Guyton Colantuono's bio
Guyton Colantuono became the Executive Director of Project Return Peer Support Network in 2014 and has been working in the field since 1995. Guyton is motivated by his unwavering belief that "people are people first" and that a label is not a destiny. His experiences as a survivor of homelessness, drug addiction and mental illness has fueled his fire for a person-centered approach in all aspects of his career. Guyton has led a multitude of programs including: Homeless Outreach Programs, Dual Recovery Services, Transitional Age Youth Program, Adult and Older Adult Services along with Employment Programs and Homeless Shelters.
During his 20 years in the mental health field, Guyton has developed curriculum and trained on a wide range of topics including: Harm Reduction, The Role of a Peer Supporter, Hiring People with Lived Experience, Motivational Interviewing, Welcoming and Hospitality, Meeting People Where They Are, Homeless Outreach and Engagement, Boundaries and Ethics, Community Integration, Program Leadership, Supported Employment and Education Supervising People with Lived Experience working in the Public Mental Health System. These trainings have been delivered at community colleges, universities, conferences and other non-profit organizations.
Guyton is the 2007 CASRA Manager Hope Award Recipient of the Year and has been featured on Channel 11 news with Aidan Pickering and PBS for overseeing AB34 funded homeless outreach programs. He is a recipient of a Volunteer of the Year for Los Angeles Parks and Recreation in 2014. In his spare time he volunteers for the Castaic Sports Complex as a youth soccer, basketball and flag football coach, enjoys cooking spending time with his wife and two sons.