> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # From the bottom line to the front line - URL: https://www.smdp.com/from-the-bottom-line-to-the-front-line/ - Published: 2004-09-13T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T05:02:35.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless *COMMUNITY PROFILES* *By PAM WIGHT Special to the Daily Press* SECOND STREET — Tod Lipka four years ago decided he was no longer satisfied with a career that promotes self interest. After five years at the helm of a human resources association, Lipka felt stultified in a system where the bottom line was only profit. He wanted something that expressed his desire to make a difference in society as a whole, a job that gave him a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Four years ago, Lipka quit his job so he could become the CEO of “Step Up on Second,” a non-profit organization based in Santa Monica that helps people with debilitating mental illness reintegrate into society. The social service agency is celebrating its 20th anniversary later this month. The organization is unique because it’s not a one-issue entity. It attacks the escalating problem of mental illness from a variety of angles, providing a comprehensive program of life skills. Lipka’s motivations are much different now. As head of the human resources company, he would often have to book “big name” speakers for seminars who were paid hefty sums for a one-hour speech. Often they spoke of vision statements. “A lot of organizations talk about vision and don’t really see much at all,” he said. “They develop a vision statement because someone thought it was a good idea to have a vision statement. “In circumstances like that, a vision statement impairs your sight because it’s just a statement, not a commitment.” The 51-year-old Lipka grew up in Boston, where he knew from an early age that he was more interested in human relationships than in intellectual pursuits. Possibly his mother’s struggle with alcoholism shaped an observant tendency about the subtleties of human interactions, along with an interest to help those with addictions and afflictions rather than judge them. Not clear about what he wanted to do when he reached college age, Lipka majored in sociology. While in his junior year, his father got sick and was hospitalized for a long period of time. As he spent much time visiting his father, Lipka saw that a huge population of elderly languished in the hospital with no stimulation or interaction. “I saw that, oh my God, there are just hundreds and hundreds of older people in the hospital, and they are just starved for attention,” he said. “I spent a lot of time with one elderly woman and got to know her very well. It started to click for me that this could be a career. It was a growing field because at that time there were a lot of horror stories out there like elderly people having to eat dog food to survive.” He went on to get a master’s degree in gerontology at the University of Southern California. Although he no longer works with the elderly anymore, Lipka brings a wealth of nuanced experiences from the years he spent in community service to the aged. He spoke to the Daily Press about what keeps him doing such a difficult job in which the largely intangible rewards are far and few between. What got you interested in helping people suffering from mental illnesses? “I had worked in aging services, working with the elderly since the ’70s, and had spent a number of years in the aging service network and decided that really I wanted to try something new. I had done a lot of different things within the aging care field on the East Coast. So I was looking for a new field of community service, knowing I wanted to stay in community service. There’s actually a lot of parallels between mental health and aging. I actually have an M.S.G. — an M.S. in gerontology and public administration. There is a tremendous need.” Do you have any history of mental illness in your family? “No, I was really looking for a great organization and Step Up had a rich history of pioneering work. At the time the board was not necessarily looking for someone with a background in mental health but rather for someone to help move the organization to the next level.” What is your favorite thing about doing this kind of work? “The sense of everything I do is contributing to something really important in our community, and the people are really appreciative of our service and can really use the service to improve their lives. There are wonderful stories of people who have moved from being homeless. Like we had one member who had been homeless 15 years. And after his being involved with our organization, he got to the point to where he wanted to try living in an apartment or a room, and the first month he was probably going out every night because he couldn’t stay indoors all night. Now, maybe every two or three weeks he can’t stay in all night. It’s amazing, you know, someone who moved from being homeless for so long has moved to being in a stable housing situation.” What is your least favorite aspect of the job? “There aren’t many things I don’t like about it. Some of the drudgery of writing minutes and reports, organizing the paper work, or rehashing something you’ve already done. Those are my weaknesses.” What did you like about working with the elderly? “There was a great need. And the gen-uiness. An early mentor once described older people as ‘people, only more so.’ All of those qualities that make us human... they were just more accessible and more honest about it, and I spent my first three years doing direct service, case managing or working directly with the people in need managing their cases, but I wanted to be more on the administrative side. Now I have both, being able to have the personal connection but not at the level of a case manager. How hands-on is your job? “It’s a nice balance. I spend time in all aspects of the organization, with the members and the staff. I know a lot of the members, but not all of them. It’s enough to keep in touch and know what’s going on but still do my administrative work. For instance, there’s a lot of traffic through my office because mine is between two others.” How many people do you oversee and what services do you provide? “There are 60 staff members and 1,200 members, and a budget of over $4.5 million, mostly from various government sources. Our program is a psycho-social model and is very cost effective compared to hospitalization. Research shows that the most effective form of treatment in terms of relapses are for people to be involved in a psycho-social program, along with medication. We are a comprehensive program that covers a broad range of aspects of life. We have a convenience store run by the members and a catering service which provides meals everyday, 365 days a year, breakfast and dinner, which is about 40,000 meals. All made by members. “We have several computers and teach various classes on journal writing, computer skills, communication skills, job interview skills, etc. We also have a closet with many clothes for the members to use for job interviews. There’s laundry facilities, showers and a cafeteria.” What percentage of your clientele are homeless? “Forty-five percent of our members are homeless. But they are not obvious homeless people. The people you see hanging out on the Promenade or sleeping in the doorways — those are not typically our homeless members. If you walk through our facilities you can’t always tell who is homeless and who is not.” What kind of person does it take to do this kind of work? “Someone who has a sense of self enough so they don’t lose themselves completely. And someone who is committed to a higher purpose than simple self-interest. Patience. You don’t see huge gains here. One of our long-time members, we just found out the other day, he overdosed. We lose people, that’s the hard part. The average age is mid-50s, so it’s an older population. Many have had addictions and been homeless for many years. And there are safety issues, not just for the members, but also for the staff. We never had anything bad happen, but we’re careful. It’s not the kind of work for everyone.” Do you have a favorite story about your experience in this job? “A member from ‘Daniel’s Place’ (a program of Step Up that targets 18 to 30-year-olds who are having their first mental illness experience), a young kid who had attempted suicide a couple of times, and after being in our program for a while, his mother told us she almost did-n’t recognize him. He looked so different. We helped him get a job, and he loved it. He was so excited to go to work. But it wasn’t just the job, but all of the support and attention he got from the program, and in all of those other ways, for him as a person.” What changes have you seen in the organization over the last 20 years and where do you see it going in the next 20? “It’s created a warm, supportive place for people to come where they could be themselves, a place where they could get away from the stigma. There were very few resources when it was founded. Our vision includes more permanent housing and growing the number of units. If you talk to any professional, housing is the most critical need. So we may have a couple of more buildings just for housing. Also, a larger media presence to educate the public about mental health issues. We’ll take more of an active role in the future. I’d like to have the whole block. We almost doubled the size in the last four years.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/091304-01_02.jpg) (Photo: Special to the Daily Press) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/091304-01_03.jpg) As part of a weekly contest, the first person to accurately identify where this photo was taken will receive a prize. (Photo: Alejandro Cesar Cantarero II/Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 13, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)