Mental Health Coalition Legislative Rally!

A wide spectrum of mental health advocates converged on the Capitol of Virginia to increase awareness of mental health issues and meet with there legislators. The rally itself was at St. Peters church, a block away from the Legislative Assembly Building. A number or Virginia Senate and House representatives attended the rally. Plus it was a lot of fun and the weather was beautiful. We just received some pictures that Mira (NAMI Virginia's exec) took at the rally (see below)

Public Heath as Insurance and Shared Vulnerability

Today I was at the Finance Committee hearing on the upcoming Virginia budget. So many people stood up and courageously defended the Medicaid Waivers that are currently on the chopping block. I thought about giving similar personal testimony but as the hearing went on I began to imagine the image of peasants coming to court and begging on the mercy of their King (the fact that delegates were raised above those giving testimony and occasionally cutting them off didn’t help). I think too many Virginians think of public health as a matter of generosity towards those in need, or even a matter of pity. Public health is also an insurance policy. Anyone’s child or grandchild can be born with a mental illness or disability. Psychological trauma is a matter of chance, not socioeconomic status. No one is immune, everyone is vulnerable. That shared vulnerability brings us together. Through our public health system (including Medicaid waivers) Virginians are able to protect each other from the vagaries of fate and the vicissitudes of a sometimes unkind world.
-Curt White

Hello World!!!!!

Mental Health America of Virginia HOOOOOOORAAAAAHHH!!!!!!