SUPPORT GROUPS
 SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE meets every 1st Thursday from 7 to 8:30 call MHA 977-4673 for information and location.
EMOTIONS ANONYMOUS Meeting in Charlottesville, Every Monday, 8:00PM, Non-Smoking, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, 717 Rugby Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, Contact: Tom 434-589- 9235.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION group meets every second Friday 3pm to 4pm. Call the MHA office for information 434 977 4673
Call for information about other support groups in the area

 Mental Health Information for High School student groups
 Training and development with Church groups who are first responders to mental health issues
 Training for Nursing Home, Assisted Living and other older persons services
Information and training for Employers wishing  to create  healthy work environments
 Mental health information for Community groups

 Call 434 977 4673 if you need help and don’t know where to go or what might be best for your situation.

 Call us if you need in formation about mental health and mental illness

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
1. Advocate for legislative changes in Medicaid income eligibility standards to at least100% of poverty income guidelines.
2. Advocate for continued access to state-of-the-art medications through a continued carve-out of psychotropic medications in the Medicaid Preferred Drug List.
3. Support adequate funding for system transformation that would include a high-quality, appropriate system of public care which is recovery-based and peer-directed and which maximizes resources available in the community with mental illnesses (see Olmstead recommendations).
4. Support elimination of the deficit for psychiatric medications from the state pharmacy.
5. Support the development and funding of pre-booking jail diversion programs in localities throughout the state.
6. Support any initiatives designed to eliminate relinquishment of custody as a condition of funding for care for children and adolescents.
7. Support any initiatives to increase the availability of appropriate housing and supports for people with mental illnesses

FACTS
A mental illness will strike 1 in 4 Virginians each year.
Mental illness is the most prevalent health problem in America today.
Two out of every three people get better who seek professional help.
Over one million adult Virginians suffer from one or more mental illnesses.
Over 63,000 Virginians are disabled due to a diagnosed mental illness.
13,000 Virginians with mental illnesses are homeless.
67% of Virginians without health insurance are employed.
The rate of teen suicide has increased by 300% in the past 10 years.