When Chrissy Barnard traveled to Denver, Colorado, in early June for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) main convention, she thought she was just another attendee, there to learn alongside like-minded colleagues.
Until she was told she would receive the Gloria Huntley Award. Suddenly, Barnard had to give a speech in front of her peers.
“I chatted for five minutes because I didn’t know what to say,” said Barnard, an anesthesia technician department coordinator at Essentia Health. “I didn’t expect to get that message. I was caught off guard.”
The prestigious Gloria Huntley Award “recognizes exemplary advocacy work by an individual or organization at the national or local level,” according to a NAMI press release.
Barnard certainly fits that profile. Her email signature lists nearly 20 different roles — local, state and national — in which she advocates for people struggling with mental illness.
Barnard is the executive director of NAMI-Lake Superior South Shore and serves on the board of directors of NAMI Wisconsin. She is a member of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ Mental Health Council, chairs the Douglas County Coordinated Community Mental Health Response Group and is a mental health first aid instructor.
She also paved the way for Superior’s first respite home, Hope Haven Peer Respite, which is expected to open this year. A grant from Essentia Health will fund a 24/7 emotional support hotline — run by volunteers in recovery — at Hope Haven, where Barnard is executive director.
In describing his tireless advocacy, Barnard recalls a Picasso quote: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it.”
Barnard says she has struggled with mental health issues in the past, so her work is very close to home. She can share her life experiences and support others on their journey.
“I feel like I’ve found my gift for mental health recovery and now my goal is to give others the gift of mental health recovery by modeling what recovery can look like,” she says. “I can really connect with my peers who are struggling because I’ve been there. I hit rock bottom and crawled my way back up.”
Barnard has been with Essentia for approximately 14 years.
Where does she find the time to be involved with so many organizations? Barnard says she is well-organized and has lots of energy, just like her parents, who “are both like Energizer bunnies.”
The importance of her work keeps Barnard going. She is passionate about helping others. Being recognized by NAMI with the Gloria Huntley Award is proof of that.
“I was surprised, shocked, and then grateful,” Barnard said. “My advocacy efforts are paying off. The most important thing is that I’m able to help other people.”
The award is named for Gloria Huntley, whose death in 1996 — after being constantly restrained while in solitary confinement in a psychiatric hospital — prompted congressional hearings and legislative and regulatory reforms.
