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2015 NAMI-NYS Education Conference
Children Mental Health Focus Track
&
Young Adult Focus Track Information
Now Available!!!
As you will read throughout this edition, children's mental health issues are becoming more prevalent and are garnering more attention. Identifying potential mental illness and
finding the proper support programs and services to address a child's mental health issues can be a challenge to both families and school staff. The children's mental health focus track at the
2015 NAMI-NYS
Education Conference
-Redefining Recovery: New Challenges, New Opportunities, New Hopes, taking place Nov.13-15 at the Desmond Hotel in Albany is designed to provide educational tools and resources for families with young children or adolescents who are living with a mental illness as well as teachers, school staff and school board members and children's advocates.
NAMI-NYS is committed to using the Education Conference as a tool to create reform which is why we are providing complimentary registrations to teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators and school board members to attend the track and learn this valuable information and help them support children with with mental health issues. School personnel interested in participating can contact Matthew Shapiro at
[email protected]. Please share this information with educators who you think may be interested.
Click here to read the details about the Children's Mental Health Track, which includes workshops on children's mental health services, NAMI programs for families and schools and recognizing potential trauma in children.
You can click here to view the conference brochure detailing the full weekend agenda.
NAMI-NYS is also committed to supporting the mental health needs of young adults and college students. This is why we are proud to include and expand our Young Adult Track at the Education Conference. Once again NAMI-NYS is offering special scholarships for young adults ages 18-26. If you know someone in that age group, please encourage them to attend.
Click here to view the details of the Young Adult Track and Click here to obtain a Young Adult scholarship application.
Many people have asked about scholarships for the conference. The applications are now available and you can
click here
to obtain one.
Please note: Only NAMI-NYS members can apply for a scholarship and an application does not guarantee a registration.
NAMI-NYS Featured on Local TV Show
Last week, NAMI-NYS was featured on the
Getting to Know You with Joe Nash show which is produced by the Town of Colonie and is seen in the Capital Region. NAMI-NYS Public Engagement Coordinator Matthew Shapiro joined host Joe Nash for the half-hour show to discuss NAMI-NYS Signature Programs, the upcoming Education Conference and the importance of establishing recovery teams consisting of people living with a mental illness, their family members and their doctors and providers.
NAMI Rensselaer Hosts Advocacy Forum
On Wednesday, September 30th, NAMI Rensselaer hosted an advocacy forum on Supporting People With Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System at the SUNY School of Public Health. The panel consisted of Bob Corliss, who had previously served as the Criminal Justice Coordinator for NAMI-NYS and MHANYS and is a member of NAMI Schenectady, Mame Lyttle, a NAMI member who told the story of her brother with schizophrenia who has been in the criminal justice system for over twenty years, and NAMI-NYS's Matthew Shapiro. Matthew detailed NAMI-NYS's advocacy activities on both the state and local level, the
Stepping Up Initiative and our hope to involve local law enforcement leaders in the
Criminal Justice Focus Track at the 2015 Education Conference.
Audience members shared their own stories of family members who have entered the system.
Click here to view the slides from Matthew's powerpoint
presentation.
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NAMI Says it's Time To Raise Your Advocacy Voice because...
Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is next week! To celebrate, NAMI Advocates across the country will take action to advocate for mental health reform.
You can help our cause by contacting your members of Congress today.
Tell them that the perfect way to honor MIAW is to pass mental health reform this fall
.
Congress Passes Short-Term Budget Resolution
The new federal fiscal year begins next week and Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government operating through early December at 2015 levels.
In the meantime there is the hope that congressional leaders and President Obama can come to an agreement on overall discretionary spending levels, known as budget caps. Currently the budget caps limit spending on important investments including mental illness research, mental health services and supportive housing.
It is critical that the current budget caps be lifted to allow for long overdue increases in funding for priorities such as $2 billion for research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-including $78 million for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
NAMI Ramps Up Advocacy for HR2646
The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act
NAMI joined more than 20 organizations in the mental health and substance abuse community who sent a letter on October 1st to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton and Ranking Member Frank Pallone urging the committee to undertake and markup the bipartisan landmark
Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, H.R. 2646, which currently boasts 128 cosponsors.
The letter states: "Legislation has been introduced in the past several months to comprehensively address the issues faced by individuals with serious mental illness, as well as the 60 million Americans who live with a diagnosable psychiatric or substance use disorder," write the authors. "The Congress and your Committee regularly act to ensure that Americans with heart disease, cancer or any other medical illness have access to care. The same should be true for those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other serious mental illness."
Currently o
nly seven NYS House members are co-sponsoring the bill:
- Rep. Chris Collins[R-NY-27]
- Rep. Christopher Gibson [R-NY-19]
- Rep. Richard Hanna [R-NY-22]
- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries[D-NY-8]
- Rep. John Katko [R-NY-24]
- Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY-13]
- Rep. Tom Reed[R-NY-23]
If your Representative is not on this list please TAKE ACTION NOW!!! Call your Rep and tell them to help families in mental health crisis and co-sponsor HR2646.
Changes Announced for Monitoring Clozapine to Improve Delivery of Treatment and Increase Access
Clozapine is the only antipsychotic drug approved by the FDA proven to reduce the risk of suicide in people suffering from schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder. Unfortunately it comes with side effects that require monthly monitoring of neutrophils, which are white blood cells that may decrease in number with use of Clozapine. The FDA states that starting October 15th there will be changes in the monitoring of patients using Clozapine. Click here to read NAMI Medical Director, Dr. Ken Duckworth description of these changes.
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Dr. Lloyd Sederer Continues His Series in U.S. News
on America's Psychiatrist Shortage
This is the third in a series of articles written by New York State Office of Mental Health's Medical Director, Dr. Lloyd Sederer about the shortage of psychiatrists in society today. Dr. Sederer explains alternative ways to deal with the chronic shortage of psychiatrists and provides solutions that can be done without having to get a PhD. All the detailed solutions involve educating people on their illness and instilling the ability to understand and communicate the realities of living with a psychiatric disorder. The article also addresses environmental factors that can negatively impact a person's mental health and how we can address these problems.
Click here to read more.
Notice of Joint Public Hearing: OASAS and OMH
5.07 Plans
OASAS and OMH are conducting a joint public hearing on their Statewide Comprehensive Plans, on October 6th from 2- 4pm. Both agencies will receive input for consideration in the development of their respective statewide comprehensive plans and ongoing planning initiatives. The hearing is hosted by OASAS and OMH, and will be held via videoconference among nine locations: Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Ogdensburg, Manhattan, Staten Island, and West Brentwood.
Registration for any of the public hearing sites listed above is available by clicking here.
www.omh.ny.gov/omhweb/planning/507
. Given the number of individuals expected to want to testify, OASAS and OMH request that all input be received in writing. Individuals interested in presenting oral testimony should check the appropriate box using the online registration system. Should time constraints not allow all who want to present oral testimony to do so, OASAS and OMH will review their submitted comments in detail.
Please note that space is limited at some hearing sites.
Pre-registration
is encouraged, however attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to these capacity constraints, organizations are respectfully asked to send one individual per organization to attend the hearing.
If you require any special accommodations to participate in the hearing, or have questions about the format, please contact Janise Carmichael at
[email protected]
or (518)486-3293.
NAMI-NYS encourages all our local affiliates in these areas to participate in the hearings.
Special Training for Central New York Peer, Family Support, Mental Health, and
Substance Use Disorder Providers!
In partnership with OMH, OASAS, and MHA of Franklin Co. DBA Community Connections, MCTAC is excited to co-host and join for a critical day-long training targeting senior leadership of Central New York and North Country providers, specifically smaller mental health and substance use disorder agencies, peer and family run agencies, LGUs, and other stakeholders.
This training will cover: the changing health care landscape in New York, infrastructure planning for smaller/rural agencies, the roles of fiduciaries and agency directors, sub-contracting & partnerships, strategic planning and decision making in the morning.
The afternoon will highlight the importance of peer roles and review the peer certification process. Representatives from MCTAC -- NYU McSilver, CasaColumbia, NYAPRS -- OMH, Community Connections, and ASAP will be presenting and available for questions.
Date: October 30, 2015
Time: 9 am - 3 pm (Registration opens at 8:30 am).
Location: Hutchings Psychiatric Center Auditorium, 810 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
Coffee and light refreshments will be provided in the morning and afternoon. There are a number of options in the area for lunch and parking.
More information is available here.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Patience (OMH) and Lee Rivers (Community Connections) for all their time and effort to make this event possible! Email us at
[email protected] with any questions.
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Free and Anonymous Depression Screening Available Throughout October
Each October
Screening for Mental Health, a national nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness for mental health, holds their National Depression Screening Day (October 8) campaign to bring attention to the critical needs of those with depression and mood disorders. For the month of October, Screening for Mental Health will provide anonymous depression and mood disorder screenings. There are screenings for college students, the military community and the general public.
Many Poor Kids With Mental Illness
Miss Out on Benefits
According to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "A sizable number of US children with mental disorders who are from low-income households do not receive federal benefits under the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program." However, the number of these children who are receiving SSI funds is growing at a pace consistent with the mental health trends in the general population, the report indicates.
"We hope this will lay to rest the questions about whether too many kids are getting benefits for mental health conditions," James M. Perrin, MD, immediate past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a member of the committee that wrote the report. "Secondly, we hope it will help alert all of our communities, not just the pediatric community but also the mental health community...about the availability and value of these benefits for children and families," Dr Perrin said.
The Decline of Play and Rise in Children's Mental Disorders
Today's children are spending more time inside now than ever before and it is starting to take a toll on their mental health. Along with raising rates of anxiety and depression in children, the increased time indoors seems to be also contributing to difficulties in school and tests. Click here to read more.
Is This the Kind of Country We Want to Be?
This article from the Psychiatric Times discusses the report
Fraud, Theft, Waste and Private Profits: The Fate of Money Intended to Treat People With Serious Mental Illness
written by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey and his colleagues at Mental Illness Policy Org.
The report details how the declining utilization of mental hospitals for the severely mentally ill and how billions of dollars allocated by the states to provide mental health services have been misused leading to a crisis for those with the most serious forms of mental illness. The article discusses how this had led to the "criminalization of mental illness," citing the
350,000 patients "who have inappropriately been made prisoners. Instead of receiving treatment, they are routinely jailed for minor nuisance crimes avoidable if they had access to care."
Click here to watch a 60 Minutes story on this issue featuring Dr. Torrey and Cook Cty, IL, Sheriff Tom Dart recipient of the 2015 NAMI-NYS Criminal Justice Visionary Award and featured speaker at the 2015 NAMI-NYS Education Conference. Do not miss your opportunity to see Sheriff Dart, REGISTER TODAY!
Also note in our Save the Date section the upcoming conference call with Dr. E. Fuller Torrey on Tuesday, October 6th at 7 pm.
SAMHSA Releases New Suicide Prevention App
SAMHSA has released a new app that can be used by primary-care and behavioral health doctors to better understand, diagnose, and treat patients who may be suffering from a mental illness and/or may be suicidal. The app has tips, training, and resources for both providers and patients to treat their illness and help prevent suicide.
Click here to read more.
23 Messages of Hope for Those Starting Their Mental Illness Recovery Journey
In honor of National Recovery Month, The Mighty asked their readers to send in messages to give others hope to help them advance their recovery. Click here to read these 23 quotes.
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NIMH Update
NIH Launches Landmark Study on Substance Use and Adolescent Brain Development
The National Institute of Health awarded grants to various research institutes around the country as the start of a study of the effect of drugs and alcohol on the developing adolescent brain. Studies like this have been done before, but with the more potent strains of marijuana and different methods for nicotine use there will be different results and new ways to test and see the brain of the children as they develop. Click here to read more.
Our Brain's Secrets to Success?
The BRAIN Initiative, funded by the National Institute on Mental Health, is making new discoveries on how our brain contributes to our success. Studies have shown that when the more successful a person is, the more key parts of their brain communicate when the person isn't doing anything in particular. Another study has shown that the primate's cortex has expanded 1000-fold due to evolution. The funding by NIMH for the BRAIN Initiative is making discoveries like these possible and we are now able to learn more about the brain and how it functions more and more every day. Click here to read more.
National Suicide Prevention Month: Update 2015
E
veryone can participate in suicide prevention. Research, however, can show the way by demonstrating what will be the most effective strategies for preventing suicide, for the greatest number of people. As National Suicide Prevention Month comes to an end this week, learn more about what NIMH is doing beyond this month to help reduce the suicide rate.
NIMH to Host Twitter Chat on Pediatric Bipolar Disorder
As parents, it may be difficult to tell if your child is just going through a "phase" or if they are showing signs of something more serious. Unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity level may be just part of growing up, but they can in some cases be early signs of bipolar disorder.
Learn more about bipolar disorder at NIMH's Twitter chat Thursday, October 8, from 1-2 p.m. NIMH expert Ken Towbin, M.D., chief, Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Emotion and Development Branch, will be joining the chat to discuss pediatric bipolar disorder and other mood disorders such as severe irritability.
Please use #NIMHchats to join and follow the Twitter chat!
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NAMI Huntington is proud to announce its Family-to-Family class that started September 24th. It takes place at Pedersen Krag in Huntington, NY. For more information contact Jane Dovi (631)271-0961 or Susan Palmer (917) 838-7436.
October 3 - Join NAMI Queens/Nassau for a new NAMI Family-to-Family course being held at the Greater Allen A.M.E Cathedral of New York. Classes will be held Saturday afternoon from 1pm - 4:30 pm. For more information contact NAMI Queens/Nassau at (516)326-0797 or (718)347-7284 or by e-mail.
October 3 - Join NAMI of Central Suffolk for a new 10 week NAMI Peer to Peer course at the Federation of Organizations in Patchogue. Classes will be held on Saturday afternoons from 12 noon to 2 pm. For more information or to register contact Sandy at (631)793-4712 or
[email protected].
October 6-Join NAMI Schenectady for their "
first of many" Family-to-Family classes. The 12-week course will be held on Tuesdays from 6 - 8:30 pm at Temple Gates of Heaven, at Ashmore and Eastern Parkway, just off of Union Street in the Upper Union Street area of Schenectady. The first class will be held on Tuesday, October 6th promptly at 6:00 pm. For more information and to sign up for the course (it's free), please contact either Davin at
[email protected]
or Cindy at
[email protected]
or (518)374-8071 (leave a message and we'll call you back.)
October 17
- Join NAMI Mid-Hudson as they host a new NAMI Basics course. Classes will be held on Saturday mornings from 9am - 3pm for three weeks. For more information or to register contact Jo Ann Brown at (845)832-6368 or by
e-mail
.
October 25-NAMI Rockland will present a special NAMI In Our Own Voice program co-sponsored by the Friends of the Finkelstein Memorial Library, Spring Valley. Contact (845) 359-8785 for more information.
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October 6-
NAMI Rensselaer and the First Presbyerian Church of Albany will be participating in the National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding
The church located at 362 State Street in Albany will host silent prayer in the sanctuary from 3:30-7pm and candle lighting and prayers from 7:00-7:30pm.
October 6
- Join OASAS and OMH when they conduct a joint hearing on their statewide comprehensive plans from 2pm to 4pm. Both agencies will receive input for consideration in the development of their respective statewide comprehensive plans and ongoing initiatives. The hearing will be held via videoconference (VTC) among nine locations; Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Ogdensburg, Manhattan, Staten Island, and West Brentwood. You must attend at one of the VTC sites to see and participate.
October 6 -
Dr. E. Fuller Torrey Teleconference.
DJ Jaffe, Executive Director of
Mental Illness Policy Org
is hosting a conference call on Tuesday October 6 at 7pm with Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, author, Surviving Schizophrenia and scores of books on mental illness policy, mental illness science, and mental illness treatment. He directs the Stanley Medical Research Inst., and founded the
Treatment Advocacy Center
. Hear about his latest study, mental illness politics and more. Q&A at end. Invite your friends. Dial in (712) 775-7031 Access Code 715-149
Click here for more info.
October 7
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Join NAMI of Central Suffolk for their monthly speaker series: Trauma Release Exercises workshop given by Patricia DeCarmine LMT at Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson, Conference Room One/Two at 7:30 pm. For more information contact (631)675-6831.
October 8 -
Join NAMI Columbia County as they welcome Claudia Coenen, CT, MTP, Counselor in Hudson, NY. Coenen will speak on the 'Loss and Grieving'. To learn more contact NAMI Columbia County by phone (518)336-0246 or e-mail.
October 8 - Join NAMI Syracuse for their annual Educational Conference from 9am - 3pm at the New York State Fairgrounds. For more information on this event call (315)487-2085.
October 8-NAMI-Syracuse University and the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will be presenting the My Cry in the Dark Forum. The event will take place at room 105 of the Life Science Building on the Syracuse University Campus and will begin at 7:15.For more information contact Ebony Howard, NAMI-SU President.
October 13 - Join the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation as they welcome Carrie E. Bearden, Ph.D., for their monthly webinar. Dr. Bearden's topic will be
Mood Disorders. The webinar will be from 2pm - 3pm,
click here to register.
October 14 -
Join NAMI of Central Suffolk for their annual exhibit table st Suffolk County Community College's, Mental Health Awareness Day, at the Ammerman campus in Sheldon from 9:30-1:30pm. For more information contact (631)675-6831.
October 16 - "Ask the Doctor," Dr. Ellen Leibenluft, Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder. 11 am to 12 noon. (888)858-6021, Participant Code 309918#.
October 18 - #MusicFor Tomorrow, join singer-songwriter/activist Anthony Rispo for a fundraising initiative as well as a movement for mental health/wellbeing for the community. The live performance is at the Winery at St. George in Mohegan, NY, on Route 6 at 6 pm. Contributions accepted at indiegogo.com.
October 18 - Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Capital Region chapter for their Walk for R.I.T.A. The walk will be held at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. To learn more about click here.
October 20 - Join NAMI Rochester as they host the 14th Annual Jessica Henderson Memorial Event at the School of the Arts from 6:00 - 8:30 pm. This year's speaker will be Kevin Hines, an award winning speaker, author and mental health advocate who reaches audiences with this story of an unlikely survival and his strong will to live. His book, "Cracked, Not Broken: Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt" shares the message of learning to live mentally well in the face of mental illness. For more information or to register, go to
www.namiroc.org
, or call (585) 423-1593. Registration is $15 and includes a light reception and book signing.
October 21 - Join NAMI Westchester for their first Educational Event with Dr. Xavier Amador. This event will be Wednesday from 1:00 - 4:30 pm at St. Vincent's Hospital. For more information click here.
October 21 - Join NAMI Rockland for their annual Breaking the Silence. Topics addressed will be ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder): Triumphs and Challenges. Will take place at Cultural Arts Center of Rockland Community College in Sufferen. Suggested donation $15, students admitted for free. For tickets and information call NAMI Rockland at (845)359-8787 or
www.namirockland.org
.
October 22 - Join NAMI April of Brooklyn for a free showing of No Kidding! Me 2! by Joe Pantoliano at 7pm, located at South Beach Psychiatric Clinic, Brooklyn. For more information contact (718)375-0600.
October 22
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Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free, 1-hour Bipolar Disorder in Adults webinar (with additional 15 minutes Q&A) at 7pm. Designed for adults with bipolar disorder, their family caregivers, and the general public. Read more and register at www.familyaware.org/trainings.
October 23-The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation will be hosting their complimentary 27th Annual New York City Mental Health Research Symposium at the Kaufman Music Center located at 129 West 67th St. in NYC. The 2015 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners and select Young Investigators will present the latest research discoveries across brain and behavior disorders along with a special Keynote Presentation, followed by interactive audience Q&A. Click here for more information and to register..
October 23 - "Ask the Doctor," Dr. Jackie Feldman, Jail Diversion. 11 am to 12 noon. (888)858-6021, Participant Code 309918#.
November 4-6 - Join the Association for Community Living for their 36th annual conference. The conference will be held at The Sagamore Resort, for more information click here.
November 7 - Join NAMI Columbia County and the Apogee Center, with the cooperation of Parsons Child and Family Center for an all day workshop with Dr. Daniel Fisher on Emotional CPR. Pre-registration will be needed for this event and the cost is $10 per person. To learn more contact NAMI Columbia County by phone (518)336-0246 or e-mail.
November 10 - Join the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation as they welcome Carol A. Tamminga, M.D., for their monthly webinar. Dr. Tamminga's topic will be Schizophrenia. The webinar will be from 2pm -3pm,
click here
to register.
November 8 - Team Daniel Running For Recovery From Mental Illness is running their 3rd Annual 5K run/walk at North Hempstead State Park (Bar Beach) in Port Washington, NY at 9am. Sign up is on active.com look for Team Daniel. Proceeds will be going to support NAMI/BBRF/and other Mental Health charities.
November 13-15 - Join us for the 2015 NAMI-NYS Education Conference.
Click here
to learn more.
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TO HAVE YOUR EVENTS FEATURED IN THE NAMI-NYS NEWS RELEASE PLEASE EMAIL EVENT DETAILS TO MATTHEW SHAPIRO.
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