Following our earlier announcement that the National Federation of Families has been awarded SAMHSA's first National Family Support Technical Assistance Center (NFSTAC), we are excited to share that Gail Cormier will join the NFFCMH team on September 1, 2020 as the NFSTAC Project Director.
Gail brings over 25 years of experience providing national and statewide technical assistance and expertise working with families, youth and young adults. She is a proven national family leader with both professional and family-lived experience. Her three adult daughters, ages 22, 32 and 35, experienced mental health challenges as adolescents and young adults. As a parent, Gail spent many hours navigating child-serving systems to obtain the most appropriate services for her family's needs. She understands the stress families experience when their needs are not met and supported. Additionally, Gail’s father was discharged from the armed forces when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and as such, she recognizes the challenges faced by children with parents in the military who are in need of mental health care.
Cormier was a co-developer of the University of New Hampshire’s national best practice RENEW, a care coordination process for transition aged youth with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED). She provided oversight for the SAMHSA funded Statewide Family Network grant in New Hampshire and then in North Carolina from 1996-2019. Gail has served as Project Director for seven federal grants funded by SAMHSA
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the Department of Education and the Administration for Children and Families, leading the way in developing and supporting families who need services and supports for their children across the lifespan. She supports family organizations, family peer support, and policy making boards that aid the growth and the development of child, youth, and family-serving systems within peer organizations statewide and across the nation.
Cormier’s knowledge is demonstrated by her work at several levels. At the national level, she partners in the development of federal programs that serve at-risk and vulnerable consumers, families and their children and youth. For the last 14 years, Gail has served as Executive Director for North Carolina Families United, Inc., the North Carolina state chapter of the National Federation of Families. She recently led NC Families United to create a national Family and Youth Training Center of Excellence promoting youth, emerging adult and family-driven trainings for trainers from across the country. She is well known for her proactive approach to solving issues in a strength-based and respectful manner and is seen as an amiable partner working with family-run organizations.
Additionally, Gail co-founded and led, either as Executive Director or Board President, five non-profits across the country. All are still thriving. The most recent was Combat Female Veterans Families United which supports military women and their families who are struggling with mental health issues unique to their population. She is a well-known trainer throughout the states of North Carolina and New Hampshire as well as other parts of the nation, and has provided national, state and local leadership on the dissemination of information on best practice methods and tools to promote and market
the services of nonprofit family-run organizations.
As Project Director, Gail will manage the day-to-day activities of the TAC and will be responsible for all grant required reports, assurances, outcomes, and documentation demonstrating that project goals and objectives have been met. Gail will use her experience to support the provision of technical assistance and training for families, providers, family-run organizations and communities. Please join us in welcoming Gail.
