Wellness Fair will showcase local mental health resources.

By Mary O’KEEFE

On May 10 the Crescenta Valley Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition/CV Cares will be hosting the CV Cares Wellness Fair on the campus of St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church. 

“CV Cares Wellness Fair is a community-driven event designed to support Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) efforts by improving access to mental health resources, accessing substance misuse and prevention resources, providing educational presentations and fostering meaningful community connections. This event fulfills our goal in providing a safe space where individuals and families in our community can learn, heal and grow together,” said Victoria Malone, executive director of iMPACT Foundation LA and program director for CV Cares. 

CV Cares is a project of iMPACT Foundation LA. The event is in partnership with Los Angeles County.

“The Los Angeles County Dept. of Mental Health’s Take Action movement promotes wellness and well-being while sharing the vast array of resources and services provided by the nation’s largest behavioral health department,” she added. “This event is sponsored and supported with a grant from this entity. In alignment with our focus to bring our community together, LACHD also works to bring communities together in wellness by encouraging everyone to pay attention to their own needs and those around them.” 

CV Cares encourages people to take action on several levels: Take action for yourself. Take action for others. Take action for your community.

The Wellness Fair is going to offer a lot of information for those looking for support but will also provide a lot of fun for those who just want to stop by and see what programs are available. 

There will be interactive activities like yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions,  journal art crafting, vision board crafting and a hands-on activity in which attendees can contribute to the Community Tree by sharing uplifting messages of hope, resilience and gratitude. 

There will be free haircuts offered and information on how to create a personal facial mask. 

There will also be several speakers throughout the day including Carmela Tunzi at 11:45 a.m. Tunzi is a hypnotherapist who focuses on goal setting and getting a positive mindset. At 1 p.m. Kristen Gilliland, Ph.D. in brain chemistry, will speak on “The Impact of Stress and Substance Use on the Developing Adolescent Brain.” At 2:15 p.m. Annie Varvaryan, Psy.D., will speak on “The Happiness Equation: How Mindset, Habits and Action Shape Your Well-being.” And Jamie Given, licensed marriage and family therapist, will make a presentation on “Scrolling in Silence: The Link Between Social Media, Anxiety and Substance Use.”

There will be a lot of resources for attendees; first responders, service providers and advocacy groups will all be present at the Wellness Fair. 

Attendance to the event is free to the public. 

“We recognize that financial stress can significantly impact mental well-being. That’s why, in the spirit of true community support, we are committed and supported by LACHD [LA County Health Dept.] to offer this event and its resources at no cost to the public,” Malone said. “Our hope is that by delivering meaningful impact this year, we will continue to earn the opportunity for future grant funding to sustain and grow this effort.” 

For more information visit https://theimpactfoundationla.org and click on CV Cares Wellness Fair.