Consumer Affairs Office


 

The principal office of WVMHCA is located in Kanawha County, West Virginia. WVMHCA serves as a vehicle for building a statewide network, providing peer support, and expanding the participation of consumers in all aspects of the public mental health system. The Consumer Affairs Office staff is responsible for monitoring all projects and providing technical support to the field offices.
For more information call: 800.598.8847
www.wvmhca.org

Consumer Organization & Networking Technical Assistance Center

The Consumer Organization and Networking Technical Assistance Center (CONTAC), a national peer self-help TAC, assists in mental health system transformation by providing skill-building opportunities fostering consumer/peer-run programs, specifically in areas of recovery and grassroots program administration/management, emphasizing self-help, mutual support, and empowerment. CONTAC del Oeste, our western states office, is located in Santa Cruz, NM.
For more information call: 888.825.8324
www.contac.org

Peer Transitions (Housing)

Housing is an integral part of recovery and is available through several programs of WVMHCA. Transitional housing (short-term) places few demands on residents and provides a connection to community and drop-in services. This helps to increase the likelihood of finding and maintaining more permanent housing. WVMHCA promotes safe, affordable transitional and permanent housing for persons with psychiatric disabilities and those transitioning from homelessness and hospitalization hoping to establish residences in the community of their choice. Current housing sites are located in Kanawha, Cabell, Harrison, Raleigh and Taylor counties.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Peer Recovery Network (PRN)

The Peer Recovery Network is a united force of consumers with addiction related or co-occurring disorders. This united force promotes a voice for recovery, advocating for the rights of both the recovering or addicted individual, their family members and significant others. PRN statewide network provides peer supports, education, linkage and referral as well as a warm line for after hours and weekend support.. For more information call: 888.807.2955
http://prn.wvmhca.org

Recovery Education Center (REC)

The REC promotes recovery, builds resilience, and inspires hope through recovery education and peer workforce development. Qualified trainers teach a series of Peer Employment Training modules that pull together life experience and skill-building activities helpful in providing effective peer to peer supports. Ask about continuing education and college credits for skills development courses.
For more information call: 800.598.8847
http://rec.wvmhca.org

Supports Toward Employing Peer Specialists (STEPS)

STEPS is an innovative and effective employment program that empowers Peer Specialists to strengthen workforce skills and establish employer contacts. Special emphasis is placed on personal recovery, resilience and responsibility.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Consumer Voice

WVMHCA’s Quarterly Newsletter.
To submit an article for publication or for more information, please call 800.598.8847

Resource and Drop-in Centers

WVMHCA’s resource and drop-in centers provide safe, comfortable, empowering environments where consumers of mental health and/or addiction services plan activities they see as useful, taking control of their own wellness, and recovery through peer delivered services. The drop-in centers also provide opportunities for community and social activities, leadership development, warm lines, recovery education, linkage and referral, and skill-development. Centers currently exist in Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Harrison, Nicholas, Raleigh and Upshur Counties, West Virginia.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Assessing Readiness for Environmental Change

Assessing Readiness is a process of involving a person in clarifying his/her interest in creating personal change in the environments of their choice. Assessing Readiness takes a careful look at whether a person is interested, self-aware, informed, and supported enough to begin choosing or achieving a valued role in the community. The structured process of Assessing Readiness helps people to participate more fully in decisions regarding the “how” and “when” of their goal-setting.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Consumer Operated Independent Living Services (COILS)

COILS is a peer-run rehabilitation program which provides skill teaching, support, and resource linkage needed to assist individuals in reaching their self-determined goals improving their lives. This program operates with consumer-focused, self-directed teams that work closely with individuals, community agencies, families, and traditional health providers. Each person’s readiness is assessed to discover the COILS program best suited to meet their living needs.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

West Virginia Leadership Academy

WVMHCA’s WV Leadership Academy is recognized nationally as an exemplary self-help program. It involves a three-day skill building, hands-on workshop for grassroots consumer groups who are interested in developing and/or improving their leadership, organization, and civic participation skills. Learning to identify issues, conduct effective meetings, and create action plans are important parts of this collective self-determination program.
For more information call: 800.598.8847
http://wvla.wvmhca.org

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)

Based on the works of Mary Ellen Copeland, WVMHCA trains WRAP group facilitators and mental health recovery educators to conduct WRAP peer support groups and community education. WRAP is a self-management system designed to help individuals maintain wellness, decrease symptoms, increase responsibility, and improve life. Key concepts include: support, hope, self-advocacy, personal responsibility, and education.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Peer Transportation Services (PTS)

Peer Transportation Services helps to provide transportation for consumers of mental health services to leisure activities. Peer Transportation Services is connected to several resource centers, and coordinates transportation services via a toll free line.
For more information call: 800.598.8847

Emotional Support Service Animals Project (ESSA)

The ESSA Project identifies and develops ways to establish therapeutic relationships between people with disabilities and service animals. Presentations are provided to the general public, service clubs and organizations in order to educate the community about the function that the ESSA Project service animals provide.
For more info call: 800.598.8847 or 304.929.2314.

Phoenix Publications

Phoenix Publications is a semi-full service copy center that offers a range of services such as duplication, brochure and business card design, binding and document finishing as well as a local resource for obtaining paper and other business supplies.
For more info call: 800.598.8847