2016 State Organization Service Award

DBSA New Jersey

2016 was an exciting year for DBSA New Jersey. Their outreach to local chapters and the general community in New Jersey reached further than ever before with the addition of four new support groups and one new chapter.

DBSA New Jersey continued to support the state’s chapters by developing leadership and providing encouragement. This includes mentoring chapter leaders on general governance, operations, and dispute resolution. Also, with the partnership of New Jersey’s Self Help Group Clearinghouse, DBSA New Jersey sponsored facilitator training sessions in New Brunswick and Princeton.

The state organization continued to promote DBSA and the local support groups at conferences and events during the year, including the New Jersey Psychiatrist Association conference. DBSA support group brochures were distributed at the New Jersey chapter of the American College of Physicians conference, Rowan College Health Fair, the Coalition of Mental Health Consumers Organization, NAMI NJ Conference, and the walk held by Carrier Clinic.


2016 Large Chapter Service Award

DBSA Omaha New Hope (NE)

DBSA Omaha New Hope takes great pride in being able to give to others. In September, they participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention community walk. They were able to raise hundreds for the charity, more than doubling their donation goal. Also in 2016, some of their members volunteered at the Open Door Mission by working in their donation center store.

DBSA Omaha New Hope also provides its participants with many opportunities to learn. They offered a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) course developed by Mary Ellen Copeland in early spring. And, in the summer, they offered an interactive workshop that included physical and mental health skill-building. The workshop called Living Well was developed by Stanford University. Throughout the year, they had guests speak to their chapter about different therapies and local behavioral health resources that are available in their community.

In 2016, the chapter also focused on self-advocacy. They discussed how participants could talk to their health care providers about their treatment plan and how to advocate for themselves with their doctors, co-workers, therapist, and friends. The goal of the DBSA Omaha Hope is and will always be to promote wellness, support their peers, reach out to the community, provide education, and teach advocacy.


2016 Small Chapter Service Award

DBSA Portland, ME

DBSA Portland, ME’s focus on community outreach and education showcases their commitment to peer support. The chapter attended Westbrook Together Days festival and built a relationship with the Westbrook Community Police Department who disseminates DBSA brochures and support group meeting announcements on the chapter’s behalf through its neighborhood community policing storefront.

The chapter also shared their stories of living with mental health challenges and how DBSA support groups have helped them with future health care professionals at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus. These students were also invited to observe the chapter’s support group meeting. Four students attended and had the opportunity to share their own stories.

Throughout the year, the chapter has offered their participants and community special discussion topics, workshops, trainings, and social activities. However, what they are most proud of is witnessing seven of their participants receive intentional peer support training and now either work as peer support specialists or are pursuing further education. In the words of their chapter leader, “It is a privilege to see our members recover and discover their dreams.”


2016 Small Chapter Service Award

DBSA Roland Park (MD)

In 2016, DBSA Roland Park was very successful in educating and empowering individuals in their community.

They held two educational events with local psychiatrists as the speaker. One had an open-ended “Ask the Doctor” format and the other spoke on homicide and suicide violence in society. In addition to these public events, the chapter also had a private event for support group participants where a local psychotherapist spoke about the special challenges people with mood disorders face in establishing and maintaining personal relationships.

In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins invited DBSA Roland Park to exhibit DBSA literature and promote the chapter to both mental health professionals and the general public at their Mood Disorders Symposium. The chapter also participated in NAMI Walks and three health fairs including the annual Social Security Administration Employee Fair.

Multiple chapter participants have taken on new leadership roles in 2016 including managing community outreach, training, and facilitating.


2016 Rookie Chapter Service Award

DBSA ABQ Metro (NM)

DBSA ABQ Metro was founded by a small group of individuals with a passion to provide support for themselves and others in the local mental health community. Since the formation of their chapter in January of 2016, the leadership skills of DBSA ABQ Metro’s board have strengthened, friendships have grown, and their attendance numbers have doubled.

In order to establish themselves as a community that offers a safe place where people can find hope and feel supported, DBSA ABQ Metro understood the importance of having trained facilitators and effective policies. All of their board members and officers have completed facilitator training and they have proactively created policies to promote safe participation in support group meetings.

A new chapter also has unique challenges in creating a bond between the participants where there is less history to fall back on. DBSA ABQ Metro sought to strengthen friendships by organizing recreational events where people can relate to one another outside of the support group setting. The chapter arranged social trips to places such Shidoni Foundry to watch bronze sculptures being created, White Sands to visit the dunes, and Santa Fe to explore a living art gallery.


2016 Outstanding Leadership Award

Monica Nikel of DBSA GLBT Chicago (IL)

Monica Nikel was elected president of DBSA GLBT Chicago in 2016 and she has been an inspiration to chapter participants ever since. Monica committed herself to retaining the long-time support group participants through her transition from vice president to president as well as recruiting new participants. Part of the recruitment plan included providing participants in their first meeting with a welcome letter and a list of helpful resources such as hotlines, local mental health agencies, and the national office’s website.

While the chapter’s board appreciate Monica’s presence and ability to keep everyone up to date on current events, resolve conflict, and plan events, Monica appreciates the hard work of her fellow board members. Running a chapter is a team effort and she would not want to do it without them.