MHA/NC Headline News...

MHA of Central Carolinas Celebrates 75^th Anniversary
The MHA of Central Carolinas is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary!  Recently, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation honoring the MHA for its 75 years of service and declaring June 18 as MHA Day in Mecklenburg County.  To celebrate, MHA staff, board members, and young affiliates handed out free ice cream and postcards containing tips for maintaining mental health to nearly 750 people during lunch hour on MHA Day in the heart of uptown Charlotte.  Following the ice cream celebration, the MHA hosted Lift Your Spirits, the agency's premiere music FUNraiser, in the Wachovia Atrium in Charlotte.  Both events generated much visibility for the MHA and its mission to promote mental wellness through advocacy, prevention, and education. 
         

Forsyth MHA Receives Funding
The MHA in Forsyth County recently received a $3,000 community grant from the Saint Paul's Episcopal Church Outreach Fund for operational support for their Representative Payee Program.  The MHA in Forsyth County currently serves twenty-five adults with severe mental illness, (most with co-occurring substance abuse disorder), in this program.  "We hope to expand this service in the near future and serve more individuals as studies indicate that this program does help prevent persons with severe mental illness from becoming homeless and studies indicate that having a payee reduces their stays in the hospital," said Andy Hagler, Executive Director, MHA in Forsyth County.   "While this program does take a lot of work and time and effort on a day-to-day basis, the ‘payoff' is that, for the most part, our payee clients remain in the community, remain in their home or apartment and our payee clients have another advocate, another support system [MHA in Forsyth] to aid them in their recovery process," continued Hagler. 

Greensboro MHA Receives Prestigious National Award
The Mental Health Association in Greensboro received one of only four national awards presented by Mental Health America at its recent 2008 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The local private, not-for-profit organization was awarded the Betty Humphrey Cultural Competence Award in recognition of its Latino mental health initiatives.  The Cultural Competence Award honors a Mental Health America affiliate for outstanding achievements in creating culturally competent services that address racial, ethnic and cultural disparities. Launched in September of 2006, the Greensboro campaign has successfully built a network of Latino advocates and bilingual service providers in a community where such support was lacking.  David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America, cited the Greensboro Association and the other three national award winners for their tireless efforts to improve conditions for mental health consumers. "Their compassion, dedication and optimism should serve as a benchmark for all of us in the advocacy community," said Shern.  "Mental health consumers and their loved ones are the core of the mental health movement, and I am proud to honor such remarkable individuals."

Accepting the national award were Blair Benson, Greensboro Association executive director, and Andrés Mosquera, a volunteer who works with the program.  Benson and Mosquera also led a 90-minute workshop for conference delegates, sharing techniques for establishing similar programs in other communities and states.  The Greensboro Association's Latino mental health program now includes four no-cost, Spanish-speaking mental health support groups as well a help-line providing information and referrals for Spanish-speaking individuals.  A monthly Latino Mental Health Network, hosted and co-facilitated by the Greensboro Mental Health Association, brings together individuals and agencies to strengthen resources available locally.  Outreach to Latino churches, health fairs and other Latino groups helps provide stigma reducing education and awareness and facilitates access to available services.

Upcoming Events...

Wilson County MHA Plans Summer Fundraisers
The Mental Health Association in Wilson County is having two fundraisers in July!  On July 16, 2008, in partnership with the Wilson Tobbs Baseball franchise, the Mental Health Association in Wilson County is selling game tickets with one half the proceeds going to the organization.  The Tobbs are officially calling July 16 Mental Health Day at the game.  The Association will also display a wide variety of educational materials on mental health and mental illness, all which will be available to the public free of charge. 

On July 17, 2008 the Mental Health Association in Wilson County is participating in the Human Race and Family Fun Day at the American Legion Fair Grounds in Wilson County.  The race is a 5K walk/run/roll for which the organization is seeking walkers, runners and rollers, as well as sponsors for these individuals.  The Volunteer Action Center is coordinating the event for the local not-for-profits.  For the Family Fun event MHA Wilson is having a paint balloon park where individuals can buy 10 balloons for $5 and have a paint balloon fight in our obstacle course.  Each participant in each run through the obstacles will have balloons with a different color of washable paint inside so they know when they score a "hit."  We will also have stocks in which you can place your favorite friend, family member, or co-worker and have at them with paint balloons!  Come on out and relieve some stress, get some exercise and rejuvenate your mental health!  Call 252-243-2773 if you are interested in running/walking/rolling and for a sponsor form!

Come Meet Dorothy Hamill!  
MHA/NC 2008 Annual Conference - September 17th-18th, 2008!
Dorothy Hamill will be the featured speaker at MHA/NC ‘s 2008 Annual Conference, It's Your Voice, Let it Be Heard.  The conference will take place September 17-18 at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort at Wrightsville Beach, NC.  Dorothy's presentation will be part of an awards luncheon on Thursday, September 18th.  For more information, or to register, visit http://www.mha-nc.org/.

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