Nominations Now Being Accepted

PORTSMOUTH -Seacoast Mental Health Center is accepting nominations for the 2016 Erik Cogswell Memorial Award. Presented annually at the Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference, the award is given to recipients who "provide hope, education and/or support" for those living with mental illness. Prior recipients have meaningfully contributed to providing "Hope, Education, and Support to those living with a mental illness, their families, their caregivers and our community at large." Recipients include: Peter Jannelle- former President/CEO, The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester; Audra Anderson- Instructor/Facilitator, National Alliance on Mental Illness; Honorable Tina Nadeau- Chief Justice NH Superior Court; Kim Firth-Program Director, Endowment for Health; Annette Carbonneu- Grants, Operations, and Volunteer Development Manager, NAMI NH; Dr. Alex de Nesnera- Associate Director of the NH Hospital; and Conference founders Karen and Ed Cosgwell.

Nominations are due by Thurs., September 8 at 5:00 p.m.

Scheduled to take place on Fri., October 21 at the Harbor Events & Conference Center in Portsmouth, this year's conference theme is "Breaking Barriers: Developments in Treatment and Supports for Bipolar Disorder and Other Mental Illnesses".

Kevin Hines, an award-winning global speaker, bestselling author of "Cracked Not Broken?Surviving and Thriving after a Suicide Attempt", and suicide prevention and mental health advocate, will be the Keynote Speaker. Mr. Hines has reached millions with his story of an unlikely survival and his strong will to live. Two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He is one of only thirty-four to survive the fall and the only Golden Gate Bridge jump survivor actively spreading the message of living mentally healthy.

Mr. Hines was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Council of Behavioral Health. Kevin is also SAMSHA Voice Awards Fellow and a US Veterans Affairs Achievement Winner. He sits on the boards of The International Bipolar Foundation, The Bridge Rail Foundation, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's Consumer Survivors Sub-Committee and The Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHASF).

For more information about the 17th annual Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference, or to complete a nomination form, please visit www.smhc-nh.org.

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