Mental health issues, COVID impact to be discussed

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read

On Tuesday, the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will host McNabb Center and NAMI leaders to discuss mental health issues and the impact of COVID-19.

Mental health and the impact of COVID-19 will be discussed at Tuesday's online meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.
Mental health and the impact of COVID-19 will be discussed at Tuesday's online meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

This virtual event, to be held at noon via Zoom, features co-presenters Candace Allen, senior director of Adult Intensive Mental Health Services at the Helen Ross McNabb Center, and Jennifer Phillips, director of the Knox Adult and Anderson Outpatient Services for the Center. These two professionals will provide a brief history of the McNabb Center and discuss the incarceration of individuals with mental illness and drug addiction diagnoses, according to a League news release. They are expected to provide an overview of programs and a shift in thinking about how to care for these individuals. Finally, they will explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health in Tennessee.

Kathy Martin, chair of NAMI Oak Ridge (National Alliance on Mental Illness), will co-host the discussion. NAMI Oak Ridge serves the municipalities of Anderson County in East Tennessee.

Members and regular attendees receive a Zoom link for the luncheons, as well as information about upcoming programs, via email. Guests are welcome to participate and may request the link by contacting Mary Ann Reeves (maryannreeves1@att.net). Anyone not familiar with Zoom meetings may go to https://support.zoom.us, then scroll down to frequently asked questions. Several days after each event, attendees may view the recorded session on the League’s website (https://my.lwv.org/tennessee/oak-ridge).

The League welcomes members and nonmembers alike to all its first and third Tuesday noon Zoom gatherings.

The McNabb Center is a nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, social and victim services. By focusing on an individual’s “Well Mind, Well Being,” they provide a quality and compassionate approach to care from infancy through adulthood. Since 1948, the Center has proudly served individuals with the most needs and fewest resources. Today, the McNabb Center delivers support to more than 36,750 people throughout East Tennessee each year.

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is a nonpartisan political organization for men and women. It encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Mental health issues, COVID impact to be discussed