CONYERS, GA, November 04, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Jill Duncan Mays has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
After more than 30 years in mental health and community services, Mrs. Mays works as the director of the Office of Behavioral Health Prevention and Federal Grants for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. In this position, she manages substance abuse and suicide prevention initiatives in the state of Georgia. She is also a licensed professional counselor and founder of Ezer Counseling LLC, and works as a public speaker, trainer and instructor in her field. Previously, Mrs. Mays led the Jail Diversion Trauma Recovery Program with Priority to Veterans, where she assisted in establishing veterans courts in Georgia, which focused on defendants living with mental health issues. Dedicated to reducing rates of imprisonment, the court was successful in highlighting the importance of treatment for mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders.
While attending college, Mrs. Mays received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Emory University and a Master of Science in community counseling from Georgia State University. She has also taken courses toward a doctorate degree in human services at Capella University. Mrs. Mays began her career with the Atlanta Mission as its director of women and children's services.
Prior to occupying her current role, in 2012 Mrs. Mays was proud to help establish the national Disaster Distress Helpline, which is funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The helpline consisted of a team of call centers across the country that offered crisis counseling and support to people affected by natural and man-made disasters. In addition, Mrs. Mays developed two marriage coaching programs, GōWL Up! for women looking to improve their relationships and VOWuable Marriage for couples seeking to deepen their communication and intimacy, and was key in development of the Forensic Peer Mentor Program in Georgia, which helps incarcerated men and women who have mental illness or substance use disorders. Members of the program are matched with individuals with lived experience who are trained to support them in their journey toward recovery and successful and productive reentry back into their communities. Mrs. Mays is also an ordained minister and visual content coordinator at the New Piney Grove Baptist Church.
Outside of her primary professional duties, Mrs. Mays has written two stage plays, "An Affairy Tale" and "Back Another Way," and collaborated on a documentary, "Your Fantastic Mind: Georgia's Opioid Crisis." For her professional efforts, she received the Women Making a Mark Award from Atlanta Magazine. In accounting for her standout success, she attributes her faith and her passion for helping others discover and realize their potential. Looking toward the future, Mrs. Mays hopes to become more involved in federal organizations and possibly run for public office. She would also like to continue growing her marriage counseling programs and publish books.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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