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Correction to This Article
This article incorrectly described the origin of Valenti House, a residential treatment program that is part of Woodley House. It was named for Mary Margaret Valenti, wife of the late Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture Association of America.

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A Half-Century Later, Woodley House Still at the Cutting Edge

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In other words, not everybody has the boldness of a Joan Doniger or a Jack and Margaret Valenti.

But ignoring the problem won't make it go away.

"We're seeing an increase in demand for mental health services and in the intensity of the mental illnesses," said Gary Frye, executive director of Woodley House. "Part of the reason is that more people are returning from the war in Iraq in need of help."

The economic crisis is also resulting in a scarcity of jobs for the mentally ill, to say nothing about a slowdown in charitable donations.

"We can use single bedsheets, blankets, desks, tables, chairs, workout equipment, computers and, of course, money," Pincus said. Might as well throw in a Thanksgiving dinner, too. That's certainly not asking much for a half-century of helping the least, the lost and loneliest among us.

E-mail: milloyc@washpost.com

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