March 22, 2024
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION African-American News&Issues
Vol. 29, Issue 10
FREE
History is His Story, not the Truth or Our Story. Black History is 24/7/365, not just 4 weeks
- Roy Douglas Malonson
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
ROBERT LEDAY DEC 3, 1952 – MAR 1, 2024
HOMELESS & MENTAL HEALTH CHAMPION
By: Shelley McKinley
Omar Sesay, Program Director for The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, currently leads three outreach programs that target the homeless of Harris County with the intent of reducing the number of people living on the streets. The programs are: PATH which stands for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness; HOT which stands for Homeless Outreach Program; and SUDOP which stands for Substance Use Disorder Outreach Program. Each of these programs focus on the individual and what he or she needs immediately, like shelter, followed by
a menu of services. As Sesay explains, “There is a difference between mental health and mental illness. We all have mental health. Protect it. It is okay to seek assistance.” PATH is a program that provides clinical mental health and non-clinical services to adults ages 18 or older who are both homeless and have a mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorder. The goal of the program is to improve the individual’s quality of life by connecting them with ongoing outpatient mental health services at The Harris Center.
Champion on pg. 3
Robert LeDay was born on December 3, 1952, in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was the fifth child born to the union of the late Alcide LeDay and Orelia Jean LeDay. Robert grew up in a traditional Catholic family. He was baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, LA, where he served as an altar boy for 11 years. Robert attended Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in St. Landry Parish and graduated as a valedictorian. He went on to further his education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated with the class of 1974 and obtained a Bachelor Degree in Accounting. While at Southern University, Robert was married to Mary Davis, and their oldest child, NaTasha, was born in Baton Rouge, LA in 1973. They then moved to Houston, Texas and became members of St. Monica’s Catholic Church. Two daughters followed: LaChrisha was born in 1977, and the youngest daughter, LaToya, was born in 1981. After moving to Houston, TX, Robert worked as an accountant for Arthur Andersen. Three years later, he worked for Ernest and Whitney. Robert eventually moved on to work for Shell Oil Company for eight years and then HL&P, where he worked for five years. Robert was always a leader and had an entrepreneurial spirit. While he continued working, he began his RL Tax & Accounting Services. He was laid off from HL&P and continued working his accounting business full-time for 30 years until he retired in 2023. Leday on pg. 5