Joan Conte, Senator Jim Alesi, and Leigh Rochelle-Woodley at the 2009 Jim Alesi Health Fair.

Members of the Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester provide information about mental health counselors and mental health issues.

On October 15th members of the Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester Chapter of NYMHCA provided information about mental health issues and the profession of mental health counseling to consumers and other professionals at the 2009 Jim Alesi Health Fair. This health fair is the largest in Upstate New York. It was a privilege to meet so many people and to listen to the concerns of those that needed information on counseling for themselves, family members or friends. Many expressed concerns about being over medicated and not treated as an individual. They appreciated the wellness orientation of counselors and the diversity of practices in the Greater Rochester region and New York State.

The Health Fair also provided valuable access to other professionals and organizations for mutual referrals and resources. Several licensed mental health counselors working in the area learned about our organization and made commitments to check out our website, attend monthly professional development presentations and networking socials. We look forward to seeing them again and becoming part of our network.

Special appreciation is extended to Rick Ferguson, Madeline Reynolds, April Aycock, Rachel Jordan, Nancy Harris, Leigh Rochelle-Woodley, and Joan Conte for being our staff at the Fair. They represented our organization well. Thank you!