Spring 2026 Newsletter

2026 Annual Conference Commonwealth of Care: Voices in Mental Health Recovery

Vocal Virginia proudly celebrates the success of its 2026 Annual Conference, Commonwealth of Care: Voices in Mental Health Recovery, a powerful and inspiring gathering that brought together individuals, families, professionals, advocates, and peers from across the Commonwealth. The event served as a testament to the strength, resilience, and collective wisdom of the mental health recovery community.

A highlight of the conference was the keynote address delivered by Mary J. McQuown, whose message resonated deeply with attendees. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field, as well as her own lived experience in recovery, Mary’s insights, authenticity, and leadership inspired participants to recognize the transformative power of lived experience in shaping policies, services, and communities that support recovery.

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The Language We Inherit and Reclaim

Language does more than describe experience. It can shape identity, possibility, and the ways people are treated. Vocal Virginia recently hosted a two-part Community Q&A series exploring the importance of considering how language affects the peer experience.

In May, participants explored the words handed to people by systems, providers, families, and communities — including language that helped, harmed, or still feels complicated. Many people in the recovery community have inherited words they never consciously chose. For every person who has felt relief in receiving a diagnosis, there may be another who has felt labeled, limited, or diminished by it. Sometimes, a person may feel all of those things at once.

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Strength In Peers: Rooted in Recovery, Guided by Experience

Strength In Peers was founded in 2015 by Nicky Fadley. Built on the lived knowledge that recovery is possible, the organization began as a grassroots effort in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Over the past decade, that vision has grown into a leading peer-run RCO serving Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Page County, Shenandoah County, and the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro region. Along the way, the organization has worked to ensure that its growing reach translated into greater access — becoming the first peer-run RCO in Virginia to bill Medicaid for peer recovery services, helping expand access to care and demonstrating the value of peer delivered services within the behavioral health system. Since opening its doors, the organization has helped more than 7,000 people identify their own pathway to recovery and build lives rooted in stability, wellness, and purpose.

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Member Spotlight: Ragan McManus

Ragan McManus serves as Deputy Director at Strength In Peers and has been with the Recovery Community Organization since 2017. She oversees staff training, marketing, and organizational fundraising efforts and is deeply committed to creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to find their own voice and path to recovery.

A passionate advocate, trainer, and leader in Virginia's peer recovery movement, Ragan brings both professional expertise and the wisdom of lived experience to her work. She is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Certified Supervisor of Peer Recovery Specialists, with additional training in Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) and Motivational Interviewing.

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To read the entire Spring 2026 Newsletter, please click here.