Focus Group Meeting with Youth, T.C. Williams High School (Student Council Association Meeting) January 12, 2007

Youth Policy Commission Presentation, City Hall, February 7, 2007

Focus Group Meeting with Youth, Charles Houston Recreation Center (Peer Advisors), February 28, 2007

Focus Group with Youth Ministers, First Baptist Church, March 12, 2007

Focus Group Meeting with Youth, STEP Center (Classroom), March 13, 2007

Focus Group Meeting with Youth, STEP Center (Young Stars), March 13, 2007

Philanthropy Summit, Belle Haven Country Club, March 15, 2007

Focus Group with Youth Ministers, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community, March 20, 2007

Real Life Stories of youth speaking of their experiences with mental health issues posted to Blackboard on student laptops at T.C. Williams (see www.nostigma.org)  Posted March 2007.

Joint City Council/School Board Work Session Presentation (Partnership), George Washington
Middle School, April 11, 2007

T. C. Williams Teen Summit, Anti-Stigma/Depression/Suicide Prevention Breakout Session,* Minnie Howard Ninth Grade Center, April 28, 2007  (w/ youth speaker)

Youth Services Coordinating Council Presentation,* Dept. of Human Services, May 8, 2007

Youth Summit, Anti-Stigma/Depression/Suicide Prevention Breakout Session,* G.W. Middle School,
May 19, 2007

AntiStigma/Depression/Suicide Prevention Session,* Christ Episcopal Church, May 20, 2007

Mental Health: Stigma & Services Session,* The Lyceum, Gang Prevention Brown Bag Lunch, May 23, 2007

Stigma & the System: Roadblocks to Recovery with author Pete Earley* (Mental Health Month Event),* Minnie Howard School Auditorium, May 30, 2007

Helping the Addict You Love (Recovery Month Event),* with author Dr. Lawrence Westreich, Minnie Howard School Auditorium, September 10, 2007 (Photos and Washington Post article available online at www.alexhealth.org/partnership )

Too Young To Die: Teen Suicide in Our Community (Mental Health Community Event),* Minnie Howard School Auditorium, December 10, 2007 (Photos and Alexandria Gazette Packet article available online at www.alexhealth.org/partnership )

Distribution of Anti-Stigma Materials (“What a Difference a Friend Makes” brochures and “Know Me as a Person, not by my mental illness” posters) to schools, recreation centers, community organizations, and faith community youth groups.  (Spring 2008)

Suicide Prevention and Self-Injurious Behaviors* presentation by Dr. Nichole Rohrer, Community Services Board, and Rebecca Burman, Dominion Hospital, for “Ladies Night Out” Alexandria Youth Pastor Network event for teen girls, April 18, 2008.

 “The High Cost of Stigma” article printed by Alexandria Gazette and letter to the editor addressing mental health stigma printed by the Alexandria Times, May 8, 2008.

The Inner World of a Suicidal Youth: What Every Parent & Health Professional Should Know,* featuring Millie Osborne, MD, author of book by the same title. Location: Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., May 12, 2008 (Mental Health Month Event)

Personal and Professional Perspectives on Depression*, featuring Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive illness.  Location: Minnie Howard Ninth Grade Center, 3801 West Braddock Road from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m., May 29, 2008 (Mental Health Month Event)

Youth Depression & Suicide Prevention: How to Keep Our Kids Safe,* training targeted to schools and Health Dept. staff, provided by Mary Azoy, CrisisLink.  Location:  Beatley Library, June 26, 2008

Comcast Public Service Announcements (PSAs) SAMHSA’s “Doorknob” PSA shown on local Comcast channel in August 2008.

Mental Health In-service Training for ACPS staff, April 2009.

CSB Director of Child, Family, Prevention Interview, Comcast Local Edition, to discuss stigma and upcoming Mental Health Month community events, April 2009.

Meetings with School Superintendent and ACPS key staff to discuss mental health initiatives in the schools and to distribute anti-stigma materials (e.g., the Elimination of Barriers Initiative booklet, Gotch’er Back Campaign, etc.), Nov, 2008 -April 2009.

Comcast Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for Mental Health Month Event with Stand-Up Comic, David Granirer, April and May 2009.

Stigmatization, a 2009 Focal Point book from the Portland Research & Training Center providing state-of-the-art information about stigma, its causes and consequences and strategies for alleviating it, was distributed to all ACPS School Support Team Members, May 2009.

CrisisLink’s wallet-sized cards (500+) with warning signs for suicide and emergency numbers for students to call in a crisis were distributed to ACPS School Support Team Members, May 2009

Parenting the Hard-to-Manage Child, community event with psychologist Anne Kendall, author.  Location: The Lyceum, May 5, 2009.

Children’s Mental Health Matters posters distributed throughout community, May 2009.

What Every Teacher  Should Know About Preventing Youth Suicide, CSB brochure distributed to all secondary school ACPS staff and staff of 6th-12th grade private school students.

Stand Up for Mental Health community event designed to fight public stigma with Stand-Up Comic David Granirer, author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead to Happiness and Success. Granirer taught stand-up comedy to local mental health clients who participated in the event. Location: T.C. Williams Auditorium, May 21, 2009.

Santino Quaranta, D.C. United, interviewed by Julie Carie, NBC News4, community event for Recovery Month to reduce stigma and celebrate people in recovery.  “Tino” discussed his own addiction to cocaine and pain killers and his subsequent road to recovery. Location: T.C. Williams Auditorium, September 28, 2009.

Mental Health Guide and DVD for Latinos and Their Families, distributed through the Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (ANHSI), Community Services Board (CSB), and Health Department nurses, September – October, 2009.

Comcast Public Service Announcements (PSAs) – NAMI’s Puzzle Pieces, October, 2009.

Website of youth speaking of their experiences with mental health issues, www.nostigma.org, posted on Blackboard on students’ laptops at T.C. Williams.  (Ongoing)