Job Opportunity: PT Peer Specialist at Virginia Supportive Housing - Posted 6.13

20 hours/week; $12-16.82/hour, commensurate with experience

General Statement of Duties: As a member of the Virginia Supportive Housing's  (VSH) PSH Team, the Peer Specialist provides peer counseling and support to consumers who have experienced homelessness and who may have mental health, addiction, or physical health conditions.  Responsibilities include: assisting consumers with identifying and achieving their current goals and desires; facilitating Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) sessions; assisting with identifying and accessing community support resources; and supporting individuals as they grow through their recovery process through the use of the Peer Specialist's own recovery experience. Services are provided in housing sites in Richmond that are owned by VSH. 

Qualifications: Ability to provide peer counseling from the perspective of a person who has received mental health or other recovery services is required; Associates degree in human services and at least one year of experience providing direct client services is preferred. Personal experience with homelessness is strongly preferred, but not required;Strongly prefer certification in WRAP;Must have good verbal and written communication skills;Must have a valid Virginia driver's license and the ability to meet VSH's driving and criminal background requirements; Good written and verbal communication skills.

Interested applicants please e-mail cover letter and resume to  jobs@virginiasupportivehousing.org   with the subject line Peer Specialist (Richmond PSH)

Alternatives 2013 Update: Scholarships now Available! - Posted 6.13

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hopes to provide financial support to current and past consumers of mental health services to attend the Alternatives Conference. 

The application deadline is July 22, 2013. Answers to most scholarship questions and the application are available at: http://power2u.org/alternatives2013/scholarships

Hotel Registration Begins Now

Reservations may now be made for hotel rooms at the Hyatt Regency, Austin, Texas.

Future Announcements

Please stay tuned for future announcements about Alternatives 2013 including keynote speakers and registration. Our official Alternatives website is: http://www.power2u.org/alternatives2013

Tomorrow: Webinar on Services for People on Social Security Disability Who Want to Work -Posted 6.11

 If you receive Social Security disability benefits and want to make more money by working, Social Security's Ticket to Work (TTW) program can give you the support you need to become financially independent. Join the next free webinar on June 12th from 3 - 4:30 p.m. You'll hear from disability benefits experts about the TTW and other Work Incentives programs that let you keep your benefits while you explore employment, receive vocational rehabilitation and gain work experience. Register online or call 1-(866) 968-7842 (V) or 1-(866) 833-2967 (TTY). 

Challenge.gov: Develop a Suicide Prevention App - Posted 6.13

The "Continuity of Care and Follow-Up App Challenge" challenges individuals and organizations with the development of an application (app) for a mobile handheld device. The app will provide linkages to continuity of care and follow-up care for a person at risk for suicide who was discharged from an inpatient unit or emergency department. Proposed activities can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Live chatting via the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website
• Safety planning
• SMS (short message service) functionality
• Scheduling functionality and appointment reminders
• Mapping/transportation functionality that shows locations of health care resources.

Innovation is highly encouraged. At a minimum, entrants must include safety planning and utilize two resources to provide users with access to services through the crisis centers within the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the SAMHSA Treatment Locator. The top three entrants will be eligible for a total of $100,000. Please be aware there is a 2-month deadline.

Note: SAMHSA is not looking for an application that simply connects a user to a crisis line via a single button; that functionality is found in a number of other suicide prevention applications.

Learn More About the Suicide Prevention App Challenge

Richmond Behavioral Health - Part Time Homeless Outreach Peer Specialist - Posted 6.13

District 19 Community Services Board is seeking an individual to serve as a peer specialist in outreaching persons who are mentally ill and homeless. Duties include peer support, advocacy, family orientation/education and to provide significant mutual help to other consumers who may be in need of mental health services. The successful applicant must have: Knowledge of service provision to the homeless, some experience interacting with mental health service providers as a recipient of mental health services and some high school, including the ability to read and write on at least a 9th grade level. Position above requires pre-employment criminal background check and drug screening. This position is part-time with hourly salary commensurate with experience/training. Applicant must be available to work Tuesdays through Fridays between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Interested applicants should obtain a D19CSB application from Human Resources Dept., 20 W. Bank Street, Suite 7, Petersburg, VA 23803, or call (804)862-8062. Applications can also be downloaded (in MS Word) from our website, www.d19csb.com. Return completed applications and resumes to the street address above. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed D19 applications. Open until filled.

Recovery Among Friends (RAF) Meets in Ashland - Posted 6.13

Fourth Tuesday of each month, Thomas Hale House, 203 S. Taylor Street (23005) from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

"Our goal is to have a core group of dedicated individuals in recovery who can commit to attending on a regular basis. We intend to create a community of support for those in recovery from a mental illness. We offer hope and a non-judgmental environment". 

Call Patrick at 804.317.1255 or Kim at 804.266.6787 for more information and to get connected!   

From Fifth Freedom: New One-Stop Resource for Mental Health Tips - Posted 6.10 

The government has introduced a new one-stop resource for comprehensive mental health resources, http://www.mentalhealth.gov . The site offers information on signs of common mental health disorders, treatment options and how to start a conversation around the topic of mental health.

The four main sections of the site are: Basics, What to Look For, Talk About Mental Health, and How to Get Help. The "Basics" section offers a simple definition of mental health, some myths and facts, and information about recovery. The "What To Look For" section offers some very basic information on how to tell if you or someone else might have a mental health issue, such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, mood disorders, and so on.

The "Talk About Mental Health" section offers tips on starting conversations about mental health issues. Tips include how to talk about your own mental health, how to talk with your friends and family, how educators can help meet the mental health needs of their students, and more. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the "How To Get Help" section. This section offers information about where to get help right away, including phone numbers for treatment referral and suicide prevention. It also offers information for veterans and their families, health insurance, and participating in clinical trials.

In addition to the four main sections, the site also offers videos with stories of hope and recovery, and a treatment locator.

The website is still new, and as yet, does not have as much content as some other government websites. However, the content that is there is valuable. With some expanding, MentalHealth.gov should be a useful resource for everyone impacted by mental health issues.

The Health Care Law: Health Insurance Marketplace 101 - Posted 6.10  

June 19th at 12:30 p.m.

 This is a presentation on the main provisions in the health care law (the Affordable Care Act) and how to access care in your community. Topics include the Health Insurance Marketplace, how to enroll in health insurance, and how to receive updates on implementation of the law. A brief question and answer session will provide answers to commonly asked questions.

Three Summer Conferences in 2013- Posted 6.6

Three conferences this summer offer knowledge and networking opportunities. The Seventh Annual National Peer Recovery Supporter Conference, organized by the International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS), will be held August 27-28, 2013, at the Sheraton Garden Grove Anaheim South in Garden Grove, Calif. (near Disneyland). The 31^st annual conference of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services will take place Sept. 10-12, 2013, at the Hudson Valley Resort & Conference Center in Kerhonkson, N.Y., in the scenic Catskill Mountains. And the Copeland Center Summit will be held at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District, in Philadelphia's Old City, near Independence Hall, Sept. 11-13, 2013. For more information or to register, see the sources below, respectively:
 
Sources: http://na4ps.wordpress.com/7th-annual-national-conference/

http://www.nyaprs.org/conferences/annual-conference/2013.cfm 

http://copelandcenter.com/our-services/copeland-center-summit

Link to Virginia Mental Health Conferences and Trainings Calendar for Opportunities to Attend Conferences and Trainings - Posted 4.11  

Go to:  http://tinyurl.com/VirginiaCalendar

Do you know of other things that could be posted on this calendar?? Email Yolande Long: yolande@vocalvirginia.org

Full Time Peer Bridger (Anno. # 41-13) Sought for Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Consumer Operated Programs - Posted 5.16

Location: MH/SA Admin
Type: Full-Time
Salary: Commensurate with Education and Experience.

This position will focus on people being served by the Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Community Services Board, who have been identified as ready for discharge. The MPNN CSB Discharge Planner will facilitate the Peer Bridger's interaction with the hospitalized person prior to their discharge. The Peer Bridger's interaction will help ease the transition into community life for individuals being discharged from Psychiatric Hospitals ( with a focus on Eastern State Hospital ) to significantly decrease their need for readmission by offering an array of both intensive individual and group peer support services. The Peer Bridger will: Engage in a uniquely personal, positive supportive relationship that is the foundation for all future interactions. Provide working knowledge of up to date community resources such as transportation systems, recreation centers and activities, churches, drop in centers, support groups, etc. Partner as the peer gains confidence and knowledge. The Peer Bridger helps to foster hope and serves as a role model for persons who are in recovery. The Peer Bridger will work alongside individuals during and after hospitalization to encourage wellness and independence. Provide support to the individual as they engage in pre-employment/job support services or computer skills training. Will interact positively with clients of various cultural backgrounds, cognitive capacities and psychiatric/physical disabilities. Introduce and provide a strong understanding of wellness and recovery principles, such as WRAP. Assist the individual in writing a crisis plan that explores effective hospital diversion options. Assist, accompany and facilitate the individual's involvement in an array of Peer Support Meetings located at both in the hospital, and following discharge, in the community. Interact closely with the CSB Hospital Liaison to facilitate communication, coordination, and person centered implementation of the Peers Discharge Plan, NGRI Plan, ISP, Crisis Plan or WRAP Plan. Work with a case load of 4 to 8 people depending upon intensity of time and engagement needed with each individual, plus the number needing intense services vs. those nearing independent community interaction.

Education and Experience:

Request lived experience with MHSA challenges coupled with the ability to demonstrate one year successful management of their own personal recovery. Peer Support Training, WRAP Facilitator experience or CELT Leadership training helpful but not mandatory. Knowledge and experience of Mental Health hospital environments preferred. Ability to negotiate successful outcomes in complex situations a strong plus for the successful candidate. High School Diploma or GED. VA Driver's License with acceptable driving record.

Position will remain open until filled. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.