Advocacy
What is advocacy? Advocacy means supporting a
cause and educating people on its effect on their lives, knowing your
rights under the laws that govern it, and participating in the public
policies affecting it. An advocate wears many hats, including concerned
citizen, voter, lobbyist, volunteer, patron, mentor, donor and public
consumer.
At the MHAG, we are dedicated to educating our community on the importance of good mental health, connecting people to the mental health support they need, and eradicating prejudice against the mentally ill.
At the MHAG, we are dedicated to educating our community on the importance of good mental health, connecting people to the mental health support they need, and eradicating prejudice against the mentally ill.
If you need an advocate to speak on your behalf or a loved one's at
a state-run psychiatric hospital, please contact the following people:
NC Facility Advocates:
Nancy Medford, Broughton Hospital: 828-433-2111
Kim Brantham, Cherry Hospital: 919-731-3514
Sherry Whittington, Dix Hospital: 919-733-9840
Paula Knighton, Umstead Hospital: 919-575-7211
Advocacy at the MHAG: |
Our goal for everyone is to help them recover their health, through hope, empowerment, self-responsibility, and meaningful roles in life. Our challenge is to help these individuals seek and find treatments that work for them.
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The Mental Health Association in Greensboro is dedicated to enhancing the mental wellness of individuals, families, and communities through education, advocacy, outreach and services. |
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The MHAG brings the voice
of mental health advocacy to multiple partnerships such as: the
Substance Abuse Coalition of Guilford County, the Guilford County
Community Collaborative for Children and Families, the Mental
Health and Aging Coalition, the Homeless Prevention Coalition
of Guilford County, the Mental Health Awareness Coalition, the
Senior Roundtable, the United Way Executive Directors, the Directors
of Volunteer Agencies, Partnership F.I.V.E., the National Alliance
for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), and the Non-Profit Consortium of
Guilford County. |
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Our MHAG Board sets our strategic plan every three years, measuring our goals and objectives against the greater goal of advocating for people living and struggling with psychiatric illnesses. |
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The MHAG has taken the initiative
to bring together community members to build partnerships and
develop long-range strategic plans for housing and homes for individuals
with persistent psychiatric illnesses. |
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We include consumers of mental
health services on all MHAG committees and leadership teams. In
Fall of 2005 we will host our first Consumer Advocate Leadership
Training, funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.
Consumers are active members of our Board of Directors, and are
members of our staff. |