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Exciting News from the Firewalkers Project!
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The Firewalkers Project is looking for well-written, authentic writing for an upcoming Anthology that focuses on the following themes:

Emotional turbulence
Altered states
Spiritual breakthroughs
Visionary meltdowns
Ecstatic visions
Crazy blessings
Mad gifts

What we are seeking is accessible, enjoyable, surprising pieces that relate to the themes listed above. We are interested in creative nonfiction and essays that show insight, humor, quality of writing and diversity of experience.
Submissions can be emailed as an attachment to malaina@vocalvirginia.org. Submissions must be in 12pt Times Roman font, double-spaced, with numbered pages (max 20). All submissions should be accompanied by a one paragraph author biography. One submission per person. No poetry please.

Writers will retain all rights to their work. Previously published work will be considered. There is no payment except for a copy of the book. This is most definitely a labor of love and a chance to define this experience that may be labeled as "mental illness' in our own terms. The anthology is being planned as a self-published book.

Our first book, Firewalkers: Madness, Mystery and Beauty was also self-published and has sold over 1300 copies and 10,000+ people have visited our website, read the book or attended a Firewalkers event.

Please see www.thefirebook.org or www.vocalvirginia.org for more information.

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Webinar: "Ticket to Work: Support Services for People Who
Have a Disability and Are Ready to Work"
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Some people with disabilities may be able to work and continue receiving Social Security benefits. On Wednesday, January 25, learn about the Social Security administration's Ticket to Work program and other work incentives.

Wednesday, January 25

3:00 pm to 4:30 p.m.

Register here: http://chooseworkttw.net/wise/jsp/wise.jsp

For questions or more information about this webinar or Ticket to Work, contact Ticket To Work: http://www.chooseworkttw.net/help-desk/help-overview.html.

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VAULT Advertising Executive Director Position
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During 2010, a group of 13 leaders from Virginia disability groups and organizations came together to form a statewide,cross-disability non-profit organization to bring people with disabilities together for public policy decision-making at  local,state and regional levels. People with disabilities, groups and organizations make up the board of directors for VAULT, including:

·         Autistic Self-Advocacy Network

·         Hearing Loss Association

·         People First

·         Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (VACIL)

·         Virginia Association of DeafBlind

·         Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership (VOCAL)

·         Youth Leadership Forum alumni 

The successful candidate must have experience, skills, abilities and/or working knowledge of:

·         disabilities and disability systems change activities at the local, state, or national level;

·         interpreting and implementing policies;

·         generally accepted administrative management and personnel;

·         writing reports;

·         general accounting, financial and procurement functions;

·         budget development and monitoring;

·         fundraising and/or grant writing; and

·         Microsoft Office Suite and other related programs 

Preferred qualifications for the Executive Director are:

·         the ability to travel;

·         a Bachelors degree in a human service field or 2 - 5 years of related experience in the disability field;

·         at least 2 - 5 years in a leadership position of a non-profit;

·         supervisory experience of staff; training experience/ public speaking; and

·         a working knowledge of administrative and legislative processes. 

Priority consideration will be given to a candidate with a disability. 

This position is grant funded for 30 hours per week. 

The salary range is $29,000 - $35,000 with no health benefits.  VAULT's office is located in Richmond, Virginia. The position is open until filled. 

If interested, please submit a cover letter and a resume to:

Ann Benner

1904 Byrd Avenue, Suite 111

Richmond, VA. 23230

Or Email:  ann@vocalvirginia.org

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Next Northwest Peer Connect Will Meet on February 8^th
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Northwest Peer Connect will not meet in January due to schedule conflicts. Our next meeting will be February 8, and a notice about the place and time will appear in this

email digest.

Please contact Ann Benner (804)343-1777, ann@vocalvirginia.org, for more information.

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Project Evolve: Comment on the New SAMHSA.gov Design
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SAMHSA has posted a prototype of the new SAMHSA.gov homepage and is seeking feedback on this draft design. The proposed changes reflect SAMHSA's commitment-via Project Evolve-to include our stakeholders in the web development process. Based on feedback we've received so far from visitors to the SAMHSA site, this draft reflects our focus on improving navigation, organizing information by topic and audience, and streamlining the information on the homepage.

Tell Us What You Think

We are asking everyone to take a look at the new SAMHSA.gov homepage and answer the question, "What is missing?" on our feedback forum site. We want to know what is most important to you when you come to SAMHSA.gov. This information will be invaluable as we continue along the development process and begin to consider where and how information or services should be emphasized on the site.

Learn More About the New Design  |  Give Us Your Feedback

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From Bonnie Neighbour, VOCAL Advocacy Coordinator
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In recognition of the importance of employment opportunities in a person's recovery, Virginia has begun to talk in terms of "Employment First," meaning that people receiving services will be asked about their interest in integrated and community based employment as the first choice among available day service options offered to individuals receiving mental health, developmental, or substance abuse services.  Read more about it  below and take a moment to send your comments regarding the new draft policy to the Department of Behavioral Heath and Developmental Services.

The information below can be found at this link:  http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/adm-StateBoardDefault.htm#sb3

(To access the information from directly from the links from the email below, right click on the link and choose 'open hyperlink.')

REQUEST FOR COMMENT on State Board Policies by February 29, 2012

I.   Field Review of a Draft New Policy   At its last meeting, the Policy Development and Evaluation Committee of the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services approved an initial first draft of the following proposed NEW policy:   * DRAFT Policy 1044 (SYS) 12-1 Employment First

To assist the Board with this review, stakeholders are asked to consider the proposed policy and forward your comments about the need for the policy or any suggestions for edits. 

II.  Scheduled Field Review of Three Current Policies   At its last meeting, the Policy Development and Evaluation Committee of the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services initiated a scheduled field review of:
* Policy 1016 (SYS) 86-23 Policy Goal of the Commonwealth for a Comprehensive, Community-Based System of Services
* Policy 1034 (SYS) 05-1 Partnership Agreement
* Policy 1036 (SYS) 05-3 Vision Statement

To assist the Board with this review, stakeholders are asked to consider these current policies and forward your comments about the continued need for these policies and any suggestions for updates, revisions or rescission.

Please provide your comments on all of the above by February 29. 2012 to:   ruthanne.walker@dbhds.virginia.gov or by mailing: State Board of BHDS, 1220 Bank Street, Room 1323, Richmond, VA 23219. Comments received will be considered at the next meeting of the committee on April 19, 2012 at Catawba Hospital in Salem, VA.

The next scheduled meeting of the Policy and Evaluation Committee of the State Board is mid-April, in Salem.  These policies, and any recommendations for further edits, are expected to be taken up at that meeting.  Please contact me if you have any questions via this email address or the phone number listed below.

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Emotional CPR (eCPR): An Introduction to Assisting
Others through Emotional Crisis
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Thursday, February 16th from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Register now by clicking here:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/744527718

Please register by February 15, 2012.

What is Emotional CPR?

Emotional CPR (eCPR) is a public health education program designed to teach people to assist others through an emotional crisis by three simple steps:

C = Connecting, P = emPowering, and R = Revitalizing.

Emotional crisis is a universal experience. It can happen to anyone, at any time. When we are exposed to an extraordinary situation, we develop amazing and creative ways to protect ourselves. Through using eCPR, we can better understand and overcome our fear of seemingly unusual behavior brought on by an emotional crisis. eCPR gives us the skills to form supportive connections that empower a person in emotional crisis to heal trauma, feel revitalized, and resume meaningful roles in the community. Emotional CPR is a way to reduce harmful and coercive practices such as unnecessary institutionalization or incarceration, as it helps direct individuals in crisis to voluntary, peer-run community resources supporting recovery.

This webinar is geared towards peers, peer-run organizations, mental health service providers, family members, policymakers, administrators, and all other stakeholders.

Presenters:

Sandra (Sam) Ahrens is a Wisconsin-certified peer specialist, and has worked as a peer specialist trainer since 2009. She also provides training and technical assistance to peer-run mental health recovery centers in Wisconsin. Her training and experience includes teaching, social work, and advocacy in the areas of mental health, poverty and homelessness.

Daniel B. Fisher, MD, PhD: Dan's life's purpose comes from his lived experience of recovery from schizophrenia, which inspired him to dedicate himself to helping others find their voice and recover. He earned an MD, and completed his residency in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has practiced as a board-certified, community psychiatrist for 30 years. In 1992, he co-founded the federally-funded National Empowerment Center and serves as its executive director. He was a commissioner on the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2002-03.

Ann Rider, MSW, CPRP: Ann is a social worker and mediator by training, and a writer and gardener by avocation. Using her own experience recovering from psychiatric disability and addiction, Ann developed and implemented Peer Specialist training for two agencies and for the state of Arizona. She worked as the mental health advocate for Arizona's Protection and Advocacy system, and has taught peer support and recovery classes in Arizona, Canada, and New Zealand. Ann is the CEO of Recovery Empowerment Network in Arizona, an advocate, and a faculty associate at Arizona State University.

Lauren Spiro, MA: Lauren has devoted her life's work to transforming mental health care. Labeled with chronic schizophrenia as a teenager, her journey to wellness informs all her work. She co-founded two non-profit corporations and as the director of the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery, she advances the values, vision, policies and legislative priorities of mental health consumers in Washington, D.C. and across the country. She is an artist and holds a M.A. in Clinical/Community Psychology.

Questions?
A Q&A period will follow the webinar. You will be invited to submit your questions any time during the webinar.

Sponsor:

This webinar is sponsored by the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery - www.ncmhr.org. For more information about eCPR, see www.emotional-cpr.org

"It's Not You, It's Your Stories: How Your Fundraising
Appeals Can Tell Better Stories"
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 February 8th at 2:00 p.m.   

 Storytelling is all the rage these days, but including stories in your fundraising appeals will not magically make them more effective. In fact, it can even have the opposite effect. Thankfully, there is a way to tell stories that will inspire giving and involvement.

To find out how to make your stories work, join M+R, NTEN and the Ad Council for this storytelling webinar on February 8 at 2pm EST (11am PST). We'll cover:

• Why not all stories work in fundraising appeals
• The basic requirements to telling the right story
• Concrete tips you can use every time you draft an appeal

Presenter Bios:

Steve Daigneault: Steve Daigneault, Senior Vice President, puts his 15 years of experience as a grassroots organizer, communications specialist and online strategist to work for M+R clients like PBS, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Oceana. Before coming to M+R, Steve served as the Managing Director for Internet Communications at Amnesty International USA, where he developed an email strategy that nearly tripled Amnesty's list in less than three years and helped grow Amnesty's online fundraising program, even in the midst of the September 2008 stock market crash. Steve has also been a consultant and strategist for the Save Darfur Coalition, American Cancer Society, U.S. Holocaust Museum, Aspen Institute, Audubon Society, SaveOurEnvironment.org, Opportunity Agenda, and United Nations Association.

Sara Wolfson: Sara came to non-profit communications through a background of magazine feature and fiction writing. She's been involved with activism since her blue-haired college days, where she organized dozens of anti-poverty events and fundraisers, and came to M+R after helping manage the online communications at Smart Growth America on issues such as state stimulus campaigns, green infrastructure and high-speed rail. Since coming to work at M+R, she's worked with organizations including AARP, the Wildlife Conservation Society, PBS, American Rights at Work, and Mercy Corps.

To register: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=ec6u2a6ji9fj

For further information, contact Matt Canuteson: mcanuteson@prainc.com or (518) 439-7415 Ext. 243

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Webinar: Stand Up For Mental Health with David Granirer
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Thursday, January 19th, from 2:00 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
 

The 90 minute module provides ample time for questions and discussion.

Most people think you have to be nuts to do stand-up comedy. We offer it as a form of therapy!

David Granirer counselor, stand-up comic and author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead to Happiness and Success, created and leads Stand Up For Mental Health (SMH). David teaches stand up comedy to people with mental illness as a way of building their confidence and fighting public stigma, prejudice, and discrimination.

Our shows look at the lighter side of taking meds, seeing counselors, getting diagnosed, and surviving the mental health system. We perform at conferences, treatment centers and psych wards in partnership with numerous mental health organizations.
 

To Register:

To receive an invitation to register for this event, send an e-mail to: rsvppeerlink@gmail.comwith 'Stand Up For Mental Health' as the subject.

To Participate:

This webinar will be presented live via teleconference and web interface.

WEB ACCESS: www.readytalk.com  CODE: 8200138

PHONE ACCESS: 1.866.305.2467 CODE: 518298#

You must log into both the web interface and teleconference to see and hear the presentation.