Location of Chapter: Alabama (Demopolis)
Annual Report Completed by: Ronnitta Ealey, President
Nick Breaux, Vice President
Jacob King, Secretary/Treasurer
Joe Farley, Recruiter
Date: July 25, 2012
Contact Person: Ronnitta Ealey, President
Lisa King, Advisor
Show you met the requirements:
1. Produced a public service announcement promoting Children’s Mental Health Week for TV, radio, and YouTube with DMH staff assistance
2. Held a Green Ribbon Campaign for Children’s Mental Health Awareness
3. Had a booth at the ECCHO (system of care) CMHW program
4. Met the Governor during the Proclamation Signing for CMHW
Tell us where you are going!
AYM has the following goals for 2013:
- Recruit new members
- We will add a membership form to our Facebook page
- We will distribute our new pamphlets to all mental health centers through attending the Council of Community Mental Health Center Director’s monthly meeting
- We will initiate a “one-recruit-one” plan and keep a “membership tree” to document our successes
- We will develop a recruitment incentive plan with rewards at different levels
- We will collaborate with other state agencies and develop a marketing plan for AYM
- Assign Regional Representatives across the state
- We will identify potential representatives
- We will conduct trainings of representatives or collaborate with other resources to provide trainings
- We will schedule and conduct monthly conference calls
- We will meet in person 6 times per year
- Develop infrastructure
- Bylaws
- Policy and procedure
- Membership and partners
- Get voting seats on state department committees
- We will continue to attend state level meetings and request voting seats on committees
- We will write a formal letter requesting rationale for not allowing AYM voting seats on state level committees and address as appropriate
- AYM will affect change in state level policy regarding bullying in schools
- At Alabama Family Ties’ annual conference, the former Commissioner of Mental Health was the keynote speaker. The Commissioner asked if we had any questions or concerns. A discussion regarding bullying in schools resulted in the Commissioner asking for youth who were willing to meet with the State Superintendent of Education to address our concerns. The Commissioner left office a week after the conference. We will move forward and have a meeting with the State Superintendent on our own.
- We will apply for the Dare to Dream grant to fund this initiative.
- We will review the current state policy on bullying.
- We will set up 2 strategic planning meetings to develop our plan to advocate regarding our concerns.
- We will take a group of AYM members to meet with the State Superintendent and make our presentation and proposal for policy change.
- Have AYM members represented on all six YEL teams across the state
- AYM has collaborated on the YEL grant and is in a key position to ensure AYM is represented on each team
- We will pair our recruitment efforts and our search for regional representatives with placement of AYM members on YEL teams
Brag a bit!
In our first year, AYM has been very busy! We have received a lot of support and encouragement from many different sources. This year, we:
- Became an Official state Chapter of Youth M.O.V.E. National
- Presented a session entitled “Our Story, Our Voices” at the Alabama Council of Community Mental Health Boards Annual Conference during CMHW
- Shared an exhibitor booth with the Alabama Department of Mental Health at the Alabama Council of Community Mental Health Boards Annual Conference to promote AYM and CMHW
- Spoke at rallies/demonstrations at the Alabama State House on two occasions (and were on the front page of the Tuscaloosa News!)
- Spoke at the Commissioner of Mental Health’s Meet and Greet in two locations across the state
- Attended Alabama Department of Mental Health committee meetings representing the youth voice
- Attended the Alabama People First conference
- Collaborated with People First on the Youth Emerging Leaders (YEL) Grant; the grant was awarded and one of our members got a job as project director, and other members are receiving stipends for our expertise!
- Met with Mike Autrey, the DMH consumer representative, regarding peer support for youth
- Developed an official logo and AYM design
- Developed and approved a Board of Director’s and job descriptions
- Planned the youth activity and youth leadership tracks at Alabama Family Ties Annual Conference and led the youth leadership track with AYM members
- Held regular Board meetings
- Created a Facebook page
- Developed a marketing pamphlet for AYM
- Assumed the lead in the statewide poster contest promoting Children’s Mental Health
- Have our own office space
- Developed our own annual award called the Ricky Wyatt Award
- Were awarded a voting seat on the PAMI council
- Are members of the People First Board of Directors and hold voting seats on the YEL Advisory Committee
- Recruited new members and tripled our membership
- Met with key Department of Mental Health staff and introduces AYM
- Hold a seat on Alabama Family Ties’ Community Advisory Committee
- Three of our Board members completed the Leadership Institute of Family Ties (LIFT)
….and did it all with no funding!
