Mission
The mission of the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network is to promote recovery through advocacy, education, employment, empowerment, peer support, and self-help, and to unite as one voice to support the priorities set each year at the annual statewide peer conference.
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network is a Georgia Corporation founded in 1991 by consumers of state services for mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases. It hosts one of the largest statewide annual consumer conferences in the nation. The corporation evolved from a meeting of 30 consumer leaders held in Tucker, Georgia in October of 1990. The membership is now over 7,000
history
Since its inception, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network has striven to improve the quality of life for Georgians living with behavioral health challenges by taking a leadership role in statewide and local initiatives that create positive change in the lives of individuals, families, and communities. A few key milestones include:
-
20 To Work By 2000 —The Consumer Network’s nationally acclaimed employment initiative strove to move 20 percent of all peers in day programs into jobs in the community.
-
Since 1992 has hosted one of the largest statewide annual peer conventions in the nation.
-
Provides Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and WRAP for Work trainings statewide.
-
Facilitated Double Trouble in Recovery groups statewide for people in recovery from behavioral health challenges.
-
Published a quarterly newsletter called "The Pipeline."
-
Supported Recovery Through the Arts.
-
Implemented the Georgia Certified Peer Specialist Project.
-
Conducted the Georgia Consumer Satisfaction Survey.
-
Provided Mental Health First Aid training.
-
Developed the Peer Mentoring Project to assist peers transitioning out of regional hospitals into communities.
-
Opened five Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers to provide peer support, daily wellness activities, 24/7 warm lines, and 3 respite beds per center.
-
Conducted the Georgia Peer Support Institute.
goals
• Host an annual peer conference that promotes recovery and wellness, and identifies the top priorities of consumers of behavioral health services statewide.
• Promote employment with emphasis on quality jobs that foster true independence.
• Offer training opportunities for peers, including the Certified Peer Specialist Project and Whole Health Wellness Coaching.
• Support the development of new peer leaders through the Georgia Peer Support Institute.
• Support peer access to transportation.
• Support the expansion of Recovery Through the Arts and the Double Trouble in Recovery program.
• Promote peer supports and wellness, including the Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers.
board
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network Board of Directors reflects the strength and diversity of Georgia's robust behavioral health recovery community. Current board members include:
President
E. Joseph Sanders
1745 Derry Ave
Atlanta, GA 30310
C: 404-245-5748
Email: ernest.sanders@va.gov
Email: ejsand36@gmail.com
Fulton County
Region 3
Vice President
Janet G. Reasons
1268-B Westridge Rd. SW
Atlanta, GA 30311
W: 404.875.0381
C: 770-837-5841
Email: jreasons@communityfriendship.org
Fulton County
Region 3
Secretary
Natalie Davis
Dalton, GA
C: 706-271-6132
Email:nataliedavis.peacelovejoy@gmail.com
Whitfield County
Region 1
Treasurer
Goldie Mae Marks
844 West Doyle Street
Toccoa, GA 30577-1754
C: 706.297.1475
P: 706.827.9937 between 8am-3pm
Fax: 706.827.0085
Email: goldiemarks12@gmail.com
Stephens County
Region 1
Member at Large—North
La Merilyn Hawkins
1228 Midville Hwy 78
Wadley, GA 30477
W: 706-304-8229
C: 706-504-2640
Email: HawkinsLa@yahoo.com
Jefferson County
Region 2
Member at Large--South
Damion Gordon
114 Henry Court
Rincon, GA 31326
C: 404-957-7086
Email: damiongordon3@gmail.com
Effingham County
REGION 1
Belinda Wheeler
770-298-1172
W: 770.298.1172
Email: belindawheeler21@yahoo.com
Bartow County
REGION 2
Kathryn (“Kat”) Thompson Ringel
C: 706 726-5620.
Email: legnir6@gmail.com
Columbia County
Troy Curry
W: 706-755-0962
C: 706-825-3144
Email: tlcurry82@gmail.com
Richmond County
REGION 3
Nathaniel Wiggs
3240 Benjamin E. Mays Drive
Atlanta, GA 30311
H: 404.699.1535
C: 404.695.4640
Email: wiggsnate@aol.com
Fulton County
REGION 4
Linda Welch
PO Box 843
Thomasville, GA 31799
C: 229.403.5751
Email: welchlinda8@gmail.com
Thomas County
Tanya Welch
Boston, GA
H: 229.393.6486
W: 404.695.5642
Email: twelch89@yahoo.com
Thomas County
Region 5
Kathryn Schrieber
107 Breckenridge Drive
Brunswick, GA 31520
H: 912.230.3843
Email: Kath2004_7@hotmail.com
Glynn County
JoAnn Baldwin
204 Jackson Street
East Dublin, GA 31027
H: 478.275.4021
Laurens County
REGION 6
Robert Lowrey
940 Moore Road
Columbus, GA 31904
C: 229.894.9747
Email: rologa1@aol.com
Muscogee County
Beverly Ragland
Stockbridge, GA
C: 404-512-0414
Email: Prism721@yahoo.com
Henry County
Advisory Board
Linda Buckner
Thomson, GA
McDuffie County
Region 2
Larry Fricks
1727 Turner’s Corner Rd.
Cleveland, GA 30528
C: 404-375-1813
Email: email@larryfricks.org
Lumpkin County
Region 1
Willie H. Woods
1700 Melrose Drive
Albany, GA 31707-4231
H: 229-889-0080
Dougherty County
Region 4
Director of the Office of Recovery Transformation
DBHDD
Office of Recovery Transformation
2 Peachtree Street, NW
Suite 23 - 101
Atlanta, GA 30303
W: 404-463-7361
funding
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network is funded by grants, contracts, donations, and membership fees.