***************************************************************************
Mental Health America of Charlottesville-Albemarle Sponsors Depression Screenings
***************************************************************************

Tuesday, October 30^th, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., at Westhaven Clinic, Crescent Hall and other public housing sites in Charlottesville.

For further information: www.mha.avenue.org or call434-977-4673

**************************************************************

Ticket to Work Webinar: "Community Service as a Pathway to Employment"
**************************************************************

Some people with disabilities may be able to work and continue receiving disability benefits. On October 31, tune in to a free webinar from the Social Security Administration to learn about the Social Security administration's Ticket to Work program and other work incentives. In this session, you will also learn about a variety of community service opportunities and benefits:

• The Corporation for National and Community Service
• Serve America Act
• Service leading to work
• How to connect with service opportunities

October 31st

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

Register here: http://fifthfreedom.org/u/he 

Never taken part in a Ticket to Work webinar before? Check out the archive of all their past webinars here: http://fifthfreedom.org/u/hf 

For questions or more information, email support@chooseworkttw.net or call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

*************************************************
Walk for Suicide Prevention in Richmond on October 27th
*************************************************

The "Out of the Darkness Community Walks" are 3-5 mile walks taking place in over 250 communities across the country this year, with the proceeds benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). By walking in the "Out of the Darkness Community Walks", you will be walking with thousands of other walkers nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and provide support for survivors of suicide loss. In deciding to walk you are taking us a step closer to making suicide prevention a national priority.

Tell your friends! Form a team! Register today at www.outofthedarkness.org
Deep Run Park, Richmond, on October 27th from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Cutoff:01/01/2013 12:00 am Contact: Vicki Conley at 804-918-0869 or by E-mai: vconley458@hotmail.com

*Online registration closes at noon the Friday before the walk. However, anyone who would like to participate can register in person at the walk! Please know that walk donations are accepted until December 31st 2012.

A contribution to AFSP is a good investment! Over 84 cents of every dollar goes directly to AFSP's programs for research, education, advocacy, and programs for survivors of suicide loss.                                                                             

************************************************************************

Peer Support Group Meets Every Saturday at Laurie Mitchell Employment Center (NOVA)
************************************************************************

Facilitated by Randy Merrifield, Peer Specialist and WRAP Facilitator

12:00 Noon at LMEC, 6295 Edsall Road, Suite 175 in Alexandria

For more information, contact: Randy Merrifield at  703-461-3886 or email him at WRAP@LMEC.org

*********************************************
"Understanding Bipolar Illness:  Learning from One
Another" with Melissa Elliott and Cynthia Power
********************************************

Sponsored by Mental Health America of Charlottesville - Albemarle 

McIntire Room, Central Library, Charlottesville
October 31^st at 7:00 p.m.

A conversation between a person who has the deep and expert knowledge borne of living with bipolar illness and a psychiatric nurse who is learning from her patients, their families, and the clinical literature. This exchange will highlight what mental health professionals have learned and still need to learn from the experts who have lived experience of bipolar illness and will explore how they can put to use what they have learned. Participation from attendees welcomed. Knowledge gained from this exchange will be taken back into both the peer and the professional communities.

************************************************************
First of Four Free Webinars on Role of Certified Peer
Specialists in Promoting Community Inclusion Set for November 15th
************************************************************

Join the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities and the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse for their first in a series of free webinars on the role of Certified Peer Specialists in promoting community inclusion. The four-part webinar series, sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is designed to provide a national platform for the discussion of roles that peer specialists and peer-run programs can play in offering the supports and services that individuals may need to participate more fully in the day-to-day lives of their communities.
 
The first webinar, on November 15th from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., will focus on innovative programs that peer-run programs have designed to promote community inclusion, and will draw on a national survey of peer-run programs jointly conducted by The Collaborative and The Clearinghouse. Results of the survey ("Into the Thick of Things: Connecting Consumers to Community Life - A Compendium of Community Inclusion Initiatives for People with Psychiatric Disabilities at Consumer-Run Programs") can be found on the Temple University Collaborative website   

(http://www.tucollaborative.org/pdfs/COMPENDIUM_of_Innovative_CI_Projects_11-29_10.pdf).  

The webinar will review innovative peer-run programs that have helped to connect people to mainstream community organizations: to work opportunities and independent living settings, and to religious congregations and civic and volunteer activities beyond those offered within mental health programs.
 
November's webinar will include:

·  Introduction and Overview / Joseph Rogers (Executive Director, National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse)

·  Survey Results: Effective Peer-Run Models / Christa Burkett (Co-Chair, Temple University Collaborative National Leadership Committee)

·  Personal Experiences / Bryce Hewlett (Executive Director, Delaware Consumer Recovery Coalition)
 
Please register for "Into the Thick of Things: Certified Peer Specialists in Peer-Run Services" at: 
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/502931257880380416  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Please note the topics of the next three webinars in this series:

January 2013 - Certified Peer Specialists: Promoting Community Inclusion in Rural Areas
March 2013 - Certified Peer Specialists: Supporting Meaningful Employment
May 2013 - Certified Peer Specialists: Connecting to Spiritual Communities

You will be notified of the specific dates and times of these 2013 events in the new year. Please direct any questions you have to Christa Burkett at cburkett@mhasp.org or 267.507.3811. 

******************************
Virginia and the Affordable Care Act
******************************

McIntire Room, Central Library, Charlottesville
October 24th, 7:00 p.m.

The Affordable Care Act is the landmark health care law that was passed in 2010.  We in Virginia stand to benefit greatly from this law as we gain the ability to insure more Virginians and improve our access to primary care and preventative medicine, including mental health care. Erin O'Donovan graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with her Master's in Social Work with a focus on public policy.  Health care is a cause near and dear to her heart because she has family members with chronic physical and mental illnesses.  She currently travels the state educating communities and organizations about health care reform.

For more information, call Mental Health America of Charlottesville - Albemarle, at 434-977-4673  

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.