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Dear friends,
Every now and then, you leave your day-to-day and step into a space that stretches your thinking. That’s what happened this past week when I traveled to 2025 National Network to Eliminate Disparities (NNED) Learning Event in Gaithersburg, Maryland, alongside Maiysha Ware, Chief Compliance Officer, and Madeline Desrosiers, Communications & Development Coordinator, from our Prevention Links team.
We were surrounded by people from across the country - leaders, organizers, and community workers - each tackling the same big question in different ways:
How do we close the gaps in behavioral health care?
I had the honor of speaking about something that’s been on my heart lately: how opioid settlement dollars must reach the communities hit hardest by the crisis.
Madeline also presented, offering fresh and practical insights on alternative funding strategies for behavioral health organizations like ours.
We learned how emerging tools, including AI, can help us reach more people. We talked about building financial strength, not just to survive the ups and downs, but to grow with intention. And we dug into how to use data to tell stories that drive change, not just meet requirements.
This experience was a powerful reminder: even though our roots are in Union County, we are part of something bigger.
We came back inspired, connected, and ready to bring bold ideas into our local work.
I’m proud of our team. I’m proud of our voice. And I’m hopeful about what we’ll build next, together, with your support.
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