Meetings, training sessions, and other events sponsored by agencies and organizations throughout the 8-county community.
Local Children’s Collaborative meetings are State mandated meetings, but are open to the public to include family members and consumers, as well as professional partnering agency representatives. County Collaboratives meet monthly to discuss community resources, services, and funding. The mission of the collaborative is to ensure a System of Care model across all agencies, information sharing, trainings for the community, and education to each stakeholder as to agency roles within the agency as well as partner roles with each other and the families we serve.
Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) will be working with local communities across Western North Carolina to reduce prescription misuse and other forms of substance abuse through a project called FACE-IT. The goal of the project is to develop an integrated, system wide response to address prescription drug abuse and other substance use disorders in Western North Carolina that is based on best practice prevention and treatment. To learn more about the FACE-IT project please go to http://sites.google.com/site/faceitinwnc/.
NAMI OFFERS FREE EDUCATION FOR FAMILIES OF MENTALLY ILL
NAMI Western Carolina, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, will sponsor a free 12-week Family-to-Family class for families of individuals diagnosed with a severe mental illness from 6 to 8:30 pm on Mondays beginning February 22 in Asheville. Western Highlands Network funds this course that helps caregivers understand and support people with serious mental illness while maintaining their own well-being.
Up-to-date facts about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder and co-occurring addictions help caregivers understand and support people with a serious mental illness Trained family members teach the course that balances education with self-care, emotional support and empowerment.
NAMI Family-to-Family includes coping skills, handling a crisis and relapse, listening and communication techniques, problem solving, rehabilitation, community resources, advocacy, fighting discrimination and stigma.
Because the class size is limited, early registration is required. For information, call 828-707-2937 or email
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.
Family Support Network Summer Camp Opportunities!
Plan now for summer fun for your Special Needs Kids. These camps can accommodate specialized populations. Click here for a calendar of events, contact information included!
West Asheville Community Center Drop In Program
West Asheville Community Center has a drop in program that will be starting after the Thanksgiving holidays on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009. This program is designed for One on One or Cap Workers assigned to those with disabilities to come out to a community setting and have an opportunity to mingle with others while achieving some goals toward improving leisure education and awareness! For more information, please see the printer-friendly flyer by clicking the icon on the left.
Mental Health First Aid Training
This is a 12 hour certification course. By definition, Mental Health First Aid is help that is offered to an individual developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The help is given until appropriate treatment and support are received by the person or until the crisis is resolved. This is much like the assistance a person certified in CPR or traditional first aid would provide. Click here for more information and how to schedule a training.
F.I.R.S.T. and The Access Project are pleased to invite you to join our new on-line message board and information resource, located at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/first-access/ .
The intent of the message board is to provide a simple on-line location for people to ask questions and find information regarding developmental disability services in North Carolina and the Western Highlands area. Upon joining, members will be able to ask questions, seek support, and find information on whatever topics appropriate to the intent of the group. We also invite members to share positive experiences they have while receiving public developmental disability supports. While membership is open to all, the primary focus of the board is to reach individuals with developmental disabilities and their families/ natural supports. Click here for more information.
NMHA Joins Partnership for Prescription Assistance
The National Mental Health Association announced its participation in the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a groundbreaking initiative to help people who lack access to medications get the treatments they need. A coalition of national organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Academy of Family Physicians, united to promote this new one-stop shop for information on 275 public and private prescription assistance programs.
"Until now, there was no central information clearinghouse for prescription assistance programs sponsored by government agencies and pharmaceutical companies, leaving consumers to navigate two complex systems for prescription assistance," said Michael Faenza, president and CEO of NMHA. "With more than two-thirds of people needing mental health treatment in this nation going without, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance can help many Americans who have trouble paying for treatments get help."
To access the program, people can call 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) or visit http://www.pparx.org/.
Asperger's Sibling Support Project
NEEDED: Children in the 8-12 age range who have a brother or sister diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and who might be interested in participating in a videotape interview in an effort to offer support to other families. For more information, please see the printer-friendly flyer:
Word or PDF
Teen Support Group - 2nd Saturday of each month
Buncombe-Hendersonville areas (most convenient but all encouraged to attend)
Teen support group for teens with mental health issues is at 11:30, Saturday, Lutheran Church of the Nativity, Corner of Airport and Hendersonville Rds, Arden. (In the double-wide behind the church). Teens eat pizza and socialize with discussions and unique activities geared toward empowerment and lifting stigma. After pizza, parents gather in separate room for support. There is no charge.
To make sure enough pizza is ordered and/or for information, call Donna Reilly 828-684-5477.
NAMI's Free New Class for Parents and Caregivers of Children & Adolescents with Mental Illness
In 2007 NAMI piloted a new program called NAMI BASICS. This free program is based upon the researched success of the nationally acclaimed Family to Family program. It is comprised of six sessions rather than twelve in an attempt to make the course more time friendly to families with children.
Click here for a more comprehensive description.
North Carolina Peer Support Specialists Employment Data Bank
Western Highlands Network supports the delivery of recovery based services hence our efforts to increase the number of Peer Support Specialists in our communities. In January 2009, WHN sponsored a Peer Employment Training (PET) during which 20 individuals from Western North Carolina with “lived experience” in mental health and/or addictions were trained and prepared to work as Peer Support Specialists. The PET was a great success and a graduation ceremony sponsored by WHN Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC) was held on the last day of training. About 150 providers, family members, friends, community members and stakeholders were in attendance.
Employers wishing to post Peer Support Specialists job opportunities may go to this link and follow the instructions listed. This is a state wide data base and may also be used by Peer Support Specialists who are seeking employment.
http://bhrp.sowo.unc.edu/index.php?q=pssjobs
National Organization for Peer Support Specialists
The National Association of Peer Specialists (NAPS) is an organization dedicated to promoting peer specialists throughout the United States. We are a group of dedicated peer specialists seeking ways to improve the effectiveness of the mental health system through the hiring of other peer specialists.
NAPS is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to peer support in mental health systems. Founded in November 2004 by a group of peer specialists, the organization has quickly grown with members from every state. NAPS offers members a quarterly newsletter, discounts on recovery-oriented materials, access to recovery and peer support information, NAPS also sponsors an annual conference for peer specialists which brings together peer specialists and supporters of the peer specialist movement to share ideas, strategies, and information about innovative programs that work. Click on the following link for more information: www.naops.org.
Online Groups
Please click here to access a Peer Support Specialist Online Gathering.
Seven Challenges® Program
The Seven Challenges® Program is designed specifically for adolescents with drug problems, to motivate a decision and commitment to change - and to support success in implementing the desired changes. The Program simultaneously helps young people address their drug problems as well as their co-occurring life skill deficits, situational problems, and psychological problems.
Follow the link below for more information.
http://www.sevenchallenges.com/
Share the Warmth Providing Heating Assistance to the Less Fortunate
The Share the Warmth (STW) program provides financial assistance for heating bills during the winter season for low income families within the Duke Energy service territory in the Carolinas. Since the program’s establishment in 1985, we have completed 20 successful seasons and provided over $21 million in heating bill assistance. Visit Share the Warmth Partner Agencies for more information.
Share the Warmth Fund
The Duke Energy Foundation
P.O. box 35469
Charlotte, N.C. 28254-3429
The ECAC (Exceptional Children's Assistance Center) offers parents of children with special needs many services and resources. All services are provided to parents and families at no charge.
ECAC Workshops ECAC Fact Sheet
American Humane Association - A Possible Resource In Our Communities
Those who are involved with Collaborative groups would find it worthwhile to research this resource. The American Humane Association has provided for many demonstration grants for children and families; why not in one of our communities???
To learn more, visit www.americanhumane.org
Western Highlands Network will post community information if it is given to us for dissemination. It is not an endorsement of the information or activity, it is merely a posting of the information. Individuals should check out the activity and/or information to assure themselves that it is safe and appropriate for their needs.
