Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force is the voice of the community on issues related to the quality and responsiveness of mental health and substance abuse disorder services.

Updates

Covid-19 Vaccine

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The following materials are related to the COVID-19 vaccine and its distribution.

  • The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force has signed on a joint letter to the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee’s (SDMAC) Subcommittee on Vaccines, providing input on vaccine distribution during the Phase 2b vaccine rollout. The letter can be read here in PDF form: Letter to the SDMAC’s Subcommittee on Vaccines.
  • The State Department of Health Services has more information on the committee’s purpose and goals, the various subcommittees under the umbrella, and related materials here: State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee.
  • Our partners at the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities have created a new plain language fact sheet about the COVID-19 Vaccine: Plain Language Covid-19 Vaccine Information Sheet.
  • Attorney Mitch Hagopian, Disability Rights Wisconsin, and Marcia Stickel, RN, Waisman Center, joined BPDD Living Well on this video to talk about the new COVID-19 vaccine.  The video addresses what the vaccine means, when we can expect to get it, and why its important to get it when it is available to you. You can view the video here: Living Well Project: Covid-19 Vaccine Update

Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Congratulates 2020 Award Recipients

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The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) is extremely gratified to congratulate the remarkable recipients of our 2020 awards recognizing outstanding leadership and mental health advocacy.  The awards will be presented Tuesday afternoon October 13th at the 2020 Karen Avery Forum, “Housing: Opportunities, Rights and Resources.”

A printable (PDF) version of this announcement is available here.

Karen Avery Award

Otis Winstead will be the seventh recipient of the Karen Avery Award. The award was established to honor Karen Avery’s legacy as an advocate, mentor, peer, and leader in advancing the rights of people with disabilities.

Otis WinsteadOtis Winstead, VPS,WCPS, NPS, Executive Director of Great Lakes Dryhootch has dedicated his career to serving as an advocate, peer mentor, and leader in his community, which makes him the perfect person to honor the values and legacy of Karen Avery.  His heart can be found in walking alongside and providing support to other Veterans and peers in recovery.  As a peer mentor, Otis uses his recovery as a way to connect with others and use his lived experience to spread the message of hope and resilience to the Veterans he mentors.  Otis is a constant advocate for Veteran health. He teaches his community and academic partners from a first-hand perspective about the struggles of opioid recovery and the need to address personal life trauma, adversity, and mental health.  A Vietnam Era Army Veteran, Otis is a leader among Veterans who leads by example and practices what he teaches.

The nomination noted that: “Otis Winstead exemplifies what it means to be a community partner and a mental health advocate. He collaborates, he teaches, he questions, he advocates, and he always seeks to ensure the voice of the Veteran is included in the work we are doing. Strong leaders like Otis are essential to supporting peers and creating lasting community-academic partnerships that can develop innovative strategies to address complex problems. Wisconsin Veterans and Otis’s academic and community partners are thankful for his dedication to serve.“

Marie C. Perry Rising Leader Award

DeShanda Williams will be the 2nd recipient of the Marie C. Perry Rising Leader Award.  Inspired by the dedication of our inaugural recipient, the Award honors Marie’s memory and recognizes visionary leadership by an individual who is a rising and/or young leader in the Milwaukee area mental health community.

DeShanda WilliamsDeShanda Williams, MSCP is the Director of Runaway and Homeless Youth Services for Pathfinders in Milwaukee. She has spent 9 years with Pathfinders. DeShanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Training and holds a MS in Community Psychology from Alverno College and a BS in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her passion is in supporting and uplifting youth and young adults, especially those dealing with overlapping social identities.  DeShanda has been a trailblazer in visioning non-traditional mental health services for Milwaukee youth, and has demonstrated a deep commitment to keeping young people’s voices at the center of care.

The nomination noted that: “The positive changes DeShanda has made within the organization and for individual young people are immeasurable. Her ability and desire to genuinely connect with a young person’s mental health challenges make her an exceptional, trustworthy ally to Milwaukee’s young people and the mental health community in Milwaukee.”

As the recipient of the Marie C. Perry award, DeShanda will receive a scholarship for conference registration, fees, and logistics or continuing education to further her professional development in the field of health and human services. This was generously endowed by Marie’s family.

Congratulations to the 2020 award recipients and we thank them for their dedicated advocacy.

Please join the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force on October 13th at 2:30 PM for the 2020 Karen Avery Forum, Housing: Opportunities, Rights and Resources and awards presentation.  Pre-registration is required for this virtual event.

Many people who live with a mental illness struggle to find and maintain safe, accessible, affordable housing. Access to housing is key to maintaining recovery. This virtual forum will explore opportunities to expand access to housing, tenant rights including disability related accommodations, and resources to support consumers with maintaining housing.

Featured speakers are Andy McMahon, Vice President of Health and Human Services Policy at UnitedHealthcare Community & State, and Monica Murphy, Managing Attorney Disability Rights Wisconsin.

Additional information about the October 13th forum including online registration is available at: https://www.milwaukeemhtf.org/2020forum/

Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force 2020 Awards: Call for Nominations

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Nominations are requested for the 2020 Karen Avery Award and the Marie C. Perry Award.  This is a meaningful way to recognize the important work taking place in our community.  Please consider submitting a nomination.  Nominations are due by September 11th.  The awards will be presented at the Karen Avery Forum on October 13th.

MMHTF Awards Call for Nominations

Complete the Nomination Form to submit your nomination.

MMHTF 2020-2021 Membership Materials

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Please support the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force annual membership drive.  We need your support to sustain our important work – please join or renew your membership. Your membership will support our work as a positive force for systems change, cover a portion of staff costs to coordinate the task force, and ensure our programs are open to all.  We welcome organizational members as well as “community supporters” – individuals who want to support the task force.   Please return the membership form with your check.

View the membership letter.

Download the membership form.

Fill out this form If you would like to be added to the MHTF Directory.

Questions?  Contact Barbara Beckert at barbara.beckert@drwi.org or 414-773-4646.