News

During the month of April 2011, the Consumer Council System began a nation-wide search for a new Executive Director. A hiring committee was formed and an ad was placed on Monster.com and in several newspapers, as well as being posted on the CCSM website.

Applicants were screened and narrowed down to 7 qualified candidates and interviews were held at the end of May 2011. All but one of the candidates were Maine residents.

The hiring committee then had the daunting task of selecting one of the 7 candidates as the new Executive Director. After 2 weeks of deliberaton, the hiring committee then presented their recommendation to the Statewide Consumer Council for consideration.

At the June 2011 SCC meeting, statewide representatives were presented with the Executive Director recommendation and given time to ask the candidate questions. After careful consideration, the SCC made a final decision and it is with great pleasure that the CCSM announces our new Executive Director, Simonne Maline. Simonne will assume all Executive Director responsibilities on August 15, 2011.

A more detailed article about Simonne will be made available soon and it is to be posted on our website and Facebook. Be on the look out if you would like to learn more about Simonne and her role with the CCSM!

Congratulations Simonne! The CCSM looks forward to having you guide us into the future!

The Consumer Council System of Maine (CCSM) has completed a statewide survey to gather consumer input on the Recovery for ME Guidelines. The data was gathered by holding three regional focus groups and by posting an electronic self-directed survey on our website.

A final report that provides the information collected from these surveys has been completed and submitted to the Office of Adult Mental Health Services (OAMHS) per a contract between OAMHS & CCSM.

This final report is available for public viewing by clicking HERE

A summit meeting was coordinated and held on November 18, 2010 with members of 21 peer and family support programs being invited to attend. The purpose of this meeting was to begin a conversation on how best to work together to enhance peer and family support opportunities in Maine. Below is an update from the summit:

 The Nov. 18^th Summit was a significant success with 37 representatives from peer centers, social clubs, and peer/family recovery and self-help groups attending (also the members of the APFS Steering Committee). The participation was phenomenal, and we're grateful to Craig Freshley for his facilitation skills which afforded everyone a voice and the guidance to bring it all together very clearly. The attendees agreed that an official coalition with a name and a mission should be formed and that another meeting should happen in January. (It was also agreed that AIN should be invited to participate.) The APFS Steering Committee (and any Summit attendee who wished to join in) was asked to draft an action plan based on the Summit discussion and bring it back to the January meeting.  

 The APFS Steering Committee met on Dec. 9^th (its last official meeting) and successfully drafted a proposed action plan and reviewed legislation prepared by NAMI that would designate the Mental Health Community Block Grant funding be used for peer and family supports. Both will be brought to the coalition meeting in January. That meeting will also be facilitated by Craig Freshley. The date/time/location of the meeting will be forthcoming.

To read the summit meeting report, click HERE