“As part of the Whole Health Action Wellness Management Campaign, Ware Day Services Peer Support Program and staff participated in a six week, Cooking Matters course March through April. This project originated through the Open Hands Atlanta Program to increase healthy eating practices via education and hands on experiences. Their objective is to increase access to fresh, healthy foods for all Georgians, while supporting our local farmers and driving dollars back into the local food economy. Jodi Daley, Cooking Matters Satellite Coordinator, came each week and encouraged peers through choosing healthy food options, educating, and demonstrating/preparing healthy matters recipes. Jodi engaged with Peers and staff with choosing and preparing meals to allow for hands on experiences in healthy options on a budget. At the end of the six weeks peers and staff were given a certificate of completion and a Cooking Matters cookbook full of healthy recipes, kitchen safety basics, practical nutrition, and shopping with strategies for low budgets. The peers and staff enjoyed this time and the chance to increase knowledge in skills to live a healthy and happy life.”

-Sonda Sperzel, Ware Day Services Peer Support

These pictures are of the garden planted at our Cypress Hill Group Home in Alma. Every year clients give input regarding what they want in the garden and they get to help water the plants. This year the garden features corn, eggplants, squash, cabbage, sweet potatoes and banana peppers! Staff at Cypress Hill also can food for the clients so they can enjoy it year round.

Georgia Association of Community Service Boards, MACON, GA—Earlier this week, the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards (GACSB) convened for their annual strategic planning session and special meeting. During the day-long event, the GACSB Board of Directors met to discuss the current healthcare landscape, develop the organization’s strategic plan for the year, and to elect new officers to represent the Community Service Boards for the next fiscal year.

Oglethorpe timber farmer and landscape designer and Board Chair for Advantage Behavioral Health Systems, David Kidd and Chief Superior Court Judge of the Pataula Judicial Circuit and Board Representative for Aspire Behavioral Health, Judge Joe C. Bishop were elected as President and Vice President, respectively, for the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards Governing Boards (GACSB) during the organization’s last meeting. Kidd and Bishop will serve two-year terms as GACSB Officers. They will be at the helm of the GACSB’s mission to promote the exchange of information, represent members on legislative matters and advocate for the highest quality of life for consumers of mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases services.

Judge Joe Bishop’s Circuit serves Terrell, Randolph, Clay, Quitman, Miller, Seminole and Early Counties. He was appointed on May 16, 1991 by Governor Zell Miller, and has served as a Superior Court Judge for 26 years. Prior to his appointment, he practiced law for 10 years in Dawson, Georgia, and was the Juvenile Court Judge for Terrell County. Bishop served Darton State college as an adjunct professor, teaching Business Law and Criminal Law. He received his B.F.A degree from Valdosta State University with honors in Speech Communication and his J.D. from the University Of Georgia School Of Law. Judge Bishop has been an active member of the Aspire Behavioral Health Governing Board for more than a year, as the elected official appointed by the Terrell County Board of Commissioners.

Residing in Oglethorpe County, David Kidd has been an active Chairman of the Advantage Behavioral Health System Governing Board for 2 years. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and resides in Oglethorpe with his wife Jane V. Kidd. Together, the Kidds have two children and three grandchildren. David Kidd has over 30 years of volunteer experience with a number of mental health and addictive disease service agencies.

Judge Joe Bishop will be stepping into the Vice President role to replace Lowell Williamson from Unison Behavioral Health. Williamson has served as both President and Vice President for the GACSB for 6 years, collectively, and has been a GACSB Board Member since 2011. David Kidd will be assuming the role of President from Gail Macrenaris from View Point Health. Macrenaris has also served in both the President and Vice President offices for the Association for 5 years, and has been a GACSB Board Member Since 2011. Both Williamson and Macrenaris continue to serve with the GACSB Board of Directors.

“It will be a pleasure to represent our public safety net with Mr. Kidd and Judge Bishop. I know they share my passion for helping others and that they believe in strong partnerships with our state offices and our local stakeholders,” Executive Director for the GACSB, Robyn Garrett stated. “I am blessed for the opportunity to have worked with both Gail and Lowell and cannot thank them enough for their support, both personally and professionally.”

The GACSB is governed by a 49-member board that includes one board representative and Chief Executive Officer from each of the Community Service Boards.

SMT congratulates Accountability Court staff on their hard work to meet their service delivery targets. We appreciate Stephonie Goddard and her staff on meeting our consumers needs! Pictured are some of the team.