Providing care and support to the following districts and entities;Planning District-1, Cumberland Mountain, New River Valley Highlands, Dickenson County, Mount Rogers, and Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute.

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NEC's Wellness Works Initiative
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As part of National Recovery Month, SAMHSA is launching the second annual National Wellness Week from September 17^th -23^rd to promote the many ways that social inclusion, trauma-informed care, and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness can improve quality of life and increase life expectancy for people diagnosed with mental health issues.

During National Wellness Week, we aim to inspire individuals to improve one's physical health behavior, while exploring their talents, skills, interests, social connections, and environment to incorporate other dimensions of wellness. We will mobilize peer-run, faith-based and other community organizations, as well as mental health, substance addiction and physical healthcare providers to host events or promote messages encouraging the Eight Dimensions of Wellness (Emotional, Financial, Social, Spiritual, Occupational, Physical, Intellectual, and Environmental).

Wellness Works Initiative

As part of National Wellness Week (September 17-23, 2012), Peerlink, the National Empowerment Center, and the other Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Centers-the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse, NAMI Star Center, and the Family Cafe TA Center - invite you to submit a piece of original creative work expressing what wellness means in your lives and for your communities.

Your submissions will help raise public awareness about the importance of

embracing a wellness-based perspective, in mental health services as well as our

communities at large.

Submission guidelines:

Submissions are due September 9^th. Selected works will be showcased on the

web. Please email your original submissions to wellnessworks@power2u.org.

Submissions can include:

One poem (limit 3 pages)

One piece of visual art (attached as a .JPEG or .PDF file)

One song (attached as an .MP3 file)

One digital video (5 minutes or less; send YouTube/other hyperlink or .MP4 digital

video file) 

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National Wellness Week 2012 Town Hall Teleconference Kick-off
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Today, Thursday, August 9, from 3 - 4:30 p.m.

http://www.esi-bethesda.com/10x10teleconference

Presenters:

• Cardum Harmon, Campaign Manager, Alameda County's 10x10 Campaign
• Cathy Cave, Consultant, Unlimited Mindfulness Consulting; Wellness Steering Committee member; and Cultural Competency and Inclusion Subcommittee co-chair
• Matthew Federici, Executive Director, The Copeland Center
• Nancy Gottlieb, Project Director, Sober Women and Healthy Families
• And more...

Teleconference Overview:

You, your organization, and your community can help us improve quality of life and increase longevity for people with behavioral health challenges by getting involved in National Wellness Week as a part of SAMHSA's National Recovery Month in September.

In 2011, more than 100 organizations in 36 States including behavioral health and primary care providers, peer-run, faith-based, and other community organizations participated in National Wellness Week.

Second Annual National Wellness Week 

September 17-23, 2012 

Let's make 2012 even bigger. Join well-known peers and persons in recovery, as well as peer leaders, as they share personal experiences of incorporating the Eight Dimensions of Wellness into their recovery. They will also describe ways to celebrate and promote the second annual National Wellness Week!

Participants will have the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions for National Wellness Week and ask the presenters questions.

Target Audiences:

• Peers and persons in recovery, current and past recipients of mental health and substance abuse services, family members, and mental health and substance abuse organizations;
• Peer-run organizations;
• Community- and faith-based organizations that support people who have mental and substance use disorders;
• Staff of State and county mental health departments;
• Mental health providers;
• Substance abuse providers;
• Primary care providers; and
• Anyone interested in helping to promote wellness, improve the quality of life, and increase life expectancy for people with mental and substance use disorders.

Learning Objectives:

During this teleconference, participants will:

• Learn how to incorporate the Eight Dimensions of Wellness into their recovery, work, and lives;
• Gain information about getting involved in National Wellness Week; and
• Discover how the target audiences can work together to achieve the goals of SAMHSA's Wellness Initiative-to promote wellness, improve quality of life, and increase longevity for people with mental and substance use disorders.

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Special Announcement from Pamela Hyde at SAMHSA
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I am delighted to announce that Paolo del Vecchio, M.S.W., has been selected to serve as the next Director of the Center for Mental Health Services.  After a full and open search, Paolo proved himself to possess the vision, the energy, and the leadership capacity necessary to steer CMHS into the years ahead.

Paolo has had a long and successful career here at SAMHSA.  Over the course of his 17 years in CMHS, he served as the Acting Director, the CMHS Associate Director for Consumer Affairs, the Acting Director for the Office of External Liaison, and was the first Consumer Affairs Specialist hired by SAMHSA.

Throughout his work, Paolo has been a leader, pushing the envelope on a wide range of consumer issues, including consumer participation and education, issues of discrimination and prejudice, wellness, recovery, trauma, and access to treatment.  Paolo is also a strong and capable leader and manager, serving as a critical part of the SAMHSA leadership and management teams.  

Prior to joining SAMHSA, Paolo worked for the Philadelphia Office of Mental Health in the areas of policy formulation and the planning of a comprehensive system of community-based mental health services addressing homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and many other issues.  He graduated summa cum laude with a master's degree in social work from Temple University.  

Paolo has been involved in behavioral health for over 40 years.  As a consumer, a family member, a provider, and a policy maker, he has been and will continue to be a strong advocate for those with mental health conditions and/or addictions, and their families and a valuable asset to SAMHSA.  Please join me in congratulating Paolo and wishing him the very best in his new position.

DISCLAIMER: This page is offered strictly for informational and support purposes.  We assume no liability whatsoever for any consequences arising out your use of information or connections provided through any of the above organizations. VOCAL does not necessarily agree with information provided by these organizations, their websites, members or other affiliations.