News and Notes
Opening Doors Dinner 2012
Silent Auction action
On April 12, 2012, MHMR Visions hosted its 5th annual Opening Doors Dinner on the beautiful patio at Joe T. Garcia's' restaurant.
This event draws guests from throughout the community. It raises funds for client services here at MHMR but it is much more than that.
Its purpose is to educate the public about the vital role MHMR plays in the lives of the people of Tarrant County. This year, Julie Laughlin,
Program Director, from the Campus a Place for Recovery, formerly TYRC, introduced a teenage boy who was about to graduate from the residential program.
He spoke about his recovery and his plans to stay clean and sober in the future. Many people reached out to shake his hand and gave him words of support
when he concluded.
Glen Whitley, Tarrant County Judge; Dr. Jim McDermott; Sergio De Leon, Justice of the Peace, Pct. 5
OPENING DOORS LEADER HONOREE: Jim McDermott
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Opening Doors Leader Award to Dr. Jim McDermott, CEO, MHMR of Tarrant County. Dr. McDermott was recognized for his vision, leadership and commitment in the fields of mental health and intellectual disabilities.
Over the years, our community has benefited tremendously from his inspirational leadership, his positive spirit and his relentless quest to create a community-focused system of care that has provided the impetus for many of the service improvements in the local health and human services systems. Jim McDermott truly embodies the spirit of the Opening Doors Leader Award for his tireless commitment and visionary leadership to the mental health and intellectual development fields for over two decades.
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Opening Doors 2011
MHMR Visions Salutes Judge Brent Carr at 2011 Opening Doors Dinner
MHMR Visions held its fourth annual Opening Doors Dinner on April 12, 2011. The event supports services that enhance the mental health and intellectual development of people in the Tarrant County area.
Judge Brent Carr, Tarrant County Criminal Court Nine, was honored with the Opening Doors Leader award. Judge Carr recognized that many people who suffered from mental illness were receiving criminal punishment instead of the mental health treatment. He was honored for his outstanding vision and leadership in establishing the Mental Health Diversion Court. The court redirects people with mental impairments and illnesses, who are accused of nonviolent crimes, into appropriate treatment rather than the criminal justice system.
Judge Carr also established the Mental Health Coordinators Office to assist all Tarrant County courts in dealing with mentally ill defendants. He has also been a major contributor to the Outpatient Competency Restoration Program administered by MHMR of Tarrant County. Most recently, Judge Carr worked with the Veterans Administration to establish a Veterans Court to assist veterans with mental health and substance abuse issues.
The dinner and silent auction took place on the beautiful patio at Joe T. Garcia’s restaurant. The Event Committee Chairman was Dustin Van Orne.
MHMR of Tarrant County has been a provider of quality mental health and mental retardation services in Tarrant County since its inception in 1969. The center serves over 33,500 individuals each year who are some of the most severely and chronically disabled in this community. This dinner is the only fundraising event MHMR Visions sponsors each year. Proceeds from the event help sustain and enhance client services. |
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Opening Doors Dinner 2011, April 12, 2011.
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Opening Doors 2010
MHMR Visions Board Chair, Scot Pierce, Patsy Thomas,
and CEO of MHMR of Tarrant County, Dr. Jim McDermott
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MHMR Visions Honors Patsy Thomas with the 2010 Opening Doors Leader Award
MHMR Visions Honors Patsy Thomas with the 2010 Opening Doors Leader Award. Patsy
Thomas, BA, MS has a wide array of experience and accomplishments in community issues
both professionally and as a volunteer. She has worked in the fields of education,
crime prevention, youth services, juvenile justice, health care, and mental health
care. She has served as the Executive Director of the Crime Commission and has led
or participated in numerous community issues including Tarrant County’s Gang Task
Force Strategic Plan and Fort Worth’s Crime Control and Prevention District.
For her work on behalf of people with behavioral health needs, Ms. Thomas has been
selected as the Opening Doors Leader for 2010. Since 2002, Ms. Thomas has served
as President of the Mental Health Connection (MHC), a collaboration of public and
private agencies and individuals working to revolutionize the local mental health
delivery system. Its vision is to create No Wrong Door to the Right Mental Health
Resources.
Under her leadership local agencies implemented a web-based client information-sharing
database to decrease the number of times families had to tell their stories and
increase the speed of access to services. Anti-stigma campaigns targeted adolescents
and the Fine Line Mental Health/Mental Illness photographic exhibit advanced understanding
for 75,000 individuals who attend the exhibit and lectures. MHC and TCU have collaborated
on symposia focused on bridging the gap between research, practice and policy to
improve the mental health system at the community level. Patsy Thomas embodies the
spirit of the Opening Doors award through her vision, leadership and commitment
to persons with mental illness.
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Host Committee:
- Alexander/Bell
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Terri and Luke Ellis
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Richard and Susan Garnett
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JPS Health Network-Partners Together for Health
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MHMR of Tarrant County
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Participating Community Pharmacists
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Southwest Bank
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Jim and Linda Teague
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Texas and Tarrant County Elected Officials
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Special thanks to:
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2010 Opening Doors Dinner
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2010 Opening Doors Dinner Invitation designed by Concept Culture
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Una Bailey, Sandra Kautz, and Margaret DeMoss
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Linda Teague, Barbara McDermott, and MHMRTC Deputy CEO, Susan Garnett
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Carolyn Sims, Betty Rowland, and Pat Cheong
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MHMR Visions Board Members: Dustin Van Orne, Carol Record and Sally Burt
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MHMR of Tarrant County Board of Trustees member, Elva LeBlanc and Lea Ann Capel, Board Chair.
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Bob Lansford and MHMRTC Board of Trustees member, Jim Teague
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The Thomas family
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MHMRTC Board of Trustees member, Linda Harman and husband, Robert Harman
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MHMR Visions Vice-Chair Sergio DeLeon and State Representative Chris Turner
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Renee Mesecher and Roy Rimmer
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MHMRTC Chief of Mental Health Services, Sonja Gaines and MHMR Board of Trustees member, Elaine Klos.
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Addiction Services Program Director, Dee Browne and Director of Addiction Services, Margie Blake.
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CEO of MHMRTC, Dr. Jim McDermott with a few of The Liberty House residents.
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Mariachis at Joe T. Garcias
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Opening Doors 2009
Dr. Jim McDermott, Linda Teague, Scot Pierce, and Jim Teague
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MHMR Visions Honors Jim and Linda Teague with the 2009 Opening Doors Leader Award.
Jim and Linda Teague are lifelong advocates and influential leaders on behalf of people with mental retardation. As the parents of two daughters with intellectual disabilities, they have devoted their lives to assuring life enhancing and meaningful opportunities for people who are some of the most severely and chronically disabled in this community.
Jim Teague began his commitment to MHMR of Tarrant County over twenty years ago as a member of its Volunteer Service Council. He has served on the Board of Trustees since 2004 and is chairman of the MHMR Board Business Committee. Jim is a longtime member of the Parent Association for the Retarded of Texas.
Linda Teague served as chairman of the MHMR Public Responsibility Committee, as president of the Child Study Center Auxiliary, and, for nine years, was a member of the Camp Summit board. The camp provides a summer camping experience each year for 800 children and adults with special needs. Linda has been instrumental in the success of the Camp Summit Annual Golf Tournament for the past 15 years. She is also a member of the Camp Summit Capital Campaign Committee, working to raise money for the relocation of the camp.
Together, Jim and Linda Teague truly embody the spirit of the Opening Doors Award through their vision, leadership, and commitment to persons with disabilities.
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Host Committee:
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Jack L. Benson
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Terri and Luke Ellis
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First Rate, Inc.
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MHMR of Tarrant County
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Perdue, Brackett, Flores, Utt & Burn, J.V.
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Tarrant County Elected Officials
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Jim and Linda Teague
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Teague Lumber Company
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WWB HealthCare Associates
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Special Thanks to Besty Hedden for sponsoring
We Have a Voice Acting Company
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2009 Opening Doors Dinner
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Luke & Terri Ellis and Francis & Sergio DeLeon
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MHMRTC Director of MR Services, Mel Hughes, MHMRTC
Board of Trustees
member, Linda Harman, and CEO of MHMRTC, Dr. Jim McDermott
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Wendy & Clint Burgess and MHMR Visions Board member, Sergio DeLeon
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Tarrant County Judge, Glen Whitley with Event Honoree,Jim Teague
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Mike Llewellyn, MHMR Visions Executive Director, Nikki Hatley and Steve Wells
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Carolyn Sims, Barbara McDermott and Lynda Maenius
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Pam Herrmann, Maureen Wood, Linda Teague, Donna Thomason
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MHMR Visions Board member, Terri Ellis with Paul and Jane Graham
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Marlene and Jim Beckman
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We Have a Voice Acting Company
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MHMRTC CFO, Donna Martin and the item she won during the silent auction.
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