September 2022

Happy September,

I've waited all year for today. September is my favorite month of the year! I am a fall/winter person, which is pretty rare, and of course, it is my birthday month which makes it even better.

School is in, the nights are cooler, the plants in the garden have lost their summer luster, and it is time to prepare the garden for a winter crop. What's missing - oh, I have not watched any preseason Hallmark Christmas movies. I guess I'd better get right on that, and there is always the preseason Christmas shopping. I forgot to mention the annual fall trip to Cloudland Canyon. It has to be timed just right to catch the very best autumn colors anywhere. These are all happy things for me. I'll bet you have your own list, and I would love to know what they are.

As the years begin to wear down, it strikes me that we need to focus on the positive and happy things we may not have been able to enjoy in the last couple of years. Time has passed, and circumstances have changed. I urge you, where tradition is lost to create new ones for your family and future generations.

Our readership is, for the large part either families in need of or receiving services and people/agencies that provide said services. Each of us sees the challenges of serving us/families differently. In order for everyone to either give or receive services, in my opinion, it requires that each have knowledge and understanding of the other's role and the roles they have in our large and complex system of services. I believe that each of us has a great opportunity to further this understanding through both our roles as Peer Mentors and as employees of Peer Mentors. As we all go about our work at all levels, let's try to use this opportunity to increase our understanding of each other's position, challenges, and opportunities that we encounter.

Sue L. Smith Ed.D, MPH

CEO

Certified Peer Specialist Training

Training Opportunity

Certified Peer Specialist-Youth

This will be the final CPS-Y Training of 2022. Please share the dates and application with anyone that may be interested in becoming certified this year. The next CPS-Y Training after September will be in January of 2023.

September 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30 from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

The Youth CPS-Y is an individual who is a young adult, ages 18 through age 26, with lived experience living with a mental health or substance use condition or both and who has received behavioral health services as a youth and is willing and able to self-identify as a person living with a behavioral health condition and is prepared to use that experience in helping other youth and young adults living with similar behavioral health conditions.

The Youth CPS-Y offers emotional support, shares knowledge, and works with individuals to identify meaningful connections and tools that contribute to wellness/resiliency/recovery.

Enrollees must meet the lived experience expectations below:

• Be 18-26 years of age (provide a copy of a valid Georgia ID); and

• Have a mental health (MH) condition, substance use disorder (SUD), or a co-occurring diagnosis; and a strong desire to identify themselves as a person living with a mental illness or substance use diagnosis; and

• Be able/willing to actively seek and manage your own appropriate care; and

• Be able to share their own personal story in a safe and appropriate way; and

• Must be well grounded in recovery wellness; and

• One year between diagnosis and application to training; and/or

• If the individual has a substance use condition, there must be one year of continuous abstinent from substance use; and

• Have a high school diploma or GED; provide a copy of these documents; and

• Provide (2) letters of reference. This cannot be a family member (please include contact information).

Please find the application along with the eligibility requirements outlined in the announcements below. Applications along with documentation must be submitted by the deadlines in the links provided below. If you have any questions, contact Anita Speed at anita.speed@gpsn.org.

Download Application

Submit Application

National Federation of Families

for Children's Mental Health

2022 Conference | National Federation of Families

The only national conference dedicated solely to supporting families whose children - of any age - experience mental health and or substance use challenges during their lifetime.

Federation Chapter Spotlight

This month, we would like to spotlight FAVOR.

Families Advocating for Voices of Resilience, Inc.

(F.A.V.O.R.)

Executive Director: Carmen Coates

Mission Statement

It is our mission to ensure that families have a voice in their treatment by educating, strengthening, and empowering them while in their present circumstances. We strive to provide services that are family-driven and youth-guided, along with crisis intervention training. Moreover, we value the unique needs of families, and we respect their diverse cultural experiences. We help all families navigate through systems as they work to recover and overcome barriers or setbacks that they may experience in their daily lives.

F.A.V.O.R. IS WHERE YOU FIND HELP AND SUPPORT WITHOUT JUDGMENT WE ARE PARENT WHO ARE RAISING YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, ADULTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH & WE ARE YOUTH WHO IS LIVING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH!

FAVOR is located in Dekalb County but serves families statewide. For more information, contact Carmen Coates at ccoates@favorfamilies.hush.com.

The memorial service celebrating the life and work of Sharon (Sherry) Jenkins Tucker will be held from 2:00pm-3:00pm on September 6, 2022 at the Cecil B. Day Chapel at The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. If you plan to attend in person, please consider carpooling. The ceremony will be broadcast on Zoom and Facebook Live. The Zoom registration link is here. A reception will follow the ceremony from 3:00pm-4:00pm. We hope you will be able to join us online or in person. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Sherry make a contribution to the Sharon Jenkins Tucker Memorial Fund at the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network.

Next Statewide Parent Support Group

September 13, 2022

with guest speaker Dr. Caitlyn Dooley, Georgia Department of Education

View Past Recordings

Youth Peer Support

Support for Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Youth Peer Support continues to serve a variety of clients. Connecting them with counseling services, assisting them in housing searches as well as helping peers find jobs and providing transportation for clients to accomplish their goal within the community. Brooke Hume the recent addition to the team is already assisting with various program application and research projects. The youth peer support team continues to work in conjunction with the transitional youth peer center to better our clients. With the youth peer support program each month, day and week presents new opportunities to serve those in need and we look forward the months to come.

The Youth Peer Support Program serves homeless youth in the metro Atlanta area, ages 17-26. The program seeks to assist young adults in establishing a stable living environment, finding mental health services, and accomplishing their goals. The Youth Peer Support Program utilizes the social and emotional well-being and strength-based trauma-informed approach.

NEW ONLINE REFERRAL FORM: CLICK HERE

For enrollment information, contact:

John Parker M.SPEd.

Youth Peer Support Director

john.parker@gpsn.org

Contact John Parker

Transitonal Youth Peer Center

Creating A Routine that Fits You

Exploration and creating healthy routines are at the heart of what the peer center is all about. In August, peers at the center jump in to share their words of wisdom.

Create a routine that accommodates your life style and leaves opportunity for you to evolve.
Create small steps to your routine and gradually increase tasks to add.
Plan ahead. Everything does not go as planned. Plan for those mishaps.
Make time for things that bring you joy.
Reward yourself for small victories. Take recognition for those accomplishments.
Don’t beat yourself up.

Are You A Transitioning Adult in Need of Peer Support?

The Peer Center provides training, life skills, mentoring, and peer support to youth transitioning into adulthood (17 -26) that child and adolescent mental health services no longer serve. At the Center, peers strive to support one another to meet their goals, including improvements in education, employment, and community life adjustment.

NEW ONLINE REFERRAL FORM: CLICK HERE

For enrollment information, contact:

Sheena Biggerstaff

Peer Center Supervisor

sheena.biggerstaff@gpsn.or g

Contact Sheena Biggerstaff

Therapeutic Foster Care

TFC is recruiting NEW FOSTER CARE HEROES!!

TFC will offer 2 potential foster parent informational sessions during the month of September on the 9^th and the 23^rd @ 11am. Informational sessions last 2 hours and require the Zoom platform. Potential parents must attend an informational session to learn more about the steps required to become a licensed foster parent and obtain all necessary paperwork. Only one session is required.

9/6/2022 @ 11am-1pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81956211716

Meeting ID: 819 5621 1716

9/23/2022 @ 11am-1pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88690992171

Meeting ID: 886 9099 2171

TFC will offer IMPACT training beginning in October. IMPACT training is held twice per week for the entire month of October. More information will be provided in next month’s newsletter on how to register.

You must attend an informational session before attending IMPACT training. IMPACT training is the state mandated training used to educate parents on the expectations and challenges of fostering.

We have a goal to license 10 new families before the end of the year! Please help us reach our goal. If you know anyone interested in foster care, please contact latasha.reeves@gpsn.org for more information.

If you are unable to attend either session but would like more information, please email latasha.reeves@gpsn.orgto schedule a one-on-one informational session.

Contact Latasha Reeves

Youth Motivating Others through

Voices of Experience (MOVE) National

2022 Rockstar Nominations Are Now Live! - Youth MOVE National

We are excited to announce that the 2022 Rockstar Award nominations are now live! Each year, Youth MOVE National celebrates youth advocates across the nation with our Rockstar Awards. Since 2011, Youth MOVE National has presented the Rockstar Awards to youth advocates, advocates for youth, and organizations that have made great strides in improving the lives of youth and youth-serving systems. Last year, we hosted [...]

August was an exciting month for the Youth MOVE Georgia Statewide chapter. Youth MOVE members focused their efforts on recruitment and youth engagement efforts. Chapters from around Georgia came together to form a panel discussion for the GPSN Statewide Parent Education and Support Group weekly meeting. Youth discussed why youth peer support is so essential and resources that have been instrumental in their recovery journeys.

YM-GA Panel Discussion

To round out the month and get more people to join in the fun, Youth MOVE GA coordinator Sheena Biggerstaff hosted an information session that outlines the basics of starting a local Youth MOVE Chapter. Both recordings are available on the GPSN Website.

YM-GA Info Session How To Start A Chapter

Youth M.O.V.E. Georgia exists to unite diverse individuals in the commitment to share our voices and raise awareness about issues that affect youth and young adults. We advocate for our rights and for fairness in all the systems that serve us. We have a purpose and the right to be equal partners in the process of change.

NEXT MEETING

SATURDAY

September 3, 2022

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Upcoming Meeting Dates

Who can join? Anyone between the ages of 10 and 29. When do we meet? The 1st Saturday of each month

October 1st

November 5th

December 3rd

If you are interested in joining us for our statewide meeting, please contact

Sheena Biggerstaff | Youth M.O.V.E. Georgia Coordinator

sheena.biggerstaff@gpsn.org

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Hello! We are 45 days into Georgia’s gradual rollout of 9-8-8!

July 16, 2022 marked the beginning of a new era in the world of behavioral health crisis response. With the launch of 9-8-8, we are starting to really change the conversation and reduce the stigma related to seeking help for those who are experiencing mental health and substance abuse crises.

Recovery Innovation Challenge Finalists

SAMHSA is excited to introduce the Finalists of the Recovery Innovation Challenge, which seeks to identify innovative practices in behavioral health that advance recovery on the ground and in the community.

These 20 finalists will advance to the final round of judging, scheduled for the week of September 12.