APPR, Washington, D.C. Advocacy, 2024 Annual Conference, and More!
VOCAL VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: "THE POWER OF SHARING YOUR STORY"
Vocal Virginia hosted its 2024 Annual Conference: “The Power of Sharing Your Story” on May 21st, 2024. This event showcased the power of storytelling and featured keynote speakers Jenny Lawson and Mychal Threets. Jenny Lawson is a New York Times bestselling author and uses humor and her own lived experience to address issues related to mental health. Mychal Threets is a librarian and social media influencer with almost one million followers on Instagram who speaks openly about mental health challenges and the value that libraries bring to creating a healing and welcoming community. The conference also featured two workshops. The morning workshop was hosted by Carla and Nick Pappas and focused on “Storytelling Through Poetry.” The afternoon workshop was hosted by Christina Kimbrough and helped instruct participants on “Storytelling for Impact.”
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NATIONAL COALTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY, HILL DAYS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
From June 2, 2024 through June 6, 2024 over fifty peers from across our nation gathered in Washington, D.C. for the National Coalition of Mental Health Recovery’s (NCMHR) Hill Days. This is an opportunity for peers to meet with their federal legislators to advocate for policy changes that will impact individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. Vocal Virginia staff served as part of this national coalition and had the opportunity to network with other advocates as well as meet with some of Virginia’s legislators.
Before going to the Hill to advocate, peers met to discuss their strategy and approach to meeting with Members of Congress. Participants also had the opportunity to hear from Paolo del Vecchio, Director, Office of Recovery, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Shawn Terrell from the Agency for Community Living, and Monica Porter-Gilbert with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
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APPR SPOTLIGHT: TRAINER GAYLE HOBSON
This quarter, Vocal Virginia launches an exciting new feature in our newsletter: spotlighting exceptional APPR trainers and facilitators. APPR, which stands for Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery, is a vital wellness initiative endorsed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and implemented statewide by Vocal Virginia. The success of APPR hinges on the dedication of trainers and facilitators who conduct facilitator trainings and lead APPR groups in their communities.
At the heart of this edition, we shine the spotlight on Gayle Hobson, an experienced APPR trainer from DBHDS region 4 (central VA). Gayle brings eight years of experience as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and holds an impressive array of trainer credentials, including the state's rigorous 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist training curriculum. Her expertise also spans Ethics and Ethical Decision-Making tailored for Virginia's peer community, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEI-J), and, of course, APPR. For the past year, Gayle has dedicated herself to empowering individuals through APPR training, embodying Vocal Virginia’s mission to make APPR accessible to all who seek a path to wellness in the peer community.
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