Thursday, October 10th at 8:30 a.m.

Western State Hospital, Rooms A1094 and A1092; 103 Valley Center Drive, Staunton (24401)

Committee meetings will be at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, followed by an onsite dinner and tour of the hospital.

On Our Own of Roanoke Valley Holds Annual Luncheon Meeting on October 15th - Posted 9.30

12:00 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church

1101 Franklin Rd SW   

Guest Speakers are Peer Support Specialists Alex Davidson, Amy

For further information and to register, (540) 362.0061  

Next Central Peer Connect Meeting on Tuesday, October 8th at RAFT House in Hanover - Posted 9.12  

14433 Washington Hwy, Ashland (23005)

Our program will be "Poetry Reading and Tea Time". Please bring an original poem or a poem you just like, if you would like to read aloud to the group. RAFT House wishes to offer lunch to our group but MUST HAVE an accurate head count, so if you plan to eat lunch there, please contact Betsy Brown at 804.798.4587 (RAFT House phone, ask for her) or by email :

An Informational Alert Prepared by Fifth Freedom: "Disability Disclosure and Self-identification Benefits, Barriers and Implementable Solutions"  Webinar - Posted 9.12

On October 10th, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) will present a webinar on disability disclosure in the workplace. While this webinar is directed at employers, it can also benefit employees with disabilities to know how employers may address this complex issue.

Disability disclosure at the workplace can be greatly beneficial to both employers and employees with disabilities. With the recently released regulations strengthening Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and setting specific recruitment goals for workers with disabilities, the need for creating environments where individuals feel comfortable disclosing a disability has become critical. However, some people may fear repercussions and opt not to self-identify, and many employers do not know how to collect this information. 

Using recent research as a foundation, this webinar will examine:

• The benefits of workplace disclosure for employees with disabilities and employers
• The barriers and facilitators to disclosure from the perspective of individuals with disabilities
• Strategies employers have implemented that increase self-identification 

2:00 pm to 2:30 p.m.

Register here: http://askearn.org/ndeam_registration.cfm    

Region Ten Consumer Advisory Council's 8^th Annual Recovery Conference - Posted 8.29

October 25th  from 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn University Emmet Street.

This year's theme is "A View Inside: Keep it strong. Keep it local".  Our goal is to showcase people in recovery that are a part of our community. We are planning some exciting events in preparation for the conference.

There will be two ways that consumers will be able to show their amazing strengths at the conference:

1. There will be a portrait photography project of persons in recovery called "A View Inside" by local photographer Keith Alan Sprouse. (To see examples of his other work go to http://cvillepeople.tumblr.com/) Space is somewhat limited . Contact Beth Gager for info. 

2. There will be a chance for consumers to share their stories at the conference in a presentation called "Breaking Through". For people who have something to share about their personal story of breaking through mental illness and/or addiction we will have a series of storytelling workshops leading up to the day of the conference. Please contact Beth Gager to register.

People can participate in one or both projects. Please get the word out to people who you think have something powerful to share. Please contact with me with any questions or to sign up for either project.

Please contact Beth Gager  by October 18th  by email or by phone to register for the conference or to participate in presentations. 434-970-1480 or beth.gager@regionten.org

Registration is free but required. No walk-ins admitted. Space is limited. Special accommodations must be made by October 4th.

What is it like to Hear Voices? A Questionnaire Study - Posted 9.19

Hearing the Voice, in collaboration with the Lived Experience Research Network, is pleased to announce a new research study into the experience of hearing voices. 

This study - an online questionnaire which can be completed anonymously - takes a philosophical approach to understanding human experience. It invites people who hear voices to reflect upon important aspects of their experience - such as moods and emotions, or bodily sensations - which may not usually be the subject of attention, especially in clinical settings.

You can find out more about the study, and take part, by clicking here. The study will run until November 29.

Developing a better understanding of the experience of voice-hearing is perhaps the central aim of the Hearing the Voice project, and one of the strengths of working as an interdisciplinary team is that we can go about this in a number of ways. We are in regular conversations with voice-hearers from a wide range of backgrounds, and have learned a lot from the narratives of people who have shared their stories of recovery. We work closely with clinicians and carers who have professional experience of working with people who are distressed by their voices. We are critically investigating the psychological scales that psychologists and neuroscientists use to measure and quantify hallucinatory experience. And we are examining the literary, historical and theological record to put all of this into a wider cultural context.

Our hope is that this study will make an important contribution to the wider Hearing the Voice project and so ultimately be of benefit to people who hear voices and to those who care about and for them. This can only happen through the good will of our anonymous participants. If you or someone you know would like to find out more, or are interested in participating in the study, please visit the questionnaire web site for further details.  

Webinar: "How to Enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace" - Posted 9.19

October 8th at 4:00 p.m.

Are you ready for the health care law, what some may know as Obamacare, health reform or the Affordable Care Act? We will explain the health care law, show you how to enroll in health insurance and answer your questions. Open enrollment starts on October 1, 2013 and ends on March 31, 2014. Health insurance will be available for every American as a result of the health care law. Please send any questions to ACA101@hhs.gov prior to October 8 at noon.

https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/509127463?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery