Johnston County Social Services To Host First Mental Health Symposium May 12

SMITHFIELD, N.C. –  The Johnston County Department of Social Services will hold its first mental health symposium on Tuesday, May 12. The event, titled “Mind Matters: Navigating the Path to Wellness,” is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Tart Building at Johnston Community College, 245 College Road, Smithfield, N.C.

Steve Pemberton will be the keynote speaker. A former chief human resources officer, he is managing director at Seramount, a workforce research and advisory firm. He is also the author of  “A Chance in the World,” a memoir, and “The Lighthouse Effect,” which challenges leaders to use their lived experience to guide others.

The symposium will offer the following workshops:

• Awareness to Action: Strategies for Youth Suicide Prevention, by Sonyia Richardson, founder and chief executive of Another Level Counseling and Consultation.
• Fentanyl, Vaping and New Age Drugs: What You Need to Know, by Omari Mitchell, a licensed clinical addiction specialist with Johnston County DSS.
• Beyond the Diagnosis: Autism, Mental Health and Building a Regulation-Ready Community, by Tanya Smith, regional outreach representative for the Lighthouse Autism Center of North Carolina.
• Reigniting the Passion: Strategies to Avoid Burnout, by Walter Johnson, a parent educator and trainer.

To register, or for more information, visit https://sites.google.com/view/jocodssmhs.