A Snapshot of the History of Consumers Asserting Leadership in Montana (CALM4us)

The history of Consumers Asserting Leadership in Montana (CALM4us) began in 2006 with the creation of Montana Recovery Educators Association, (MREA) which was spearheaded by Vicki C. Stull. This group was comprised of six Copeland Center Certified WRAP Facilitators living in Montana.  MREA expanded and became, what is now known as, Consumers Asserting Leadership in Montana (CALM4us). 

CALM4us envisions a health Montana where consumers define, experience and promote wellness and recovery.  Our Mission states that CALM4us is a consumer-run organization providing opportunities for individuals and communities, fostering hope, encouraging personal responsibility, providing peer support, education, and engaging in advocacy.  

A brief synopsis of some our milestones are shown below.

During our 2.5 years of operation we have achieved the following:

• We Incorporated as Consumers Asserting Leadership in Montana

• We Changed the Name and Registered  DBA Consumers Asserting Leadership in Montana – CALM4us

• CALM4us developed and revised a vision, mission, purpose, and values statement

• CALM4us established  relationships with national Technical Assistance Centers

• Represented CALM4us at the Regional SAMHSA meeting in Colorado

• Represented CALM4us at the SAMHSA Pre Alternatives Conference  Emerging Consumer- Run Organizations, Pre Conference in  St. Louis, Missouri in 2007  and in  Buffalo, New York in 2008

• Represented CALM4us at the Alternatives Conference in 2007, St. Louis Missouri, and  in Buffalo, New York in 2008

• Represented CALM4us at the NCSTAC (National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center) Sustainability Conference in Albuquerque, NM

• CALM4us also participated in the Montana Legislative Summit in the spring of 2008

• CALM4us sponsored, with additional funding from WSAA, a “Community Celebration of Recovery and Wellness” Presenter Stephen Pocklington, Director of the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery,  December, 2008

• Three WRAP Facilitators within our CALM4us membership auditioned for, received training, and earned Certification from the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery as Advanced Level WRAP Facilitators in December, 2008 and now have the capacity and certification to train fellow WRAP Facilitators

• CALM4us entered into a collaborative partnership with Shortgrass Web Development, LLC to redesign and update our website

• CALM4us sponsored a WRAP workshop for 17 participants in Helena, MT in April, 2009

• CALM4us has held quarterly face-to-face meetings for leadership team members in Helena, MT.

• CALM4us Leadership team members have participated in several conference calls with the National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center

CALM4us has worked with the National consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center and Mental Health America- National