Community Invited to Mental Health Conference on May 9: Bridging Gaps for Community Health and Wellness

04/24/2025

OXFORD, Ala. — Nearly one in five adults in the U.S. — approximately 59 million people — live with mental illness, according to 2022 data from the National Institute of Mental Health.

On May 9, local mental health advocates will host the annual Out of the Shadows Summit at the Oxford Civic Center, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to raise awareness about mental health in Northeast Alabama. Since its inception in 2017, the summit has been held annually, except during the pandemic.

The event is co-presented by Jacksonville State University’s Social Work Department, the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama, Regional Medical Center, Highland Health Systems, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-Centre Chapter), the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, United Way of East Central Alabama, Bradford Health Services, and St. Michael’s Clinic.

The summit will feature keynote speakers Beverly Johnson, Director of Child and Family Services at the Alabama Department of Mental Health, and syndicated columnist and comedian Joe Hobby. Johnson will share insights from her two decades of experience overseeing child and family programs related to mental health, while Hobby will speak on mental health, hope, and family resilience.

Breakout sessions will cover topics such as:

· Therapist, But Also Human: Breaking Free from the Identity Trap – Katesha Reid, MS, LPC

· The Power of Sound: A New Way to Lead – Danielle Hall, M.Msc

· The Relationship Between Self-Care and Burnout – Herbert Wilkerson, MS, LPC, JSOCC

· Embracing Difficult Conversations – Tricia Nelson, Ed.S, LPC, NCC

· I Walked Across America: The AL2LA Foundation – Robert Luna

· Exercise is Medicine: A Community-Based Approach to Mental Health and Wellness – Tracey Matthews, DPE & Gina Mabrey, PhD

· From Social Worker to Survivor: Navigating the Emotional Impact of Cancer Resilience – Miriam Little, LMSW

· The Power of Social Work: A Journey of Skills, Resilience, and Healing – Leah Ozment, LCSW

· Mental Health en Español: A Perspective for Mental Health Professionals – Isaac Cruz, MS, ALC

· Be the One – American Legion Post 725 Raising Awareness of Mental Health – Kathleen Saucier, MS, LPC, LMHC; David J. Flounders; Connie Lynn Bradstreet; Guy Bradstreet

· Practicing What We Teach – Krystin Cuthrell, ALC, NCC, MS

· THRIVE: An Integrated Care Framework – Mary O'Dell, LICSW, Julie Talley, MS, LBSW, April LaFollette, LMSW, Nanette Mudiam, MSN, RN, Karen Phillips, LICSW-S, PIP

· The Power of Play: The Natural Relationship Between Recreation and Mental Health – Paul Killen, M.Ed

· Mindful Tech: Assistive Technology for Mental Wellness – Ashley McLeroy, MSME

· Bridging the Gap Between Mental Health and Faith – Fred Smith, MPA, CAP

· Understanding and Coping with Mental Health – Edith Couch, S-LPC, NCC, CFAE, RPT™

Registration is $60 for professionals and $5 for the general public. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/out-of-the-shadows-summit-bridging-gaps-for-community-health-and-wellness-tickets-1232385069919?aff=oddtdtcreator. Organizations interested in hosting exhibitor tables may also register.