Nominations sought for 'Most Valuable Voice Award'

This year's second annual "Most Valuable Voice Awards," sponsored by Family Voices Network of Erie County and its community partners, are fast approaching.

Deadline to submit a nomination is April 3. All nominees will have their pictures taken and published. The winner will be announced on May 8 at the Erie County Children's Mental Health Awareness Luncheon at the Buffalo Convention Center.

This is an opportunity for an individual or an organization to nominate those in Erie County who support and promote family resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families.

There are three Most Valuable Voice awards. The nominations are open to everyone within Erie County. Visit the Erie County Department of Mental Health Web site to download the nomination form and submit. Link to the form: http://www.erie.gov/ communityevents/. To have a form mailed, call Jennifer Klock at 898-3231.

The award honors the individual in each of three categories who has done the most to increase attention to the needs of children in Erie County with serious mental health needs and who exemplifies the teamwork central to the service philosophy of Family Voices Network.

Family Voices Network of Erie County is a partnership of government, service providers and community organizations with families to promote self-sufficiency of children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. It is partly funded through a Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and their Families grant, a SAMHSA initiative first authorized in 1992.

Erie County is currently one of 61 grant communities across the country that are helping transform the way in which treatment and care are provided to children, youth and families.