Cast from the shackles that bound them
this bell shall ring out
hope for the mentally ill
and victory over mental illness.

P.O. Box 41133
Mobile, AL 36640
Phone (251) 604-0008

National Mental Health Association

Annual Conference - June 7 - 10, 2006

Washington D.C.

Building the Movement: Its Our Time

Three members of the Mental Health Association in Southwest Alabama attended the 2006 National Conference. Our President, Rebecca Fuentes-Batchelor, and our Mental Health Consumer Representative, Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO, attended because of the generous funding provided by the Mobile Mental Health Center. Our newest Board Member, Ronald Hunt, also attended as he was awarded a consumer scholarship provided by the Center for Mental Health Services.

Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO, our President Rebecca Fuentes Batchelor, and Ronald Hunt besides the National Mental Health Association's Bell.

This year's Conference theme was Building the Movement, Its Our Time and focused on how to build grassroots momentum to affect much needed change in legislation, provision of services, and public perception of those with mental disorders. The Conference featured Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter, Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, and Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich of Georgia. If one were to combine the message that each shared with the Conference, participants gained a balanced perspective on how to propel our agenda forward.

Our President Rebecca Fuentes Batchelor and Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO meet Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter at the Advocacy Day Plenary.

Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island and Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO.

Our President Rebecca Fuentes Batchelor, with Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter.

Take It To The Hill !

On June 8, 2006, MHA delegations from across the nation descended upon Capitol Hill to advocate for the rights and needs of those consumers that struggle daily with the stigma and lack of resources necessary to facilitate recovery from mental disorders. Days before our advocacy effort on Capitol Hill, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) were facing significant budget cuts for Fiscal Year 2007. However, thanks to the grassroots efforts of so many, much of the proposed funding reduction was reinstated on the day before our advocacy effort on the Hill. Consequently, we were able to focus on other areas such as Medicaid, Medicare, affordable housing, vital case management services provided through Medicaid, and mental health parity. In short, we were able to use our time advocating for policy shifts in Congress, rather than begging to reinstate the funding that we had in FY 2006.

Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO, Rebecca Batchelor, Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, and Ronald Hunt.

President Rebecca Batchelor presents our Certificate of Appreciation to Representative Jo Bonner of the First Congressional District of Alabama for his continued availability to meet with us when we visit Washington, DC.
Also pictured are Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO and Ronald Hunt.

NMHA Honors Visionary Leaders

Sylvia Caras of Santa Cruz, California received NMHA's highest award, the Clifford W. Beers Award. Caras founded People Who, an online community for people with mental disorders and serves on the Board of several non-profit organizations that advocate for the disabled.

NMHA inaugurated its forWARDS ceremony recognizing the contributions that Brooke Shields, Iraq war veteran Blake Miller, Mary Jo Codey and New Jersey Senate President Richard Codey, author Joshua Wolf Shenck, and "Post Secret" creator Frank Warren made to mental health. Aetna, the National Business Group on Health's Employer's Guide to Behavorial Services, the Institute of Medicine's Crossing the Quality Chasm, the Supreme Court for overthrowing the juvenile death penalty, and Gulf Coast MHAs for their work serving the survivors of Hurricane Katrina were also acknowledged..

The MHA Awards ceremony recognized Linda Gregory, Alice Petree, Laverne Williams, CSW, Gail Griffith, and William Beardslee, MD for their contributions to the movement.

Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO
Wins the 2006 RESPECT Award

Alabama Recovery Conference at Shocco Springs

May 2 - 4, 2006

The Office of Consumer and Ex-Patient Relations and the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation awarded Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO the 2006 RESPECT Award. Every year at the Recovery Conference at the Shocco Springs Retreat Center near Talladega, Alabama approximately twenty consumer leaders are recognized for their outstanding service in the field of mental health education, service, advocacy and recovery. Sister Lucindia was nominated by the Most Reverend Archbishop of Mobile Oscar Lipscomb, Liesel Mims, Executive Director of the Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross, Lynn Anderson, former Executive Director of MHASWA, and several other individuals.

The RESPECT Award is an acronym for the qualities that an individual must possess to receive the award.

Responsive to the needs of the individual with mental illness, taking into account the whole person.

Encouraging and always searching for ways to motivate and inspire individuals with mental illness.

Sensitive in interpersonal relationships and to the needs of individuals with mental illness.

Perceptive of individuals in pain and willing to offer emotional support.

Expediting by prioritizing and completing tasks in an efficient manner, especially those related to the needs and desires of individuals with mental illness.

Caring for individuals with mental illness as human beings and not confusing the personhood of the individual with the symptoms of their illness.

Thoughtful in both words and actions; understanding that the experiences of individuals with mental illness can be disempowering to trusting relationships.

MHASWA Honors its Major Sponsors For Operation Santa Claus 2005

With Much Appreciation to the Mobile Police Department
And the Clinque Corporation at Dillards in Colonial-Bel Air Mall.

Our 2005 Christmas project, Operation Santa Claus, was a tremendous success considering the challenge we faced raising money in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Our Committee Chairperson, Captain Eddie Burrow of the Mobile Police Department, secured a substantial donation from the employees of the Police Department, and the Police Chief during this time, former Chief Sam Cochran, even allowed the administrative staff to prepare the gifts during office hours. Had it not been for the Herculian effort of the Mobile Police Department, the consumers in Mobile county group homes would not have had presents on Christmas morning.

President Rebecca F. Batchelor presents our Recognition of Appreciation to Chief Lester Harcrowe.
Also pictured are Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO, Lynn Anderson, and Ronald Hunt.

Similarly, the manager of Clinique-Mobile, Jamie Gullege, came through with another donation of makeup and grooming products. This is the second year that Ms. Gullege has donated these high quality products, and we would be remiss if we did not thank Board Member Shelly Leger for her tireless efforts at preparing these donations for delivery. The generosity of Clinique-Mobile has not gone unnoticed by the consumers in Mobile area group homes. These high quality products are truly a luxury item that they do not enjoy often. However, thanks to Ms. Gullege's generosity, these consumer have truly experienced what it is like to have some of life's nicer pleasures.

President Rebecca F. Batchelor presents our Recognition of Corporate Support to Jamie Gullege, manager of Clinique-Mobile. Also pictured are Sister Lucindia Claghorn, SFO, Lynn Anderson, and Ronald Hunt.