Urgent Message Regarding Dr. Karen Kangas Award Nominations

Due to an error with the online submission processing, any nominations for the 2011 Dr. Karen Kangas Award entered through our website prior to November 17th were not received. The problem has now been fixed, but we have no way of retrieving nominations submitted before November 17th.

We are extremely sorry for this situation, but in order to have the person you nominated considered for this prestigious award, you will need to resubmit your nomination. You can resubmit your nomination through the Dr. Kangas Award Nominations page at www.mindlink.org/kk_award_2011.html.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. Thank you for taking the time to resubmit your nomination.

"Music for Our Time" Fundraiser

The Voice Studio of Adele Paxton will be performing "Music for Our Time," a fundraiser to benefit Advocacy Unlimited...

Music for Our Time
~ A program to benefit AU ~
Sunday, June 19, 2011
4:00 pm
- at -
St. James Church
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT

See www.mindlink.org/res_ctr_events.html#fundraiser for directions and more info.

Job Opening at AU

Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. has a part-time opening for an Hispanic Outreach Coordinator. Visit www.mindlink.org for details.

AU's 2nd Annual Fundraiser

AU is proud to be an official charity of the ING Hartford Marathon again this year as part of AU's 2nd Annual Fundraiser. Visit AU's website for more details!

ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration
The ADA Coalition of Connecticut cordially invites you to “The ADA at 20: Dreams Delivered, Dreams Deferred” on July 26th at the LOB in Hartford.

Honorary chairperson and keynote speaker is Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., former Connecticut Governor, U.S. Senator, and a chief architect of the ADA. See ADA  20th Anniversary for more information.

Advocacy Unlimited's Recovery University Course – a training and certification program for Recovery Support Specialists.  New dates announced!  The dates for the next full session of the RU Training and Certification Course, as well as the next Refresher Courses, have just been posted.  For details and complete information, see Recovery University.

2009 ING Hartford Marathon

WOW!  19 days until race day. I always get a little sad at the end because I feel like I should have run faster or should have eaten better. I guess I will not be allowed to be an elite runner. I hope to see everyone at Bushnell Park on October 10, 2009, it will be a great day of fun. Visit AU Official Charity for 2009 Hartford Marathon.

Recovery University - 2nd Session Starting!

Advocacy Unlimited is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for the 2nd session of Recovery University classes. Recovery University is a training and certification program for Recovery Support Specialists, Peer Delivered Services.

Classes will begin on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at Beers Hall on the CVH campus in Middletown, CT. Classes will run from 9:00am to 5:00pm, every Thursday until December 10, 2009 (no class on Thanksgiving Day). Please submit your application ASAP -- seats are limited!  For complete details, visit Recovery University on AU's website.

Volunteers Needed

Advocacy Unlimited needs help during the Hartford Marathon on Saturday, October 10th. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our office at (860) 667-0460‎ and ask for Linda. Thank you!

Words of Encouragement

“ The big day is approaching and my goals have changed. Speed is not my concern, fun is. I tried a couple of speed runs, my old injury from the marathon started acting up, I have black toe and I am getting tired. Is this a sign of old age? Am I really coming to the end of my running ? NO! I always get really tired and discouraged at the end of my training but I never give up!”

Running for Recovery Update

"My running has been wonderful ! This morning was like running in molasses, it is so humid outside. My left leg has been bothering me and I am hoping that the tightness goes away before my long run on Friday, keep your fingers crossed. If you have any suggestions, please send them to llentini@mindlink.org."

Running for Recovery Update

Linda reports from yesterday:

"Good rainy afternoon! I had to wear my hat today because of the rain. I always wonder what people are thinking about when they see a person running in the rain. I will give you updates about my sprinting after Wednesday's session. Sprinting is really important to remind my legs that I have to kick it in high gear at the end."



REMEMBER, THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO SUPPORT AU:

●Join us as a volunteer on October 10
●Make a contribution through http://www.mindlink.org
●Donate using Mastercard or Visa through www.active.com/donate/Advocacyunlimited
●Invite your friends and family to contribute!

Bazelon Center Releases Report on Olmstead Challenges Ahead

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has just released "Still waiting...The Unfulfilled Promise of Olmstead: A call to action." The publication commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's historic decision establishing the right to services in the most integrated setting.

Main points of the report include:

• States must determine how many people with disabilities are served in unnecessarily segregated settings and what community-based services are necessary to support reintegration and recovery. They then must shift funding from institutions to community-based services.
  
  
• Implementing Olmstead programs through health care reform would save billions of taxpayer dollars by making essential community services available to people with mental illnesses.
  
  
• Often pressured by profit-making providers, states continue to waste valuable resources by placing people with mental illnesses in costly, ineffective institutional settings. The cost of a supportive apartment is one eighth that of state hospital care, just over a third of the cost in a board-and-care facility.
  
  
• It is critical to promote Supreme Court and other judicial nominees who have an understanding of and intention to uphold Olmstead, the ADA and other civil rights laws.

“On this pivotal anniversary of Olmstead, we must take a hard look at what really needs to be accomplished to adequately serve millions of people with mental illnesses so that they receive the most integrated care possible. We are encouraged by President Obama’s statement of commitment on Monday to Olmstead’s civil rights and community integration mandates, and we hope that the release of this report spurs additional action,” said Robert Bernstein, Ph. D, executive director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

To download a copy of the report, please click here.

Running for Recovery Update

Hartford Marathon

October 13, 2007

image: Bill Jankowski

Linda reports:

"One of my goals for the race is to finish with a time of 1:45 - that would take 10 minutes off last year. I talked to my husband and asked him to get a stopwatch and time me. We are going to the track tonight, after I run my scheduled 4 miles, and I'll practice sprinting. I will let you know my time for the 100 yard dash and we can track my progress together . . ."

(Linda promises to explain to us why sprints are an important part of training for a marathon!)

Running for Recovery Update

For the next twelve weeks, Grants Manager and Director of Training for Recovery University Linda Lentini will be sending in periodic updates on her training for the October ING Hartford Marathon. You can also follow her on our Twitter feed.

Linda Lentini - She's smiling today!

"Well, training starts tomorrow and I have planned my routes in my head. It is really amazing how much time and energy goes into training for a half marathon. The race only takes about 2 hours but the training can take months. I am really excited and I cannot wait to share all it with you!"

If you have any questions for Linda about her training, you can email her directly at llentini@mindlink.org. We'll post her answers here.

REMEMBER, THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO HELP AU:

●Join us as a volunteer on October 10
●Make a contribution through http://www.mindlink.org
●Donate using Mastercard or Visa through www.active.com/donate/Advocacyunlimited
●Invite your friends and family to contribute!

AU Celebrates Fourth Hispanic Graduation at Hartford Foundation

Advocacy Unlimited held its Fourth Hispanic Graduation at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving on Wednesday, July 8 from 2-4. The ceremony honored graduates of AU’s Advocacy Education class, a 14-week course for persons in recovery from psychiatric disabilities and/or co-occurring disorders.

2009 Hispanic Mi Casa Class

This class, taught entirely in Spanish at Mi Casa Family Services in Hartford, was funded as part of a multi-year grant from the Hartford Foundation to create a Hispanic Initiative that expands Advocacy Unlimited’s service to Greater Hartford’s Latino community.

Annette Deonarine, AU Director of Education and Latino Initiative and Pete Rosa, Program Officer, Hartford Foundation

The keynote speaker was Pete Rosa, Program Officer, Hartford Foundation. Other speakers included Jorge L. Rivera, Founder and Executive Director, Mi Casa Family Services and Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D., DMHAS Commissioner.

Jorge L. Rivera, Founder and Executive Director, Mi Casa Family Services

Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D., DMHAS Commissioner, addresses the graduates.

Commissioner Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D. (center), John Sims,
President of AU's Board of Director and Dr. Karen A. Kangas, AU’s Executive Director

At the ceremony, John Sims, President of AU Board's of Directors, presented Commissioner Kirk with The Karen Kangas Excellency in Advocacy Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of mental health and substance use disorders.

AU would like to congratulate the graduates and especially recognize Annette Deonarine, Director of Education and the Latino Initiative, for successfully leading the class and for tremendous work and dedication to this class and to all her students.

Also visit Advocacy Unlimited Celebrates 38th Graduation Ceremony at the DMHAS website!

Save the Date: "Recovery Through a New Lens"

Co-Occurring Concerns:
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery
Educational Forum

September 2, 2009

co-sponsors:
Advocacy Unlimited, Hartford Recovery Community Center
and Women’s & Children’s Program Connection Inc.

guest speakers:
Julienne Giard, MSW, Co-Occurring Project Manager,
CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS)
and Paul Acker, InterCommunity Mental Health

time:
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
doors open at 9:30 am)

location:
Hartford Recovery Community Center
198 Wethersfield Avenue
Hartford, CT 06114

space is limited
light refreshments will be served

for more information or to RSVP, please contact Lyne Stokes,
Program Director, Advocacy Unlimited, at 860-667-0460 or
at lstokes@mindlink.org.

Running for Recovery: Training for the ING Hartford Marathon

For the next twelve weeks, Grants Manager and Director of Training for Recovery University Linda Lentini will be sending in periodic updates on her training for the October ING Hartford Marathon. You can also follow her on our Twitter feed.

Today, Linda reports:

"These are the sneakers that will be on my feet for the next 12 or so weeks. As a runner, I have to plan my sneakers around my training. I was able to run 10 miles on Friday for fun, and now I need to do some speed runs. More later this week!"

If you have any questions for Linda about her training, you can email her directly at llentini@mindlink.org. We'll post her answers here.

REMEMBER, THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO HELP AU:

●Join us as a volunteer on October 10
●Make a contribution through AU's Website
●Donate using Mastercard or Visa through www.active.com/donate/Advocacyunlimited
●Invite your friends and family to contribute!