Jody Silver has worked as a leading mental health advocate for over 40 years, speaking up for change, integration, peers, and the overall better health of people with mental health and substance use challenges. Having spent most of her career working in New York City in the non-profit arena and for government, Jody then became the Executive Director of Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ), one of the largest providers of supported housing in NJ, and where 60% of the staff is comprised of people with lived experience. Prior to leading CSPNJ, Jody served for over a decade as Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs for The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene [DOHMH]. Jody advocated and helped develop and implement Wellness Respites that serve as crisis diversion in keeping people out of emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals both in NYC and NJ. She secured major funding for housing and services for people impacted by poverty, homelessness, and behavioral health challenges.
Jody serves on the International Advisory Board of the WHO Global Mental Health Center at Columbia University and has taken part in seven global missions for mental health around the world.
In 2020, Jody moved from NYC to Palm Springs, CA, with her partner Carol and their two dogs: Morty & Sophia. She joined The Center of the Desert Board in spring 2022.
