VOCAL CO-OP Archives

CO-OP News from years gone by…

Art of Leadership Retreat Outcomes & Reflections

Would you recommend this retreat to others?

100% Yes 0% No 0% Somewhat/Maybe

The combination of the people involved, their spirit, and the facilitator was amazing. For me personally, the event was very important. ~ LMEC

One of the most worthwhile activities we can do; as professional as any I have been a part of. ~On Our Own of Charlottesville

I was able to learn and grow and be myself in an unparalleled fashion. I feel energized and much more positively towards my organization. ~ OOO C’ville

Entertaining, educational, enlightening. ~ On Our Own of Fairfax

It was fabulous! So much more enjoyable, relaxed and inviting than any retreat I’ve attended. ~ anonymous

Do you think your work with your program will change as a result of this retreat? Do you think your work with VOCAL or other programs will change?

93% Yes 0% No 7% Somewhat/Maybe

Helped me see what my strengths are, what my center needs, and what I need to look for when hiring new staff ~ OOO Roanoke

I left feeling rejuvenated and connected… I’ll be a more effective leader and more sensitive. ~ Crossing Creeks

George Lakey helped me see new possibilities in how to tackle leadership and governance that I did not realize were possible. ~ LMEC

Renewed and inspired to continue the work. I feel closer to the fight for a better world for us. ~ On Our Own Roanoke

I have a better understanding of my staff, their needs, and how I can better support them. ~ anonymous

Do you think you will share what you learned with others in your organization?

86% Yes 0% No 14% Somewhat/Maybe

The work on how to communicate and the exercises on persuasion were really important. We’re at a point of reaching out a lot. ~ VOCAL Network

The leadership styles exercise taught me a lot to bring back to the board of our program. Actually, everything is going back to the board. ~ OOO Charlottesville

Art of Leadership
Workshops

"Your leadership style: Identifying Strengths & Collaborating with Different Styles"

"Accountability without Authoritarianism"

"Strengthening my organization: Organizational Development"

“Open Space Technology: Creating Peer-Led Workshops”

“Creating a Collective of Consumer Programs & Exploring Priorities for VOCAL”

"Teamwork and Productivity: What Makes Teams Most Productive"

“Persuasion Skills Workshop”

"Teamwork and communication: Supporting Group Morale and Carrying Out Mission"

"Sustainability and Vision: The Role of Personal Goals & Vision"

Participant-Led Workshops:

Creative Responses to Stress: An Experiential Workshop with Ann Benner

The Art of Grant Making with Cassandra Nudel

Outcomes and how to measure them with Ray Bridge

Brainstorming Ideas for Creating More Funding for Consumer Groups with Ray Bridge

Our History in Virginia: Stories and Remembrances with Mary Ann Beall

Tools for Organizational Assessment with Brian Parrish

Quaker Style Meeting on Consumer Leadership with Cynthia Power

Journal Writing and Making Your Own Bound Journal with Robin of On Our Own Roanoke

From Consumer to Service Provider and Beyond with Cynthia Evans

Liberate Your Group from Deadlines and Budgets with Ray Bridge

Creating a Feeling of Ownership within Programs with John Otenasek

We are pleased to invite you to our first-ever training and fellowship retreat for leaders of consumer programs. This retreat is for founders, directors, board members, group leaders, and people starting new programs. As far as we know, this is the first time a training retreat for leaders of consumer-run programs has ever been held in Virginia. We are looking forward to coming together with leaders from across the state to build community, learn skills, and create a network of connection among programs. Hope you will join us.

- Cassandra

The Art of Leadership

A training and fellowship retreat for leaders of peer-run programs

vocal co-op

september 12, 2005

through

september 15, 2005

“A Moveable Feast”

We are planning a “moveable”, design-your-own retreat. Your registration form includes a little survey to gather thoughts and input on what is important to you. A few possible topics: Conflict resolution in your group; Mainstreams and margins: the key to helping your group grow; Accountability without authoritarianism; How to gain allies for your group; Making the most of your leadership; Better teamwork in your group; Mentors for new programs; Incorporating strategic planning; Working with staff and volunteers; Diversity/anti-oppression; The art of grant writing; and How to avoid burnout and thrive while working to change the world.

Dates, Locations, Fees

Times: Monday September 12, 2005 through Thursday September 15, 2005

Location: A rural retreat center located 20 miles from Charlottesville. A serene setting with 130 acres of woodlands, meadows, gardens, and 70 species of birds. There is also a spring-fed pond with swimming and a Light House sanctuary with views of the mountains.

Fees: The cost for the retreat is $425, including all meals, lodging, and materials.

Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships are available for leaders of consumer-run groups and programs - including founders, directors, board members, group leaders, and people starting new programs. Please see our website for a scholarship form.

This retreat is brought to you by the VOCAL Program Support Center, thanks to generous support from the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Service. We would especially like to thank Will Ferriss, DMHMRSAS Grant Administrator, whose dedication to consumer-run programs has made this retreat possible.

Retreat Organizers & Facilitators

George Lakey is the Director of Training for Change. He has lead over 1,000 workshops on five continents, including trainings for coal miners, therapists, homeless people, prisoners, Russian lesbians and gays, Sri Lankan monks, Burmese guerrilla soldiers, striking steel workers, South African activists, and others. He is the author of six books, including Grassroots and Nonprofit Leadership: A Guide for Organizations in Changing Times.

Cassandra Nudel is an educator, social justice advocate, nonprofit consultant, and writer of grants, proposals, plays, poems, and stories. She has co-founded and designed several statewide mental health empowerment programs – including The VOCAL Program Support Center, REACH Recovery Education, and The VOCAL Network.

Brian Parrish is Executive Director of VOCAL, and the founding Director of the VOCAL CO-OP. Brian has also co-designed and helped initiate several new programs, including VOCAL Network, REACH, and the Two People Two Chairs mini-grants. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Virginia Mental Health Planning Council.

Yolande Long is Director of ABIL (Agoraphobics Building Independent Lives), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing hope, support and advocacy for people suffering from debilitating phobias, panic attacks and/or agoraphobia by establishing self-help groups and providing public education. Yolande is also Office Manager of the VOCAL Network.

Hi everyone,

I came across this flier at my local independence resource center -- thought many here might be interested...

Consumer and Family Participation Fund
Endependence Center, Incorporated 6300 East Virginia Beach Boulevard
Norfolk, VA 23502 Fax: (757) 461-5375
http://www.cfpf.net/index.html
The Consumer and Family Participation Fund (CFPF) has been established to make supplemental funds available to support consumers and family members’ attendance at conferences, workshops, other training and service opportunities so that people with developmental and other disabilities can become better informed about disability issues and participate more fully in their community. Funds can be used to pay for Registration fees, Personal Care Attendants, Respite services, mileage, lodging, meals, travel, transportation.

It is a pleasure to report that VOCAL, in collaboration with CELT Leadership Academy, has been selected to receive a Mental Health Systems Transformation grant from National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center (NCSTAC).

This project was born out of the DMHMRSAS Real Choice Systems Change initiative, which funded CELT to carry out a ROSI recovery assessment. Now we will be able to expand and deepen this project across the state. We are looking forward to collaborating with CELT to create a kind of grassroots program outreach that we have never done before.

Many people were a great help while designing this project and writing the proposal. I am especially grateful to Kathy McDonald, Sharon Koehler, Ray Bridge, and Mary McQuown, who were all kind enough to provide line-by-line critiques. Ann Benner, Byron Stith, Debbie Pugh, the VOCAL Board of Directors, and the CELT Steering Committee, all provided valuable input and insight in designing the project. Brian Parrish, as always, was invaluable, every step of the way.

NCSTAC Consumer Programs for Mental Health System Transformation Grant

A grant proposal from:

Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership (VOCAL)

Prepared by:

Cassandra Nudel
VOCAL CO-OP

Summary
VOCAL is Virginia’s statewide consumer organization. Through support from NCSTAC, we plan to embark on a 3-year project working with diverse stakeholders to create positive change in the Virginia mental health system. In our first year, we will collaborate with Consumer Empowerment Leadership Training (CELT) to train and support 14 consumer surveyors, who will conduct grassroots outreach and a mental health system recovery assessment. In the second and third years, we will draw on the outcomes of our statewide assessment to hold community discussions; create a Consumer Platform as a tool for consumer advocates; produce educational materials; and work with the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Virginia Mental Health Planning Council, and Real Choice System Change to create a recovery-orientation in the Virginia mental health system.

Dear VOCAL friends,

VOCAL is pleased to announce the appointment of Ann Benner as the new Program Director for our new program the VOCAL Network. Ann is an art therapist, consumer, social worker, and former Director of a nonprofit eating disorders organization. Our hiring committee was impressed with Ann’s wisdom, compassion, sensitivity, creative spirit, and leadership experience. Ann will be attending the VOCAL meeting this Friday, and the Mental Health Planning Council dinner this Friday evening, where we hope many of you will get a chance to meet her. A bio and quote from Ann are below:

Ann Benner
Ann has served as the Director of the nonprofit organization Awareness of Body Image and Disordered Eating (ABIDE) where she produced and managed eating disorder prevention, education, referral, and education projects. She is also an Art Therapist in private practice, and has worked with the Department of Social Services as an Adult Services/Protective Social Worker, Child Care Coordinator, and Foster Care Social Worker. Her community involvement includes work with Childhood Obesity Task Force, The Cedars Nursing Home, the Belmont Neighborhood Association and the Big Sister, Big Brothers and Sisters of Tulsa. Ann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who completed a Fellowship in Social Work at the University of Texas Medical Branch, an MSW from Worden School of Social Work, and a BA from University of Michigan.

Ann writes:
“My zeal for raising quality of life for people with mental illness, and for truth and justice, come from intimate experience with mental illness -- both in my own rearing, and with my recovery from anorexia and major depression. I am at a point of reaping nourishing and sustaining fruits from my struggles, and would love to help many others enjoy these.
“I am experienced with the sources of recovery and wellness -- social support, connection to the body, spiritual connection, intellectual understanding, creative self-expression, pharmaceuticals, and physical health. “Segue”, Charlottesville’s peer support group for people recovering from eating disorders, was my creation five years ago, and has been an excellent source of learning for me, about recovery.
“My work as Director of ABIDE gave me experience building a grassroots organization from the beginning. Relevant ABIDE experience includes building a network, developing a Board, operating independently under the direction of a Board, and organizing and leading educational programs.
“In terms of leadership style, I encourage empowerment by creating structure in which individuals can express themselves and realize their full capacities to contribute. I have much experience matching talents, strengths, and tangible resources with needs. I think I have a presence that encourages people to feel connected, safe, and valued. I love making connections between people that give synergistic and creative outcomes.”

Hiring Committee: Cassandra Nudel, Brian Parrish, Jackie Brown, Ray Bridge, Lauren Spiro, Mary Ann Bealle

SAMHSA Award for VOCAL Network
September 20, 2004

Dear Friends,

Congratulations to everyone. We have gotten the SAMHSA Consumer Network Grant. Thank you to everyone who contributed their energies and talents to this project.

After many years of waiting/hoping for a consumer network in Virginia, we will now be able to start off with both support from our state DMHMRSAS ($75,000) and from federal SAMHSA ($70,000), along with many generous contributions, including donated office space from the Mental Health Association of Virginia, as well as website services from Laurie Mitchell Employment Center. We are quite blessed.

The hiring committee is hard at work looking for a great new leader for this program. Things are going well.

Below is the cover page to the grant with a list of all the wonderful people who came forward to help make the SAMHSA grant possible. Thank you to all.
____________________________________________________________________

As the first federal grant we have ever applied for, the SAMSHA Consumer Network Grant application was a huge and exciting undertaking for VOCAL. One of the best things to come out of this process was the connections, support, and outstanding contributions of many people across the state who lent their energies and talents to this project.

I would like to express special appreciation to Kathy McDonald for great generosity of time and thought in developing and writing the evaluation plan; Vicky Fisher and Debbie Pugh for their kind support and sharing their evaluation tools, office space, and other resources with us; Sonia Jurich for a developing a superb logic model; Will Ferriss for serving as our liaison with DMHMRSAS, arranging teleconferencing services, and always contributing so much insight into our projects; Sara Thompson and Kirsten Rowe for very generously lending their time and expertise to critiquing this proposal; Cynthia Power for budget wizardry, program design, and support and fortitude in wading through a maze of forms and documents; Will Gallik for lending his insight and experience in designing the program and budget; Brian Parrish for ongoing kindness and assistance in all possible ways; Janet Lung, Jim Martinez and others at the department for their ongoing support of VOCAL and this program; Yvonne Smith for outreach to other states; Jerry W. and Michael Pendrak for work on a Technology Plan and hosting the listserv; Dorothy Wyatt for work on a Needs Assessment plan; and Bill Yolton, Alison Hymes, Dan Lindamood, Scott Haugh and Judy Salyer and all others for contributing their energies and talents.

And especially to Ray Bridge whose tireless vision, heartfelt dedication, and boundless creative energy made all of this possible.

On a personal note, I have never written anything of nearly this scope before, and I was glad to be a part of this project. It was an honor to be in such fine company. I am proud that we accomplished it, and hopeful for what comes next.

Respectfully Submitted,
Cassandra Nudel for VOCAL, Inc.

Hi Everyone,

Below is the job description for the new Program Director. Please pass this on to any people, organizations, email lists, or anywhere else you think people might be interested. I would love it if we could reach as many folks as possible. If we get the SAMHSA grant we will probably have a second position open up as well (administrative or program coordinator), so as many people as we can hear from would be great. I hope there may also be a few on this list that are interested in applying.

Please help get the word out, anywhere you can think to post this to help us all find a great new Director for this program. Feel free to send this out across the state, and if anyone knows of any mental health groups or good places to post jobs in the Richmond area that would be especially great. Also, if anyone can pass this on anywhere that will reach out to diverse populations – disabilities, people of color, gay/lesbian/bisexual, etc – I’d love it if we heard back from folks from all different walks of life.

Many Thanks,

Cassandra

Position Available

Richmond, Virginia

VOCAL Network Program Director

Apply by: September 14, 2004

The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership is pleased to announce that we are launching a new program, The VOCAL Network. We are pleased to invite applications for a Program Director to help us build and lead this new statewide program. The Program Director will help develop a statewide network that will provide peer support and education to adults with mental illnesses, foster their participation in oversight of the mental health system, and advocate on their behalf. The Network will provide mutual support and education that will focus on empowerment and promote wellness and recovery. The Program Director will be an employee of VOCAL, Inc. and will be accountable to the VOCAL Board of Directors. We are seeking a candidate who can draw on his or her experience and understanding of serious mental illness to help lead this peer-run program. We encourage anyone who is interested to apply, and we are looking forward to hearing from you.

Skills that would be useful in this position include:

• Background in non-profit or mental health program management. The ability to plan and execute a successful grassroots nonprofit program.
• Ability to attract, organize and accommodate people of diverse abilities, cultures, economic status, race, language, sexual orientation, and gender.
• Strong personal communications skills, trustworthiness and integrity. Self-motivation and skill in working in an independent environment.
• Commitment to peer support, empowerment, and recovery
• Skills in consensus-building, advocacy or facilitation.
• Understanding of the public mental health and human services systems, especially in Virginia.
• Experience with consumer-run programs and/or and other grass roots organizations (as a staff member, volunteer, board member, or participant).

Scope of work:

The Program Director will begin by establishing a volunteer VOCAL Network Founders Council, a geographically-diverse council of consumers who will provide leadership to the VOCAL Network, and serve as representatives for the Network in their regions. The Program Director will collaborate with the Founder’s Council to build and lead this new program. Our program plan for our first three years includes: managing a small project office and the program budget; organizing meetings and educational programs; helping build a program membership; overseeing development of outreach and educational materials; advocating for mental health consumers; recruiting and supervising volunteers and/or an additional staff person; and upholding the consumer values of mutual respect, equality, safety, and peer collaboration in all Network activities and staff interactions.

Hours: The Program Director position is currently set at 35 hours per week. The hours are flexible. The Program Director will sometimes need flexible hours for meetings and events.

Salary: Salary is set at $16/hour, with paid sick day, holiday, and vacations days, and medical and dental insurance.

Location: The position will be located in Richmond, Virginia. Some days working from a home office may be possible. The office space for this program is being generously donated by the Mental Health Association of Virginia.

Application Deadline: September 14, 2004

We sent off the proposal for the SAMHSA Consumer Network Grant last week, and to the best of my knowledge, it has been received. You have all been a great help in helping make this possible, and I am very grateful.

I am very proud of the work we all did on this. I think it came out well, and thanks to the great outreach efforts of Cynthia, Ray, and others, we have 25 excellent letters of support.

The proposal is, no kidding, 106 pages. It is spread across about 15 different documents at the moment. I am in the midst of compiling everything into one, and will email out a copy this week.

Happy spring, everyone. I am excited to see this become real.

- Cassandra

ABSTRACT
CONSUMER NETWORK GRANT

Prepared by Ray Bridge, Cassandra Nudel, Kathy McDonald &
mental health advocates from across Virginia

The VOCAL Network will be a new statewide network dedicated to creating a unified voice and vision for mental health consumers throughout the state. The Network will provide mutual support and education that will enable people with mental illness to play an active role in the mental health system, and enhance Virginia’s capacity to be consumer-centered, consumer-driven, and targeted toward recovery and resiliency.
The VOCAL Network will fulfill the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health’s goal of creating a “transformed system” in which, "Consumers will play a significant role in shifting the current system to a recovery-oriented one by participating in planning, evaluation, research, training, and service delivery.” Infrastructure development strategies will include: capacity building, network development, policy development, and training activities.

To develop the proposal for this new program, The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership (VOCAL, Inc.) has brought together a diverse, widely-experienced group of consumers, consumer advocates, representatives from mental health programs, and experts in the fields of mental health services, recovery-based education, and peer-operated programs. In the appendix, we have enclosed twenty-four letters of commitment, coordination, and support from family and consumer networks, state policymakers, and other disability groups.

We have also received pledges of substantial contributions from other mental health organizations and agencies, including cash funding, future funding, evaluation services, website development, office space, and in-kind support with membership outreach, staff and board development, local and regional meetings, and consumer training activities.
VOCAL, Inc. is committed to creating a culturally competent organization that addresses the needs of consumers from diverse ethnic, gender, age, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. Our new Network will achieve this goal through: forming a Cultural Competence Workgroup; maintaining a culturally competent workforce; providing accessible outreach and educational materials; and developing an inclusive, diverse program membership.

The VOCAL Network will be evaluated through an “action research” model designed to address process, outcome, and Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures. The evaluation will be conducted by an independent evaluator, through in-kind donation from the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services.

The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership is Virginia’s only statewide organization of people with mental illness. In the past nine years, the heart of VOCAL’s work has been building and leading a vibrant, diverse network of consumer-run programs throughout the state. Through funding from the SAMHSA Statewide Consumer Network Grant, we hope to develop our organization’s natural next step – a statewide network uniting consumers to serve as agents of transformation and catalysts for system change.

TWO PEOPLE TWO CHAIRS
A mini-grant project of The VOCAL CO-OP

2003 Projects

Two People Two Chairs is a mini-grant program for grassroots, peer-run groups in Virginia. Through this program, the VOCAL CO-OP supports local consumer groups to design and develop new projects. Our goal for this program is to help support projects that are: run by and for consumers; dedicated to self-help and self-determination; and able to make a real difference in the local communities. Awards were made possible thanks to generous support from the Office of Mental Health Services at Virginia DMHMRSAS. Two People Two Chairs Projects this year included:

Learn Together
Laurie Mitchell Employment Center

Lack of understanding and accurate information causes many
consumers to suffer the loss of medical benefits, housing benefits, and income.

Learn Together will design and lead a series of free, well-advertised employment training events for consumers in Northern Virginia. Two informational seminars will focus on Ticket-To-Work and federal government employment opportunities. Seven additional workshops will focus on job-hunting basics (resumes, cover letters, interviewing, etc) along with information on ADA and SSI/SSDI work incentives, and discussions of emotional barriers consumers must overcome to begin the career exploration process. Laurie Mitchell plans to use this project as a springboard for testing out and developing an ongoing workshop curriculum that will be led by consumers at their centers, and included in statewide consumer-to-consumer education.

Laurie Mitchell Employment Center operates two drop-in centers in Fairfax County. The program was established in 1995 as a place where mental health consumers could drop in when they needed to and receive free peer support, computer training, employment support, one-on-one consultations, and job leads. Consumers run the center and individuals chart their own roadmap to self-defined success. Peer staff members are available to assist and guide – not dictate treatment plans or discourage dreams. Since 1995, this vision has helped more than 1,200 consumers in Northern Virginia.

Warm Line Expansion and Bilingual Services
Reston Warm Line

Warm line topics range from abuse, increasing coping skills,
adjusting to an illness or loss, or accessing community resources.

The Warm Line Expansion Project will expand the outreach and program service area to also cover the PRS Mount Vernon area. Through this project, the Warm Line will also train bilingual volunteers, and purchase TTY equipment to make this program accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as non-English speaking members of the community.

Reston Warm Line is a new program designed to give support to people with mental illness, and to help people stay out of the hospital. The warm line is a free service where people with serious mental illness can call and find peer support and resources. The warm line is staffed by volunteers who are trained by a licensed social worker. The warm line hopes to serve as a stepping stone to eventually forming a drop-in center.

Speakers Bureau Anti-Stigma Project
Richmond Mental Wellness Mentors

Many people do not understand that people who experience mental illness
can and do recover and live fulfilling lives in the community.

Richmond Mental Wellness Mentors will create a Speaker’s Bureau that will be held at locations such as schools, civic groups, CSBs, advocacy groups, police departments, religious congregations, and public television. This program is designed to help heal the perception of the public regarding mental illness. “Because of fear, prejudice and stigma, the public has a distorted picture of what mental illness is like. Fear is most often the result of a lack of information, and what we will be providing is first hand information.” The program will also provide mentoring training and follow-up for new speakers, form collaborative relationships with host organizations, and disseminate educational materials and outreach literature at events.

The Richmond Mental Wellness Mentors’ mission is to facilitate recovery, improve quality of life, and inspire hope for people with mental illness through education, advocacy and networking. The group was formed by graduates of the Consumer Empowerment Leadership Training Academy, and now hosts bimonthly meetings, an email list, training opportunities, social experiences, and advocacy education.

WRAP Implementation Project
People of Power

The great shining light of WRAP is the hope it gives to those with mental illness.

The WRAP Implementation Project will launch a consumer-run education and support program. The project will offer peer counseling to assist individuals in their journey to recovery, and will provide a safe environment for consumers to discuss and learn about their illness and how to manage it. Funds will be used to acquire durable equipment needed to provide life-changing recovery skills to consumers. The Implementation Project will also support the development of a website, brochure, and newsletter in the Tidewater area.

People of Power is a newly-developed consumer-run organization providing education and support to individuals with mental illness. The primary educational program utilized is a recovery-based, peer-led consumer education program called Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). The consumers who run POP have extensive experience in consumer, as well as family-member, education. They have been through the WRAP program and have a strong desire to reach out to others with its message of hope and recovery.

Statewide Infrastructure and Technical Assistance Project
Agoraphobics Building Independent Lives

ABIL will design and implement a prototype for their network of support groups in Virginia. This project is designed to increase awareness of and participation in support groups for those suffering from anxiety disorders. ABIL will build on its 17 years of experience to provide a different approach to support groups, including more detailed and specific educational materials, regular guest speakers, short and long-term goal setting, and round table discussions.

ABIL has a 17 year history of providing “hope, support, and advocacy for people suffering from debilitating phobias by establishing self-help groups and providing public education.” ABIL is dedicated to facilitating the development of self-help groups and establish a statewide network for persons with panic disorders. The program also works to provide advocacy and information on rights related issues, develop a strong link with the professional community to improve the quality of treatment, secure and disseminate current information, and eliminate the stigma associated with panic disorder.

Consumer Computer Resources and Internet Connectivity
Peninsula Drop In Center

The Consumer Computer Resources Project will improve and upgrade technological services and equipment at the Drop-In Center. Funds will be used to purchase much-needed computer equipment to access the internet, email, and explore developing a website. This project will allow consumers to improve their computer skills, gather facts and information through the internet, and network with their peers and other mental health programs. Consumers will also have the opportunity to become better informed and educated about their illness through the internet.

The Peninsula Drop In Center is dedicated to providing non-traditional/alternative programming to consumers in need. The center strives to meet the needs of consumers who have chosen not to participate in traditional programming, as well as those not receiving any mental health services offered in the community. The center has been successfully operating for nine years, offering daily structured activities, educational classes, referral information, recreational activities, washer and dryer use, shower facilities, storage space, telephone job line, bus passes, holiday events, clothing, and a hot meal every day.

Mental Wellness Consumer-run Support Group
Mental Wellness Support Group

The Mental Wellness Support Group has met monthly for over a decade. This group is requesting a small grant, which will provide a year of rent expenses for their program. The Support Group is an open discussion group where members can learn recovery skills, and support each other when dealing with difficult situations.

Journeys Membership Project
Journeys… Helping Hearts, Healing Minds

Our project is simple: We hope to survive!

The Journeys Membership Project is designed to help this new program survive. The group cannot afford to send out publicity letters, and cannot afford postage. The Membership Project will provide postage to reach out to members, educational materials to help build a strong consumer support system, social events to have fun together outside of working on mental health issues, and funding guest speakers for to come and share their expertise. This project will also fund leadership skills training for facilitators. This project will lead to improved structure of self-help meetings, reduced isolation and more friendships, better mental health in members, and survival of the group at this critical time.

Journeys is an association for persons affected by mental illness. Journeys meets weekly as a mental health consumers self-help discussion group. The program is designed as a place where consumers can help each other in their journeys toward mental health and fulfillment of life goals. Founded on the concept of mutual aid, Journeys is a place where people seek the support and guidance of like-minded peers.

WRAP Recovery Education Project
Central Virginia Consumers for Recovery and Wellness

Many consumers in our area have expressed feelings of
extreme isolation and frustration at not having an outlet for peer support.

Central Virginia Consumers for Recovery and Wellness will train recovery education facilitators and begin implementing Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) in their service area. Benefits of this project include fostering empowerment in consumers, enhancing self-care and peer support, establishing a positive core group for the program, supplementing declining mental health services in the area, and providing cost-effective services through peer support.

Central Virginia Consumers for Recovery and Wellness is a newly-forming consumer group, organized by and for consumers who have expressed feelings of extreme isolation and frustration at not having an appropriate outlet for peer support and socialization in their area. The group will receive support and referrals from the Mental Health Associate of Central Virginia, along with donated space from a local church, to begin running a small peer support program. The long-range goal of this program is to establish a consumer-run, drop-in peer support center for persons with persistent mental illness.

Thrift ‘n More
On Our Own of Charlottesville

Every week we receive numerous requests for clothing and household goods,
many from members who have housing but no discretionary funds for these needed items.

Thrift ‘n More will be a clothes closet (free thrift shop) with consumer staffing. Through this project, the center will develop a more effective donation program, and provide household goods and clothing to individuals who need them. The project will also provide employment for a consumer and give the center the opportunity to increase its business skills and explore developing a for-profit consumer-run business in this area. On Our Own has also requested funds to repair their laundry room.

On Our Own has twelve years of experience providing mutual support, self-help, advocacy, education, information, and referral services to individuals with mental illness. The program began as a drop-in center for homeless mental health consumers, and has gradually grown into five main programs: a drop-in center, a collaborative supportive services program in partnership with Region Ten CSB, a transitional housing program, a state hospital consumer liaison program, and a program that assists homeless individuals with serious mental illness procure mental health services.


 

REACH PROGRAM DIRECTOR POSITION
Prepared by Cassandra Nudel
_________________________________________________________________

Position Available

Reach Program Director

Apply by: February 20, 2004

The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership is pleased to announce that we are launching a new program, Recovery Education and Creative Healing (REACH). This program will be funded through generous support by the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services.

We are pleased to invite applications for a Reach Program Director to help us build and lead this new statewide program. We are seeking a candidate who can draw on his or her experiences as a mental health consumer to help lead this peer-run program. A new consumer advisory board is now forming and will select the first Program Director. We encourage anyone who is interested to apply, and we are looking forward to hearing from you.

Skills that would be useful in this position include:

o Background in non-profit or mental health program management.
o Skills in facilitation, consensus-building, and program outreach.
o Any of the following would also be helpful, but not required: Background in education, event planning, program planning, grant writing, and/or grant contract management. Knowledge of recovery education, consumer issues, and/or mental health systems. Bachelors or Masters Degree in relevant discipline. Commitment to recovery-based and peer-run programs. Experience with consumer-run programs and/or CSBs and other mental health services (as a staff member, volunteer, board member, or participant).

Hours:
The Reach Director position is currently set at 20 hours per week. The hours are flexible. The Reach Director will need to be available full-time during conferences (1-3 per year), and will sometimes need flexible hours for meetings and events. There is a possibility this position could expand to fulltime at some point.

Salary:
Salary is set at $15/hour, with pro-rated paid sick day, holiday, and vacations days, and some funds that could be applied towards partial medical insurance, pension, or other benefits.

Location:
The position may be located anywhere in Virginia. The Reach Director will likely work from a home office. All supplies, equipment, and computer will be provided.

Travel:
There will be some travel within Virginia. All travel will be reimbursed.

Staffing:
The Reach Director will be the only regular staff member for the REACH program, so we are seeking a candidate who is self-directed, motivated, highly reliable, organized, and enjoys taking on projects. The Director can receive support from the Vocal Board, the Reach Consumer Advisory Board, The Vocal Support Center, a conference coordinator (the weeks of a conference), conference facilitators, and grant writing or other program consultants.

What is a Consumer/Survivor/Ex-Patient?
The terms “consumer of mental health services,” “consumer” or “peer” refer to someone who has personally experienced mental health issues that have had a significant effect on his or her life. These terms can include anyone who self-identifies as consumer based on personal experiences such as: being diagnosed with a mental illness, a past history of serious mental health issues, or a current experience of psychiatric symptoms that have a substantial impact on one’s life or well-being. Consumers can include people who are or have been hospitalized for a mental illness, are in therapy or taking medication for a mental illness, or are otherwise managing their own mental health issues. Consumer-run programs are run by and for mental health consumers. A consumer-run Drop-In Center, for example, would have a staff, director, and voting board made up mostly of consumers. Consumer-run programs strive to respect the inherent worth and dignity of each individual, regardless of their current or past mental state, medical diagnosis, or use of medications. Consumer-run programs focus on individual empowerment and personal choice in working towards the management of symptoms and the hope of recovery.

About The Reach Program:
The Recovery Education And Creative Healing (REACH) program will be a new statewide recovery education program. The program will be operated on a consumer-run program model, overseen by the Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership, and led by a consumer advisory board. The REACH program will be designed to work in partnership with local mental health agencies to offer an approach to treatment that focuses on self-determination, peer support, and personal responsibility. Through programs like this, many of us have found that we can learn ways to facilitate our own recovery -- transforming our lives to greater wellness, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. In recovery education, we all work together to learn techniques to manage our own symptoms, take greater responsibility for our own care, enhance our sense of self-worth and personal well-being, become mentors and role-models, increase our abilities to meet our life and vocational goals, and achieve greater self-reliance and independence from mental health systems.

The first year of the REACH program will be a year of exploration and discovery. We will dedicate this year to implementing Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) in Virginia, and to working with consumers and mental health programs across the state to build consensus, explore recovery education models, and develop a program plan designed to meet the unique needs and interests of consumers in Virginia.

To Apply: To apply for this position, please send a resume, cover letter, and names and numbers for three references by February 20, 2004.

Request For Applications

Please send applications postmarked no later than Friday, December 12th, 2003

The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership (VOCAL) is pleased to announce the availability of funds for consumer-run groups and programs. The name for this mini-grant program, Two People Two Chairs, refers to the potential for positive change when two or more consumers come together to achieve common goals and common dreams. Two People Two Chairs attempts to foster such potential. Examples might include running a new educational program or event, starting a support group, hosting recreational and social activities, or the expansion of existing programs.

Two People Two Chairs welcomes applications from both existing consumer-run programs and new groups in Virginia wishing to fund a consumer-run project or program. The term “consumer” refers to someone who has personally experienced mental health issues that have had a significant effect on his or her life. Consumers can include people who are or have been hospitalized for a mental illness, are in therapy or taking medication for a mental illness, or are otherwise managing their own mental health issues.

“Consumer-run” programs are run by and for mental health consumers. A consumer-run Drop-In Center, for example, would have a staff, director, and voting board made up mostly of consumers. Consumer-run programs strive to respect the inherent worth and dignity of each individual, regardless of their current or past mental state, medical diagnosis, or use of medications. Consumer-run programs focus on individual empowerment and personal choice in working towards the management of symptoms and the hope of recovery.

The funding for this program was generously provided by the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, and we would like to thank them for their support.

Two People Two Chairs Awards:
Organized by Brian Parrish, Ray Bridge, Cassandra Nudel, Charles Schiff, & Cynthia Power

November, 2003

We are pleased to announce that Virginia DMHMRSAS has granted VOCAL $50,000/year in funds to launch a new program: Recovery Education and Creative Healing (REACH). An overview of this program is below:

REACH
Recovery Education a Creative Healing

A proposal from: Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership

Designed & Written by Cassandra Nudel & Brian Parrish

Proposal Summary/Overview

It is a pleasure to submit this proposal to develop a consumer recovery education program in Virginia. As the only state-wide consumer-run program in Virginia, we feel we are in unique position to bring this program forth. VOCAL has a strong history of serving as a voice for consumer empowerment, and we are deeply dedicated to recovery-based approaches. In our nine years of experience creating a network of consumer-run programs throughout the state, we have found that Virginia is a fertile ground for consumer recovery education, although there is little or none available in most areas.

In pilot programs in Virginia, and in state-wide initiatives across the country, WRAP and recovery education have proven to be powerful and successful methods for achieving hope, healing, and the potential for recovery. The REACH program will be designed to work in partnership with local mental health agencies, to offer an approach to treatment that focuses on self-determination, peer support, and personal responsibility. Through programs like this, many of us have found that we can learn ways to facilitate our own recovery -- transforming our lives to greater wellness, empowerment, and self-sufficiency.

The Recovery Education And Creative Healing (REACH) program will be a new statewide recovery education program. The program will be operated on a consumer-run program model, overseen by the Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership, and led by consumers, consumer advisory board members, consumer recovery educators, and other leaders in mental health care and treatment throughout the state. To develop and implement the first year of this program, we are requesting funding in the amount of $50,000 from the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services.

The first year of the REACH program will be a year of exploration and discovery. We will dedicate this year to implementing the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and other recovery education training, and to working with consumers and mental health programs across the state to build consensus, explore recovery education models, and develop a long-term program plan designed to meet the unique needs and interests of consumers in Virginia.

Our vision for REACH includes: creating alliances and partnerships with CSBs and other mental health providers; developing a plan to implement recovery education in mental health settings throughout Virginia; offering Recovery Education workshops for consumers; training consumers to be Recovery Educators; and developing Recovery Education curriculum customized to meet the needs of Virginia consumers. The core elements for our first year are outlined below:

Community Partnerships
Outreach to CSBs, community organizations, and other mental health programs
In its inaugural year, REACH will begin building the foundation for a long-term, sustainable Recovery Education program by forming alliances and partnerships with CSBs and other mental health agencies. We will develop presentations and informational materials for agencies and groups that are interested in exploring the potential of consumer-to-consumer education.

REACH Kick Off Event
Training for consumers and future recovery educators
This event will be designed to explore recovery education issues, study and develop recovery education models, and prepare consumers to become Recovery Educators. Potential topics include: Transformation through Education; Stages of Change and Tools for Winning over Addiction; Recovery Education for Work; Spirituality That Supports Recovery; Organizational Recovery; Recovery Language and Service Planning; Facilitator Skills; and Trauma Sensitive Services.

Recovery Education Advisory Group
Building consensus, program planning, and exploring recovery education issues
The REACH program will convene an advisory group of consumers who are knowledgeable and experienced in the fields of consumer education, consumer-run programs, recovery, and mental health. This group will explore recovery education models and lead REACH program initiatives in consensus building, community building, curriculum development, project design, and community collaborations.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
Recovery Education workshops for consumers
WRAP is a recovery education program designed to teach recovery and self-management skills and strategies for dealing with symptoms from mental illness and other kinds of illness and distress. WRAP is currently being implemented in mental health systems throughout the country, and around the world. Consumers and mental health programs are successfully using WRAP to: promote higher levels of wellness and quality of life; decrease the need for costly therapies; decrease the incidence of severe symptoms; and increase understanding of these illnesses and decrease stigma. In the upcoming year, we will offer WRAP workshops to consumers in Virginia, and explore ways to sustain and support areas where WRAP has already been offered.

Vocal Co-op
Training & Resource Awards

The Vocal CO-OP is pleased to announce the 2003 recipients for our new Training & Resource Awards. These training awards are designed to help consumer-run programs build capacity. Awards of up to $200 are granted to consumers who serve as staff, board, or directors of consumer-run programs in Virginia. The funding for this program has been generously provided by the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services.

Award Recipients
August 2003

Program Director, Laurie Mitchell Employment Center
Award for Collaborations 2003 Conference

Director, Turning Point Consumer Services
Award for Staff Development Videos & Resources for Consumer-Run Business

Program Director, Peninsula Drop In Center
Award for IAPSRS Conference / VAMI Conference

Co-Facilitators, NAMI-CARE of Williamsburg and Grafton
Award for Awareness and Outreach Materials

Treasurer, Richmond Mental Wellness Mentors
Award for Financial Empowerment Training Materials

Co-Founder and Board Member, Empowerment for Healthy Minds
Award for Southwest Virginia Nonprofit Development Program

Administrator, ABIL, Inc (Agoraphobics Building Independent Lives)
Award for “Anxiety Disorders: Targeting Community Awareness”

Fear of Filing: Navigating the 501(c)3 Process

Training Workshops and Private Consultations

Designed & Led by Brian Parrish

Vocal CO-OP 2001-2002

Programs Served

• Laurie Mitchell Employment Center
• New Street Drop In Center
• Helping Hands of Henrico
• On Our Own Charlottesville
• Turning Point Consumer Services
• Empowerment for Healthy Minds

Workshop Topics:

• Filing for tax-exempt status
• The incorporation process
• Federal and state requirements
• Board, bylaw and non-profit requirements

The Vocal CO-OP presents:

The Art of Grantmaking

An Intensive Grant Writing Laboratory

Charlottesville, VA

Tuesday November 5, 2002, 10am-5pm
Tuesday December 3, 2002, 10am-5pm
Tuesday January 7, 2002, 10am-5pm
Tuesday February 4, 2002, 10am-5pm

The Art of Grantmaking is a free workshop for mental health consumers and consumer-run programs. We welcome people from all backgrounds and levels of experience to join us. In this collaborative workshop, we will work together as partners and classmates to develop projects, write grant proposals, and learn how to negotiate with funders.

Over a period of four months, we will all work together to complete grant proposals for consumer-run programs. Using buddies and teamwork, everyone will help motivate and support each other through the grant writing process -- sharing ideas, experiences, and knowledge. We hope to make this program accessible, fun, and creative, while working together with seriousness of purpose and a strong commitment to meeting our goals.

Program Facilitator:
Brian Parrish, Director, Vocal CO-OP

Curriculum Design and Training Materials:
Brian Parrish & Cassandra Nudel

Guest Presenters:
Will Ferriss, Grant Administrator, DMHMRSAS
John Redick, Executive Director, Charlottesville-Albemarle Foundation
Bill Yolton, Freelance Grant Writer
Marc Cowgill, Director, Empowerment for Healthy Minds
Terry Grimes, Director, Empowerment for Healthy Minds

Cookbook for Consumer Run Programs Agenda
March, 2002

Cookbook for Consumer-Run Programs
WORKSHOP AGENDA
________________________________________________________________________

Designed and Organized by Brian Parrish

10:00am Workshop Registration, Coffee & Refreshments

10:30am Welcome/Opening Remarks
Cynthia Power, Treasurer, VOCAL, Inc.
Brian Parrish, Program Director, VOCAL Support Center

11:00am Participant Introductions
Ray Bridge, President, Laurie Mitchell Employment Center, Alexandria

11:30am Session I: “What is a Consumer-Run Program?”
Definition of a Consumer-Run Program and Building Consumer Support

12:00pm Networking Power Lunch (provided)

1:00pm Session II: “The Buck Stops (and Starts, and Continues) Here”
A Panel Discussion of Financial Issues for Consumer-Run Programs
Will Ferriss, DMHMRSAS Grant Administrator, Richmond
Ray Bridge, President, Laurie Mitchell Employment Center, Alexandria
Cynthia Power, Treasurer, VOCAL, Inc.

2:00pm Break

2:15pm Session III: “Drop In Center Nuts & Bolts” Presentations of Programs and Services by Established Centers

3:15pm Break

3:30pm Session IV: “Putting Yourself in the Picture”
Creative Visioning Activity for Programs and Services
Brian Parrish, Program Director, VOCAL Support Center

4:30pm Evaluations & Closing Remarks

This workshop was made possible by a grant from the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services. The VOCAL Support Center would also like to thank the Arlington County Department of Human Services for providing meeting space for this training workshop.

The VOCAL CO-OP presents:

Cookbook for Consumer-Run Programs

“How to plan, start and run a consumer-operated center”

Organized by Brian Parrish

A free workshops from the VOCAL CO-OP. Workshops will be held in Arlington, VA and Lynchburg, VA.

The workshop will include:

* Creative Visioning for New Programs

* Drop In Center Nuts and Bolts

* Resources, Contacts and Information

* Building Local Consumer Support

* Finding a Center Location

* Expanding Existing Services

* Presentations by Established Centers

* Networking Power Lunch

* And much more!