Founded in 1947 by local citizens, Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley (MHARV) is our community’s oldest nonprofit mental health organization. For almost seventy years, MHARV has educated people about mental health and mental illness and connected them with community resources for mental health treatment and support.

MHARV continues to work for America’s mental health and for victory over mental illnesses right here in our community. Through advocacy, education, and community services, MHARV

• reduces the stigma surrounding mental illness;

• increases public knowledge of mental health issues;

• offers resources for children and families; and

• provides access to quality mental health treatment.

Strong support from our Board of Directors and our members enabled us to make a difference in the lives of many individuals in the Roanoke Valley during the past year. The 2015 Walk for Mental Health raised over $70,000 to support the agency’s programs! Highlights of the organization’s activities for 2015 follow. We look forward to your continued involvement in MHARV’s vital work.

– Tim H. Steller, 2015 President

Mental Health AdvocacyMHARV continues to advocate for access to appropriate, affordable, high-quality treatment and services for children and adults with mental illnesses. During 2015 staff and volunteers • worked with other stakeholders to monitor and shape legislation and policies impacting individuals with mental illnesses on local, state, and federal levels through participation in coalitions including the Catawba Regional Partnership, Mental Health/Criminal Justice Task Force, Mental Health America of Virginia Public Policy Council, Roanoke Refugee Mental Health Council, Voices for Virginia’s Children, and the Intimate Partner Violence Fatality Review Team;

• trained 122 law enforcement officers from 13 agencies through the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team training which equips them to deal more effectively with individuals with mental illnesses who are also involved with the criminal justice system;

• sponsored an 8-hour Crisis Intervention Team training attended by 15 dispatchers;

• participated in the continuing efforts of Healthy Roanoke Valley which is working to improve access to mental health treatment in our community;

• focused on the importance of prevention and early intervention efforts in behavioral health with an address by Delegate Joseph Yost at the fourth Annual Advocacy Luncheon;

• celebrated Minority Mental Health Month with a Lunch and Learn presentation by Anne Dornberg, LCSW, entitled “The Importance of Providing Culturally Competent Care in Behavioral Health Settings”;

• highlighted current trends in federal mental health reform with an address by Dr. Amanda Clinton (Associate Professor of Psychology and Legislative Assistant in the Office of Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut) at MHARV’s annual dinner meeting;

• won a trophy for “Best Non-Profit” for our entry in Roanoke’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade which promoted the theme of stopping

the stigma attached to mental illnesses and those who suffer from them; and

• responded to over 800 calls for Information and Referral Services from individuals who needed

help to address mental health issues for themselves, their families,

work colleagues, or friends.

ANNUAL REPORTMental Health Americaof Roanoke Valley

2015

During 2015 forty mental health professionals who volunteered through the Collaborative—the free clinic operated by our agency—provided 77 mental health assessments, 491 counseling sessions, and 547 psychiatry/medication management sessions for 182 indigent, uninsured adults who were not eligible for services in any other system of care in our community. Over 1,230 prescriptions were filled for clients free of charge. WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) training sessions were provided to help clients manage the symptoms of their illnesses and minimize relapse. Clients also had the opportunity to participate in three series of breathwork/mindfulness classes to help them improve sleep, manage anxiety, and improve overall wellness. The clinic also continued to serve as a psychotherapy training site for third-year psychiatry residents from the Carilion Clinic/VA Medical Center psychiatry residency program.

Focus on Children and FamiliesThrough activities in this program category, MHARV seeks to educate and support families of children and adolescents with mental illnesses or severe behavioral problems, to provide specific opportunities for children who have witnessed domestic violence to learn appropriate ways to express anger and other emotions, and to teach children and adolescents and those who work with them about mental health issues. During 2015

• two 12-hour series of Basics provided training for 15 caregivers about recognizing and managing mental health problems in children and adolescents;

• a total of 26 children participated in the Forgotten Victims skills-building program for children whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence;

• MHARV provided 7 presentations on children’s mental health for community groups;

• MHARV co-sponsored EAT (It’s Not about Food), a play produced by Roanoke Children’s Theatre for area middle-school students;

• 28 attorneys read My Many-Colored Days and The Story of Jumping Mouse—books which explore feelings, respect, kindness, and self-esteem—in elementary classrooms as a part of the Roanoke Bar Association’s Barrister Book Buddies program;

• 89 child-serving professionals from various disciplines attended the half-day KidsFirst Symposium which focused on “Building Their Bounce: Promoting Resilience in Children”;

• 53 individuals who work with kids between the ages of 12 and 18 completed the 8-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid curriculum; and

• MHARV brought awareness to National Suicide Prevention Month by sponsoring a breakfast presentation entitled “An Overview of Suicide Risk Factors and Prevention in Teens and Young Adults” attended by 63 professionals from our community.

Roanoke Valley Mental Health Care Collaborative

I sleep so much better now, and I have only had one panic attack since I finished the class.

I am able to use the skills I learned every day to improve the quality of my life. Thank you.

– Breathwork/Mindfulness Class Participant

Mental Health EducationMHARV remains committed to educating our community—professionals from various disciplines and the public at large—about mental health, mental illnesses, and treatment options. During 2015 MHARV

• hosted a day-long Senior Extravaganza where 390 older adults participated in health screenings (depression and anxiety, memory, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and balance/flexibility) and enjoyed seminars, a petting zoo, consultations with pharmacists, exhibits on health and safety, entertainment by a storyteller and a women’s barbershop ensemble, and lunch;

• offered “Addressing Mental Health Issues in Older Adults” —a conference featuring presentations on anxiety disorders, depression and suicide risk assessment, dementia, and the role of humor in stress management—for 43 professional caregivers;

• presented a half-day Caregiver College—featuring a keynote address on stress management, a presentation on anxiety disorders, and an opportunity to create self-care kits—attended by 44 individuals who are caring for older family members;

• trained 339 individuals (including 246 professionals in area correctional facilities) during 13 sessions using the 8-hour adult version of Mental Health First Aid;

• hosted a theatrical presentation entitled “SOCKS! yellow socks”, written and performed by Air Force veteran and Certified Peer Support Specialist Shirley D. Scott to share her challenges with mental illness and addictions and her journey of recovery toward wellness;

• provided 12 presentations for community groups on different mental health topics;

• participated in three health fairs; and

• distributed more than 2,500 pieces of educational literature;

• sponsored the four-part MindMatters Film Festival which drew 366 to Grandin Theatre to view and discuss films with mental health themes.

“I learned so much about depression and Alzheimer’s disease. I am not from this country so many terms physicians use are unfamiliar to me. Thank you for explaining these illnesses to me and teaching me how

to be a better caregiver.” – Caregiver College Participant

My family had an amazing time at Basics! It was so nice meeting other families that are going through the same things we are and supporting each other during the “adventures

of parenthood” with these children. It was a relief for me to know that I wasn’t the only one struggling with how to best understand and parent children with mental health issues.

– Basics Participant

“Thank you for providing this training. I now feel more comfortable dealing with these issues in my colleagues and family.”

– Mental Health First Aid Participant

Join us for these movies with mental health themes on Tuesdays in October at the Grandin Theatre (1310 Grandin Road, SW, Roanoke).

FREE Admission • All films begin at 7:00 pmOctOber 6 – “black Or White”OctOber 13 – “the NOtebOOk”OctOber 20 – “lars aNd the real Girl”OctOber 27 – “it’s a WONderful life”

A discussion led by a mental health professional will follow each showing.

Call Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley at 540.344.0931 for more information.

MindMatters Film Festival

Presented by Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley in cooperation with the Grandin Theatre Foundation

senior extravaganza!September 30 • 8:30am-1:30pmsalem civic center

FREE Admission • includes lunch*540.344.0931Presented by Mental Health America oƒ Roanoke Valley with funding from Foundation for Roanoke Valley

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MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF ROANOKE VALLEY540.344.0931

or email mharv@infionline.net for more information.

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8:30 am-Noon Continuous Health Screenings (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, stroke risk, balance, memory, anxiety and depression) Ask the Pharmacist Exhibits with Information on fall prevention, first aid

(make your own kit!), eye care, community volunteer opportunities, and Senior Navigator Event Sketching by caricaturist Kyle Edgell Little Critters Traveling Petting Zoo9:30 am CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS (choose one)

Smart Exercise: Fitness for Seniors; Appalachian Music; Aging in Place: Tips for Staying at Home; Don’t Drown in Heaps of Paper: What’s Important, What’s Not10:45 am CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS (choose one) Coping with Losses that Accompany Aging; Bird Watching in the Roanoke Valley; You Are What You Eat: Facts about Food Safety; Staying Connected through the ArtsNoon-1:30 pm Lunch*, Door Prizes Entertainment by the Star City Sounds (a female ensemble

singing in the barbershop style) and Waynesboro Storyteller Barb Lawson

This FREE event is designed for ALL Roanoke Valley adults over the age of fifty-five, but everyone is welcome to attend.

Registration and activities begin at 8:30 am. Pre-registration is not required.

* Lunch will be guaranteed for the first 400 participants.

Tim H. Steller, PresidentSusan E. Bentley,

President-ElectJeffrey Logan,

SecretaryAndrew B. Agee,

TreasurerKenneth O. Robison, II,

Immediate Past President

Debbie BonniwellR. Webb BurnsLyn Day, PhDJo Ann DurhamKim EnochsGudrun Freeman, PhDTerrell L. HolbrookMaxine L. JoinerRosann KryczkowskiMariana LaughlinSusan C. Lee, DOFrank W. LeftwichPaula MitchellWalton F. Mitchell, IIIClifford A. Nottingham, MDDavid NuckollsDiana PerkinsonDeirdre O. ReaCarol Rowan, PhDJoseph SmigielTammy TedescoPhilip TrompeterMargie TwiggBridgette M. Vest, DNPHugh B. Wellons

Charles H. Holland, Ph.D., Honorary Lifetime Director

Diane Kelly, Executive Director

Brooke Overby, Administrative Assistant

MHARV 2015 Board of Directors

Appropriate mental health treatment allows children and adults with mental health problems to work through and deal with the myriad of emotions they experience.

“This course provided some of the best training I have ever had. It has changed

my perspective on so many things.– CIT participant

The CIT training caused me to re-evaluate my response to not only people in crisis

but also to others on the scene.” – CIT participant

How You Can HelpWithout your help, over nearly seventy years of service to those in need in our community would not have been possible.

• VOLUNTEER to assist with a Mental Health America program or activity or to advocate for changes to mental health policies. Call the MHARV office at (540) 344-0931 to find out more about current opportunities.

• BECOME A MEMBER! Memberships are tax-deductible and valuable to your community. To view the membership application, visit: www.mharv.com/how-you-can-help and click on Membership Application.

• MAKE A CONTRIBUTION toward a specific MHARV program. There are two ways to donate. Mail your check directly to the MHARV office

(Post Office Box 592, Roanoke, VA 24004) or make your contribution online. Visit: www.mharv.com/how-you-can-help.