Written by: Jean Houston, Lead Family Contact
The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Conference, held in Washington, D.C., provided an opportunity to engage with other families and organizations from across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Guam in a sharing way that gave insight to the mental health movement and goals for the upcoming year.
The Keynote speaker, Elizabeth Smart, shared her story of abduction and survival. She talked about her faith and how her family has supported her to take back her life.
Rena Norton and Becky Ploucha, Peer Support Partners, along with Heather, a parent, and her son, Andrew, joined me in some great learning experiences that included presentations about Peer Support, evaluation and the importance of family input, building and sustaining family organizations, transitions from youth to adult services, and strengthening the family voice. Andrew enjoyed the youth sessions that offered sharing of stories as a way to engage conversations.
To access the complete agenda and the power point presentations, go to: www.conference.ffcmh.org
