13th Annual Day at Home a Success!
10/18/2024
Approximately 127 people gathered at the Broadway Ballroom Event Center in Alexandria on October 11th, 2024 to discuss issues surrounding mental health services in Minnesota and in the five-county region. Included in the discussion were Minnesota Senators Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake) and Jordan Rasmusson (R – Fergus Falls), as well as A.J. (John) Peters, candidate for the Minnesota Congressional District 7 seat . They spent the morning discussing the issues with attendees and listening to the personal stories of individuals whose lives have been affected, in some way, by mental illness.
The “13th Annual Day at Home in Region 4” event was sponsored by the Region 4 South Adult Mental Health Consortium. The annual event is designed to bring legislators and their constituents together to engage in constructive dialogue on mental health issues, as well as put a personal face on mental illness in the region. The event also provides a forum to educate people involved with the mental health system on how to effectively interact with their legislators.
Watch the Event Here
The entire event is viewable by clicking on the links below.
Session I
Kesha Anderson-Trinka, Coordinator of the Region 4 South Adult Mental Health Consortium, gave opening remarks and introduced author and keynote speaker Joyce Marter. Ms. Marter has more than 25 years of experience as a therapist counseling clients, is an international speaker, and recently published a new book: The Financial Mindset Fix. Marter’s “professional mission is to remove the shame and stigma from mental health and financial stress and to provide practical tools to heal, recover, thrive, and prosper”
Opening Remarks and Keynote Speaker
Session 2
Sue Abderholden, Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness – Minnesota, gave an update report on the latest progress being made in the legislature regarding mental health funding and programs.
Session 3
Sue Abderholden moderated a dialogue with Minnesota State Senators Torrey Westrom (R – Elbow Lake) and Jordan Rasmusson (R – Fergus Falls), and one candidate running for a legislative seat, A.J. (John) Peters. In addition, numerous individuals shared their personal stories and experiences with mental illness.