VOCAL'S MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY NEWS FOR 12.1.14
 
In Today's Digest....
New in the Digest This Week
VOCAL News
Conferences, Workshops and Webinars
News Around the Commonwealth
Veteran's Corner
Links to Peer-Run Programs
Other News
Look What Our Members Are Doing!
Career Opportunities


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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.

 

New in the Digest This Week

Tuesday, December 9th from 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. with Eva Dech and Steve Morgan

 

An overview and discussion of Intentional Peer Support as a framework for building community and embracing diversity. IPS is a way of thinking about and inviting powerfully transformative relationships among people. By focusing on the tasks and principles of mutual support, practitioners learn to use relationships to see things from new angles, develop greater awareness of personal and relational patterns, and support and challenge each other in trying new things. 

 


"Employment and Disclosure" - Posted 12.1

 

Thursday, December 11th from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. with Beckie Child and Casadi ("Khaki") Marino

 

Disclosure is one of the questions people always ask when considering employment. The Sharing Experience Learned Firsthand (SELF) project gained insight from peers in recovery about the role of lived experience of mental distress and challenges in training and service delivery. Individuals provided their experiences sharing personal history, views on risks and benefits of disclosure, suggestions for colleagues who were considering disclosure, and guidance for organizations wanting to support the effective use of self-disclosure in service provision. Interviews, focus groups, and survey data will be shared during the webinar as well as recommendations for future exploration. Project staff will briefly touch on the impact the project had on their own recovery journeys. 


 Register here

 

Alternatives 2014 Presentation Handouts Are Available Online - Posted 12.1


 

A number of the handouts from workshops presented at Alternatives 2014 are available online on the Alternatives 2014 website: click here. The Clearinghouse encourages all workshop presenters to provide a pdf of their presentation handout and we will post it on the website. In addition, to buy CDs of the workshops that were recorded, click here for the order form. Video recordings of the plenary sessions will be available in the near future.

 
Trim the Tree Party at On Our Own of Roanoke - Posted 12.1
Wednesday, December 3rd at 3:15 p.m.
429 Elm Street, SW, Roanoke

 

National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse Sponsors Webinar: "Psychiatric Advance Directive This Vital Recovery Tool"  - Posted 12.1

 

December 18th at 2:00 p.m. (90 minute webinar)

 

PADs are a legal health care tool that outlines the preferences of an individual with a mental health condition in regard to treatment, and designates a trusted advocate to make decisions on their behalf if they are incapacitated. This webinar will help individuals with a mental health condition, family members, and mental health providers to understand and utilize this important recovery tool. 

For information and registration,  click here.

 

DBSA National Capital Area Chapter Presents "Stigma and Mental Illness" - Posted 12.1


 Thursday, December 11th at 7:30 p.m.

George Washington University Hospital Auditorium, 900 23rd Street, NW in Washington, D.C. (next to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station)

 

Kofi Annan Calls Attention to Depression - Posted 12.1
VOCAL News

 

VOCAL Whole Health Network (VWHN) Topic #10 - Posted 11.6 

"Can you define 'social wellness/social health'?"

 

SAMHSA, lists social wellness in their Eight Dimensions of Wellness, as "developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system". 

 

And from wiseGEEK (www.wisegeek.org):

 

"Social health often deals with how people relate to each other, and how an individual is able to socialize with other people and form relationships. This can deal with friendships, in terms of how well the person can form and keep friendships, and other types of relationships as well. There are a number of ways in which the different aspects of health are interrelated and have an impact on each other.

There is also evidence to indicate that isolation is not only a potential result of mental or physical illness, but may also cause or aggravate such an illness. This is why

social health has become of increasing importance within the greater overall concept of human health and well-being. Many mental and physical health professionals have begun to recognize the importance of social interaction in a person's ability to overcome illness.

The term can also refer to the health of a society, and is often used to indicate how the people within a given society or culture interact and behave toward each other. In this sense, a country that is rife with conflict and violence may be considered to be suffering from social health issues. Just as a person whose body is suffering from cancerous cells destroying healthy cells has a physical health issue, and the jargon of physical or mental health care may be used in reference to society as well".

 

Check Out VOCAL Workshop Offerings: Twenty-Five Topics on Recovery, Peer Support, Advocacy and Peer Run Programs - Posted 10.20 

VOCAL has been a leader in Virginia's mental health recovery movement since 2002.   Our workshops and professional trainings uniquely blend the experience of individuals who live with conditions commonly referred to as mental health disorders with an up-to-the-minute understanding of state and national mental health systems, and evidence-based recovery tools.

Developed by people who have personally experienced mental health crisis, VOCAL programs value the worth and dignity of each individual, the right to self-determination, and the important contributions of peer support and self-help.

These workshops are designed for peers, peer support specialists, providers, family and supporters of those in recovery.
We can deliver a one-day conference, half-day workshop, or one presentation, all especially designed for the interests of your group.  
Workshops are free to peer-run organizations.
For complete workshop descriptions go to:

 

Link to VOCAL Board Calendar - Posted 10. 13

 

https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=8n1cslha5ohv0sp6ghf2n25mbc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York

How Can the VOCAL Web Site Serve You Best?  - Posted 10.6  

 

Please spend a few minutes taking our survey. 

VOCAL Whole Health Network (VWHN) Topic #9 - Posted 10.2

 

What is emotional wellness?

SAMHSA defines emotional wellness as coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.

 

For more information about this topic, visit: 

http://www.unh.edu/health-services/ohep/emotional-wellness

 

Join VOCAL's State-Wide W.R.A.P. Facilitator Network - Posted 9.22 

 
If you've trained in facilitating Mental Health Recovery including Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) workshops, the program developed by Dr. Mary Ellen Copeland, Join VOCAL's network today!
 
Email Ann Benner, R.E.A.C.H. Program Director: ann@vocalvirginia.org
 

VOCAL's Whole Health Network (VWHN) Topic #9 - Posted 9.4 

 

What is 'intellectual wellness'? 

SAMHSA defines it as "recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills".


Howard Community College  (MD) makes the following suggestions: 

  • Read for fun: Pick up a newspaper or educational pamphlet.  By choosing to read, you not only increase your intellect, you remain knowledgeable about current issues and past events.
  • Try to learn something new everyday: Keep your eyes and mind open to new ideas and focus on learning something new each day.
  • Challenge yourself to see more than one side of an issue.
  • Watch educational television and enlighten your mind.
  • Learn to appreciate art: Attend exhibits, plays, musicals, and poetry readings.
  • Attend an educational workshop or seminar, not because you are earning credit, but because you want to increase your knowledge.

 

 

Conferences, Trainings, Workshops, and Webinars

 

BRSS TACS "Peer Involvement in Health Reform Outreach and Education: Case Studies from BRSS TACS Awardees" - Posted 11.24
 

Copeland Center Online Facilitator Renewal - Posted 11.24
 
SAMHSA Listening Session: SAMHSA National Technical Assistance Centers
Thursday, December 4th - Posted 11.24
2 - 3:30 p.m. 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is holding a 90-minute "Listening Session" on Dec. 4th at 2 p.m.  

 SAMHSA is preparing to issue a new Request For Applications (RFA) based on funding availability for the National Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) and is seeking input and feedback about the best strategies to meet the needs of consumers.

The Listening Session will be held via conference call and interested parties can participate by using the following dial-in number: 1-800-857-9830; passcode: 8546198.
 

MHAV to Hold Advocacy Conference - Posted 11.20

 

January 26-28

 

MHAV's (Mental Health America of Virginia) Advocacy Conference

is a three-day program that consists of workshops around advocacy at the state legislative and policy levels. The conference format is two days in class and culminates in a day on the Hill in Richmond, advocating together for mental health issues and awareness. Topics include: creating your message, speaking with your legislator

 

Application requirements:

1) completion of MHAV's CELT

2) At least six months post crisis

3) Proof of Virginia residency (for scholarship applicants only)

4) Two references that can attest to the applicant's individual recovery (if applicable) and qualities in a group dynamic.

 

To apply: www.mhav.org/conferences 

Mental Health First Aid Training in Fredericksburg - Posted 11.20


The Adult Mental Health First Aid Training will be held on the following dates in 2015: January 12 - 13; March 16 - 17; May 11 - 12; July 13 - 14; September 14 - 15; and November 16 - 17.  


 

The trainings are from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the first day and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second day. All of the Adult Mental Health First Aid trainings will be held at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy.  
 

To register , please contact Michelle Miner, Therapist/CIT Program Manager, at 540-899-4357 or mminer@racsb.state.va.us.

Training Flyer

 

Registration Open for 2015 VACSB Conference - Posted 11.17   

 

January 21st - January 22nd
Richmond Marriott Hotel
500 East Broad Street

Register here

  

No Cost Mental Health First Aid Training Provided by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services - Posted 11.10

 

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that teaches participants how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The training helps individuals to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Four trainings are scheduled to take place in Richmond, Virginia on:

 

December 2nd

December 8th

 

NAMI Virginia to Host Advocacy Training - Posted 11.10

Get ready for the 2015 legislative session, meet advocates from around Virginia, and sharpen your skills with the 2014 Advocacy Training!

Saturday, December 6th from 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. in Richmond

 

January Certified Peer Support Training in Fairfax - Posted 11.3

News Around the Commonwealth


 

December Central Peer Connect - Posted 11.20

 

Our next Central Peer Connect meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 9th from 12:30 - 2:00  p.m. at Chester House, 11814 Chester Road (23831).


Chester House is providing lunch and needs individuals or a representative from a group to email or call to reserve a lunch for the meeting. We will be having a bagged lunch with a sandwich, chips, canned drink, and a cookie or brownie. The folks at Chester House also need to know if anyone is diabetic. 
The deadline for responding is December 3rd. The phone number is 804 318-8289 please leave a message or email Carla: heathc@chesterfield.gov to reserve a lunch.


Meet and Greet Advocacy Information - Posted 11.13
 
Tuesday, December 2nd from 6:00 -7:30 p.m.


A Grace Place, 8030 Staples Mill Road, Henrico (corner of Staples Mill and Wistar Roads; Phone: 804-261-0205)


Advocacy information will be discussed and how to participate in the January 2015 Virginia General Assembly Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee's public hearing.

Staff will be availabe to provide support to your family member while you participate - please call to request this support.
For flyers, more information, and RSVP: Yvonne Russell at 804-727-8514.

Sponsored by A Grace Place, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, Richmond Residential Services and Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services

Northwest Peer Connect to Meet December 10th - Posted 11.13

  

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.


On Our Own of Charlottesville, 123 4th Street, NW

434-979-2440

2015 Mental Health Advocacy Day - Posted 11.10 


Monday, January 15th, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

General Assembly Building

Sponsored by: VOCAL, NAMI Virginia, MHAV, Voices for Virginia's Children, Campaign for Children's Mental Health


Come join us and attend a legislative breakfast, meet with your legislators, tell your stories, connect with other advocates and put a face on mental illness!  


 https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ea2vzkxnb21c0448&oseq=&c=&ch= 

  

Veteran's Corner

Veterans Crisis Line 

 

Call: 1-800-273-8255  

Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Link 

 

http://www.wearevirginiaveterans.org/ 

 

Veterans Peer Support Group at On Our Own of Roanoke 

 

Every Monday at 1 p.m.

540-362-0061

 

New Tool Connects Vets and Employers 

 

The Veterans Employment Center, an inter-agency collaboration from the White House's Joining Forces initiative, has announced a new online tool to provide veterans with employment resources. ebenefits.va.govwill connect veterans and service members with public and private sector employers who are looking to hire people with military experience, including individuals with disabilities.

 

For more information and employer resources, visit www.AskEARN.org. 

 

Links to MH Peer-Run Programs in Virginia
Arlington Peers Helping Peers in Recovery 
www.aphpr-rpsva.org

Reston Drop-In Center
 
Consumer Wellness Center (Annandale)
 
Recovery In Motion ( Fredericksburg)  
www.recovery-in-motion.org

Blacksburg Computer Empowerment Services
http://computerempowerment.net/about.htm
  
Friends4Recovery Whole Health Center (Richmond)
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

Recovery Resources and Support
http://www.rrs4hope.com/

The Laurie Mitchell Empowerment and Career Center (Alexandria)
www.lmec.org

Our Family  (Winchester)
540.667.8888 or dking@nwcsb.com

Other Program Information:

 

Virginia Peer Support Coalition (Virginia)
  
Mental Health America of Virginia (MHAV)
http://mhav.org

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Falls Church
ANC436@aol.com 

NAMI Virginia (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
http://namivirginia.org/

NAMI Central Virginia (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
http://www.namicentralvirginia.org

SAARA of Virginia (Richmond)
http://www.saara.org/events-calendar.php

Spiritworks Foundation Center for Recovery of the Soul (Williamsburg)
http://www.spiritworksfoundation.org/events-calendar/

Roads to Recovery (Lynchburg)
http://roads2recovery.org/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
http://www.afsp.org/

 

Other News

 

Nearly One in Five Adult Americans Experienced Mental Illness in 2013 - Posted 11.24 

 

New Survey Reveals Impact of Depression on US Workforce
 

According to a new survey discussed in this article from Medical Xpress, nearly a quarter of Americans report having experienced depression, and 40% of those people have missed work as a result. 
 

 

Deciding Whether to Disclose in the Workplace - Posted 11.24
 
This NY Times article shares the experience of one man that decided to reveal his mental health history to his boss, and examines the difficulties people face in making similar decisions. 

 

"Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks" - Posted 11.20


Look What Our Members Are Doing!
"Walking in Hope, Living in Grace: The Tapestry" - Posted 9.25

Book written by Maryalyce Poole, available at Amazon

"A Rooted Mind: Saying Yes to Beauty, Wellness and Deeply-Rooted Mental Health" - Posted 9.25

Book written by Beth Gager, available at Balboa Press

Career Opportunities

FT Position Open:  Peer Recovery Navigator (Magellan Health) - Posted 11.13

 

The position can be found at this link:
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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.