Champions for Mental Health – 2024 Winners Posted on August 30, 2024August 30, 2024 Clinicians, Trainers, Educators, Mentors: Elaine de Mello and Cassie Yackley Named 2024 Champions for Mental Health 18th Annual Awards Ceremony Honors Outstanding Leaders in Mental Health Riverbend Community Mental Health is honoring Elaine de Mello, LICSW, and Dr. Cassie Yackley for decades of service to New Hampshire’s system of mental health care, by naming them each as a 2024 Champion for Mental Health. In addition to significant clinical work, both women have built systems, established trainings and curriculums, forged partnerships, and generously shared their knowledge and passion with current practitioners and future leaders in the mental health field. Riverbend Community Mental Health provides comprehensive mental health care services to residents of 30 central New Hampshire communities. Each year, through its Champions for Mental Health event, the organization recognizes individuals or organizations that advocate for greater access to mental health services; contribute extraordinary time, talent or treasure to improve the lives of people with mental illness; or publicly give voice to those with mental illness, helping eliminate the stigma and stereotypes that can surround the disease. “Elaine de Mello and Cassie Yackley embody the finest examples of leadership and committed care that those of us working in New Hampshire’s mental health system understand is essential to helping the many people who come through our doors,” said Lisa K. Madden, President & CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health. “Beyond their important clinical care – care that has changed many individuals’ lives – their work growing the knowledge base and reinforcing best practices in our field by sharing that knowledge with others is exemplary. Through their individual professional pathways, these outstanding women have worked alongside corrections systems, schools and higher education institutions, community clinics, law enforcement, and the military, among other entities. Their contributions toward creating systems, providing specialized training, and finding better ways to integrate services has led to more sustainable programs and inspired other leaders, managers, and staff – benefiting our statewide system of care.” Elaine de Mello, a Sanbornton resident, is the Director of Suicide Prevention Services at NAMI New Hampshire (National Alliance on Mental Illness). A licensed clinical social worker, she has served as a clinical program manager in inpatient, emergency services, and community settings since 1978, including 18 years at Lakes Region Mental Health Center. Throughout a 25-year career at NAMI NH, Elaine played a lead role in the development of the Connect Suicide Prevention and Postvention Program, a nationally recognized best practice program. For the last 20 years, de Mello has been providing training and consultation in mental health and suicide prevention to state and tribal entities, community coalitions, schools and campuses, health and behavioral health care facilities and military and paramilitary organizations throughout the US, Pacific Islands and Canada. Nationally she has assisted with Zero Suicide Academies and served as a Psychological Autopsy Investigator. She serves as a master trainer for Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) and assisted in the development of CALM Conversations. In New Hampshire, she serves as a trainer for the NH Police Standards and Training Council; spent 18 years on the faculty of Plymouth State University; and serves on the NH Suicide Fatality Review Committee and the NH Suicide Prevention Council. She has co-chaired the NH Youth Suicide Prevention Assembly since 2003. She continues to provide training and consultation around the country. “This work is much more than a job; it’s a mission,” said de Mello. “I am grateful for the wisdom and support I have received from others on this profound journey, and I am continually inspired by people who persevere against all odds. You are all a gift!” Dr. Cassie Yackley (she, her) is a leader in building trauma-responsive communities of care in northern New England. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Cassie has worked across multiple systems (Community Mental Health, Law Enforcement, Child Protection & Juvenile Justice, Education, Corrections, and Residential Treatment) to address the impact of traumatic exposure on children, families, and systems and to implement integrated, trauma-responsive systems of care. Cassie is a licensed psychologist, master trainer, and directs the Center for Trauma-Responsive Practice Change—a New Hampshire nonprofit dedicated to promoting a trauma-responsive system of care for children and families throughout New England. Dr. Yackley also directs the NH Child-Parent Psychotherapy Provider Network, which is, with the help of its partners, creating and increasing access to Child-Parent Psychotherapy, the only evidence-based mental health treatment for children 0-6 and their families who have been exposed to trauma available at scale in NH. Through her work with the CPP Provider Network, she has worked with early childhood state-leaders to develop an infrastructure to sustain this network of providers across a three-state area: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont. “I am grateful for this recognition of my work as a mental health provider and advocate in New Hampshire over the past twenty years,” said Yackley, a resident of Bradford. “I share the honor of receiving Riverbend’s Champions for Mental Health Award with so many of my colleagues and community that have partnered alongside me to make systematic changes to improve New Hampshire’s mental health system. Receiving the Champions for Mental Health Award is a major honor in and of itself for any mental health advocate. For me, it is especially meaningful. I began my career as a psychologist at Riverbend’s Children’s program and directed its doctoral internship program for several years. For my career to have come full circle and receive the Champions for Mental Health Award from Riverbend is an incredible honor,” she added. Riverbend will be honoring de Mello and Yackley at its upcoming Champions for Mental Health event on Tuesday, October 22 at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord. The annual ceremony shines a light on the importance of mental health and broadens community engagement around supporting Riverbend and the entire community mental health system in New Hampshire. EVENT DETAILS CHAMPIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH Where: Bank of NH Stage 16 S. Main Street Concord, NH 03301 When: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 5:30 – 6 p.m. – Reception 6 – 7 p.m. – Ceremony & Awards Presentation Tickets & Registration Sponsorship Information: To support Riverbend or be part of the event, contact Riverbend’s Community Affairs Office at: development@riverbendcmhc.org. ### Celebrating 60 years of hope and healing, Riverbend Community Mental Health is a private non-profit and one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services for children, adults, and their families in central New Hampshire. Close to 6,000 children, families and adults are served annually. Core services include 24/7 emergency services; counseling services; comprehensive community and school-based services for children; addiction recovery services; and community support, vocational services, and residential programs for adults and seniors. For more information, visit www.riverbendcmhc.org, or follow @RiverbendCMHC on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
