June 2021 Newsletter
Volume 29 | June 15, 2021
Our Mission Statement: MHAAO is an inclusive peer-run organization dedicated to self-direction honoring the voice of lived experience
Staff Highlights!
Congrats to Emily Nelson, who will be welcoming baby Matilda Jane into this world on November 10th!

Congrats to LaMarr Cuffie for celebrating 8 years in recovery on 6/1!

Congrats to Janie Gullickson, who celebrated 7 years of working at MHAAO on 6/9!

Congrats to Traci Lundy, who celebrated 3 years of working at MHAAO on 6/15!

Congrats to Amber Hatkoff who celebrated 1 year of working at MHAAO on 6/15!


Congrats to Jesse Maxwell who will be celebrating 5 years in recovery on 6/22!

Congrats to Amy Brinkley, who shared that on 6/25 she will have 23 years in recovery from addiction!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of our June birthday folks: Jennifer Coon on 6/4, Howard Marlow on 6/11, and Bill Beall on 6/24!
New Staff Introductions!
Brandon Quinn
Peer Support Specialist for Prime+
What drew you to the peer movement, and MHAAO, in particular? 
One of the biggest things I learned in my recovery was the mental health aspect of my addiction, and how I had actually been suffering from mental health most of my life and didn't even realize it. Because of the social stigma around it and the inability to recognize it in me, because as a man, I was socialized to not talk about these things. Once I realized that I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to help people find their path to recovery.

What is your favorite thing about working in the recovery field?
One of the greatest things about being in the recovery field is watching the transformation as people start to see how they can be successful in their recovery when they see what their version of success is.

What do you like to do for self-care? 
Going to the gym and taking care of my physical health is the number one thing I do for self-care! My addiction started with a rare disease in my back. I was told that I was never going to walk again and the doctors put me on a bunch of painkillers. The physical aspect of my recovery is very important to me because I'm beating the odds. I'm doing what the doctors said I couldn't do.
Thomas Ferrin
Peer Support Specialist for Clackamas Choice
What drew you to the peer movement, and MHAAO, in particular? 
I think it is so amazing that I’m able to use the toughest and most difficult things I’ve battled to help someone else. I hope to be able to support peers that are going through the same things I’ve been through.
 
Why are peer services so crucial, especially right now?
We live in times where we don’t see as much social connections as we used to in the past. Everyone is told to be self-sufficient and to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps. . If our tendency is to isolate then this is the time we need to connect with each other. Dr Gabor Mate said “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety… it’s connection! 
 
What do you like to do for self-care? 
I love music. Right out of college I taught band for a couple of years. Right now I’m teaching myself jazz piano. I’m using some online sources for this as well as many YouTube videos.  
Azure Sensabaugh
Communications & Marketing Intern
Can you share a bit about yourself?
This summer, Azure will be working full-time as an intern with Marketing, Communications, and PR. Azure is a rising junior at Reed College, majoring in sociology and social psychology. She is from Roseburg and loves baking with friends, playing & listening to music, and video games. 
Organization-Wide Updates
Administration:
  • Financial Audit: We have completed our annual audit has had no findings for admin. 
  • Clothing Closet: Open to all MHAAO employees to look through at their convenience. Learn more here.

Human Resources:
  • Open Positions: MHAAO has several open positions. Please share with your networks, including your social media networks.   
  • Multnomah Shelter/VIMOS Peer Support Specialist: Hiring for 3 positions for multiple shifts at two locations.
  • OHSU IMPACT Peer Support Specialist
  • Economic and Resource Development Coordinator: VISTA Intern! This has a different application process than our other positions. Please review the job description and reach out to Kaity Riordan if you have any questions. 
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Cards
  • If you would like to have a copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Card as part of your file, you have that option! You can submit a legible copy of it via email to humanresources@mhaoforegon.org, or you can bring it in and we can take a copy of it for you. 
  • This is not mandatory, and totally up to you. This information will not be shared with anyone outside of Human Resources and will be kept strictly confidential. 
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative Update: 
  • Measuring Culture Change: We are drafting our organizational cultural response plan and finalizing evaluations to measure culture change.
  • Apply to be on the DEI Committee: There is an opening on the DEI Committee - please submit your application if you’re interested in joining! Apply here.
  • Juneteenth: MHAAO recognizes Juneteenth (6/19) as a paid holiday and our office and services will be closed this Friday 6/18 in observance of the holiday. Juneteeth has historical significance and it's celebration marks a day in 1865 when enslaved Texans learned they’d be free—two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War and two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Learn more here.
Trauma-Informed Care Initiative
  • Weekly Peer Support for Peer Support (PS4PSS) continues to be offered from 10 – 11 AM PST!
  • A hospital-specific group is held on Tuesdays from 1 – 2 PM PST.
  • For more information, please check out https://www.mhaoforegon.org/ps4pss
Program Updates
CONFERENCE
  • All recordings are now available online and that workshop evaluations are being emailed to presenters this month. You can view the recordings on our YouTube channel, here.
  • We’ll be opening registration on 7/1/2021 and anticipate that 2022 will sell out. The planning committee application will open soon. 
  • We're recruiting for the Peerpocalypse 2022 Planning Committee! Please share the application with your networks: https://form.jotform.com/211575969625166
PEER SUPPORT SERVICES
  • We were able to hire, and onboard Dan Telgarsky, Evolve Program manager  Marianne has taken over being the program Volunteer Isolation Motel.
  • Please welcome our new Evolve Coordinator Rene' Stewart to the Evolve team! Start date was 5/24/2020.
  • Pathway Home Program Launches on 7/1/2021.
  • Pathway Home team is meeting weekly to introduce the program processes
  • Pathway Home team has started attending Worksource trainings to prepare for program launch
Safe & Strong:
  • Safe+Strong team working hard to outreach to communities and offering peer support in Multnomah County.
  • Program received a large volume of outreach materials that includes MHAAO for distribution.
  • Quarterly report finished and submitted in May.
TRAINING AND OUTREACH
  • Tonya and Thomas are facilitating a culturally-specific, Afrocentric PWS training beginning 6/9/2021 sponsored through Multnomah County!
  • Emily and Molly are also facilitating a June PWS training, starting on the 8th (training is currently full).
  • PWS trainings are scheduled out through the summer. Registration information available here: https://www.mhaoforegon.org/current-trainings
OHA Peer Pain Training:
  • Adrienne and Michelle Marikos presented a Peerpocalypse workshop “Peer Support for Pain: Online Training” to around 55 participants.
  • Updates (including an additional video!) continue to be made to the online Peer Pain Training and we will be launching it this summer.
PeerZone
  • Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the June PeerZone facilitators catch up has been rescheduled to June 9th from 12:00 – 1:00 PM PDT! Contact Adrienne for details.
  • Virtual PeerZone toolkit workshops – led by Molly – are being offered every Wednesday from 3 – 4:30 PM online!
  • Molly is supporting NAMI Washington County to host a weekly PeerZone group on Tuesdays from 3:00 - 4:30 PM.
  • Molly held the very first PeerZone for Peer Supporters groups on May 20th! Future groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 3 - 4:30 PM.
  • To get access information for any of the above groups or to learn more, please visit: https://www.mhaoforegon.org/peerzone
University of Washington Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC)
OHA Peer Workforce Needs Assessment (OPDSCo):
  • Please help get the word out: the final needs assessment report and executive summary are live at https://www.mhaoforegon.org/needs-assessment
  • Marianne and Adrienne presented findings and recommendations from the report at the “What Do Peers Think of Peer-Delivered Services in Oregon?” workshop at Peerpocalypse with data consultants Erin and Kate with Comagine.