NAMI Utah Says Good Bye and Good Luck to Staff Member, Liz Felt

One of NAMI Utah’s amazing mental health champions and mentors, Liz Felt, is leaving us for a new position with UNI’s Mobile Crisis Team.

Liz first became involved with NAMI when she was asked by a friend to speak to her Family-to-Family class about her experience with mental illness. Liz fell in love with the support and empathy the class members provided for each other and their family members. She took BRIDGES, loved it, and began volunteering by teaching BRIDGES in the Salt Lake County Jail. Liz was soon hired by NAMI Utah as a Consumer Mentor and held that position for six years! She co-facilitated the Utah Mental Heath Recovery Network (our consumer council), taught in the Salt Lake County Jail, she has overseen the Artists’ Project and supported artists thriving in the art community, was a huge advocate and supporter of NAMI (and still will be I'm sure!!) and served as a mentor on Valley Mental Health’s Jail Diversion Outreach Team.

While we will surely miss her here at NAMI, we know that Liz will continue to do fantastic work as part of the crisis team at UNI. We couldn’t be more excited for her new position, or sadder that she will no longer grace our office with her wonderful energy and positive attitude! We love you Liz!!

Valley Mental Health Expands Services

 Release from Valley Mental Health:

SALT LAKE CITY, Mar. 13, 2012 – Valley Mental Health, Inc., a private, non-profit organization providing and promoting accessible, quality behavioral and physical health care, has expanded its service offerings by launching assertive community-based outreach teams. Serving adults and children, these teams bring mental health and substance abuse services directly to people in need – no matter where they are.

“Assertive, community-based outreach teams are a return to Valley’s past, as well as an example of how we will grow in the future,” said Gary Larcenaire, president and CEO of Valley Mental Health. “These teams allow us to meet the needs of the people we are entrusted to serve in their own communities.”

With the client as the center of the team, the adult Assertive Outreach Team is designed to promote clients’ growth and recovery, while enhancing their personal, family and community life. Together the clients and team work to reduce barriers, facilitate access, and increase the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain individual desired outcomes and aspirations.

The children’s i-WRAP Team (intensive wrap-around services) strives to reduce the frequency and duration of acute and long-term hospitalizations, residential placements and higher levels of care, while improving the quality of life of children and their families.

Based in the community, the teams consist of medical staff, social workers, therapists, case managers, family advocates and peer specialists. They will use assessments, questionnaires, surveys and other quantifiable methods to measure outcomes.

About Valley Mental Health

Valley Mental Health is a not-for-profit organization that serves Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties. Since 1987, we have provided comprehensive treatment and services for people of all ages who are experiencing serious mental illnesses, substance use disorders and behavior problems. We believe people are best served in the least restrictive setting where care is tailored to the individual's needs, with families and community partners playing an important role in a person's recovery.  For more information please see www.vmh.com.