15th Annual Day at Home Breaks Attendance Record!

Nearly 170 people gathered at the Broadway Ballroom Event Center in Alexandria to discuss mental health services in Minnesota and the five-county region. Minnesota Legislators Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) and Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake) spent the morning discussing the issues with attendees and listening to the personal stories of individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness.

The “15th Annual Day at Home in Region 4” was sponsored by the Region 4 South Mental Health Consortium. The event brings legislators and constituents together for constructive dialogue on mental health and puts a personal face on mental illness in the region. It also teaches people involved with the mental health system how to interact effectively with their legislators.

Watch the Event Here

The event is viewable by clicking on the link below.

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Session I

Kesha Anderson-Trinka, Administrator of the Region 4 South Adult Mental Health Consortium, gave opening remarks and introduced keynote speaker Sam Eaton. Eaton is an author, speaker, and founder of Recklessly Alive, a suicide prevention organization sprinting toward a world with zero deaths by suicide. Sam has spoken at over two hundred and fifty events throughout the U.S. sharing his story of battling depression and suicidal thoughts. Sam holds a master’s degree in educational leadership which he utilized to create the Recklessly Alive Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to bringing mental health awareness to young people.

Session 2

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Minnesota gives an update report on the latest progress being made in the legislature regarding mental health funding and programs. A dialogue with Minnesota State Representative Mary Franson (R – Alexandria) and Senator and Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake) followed. In addition, numerous individuals shared their personal stories and experiences with mental illness.