Across the MHA Network

California: The MHA of San Diego County (Calif.) recently launched an e-learning project that will offer Web-based continuing education for behavioral health organizations and practitioners. The MHA has an extensive library of state and national accredited courses, with one new CEU course added each month. The proceeds will benefit the MHA’s programs and services. For more information, visit www.mhasd.org and click on “Online CEUs.”

California: The MHA in Yuba- Sutter, in collaboration with the Salvation Army, recently started a HOPE (Healthy Options Promoting Empowerment) program for adults and older adults who have severe mental illnesses, and episodes of homelessness and substance use. HOPE is a full-service partnership, serving clients who choose from a variety of wrap-around services that help them address mental health and substance use issues, housing and employment needs, and community integration.

California: Congratulations go out to Class of 2007 member Dave Weikel, who's preparing to officially launch a chartered affiliate this fall in Central California after much hard work and advocacy. Mental Health America will be attending the chartering ceremonies.

Colorado: “WE CAN!” of Colorado, a program of the MHA of Colorado, provides empowerment, leadership and advocacy training to individuals with mental illnesses as part of its annual Basic and Advanced Leadership Academies. In July, the program graduated 14 Advanced Academy members whose first assignments are conducting WE CAN! networking meetings in their areas. To date, 95 mental health consumers have been trained as advocates in the Advanced Academy.

Connecticut: The MHA of Connecticut, Inc. is celebrating a century of advocating and working for the nation’s mental health. On May 6, 2008, MHAC will be 100 years old. The MHA was the first organization founded by Clifford Beers, who authored The Mind That Found Itself and later established the national organization that would become Mental Health America.

Florida: The MHA of Greater Tampa Bay has helped create a permanent Tampa Bay Regional Mental Health Brainstorming Council. The Council consists of 16 area mental health and substance abuse consumer, family and support organizations that are joining forces to create a larger voice for mental health and substance use policy in the region.

Georgia: The MHA of Georgia has a new executive director, Sarah Schwartz. Schwartz replaces Ellyn Jeager, who served as the interim executive director for several years and will now return to her role as director of Public Policy and Advocacy.

Iowa: Michelle M. Covey has been appointed the new executive secretary of the MHA of Dubuque County. She succeeds longtime advocate Betty Allen, who will continue to serve on the MHA’s Board of Directors. The MHA also has a new office phone number: 563-584- 0730.

Nevada: Congratulations also go to Class of 2007 member Alyce Thomas for her wonderful advocacy efforts as she prepares to launch a chartered affiliate this fall. Mental Health America will be attending the chartering ceremonies and looks forward to chartering more graduates in the coming year.

New York: The CASA of Dutchess County, a program of the MHA in Dutchess County, recently received a $40,000 grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. The program currently has 31 trained volunteers who are appointed by the family court to advocate on behalf of children who’ve been victims of abuse and neglect. The grant will allow the MHA to continue to recruit, train and oversee additional CASA volunteers by funding a full-time supervisor position.

North Dakota: In March, the MHA of North Dakota received a $20,000 challenge grant from the Dakota Medical Foundation. The grant will help launch a fundraising campaign to support the operation of the MHA’s 2-1-1 call line and build the system’s long-term sustainability.

Ohio: National, state and local Licking County business leaders underscored the importance of mental health in the workplace at an MHA of Licking County Presidents Council breakfast held Aug. 22 in Newark, Ohio. The Presidents Council is a coalition organized by affiliates and the Mental Health America national office to gain the support of local business leaders in addressing workplace mental wellness. To host an event, contact Harry Abel, Mental Health America’s vice president for Development and Strategic Alliances at habel@mentalhealthamerica.net.

South Carolina: The MHA of the Piedmont has merged with Carolina Counseling, bringing together two upstate South Carolina nonprofit organizations with more than 130 years of combined experience in providing quality behavioral health counseling, advocacy, and education programs and services. Beth Summer-Strait will be the executive director of the new agency, which operates under the name of P.A.C.E Center of Mental Health America/Piedmont & Carolina Counseling. P.A.C.E. reflects the new agency’s range of services, including prevention, advocacy, counseling and education. For more information, visit its new website at www.mhapiedmont.org.

Texas: The MHA of Texas is promoting mental health insurance parity on a unique front. Following the MHA of Greater Houston’s parity success, the MHA of Texas has implemented a statewide Mental Health Insurance Equalization Program and is seeing significant results. In Texas, several large corporations are voluntarily providing the same coverage for mental health claims as they do for medical and surgical claims. Progress is being made with local municipalities as well. For more information, contact Mary Gatlin Hearon at mary@mhatexas.org.

Texas:The Texas Resources for Iraq- Afghanistan Deployment (TRIAD) Fund of the Dallas Foundation has awarded a grant to support collaboration between the MHA of Greater Dallas and the American Red Cross to provide free mental health services to approximately 700 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and family members. The two organizations will receive more than $550,000 over two years to provide intake and assessment, specialist referrals and additional support services. For more information about TRIAD, visit www.triadfund.org.

Wisconsin: The MHA of Wisconsin recently held its sixth annual comedy event, Sometimes You’ve Just Gotta Laugh!, which focuses on the importance of laughter in the recovery process. The event had more than 225 people in attendance and raised more than $80,000 for the MHA’s programs and services.