Item by Chris Graham
Mental-health planner Jo-Amrah McElroy and counselor Scarlett Coffman Danraj will share their experiences in the Virginia mental-health system as the state works to improve its service-delivery capabilities at the Nov. 16 annual meeting of the Mental Health Association of Augusta.
“Recovery from a mental illness involves more than recovery than the illness itself. People who have a mental illness have to recover from the stigmas of the illness, which people who have cancer and diabetes do not have to. They also have to recover from dashed dreams, hopes, and issues of self-esteem,” said McElroy, who works in the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Susbtance Abuse Services.
“I am privileged to see growth and transformation firsthand on a daily basis. I am able to support individuals who are experiencing feelings and emotions, in some instances, for the first time, and am blessed to share in their joy and excitement,” said Danraj, who works in the Mental Health Support Services Department at the Valley Community Services Board.
The annual meeting of the MHA-A will be held at the Holiday Inn Golf and Conference Center in Staunton.
For more information, call 540.886.7181, 540.949.0169, or e-mail [email protected].
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