Alliance Note: Keris Jän Myrick’s weekly podcast, Unapologetically Black Unicorns has been providing a very powerful, personal and often provocative opportunity to listen in on conversations between Keris and some of the nation’s most important black leaders who are, in her words “are amazing U.B.U. folk who are advancing all things mental health, racial justice, and anything cool to enhance human existence.” The podcast centers on lived experience, race equity and mental health change agents.
As background, Keris currently serves as Vice President of Partnerships and Innovation at Inseparable. She previously served as the Co-Director of The Mental Health Strategic Impact Initiative (S2i) and serves on the Board of and is policy liaison for the National Association of Peer Specialists (N.A.P.S.) and the Board of Directors for Mental Health America. She previously served as the Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs for the Center for Mental Health Services within SAMHSA, as CEO of Project Return Peer Support Network and is a Certified Personal Medicine Coach. Keris is “a leading mental health advocate and executive, known for her innovative and inclusive approach to mental health reform and the public disclosure of her personal story. She is an in-demand national trainer and keynote speaker, and authored several peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters.”
We’re thrilled that Keris is coming from California to host a live Unapologetically Black Unicorns panel at this year’s Alliance Conference along with some of her extraordinary friends and leaders (click on their names to learn about them):
- Felecia Pullen, Founder and CEO, Pillars NYC
- Chyrell Bellamy, Director of Peer Support Services & Research and Director of the Yale Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy and winner of the Alliance’s 2023 Celia Brown Justice for All Champion Award
- Dr. Rupi Legha, California-based Psychiatrist/Scholar/Activist and
- LaMont Green, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Technical Assistance Collaborative
DON’T MISS THIS VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER INTO THE DISCUSSION!
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Alliance Note: Our Alliance for Rights and Recovery is extremely pleased to announce details of the extraordinary lineup of speakers at this year’s Alliance Annual Conference, Leading the Charge for Recovery, Rights and Justice!, to be held September 25-27 in the Catskills Mountains at the Villa Rome Hotel in Callicoon, New York. Our program offers keynote and presentations by some of the most respected experts and leaders across New York and the nation (click on their names for details), along with our traditional Stand Up for Mental Health comedy show, Shiatsu, Reiki, Acupuncture healers, BBQ under the Stars, Open Mic and Peer Support groups.
- We’ve sent out letters to inform people about proposals that we were not able to include in this year’s program.
- We also distributed 75 scholarships this week to people who’ve never previously received them.
We are offering the following special deal:
Score Big with Our BUY 5, GET 1 FREE Deal!
Score Big with Our BUY 5, GET 1 FREE Deal! Deadline September 6th
We are also very pleased to invite you to take advantage of our exclusive offer: when you register five people, you’ll get one registration (including the hotel reservation) absolutely free!
- Hotel, meals and special offerings: Just contact the hotel directly at 1-800-727-8455 and select #1 for reservations to claim your bonus. Remember, each attendee needs an individual reservation/registration, but if they’re sharing a room, you can reserve them together in one go. Planning a short stay? For one-night-only bookings, give the hotel a call at the same number and select #1 for reservations. Don’t miss out on these fantastic savings!
- To attend the conference program, make your qualifying registrations HERE and then email Eileen Crosby for your free registration(s). Don’t forget to include the email address used for purchase and your organization.
If you plan to register less than 5 attendees, use the links to complete registration and get hotel accommodations online.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION AND HOTEL RESERVATIONS ARE SEPARATE.
Look for daily Alliance E-News postings in the coming days to hear about our other speakers and schedule. Email us here to subscribe to our E-News!
Leading the Charge for Recovery, Rights and Justice!
Alliance for Rights and Recovery 42nd Annual Conference
September 25-27, 2024 Villa Roma Resort Callicoon, NY
Rights, Choice and Self-Determination
Self-Direction in New York: Envisioning the Future: Ana Schick, Self-Direction Resource Consultant, Community Access; Jennifer Sutton, Director of Employment and Family Services, Independent Living; Jody Gnant, Community Access
Changing Conversation: Improving News Reporting and Public Discussion of Civil Commitment Rob Wipond, Author of “Your Consent is Not Required
Informing New York’s Study on Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program: Nev Jones PhD, Assistant Professor School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh and Bevin Croft, Senior Research Associate and Director of Behavioral Health, Human Services Research Institute
Unpacking the Power of Psychiatric Advance Directives: Matthew Federici, Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery; Rayshell Chambers, Painted Brain; Kiran Sahotak, Concepts Forward; Pablo Sadler, Mental Health Medical Director, Bureau of Mental Health at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Moderator: Luke Sikinyi, Director for Public Policy and Engagement, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Queer Workers’ Rights: Intersections of Disability Justice and LGBTQIA+ Rights in Employment Elise Diamond, Recovery Specialist and Trainer, OnTrackNY, Center for Practice Innovations
From Stress to Strategy: Mental Health and Your Voting Power! Jordyn Rosenthal, Director of Advocacy, Community Access; Phyllis Vine, Author; Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Peer Support
Peer Support as Social Change: Shery Mead, Founder, and Chris Hansen, Co-Director, Intentional Peer Support
KEYNOTE: Wellness and Peer Support Pioneers Panel: Mary Ellen Copeland Creator of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Educator and Advocate; Shery Mead, founder and Co-DirectorChris Hansen of Intentional Peer Support and Peggy Swarbrick, creator of the 8 Dimensions of Health and Peer Wellness Coaching; Moderator Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
The 25th Anniversary of Medicaid-Billable Peer Support: Reflections on Policy Impacts and Future Horizons Wendy White Tiegreen, State of Georgia, Department of Behavioral Health-Director, Office of Medicaid Coordination and Health System Innovation
Transitioning Through Peer Roles: Exploring the Peer Specialist Career Path Kristin Rivera, Systems Youth Engagement Specialist, Youth Power
The Role of Peer Support as an Indigenous Practice: Vesper Moore, COO andBrenda Vezina, CEO, Kiva Centers
Assessing Organizational Readiness for Peer Support Implementation in Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs): Shannon Higbee, BA, CEO, Recovery Options Made Easy; Mona Lisa McEachin, assistant program director at Best Self Recovery Community Center
Embracing Connection: Helping Peers Understand and Overcome Loneliness in a Technology Driven World: Taina Laing, CEO, Mark Clarke, Deputy Director of Programs, Modupe Mujota, Regional Director Adult Home Initiative, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions
Peer Supporters and Community Health Workers: Where is the Nexus? Peggy Swarbrick, Associate Director, Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies; Sarina Master, Director, Bureau of Special Populations; Jeff McQueen, CEO, MHA of Nassau County; Luke Sikinyi, Director for Public Policy, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Listening to the Peer Workforce: What We Heard…and What You Can Do: Jeremy Reuling, LCSW, NYCPS, Senior Director of Special Projects, Hands Across Long Island (HALI); Rita Cronise, M.S, ALWF, Co-Director, PeerTAC; Jessica Wolf, Principal, Decision Solutions Consulting
Not for Nothing: A Continuing Dialogue on Answers to Three Critical Questions about Supervision of Peer Support Workers: Joanne Forbes, Consultant, Peer TAC and Rutgers University; Gita Enders, Director of Peer Services, Office of Behavioral Health, NYC Health and Hospitals; Jonathan Edwards, Program Consultant, NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene
The Challenges of Peer Services Integration: Lyn Legere, Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation; Rita Cronise, Co-Director, PeerTAC
Employment
Employment Matters: Making the Most of Your Employment Journey: Regina Kaiser, Crestwood; Noah Lipton, Center for Practice Innovations
Racial (In)justice and Employment Paul Margolies, Karen Broadway-Wilson, Raymond Gregory, Thomas Jewell, Norman Kim, and Gary Scannevin, Center for Practice Innovations (CPI)
Wellness and Recovery
Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing: Matthew Federici, CEO, Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery
KEYNOTE: Wellness and Peer Support Pioneers Panel: Mary Ellen Copeland Creator of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Educator and Advocate; Shery Mead, founder and Co-DirectorChris Hansen of Intentional Peer Support and Peggy Swarbrick, creator of the 8 Dimensions of Health and Peer Wellness Coaching; Moderator Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Introduction to Breath-Body-Mind: Dr. Richard Brown, Co-Founder, Breath-Body-Mind Foundation
Spirituality and Religion: Caroline Mazel-Carlton, Director of Training, Wildflower Alliance; Amy Brinkley, Senior Recovery and Support Systems, Coordinator, National Association of State Mental Hygiene Directors; Jeff McQueen, MHA of Nassau County; Ruth Pasillas-Gonzales, Crestwood Behavioral Health; Moderator, Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Transforming Lived Experiences to Lived Expertise Helen Skip Skipper, Executive Director, NYC Justice Peer Initiative
Rhythms for Community Wellness: The Power of Drumming: Chrys Ballerano, Founder/Owner, Chrys Ballerano Consulting Services
The Art of Recovery: Gayle Bluebird, Author, Reaching Across with the Arts; Independent Consultant
Hearing Voices Network: Caroline Mazel-Carlton, Director of Training, Wildflower Alliance
Pathways to Trauma Recovery Michael Skinner, Surviving Spirit; Sean Brennan, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions
Journaling Your Way to Healing: Anita Lee, Founder, Blooming Creativity
What Is Psych Rehab and Why I Should Want It In My Life? Britt Higgins, Senior Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist, Hannah Taber, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist, Steve Nawotniak, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
The Real WRAP Mary Ellen Copeland, Creator of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Educator and Advocate
Reentry from and WRAP Implementation within Carceral Settings: Ellen Healion, Alliance for Rights and Recovery Director for Peer Bridger Services and Technical Assistance; Lynn Miller, Director, WRAP, Advocates for Human Potential; Kurt Danysh, Executive Director, Tomorrow’s Neighbors; Lee Horton, Freedom Horton, WRAP Coordinators, Step By Step, Inc; Dormen Lisby, Program Specialist, Shining Light
Advocacy and Public Policy
Fighting for Rights, Recovery and Peer Support Across the Nation! Vanessa Ramos, Community Organizer for Public Policy, Disability Rights California; Braunwynn Franklin, Board President, National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery; Moderator: Luke Sikinyi Director of Public Policy and Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery
KEYNOTE: NYS Mental Health Policy Forum Ann Sullivan, Commissioner, Janine Perazzo, Assistant Commissioner; Erica van De Wal, Director of Planning; Ian Rodgers, Director, Patient and Client Feedback Initiatives, NYS Office of Mental Health NYS Office of Mental Health
Navigating New York’s 1115 Waiver: Overview, Implementation Updates, and Future Opportunities: Sarina Master, Director, Bureau of Adult Special Populations, Policy and Programming NYS Department of Health; Brett Scudder, President, CEO, Scudder Intervention Services Foundation; Steve Coe, Mental Health and Housing Policy Advocate; Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Understanding New York’s Social Care Networks Under the New 1115 Waiver; Lauren Tobias, Senior Advisory, Brown & Weinraub; Brett Scudder, President, CEO, Scudder Intervention Services Foundation; Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Building a Grassroots Demand for Trauma Informed Services Billy Gamble, Director of Statewide Services, Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP)
Taking Back Our Power, Bringing the Pain Jihoon Kim, CEO, InUnity Alliance; Jerome Wright, Co-Director, HALT Solitary Campaign; Chacku Mathai, Director of Crisis Systems Training Initiative at Center for Practice Innovations; Glenn Liebman, CEO, Mental Health Association in New York State; Luke Sikinyi, Director for Public Policy and Engagement, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Racial Equity and Justice
Unapologetic Black Unicorns Keris Jän Myrick, Vice President of Partnerships and Innovation, Inseparable; Felecia Pullen, Founder and CEO, Pillars NYC; Chyrell Bellamy, Director of Peer Support Services & Research and Director of the Yale Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy and Dr. Rupi Legha, Psychiatrist/Scholar/Activist; LaMont Green, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Technical Assistance Collaborative
KEYNOTE: The Ecology of Equity: A Healing Pathway to Inclusive Environments Dr. Ashley Stewart, Director of Health and Racial Equity, C4 Innovations
KEYNOTE: Healing Through Hip Hop Luis Lopez, Director, Care Management Institute, Chacku Mathai, Director of Crisis Systems Training Initiative Center for Practice Innovations
Navigating Identity: Exploring the Intersectionality of Racism and the Immigrant Experience, Yaniel, Wynter, DEI Youth Engagement Coordinator, Youth Power
Story Circles 1: Wellness and Recovery (Resilience) Story Circle Dr. Deborah Wilcox, CEO, Confluency Consultants; Theresa Hall, Long Island Regional Coordinator, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Story Circles 2: Wellness and Recovery Story Circle Implementation Dr. Deborah Wilcox, CEO, Confluency Consultants; Theresa Hall, Long Island Regional Coordinator, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Recovery Across the Lifespan
Empowering Change: Youth Justice Reform and Advocacy in New York CCA Representatives Patrick Stevens, Precious Lugo, Statewide Youth Engagement Specialist, Youth Power, Jessi Davis, Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (TIEMH)
Peer Support Throughout the Lifespan: Laura Callen, Director of Peer Workforce Development, Hands Across Long Island.
Ending the School to Trans-Institutionalization Pipeline; Dawn Yuster, Staff Attorney, Education Advocacy Project in Juvenile Rights Practice, Legal Aid Society; Other Representatives from Legal Aid Society
Strategies to Enhance our Support for Elders with Mental Health Challenges; Himali Panda, People USA; TBD, Fountain House; Carl Blumenthal, Academy of Peer Services, and Ellen Healion, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
KEYNOTE: Advancing the Mental Health of Young People Kelly Davis, Vice President, Peer and Youth Advocacy at Mental Health America Vesper Moore, COO, Kiva Center
Crisis Supports
Advancing The Crisis Care Continuum: Innovative Models for Support and Recovery: Raquelle Kolodny, Coordinator of Integrated Services, Greater Mental Health of New York; Living Room/Respite, Shannon Higbee, BA, CEO, Recovery Options; Ellen Healion, Director of Peer Bridger Services, Alliance for Rights and Recovery; TBA Fountain House; Steve Miccio, CEO, People USA
Compassionate Crisis Care: Person Centered Approaches to Improve Crisis Response: Christina Sparrock, member Daniel’s Law Task Force; Ruth Lowenkron, Director of Disability Justice, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest; Billy Gamble, MHEP