Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Black Community

We bring you a quarterly informative wellness series - the Together We Will Heal forum - that talks about mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as the general well-being of African Americans. CTAAFSC’s vision is to educate the African American community on these topics and to provide resources for black mental health. Over two decades and counting, we have been doing this with the help of the community and organizations by meeting annually at the CTAASFC. We want to continue these conversations every month. #TogetherWeWillHeal. #TogetherWeWillGrow.

Speakers

Shannon Carr, PSS, MHPS, has dedicated over 20 years as the Executive Director of Austin Mental Health Community (AMHC), where she leads efforts to provide peer support for adults facing mental health challenges, substance use issues, and homelessness. In addition to her work at AMHC, Shannon currently serves as the Program Committee Chair for the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference (CTAAFSC) and is a member of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Joint Committee on Access and Forensic Services (JCAFS). She has also held leadership roles on the Mayor’s Mental Health Task Force and the Austin Independent School District’s School Health Advisory Council, among other stakeholder committees where she can advocate for peer support, wellness and recovery. Drawing from her own personal recovery journey, Shannon is also a wife, mother of four, motivational speaker, church ministry leader, gospel singer, and manager of Harmony Gospel. Additionally, she enjoys her past time as a travel agent and event planner, balancing her professional advocacy with her passion for family and community.

Vicky Coffee is the Director of   Foundation Initiatives at the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. She has committed more than 30 years to increasing awareness, offering services, and enhancing systems to support individuals, youth and families living with mental health conditions in Texas.

Mr. Willie Williams has over 50 years of experience in the development, direction and implementation of mental health; intellectual and developmental disability and substance use policies and programs designed to the meet the needs of critical target populations. He has a history of forging diverse collaborative relationships that foster respect and inclusion.

Elliott Phillip Niblack is a Certified Mental Health and Recovery Peer Specialist (MHPS) and Empathetic Communication Systems Specialist (ECSS). He works as the Director of Peer Services at The D. Wood Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting mental health advocacy and suicide awareness in minority communities. It is here he created the blueprint for their Near Age Peer Support program, an endeavor that trains students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities to become Mental Health Peer Specialists who serve their fellow students. The nationally recognized program has been awarded grants by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Innovative Healing Centered Projects. Elliott is driven by his ongoing successful lived experience navigating the diagnosis of Bipolar type II, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,  and a history of opioid misuse.