Scholarship
Melissa Wilkinson DeHaven Conference Scholarship
With this award, the Institute for Best Practices will use scholarship funds to support travel and registration to attend a local or national conference. Those traveling to a North Carolina conference will receive up to $600 in scholarship funds, and those traveling to a national conference will receive up to $1200 in scholarship funds to support their attendance. Registration will be paid directly, and we will pay as much of the travel costs in advance to minimize hardships for the awardees. Those accepting awards must agree to allow us to publicly post their name, award, conference attendance, and picture on our website and social media account.
Eligible candidates are those working within North Carolina (NC) Individual Placement and Support (IPS) teams, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, Community Support Teams (CSTs) with priority to non-leadership staff, particularly those in the employment specialist and/or peer specialist roles.
Award Recipients
By attending the conference, I was able to gain more clarity about how IPS works from a different lens. I was intrigued by how much ground IPS truly covers not just in the United States but globally as well. I was able to meet IPS members from Australia, The United Kingdom, and Norway just to name a few. I learned helpful information regarding IPS such as statistics, research, and several other things that I am looking forward to implementing into my own workload.
In closing, to receive the award as Peer Advocate of the Year, I am extremely grateful! It feels good to know that my hard work has not gone unnoticed and that my role in IPS services is not only important to the members but also a vital piece to the IPS team as well.”
The Melissa Wilkinson DeHaven Conference scholarship removed a financial barrier and allowed me to attend the conference and gain valuable knowledge and skills that I can directly apply in my work. Attending the conference has helped me better support the individuals I serve, strengthened my understanding of best practices, and connected with others in the field. I met so many wonderful people!
Attending the conference gave me practical tools I now use in my work as a peer support specialist, as well as reinforcing and strengthening present skills. I learned how to better support individuals involved in the justice system by building trust and helping them navigate resources. I also strengthened simple DBT skills, like mindfulness and emotional regulation, that I can share in everyday situations. The session on suicide and psychosis helped me approach these conversations with more openness and empathy.
Overall, I feel more confident and better equipped to support individuals with mental health and substance use challenges. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend the ACT and IPS conference and I look forward to using what I learned to make a meaningful difference in my community.”
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Melissa was an IPS Consultant and Trainer Program Manager with the Institute for Best Practices from 2016 to 2023. Before her work at UNC, she had more than eight years of experience in NC community mental health services, providing services to adults diagnosed with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders. She also worked for the Division of Mental Health as an Evidence-Based Practice specialist, providing training and technical assistance to IPS providers. While at the Institute, she shared her wisdom and expertise in evidence-based practices with both ACT and IPS providers.She passionately believed in the possibilities and hope for people facing life challenges, and that all working-age individuals should have the opportunity for employment.
She was a fierce advocate for the importance of creating a recovery-oriented system, emphasizing the inclusion of employment for people’s recovery efforts. She presented at conferences for mental health clinicians and Vocational Rehabilitation counselors to educate them about employment as a pathway to recovery. She raised questions during meetings with IPS stakeholders at the local and state level to brainstorm solutions to implementation barriers. Tragically, she passed away in 2023. Her imprint on IPS and ACT is still felt today; therefore, we memorialize her work as a trainer and consultant. |