Mount Vernon's Lainge Bailey Receives Community Champions Award

Lainge Bailey of Mount Vernon was recently honored by Molina Healthcare for her volunteerism and service at the third annual Community Champions Awards.

“Lainge might be retired, but she still spends her time tirelessly working to improve mental health and health services in her community especially for children,” Molina Healthcare and Community Health Care Network medical director Jean Glossa said in a press release.

Referred to as the “Mother of Nexus,” Bailey helped start the Nexus Committee is the current coordinator of the committee. The Nexus Committee works to bring together mental health experts, locally and nationally, through forums, according to a press release sent by Molina Healthcare. The purpose is to create an opportunity for these leaders to build and share strategies for strong mental health outcomes among children and youth through prevention, intervention, education and research. The committee also partners with Fairfax Partnership for Youth, and Together, We’re the Answer to advocate for the mental well being of youth.

Bailey volunteers as a member of the advisory board for the Joe and Fredona Gartlan Center for Community Health, which is a part of the NEXUS Committee. She is also the community representative to the Health and Human Services Committee of the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens’ Associations. She is also a frequent blogger on Greater Alexandria and Mount Vernon Patch. She donated her Community Champions grant of $1000 back to the Joe and Fredona Gartlan Center.