NCDMH Staff Present at National Conference

Two staff members from the Niagara County Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (NCDMH) had the honor to present at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing Annual Conference, held in Denver at the end of April.  NCDMH Deputy Director Myrla Gibbons-Doxey and Community Coalition Coordinator Connie Desmarais presented, “The Power of We: Inspiring Partnerships in a Rural System of Care.”  

Specifically, the NCDMH team shared how Niagara County delivers rural mental health care through creative outreach, youth engagement, and strategic partnership to enhance collaborations and connection. They discussed both the use of technology like the WellNiagara app and a youth-focused evidenced based app as well as creative outreach strategies—such as branded coffee sleeves, pizza box flyers, and public art—that can be adapted to increase mental health awareness in rural communities.

“Our peers across the country were interested in our blend of strategies and partnerships to reach into our rural communities and ensure those residents are aware and able to access important mental health care services,” said Gibbons-Doxey, who added that the New York State Office of Mental Health's Suicide Prevention Center of NY has now asked her and Desmarais to present at their conference this September.  “This was a great opportunity to highlight Niagara County, share our approach that can be replicated and receive collaborative feedback from other professionals.”

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of more than 3,200 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 15 million children, adults and families they serve. Through their Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, they have trained more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing Annual Conference is the largest annual conference for behavioral healthcare that focuses on mental health and substance use treatment, hosting over 5,000 attendees each year from around the country.