Name and Position at Region Ten: Joy Minor, Children’s Mental Health Case Manager for Region Ten’s Child & Family team.

Where are you from? Charlottesville, Virginia.

What drew you to the behavioral health field? Being in the mental health field offered me a unique opportunity to positively impact others lives by fostering mental wellbeing and resilience.

What are some of the highlights over your professional career? The highlight of my career has been an invitation to Albemarle High School graduation from the first consumer I ever worked with.  I worked with him for several years, starting when he was in Kindergarten, and he was able to end Region Ten services when he started middle school.  After graduation I found out that he would be starting college at PVCC.  He shared with me that he felt our work had a major impact on his life, and I am just so proud of the young man he has become.

What do you enjoy about your work at Region Ten? I love advocating for others and empowering them to advocate for themselves and their family’s needs.  A mantra I live by is, “Give a man a fish, they eat for a day.  Teach a man to fish and they will eat for a lifetime.”

What does BIPOC Mental Health Month Month mean to you? BIPOC month raises awareness of specific mental health challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our communities.  It helps me focus on the intersectionality of mental health concerns and minority groups in our community.  This reminds me that no one lives in a vacuum; cultural dynamics are just as important when considering care and treatment planning. Being mindful of the needs of BIPOC can help foster trust, improve treatment outcomes, reduce disparities in care, and help people feel understood and respected.