About Us | Mind Span

About Us

Mind Span Wellness Community

Our Mission

Mind Span Wellness is centered on creating communities that focus on independent and therapeutic lifestyles for those living with mental illness. Through these integrated communities we will bridge the problems of social stigma related to mental illness in pursuit of a healthy and inclusive society.

Our People

Mind Span Wellness is made up of concerned community members, several who have family members affected by mental illness. We have seen the lack of resources as well as the social stigma associated with mental illness and are striving to find solutions from within the community to create mutual, sustainable and affordable relationships.

Our Concept

Micro-farming is not a new concept, and neither is work therapy for mental illness. However, few have ever combined the two and that is our goal : to create a residential living and work facility for those affected with mental illness. We will offer day programs as well as work in the on-site gardens and farms, adjacent to the residential community. Then, participants will be able to sell the products at local farmer's markets. The goal is a fully-sustainable community project that is affordable to those in need.

Why should i help?

Our Founders & Board

Carol Garrason

Originally from Annapolis, Maryland, she currently resides with her adult son that is living with schizophrenia. She understands all too well the dilemma of work and housing for those living post-diagnosis of serious mental illness. With over 20 years of experience in project and operations management, she spent six years living and working abroad in western Europe and North Africa. One her key development projects was for modular-construction hospital facilities in post-revolutionary Libya and included several feasibility studies and meeting with the Libyan ministry. She holds a diploma in Architecture and Construction Management with concentration on sustainable “green” residential design, and is currently working on her Master's in Healthcare Administratiaon. She also has experience as director of Donor Organ National Out-Reach (D.O.N.O.R) in the 1990's developing educational and support programs for families of pediatric organ transplant patients and lobbying for legislation to protect individual legal rights to become organ donors.

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Mark Paepcke

Carol Garrason

Mark has a passion working with mission-based organizations to impact and effect change for our country’s health and is excited about the opportunities that Mind Span can provide in areas of mental health and well being. He is an entrepreneur with over 30 years of executive management experience. Presently, he is the Senior Vice President at the Public Health Accreditation Board, where he oversees and manages all finance and accounting activity, as well as information technology and other systems, and human resources functions. Prior to joining PHAB in 2009, Mark held various executive-level positions in technology and 3rd party disability management. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in finance and managerial economics from the University of Baltimore, and an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Maryland.

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