MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN GREENSBORO INC
Advancing Mental Wellness
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Mental illness and the associated stigma impacts employment, access to appropriate care, and community tolerance. People with mental illness often face job loss and housing instability due to their illness. This has profound impact on ability to access care and medications and exacerbates symptoms. Fear of job loss and other discrimination may result in unwillingness to seek care. Many mental health diagnoses make it difficult for a person to have self-belief and focus on following through with plans. Patients and their families frequently need help understanding diagnoses and treatment options. There is a need for recovery oriented mental health services provided in a safe, non-judgmental setting that provide information, education, coaching and opportunities for goal-setting and community-building. Community education is needed to break down barriers based on ignorance and fight persistent negative attitudes towards working, living and socializing with people with mental illness.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Mental Health Peer Supportive Services
Peer Supportive Services includes recovery classes, support groups, one-to-one peer coaching, and Compeer activities. The program assists individuals with a mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorder to manage their symptoms and stay in recovery, promotes resiliency, decreases self-stigmatization and encourages clients to pursue life goals such as higher education and employment opportunities. Clients participating in the Peer Supportive Services Program experience an improved quality of life. They are better equipped to lead self-sufficient lives, with a marked increase in mental well-being and a reduction in psychiatric crisis intervention and hospitalization. Clients learn to recognize their triggers and use learned skills to better cope with their symptoms. Better symptom management empowers clients to remain in or obtain stable employment and housing and other life goals, and better understanding of their diagnoses empowers clients to effectively advocate on their own behalf with providers, employers and others. Families attending support group report feeling better able to support their loved ones’ struggle with mental illness.
Our supportive services are based on the Recovery model of behavioral health treatment, and use evidence based guidelines put forth by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Central to this model is the idea that in addition to clinical treatment, those recovering from mental illness or substance abuse benefit greatly from peer support, social inclusion, and community building, and that recovery is successful when individuals take an active role in learning about their diagnoses and strategies for managing their symptoms.
We provide recovery support through programs such as peer-led support groups, one-on-one peer support sessions with NC Certified Peer Support Specialists, and recovery skills classes through the Wellness Academy, a curriculum of courses designed to provide peers with a ‘toolbox’ of recovery skills to help manage one’s diagnosis, make progress on goals and build resilience. We also have a number of programs geared towards building community and social connections, such as our afternoon Wellness Academy classes, and the Compeer Friends and Connections program. With few exceptions, our supportive services are entirely free to the public.
Public Mental Health Education
The Public Mental Health Education program focuses on reducing stigma and discrimination, and educates the public regarding mental illness, recovery and resources. Initiatives directed at providers, community members and employers are designed to eliminate barriers to care, promote acceptance of people with mental illness, and empower individuals to intervene in potential crisis situations. Participants in the Public Mental Health Education initiatives are better able to respond to mental illness in others. Trainings provide knowledge and skills to connect the mentally ill with community resources and break down barriers based on ignorance. Community events/speakers fight persistent negative attitudes towards working, living and socializing with people with mental illness. Work-based ‘lunch and learns’ are aimed at destigmatizing mental illness, creating organizational awareness about mental health and building management and employee skills for coping with common workplace stresses. This program promotes workplace tolerance by creating shared understanding of common mental illnesses and their prevalence in the workplace and community, educates employers on the indirect costs of not managing mental health in the workplace, provides workers with skills to manage common workplace and life stresses which can impact attendance and productivity, and further destigmatizes mental illness by employing presenters with lived experience with mental illness and substance use disorder.
We provide services that bring mental health and Recovery concepts out into the greater community, to increase awareness of mental health issues and decrease stigma, and to equip the public with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to crisis and support recovery. This includes training programs such as Mental Health First Aid and QPR Suicide Prevention, as well as educational programs geared toward healthcare professionals such as the Provider Academy.
Peer Support Specialist Education
Peer Support Specialist Education includes access to peer and provider programs for continuing education credits and the new apprenticeship program, which provides a structured work environment for newly certified peer support specialists. The apprenticeship supplements certification requirements with mentored, hands-on experience teaching recovery skills, facilitating support groups and working one-on-one with peers to establish and meet recovery goals, all in an environment that recognizes the unique needs of the peer support specialists. Through the Peer Support Specialist Education, peer support specialists gain experience with providing assistance in the management of mental health challenges, developing positive relationships that provide social and emotional support, assisting peers in linking to community resources and services, helping to aid in the development of increased independence, and promoting knowledge and adherence to SAMHSA recovery principles. Apprentices also learn about working in an office environment, how to use common tools like Microsoft Office and Outlook, how to document properly, public speaking skills, and how to manage their own mental health while providing support to others. The Apprenticeship provides 25 continuing education credits for re-certification, and reduces the drop-out rate for peer support specialists.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
NC Center for Nonprofits 2018
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients reporting increased knowledge after educational programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Public Mental Health Education
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This metric includes participants in Provider Academy, Mental Health First Aid, QPR Suicide Prevention and the Apprenticeship. The goal is to achieve 90% or higher ratings. In the most recent survey,
Number of clients who self-report increased skills/knowledge after educational program/intervention
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Peer Support Specialist Education
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
MHAG expects that 90% of peers will report receipt and utilization of tools valuable to their recovery; improved ability to manage symptoms; ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships; and
Number of participants reporting no relapse 12 months post-program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Peer Support Specialist Education
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
MHAG expects that 90% of peers will report decreased incidents of crisis/recidivism and hospitalization
Number of participants reporting no relapse 6 months post-program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Mental Health Peer Supportive Services
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
MHAG expects that 90% of peers will report decreased incidents of crisis/recidivism and hospitalization
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
MHAG improves the mental wellness of individuals, families and communities through education, services and collaboration. We assist individuals to manage their symptoms, stay in recovery, rebuild relationships, and pursue life goals such as higher education and employment opportunities. We are Greensboro’s only dedicated peer support recovery organization combining peer support specialist training, peer education, peer coaching, and support group facilitation. Our programs are based on the Recovery model of behavioral health treatment and use evidence based guidelines put forth by SAMHSA. Central to this model is the idea that in addition to clinical treatment, those recovering from mental illness or substance abuse benefit greatly from peer support, social inclusion, and community building, and that recovery is successful when individuals take an active role in learning about their diagnoses and strategies for managing their symptoms.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
MHAG collaborates with community partners to satisfy unmet need, leverage limited resources and expand program reach. MHAG provides most peer support services and mental health education activities at no charge to the community. For many of our clients, MHAG is the only resource available for managing their mental illness or learning how to help their loved ones with mental illness or addiction. MHAG is diversifying our revenue base by growing contract revenue, grant sources, donor development and fund-raising activities. Partnerships with local schools will support expansion of services to teens, aimed at suicide prevention and building self-esteem. Partnership with local substance abuse services will support enhancement of peer support specialist training programs to improve peer support for addiction recovery. Collaboration with local behavioral health treatment programs have provided a bridge to peer support services. Focus on Board development has been crucial to our success.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
MHAG has over 75 years of history in the community. We have a strong, enthusiastic Board with a range of relevant experience and skills and deep roots in the community. MHAG meets or exceeds IRS good governance practices for non-profits, and the Board annually reviews compliance. Annual financial audits assure compliance with generally accepted accounting practices. The Executive Director has 30+ years of experience in the independent sector, all of it in healthcare. Credentialed staff include the accounting manager (CPA with for profit and nonprofit experience), experienced North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialists, and a Certified Public Health Education Specialist. Approximately 50 volunteers supplement staff with content expertise and other skills, allowing MHAG to offer an impressive array of programs with a very lean staff. MHAG is a United Way of Greater Greensboro Strategic Partner, and partners with multiple community nonprofits to provide services in the community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
MHAG began providing inpatient peer support in June, and anticipate providing peer support in the CBH outpatient facility by year-end. Our presence at CBH provides an important bridge from the treatment setting to community-based services, and we are already seeing an increase in the number of new clients seeking peer support services. This summer MHAG hosted the Student Service-Learning Leadership Camp to help design peer-to-peer youth services, which we expect to offer in collaboration with Guilford County Schools. Teens Gotta Talk is a school-based, student-lead program to aid students in dealing with stressors that can contribute to mental illness in teens. MHAG recently created an apprenticeship program to provide a mentored work environment and on-the-job training for newly certified peer support specialists. The first two apprentices were hired by MHAG to provide peer support coverage to CBH. We expect to expand the apprenticeship and add training specific to addiction recovery
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN GREENSBORO INC
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Michelle Bostian
Greensboro Day School
Term: 2017 - 2020
Scott Grubbs
Hendrix Business Systems
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes