A Note from Wayne Clark
March is Women’s History Month, a time to remember pioneering women in the field of mental health such as Dorothea Dix (1802-1887). Dix exposed inhumane treatment of people with mental health challenges and was influential in changing the common misperception of her time that recovery from mental illness was impossible. Today, CalMHSA is continuing Dorothea’s fight against the stigma around mental health challenges by empowering Californians to break down stereotypes and barriers to seeking help. Our collective effort of counties is also investing in the next generation of mental health leaders through Directing Change, Active Minds, and Each Mind Matters. I invite you to learn what these exciting programs are doing throughout California through this newsletter and our Each Mind Matters blog.
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Host Moving Suicide Prevention Exhibit
Send Silence Packing is looking for hosts to display its powerful exhibit this Fall. The award-winning public education exhibit from Active Minds consists of 1,100 backpacks, representing the number of college students who die by suicide every year. The moving memorial puts a face to lives lost to suicide, and brings into perspective the severity of suicide among college students, catalyzing communities to take action for suicide prevention. More information is available here. Contact: Becky Fein at becky@activeminds.org.
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Engage Youth with Peer Speakers
Research consistently shows that the most effective way to address stigma surrounding mental health challenges is peer-to-peer contact. Through the Active Minds Speakers Bureau, tens of thousands of young adults hear messages of hope and empowerment every year. Active Minds’ Speakers Bureau features highly-trained young people who share first-hand stories of resilience and recovery. Get more information or book a speaker here. Contact: Becky Fein at becky@activeminds.org.
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Butte County Library Goes Lime Green
The Butte County Library, through a partnership with the Butte County Department of Behavioral Health and a state grant, is helping promote and maintain recovery. The partnership has provided training for library staff and volunteers to help combat the stigmas attached to mental health challenges, new books, e-books and DVDs on mental wellness and more opportunities for collaboration between the two organizations to host mental health awareness events. The Chico Enterprise Record, Chico News & Review and KRCR TV have covered how the library has gone lime green. Contact: Jeremy Wilson at JWilson@buttecounty.net.
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Learn How to Tell Your Story
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Who: Active Minds invites mental health advocates
What: Our Stories, Our Strength is an online course that will train participants to tell their mental health stories in safe and empowering ways--both for themselves and their intended audiences. The course is four weeks in length and features videos, audio clips, discussion questions, activities, and polls. Click here for more information.
When: Courses are beginning now
Where: Online
Contact: Becky Fein at becky@activeminds.org
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Free Leadership and Advocacy Skills Building Course for Students
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Who: Active Minds invites students
What: Transform You | Transform Your Campus is an online course that will give students a baseline knowledge of what it means to lead an advocacy campaign while also building their personal leadership skills for use on campus and beyond. The course is six weeks in length and features videos, audio clips, discussion questions, activities, and polls. Click here for more information.
When: Courses are beginning now
Where: Online
Contact: Becky Fein at becky@activeminds.org
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Participate in the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Annual Conference
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NAMI California will be hosting their annual conference, “Back to the Future: Building on the Past for a Better Tomorrow,” from August 26-27, 2016 in Burlingame to provide information about treatments that foster recovery, self-help programs, and family and community support services. The statewide Annual Conference attracts over 800 people and will feature renowned speakers from all over the nation, and a wide variety of educational workshops and interactive sessions. CalMHSA program partners are invited to attend or exhibit at the conference. More information is available here. Contact: Beth Wolf at beth@namica.org.
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