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Verde Valley Mental Health Coalition Forms

mental health publicationsSedona AZ (February 19, 2014) – In September 2013, the Arizona Humanities Council sponsored a statewide conversation on Mental Health issues. Thirty five interested people from Sedona and surrounding communities gathered at Yavapai College Sedona to participate in the live streamed broadcast and local conversation.

At the end of the evening, several residents and health professionals decided to come together as a steering committee to further discuss needs, resources and possible actions to address mental health issues in our local communities.

The group has met monthly since September and now calls itself the Mental Health Coalition Verde Valley (MHCVV). Members include Dr. Robert A. Berry, Ph.D.; Phil Billiam, Christ Lutheran Church Task Force Chair; Rose Boerner, President, National Alliance on Mental Illness Sedona (NAMI); Stephen C. Gill, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Keller, advocate for mental health and the criminal justice system; George Krueger, Christ Lutheran Church Task Force; Barbara Litrell, meeting facilitator; Judy Maloney, mental health advocate; Barbara Mayer, Interfaith Minister and writer; and Janet McFarland, educator and mental health advocate.

MHCVV is committed to developing a list of resources in the Verde Valley, researching model programs to help establish goals for our area particularly including mental health and criminal justice collaborations, organizing another community conversation in 2014 on Mental Health Issues, bringing together faith communities as resources to raise awareness in the community, developing a portfolio of stories to make the issues real to our communities, helping families caring for people with mental health issues, and helping to expand participation in the Mental Health First Aid programs now in existence.

The Coalition believes that the better informed our community, the more we can help our neighbors obtain the services they require by speaking with one voice to advocate for its needs. For more MHCVV information, contact Rose Boerner, NAMI Sedona at rboerner14@gmail.com.

You may also visit the National Institute for Mental Health to request free information and resources at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml.

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2 Comments

  1. Dr. Dan says:

    Why is it that every time a group of people get together they think like Caesars? There are more “mental health” groups than mental health issues in AZ and too many scattered providers for the population of Yavapai. Why didn’t the few of you wanting to fix it…god help you for your ignorance…go volunteer at the dozens of Yavapai centers that could use your HELP and your counsel? Right. You just gotta be kings.

  2. Don’t know if you are aware of this, but it has caused quite a stir up here since people became aware of it after watching NBC news. Passing it on, just in case. Not something easy to remember in a medical crisis.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/how-avoid-two-words-cost-thousands-medicare-bills-n38281

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