Here’s an overview of the programs we offer:

Cabarrus Mental Health Services
As an advocate for mental health issues in Cabarrus County, we monitor the mental health services delivery system through surveys, committee participation, meetings with elected officials, policy makers and consumers through public forums and community outreach. We also provide helpful information and refer inquiries to our directory of professionals or to a local mental health provider.

Compeer
Compassionate volunteers are matched with persons diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illnesses for socialization and recreation. Compeer volunteers help reduce the loneliness and isolation that often accompany mental illness. Research shows that Compeer pairings often result in fewer hospitalizations, improved adherence with treatment programs and increased self-esteem for people with mental health concerns. Compeer matches help decrease overall medical costs because of the associated reduction in rates of recurrence. If you are interested in becoming a Compeer volunteer, contact the Compeer Program Director at (704) 365-4380 or scaraco@mhacentralcarolinas.org.

Community Outreach
Organizing community forums, arranging for speaking programs within the community, attending health and agency fairs, and distributing literature are just some of the ways we stay active in our community. If you have a program you would like us to deliver or coordinate utilizing our staff, members of our Speaker’s Bureau, or MHA Ambassadors, call 704.365.3454. Check out our upcoming events to see where we’ll be in the community next, or contact us at mha@mhacentralcarolinas.org.

Information and Referral Services
We provide information and referrals to individuals with questions about mental health treatment services and other mental health issues. For information on our referral program, call 704.365.3454.

Legislative Education
We maintain strong communication ties to elected officials and policy makers on the local, state and federal levels. Our goal is to continually educate them on mental health issues and to advocate for policy changes as needed for sufficient funding for better mental health services and delivery.

Mental Health Services Delivery Monitoring
To better advocate for accessible, affordable and quality mental health services, we monitor the local mental health services delivery system by participating on committees and task forces, hosting public meetings and maintaining regular contact with decision and policy makers.

Multicultural Advocacy
Our Multicultural Advocacy program was created to meet the unmet mental health needs of the increasing immigrant and refugee populations-a 274% statewide increase over the 1990's. Mecklenburg County resettled nearly 33% of North Carolina's refugees, thus resources are needed to better address their unique mental health needs-often associated with language and cultural barriers and in some cases, the trauma of surviving torture, fleeing their homelands, and resettling in an environment that's foreign to them. The MHA seeks to promote culturally and linguistically competent mental health services and in 2008 formed a Coalition of professionals and refugee/immigrant organizations who also support this goal of ensuring appropriate delivery of services.

ParentVOICE
ParentVOICE is an MHA program staffed by parents and caregivers of youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health concerns. We provide trained and caring Family Support Specialists to help families navigate the education and mental health systems. We also provide an opportunity for parents to connect with other parents and caregivers facing similar issues. ParentVOICE provides the education, support and resources that you need to help your child. The ParentVOICE program is a benefit of the Mecklenburg County System of Care (MeckCares) and leads the efforts behind family-driven and youth-guided systems of care.

Residential Services
The importance of appropriate homes for people with severe and persistent mental illness cannot be understated. We work in collaboration with Mecklenburg County Area Mental Health and the MHA in North Carolina to establish supportive housing for adults, and to advocate at the state level for start-up and operating money for these facilities. The MHA is also an active participant of the Continuum of Care in both Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties as well as the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in Mecklenburg County.

Suicide Prevention Initiatives
The MHA staffs certified trainers who are available to deliver QPR - Question, Persuade, and Refer, a suicide prevention program, to any group. QPR teaches people of all ages and backgrounds to recognize the warning signs, clues, and suicidal communications of people in trouble; to act vigorously to intervene; and ultimately to prevent a possible tragedy. Contact the MHA office at (704) 365-3454 or mha@mhacentralcarolinas.org to schedule this 1 to 2 hour training or to inquire about ASIST training. ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is an intensive 2-day workshop that MHA can also arrange.

The MHA, along with Mecklenburg's Promise, also leads a support group made up of individuals that have either attempted suicide, have suicidal ideation or are a survivor of a suicide. The group is called HOPES (Hope, Optimism, Participation, Education and Support.) If you'd like to learn more about HOPES call the MHA at (704) 365-4380 or Mecklenburg's Promise at (704) 531-2296.

	Compeer Volunteer Application compeerVolunteerApplication.pdf
	North Carolina Suicide Statistics Suicide Statistics in NC.pdf
	QPR - Suicide Prevention Training QPR marketing flyer.pdf