MHA Highlights
The Mission of the Mental Health Association is to promote mental health in the community through advocacy, education, and access to mental health services.
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
Speakers - Workshops can be designed for community organizations, schools, and businesses on a range of topics, including those pertinent to youth and elderly persons. We can also provide or arrange staff training on requested mental health issues.
Insights - A quarterly newsletter which contains a broad range of useful information about MHA and local advocacy and nonprofit activities - Insights includes a lead article intended to help educate our readers in regard to important current mental health topics.
MHA Library - A collection of print and electronic media to assist others in educating themselves or other adults and children - The public is welcome to peruse information on site, and selected materials can be loaned to teachers, nonprofit organizations, and businesses for off-site use.
Children 1st! - A six hour class for parents going through divorce, separation, or custody disputes. Each class is taught by a team of professionals and covers 1) legal process/alternatives, 2) adult emotions/psychology and 3) child emotions/psychology.
Acknowledging, Accepting and Alleviating Anger - A 6 week anger management program held on Thursday evenings from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. The class is facilitated by Kathleen Tryon and Joe Gerace. Kathy and Joe are Certified Social Workers and therapists whose areas of expertise include trauma, family violence prevention, and relationship enhancement. To register, or for additional information including class dates and fees, please call the Mental Health Association at 315 445 5606.
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL:
Telephone assistance to persons in the Central New York area seeking referral to private therapists, low cost counseling agencies, and NYS licensed clinics and inpatient/outpatient services for mental health problems and eating disorders.
Coordination of the Accessible Counseling Project to assist low income victims of domestic violence, their partners, and children who may have witnessed such violence.
SUPPORT GROUP SERVICES:
Technical and resource assistance is provided to individuals wishing to start support groups. The Association also offers training for support group leaders and/or facilitators.
Member Facilitated Groups: |
Facilitators are members of the group who may or may not have formal training in listening skills, group dynamics and group facilitation skills. |
Professionally Facilitated Groups: |
Facilitators usually are not group members. They are trained in listening skills, group dynamics and group facilitation skills. |
| Supportive Therapy Groups: | A professional therapist or counselor, trained to deal with crisis situations and to offer therapeutic intervention provides this service. |
Information in this Directory has been provided by the listed groups. A group listing is not intended to indicate an endorsement of that group by the Mental Health Association.
ADVOCACY SERVICES:
We recognize the importance of public perception regarding people who have emotional or psychiatric problems. Combating the stigma that accompanies the decision to seek mental health services is a major concern.
Another goal of our advocacy work is to insure that a range of community-based services exists in our county, that the rights of individuals receiving mental health services are respected, and that they are not discriminated against in seeking to meet their human needs - such as obtaining housing and employment, raising healthy families and earning an education.
We encourage the involvement of recipients in all aspects of the planning and implementation of mental health services, including the ownership and operation of those services.
MHA staff, members, and volunteers are active participants in various local and regional advisory and planning bodies that address the spectrum of mental health needs of the adults in our community.
COMMUNITY COMPANIONS:
A unique peer support program that matches volunteers with persons living in the community who have a history of involvement with the psychiatric system. The program matches people on the basis of common interests and has the flexibility to accommodate most people's schedules and responsibilities. The time commitment from volunteers is one hour per week for one year. However, many of our "matches" have continued for several years.
If you would like more information about any of our programs and services, please call 315-445-5606, or write our offices at 6493 Ridings Road, Syracuse, NY 13206.