Upcoming events.
Self-Advocacy Support Group
The Self-Advocacy Support Group empowers individuals to understand and articulate their needs, rights, and goals in various aspects of life, from personal to professional settings. Objectives; Educate participants on the principles of self-advocacy, Develop skills for effective communication and assertiveness, Share strategies for navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles, Foster confidence in making informed decisions and standing up for oneself, Create a supportive community for sharing experiences and resources.
Location: Blue Ridge Center; 100 Burnet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Second Annual Well-Being Walk: Overcoming Stigma & Building Hope
Join FEAP, the Contemplative Science Center, Hoos Well, Wisdom and Well-Being, Black Faculty and Staff Employee Resource Group, and the Center for Faculty Wellbeing and Development for the second annual Well-Being Walk—a 1-mile reflective journey focused on community, connection, and mental health awareness.
This event invites UVA employees, faculty, staff, students, and community members to engage in meaningful conversations or enjoy quiet reflection in a peaceful setting. Whether you walk in silence or speak with others, this is a space for renewal, support, and hope.
Together, let’s take steps—literally and figuratively—toward reducing stigma and fostering a culture that prioritizes well-being.
Let’s step forward together. Get your free ticket here.
Location: Contemplative Commons; 403 Emmet Street South Charlottesville, VA 22903
2025 Virginia Construction Hike for Hope
Hike for Hope provides an opportunity to enjoy our natural surroundings and acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we care about. We hope you will join us in the beautiful setting of the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail, East Trailhead for this hope-filled event. Register here.
Contact:
Markita Madden (she/her/hers)
540-718-2221, mmadden@afsp.org
ReadyKids: KidChella
Come join in on this free, family friendly event complete with face painting, bounce houses, music, and more! Kidchella is open to everyone and we can’t wait to see you there!
Location: ReadyKids at 1000 E. High Street; Charlottesville, VA 22902
Please contact Shaniece Bradford with any questions: sbradford@readykidscville.org
Nealand Farm Mindfulness Series
Join instructor Stevie Loebs for a free peaceful seated meditation session at Nealand Farm. This is a free event held as a part of a series of 3. Dates include April 20, April 27, and May 4.
Writing for Healing
Join The Women’s Initiative every other Monday for a five-class series to explore writing to cultivate personal growth and healing. We will read poems, essays, and book excerpts that show the transformative power of personal narrative and explore how the writing process can serve as a healing tool for adversity and painful experiences. Participants will receive support to work on their healing narratives. Women with any level of writing experience (or none at all!) are welcome to join. Light refreshments will be provided. Led by Erin James, MFA. Click here to register.
Music and Recovery
This group will explore our mutual love of music and how it affects our mood. We will play songs and discuss why they are meaningful and how they can assist with our recovery.
Location: Blue Ridge Center; 100 Burnet Street; Charlottesville, VA 22902
Racial Awareness & Sensitivity Virtual Workshop with Dr. Kenneth Hardy, PhD
Wednesday, May 7th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Dr. Hardy will be building on his primer course to expand on what it means to be racially aware and sensitive in a rapidly changing landscape. FREE registration here
TICN Resilience Block Party
Join us for an afternoon of family-friendly fun hosted by the Trauma Informed Community Network complete with free food, wellness activities, and more!
Location: IX Art Park
522 2nd St SE; Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Recovery Chalk Mural
Join us at the Freedom of Speech Wall (605 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902) for our interactive storytelling event where we will be sharing our stories of recovery on the wall. This event is collaboratively hosted by the Community Mental Health & Wellness Coalition and On Our Own.
If you are not able to make it to the event, but would still like to contribute to the wall, please submit your ideas and stories here and we will add to the wall on your behalf!
Meditation
Start your morning with relaxation joining Blue Ridge staff for a guided meditation.
Location: Blue Ridge Center; 100 Burnet Street; Charlottesville, VA 22902
Full Coalition Meeting
Full Coalition meetings are open to anyone interested in hearing more about the Coalition’s mission and opportunities to collaborate in the promotion of our community’s mental health and wellness.
Navigating Trauma, Fostering Hope: Lived Experiences in Behavioral Health Crisis Care.
The meeting will feature a panel discussion involving folks who have experience with crisis stabilization services, personally and professionally.
For additional meeting details, consider signing up for our mailing list.
Craniosacral Gentle Touch
Join the Women’s Initiative for a free 30 minute craniosacral gentle touch session on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm! The gentle touch of craniosacral therapy supports the body in re-patterning the nervous system beyond unresolved stress and trauma and re-discovering the body’s natural state of wellness. This therapy uses light touch on the body while clients recline on a massage table, fully clothed. Participants often experience a greater sense of self-connection, clarity, renewal, and peace following a craniosacral session. Women and members of the gender-expansive community are invited to participate. Led by Amina Stevens of Common Ground Healing Arts. Contact 434.872.0047 to register for a one-on-one session.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family Support Group
Meets 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Thursday of every month
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences.
What You’ll Gain...
By sharing your experiences in a safe setting, you can gain hope and develop supportive relationships. This group allows your voice to be heard and provides an opportunity for your personal needs to be met. It encourages empathy, productive discussion and a sense of community. You'll benefit from other’s experiences, discover your inner strength and empower yourself by sharing your own experiences in a non-judgmental space.
NAMI Family Support Group will help you:
Aim for better coping skills
Find strength in sharing experiences
Not judge anyone’s pain
Forgive ourselves and reject guilt
Embrace humor as healthy
Accept that we cannot solve every problem
Understand that mental health conditions are no one's fault and can be traumatic experiences
For more information, please call (434) 260-8127 or email namiblueridge@gmail.com
Open to all.
Location:
The Center
Behavioral Health Resource Fair and Open Mic
Join us for a day of healing, connection, and expression – where wellness meets creativity!
Location: Washington Park; 1001 Preston Ave, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Multi-Racial Racial Awareness and Sensitivity Support Group
CAVA will lead group sessions for the community to encourage cross-racial conversations and dialogue about how RACE matters in a therapeutic way that fosters cross-racial relationships. Stressing the importance of being comfortable with being uncomfortable, the group will create space to practice the necessary muscles to foster deeper connections across racial lines.
The six crucial muscles to build and engage in cross-racial relationships and conversations are:
Intensity
Intimacy
transparency
authenticity
congruency
complexity
It understands the importance of managing one’s privileged and subjugated positions related to day-to-day racially abusive interactions (aka – Micro and Macro aggression) experienced in the community, workplace, and social situations.
We are dismantling Institutional Racism and structural Racism while Increasing the volume of the “Voiceless” (subjugated) and increasing risk-taking in our Allies (privileged).
The goal is to move from being Racially Oblivious to Racially Aware to Racially Sensitive and ultimately Racially Responsible.
We all start from somewhere in Dismantling White Supremacy/Whiteness and restoring humanity wherever and whenever possible.
SafeTALK Suicide Alertness Training
SafeTALK teaches suicide alertness. Participants learn how to identify persons who may be thinking of suicide and four basic steps to begin the helping process. They also learn how to activate a suicide alert that connects the person who is thinking about suicide with resources who can complete the helping process. Trainer presentations, facilitated discussion, skills practice, and videos illustrate what happens
when signs of suicide are overlooked, and how you can contribute to safe outcomes when these signs are heard and addressed.
This safeTALK training will take place Wednesday, May 21st from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The training will be in person at Region Ten at 500 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville VA 22903, in the 500-A conference center.
Register HERE
Virtual Legislative Town Hall
The Community Mental Health & Wellness Coalition (www.cmhwcoalition.org) is excited to invite you to participate in our virtual legislative town hall event, "Investing in Wellness: A Community Dialogue on Mental Health," in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month this May.
This important event will take place on Wednesday, May 21st, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM via Zoom. We aim to bring together legislators, community leaders, and concerned citizens to engage in a productive dialogue about the pressing mental health needs and challenges facing our community.
Event Format:
Panel Discussion: A moderated panel discussion featuring legislators and community leaders will address key mental health issues, including concerns about medicaid funding, community mental health needs, and the current mental health priorities in our region.
Community Q&A: Following the panel, we will open the floor for an interactive Q&A session, allowing community members to directly engage with you and other panelists.
Our Goals:
To raise awareness about the current state of mental health services in our community.
To facilitate a productive dialogue between legislators, leaders, and community members.
To identify potential solutions and collaborative strategies to address mental health challenges.
To promote mental health awareness during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health First Aid (Adult) In-person
Mental Health First Aid 2.0 is a hybrid offering of the original Mental Health First Aid course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
In Mental Health First Aid 2.0, participants will need to complete a 2-hour, self-paced class online BEFORE participating in the 5 hour Instructor-led in-person course. Details for this will provided to registrants at least one week prior to the Instructor-led class.
Adult Mental Health First Aid is designed for anyone 18 years and older who wants to learn how to help a person who may be experiencing a mental health related crisis or problem.
WHERE: Region Ten Community Services Board, 500-A Conference Center, 500 Old Lynchburg Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22903
COST: FREE
Register HERE
Acuwellness
Treatment involves the gentle placement of up to five small, sterilized disposable needles into specific sites on each ear. The participants sit quietly in a group setting for 30-45 minutes allowing the treatment to take effect. Possible benefits: increased calmness, better sleep, and less agitation; relief from stress and emotional trauma; reduced cravings for alcohol and drugs, including nicotine; minimized withdrawal symptoms; and a discovery of inner quiet and strength.
Expressive Art: Slow Stitching
Explore the mindfulness and relaxing benefits of hand sewing in community with the Women’s Initiative. We invite you to explore textiles as a means of meditation, relaxation and emotional expression. Each week, our group will gather to slow down and engage in mindful hand sewing and embroidery. No prior artistic experience is necessary; we will explore new techniques together, support one another, and have fun. All materials will be provided. Participants are also welcome to bring their own projects to work on. Women and members of the gender-expansive community 18 and older are invited to attend. Led by Karina Monroy, clinical art therapy intern. Click here to register.
Fentanyl High Documentary Film Screening
Shot and edited over 14 months, Fentanyl High digs behind the social media facades to reveal what high school teens honestly think deep down about the fentanyl epidemic, how teens today are dealing with their emotional pain in school and at home, why they are self-medicating and what can be done to prevent these tragedies, as well the first-hand experiences of paramedics, government officials, doctors, and parents whose teens have died from fentanyl poisoning.
Stop by the resource table after the screening to pick up Narcan and Fentanyl Testing Strips.
A special thanks to our sponsor Light House Studio, check out their website: https://lighthousestudio.org/.
Anti-Racism, Racial Awareness, Intersectionality, Sensitivity and Equity (ARISE) Committee
The Coalition’s Anti-racism, Racial Awareness, and Intersectionality through Sensitivity and Equity (ARISE) Committee works to address interpersonal, institutional, and systemic racism in the behavioral health system.
ARISE promotes cross-racial conversations and offers training and tools to help local behavioral health staff and organizations integrate anti-racist values and practices into their work. Over 300 area providers have participated in ARISE-sponsored training since the committee’s founding in 2019!
Committee Chairs:
Gene Cash, Counseling Alliance of Virginia
Elizabeth Irvin, The Women’s Initiative
From Surviving to Thriving: Equipping Your Community to Heal
From Surviving to Thriving: Equipping Your Community to Heal
This workshop, presented by the Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition, will provide participants with valuable skills to aid in community recovery following a disaster or traumatic event. Participants will be introduced to three evidence-informed interventions:
Psychological First Aid (PFA): An approach that helps people of all ages in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event, reducing distress and promoting coping.
Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR): A modular intervention that aims to help survivors gain skills to manage distress and cope with post-disaster stress and adversity.
Stress First Aid (SFA): An intervention that aims to help survivors gain skills to manage distress in the weeks, months, and years following a traumatic community event.
The workshop will cover the major principles of PFA, SPR, and SFA, discuss their application in supporting response teams, and provide opportunities to apply PFA/SFA assessment strategies to community recovery needs in trauma event scenarios.
Facilitator: Dr. Richard Westphal is a professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. He was the leader of the Stress First Aid (SFA) development team and a co-author with Dr. Patricia Watson in developing the Stress First Aid Training Manual for the National Fallen Fire-Fighters Foundation. Dr. Westphal has extensive experience in supporting and training first responders and mental health professionals to assess, engage, and support each other and the community amid high-stress life experiences.
Register here, spots are limited: https://forms.gle/nyLD4ixzy3yJX4j88
Shareable flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SBQqyh6BxPnu02Wt4VXWQ_VimgpOmr5q/view?usp=drive_link
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Interface Training
This free training provides an introduction to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) study. You will learn about how early adversity as a child can affect one throughout their life and steps we can take towards addressing the trauma and creating safe environments and relationships. Understanding ACE’s will help support the work and relationships you have with others.
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsciFhETEL9llg8bJhhhk7km2nHHMZr7VaWnVEwVWcnheUbQ/viewform
CRI Course One: Trauma-Informed Training
The Community Resilience Initiative (CRI) has developed courses to teach parents, schools, medical professionals, mental health practitioners, and any community member interested in learning more about toxic stress and how individuals and communities build resilience across the lifespan.
CRI Course 1: Trauma-Informed is a 6-hour course that covers NEAR Science (Neuroscience, Epigenetics, ACE Study, Resilience), Brain States, and ROLES strategies for individuals seeking a trauma-informed certification.
This training will be held in person at Region Ten at 500 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 in the 500A conference room.
For questions, please email prevention@regionten.org.
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpYIiLJTBQxMReWXd_5fyCJb_qn7fLrhrBjXdJDtUwt2tZuA/viewform?usp=sharing
*You must complete CRI Course 1 in order to take Course 2.
REVIVE! Opioid Overdose Reversal Training
REVIVE! is a free virtual training to learn how to administer and acquire naloxone.
Region Ten is now offering virtual REVIVE training classes monthly. The FREE training helps friends, family members, and other responders to learn to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose. Free Narcan is available to participants who want it after completing the course.
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJRgZHC-tTresuA3NOU8XiPHQpbhH6pRX8JOumjNpdipLflg/viewform?usp=sharing
Opioid Stakeholder Committee
The Opioid Stakeholder Committee (OSC) is a multidisciplinary group addressing the growing opioid and stimulant misuse crisis in our community. We recognize that substance misuse is a complex community problem that requires a coordinated community response, and must include strategies in health systems, legislation, behavioral health, education, criminal justice, and communities. The OSC uses the evidence-based Strategic Prevention Framework to carry out its work, an approach that leverages local coalitions to address prevention, treatment, and recovery needs to address substance misuse.
Committee Chairs:
Virginia Leavell, Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team
Wendy Carlton, UVA Office of Pain Management & Opioid Stewardship
Service System Committee/Behavioral Health Resource Review
The Service System Committee (SSC) is a multidisciplinary group addressing gaps in community services, as well as access to services. Collaborating on best practices for referrals, updates to openings and referral processes. Advocating for decreased barriers and increased access.
The April meeting of the Service System Committee will be a special open meeting hosting a Behavioral Health Resource Review that invites referral sources, resource mappers, and providers to collaborate on improving service delivery and access in our community.
Committee Chairs:
Erin Tucker, DBHDS
Shelly Wood, The Women’s Initiative
RSVP Link: https://forms.gle/6BXHL6Y7DUNVqvKQA
Shareable Flyer Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFBMXzbXRbiP6QoqKxNgdUPgOkqd91Ty/view?usp=drive_link
Public Awareness Committee
The Public Awareness Committee (PAC) is comprised of representatives from diverse organizations that handle marketing, social media, or outreach for their respective organizations. They collaborate to partner with local organizations and community members to promote stigma reduction, help-seeking behavior, awareness of local resources, and community-initiated care. They aim to make people more aware of the resources available to them and encourage them to seek help when needed. PAC also focuses on advocacy work in the community to help the Coalition utilize collective action campaigns to respond to current community needs.
Committee Chairs:
Lauren Glaze, Region Ten
Nina Burke, On Our Own
Full Coalition Meeting
Full Coalition meetings are open to anyone interested in hearing more about the Coalition’s mission and opportunities to collaborate in the promotion of our community’s mental health and wellness.
For additional meeting details, consider signing up for our newsletter:
Anti-racism, Racial Awareness, and Inclusion through Sensitivity and Equity (ARISE) Committee Meeting
Join us in promoting training and awareness on anti-racist attitudes, values, beliefs, and practices.
To get involved with the ARISE Committee, please reach out to aperez@albemarle.org.
Wisdom & Wellbeing Tier 2: Team Support Champion Training
Wisdom & Wellbeing: Tier 2 is a four-hour, free, virtual training that is held over two days, in two-hour sessions. Participants must attend the full session on both days to complete the training and receive their 4 CEs.
Session One: July 18th from 8am-10am
Session Two: July 25th from 8am-10am
Wisdom & Wellbeing: Tier 2 training builds on Tier 1 knowledge and skills and is designed for individuals who, whether formally or informally, are interested in serving as skilled peer support resources for their team. Tier 2 training will prepare you to become a Team Support Champion, wherein you will learn to appreciate the strengths and challenges of your colleagues, understand what strategies may help your team in the moment, and recognize when additional support needs to be requested. With the tools in your Peer Support Champion toolkit, you will be able to “grow the green” or promote well-being when stress levels are relatively low, as well as help your team manage stress during tough times!
Register here: Wisdom & Wellbeing July Registration Page
For more information about the Wisdom & Wellbeing Peer Support Training model, visit: https://wwpst.nursing.virginia.edu