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A twice-weekly electronic news-digest delivered to your inbox dedicated to keeping you informed of mental health recovery news and opportunities across the Commonwealth and the nation.
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Have You Registered for VOCAL's Annual Conference? - Posted 4.14
VOCAL's Statewide Mental Health Recovery Conference will be held on May 19th, 20th, and 21st on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg. Our keynote speaker will be Michael Skinner, nationally recognized trauma survivor, advocate, and musician. Visit Mike's web site at mskinnermusic.com to read more about him!
Registrations are due by April 21st - there are a limited number of scholarships available. Please visit www.vocalvirginia.org for the registration/scholarship form.
Join your peers for networking, learning and fun!
Successful Crowdfunding: Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned - Posted 4.14
April 24, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Presenters: Oryx Cohen, National Empowerment Center, Technical Assistance Director; Leah Harris, National Empowerment Center, Director of Communications and Development; and Dese' Rae Stage, photographer, writer, suicide awareness advocate and creator of a Kickstarter campaign for Live Through This, a series of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors, as told by those survivors.
Description: This webinar will discuss: crafting an effective fundraising video, leveraging social media and other linkages to raise campaign awareness, and crafting a sustainable and achievable rewards program for campaign backers.
To register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/532584974
Save the Date for Alternatives 2014! - Posted 4.14
The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse is currently negotiating with a hotel in Orlando, Florida, to hold a national mental health conference on the dates of Wednesday, October 22 through Sunday, October 26 with the potential for a pre-conference institute on October 20-21. The Alternatives conference approval is in process with SAMHSA and it is expected that it will be completed soon.
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VOCAL News
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W.R.A.P. Facilitator Training Update - Posted 4.3
VOCAL will offer WRAP facilitator training July 7 through July 11.
Trainers will be Bonnie Neighbour and William Hart. Peers who have a WRAP plan and an intention to offer WRAP groups in their communities are invited to apply to receive the training.
Cost for training, lodging, meals and training manual is $1500.
The application is available on the VOCAL web page at:
http://www.vocalsafelink.org/wrap_form.php
Please contact Ann Benner, REACH Program Director, for more information. Contact: ann@vocalvirginia.org
or 434.243.7878
VOCAL Seeks Help Updating Records-Posted 3.6
VOCAL is updating our records. If you work in a peer center, drop-in center, or clubhouse, or if you have knowledge of a peer-run organization in your area, please send us the information. We need the following:
- Name of center or organization
- Director or contact person
- Address
- Phone number
- What services they provide
- Email address
- Website (if any)
Please send info to: jane@vocalvirginia.org
VOCAL Seeking Consumer Experiences with Mandatory Outpatient Treatment - Posted 3.6
In support of our advocacy efforts, VOCAL is compiling information regarding consumer experiences with Mandatory Outpatient Treatment (MOT). If you have been subject to MOT and are willing to share your experiences please contact Jane Ellis at the Network office.
Jane@vocalvirginia.org or 804-343-1777.
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News Around the Commonwealth |
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Beginner Yoga at "84 Main" in Warsaw - Posted 4.7
Every Monday at 12:00 p.m.
For further information, call 804. 333.3581
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Qualified Bilingual Staff Interpreter Training Program for Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Staff - Posted 4.3
The Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS) training program was developed by Kaiser Permanente and adapted by DBHDS for the purpose of expanding system capacity to provide linguistically appropriate services to individuals who are limited English proficient (LEP). The program targets bilingual, dual role staff and trains them in proper interpreting skills during a mental
health or behavioral health encounter.
This DBHDS training will be open to individual staff who need to learn effective interpreter strategies, build their terminology around mental health and developmental disabilities, and who work in the following settings: refugees in resettlement; behavioral health; developmental services; substance abuse prevention and treatment; early childhood, child, and adolescent mental health and developmental services.
May 13-15, 2014, Virginia Tech Richmond Center
2810 N. Parham Road, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23294
Registration Deadline: April 21, 2014
August 12-14, 2014, Virginia Tech Roanoke Center
Roanoke Higher Education Center, Suite 701, 108 N. Jefferson Street, Roanoke, VA 24016
Registration Deadline: July 14, 2014
September 16-18, 2014, Virginia Tech Virginia Beach Center
1444 Diamond Springs Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Registration Deadline: August 26, 2014
For further information and a registration form, contact: Keiana Bobbitt at
W.R.A.P. Class at Lakeside House (Henrico) - Posted 3.27 Second Saturday of each month from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. Contact Kevin Kelly for further information:
Richmond Out of the Darkness Community Walk Scheduled for September 30th - Posted 3.20
Deep Run Park (Henrico County)
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Registration Cutoff 9.12.2014 at 12:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Shirley Ramsey : 804.868.0082 or
http://www.afsp.org facebook.com/richmondoutofthedarknesscommunitywalk |
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Conferences, Trainings, and Webinars
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Webinar: Building A Grassroots Demand for Trauma-Informed Approaches - Posted 4.10
Wednesday, April 16, from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Click here to register
Description: While the vast majority of people receiving mental health services are trauma survivors, the availability of trauma-informed services in public sector services lags far behind the need. This webinar will explore how people receiving services, peer-run organizations, and traditional providers can help build a grassroots demand for these services by educating themselves, provider organizations, and policy-makers about trauma and its impact and how trauma-informed approaches promote healing and growth. This webinar was developed as part of the Mental Health Empowerment Project's Statewide Consumer Networking Grant, "Creating Trauma-Informed Communities."
For further assistance:
STAR Center Community of Practice on Facilitative Leadership and Collaborative Action - Posted 4.10
Tuesday, April 29, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Register Here
Chacku Mathai, CPRP, STAR Center Director, Facilitator
The STAR Center Community of Practice on Facilitative Leadership and Collaboration is for you, if you are involved in mental health systems transformation at any level and you are interested in taking your community organizing and leadership skills to the next level.
What is a Community of Practice? Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. ~ Etienne Wenger-Trayner
The STAR Center Community of Practice involves:
- Open monthly web-conference presentation
- Dialogue and experience sharing between participants
- Optional homework and practical application exercises
- Mentoring and network development
Join the STAR Center Community of Practice on Facilitative Leadership and Collaborative Action!
Tuesday, April 22, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Presenters: Maria E. Restrepo-Toro, MS, CPRP, Senior Training Associate and Uma Chandrika Millner, Ph.D., Research Associate; Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University.
This interactive webinar will provide an overview on how to engage in meaningful, respectful conversations with, or as, individuals from underserved, underrepresented and marginalized communities. Participants will have the opportunity to explore their social identities that intersect with mental health recovery systems.
VACSB Offers Registration Only Scholarships for Conference - Posted 3.31
VACSB is offering a limited number of consumer registration-only scholarships for the May 2014 conference. Contact VACSB for scholarship application.
More information about the conference along with the hotel information is included on the VACSB website at www.vacsb.org under Events and Training. Additional conference information will be posted to the website as it becomes available.
From the Copeland Center: Controversial Wellness Tools Webinar - Posted 3.17
May 1 at 2:00 p.m.
Wellness Tools are things we do to keep ourselves well, and the things we do to help ourselves feel better when we are not feeling well. Most of them are simple, safe, free and non-invasive.
In WRAP groups and when writing our own plan, Wellness Tools are usually one of the first things that we work on. We may have discovered them ourselves or learned about them directly from others. When facilitating Wellness Tools we often find people disagree over some "controversial" wellness tools. Should people list them in their WRAP plans? Should they be written up on the easel pad to share with others? What do we do as a WRAP Facilitator when controversial wellness tools come up? How do we explain controversial wellness tools in our groups, to our boss, or our system?
Gina Calhoun, Director of Recovery Education, and Joch Woodruff, Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator, for the Copeland Center will discuss their perspectives on the subject of controversial wellness tools that are guided by the values and ethics of WRAP. Sign up for this thought-provoking encore webinar, back by popular demand, where multiple perspectives will shed light on differences and similarities.
To register:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/783204104?utm_source=Copeland+Center+E-News+March+14%2C+2014&utm_campaign=CC+4%2F11%2F12&utm_medium=email
"Text, Talk, Act" All Day on April 24- Posted 3.5
The second text-enabled conversation on mental health!
This event is geared toward young people, but people of all ages can participate and benefit from it. It's very simple:
- At any time on April 24th, gather 3-4 of your friends, family, classmates, students, and/or colleagues;
- Text "start" to 89800; and
- Receive polling questions and discussion questions via text messaging while having a face-to-face dialogue with your group.
Across the country, people will get together for one - hour, small group conversations on mental health. Each group will have polling questions, discussion topics and facilitation suggestions delivered to them via text message.
Mental health is one of the most critical and misunderstood public issues we face. Let's have a candid dialogue to think about actions we can each take to strengthen mental health on our campuses and in our communities.
Sign up now: www.bit.ly/texttalkact
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
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Veteran's Corner
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Veterans Group to Launch Suicide Prevention Campaign - Posted 3 27
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/03/24/veterans-group-to-launch-suicide-prevention-campaign/
Veterans Peer Support Group Offered at On Our Own of Roanoke Valley - Posted 2.6
Mondays, at 1:00 p.m.
For further information, call: 540.362.0061
Veterans' Advisory Council Forming - Posted 1.23
Please call Jane Ellis at the Network office at 804-343-1777 or email: jane@vocalvirginia.org to get involved.
VOCAL is organizing a Veterans' advisory council that will meet by teleconference every other month.
Veterans Crisis Line Availabe to Vets, Service Members, and Their Families - Posted 1.23
Veterans, service members, and their family members who are in emotional distress are urged to call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press "1" to be connected directly to a qualified, caring VA professional. All calls are confidential.
To chat online and to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, veterans can visit the Web site: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net .
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Links to MH Peer-Run Programs in Virginia
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Reston Drop-In Center
Consumer Wellness Center (Annandale)
http://computerempowerment.net/about.htm
Friends4Recovery Whole Health Center (Richmond) http://www.friends4recovery.org/#!calendar
Center for Recovery and Wellness (Lynchburg) http://centerforrecoveryandwellness.org/calendar/
Trillium Drop-In Center (Woodbridge) http://pwdropincenter.org/calendar.php
On Our Own of Roanoke Valley http://rvonourown.com/Events.aspx
WeCare, Inc (Martinsville) http://wecaremhc.org/?page_id=42
On Our Own of Charlottesville http://wwhttp://www.saara.org/events-calendar.phpw.onourowncville.org/structure.html
84 Main (Warsaw)
804.333.3581
Other Program Information:
Virginia Peer Support Coalition (Virginia)
Mental Health America of Virginia (MHAV)
http://mhav.org/programs/Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Falls Church
ANC436@aol.com
NAMI Virginia (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
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Job Opportunities
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Full Time Peer Specialist Job Opening at VSH - Posted 4.7
Virginia Supportive Housing's A Place To Start (APTS) program assists
formerly homeless individuals, including those with mental health conditions and co-occurring substance use and medical conditions to maintain housing and achieve their personal goals. Peer Specialists work directly with clients as part of the APTS multidisciplinary team.
Responsibilities include: supporting individuals as they grow in their recovery process through the use of the Peer Specialist's own recovery experience; assisting individuals with identifying and achieving their current goals; and assisting with identifying and accessing community support resources.
Services are provided in scattered-site apartments in the Richmond community.
- Ability to provide peer counseling from the perspective of a person who has received mental services for a mental health condition is required.
- Must meet the minimum qualifications as a Qualified Paraprofessional in Mental Health i.e., Associate's Degree and at least one year direct service experience or certification as a peer support specialist. Bachelor's degree in human services and at least one year direct service experience with adults is preferred.
- Must not have convictions for barrier crimes as defined by DBHDS.
- Must have a valid Virginia driver's license and the ability to meet VSH's driving requirements.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to document service contacts in the clinical record according to agency and funder standards.
- Direct service experience with individuals who have experienced homelessness and personal experience with homelessness is strongly preferred.
Compensation: Commensurate with education and experience. Full time benefits included.
To apply: Send resume and cover letter to jobs@virginiasupportivehousing.org. Please specify the position to which you are applying in the subject line and indicate any experience providing peer support services in your cover letter.
Job Opening: Executive Director, Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health
Center - Posted 3.27
Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health Center is a non-profit organization where individuals with lived mental health experiences can take ownership of their own recovery. We offer recovery focused classes, a variety of groups (including support groups), and one-on-one Wellness Coaching/Peer Counseling for Chesterfield County and the greater Richmond area.
At Friends 4 Recovery all members of our staff are individuals who are living in mental health recovery. The Executive Director will be someone who has lived experiences of mental health crisis and has a strong background in recovery education (CELT, WRAP, and Peer Support Specialist preferred).
We are looking for an individual who has strong communication and organizational skills and has the qualifications and experience to lead Friends 4 Recovery in all aspects of running a nonprofit.
The Executive Director will be responsible for a variety of duties, including providing
community outreach, performing administrative tasks, maintaining financial oversight,
overseeing program and funds development, and skillfully supervising and managing a staff.
Additionally, the Executive Director will maintain an atmosphere of wellness and support at the Center that allows the members to feel empowered as they move forward on their road to recovery.
Please note that we intend to expand the budget and community service capacity of Friends 4 Recovery significantly, particularly regarding employment opportunities for people with lived experiences of mental health crisis. The successful candidate should have a proven track record of skillfully and sustainably growing programming.
Salary:$36,000
Benefits: Health insurance with dental
Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2014.
How to apply: Please email a resume and three references to:
friends4recovery0@gmail.com.
If you have any questions regarding the position contact Cindy Eubank at 804.447.2873 or 804.380.1106 or Verena McCall at 804.350.9699.
PT Wellness Coach Job Opening at Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health Center - Posted 3.27
Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health Center in Chesterfield is hiring one or more part-time Wellness Coaches. Qualified candidates will have lived experience with mental health challenges, and will have completed peer specialist training. Wellness Coaching involves working one on one with individuals in a goal-directed peer support fashion. It also will require leading support, educational, and discussion groups. Experience leading such groups, or willingness to be trained on leading them, is required. The ideal candidates will be trained WRAP facilitators. Some light reporting is required. Must be available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Please send resumes and two letters of reference to bryan@friends4recovery.org and/or attention to Bryan Tunnell at 7420 Whitepine Road, North Chesterfield (23237).
PT Wellness Coach Job Opening at Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health Center - Posted 3.27
Friends 4 Recovery Whole Health Center in Chesterfield is hiring one or more part-time Wellness Coaches. Qualified candidates will have lived experience with mental health challenges, and will have completed peer specialist training. Wellness Coaching involves working one on one with individuals in a goal-directed peer support fashion. It also will require leading support, educational, and discussion groups. Experience leading such groups, or willingness to be trained on leading them, is required. The ideal candidates will be trained WRAP facilitators. Some light reporting is required. Must be available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
and/or attention to Bryan Tunnell at 7420 Whitepine Road, North Chesterfield (23237).
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I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Yolande Long
Communications and Events Coordinator
804.343.1777
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Dear Reader,
You are receiving the VOCAL Network Digest because you are on our email list. The Network Digest is a twice-weekly update of mental health announcements throughout Virginia and the nation. If you prefer not to receive these updates, please click the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of this email. Thank you!
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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.
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