Breaking Down Barriers
Removing financial and cultural barriers to Mental Health

Our 1st Annual Breaking Down Barriers Luncheon provides an opportunity to share the mission and initiatives of our organization, as well as shed light on the mental health issues surrounding our community. Our goal is also to raise funds and expand our partnership network in order to better serve our vulnerable populations who need mental health services but face various cultural and financial obstacles to quality care. 

As media coverage expands, so does the realization that the consequences of ignoring mental health needs are damaging not only to the individual but also to families and communities. The costs to our society for untreated mental illness are defined, not only in economic terms, but also in the volume of disability cases, high unemployment figures, homelessness, incarcerations, substance abuse and the most tragic costs: homicides and suicides. Recent reports from Charlotte Mecklenburg county revealed that 20% of our adult population has no usual source of medical care. Although 17% of adults in our community report being diagnosed with depression, 16% of these did not seek care due to cost. Additionally, county surveys revealed that the Affordable Care Act did not solve the problem of accessibility to care as it leaves approximately 56% of our adult residents uninsured and unable to access the mental health services they need. We pledge to help meet the individual needs of our underserved adult population by connecting them to vetted licensed mental health professionals, educating our community on mental health issues and increasing mental health awareness in order to advocate for overall emotional and psychological well-being. Research has proven time and time again that strong mental health contributes to work productivity, employment and housing stability, positive social and family relationships, improved physical health, educational achievement, and greater life satisfaction.

We hope to see you at our First Annual Breaking Down Barriers Luncheon! Your attendance and support will help us make a long-lasting impact at the individual, family and community level. 

This year's keynote speaker is Victor Armstrong, Vice President of Behavioral Health with Atrium Health based in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Victor currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council for Behavioral Health (Secretary/Treasurer), RI International, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) NC, and i2i Center for Integrative Health. He is also former board chair of the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI) NC, and is a member of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS).
​
For Sponsorship information, please contact  Yu-jay Harris  or Gildrette Jones via email. 

Interested in joining us? Register Here or contact Gildrette Jones. Hurry, tables are filling quickly!
If you are unable to attend but wish to support this awareness event and our mental health care initiatives DONATE NOW. 

---

Breaking Down Barriers
Removing financial and cultural barriers to Mental Health

Presenting Sponsors