Newsletter

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month

“We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow.” -B.J. Neblett

Mental Health Awareness Month is coordinated by Mental Health America with the 2026 theme being, “More Good Days, Together.” “This reflects the heart of our mission: helping people have more good days by meeting them where they are, supporting them as whole people, and understanding that ‘good’ is defined by their unique experience and goals (Mental Health America).”  

In the SA (substance abuse) IOP and SA PHP, the group approach is used to help with the social aspect of the whole person.  Todd O’Brien is the Regional ARTS Manager and he says, “many people who are addicted come from dysfunctional situations, families, or social situations or they are currently in an antisocial type of area that they live or environment that they live in.  So, in those environments; it reinforces substance use; it reinforces negative thinking that results in negative outcomes, so what we are hoping to do is that they come into groups and we want to give them a positive sober approach, but it is also a social one.  The social one and the group is important from a social perspective so they can learn new social cues and new positive ways to view other people, to be able to develop routines and traditions that align with others socially.”  So, in addressing the whole person, the social cues are crucial in being able to stay away from behaviors that lead to bad outcomes.  

In determining goals on how the QMHP spends time with the client, Ashley Preston QMHP says, “Most of my clients are looking for employment so how I would report that would be things like job fairs, go to the library to fill out applications, update resumes, I take them to interviews, if they have units, that is how I support them.” In person-centered treatment, “everybody is somebody different, so I never compare the two. I just meet them on their level for whatever their goal is and whatever they set as a goal, I try to help them achieve it.  Another goal is homelessness. I assist them with applications, I take them to places that are based on your income, and we follow up on the application, and we make sure we have a solid address, so [we are] not going everywhere.  Most of them I ask to open a PO Box because they don’t have an address, to be interview ready and we go to Goodwill to find clothes; whatever it takes for them to succeed.”            

Reduced stigma is a contributing factor for the increase in adults willing to seek mental health treatment.  This reluctance to seek care is rooted in a negative attitude toward individuals with mental health conditions.  However, statistics show that this type of discrimination is improving.  According to CDC, “from 2019 to 2023, the percentage of adults who had received any mental health treatment during the past 12 months increased from 19.2% to 23.9%. This pattern was similar among adults aged 18–44 and 45–64 years. No significant change was observed among adults aged ≥65 years.”  MMHS acknowledges stigma by demonstrating a positive belief on mental health care and the positive outcomes of mental health treatment.

MMHS is a resource of mental health care that is available to meet the community at its Roanoke, Dublin and Blairs locations.  It offers outpatient counseling, mental health skill building MH PHP, SA IOP and SA PHP, and Employee Assistance Program.  Outpatient counseling is committed to offering an inclusive, welcoming program that builds trust through encouraging supportive relationships based on mutual respect, voluntary engagement, and appreciation for diversity and individual lifestyle choices.  Mental Health Skill Building is a community-based program intended to help individuals experiencing serious mental illness to reduce the likelihood of further psychiatric hospitalization, incarceration, homelessness, or transition to more restricted environments.  

In conclusion, the “More Good Days, Together,” is an appropriate theme for MMHS to celebrate since the clinician meets the client where they are for person-centered goals.  Also, services are available to the community in the forms of its many programs.  Good is a descriptor for the positive outcomes in treatment and for the outreach where a need is being served.  

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (2024, December 19). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7350a5.htm

     

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💡NRV SPOTLIGHT 💡

Day of Hope Celebration

The 2nd Annual Day of Hope Celebration and 5K is set to take place on May 16 at Huckleberry Park in Christiansburg, Virginia. The event is being hosted by the New River Valley Community Services in partnership with Montgomery County, Virginia and the NRV Recovery Ecosystem. Organizers hope the event will bring the community together to support recovery awareness and encourage hope for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders. The Day of Hope event is connected to the NRV Recovery Court, a regional program that began in 2014. The program focuses on helping individuals who have faced legal problems connected to diagnosed substance use disorders. Through treatment, support services, and accountability, the program works to help participants rebuild their lives and strengthen their recovery journeys. This year will mark the first time the event includes a 5K run and walk. Online registration is currently open for participants who want to join the race. The registration fee is $25 per person, although organizers say the price will increase after May 10. Participants who do not register online will also have the chance to sign up the morning of the event between 8:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Following the race, the community celebration will begin at 11:00 a.m. The event will include live music, food trucks, and activities designed for families and children. Organizations from around the New River Valley region will also attend to provide information, recovery resources, and support services to community members. Organizers say the event is meant to celebrate recovery while also helping reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorders. By bringing together local organizations, families, and individuals in recovery, the Day of Hope aims to create a positive and supportive environment for the community. Community members and businesses also have the opportunity to support the event through sponsorships. Several sponsorship levels are available for those interested in contributing to the Day of Hope Celebration and 5K.

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