Overcoming the Past, Dreaming of Tomorrow by Meredith Bond Vivian Greene once said, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” When I was a sophomore in college, I fell down some stairs and acquir...
Continue ReadingGift to the World by Beth Gager When was it that you stopped being a gift to the world? Do you remember a moment, a life event, a certain shameful instant when you went from being the miracle you were born as and turned into one of the lost and broken one...
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With so much heartbreaking violence in the news, mental health policy is getting more attention. It’s a shame it takes a crisis — especially a crisis that might not be linked to mental health care at all. Understandably, many of VOCAL’s memb...
Continue ReadingEditor’s note: I met Elie at her studio in Richmond where the walls were painted in vivid colors. If you’ve seen her walking her dogs you would know that she has a love for color 🙂 She is also a passionate voice for human rights. VOCAL as...
Continue ReadingThe Subcommittee met on August 22nd to discuss community readiness to adopt to the CCBHC (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) model. Virginia was the recipient of a planning grant from SAMHSA. Of the states who received planning grants only half...
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What a privilege to join VOCAL members and partners in policy, practice and advocacy last week for the 2016 Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care Conference sponsored and hosted by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services’ new-ish ...
Continue ReadingI’ve had a great life so far, and my mental health has been part of the picture. I spent the first half of my 54 years as a student and eventually a researcher, earning a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology in 1992. I had planned...
Continue ReadingEditor’s Note – Chris Cavaliere, long-time VOCAL member, has studied Peer Support and Trauma Informed Care extensively. (Her certifications include Peer Specialist Trainer, WRAP Facilitator, WHAM Facilitator, DBT Facilitator, UVA Whole Health ...
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Advocacy Day may be over, but the work to speak up in favor of recovery-oriented mental health policy continues! Learn more about VOCAL Advocacy here: https://vocalvirginia.org/speak-up/ View an album of photos taken by I’Esha Hornes here: http://bi...
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Virginia’s Department of Medical Assistance has released a draft of regulations for Medicaid-billable peer support for mental health and/or substance use disorders. The distribution was dated Friday, February 10th at noon (see below) and there was...
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