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Greetings from the Conference Committee Chair
Welcome to the 18
th
Annual GACSB Educational Exchange!
This year’s theme,
Journey Towards Excellence
, certainly reflects our journey as comprehensive
community providers of
Recovery Oriented
Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability
services. FY 2015 DBHDD Core Provider Initiative has been a roller coaster ride to improve the
“
safety net
” providers with key performance indicators to measure access, quality, efficiency, and
fiscal accountability. The challenge of
change
within our agencies on this journey to excellence
has been exhilarating as well as exhausting!
Please take time to review the display of amazing entries for our second Educational Exchange
Logo Contest. An invitation was extended to individuals receiving service across CSBs. We would
like to give special recognition to our first, second, and third place winners: Sheila Whidby,
Oconee CSB; Holly Hodges, Aspire BHDD; Monteletha Dixon, New Horizons.
A large number of vendors and sponsors are in attendance again this year! Please plan on visiting
and conferring with our vendors and sponsors, many of whom have generously supported this
event.
Three strong tracks are open to all attendees: Board/Management track presenters include
Michael Flora with MTM and Michael Garrett with Horizons Mental Health Center from Kansas;
Clinical track focusing on Suicide: Core Skills Assessment and Management provided by Dr. Bill
Schmitz, Jr; Tt Intellectual/Developmental Disability track presenters include Dr. Joseph McEvoy,
Dr. Bryan Daque and Michell Robison.
Join us on Sunday afternoon for the Kick‐Off Plenary with Kevin Hines (Cracked; But not Broken)
and Roland Behm as Kevin shares his amazing story and Roland provides opportunities for
Georgia to address Suicide Prevention. Plan to join us Monday morning for the Keynote address
by Dr. Linda Wiant from the Department of Community Health and Monday’s Plenary Luncheon
featuring Commissioner Frank Berry, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities. Other plenary speakers include Michael Johnson with CARF
International and Chuck Ingoglia with National Council for Behavioral Health.
The plenary sessions and workshops will provide CMEs/CEUs to maintain professional
designations for Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists,
Professional Counselors, Addiction Counselors, and Nurses.
Our goal is for each to gain knowledge, energy, as well as, feeding your spirit so that we may
return home to accept the on‐going challenge of providing healthy foundations for building
communities, building lives for individuals and families we serve!
Chateau Elan is a beautiful place to rest, relax and renew! Enjoy!!! God Bless!
Warmest Regards!
Kay N. Brooks, EdD, LPC
2015 GACSB Educational Exchange Chairperson