VOCAL'S MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY NEWS FOR 4.16.2015
 
In Today's Digest....
New in the Digest This Week
VOCAL News
News Around the Commonwealth
Veteran's Corner
Conferences, Trainings, Workshops and Webinars
Links to Peer-Run Programs
Other News
Look What Our Members Are Doing!


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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

Scholarships Available for VOCAL's Annual Recovery Conference, "Charting the Journey" - Posted 4.16

   

VOCAL is pleased to announce Sharon Wise as our keynote speaker for our Annual Mental Health Recovery Conference, "Charting the Journey"! Sharon calls herself a "Surviving Spirit"; she is a trauma expert, consultant, whole health and peer specialist, a certified WRAP© facilitator and a visual and performing artist. In addition to the keynote, Ms. Wise will also present a workshop. 

 

The Conference will be held from Monday, May 18th until Wednesday, May 20th on the James Madison University campus in Harrisonburg.  

 

You can download the Conference registration form here. We are excited about the opportunity to offer help with writing your Advance Directive at our Conference, but you MUST preregister when you fill out our registration form. Please review that section at the bottom of the form. Remember, there are a limited number of scholarships available and those are on a first-come, first served, basis. Please observe all registration deadlines. 

 

If you are interested in presenting a workshop at the Conference, please visit: 

http://vocalvirginia.org/#/vocal-conference/4534274248

 

VOCAL Proposed Bylaws Changes Document and Notice of Annual Membership Meeting - Posted 4.16    

 

The link below will take you to the bylaw changes document, in draft, the final of which will be presented to the membership for a vote at our next annual meeting on May 19th from 1:00 - 2:45 p.m. at our Annual Conference in Harrisonburg.  You do not have to register for the Conference to attend the Annual Meeting. 

 

We welcome your comments to: network@vocalvirginia.org  


First Annual Statewide Refugee Mental Health Council Summit Report - Posted 4.16

 

The Refugee Healing Partnership is a collaborative effort of the OCLC and VDH's Newcomer Health Program. The program is focused on addressing refugee mental health risk factors and strengthening mental health partnerships in communities where refugees resettle. The partnership convenes an annual summit to gather information and provide an opportunity for statewide networking related to refugee mental health. Read the final summit report here. 

 

You can also link to the report at this URL. http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/professionals-and-service-providers/oclc/oclc-focus-areas/refugee-mh

 

DBHDS Certified Cultural & Linguistic Competence Facilitator I Training (Blacksburg) - Posted 4.16  

 

June 3-4, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily

The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center 
For further information, please contact Cecily Rodriguez: cecily.rodriguez@dbhds.virginia.gov

 
VOCAL News

VOCAL to Offer WRAP© Facilitator Training in July - Posted 4.6 
 
VOCAL will offer the Copeland Center approved WRAP© Facilitator Training July 20-24 at Shalom House Retreat Center in Montpelier. 

 

The Facilitators/ Trainers will be Beth Gager and Bonnie Neighbour.

The cost for 40 hours of training, 5 days room and board, and facilitator
manual is $1500.  Some full scholarships are available for peers with
financial need, who have plans to hold WRAP© groups.

Please contact Ann Benner at ann@vocalvirginia.org, or 804. 343.1777.

VOCAL's Whole Health Network (VWHN) #14 - Posted 4.6

 

What's financial  'wellness'?

SAMHSA definies it as "Satisfaction with current and future financial situations."

 

Read more about financial wellness here.

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

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:
http://www.vocalvirginia.org/#/vocal-events/4533123864

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

 
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:
News Around the Commonwealth
"Hope in Motion": A New Peer Run Drop In Center  in Virginia Beach - Posted 4.9 

Opening on Friday, May 1st at 5:00 p.m. and then Tuesdays and Fridays from 5:00 - 8:30 p.m.

 

Beacon House, 3808C Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach (23452)

 

Community resources, games, Goal Setters Group, job search assistance, WRAP©, Crayon HeArt, Whole Health and Resilience, Bridging Hearts, socialization, peer support services, movies and special events.

 

Call: Lynn Lull at 903-441-5934 or Don Ayers at 757-621-9937 or email: hopeinmotion13@gmail.com

 

Certified Peer Recovery Support Celebration Event - Posted 4.9

 

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services is pleased to announce that certification for MHSA Peer Specialists and Recovery Coaches will begin April 17, 2015. Virginia is breaking ground by offering a single certification for people with lived experience with either addiction or Behavioral health challenges.   

 

Please join with Commissioner Debra Ferguson and celebrate this historic moment!

 

Friday April 17th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1220 Bank Street, Main Lobby - Light refreshments will be served.                         

RSVP: Susan Pauley: susan.pauley@dbhds.virginia.gov or
Becky Sterling: becky.sterling@dbhds.virginia.gov 

Beginning April 17, 2015 information about the certification process can be found at

Virginia Certification Board www.vacertboard.org or Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental services www.dbhds.virginia.gov

 

Salsa? Spanish? Meditation? Find Them at 84 Main, Warsaw - Posted 4.6

 

For information, call 804.333.3581

 

Assertiveness Group at On Our Own of Charlottesville - Posted 4.6

 

Every Friday from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

123 4th Street NW

For information: 434.979.2440 

  

On Our Own of Roanoke Valley Hosts NAMI "Peer to Peer" Class - Posted 4.2 

 

Each Monday for ten weeks from April 13 - June 22 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 

For more information and to register: 540.362.0061 

   

"At Ease": A New Support Group in Richmond - Posted 4.2

 

Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. for all active duty, national guard, and reserve veterans.  

Meets at Wamsley United Methodist Church, 2950 Wamsley Boulevard in Richmond (23234).  

For more info, email Troy Barnett: atease2015@gmail.com

  

"Open Mic" in Charlottesville - Posted 3.30

 

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, "Brave Souls on Fire" will host an open mic.

 

This Open Mic is an opportunity for individuals with a lived experience of mental illness to share poetry, essays, drama, songs or anything that has been instrumental in their journey. The event will take place May 1st at6:00 p.m. at The Haven, 112 West Market Street in Downtown Charlottesville.  Individuals throughout Virginia are welcome to participate.  Sign- up is required and space in limited. Sign up starts at 5:30p.m.

 

This event is co-sponsored by Region Ten Community Services Board & Mental Health America, Charlottesville-Albemarle. For further information call 434. 282.0096 or email: bravesoulscville@yahoo.com

 

DBSA Chesterfield County Peer Support Group - Posted 3.26

Next meeting, April 7th and every other week thereafter.
7:00 p.m. at Ironbridge Baptist Church
Call Tim Glover at 804.412.5910 for more info. 
 
 

"Liberty and Justice for ALL" Annual Gala - Posted 3.12

 

disAbility Law Center of Virginia Foundation

Friday, April 24th from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen

2880 Mountain Road in Glen Allen (23060)

Tickets can be purchased at http://www.dLCV.org

For additional details   

  
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. 

 

Conferences, Trainings, Workshops and Webinars
 

 

VACSB Development and Training Conference in Williamsburg - Posted  4.9


Registration is open for the VACSB 2015 Development and Training Conference to be held May 6-8  at the Fort Magruder Hotel and Conference Center in Williamsburg.

 

Special National TA and Networking Teleconference on April 20 Will Feature a Presentation on Career Development for CPS - Posted 4.6

 

A presentation on career development for certified peer specialists followed by a discussion will be the focus of the next monthly national technical assistance and networking teleconference of the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse. The call will be on Monday, April 20th at 1:00  p.m.

 

The call-in number is 866-906-0123; the pass code is 5037195#.

Special National TA and Networking Teleconference on April 20 Will Feature a Presentation on Career Development for CPS - Posted 4.6

 

A presentation on career development for certified peer specialists followed by a discussion will be the focus of the next monthly national technical assistance and networking teleconference of the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse. The call will be on Monday, April 20th at 1:00  p.m.


The call-in number is 866-906-0123; the pass code is 5037195#.

 

"Working from Home with Ticket to Work" Webinar - Posted 3.30

 
April 22nd from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
 

"Welcoming Congregations" Webinar - Posted 3.30
Thursday, April 16th from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

 

The Temple Collaborative will host a webinar on Developing Welcoming Faith Communities, providing participants an opportunity to hear from its author - Christa Andrade, from the National Mental Health Consumers Self-Help Clearinghouse - and representatives of two programs highlighted in the publication that initiated programs to promote the full participation of those with mental health conditions in the religious congregations of their choice.  Webinar participants will also have the opportunity to talk about the types of training and technical assistance that Christa and her partners at the Collaborative can provide to individual congregations and mental health organizations, including peer-run programs, to promote participation in congregational life.

 

 

Free Third Thursdays Workshop "All-Out Healing: Find Your Path to Optimal Health" in Charlottesville - Posted 3.30

 

Thursday, April 16th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

 

This will be an opportunity to get a sneak preview of an upcoming course of the same name that will begin in mid-May. It will be a holistic, integrative, empowering approach to finding your path to optimal physical and psychological health. The course will be for those who want to take a more active role in their health care, and those facing a life-threatening or chronic illness, as well as their caregivers. 

 

Orange Hill Wellness Center, 401 Orange Street in Charlottesville

For further information, call 434,977.6918 or james@jamesyatesphd.com 

 

"W.R.A.P. Around the World Conference" in Washington, D.C. - Posted 3.30

 

August 24-26

Register here 

 

The Annual Conference on Trauma in Washington, D.C. - Posted 3.23

 

The Annual Conference on Trauma 2015 is the premiere event for bringing together persons with lived experience in a single forum, to collectively address issues of critical importance in creating a trauma-informed system of care. This event provides an opportunity to network while featuring the most current and vital information on emerging topics relevant to trauma, health, wellness, and alternatives to traditional care systems.

 

Attend May 12th and 13th at the University of the District of Columbia, for a truly informative and innovative conference. 

 

http://www.thecampbellcenter.org/annual-trauma-conference.php

 

Mental Health of America (MHA) Annual Conference - Posted 3.16
June 3-5, Hilton Mark Center, Alexandria

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
www.onourowncville.org

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

 

New Resource on Developing Welcoming Religious Communities - Posted 4.13

 

Religion and spirituality can play an important role for people in recovery. Religious communities typically value outreach and inclusion, but may not know how to connect with their members in mental health recovery. This new resource, from The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities and the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, offers some valuable direction on the issue. You can access this guide, Developing Welcoming Religious Communities:  Inspiring Examples of Faith-Based Initiatives to Help Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Participate Fully in the Life of Religious Congregation, online at http://tucollaborative.org/new-resource-available-for-the/  

 

Supreme Court Considers Dispute Over Police Treatment Of Mentally Ill Suspects - Posted 4.13

 

The many tragic, negative outcomes that have resulted from law enforcement encounters with people in mental health crisis have been well documented. As this Huffington Post article describes, the Supreme Court is weighing in on the rights of people with mental health needs when it comes to their interactions with law enforcement.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/23/supreme-court-police-shoo_n_6927284.html

 

Apply Now" Rosalyn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism - Posted 4.13
 
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/mhj-applications-2015-2016.html 
 

"Housing, Not Asylums" - Posted 4.13

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/public_health/Housing-not-asylums.html#wh3VKlvLEO7scITV.99

CMS News - Posted 4.9   

 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) put on display at the Federal Register a proposed rule applying provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Public comments are due on this proposed rule by June 9th. The proposed rule is available online at: 

 
NIH Director's Blog Post "Targeting Suicide" - Posted 4.6

 

Second Annual Mental Health & Dignity Day to Take Place May 3, 2015

 

The second annual national Mental Health & Dignity Day is being planned for the first Sunday in May, May 3, 2015, in part as a way to commemorate Mental Health Month. On their Facebook page, the organizers write, "Help us to set the agenda for 2015 by providing input on what issues you think are most important as it relates to mental health, dignity, human rights, that can be addressed at our events. Are you interested in seeing an event happen in your community? Would you like to recognize National Mental Health & Dignity [Day] as a part of your existing activities in May? Get in touch with us; we would love to 'hear' from you!" The Facebook page is available here.

 

British Guide to "Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia" Available for Download - Posted 4.2

Dowload here 

  

Lifeline Website for Persons with Lived Experience - Posted 3.9
 
 is a new website from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline that provides support for suicide attempt survivors and persons living with suicidal thoughts, as well as information for friends and family and clinicians. Among the resources available on this site are a therapist and support group finder and a video gallery with stories of hope and recovery.
 

Grant Opportunity: National Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Centers - Posted 3.2

  

Application due date April 27th

 

http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-15-011

 

Look What Our Members Are Doing!
"UNHOLY HELL: A Preacher's Journey Through Depression and Recovery" 

Book written by Terry Dow

Available on March 6 on Amazon in print and on Kindle

"Walking in Hope, Living in Grace: The Tapestry"

Book written by Maryalyce Poole, available at Amazon

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

Book written by Beth Gager, available at Balboa Press
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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.