Rudolph.


Howard M. Loeb, trial and litigation partner at Loeb, Kosacz & Sundberg, LLP, has more than 30 years of experience in handling complex commercial litigation. Howard’s practice handles a variety of international and domestic business-related legal matters for both individual and corporate clients. He specializes in issues involving financial fraud in the corporate setting and disputes involving Internet commerce.

In addition to his legal work, Howard also helped establish The Executives, a support group for the Jewish Home for the Aging (formerly known as The Valley Jewish Business Leaders Association). A founding board member, he has served as Secretary and as an Executive Committee member, and currently serves as a member of the organization’s Development Committee. He has helped to raise funds for the Home, which houses more than 800 elderly residents on two campuses.

Howard first became involved with Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center when one of his daughters suddenly became ill with serious depression. He and his family had no idea how to help her and contacted Didi Hirsch for information on other mental health services in his neighborhood. “I know first hand how important mental health resources can be to families in crisis,” Howard says. He plans to use his experience in fund development projects to help the Center continue to provide support to other families in need of counseling.

The Center is fortunate to have both Rudolph I. Estrada and Howard M. Loeb commit their time, energy, and leadership in support of Didi Hirsch’s efforts. With their high hopes and aspirations for helping others in need, we are sure both will be excellent resources for years to come.

Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center is committed to empowering our clients to maximize their potential by providing quality behavioral healthcare services to the community and those in need.