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Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW
Director, DMHDDSUS
| | Hot Topics | April 17, 2025 | | UNC Students Distribute Wellness Materials During Spring Break | | An interdisciplinary team of UNC students spent their March spring break in Eastern North Carolina and shared crisis resource materials provided by DMHDDSUS with Tyrrell County high school sophomores. Nineteen UNC students participated in the trip from five health disciplines including Physical Therapy, Social Work, Dental, Audiology, and Public Health. | | |
“We were personally asked by school leaders to speak on the topic as it seems that many families in the area lack appropriate resources or strategies when dealing with mental health crises,” said Courtney Lowman, co-leader of the project and a 2025 candidate for Doctor of Physical Therapy at UNC. “The county has high rates of those suffering from food insecurity, chronic and communicable diseases as well as substance abuse. There are little to no resources in this rural area, leading to an increase in negative health outcomes.”
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Lowman is from a small, rural town and was motivated by her understanding of limited resources and her personal connections to mental health issues. The UNC students provided wellness boxes filled with 988 Crisis Lifeline bookmarks, pamphlets, wallet cards, and stickers. As part of an activity on educating students on strategies for when they are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, they included fidgets, stickers, candy, notebooks, and coloring pages.
The UNC team also shared mindfulness and meditation techniques with the high school students, many of whom are struggling with the stress of uncertainty about the future, poverty, and grief from recent motor vehicle accidents in their community. Activities were designed to reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage those who need support to reach out.
| | Learn More About What's Happening in Your Community | | | Addiction Professionals of North Carolina 2025 Spring Conference | |
Made possible in part by support from NCDHHS, attend the APNC Spring Conference to earn valuable continuing education credits toward licensure, enjoy tailored sessions designed to enhance your professional growth, and network with peers who share your passion and commitment across our state.
Date/Time: April 21-23, 2025, 8:00-12:00 p.m.
Location: Lake Junaluska Conference Center, 91 North Lakeshore Drive, Waynesville, NC
Registration: Register for the conference
| | North Carolina Prevention Conference | | |
Made possible in part by support from NCDHHS, the primary focus of the North Carolina Prevention Conference is to support those engaged in primary prevention strategies, including prevention providers, coalition workers, educators, and public health professionals.
Date/Time: April 24-25, 2025, 8:00-12:00 p.m.
Location: Lake Junaluska Conference Center, 91 North Lakeshore Drive, Waynesville, NC
Registration: Register for the conference
More Information: Visit the conference website
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NCARF 2025 Spring Conference
Working Together to Impact Change
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Founded over 50 years ago in 1965, NCARF - Working Together to Impact Change is an established resource for influence, information, education and training, networking, and collaboration with member facilities. Functioning as the unified voice, NCARF is dedicated to ensuring that the citizens of North Carolina are aware of the diverse services provided by its members.
Conference Date/Time: April 30-May 2, 2025
Location: Courtyard by Marriott - Carolina Beach, 100 Charlotte Ave, Carolina Beach, NC
Registration: Register for conference
More Information: View the conference agenda
| | Inclusion Works Strategic Plan | | |
Inclusion Works is rolling out the five-year plan to promote Competitive Integrated Employment for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Join us for a review of the new plan.
Date/Time: Friday, May 2, 2025, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Registration: Register for the webinar
| | Side by Side with DMHDDSUS | | |
Join us to learn about policies and programs that affect the MH/IDD/SU/TBI community. Side by side, we will work together to better understand and improve our system. We will listen closely to one another, and we will share ideas for public policy that will improve lives in NC.
Date/Time: Monday, May 5, 2025, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Registration: Register for the webinar
English Flyer: Download flyer
Spanish Flyer: Download flyer
Closed-Captioning & American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters will be provided.
| | Stay Connected - Get Involved | | | | |
