Family Connection Strategy Team Tackles Mental Health Awareness
A new system of collaboration was born as a result of the Civic Dinner . ( See story page 4 ) There are several local organizations that are working alongside Fannin County Family Connection ( FCFC ) including : UNG Blue Ridge Campus , The Craddock Center , Highland Rivers , North Georgia Mountain Crisis Network , Blue Ridge Community Theater , Faith Presbyterian Church , North Georgia Autism Foundation , Fannin County School System and Fannin County Department of Family and Children Services ( DFCS ). From the issues discussed in the Civic Dinner , the Strategy Team is working on raising awareness of mental health , mental health access in our community , and reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues and treatment .
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month . The Team was successful in working with our local government leaders to declare Mental Health Awareness Month in Fannin County during May , 2021 . Future plans include a series of talk shows hosted by Kristy Lindstrom on ETC3 . “ Your Mental Health Matters ” monthly talk series will air on ETC3 on August 19 , September 16 , October 21 , November 18 and December 16 . There are activities planned during Red Ribbon Week on October 25-29 which include several watch parties of the movie , “ Angst .” Strategy Team Leader Anna Speessen has been tapped to serve on the GA Opioid Prevention & Education Network ( OPEN ) which is led out of the Mercer School of
Medicine . The OPEN network is serving Fannin , Gilmer , Gordon and Polk counties as these are counties that consistently report high percentages of substance abuse among the residents .
Family Connection has hosted two sessions of QPR : Question , Persuade , Refer Suicide Prevention training and more sessions will be offered in the fall . Additionally , Mental Health First Aid will be taught on Wednesday , September 15 . This class is jointly sponsored by Georgia Mountains Health and FCFC . There will be no charge as the two organizations are paying the registration fees . However , there will only be 20 seats available . Look for registration information on FCFC social media .
Above Right : Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley signs the first ever May is Mental Health Awareness Month in Fannin County .
Above : Commission Chair Jamie Hensley shows the proclamation . Alongside Hensley are Sherry Morris , Executive Director , FCFC ; Cathy Cox-Brakefield , FCFC Chair ; Kirk Cameron , Executive Director , The Craddock Center ; Kimberly O ’ Neal , Executive Director , North Georgia Mountain Crisis Network ; Post Commissioner Glenn Patterson ; Kristy Lindstrom , Kristy Lindstrom Communications , Shannon Miller , Fannin County School System ; and Jim Yacavone , FCFC Vice Chair .
Connections , Spring / Summer 2021 , Page 5