Equity in Community Mental Health

I have been involved in mental health services for 33 years- both professionally and personally- and as an international consultant, have been given the gift of learning from people around the world about their recovery from complex trauma and labels of mental illness. 
 
18 years ago, I founded Promise Resource Network, a survivor led organization operated and staffed by people that had experienced suicide attempts, mental health and substance use diagnoses, long term homelessness, incarceration, gang involvement, trauma, domestic violence, etc.  
 
PRN serves people that are uninsured and have been kicked out or opted out of traditional mental health and substance use treatments. We create healing alternatives that are rooted in 8 Dimensions of Wellness, resilience and recovery. All of our efforts are guided by the people most directly impacted- Experts by Experience. It works.  
 
Promise Resource Network has been ranked nationally in the Top 10 Non-Profit Organizations in 2018, 2019, 2020 and in 2021, we were ranked the 2nd Best in the country to work for.  
 
When I was 13, I received my first mental health diagnosis. The assumption of illness was made without consideration of trauma. It harmed me more than it helped. Through PRN, I pursue effective ways to elevate the voices and wisdom of people directly impacted by social issues while mitigating re-traumatization in the name of treatment. We currently operate 16 programs including a 24/7 warm-line, peer respite hospital alternative, jail/prison diversion and re entry, houseless to homeownership initiatives, community health, and supported employment.  
 
Through the support of a 3 year federal SAMHSA grant, we are seeding, incubating and launching a NC statewide peer/“consumer” movement, Peer Voice NC, to create a unified voice in policy, practice and system change. In 2020, PVNC had 4 bills with bipartisan sponsorship. 

Dr. Moser is the Director of the Institute for Best Practices and clinical associate professor in the UNC Dept of Psychiatry. For the past 24 years, Dr. Moser has provided training, consultation, and evaluation services in support of ACT across the United States and abroad. She is the co-author of the Tool for Measurement of ACT (TMACT), a contemporary measure of ACT fidelity, and conducts research examining the facilitators and barriers to higher fidelity ACT implementation. She is currently leading the largest descriptive study of the status of ACT implementation across the U.S., funded by Arnold Ventures.

Meet Joseph ‘Joe’ Conway, one of Wilmington, NC’s beacons of equity and inclusion and the driving force behind A.B.I.D.E. of NC, LLC, and lends his talents as a System Manager for Equity & Inclusion at UNC Health. As Wilmington’s first Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer and a former Director of Health Equity/Human Experience at Novant Health | NHRMC, Joe combines more than 25 years of leadership with a dedication to justice and community growth. His approach to equity work is infused with optimism, humor, and a commitment to fostering environments where everyone can succeed.

Joe’s academic background spans from the halls of the United States Naval Academy to being a Church Ministries major at Trinity Baptist College (Jax, FL), to earning an MBA in Healthcare Management, along with DEI certifications from Cornell University and a Lean-Six Sigma Black Belt initiated at Belmont University. Married to his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, for over 32 years and a father to four adult sons, Joe’s passions extend to reading, music, cooking, and travel. Joe Conway is a man who lives with purpose, challenges the status quo, and enriches his community with every step, or at least he tries to.

Danielle Dest, LCSW graduated from Long Island University in 2015 with her master’s in social work degree, a concentration in gerontology and an advanced certificate in Long Term Care Administration. She has worked across the social work spectrum of services as many of us have. She began her career in gerontology and hospice care however found a passion quickly in working with severe and persistent mental health issues. She has worked by providing counseling to our unsheltered neighbors in the Cape Fear region. She continued her practice as a therapist in a residential psychiatric treatment facility for adolescents. Eventually moving into a therapist position on an Assertive Community Treatment Team at Physicians Alliance for Mental Health which further deepened her commitment to working with an interdisciplinary team to serve our diverse and deserving population of individuals with severe and persistent mental health issues. She grew into the Community Support Team Lead at Physicians Alliance for Mental Health prior to moving into private practice full time in 2021. She is co-owner with her spouse of Salt Therapy Mental Health Services.

Dr. Stephen M. Smith is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist whose professional mission is dedicated to equipping mental health providers and organizations with the necessary tools to advance health equity for individuals experiencing serious mental health concerns, and particularly those individuals from marginalized communities. Whether providing direct care or training and supporting other treatment providers, Dr. Smith constantly seeks to expand our understanding of the impact of cultural and structural factors on how we conceptualize and respond to individuals experiencing mental health concerns. Dr. Smith also has a private practice in which he provides psychotherapy specifically for adult people of color.