For Those In Pain, Inc. is a publicly supported tax-exempt nonprofit corporation, IRS code 501(c)(3). Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, we first “unveiled” ourselves to the public eye by a San José Mercury News West Magazine article "Pain. What it is. What it does. And what to do about it," (September 25, 1994). The organization's Founder & Executive Director is Beto Tellería, M.A., F.A.A.P.M.

Our Mission has a bi-focal nature: First, we are here to serve the community by delivering professional no & low cost pain management services toward the end of helping people to alleviate the difficult sensations, suffering, and disability associated with their experience of pain. Second, we are here to inspire, lead, and motivate others to do the same.

Our Vision is to demonstrate a model designed for a large urban area such as the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California… one which has been proven to work and, thusly, is worthy of replication in Greater Los Angeles, Greater Chicago, New York City, etc., etc.

Our Task is to connect the problem of pain to innovative problem-solving & leadership... The problem of pain is difficult for us all. Hence, we proclaim the importance of being available to each member of the equation: the patient, their families, employers, and their health-care providers.

We labor to accomplish our Mission through 4 fundamental expressions of non-medical care: 1) First and foremost, Patient & provider training / education (communicating & popularizing the issues, viewpoints, principles, and techniques of effective pain management), 2) Patient advocacy (teaching others how to navigate the various “systems” which confront those in pain: the health-care system, the family system, the medico-legal system, the insurance system), 3) Referrals: helping others put together the most effective “team” they have access to (medical & non-medical diagnostics, treatment, and human support) and, 4) Emotional support (providing a supportive environment for the pursuit of recovery).

For Those In Pain, Inc. is unique for five reasons: 1) A dogged determination to present a national model, 2) Commitment to & emphasis in encouraging patient-initiated problem solving, 3) A clear emphasis on the “intangibles” of effective pain management: courage, resilience, patience, and inspiration, 4) Its zeal for promoting the patient - physician relationship, and 5) Third party payment is not accepted and, yet, no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.

Chronic pain impacts the lives of an estimated 75 million people in the United States alone. It generates over 100 million doctor visits each year & results in over 550 million annual work days lost. The total cost to the nation tops a staggering 65 billion dollars each year.

While the big picture points to impact on business and public assistance, the small picture points to private despair, broken families, and bankruptcies of hearts as well as checkbooks.

Unfortunately, chronic pain is often not well accommodated by our health-care system, its patients, or the business community.

Because the issue of chronic pain is a complex & expensive quagmire, many patients, whether insured or not, frequently fall through the cracks in the system.

For Those In Pain, Inc. strives to serve as a safety net for residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rediscovering Hope
Restoring Function
Returning to Relationships
Returning to Work

Pain Management Training & Support Classes: "apprenticeship" toward effective coping & self-management in a supportive and upbeat environment.

Pain Management Conference: annual “Getting a Handle on Pain” Conference for adult patients, their families, their employers, and their health-care providers.

Community Education: on-site lectures, panel discussions, media interviews… in-service training & sensitization for providers and employers.

Private Appointments: problem-solving strategies, training & education, pain counseling, and emotional support.

Referral Sources: San Francisco Bay Area agencies / diagnostics / treatment / training; both medical & non-medical.

Patient Advocacy: Calling upon the community to "do more" and to nurture a healthy "point of compassion" for those who happen to have challenging pain that does not go away.

Telephone Hotline: for those short-run, immediate attention needs.... toll-free for impoverished households.

Patient Library: books, journal & news articles, newsletters, audio-cassettes, and videotapes.