Sen. Brian A. Joyce Sponsors Department of Mental Health Citizen's Legislative Breakfast

Editor's note: The following is a press release:

Senator Brian A. Joyce recently sponsored the annual Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Metro Southeast Area Citizens’ Legislative Breakfast in the Great Hall at the State House in Boston. The event provided an opportunity for people with a mental illness, their family members, providers and advocates to interact with state legislators.
 
“In recent years we have seen positive changes in the recognition and treatment of mental illness,” said Senator Brian A. Joyce.  “But what has not changed is my commitment to recovery and to creating hope.”
 
“This is an opportunity for the mental health community—consumers, families, providers and advocates—to meet with their legislators, thank them for their support and discuss with them the many services DMH provides to individuals with serious mental illness,” said DMH Commissioner Marcia Fowler.
 
The theme of this year’s DMH breakfast series was “Community First and Our Future.”  The personal stories shared by DMH consumers and their families served as the event’s centerpiece. Their experiences put a face on mental illness, and demonstrated that treatment works and remind us that people with mental illness can achieve important accomplishments and most importantly, recover and lead satisfying and productive lives.
 
More than 200 people including legislators, consumers, family members and advocates and providers attended the breakfast.