HIR Wellness Institute
​​Providing the Next Generation of Care to Victims of Violence through a Survivor and Women-Led Organization
Who We Are & Who We Serve
Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute is a survivor- and women-led organization committed to providing free and accessible culturally specific, trauma-informed mental health, wellness, and victim advocacy services to Indigenous and underserved communities impacted by violence. We work within our Indigenous, Tribal, Global Majority, and LGBTQ2S+ communities with a deep commitment to health & social justice, as we specifically support those affected by sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sex trafficking, and the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). We also serve individuals who have experienced losses due to suicide, homicide, substance use, and community violence.
We are committed to fostering a transformative mental health community that empowers both the public and professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to address systemic mental health challenges. Our focus is on supporting individuals, families, and communities, particularly survivors of violence, by promoting awareness, understanding, and effective solutions for positive lasting change.
We implement the CAM™ Mental Health Without Borders Approach™ which impacts the structure, culture, and landscape of how our relatives (clients) access and receive mental health services. To reimagine and redesign the service delivery of mental health services we focus on training the next generation of helpers, healers, and providers through our Advanced Training Clinic.
Our holistic, culturally informed approach is centered on creating a safe, welcoming space for survivors to seek support, grieve, heal, and rebuild hope. We recognize the profound impact of Historical and intergenerational trauma and intentionally work to address the unique needs of Indigenous communities, ensuring that healing is accessible, sustainable, and rooted in culturally responsive care.
We are dedicated to addressing the psychological distress and unsafety caused by systems of oppression racial trauma, and violence, advocating for health justice, and empowering individuals and communities to reclaiming their strength, voice, and wellbeing.
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By prioritizing mental health, well-being, and social justice, we aim to create a transformative space where survivors can not only heal but also thrive, and where community resilience is fostered for future generations.
Our Mission
Our mission is to increase mental health accessibility and promote health justice by dismantling the barriers that separate mental health systems from those seeking services, particularly within Indigenous and historically under-invested communities. We are committed to creating an inclusive approach that ensures equitable access to mental health care for individuals in communities that have long been chronically underserved.
How We Do This
By evolving beyond the traditional structures and systems that have often marginalized these communities, we aim to bridge the gap between mental health services and the people who need them most.
Our goal is to build trusting, culturally responsive relationships that empower individuals to seek the care they deserve, free from stigma or financial strain. We do this by collaborating with established partnerships, universities and training institutions that have internship seeking students to serve their field placement with our organization and learn how to provide community-based mental health care.
Through this work, we seek to promote culturally specific mental health equity, restore dignity, and foster holistic well-being for all.
Our Vision
Our vision is to cultivate the next generation of leaders and healers, grounded in a deep respect for our relationships with one another and our ancestors' wisdoms. To build true organizational resilience, we recognize the need for a paradigm shift that honors our past, addresses the realities of the present, and considers the well-being of future generations.
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The Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute is guided by the ancestral teachings and Indigenous wisdom of The Children’s Fire, which helps to inform our work and philosophy. This vision is reflected in our shared leadership approach and shared governance model rooted in Indigenous practices.
Ancient teachings of Two Laws of the Children’s Fire:
1. The Children’s Fire must forever keep going.
2. The feminine and children must be protected.
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These sacred principles guide our commitment to safeguarding the future of our children. We pledge to act in their best interest, ensuring that no harm comes to them, and that we nurture the continuation of our differing cultural traditions, practices, and ways of life.
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Our programming is designed with a community-informed approach that addresses the systemic effects of historical and intergenerational trauma. By applying the teachings of the CAM Framework™ and Intergenerational Healing Informed Approach™, we intentionally foster Healing-Informed Environments™ (HIE™), that are culturally responsive, empowering individuals and communities to heal, thrive, and lead with strength and resilience.
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We are committed to honoring the wisdom of our ancestors, uplifting the feminine, and fostering an enduring legacy of care and leadership for generations to come.
Centering Healing for Girls & Women
At HIR Wellness, when we use the term women, we embrace the fluidity and inclusivity of this definition to honor and support all lived experiences of womanhood in its many diverse forms.
We are committed to empowering and healing individuals of all genders and backgrounds. However, we recognize the profound impact that supporting women, particularly in improving the outcomes of their wellness and healing, has on the broader community. When women thrive, their strength ripples outward, positively influencing their families, children, and entire communities.
This is why our mental health services prioritize a focus on girls and women, while also embracing an intergenerational and communal approach to care. By centering the needs of women, we honor the ancestral teachings of the Children’s Fire, ensuring that healing and wellness flow not only through individuals but across generations, fostering resilience and strength within families and communities as a whole.
Together, we are healing forward, building a foundation where everyone can find support, nurture, healing, and a path toward a brighter future.
CAM™ Mental Health Without Borders Approach™
Our approach is centered on mobilizing mental health providers to actively respond to the evolving needs of community care. By bringing together an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals and trained interns from diverse fields, we create an integrated, community-based network of support. This team works within community spaces to deliver free, accessible mental health resources, screening tools, services, and advocacy—ensuring that help is available where it is needed most.
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We are committed to reimagining the service delivery of mental health care by providing real-time triage of mental health concerns, empowering individuals with immediate support and guidance. Our innovative model breaks down traditional barriers to access, making mental health care more responsive, flexible, and inclusive. Through this approach, we are not only addressing the immediate needs of the community but also laying the foundation for long-term healing and resilience by fostering a supportive environment where care is personalized, compassionate, and easily accessible.
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Scaling Access to Mental Health Video
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Community Activated Medicine™ in Service
At HIR Wellness we have intergenerational, communal, and culturally rooted mental health services and wellness programming, and trainings. It is our belief that we heal in relationships, alongside culture, and within community.
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Community Mental Health & Wellbeing
Practice in Action
At HIR Wellness, we are committed to providing innovative, healing-informed care to those who need it most—at no cost and no insurance requirements. Our services are specifically designed for victims of crime (VOC), individuals impacted by Historical Trauma, sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, survivors of Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), and victims of Human Trafficking (HT). Through the compassionate care of our dedicated staff and graduate interns, we offer a wide range of essential mental health and wellness services to individuals, families, and communities facing complex challenges through redefining the way we offer mental health care services.
We do this through the Lea S. Denny CAM™ Mental Health Without Borders Approach™ that designs services to meet our relatives (clients) and community members where they are at, considering the need for predictable and routine sessions and being equipped to respond to immediate needs.
At HIR Wellness, we are redefining the way mental health services are taught and delivered. As Lea S. Denny, CEO and Clinical Director, often says, it's time to move beyond the "four walls of care" and bring mental health support directly into the communities where people live, work, and thrive. Our CAMPsites™ (Community Activated Medicine Provider Sites™) are a key part of this innovative approach. These mental health hubs are designed to meet individuals where they are, breaking down the barriers of traditional office-based care.
Our CAMPsites™ offer a variety of essential services, including weekly drop-in healing and wellness offerings, seasonal mental health programs, group therapy sessions, and individualized counseling and wellness support.
By taking mental health services into the heart of the community, we’re making care more accessible, holistic, and relevant to the people we serve. Whether it's providing safe spaces for healing circles, offering grief support, or simply creating opportunities for individuals to connect and receive care, our goal is to ensure that mental health services are available to those who need them most, right in their own neighborhoods.
Through this innovative model, we are expanding the reach of mental health support, challenging traditional boundaries, and creating a system of care that is truly community centered. At HIR Wellness, we believe in meeting people where they are and creating spaces of healing that reflect the diverse needs of those we serve.
Snapshot of Our Impact
Investing Community Mental Health
Over the past year alone, our team has delivered an estimated $2.6 million in services, based on the national average cost of mental health and wellness sessions. This impact demonstrates the critical role we play in supporting our relatives, yet it also highlights the growing demand for our services. As our reach continues to expand, the need for funding and resources to sustain and grow our work has never been more urgent.
To continue offering these vital services and meet the increasing needs of our communities, we rely on legacy funding, sponsorships, and the ongoing support of a growing network of partners. Your contributions allow us to provide free, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care to those who need it most, ensuring that no one is turned away due to financial constraints. Join us in making a lasting impact—help us continue to provide healing, hope, and restoration to those who have been marginalized and affected by violence and trauma
Our virtual CAM™ supporters continue to exponentially grow within our global community!
Our CAM™ Mental Health Without Borders Approach™ has reached over 5,000 Milwaukeeans in the past year and thousands more through our virtual services throughout the state, Nationally, and Internationally.
Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) survivors and family members served with victim and legal advocacy services.
