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Sharon Militello
As communications director, Sharon Militello is responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of the association website and social media pages; editing and preparation of communications; preparing and running webcasts; cultivating media relations; and maintaining relationships with technology support vendors.
Reminder: Act Now to Support 988!
Message from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing:
Last week we reached out asking you to write to your congressional representatives in support of the 988 Implementation Act. We wanted to pop back into your inbox with a critical opportunity we have to expand the network connecting people to mental health and substance use care across the country.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has successfully served millions of people. But there is more work to do, and we need your support to do it. Support from you and your representative will go a long way that our crisis care system provides people in every community with someone to respond and somewhere to go if we hope to fulfill the promise of 988.
As a reminder it will only take 2 minutes to show your support. Here is why it’s paramount that your representatives support this legislation, 988 Implementation Act:
- Expands behavioral health workforce training programs and provides grant opportunities for local behavioral health centers;
- Expands Medicaid coverage for behavioral health services, including short term crisis intervention services;
- Increases support for mobile crisis response, ensuring that even those in rural areas have access to timely care;
- Creates new capital grants to be used for crisis response program facility renovation, construction, and expansion;
- Narrows the IMD exclusion so that services furnished in psychiatric acute care crisis beds administered by CCBHCs and other crisis care settings are eligible for Medicaid coverage; and
- Increases awareness of 988 through a national media campaign.
Contact your Congressional Representatives and urge them to support the 988 Implementation Act. By strengthening, and raising awareness for current resources, and building capacity at the state level for these on the ground crisis services, this legislation will make a difference, and save the lives of your friends, neighbors, and community members in crisis. Time is of the essence. Act today, and together we can strengthen the crisis care continuum.
Thank you for your advocacy.
Sincerely,
Rachel Abraham
Federal Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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A Frontline Story on Adopting Augmented Intelligence for Behavioral Health — August 8
A Frontline Story on Adopting Augmented Intelligence for Behavioral Health: Gaudenzia + Eleos Scribe
August 8, 2023, 1:00 pm ET
Register Here
With provider burnout and turnover rates on the rise, top behavioral health organizations are turning to augmented intelligence to help reduce administrative burdens for frontline staff, improve care, and enhance their ability to scale training and supervision.
Join us for a special webinar event on August 8 from 1 to 2 pm ET where we’ll welcome Andrew Schmitt, LCSW, Director of Outpatient Services for Gaudenzia, Inc., to share his first-hand insights on what it’s like to navigate organizational and technological transformation in behavioral health—and how Gaudenzia has used Eleos Scribe to reduce documentation time by 70% and increase the use of evidence-based techniques 35%.
Action Needed! Tell Your Representative to Support the 988 Implementation Act
Message from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing:
This month the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and hundreds of other organizations across the country celebrated the first anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a new dialing code operated through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. With the new, easy to remember number, the Lifeline successfully served millions more people than in years prior.
Yet we still have a long way to go to ensure that our crisis care system provides people in every community with someone to respond and somewhere to go.
Recently, Representative Tony Cardenas (D-CA-29) introduced the 988 Implementation Act, bipartisan legislation that seeks to provide federal funding and support for states to enact 988 crisis services and broaden awareness of resources for those in crisis.
What is the 988 Implementation Act?
- Expands behavioral health workforce training programs and provides grant opportunities for local behavioral health centers;
- Expands Medicaid coverage for behavioral health services, including short term crisis intervention services;
- Increases support for mobile crisis response, ensuring that even those in rural areas have access to timely care;
- Creates new capital grants to be used for crisis response program facility renovation, construction, and expansion;
- Narrows the IMD exclusion so that services furnished in psychiatric acute care crisis beds administered by CCBHCs and other crisis care settings are eligible for Medicaid coverage; and
- Increases awareness of 988 through a national media campaign.
Contact your Congressional Representatives and urge them to support the 988 Implementation Act. By strengthening, and raising awareness for current resources, and building capacity at the state level for on the ground crisis services, this legislation will make a difference, and save lives.
Time is of the essence. Act today, and together we can strengthen the crisis care continuum.
Sincerely,
Rachel Abraham
Federal Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing
RCPA Member Goodwill Keystone Area Unveils Redesigned Website
Goodwill Unveils Redesigned Website to Enhance User Experience and Showcase Mission-Driven Initiatives
HARRISBURG, Pa. (August 1, 2023) — Goodwill Keystone Area, a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing sustainability in the communities it serves, today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website, yourgoodwill.org. The revamped site, developed in collaboration with Sharp Innovations, is designed to provide a modern look and feel, streamline user navigation, and foster a deeper connection to the organization’s mission.
The revamped website offers an enhanced experience for both loyal supporters and new visitors, with easy-to-find information, user-friendly tools, and comprehensive summaries on the wide array of programs and services Goodwill offers throughout its 22-county territory. Key features include:
- Refreshed Appearance: The website boasts an aesthetically pleasing design that captivates and inspires visitors to engage with the organization’s mission-related initiatives from the moment they land on the homepage.
- Improved Navigation and Features: With a more intuitive layout and enhanced features, visitors can easily find the information they seek, whether it is about store and donation center locations, leadership, employment, or services offered by Goodwill Keystone Area.
- Flexible Content Management Solution: The website is equipped with a new content management system that allows for easy updates and maintenance, ensuring that the platform remains relevant and up-to-date for future initiatives.
“We are thrilled to unveil our redesigned website, which embodies the essence of Goodwill’s mission-driven efforts and the compassion that drives our work,” said Mark McGaffin, Goodwill Keystone Area’s Director of Communications and Marketing. “Through this revitalized platform, we look to provide a seamless experience for those looking to donate and shop at our stores and, at the same time, highlight the work we are doing to advance sustainability in our communities so that individuals and families can thrive and flourish.”
About Goodwill Keystone Area
Goodwill Keystone Area serves 22 counties in central and southeastern Pennsylvania. As a nonprofit, revenue generated from the sale of donated goods in its retail stores and online auction site directly supports Goodwill’s mission to advance sustainability so that individuals and families can thrive and flourish. Goodwill fulfills this mission by recycling donations into training, paychecks, and careers. Additionally, as America’s original recycler, environmental sustainability has been central to Goodwill’s mission since its founding. To learn more, visit yourgoodwill.org.
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