Good morning

Greetings everyone!

Good Morning Everyone!

Good Morning! From Unison Behavioral Health in Waycross, GA

Good morning everyone! Excited for this great day!

Good Morning - Tommie Thompson here!

Hope everyone is well today.

Good morning! Happy Mental Health Day!

Greetings everyone from Caresource of GA 🤗

Good morning! Christina Henry and Kayleigh Abbott from Lawrenceville here!

Good morning from the RESPECT Institute of Georgia!

Welcome today! We are excited to have you with us for a spectacular event.

Good morning from Monroe in Walton County

Good Morning Everyone!

Are we automatically muted? Just making sure we aren't disrupting anyone.

Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here.

Good morning from CSB of Middle GA!!!

Hello Everyone, Thank you for being here and for all you do for the people we serve!

Please also tell us where you are from.

Good morning to all and so happy to see the crowd gathering...the power of recovery is alive and well in GA!

Good morning everyone! It's a beautiful day to advocate for mental health!

Good morning all

Good morning everyone!! It's a pleasure to be here!

Good morning

Good morning everyone.

Welcome all!

Good Morning to all, and especially those from Gwinnett Co.

Good morning! Paolo Mancini from Positive Impact Health Centers.

Good Morning Everyone!

Good morning everyone from Albany.

Good morning ALL! Elevation House is excited about our 2nd Mental Health Day at the Capitol. Thank you for all the work you do!

Good Morning!!!

Greetings from NAMI Moultrie!

Good morning! Erin Thomas from RESPECT Institute of Georgia, GMHCN. Glad to see everyone!

Good morning everyone - So glad to see you all here!

Good morning Sherry!

Good morning! What a terrific gathering!

Herb, love the dedication! Hope you are recovering well!

Good Morning Sherry

Good morning to everyone from Clubhouse Atlanta!!!

Good morning from Voices for Georgia's Children!

Good morning! Emily McFarland with Skyland Trail here. So happy to see some familiar names.

Good morning everyone!

Good morning from NAMI Georgia!

Good Morning Everyone!

Good morning everyone from @FocusedMindsEdu! Glad to see so many others invested in mental health awareness and advocacy!

Good morning! School Social Worker from Calhoun City Schools here!

Good morning!

Good Morning from The Georgia Collaborative ASO!!

Good Morning All! Lauren Smith from Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network

Good Morning from Focused Minds Education Group!

Hi Everyone1 Go glad to be here! Peace and blessings!!

Good Morning, Kirsten Lester, FPM, CPS-MH here on site at the Gainesville DRC, representing the GMHCN!! Happy Mental Health DAY!

Good morning Joel!!!

Hello everyone !

good morning everyone!

Good morning from Georgia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.

Good Morning! Nothing can stop the work of Mental Health Advocacy initiatives! Keep up the amazing work you are all doing in the field despite new barriers that forced us to come up with new outlets and ways to assist those in need! :)

Good Morning

Hey Oliver!!!

WELCOME OLIVER!!

Hiii Oliver!

Good morning all!

Peace and blessings

Your rock Oliver! Love to you!

Awesome!

Your transparency is brave and I have nothing but the highest respect for you Oliver! Your story is one that so needs to be heard and repeated over and over. I stand in awe of you. Keep sharing your testimony and inspiring others. KEEP SHINING!

Oliver, you are amazing and an inspiration!!! Love seeing you and hearing your life story again!

Thank you Oliver!

Oliver, thank you so much for your bravery in sharing your story, your insight, your hope, and your advocacy. Most important, thank you for being YOU!!!

Thank you, Oliver, for courageously sharing your story in commitment to mental health advocacy for all. Your dedication to mental health for all - especially marginalized young people - makes a difference. YOU make a difference. Powerful recovery, powerful story, powerful person! *snaps, snaps* - Appreciations to you, Oliver, and for accessible, relevant mental health service providers! 10 things I’m grateful for today will start with you.

Resilience at its best! Thank you for your courage and bravery to share your story Oliver.

Great Job Oliver! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for sharing your story. You are wonderful, Oliver.

Oliver - Thank you for sharing.

Oliver - You are an inspiration and a gift to this advocacy community and to this world! Your recovery story is beautiful. Thanks for your courage!

THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you for sharing your story, Oliver.

Thank you for sharing, Oliver!

Thank you, Oliver!

yayyyy thank YOU Oliver

Thank you, Oliver!

Thank you Oliver!

Thank you for sharing, Oliver!

Thank you for showing your story!!!

Thank you so much Oliver for sharing your story

Oliver, thanks for sharing

Thank You Oliver... you are amazing!

Thank you Oliver !

Thank you for sharing Oliver!!

Thank you, Oliver!

Thank you for sharing Oliver!

Incredible, thank you so much Oliver for sharing and working to impact others coming after you ❤️

Thank you Oliver for sharing your story. You are so amazing

Amazing testimony, Oliver! Thanks for being so courageous today in sharing! :)

Thank you Oliver! What a powerful story.

Thank you for sharing your story with us! You are awesome person.

Thank you, Oliver, for your amazing and inspiring story!

Thank you for sharing your amazing story

Thanks for sharing your story, Oliver.

Thank you Oliver for not giving up!

Thank you so much, Oliver, for sharing your powerful and brave story. You are an inspiration!!!

Oliver, you are amazing! Thank you for your bravery and sharing with us. I identify as lesbian, and can relate to your experiences and emotions when it comes to abuse and trauma. Keep holding onto your hope, and best of luck and strength to you for your present and future goals. Take care of yourself! Jen G., Gwinnett Co.

Oliver, Congratulations on your resiliency and self-advocacy! Thank you so much for sharing your story. Best with your goals!

I have a question for you duty how long does it take to get the Georgia Medicaid waiver I’ve been on the waiting list since I moved up here I moved up here in 2014 and been on the waiting list my mom help me fill out the waiting waiting this paper in 2016 I was wondering how long will it take for me to get the Medicaid waiver

judy

Thank you for sharing Oliver!

Agree — thank you to the DBHDD team!

YES YES yes

YES!!! Yay for Apex

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

yay Apex Project. Great and vital service

Woohoo CPS- MH and CPS-AD!

Thank you Judy!!!

The Georgia Apex Program recognizes that schools are a natural environment for identification and intervention and aims to reduce the number of youth with unmet mental health needs. The program supports community mental health providers to partner with schools and provide school-based mental health services, including direct student services, professional development for school staff, and opportunities for mental health promotion and awareness . The Apex Program’s goals are to increase access to youth mental health services, to provide early detection of mental health needs in childhood and adolescence, and to strengthen coordination between community-based mental health providers and local schools. (Georgia State University - Georgia Health Policy Center, 2020)

Thank you Oliver, for sharing your amazing and inspiring story! Shine Bright Shining Star!!!!!

Diversity as well as Neurodiversity!

Blessed are the ASL interpreters that I watch the panelists speaking smoothly.

I have a question Judy how long does it take to get the Georgia Medicaid waiver. I’ve been on the waiting list since I moved up here. I move to Georgia in 2014 and been on the waiting list for the Georgia Medicaid waiver. M mom helped me fill out the Georgia Medicaid waiver papers in 2016. I was wondering how long will it take for me to get the Georgia Medicaid Waiver?

so glad to know that there are ASL interpreters!

Judy. Please remember that our Latino community are also part of diversity/ Also remember, their participation, would also include the Spanish-speaking community. It is a very underserved community in real need of mental health. They have a lot of healing to do.

Do we have any programs in Spainish.

Thank you for a wonderful heartfelt message to us today Judy! Much love!

* Sorry, Spanish.

Thank you Judy!

Thank you Judy, WONDERFUL leadership thank you

Thank you Judy for your leadership!

Thank you Judy!

Thank you Judy for your on going leadership. Georgia is lucky to have you as the director of DBHDD

Hey Sheena!!

Sherry is the Executive Director for Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network and she is also the chair of the Behavioral Health Services Coalition.

Great address to attendees, Judy! :)We appreciate all you are doing for awareness and promotion of MH!

yay Mo Bell!!!! can’t think of a better first winner!!

Thank you so much Commissioner. You have a wonderful team and we enjoy the partnership.

Thank you Judy for your leadership and commitment to improving the behavioral health system in Georgia!

Congratulations Monique, Pierluigi, Patricia, Darlene, and Rayna!

nICE!

Congratulations Brother.

cool!!

Someone please answer my question

thank you Kim for prioritizing underserved populations in our state

Hello Chairman Tanner.

@Jillian do you have an ICWP case manager working with you?

Great information

Thank you Monique!

Hi Monique! Thank you for your fantastic advocacy leadership in Henry & Fayette Counties!

excellent recommendation

6776\7'

Exciting to see this movement on parity! Thank you Chairman Tanner and the Commission.

Were can we view the recommendations Mr. Tanner is telling us about

What are we talking about today? Is it has nothing to do with people with disabilities I’m leaving in the Georgia Medicaid waiver

THANK YOU, Kevin Tanner for your continous support and work towards PARITY!!!

If it has nothing to do with the Georgia Medicaid waiver I don’t want to be in this group

I’m getting frustrated

@Jillian you should consult an ICWP Case Manager in your County before you give up.

Thank you guys so much for the valuable information!!! Telehealth is so important especially in this pandemic!

I don’t know who to talk to nobody’s telling me anything

@Jilian Chute today is Mental Health Day at the Capitol. Disabilities Day at the Capitol is a different Date.

@Jillian what County are you in?

I had a Georgia Medicaid waiver in Florida for three years I waited for the Georgia Medicaid waiver for about four years until I moved up here because my grandfather was sick so now I’ve been waiting for the Georgia Medicaid waiver since 2016 I moved here in 2014 I’m getting really frustrated. I’m in White County Georgia. I’m having to talk into my iPad because I can’t spell very good

When is disability day at the capital?

I thought CHOA does not offer Behavioral Health Services to the children. Is this no longer the case?

@Jilian Chute The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Sponsors that. Their website is: https://gcdd.org/

@Paoloa Services available for the Latino community via View Point Health (Alianza Terpeutica Latina, mental health clubhouses for youth/young adults, and an APEX program :))

@Jilian Chute. White County is in Region 1. Here is the phone number to call and speak with someone at the Field Office. Contact Region 1 Main ContactPrimary: (678) 947-2818Toll Free: (877) 217-4462Visit:1230 Bald Ridge Marina RoadSuite 800Cumming, GA 30041United StatesLocation iconLocation detailsFor non-emergency mental health and addictive diseases or developmental disability services, call our field office.Hetal Patel, Ph.D., Behavioral Health Regional Services AdministratorElise Beumer, Developmental Disabilities Regional Services Administrator

Certificates of attendance will be provided after this event. If you would like one, please email Taylor.Slade@gpsn.org.

I don’t know what a ICWP is

Good morning Jillian. You can contact the DBHDD Region 1 Field Office at (678) 947-2818, and follow the voice prompts for the Developmental Disabilities Office. It will tell you what number to press for an update on your waiver status. You can also request to speak with someone directly.

Great job Gwen. Excellent work

What is parity?

ICWP - Independent Care Waiver Program

https://medicaid.georgia.gov/programs/all-programs/waiver-programs

Parity means that behavioral health coverage is the same as coverage for other medical conditions.

Thanks Lisa

@Jilian Chute-when you applied for the Waiver, you should have been assigned a case manager. Someone who works directly with you on the process of getting you into services.

AOT means Assisted Outpatient Treatment

@Jilian Chute - when you call the Regional Office, ask to Speak with Elise Beaumer. She is the RSA for DD

WE NEED THE FOLLOWING...• Restore and generate additional revenue for community mental health treatment services, suicide prevention, and recovery supports.• Restore funding for affordable housing supports for individuals with serious mental illnesses and severe and persistent mental illnesses.• Restore funding for recovery-oriented community services and supports, including core and prevention services to match increased need in the state.

Please include a peer on the Behavioral Health Innovation & Reform Commission.

@Jilkian Contact this office and ask for help with ICWP:(ILC WHITE County)Disability Resource Center170 Scoggins DriveDemorest, GA 30535Voice 706-778-5355TTY: call GA Relay 711 or at 800-255-0135800-255-0135

@JILLIAN

@Jillian website is: www.disabilityresourcecenter.org

The Georgia Crisis and Access Line can connect you to community-based services 1-800-715-4225

That's great about a new formulary for children!

Jilian Chute- this person can tell you information on Disabilities Day Hanna Rosenfeld at 404.657.2124 hanna.rosenfeld@gcdd.ga.gov

Hey all, does anyone know if the GA Mental Health Ombudsman Office is still operating?

Thankful for the Apex program!! thank you for bringing that up

Thank you Rep. Kevin Tanner !

https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

Thank you, Kevin. APEX is so helpful, I just wish there was more funding for this.

Thank you for your time Rep. Tanner!

Thank you Representative Tanner

Great information! Thank you

THANK YOU!

Thank you...

Thank you Representative Tanner for joining us today! We appreciate all your hard work in Georgia!

Sherry, great job with the program! Well done!

What's the wage for Certified Peer Specialists?

thanks to you all for being apart of my mental recovery

thank you I wrote down all info thank you everyone. I going to try hold of Medicaid waiver

@MariaDennisur - It varies. Here is a slide show representing a national study on this topic: https://na4ps.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/wage-and-compensation_inaps_2-16.pdf

Amen to that! What kind of support do you need?

Yay Cam!

Very good on CPS's

Kudos the ASL Interpreters!

Thank you Cam for your service! We love you!

Great examples and good news stories that have benefitted every day people!

Thanks Wendy T!

Ice cream and pizza should be on the formulary for psych medications.

@Joel...I second that motion

sounds good

so awesome Chris D! Peer support works!

I do wish there were more bilingual CPSs here in Georgia. There is a very underserved community here in Georgia who are Spanish-speaking community in desperate need for mental health services -- including citizens, residents, visa-holders, and the undocumented. I wish there would be a focus (even a small one) in making a difference in these communities.

hahaha Joel!! Brought a smile to my face.

Cudos to all Peer Support Specialists !

Yay Chris! Proud to include that man, and Moultrie's Peer Support Center in my Recovery Support Network

WOOOOHOOOOO!!!

Congrats to all of the CPS's that are sharing, CPS's ROCK!!!!! So important to recovery.

Go Warren!!

This is awesome!!!!! I love the presentation design as well as the messages!!! CPS Voices being heard!

Yay Warren!

Yay, WARREN hey!!!! Augusta

Equity for all!!! Hi Warren! Let's make our voices count.

Open a respite center in Augusta. it is so badly needed after Friendship Center closed

Amazing information Warren!!!

Great job Lindsey!

YESSSSSSSS LINDSEY!!!!!! FPM!!!! READY FOR RE-ENTRY!!!

Yayyyy Lindsey!!!!!

Forensic peer mentoring project ROCKS and is incredibly important wonderful. GO y’all

Lindsey is so amazing

Thank you Warren!

Thanks Warren

Lindsey, you are so correct! What a difference it makes if just one person BELIEVES in you! That changed my life 7 years ago!

Great job Chris, Warren, Lindsey and everyone sharing your stories!

56 Forensic Peer Mentors in 12 months THIS IS AMAZING

Great Job Everyone!

*Cheers wildly*

Thanks Lindsey

Thank you all!

Thank you all for sharing

Yeah Lindsey and all!!

That was amazing and truly needed. Thank you to you all!

Thank you all!

awesome!!!

Thank you CPS for sharing!

CPS’s are the bomb.

Lindsey - So great to see and hear from you! Thanks for leading these CPS voices in sharing with us today! All of your recovery and Peer Support stories inspire us!

Thanks all!

Good morning Lisa!

Thank You LISA!!!

Hello Wendy! so nice to connect again!

Thank you Dana & Lisa for ALL that you DO!!!

Inspired by all CSPs and grateful for their work! Great presentation. Thanks, Lisa!

grateful for the CPS-Ps and CPS-Ys around our state!!

thank you all for your hard work ! Go Recovery 💪

lisa.pace@gpsn.org

CPS-Ps are a huge support to the parents of our youth served through View Point Health's Care Management Entity (CME)! Every family we work with has a CPS-P assigned to them to help share lived experience and support.

Yay R2ISE RECOVERY!!!!

Thanks Viewpoint - we hope that Parent and Youth Peer Support continue to grow!

Great to hear about this program from Lisa! (Hello from a former student 🙂)

Thanks Lisa!

Yay Alexia!!!

Thank you Lisa

Alexia and R2ISE!

I’d like to second Lisa’s compliments on Dana McCrary’s long-standing support of our youth and families.

The dance of life - love the feeling that arises when I process life this way.

This is awesome! Kudos Alexia Jones and R2ISE Recovery!

Excellent comparison of equity vs. equality!!!

Beautiful!

Great job to all our CPS'!!!

This song is giving me chills! Beautiful!!

just beautiful!

I love this always even on zoom. So touching!

Awesome job!

Beautiful!

Beautiful

THANK YOU RISE!

Awesome!!

Beautiful!!!!!

Beautiful!

Powerful Alexia and all at R2ise! Arts + Recovery =Freedom! All the movement gives me chills!

Expression is vital to recovery!

What a world it would be!!!!!!

Amen!

Looking forward to living in that world!

WOW!

wow - who wrote this poem we are hearing???? WOW

R2ise, fabulous

I love all the words about the different movements!!! It is so vivid!!!

Please share the poem with us all!

Love this!

Beautiful!

Yes, please.

WONDERFULLY DESIGNED

So deeply blessed by the R2ISE Recovery piece today. Thank you Alexia and team.

This is really beautiful ya'll gonna make me cry

This touches me Thank you

And we Rise!

Thank you for letting me be a part of this!

This Is AMAZING!!!!!!!

crying at work! this is beautiful!

love this! Wow!

This is inspiring! Can this be posted to YouTube so we can watch it again and share?

Awesome!!!!

goes right to my heart for healing!

Love this!

awesome, beautiful

Great job R2ISE!!

Sherry, thank you to you and your committee for including R2ISE in today’s program. They are so inspiring. And thanks Alexia for tapping into the talents of so many of our peers!

Hey everyone! This is Kayla and I am a peer specialist here at R2ise! Thank you so much for the kind words!

The words are perfect. Motivation really is all that's needed. We will rise to fight if we have the fight in us!!

Awesome Alexia!!!!

Please post the link to this on YouTube.

Powerful! Thank you!

I absolutely love this Rise 2 Recovery!! So beautiful from beginning to end!!

AMAZING!!!

so powerful

Thank you R2ISE Recovery!!!

I wrote the poem and if you would like to have it drop your email in there chat box and I will send it over to you. (:

We are in this together

I have to point out the amazing ASL Interpreter!!!

I love it, We will rise together!!!! This was an awesome presentation and would love to watch again.

Awesome!!!

NICE!!!

Incredible!!

ohlaladominica@gmail.com. Thanks for sharing the poem.

Totally awesome - standing ovation

AMAZINGGGGGG

Absolutely loved every minute of that! So great

tom.longstreth@mheducation.com

Hey Jewel Gooding!

Beautiful art and statement about freedom! Thank you Rise2Recovery!

Got me tearing up at work.

R2ISE always sets the bar higher and higher for those of us in recovery…I am always empowered and encouraged to strive to new heights after seeing their performances!

Thanks for sending the poem to NAMI.Statesboro.GA@gmail.com

dcrain2@gmail.com

Thank you Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network for your hard work and dedication, to provide us incredible life changing opportunities that strengthen our Recovery and help us live life to the fullest!!!

Thank you for sending the gorgeous, recovery poem to pam@gmhcn.org!!

Awesome! Thanks so much everyone! I will send it over this afternoon. If anyone else would like to have it my email is kaylacarr@r2isetheatre.org . Just give me a shout. We love you!!!

It truly breaks my heart that people are considered profit. The funding piece of this is where the entire breakdown stems from.

I would love to have the words to this poem, my email is lhampton@gmhcn.org

Doesn't make sense. Humans well being put last.....

Jewell YES, we must shout it and shout it loud

Jewell that Is SO RIGHT! CPSs are CRUCIAL!

Beautiful presentation R2ISE!! LOVE!!!

This is a great summary of the need, advocacy priorities and talking points for our meetings with legislators!

The forgotten, get forgotten. Praying for this all to open up and become understandable.

STIGMA is huge!

YAY!!! Thank you Jewell!

Absolutely! Stigma takes different forms in different cultures. And we have to take different approaches.

AOT is court ordered involuntary treatment.

AOT is in 47 states, Goergia is one but it's called IOT. Rarely used however

THANK YOU!

Great job Jewell!

Thanks so much Jewell!!!!!

Thanks Jewell!

Thanks Jewel. You do great work!

Great job Jewell!

Thanks, Jewell! Clear and helpful info on equity and other priorities.

Thank you Jewell!

Great job!

This is a wonderful program!

www.namiga.org/get-involved/advocate/

Find your legislator here:

https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

Great info Bonnie! Thanks NAMI!

I don’t like politics

Nice job Jewell! Thank you for your advocacy!

thank you everyone for helping me and getting me info thank you so much I really appreciate it

thank you

Many of them also have family members / friends / loved ones with mental health diagnoses so really want to learn more and to help.

Kim Jones thanks for everything you do!

Thank you Jewell for your leadership. I am always learning best practices and policy to help me the best advocate to familoes

families

Thanks, Kim & Bonnie!

Great job, Bonnie! Thanks

thank you

Thank you all for joining us today! What a wonderful day in Georgia! Games and prizes are next

Excellent Information! Thank you so much

Thanks so much Lisa, Taylor, Sherry, GMHCN, GPSN and the Behavioral Health & Services Coalition!! All presenters and committee!!

I liked all the information

and NAMI!!

All of it was awesome, informative, and very well organized!!!!!1

The diversity of speakers, topics and priorities was informative! Thanks.

Thank you for such an informative presentation today.

Thank you for prioritizing the voices of people with lived experience and expertise AND celebrating the ART and Expression that signifies Freedom!

CPS's

Favorite was R2ISE’S performance!! Very heartfelt

Learning about you all experiences bringing you to the point of discussions today and the presentations of art!

This has been very informative and moving and fun!

Various subjects and contacting legislators

Did not win a prize, but what I love most is - knowing we all have a voice - even if different language.

Great presentation. Thanks!

THANK YOU!!!!

yes

I enjoyed the entire event!

Stellar Emceeing by Sherry, too, with appreciations for the ASL as well.

2nd Prize Winners: Victor, Cassandra, Kathy, Vernon, Joe

XOXO SHEENA & TAYLOR

Thank you everyone that participated! Wonderful event!

thanks everyone!!!!❤️

Great virtual presentation. Very informative. The prep for meeting with legislators was really helpful as well.

Thank you!

Thank you everyone for sharing what you enjoyed about today!

THANK YOU!!!!! You guys are great!!! 1200+ AWESOME!!!!

Thanks to everyone for all the information and perspective - all of it was very helpful and moving - good to see this work being done in Georgia!

GREAT Presentations. Thanks everyone!

Thank you!!! Great presentation!

Hurray everyone

Thanks to all for the hard work put into this day!

Thank you all for all the work on this event.

Thank you!!

there is help and there is hope!

Thank you for all the time and effort that went into this virtual gathering of mental health advocates!!!

Thank you for the information! Nice event

Thank you all

Again, great job to the ASL Interpreters!

bye!!!

Awesome Day!

thank you

Thank you

Bye!!!

Thank you Sherry!

Thank you !!!

Thank you

good bye

Thank you!

Thank you!!!!

Excellent day!!

Thank you!!!

Great presentations!

Thank you

thank you all!

Thank you

Thank you all to strive to make a difference!

Thank you ALL!

Thank you Lisa and Sue!

Thank you!

Thanks for such a well organized MH Day.

thank you

Have a great day! Thank you!

Thank You all... great job!

Thank you to everyone who shared today

Thanks!

Everything was awesome!!!!!

#mentalhealthyequity <3

Thanks everyone !

Thank you all for making a difference!

thank you everyone!!!!!

#MentalHealthEquity

Evaluation? Thanks everyone. This was awesome!

CEU’s email is =???