Kozi Arrington

Kenneth Kozi Arrington is the Programs Outreach Coordinator for PEERS. In this role, Kozi reaches out to various Alameda County communities, organizations, agencies and learning institutions that serve and/or educate people with mental health challenges.  He also plays a lead role with Emotional CPR and facilitates Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Groups as well as Tobacco Cessation/Harm Reduction Workshops. Mr. Arrington is the co-founder and lead chairperson for the Alameda County, Pool of Consumer Champions, (POCC), Sexuality & Gender Alliance Committee (SAGA).

As the Programs Outreach Coordinator, Kozi uses his community and public relations skills to promote wellness and awareness, recruit volunteers, and organize events that benefit both the public and people with lived mental health experiences. He also introduces the concept and educates members of the community on the importance of mental health awareness.

What Kozi likes most about being involved with PEERS is his ability to meet with, connect with, listen to, and learn from others. He enjoys facilitating self-empowerment with others as he proactively engages in his own recovery.

In January of 2013, he served as an intern from the BestNow! Peer Specialist Training Program and worked on the PEERS video series Stories of Recovery. Following his internship and before transitioning to his current role, he served as the face of the place, the Front Desk Receptionist.

A graduate and now apprentice of Emotional CPR, Kozi has also served as a Mentor on Discharge through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and is a certified “Peer 2 Peer” Group Facilitator and an “In Our Own Voice” (IOOV) Group Facilitator through NAMI. Kozi was one of the participants in the NAMI, IOOV Cultural Adaptation Video Series as a representative of the African American LGBT family of mental health consumers.
Kenneth worked and volunteered for many years for the Alameda County Public Health Department’s Office of AIDS as a Community Activist, Peer Advocate, Peer Educator and Linkage Coordinator for People Living With HIV/AIDS, PLWHA. He served as the co-chair of the Alameda County, Collaborative Community Planning Council In 2005.
Kenneth is also a professional vocalist, actor, director for stage and television, writer, and spoken word artist. Check him out on YouTube.

DETAILS
Program Coordinator