A group dedicated to mental health recovery and leadership is wrapping up a conference in Harrisonburg. Thursday's efforts dealt primarily with public policy and what the group's members would like to see change about mental health care in Virginia.

"We believe in recovery. We believe that recovery from mental illness is possible, and it's happening all the time," says Ann Benner.

She is the conference director for VOCAL, the Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership.

"We can speak out," says Benner. "We have a lot to say about what's helpful and what's not helpful to mental health consumers."

In April, Governor Tim Kaine signed a series of bills dealing with mental health issues into law, one year after the tragedy at Virginia Tech. The laws, that go into effect July 1, increase oversight over those receiving outpatient and community-based treatment.

"Not that there aren't reasonable safety issues for people to be concerned about, but in general there's been an overemphasis on commitment," says Dave Mangano, VOCAL's board of directors.

The General Assembly passed a two-year, $77 billion spending plan in March. The plan calls for more staff to treat the mentally ill.

"But it's not solved," says Bonnie Neighbour, VOCAL's advocacy coordinator. "Every year we have to re-address and look at more preventive services and look at more crisis situations, and look at more services that are peer-run."

That's a major initiative for VOCAL. They feel that people can make great progress when they work with others who have lived with mental illness.

"VOCAL would like to see more preventive services in place," says Neighbour. "We like to keep people out of the emergency situations."

In the coming year, VOCAL plans to work with legislators on ramping up preventive services.

"We're very appreciative of the fact that the legislature is looking closely at mental health law," says Benner. "And, we're hopeful that good things can come of this."

Those who attended the conference have lived with mental illness themselves or are related to someone living with mental illness. This was VOCAL's third year holding the conference. They estimate that about 300 people turned out for the three-day event.