HOPE 2024: Connection: Honoring Our Diversity
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 8:00-4:00, Augusta Civic Center
The HOPE Conference is a Statewide Recovery/Wellness Conference for persons in recovery from substance abuse use and mental health challenges and Service Providers. It was created to help participants gain a greater understanding of what recovery wellness looks like from the many paths and different perspectives on the journey of life.
The workshops will be based on honoring a broader definition of wellness and restoring our sense of relationships. All workshops will allow for the opportunity to learn from each other, network, and gain greater understanding about recovery and wellness. This year’s theme is meant to focus on how diverse our communities are and can be. We want to look at how we honor and connect all our experiences as a broad peer recovery community. We honor building broader definitions of wellness, diversity and restoring our sense of community. Please join the conversation and explore how this is or can be reflected in systems/services, our individual choices, journeys, and continuing to create a supportive, accepting, and vibrant community
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
Sowing Seeds of Change: A Reflection on Revolutionizing Behavioral Health Systems through Diversity and Belonging – Vesper Moore
Join us for an enlightening keynote session, where we explore the pivotal role of diversity and belonging in reshaping behavioral health systems. In a world where trauma recovery and emotional wellbeing is paramount, understanding the transformative power of diverse perspectives becomes essential. Our speaker will guide us through an insightful journey, unraveling how embracing diversity within behavioral health systems leads to a more comprehensive understanding and a richer tapestry of solutions. Real-world examples and compelling narratives will showcase the profound impact of diversity, not just as a benefit but as a catalyst for redefining the landscape of behavioral health care.
Eliminating Disparities and Building Health Equity: The Role of People in Recovery – Haner Hernández, PhD, CPS, CADCII, LADCI
This presentation will explore the development of disparities in the US and their impacts on racialized and marginalized communities. Utilizing a social justice framework, the participants will learn about the role of people in recovery in building health equity and community engagement. Participants will also learn about approaches and strategies grounded in cultural humility and other tools designed to improve outcomes and eliminate health disparities.
ABOUT THE KEYNOTES
Vesper Moore is an Indigenous political activist, leader, organizer, public speaker, and educator in the radical mental health and disability rights movements. Vesper concentrates on building social movements and public knowledge to facilitate and sustain systems change. They have supported the development of mental health organizations in different parts of the world and have fought to uplift civil rights in the United States. Vesper has brought the perspectives of disabled people and people with mental health challenges to national and international spaces with their advocacy. Vesper works with both the United States government and the United Nations in shaping strategies around trauma, intersectionality, and disability rights. They have been at the forefront of legislative reform to shift the societal paradigm surrounding mental health.
Haner Hernandez, PhD, CPS, CADCII, LADCI is Puerto Rican, bilingual and has worked for over 36 years in the health and human service field developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally and linguistically intelligent youth and adult health prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support programs. He is a master trainer and facilitator and provides individualized technical assistance and support to organizations that provide Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, and gambling prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery supports. Also, Dr. Hernández has over 30 years of experience in delivering mental health services, addiction counseling, and clinical supervision to professionals in the field.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Additional information
Contact Hours –You may collect your certificate of attendance as you depart.
Lodging for one night is available to peers/consumers who travel more than 130 miles one way within the state of Maine to attend. Please contact Simonne Maline – [email protected] for information.
Mileage – Peers/consumers traveling 150+ miles round trip are eligible for mileage reimbursement (must be traveling in your own vehicle, within the state of Maine, and not receiving reimbursement from another organization). Mileage reimbursement forms will be available at the conference. Peers/consumers who travel less than 150 miles round trip and are not being reimbursed by another agency are eligible to participate in a raffle for one of five $25 gas cards. Participants receiving mileage reimbursement are not eligible for the gas card raffle.
Carpooling is recommended for organizations. Participants who are traveling less than 150 miles round trip to the conference will be eligible to enter a raffle for one of five $25 gas cards.
Food – A menu that is shellfish-free, peanut and tree nut-free, and gluten-free and vegetarian options will be provided.
Special Accommodations – We will do our best to respond to reasonable requests. Please contact Simonne Maline [email protected]g or by phone at 207-430-8300 by April 26, 2024, with any accommodation requests. For language interpretation services, please contact Simonne as soon as possible and let us know which workshops you plan to attend.
Book Table – Kelly’s Books To-Go will be available. Checks, Visa, MC, or Discover are accepted.
To register by fax and pay at the door, please print and complete the Registration form and fax it to 207-878-6172. If registering by fax, you will be responsible for paying the registration fee at the door. There is no registration by mail for this event. For registration questions, contact [email protected] | 207-878-6170
Cancellation Policy – There will be no refunds provided for canceled registrations. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact [email protected] | 207-878-6170
This conference is presented by the Consumer Council System of Maine.
Link to view workshop descriptions: https://ccsme.org/hope-2024-workshop-descriptions/.
FAQs
Will there be lunch options for those with allergies or dietary restrictions?
All meal options will be shellfish-free, peanut-free, and tree nut-free. There will be gluten-free and vegetarian options provided.
Is there another way I can register?
There is no option to register by mail this year. Registration can be completed here online or by fax to 207-878-6172. If registering by fax, you will be responsible for paying the registration fee at the door. For registration questions, contact [email protected] | 207-878-6170.
What is the cancellation policy?
There will be no refunds for cancellations. If you need to cancel your registration, contact [email protected] | 207-878-6170
Can I get mileage reimbursed?
Mileage is reimbursed for peers/consumers using their own vehicle to travel 150+ miles round trip within the state of Maine and who are not receiving reimbursement from another organization. Mileage reimbursement forms will be available at the conference.
Who can enter the gas card raffle?
Anyone traveling less than 150 miles to the conference can enter the raffle for one of five $25 gas cards. Those receiving mileage reimbursement (from HOPE or other organization) are not eligible to enter to the gas card raffle.
Can I have hotel or lodging reimbursed?
Lodging for one night is available to peers/consumers who travel more than 130 miles one way within the state of Maine to attend. Please contact Simonne Maline – [email protected] for information.
Where do I find descriptions for each workshop?
The HOPE 2024 Workshop Descriptions can be found at HOPE 2024 Workshop Descriptions. Please select one workshop for each session to attend.
