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Happy Friday Readers!
Thank You to All Who Participated in the Legislative Conference & Advocacy Day!
We are excited to use this edition of the E-Newsletter to demonstrate multiple ways NAMI-NYS is making our advocacy voice heard as well as provide you with opportunities to project your voice on the issues needed to create a more mentally healthy New York State and help families both in New York and Nationwide.
Along with details and press accounts of our legislative advocacy day and housing rally, this issue also contains the latest episode of
Mental Health Now
, featuring OMH Commissioner Dr. Anne Marie Sullivan, our recently published letter to the editor and several tools and action alerts allowing you to project your voice including telling Congress to Care for Caregivers.
TAKE ACTION and HELP NAMI-NYS ADVOCACY!!!
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On February 23rd, NAMI-NYS held one of our most successful and powerful Legislative Advocacy Days. At a crucial time, when the Office of Mental Health is set to reduce 225 inpatient hospital beds, more than 200 advocates came to Albany to advocate to ensure proper supports such as housing and community residencies, access to appropriate medications, paid family leave, expanded crisis intervention teams, assisted outpatient treatment and community services are in place to generate the best outcomes for people with serious mental illness. Our advocates made more than 65 legislative visits throughout the day.
NAMI-NYS joined our colleagues from NYAPRS, MHANYS and ACLNYS in calling for investments in housing and community services. We were proud to join our advocacy voices together by having a rally in front of the Capitol steps and holding a press conference. We at NAMI-NYS understand that we are truly better together and for the state to provide people with mental illness the services they need and deserve, it will take the loudest and broadest advocacy voice as possible. It was very exciting to hear all four groups talk about the need for more housing (particularly community residencies) and the need to help people with serious mental illness, which you will see in the media links below.
As
impactful
as the day was, this is just a first step and our grassroots advocates need to continue to project their voices during this crucial legislative session and budget cycle. We need you to continue to build relationships with your legislators by visiting with them in their district offices. This issue will also detail the importance writing letters to the editor and other ways to make your voice heard. Again, only together can we make the changes needed to give people with serious mental illnesses the best chance at recovery.
NAMI-NYS would also like to thank New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) Commissioner Ann Marie Sullivan, Assemblyman Phil Steck and Tom Gatta from Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther's office for presenting at the conference portion and chatting with our members, as well as Assemblywoman Pat Fahy for meeting with our members in her office.
Click here to see pictures from Legislative Advocacy Day.
Click here to read and listen to coverage of our advocacy activities from WAMC, the Capital Region's NPR station, featuring a quote from NAMI-NYS President Denise Duncan.
Click here
to read an account of our activities from the Legislative Gazette featuring a quote from NAMI-NYS Executive Director Wendy Burch.
NAMI-NYS is excited to share with you the second episode of our television program
Mental Health Now. In this episode NAMI-NYS's Public Engagement Coordinator Matthew Shapiro interviews Dr. Ann Marie Sullivan, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health. Among the topics discussed in the half-hour interview are an explanation of the benefits of community based treatments, clarification on some of the changes in Medicaid services, the important role of ACT Teams and crisis beds, details on OMH initiatives such as OnTrackNY and Project Teach. As part of the interview Commissioner Sullivan also confirms that there will not be a merger between OMH and the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse at this time.
Albany Times Union Publishes
NAMI-NYS Letter to the Editor-
Make Your Voice Heard by Writing a
Letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed Letter
As we mentioned above, the advocacy voice of NAMI-NYS's grassroots members needs to be projected loud and clear as the budget and legislative decisions made during this session will have a tremendous impact on the delivery of mental health care. Getting your voice heard in your local newspapers through letters to the editor and Op-Ed pieces is a great way to spotlight the issues important to you as well as increase NAMI's identity in your community.
NAMI-NYS recently had a letter to the editor published in the Albany Times Union which discussed the need to enact Paid Family Leave.
Click here to read the letter.
NAMI-NYS wants to make it easy for you send such letters.
Click here to view a template for a letter on the need for more housing with recovery services. This is NAMI-NYS's top priority and it is especially timely as we are just two weeks from the one-house budget bills, and there are only four weeks left until to budget is decided. We need to state how crucial proper housing with the necessary services is to people living with mental illness.
Our Advocacy Tool-Kit also has a section on letter templates on the top four bills we are advocating for which would regulate fail first policies, incorporate mental health education in schools, enact paid family leave and make Kendra's Law
permanent. Click here to view the letter templates. Please note that your letters do not have to be word for word, be sure to include a personal connection to the issue, but try to keep the letter to 250 words.
Please TAKE ACTION and submit a letter. Also please let us know if you have a letter published.
Help NAMI-NYS's March Towards Paid Family Leave
As you are reading this, crucial negotiations are going on with the state budget. There are just two weeks left until the one-house budget bills are decided and we must let the New York State Senate know that there should not be any barriers from family involvement in the recovery process. That is why we need Paid Family Leave. Our advocacy coalition on this issue is using the first days of March to flood the Senate Offices on this issue and we need your help. NAMI-NYS is using Tuesday, March 1st, to advance our march towards family leave. We will be sending an action alert on this again on Tuesday.
Click here to read the templates for calling, emailing and texting the Senate.
Click here to read talking points for people who think Paid Family Leave would be harmful to businesses.
New Resources for NAMI-NYS Walks
NAMI-NYS is gearing up to hold our first NAMI Walks. We will be having our first information meeting on March 9th at the Albany Public Library.
Click here to visit the meeting webpage.
You can also
click here to view a brochure on sponsorship opportunities. Please help us spread the word and start working on forming your team!
For more information and help forming your team or reaching out to sponsors please contact Walks Manager Heide Garner at
[email protected].
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Help NAMI Tell Congress to Support
Mental Health Caregivers
8.4 million people care for an adult living with mental illness. Mental health caregivers serve an important role in their loved one's recovery, yet 1 in 4 caregivers has difficulty finding basic mental health services. And when caregivers find services, over half report being told that their loved one's provider was unable to speak with them.
The Senate and House versions of comprehensive mental health care reform bills recognize that misinterpretation of HIPAA, a privacy law, by health professionals has contributed to caregivers being unnecessarily shut out of care conversations.
Thank your members of Congress for requiring training on HIPAA, but let them know that NAMI wants more support for mental health caregivers.
Ask your members of Congress to support a National Mental Health Caregiver Support Program. This program would offer grants to states and territories to provide:
- Information to families and family caregivers about mental health services and supports.
- Assistance to families and family caregivers in navigating mental health systems and accessing services and supports.
- Family and family caregiver psycho-education; and
- Peer-led family and family caregiver support groups.
Click here to reach out to Congress today. Tell them that mental health caregivers play a vital role and deserve support.
Providing Care for the Caregiver
As stated in the Action Alert above,
8.4 million Americans provide care to an adult with an emotional or mental health issue. The research study,
On Pins and Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness
reports that three quarters of caregivers have high emotional stress due to care taking.
The study identifies startling inadequacies in the US healthcare system in meeting the needs of families who manage moderate to severe mental illnesses. The study also offers a number of solutions to help families struggling with mental illness.
NAMI's director of Information and Engagement, Dawn Brown, is the caretaker of her 33 year old son Matthew, who has schizophrenia. In response to On Pins and Needles, Dawn wrote a compelling article of her experience taking care of her son and his recovery. She is honest, informative and encourages other caregivers to hang in there.
Click here to read the press release for the study.
New York Times Publishes Letter by
NAMI President
On February 12th, the New York Times ran an article
When the Hospital Fires the Bullet which explained how more hospital security guards are using weapons and how this lead to Alan Pean, a man seeking help for his mental health disorder, being shot in the chest.
Since the article's publication, the Times has received several letters to the editor (again demonstrating the importance of the communication strategy as we detailed above) including one from NAMI President Marilyn Ricci. In her letter Marilyn states, "We would never tolerate violent responses to people experiencing physical health emergencies in hospitals, and we should not tolerate tasers and bullets aimed at people experiencing mental health emergencies."
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NY Lawmakers Want Teachers Trained to Spot Students with Mental Health Issues
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Senator Jesse Hamilton at the New York City Rally Calling for Teachers to Receive Mental Health First Aid Training
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A few weeks ago we detailed NAMI-NYS's involvement in the efforts to pass bill
S.6234 /A9299 which would require teachers to receive Mental Health First Aid training to provide them with an advanced comprehension of mental health issues that may be experienced by their students.
The bill's sponsors Senator Jesse Hamilton and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo recently held a rally in New York City to bring attention to this important initiative.
Click here to read an article on this from the New York Daily News.
Click here to read NAMI-NYS's quote at the Albany press conference introducing the bill.
Click here to view NAMI-NYS's pictures from the Albany press conference.
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Mental Health and Civil Rights: The Kennedy Legacy
Dr Lloyd Sederer interviewed former Congressman Patrick Kennedy and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Stacher at the second Kennedy forum, which is "a gathering in DC that considers the identification and effective treatment of mental and addictive disorders as a medical and civil rights matter." Dr. Sederer argues that mental health is a civil rights issue and "when seen in that light more than the moral imperative comes into play: A combination of state laws on parity for mental health and the federal American Disabilities Act may mobilize the clout needed for change."
What's Mental Illness Got to do with Success?
A recent study found that nearly half of all Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and executives have experienced mental health issues at some point in their life's. Mental illness doesn't fuel entrepreneurial drive but it may be a byproduct of it. The challenge to recognizing your illness and then harnessing it to your benefit is creating an open dialogue that encourages a person living with an illness to get help. Tech innovators have begun to contribute to overcoming the mental health stigma by launching chat-based therapy sites like Talktala and Breakthrough.com
My dad killed himself when I was 13. He hid his depression-
I won't hide mine
In a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, Amy Marlow writes openly and poignantly of her 20 year experience as a suicide survivor and her own depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Marlow's father completed suicide when she was 13 years old. Like many other people who suffer from mental illness, her father was very successful and kept up appearances with a smile. Marlow, being much like her father, decided not to suffer in silence until it consumed her. She fearlessly said, "The burden of silence ends with me."
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NAMI-NYS Appointed to NIMH Outreach Partner Program Steering Committee
NAMI-NYS is excited to announce the we have been invited to serve on the NIMH Outreach Partner Program Steering Committee. All of us at NAMI-NYS take great pride in representing NIMH and we are honored to be asked to serve NIMH and the Outreach Partner Program in a increased capacity. This will give NAMI-NYS greater visibility with NIMH and will allow us to better inform our members and the public on the benefits of research.
The role of the Steering Committee is to help plan Program activities and provide insight about topics of interest and desired formats for sessions at the OPP annual meeting.
Marijuana and Cannabinoids: A Neuroscience Research Summit
Marijuana and Cannabinoids: A Neuroscience Research Summit is being convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which will focus on the neurological and psychiatric effects of marijuana, other cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system. Both the adverse and the potential therapeutic effects of the cannabinoid system will be discussed. The goal of this summit is to ensure evidence-based information is available to inform practice and policy, particularly important at this time given the rapidly shifting landscape regarding the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana.
The meeting is being sponsored by several NIH Institutes and Centers: the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA); the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH); the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Due to overwhelming interest you will now have the ability to watch and participate in the Summit remotely via videocast.
Clinical Research Trials and You:
Questions and Answers
Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases.
People participate in clinical trials for a variety of reasons. Healthy volunteers say they participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward. Participants with an illness or disease also participate to help others, but also to possibly receive the newest treatment and to have the additional care and attention from the clinical trial staff. Clinical trials offer hope for many people and an opportunity to help researchers find better treatments for others in the future.
NIMH has produced a new resource to answer questions about research participation. Click here to read more.
Participate in a NIMH Research Study
Bipolar Disorder (Pediatric)
Treatment of Severe Mood Dysregulation, SMD
(Inpatient: 12- to 15 weeks) This study tests the efficacy of different treatments for decreasing irritability in children with severe mood and behavioral problems. Participants have symptoms of severe irritability and are not doing well on their current medications. The child must be currently in treatment with a physician, medically healthy and not currently hospitalized, psychotic or suicidal. The study includes day or full hospitalization to discontinue medication, followed by either methylphenidate plus citalopram, or methylphenidate plus placebo. Recruiting ages 7-17. [09-M-0034]
For more information on research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, MD click here www.nimh.nih.gov/JoinAStudy.
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Click here to learn about the NAMI-NYS Walks Information Meeting on March 9th at the
March 2
- Women DINE For a Cause. Women DINE for a Cause chose NAMI Rockland as the non-profit they are supporting for their March Dinner! Place: Home of; Sonya & Milton Shapiro, 34 Scenic Drive, Suffern, NY 10901. Hosted by Susan Hito Shapiro. Entertainment by: Gold Recording Artist, Joe Delia. Register online at:
www.womendine.net.
March 15-
Join Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for their webinar on Adolescents with bipolar disorder- Tips for families. This webinar features Dr. David J. Miklowitz, Professor of Psychiatry in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute.
March 21- The Urban Justice Center, 40 Rector St., 9th Floor, 7-8:30pm.
Solitary Confinement: Inside, Out.
"Solitary Confinement: Inside, Out" will be a moderated conversation with three thought leaders on mass in carceration and criminal justice: investigative journalist
Jennifer Gonnerman
(New Yorker; Pulitzer Finalist), artist Gregory Sale, scholar
Patricia J. Williams
(Columbia University, The Nation), journalist
Maurice Chammah
(The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Marshall Project), UJC reentry advocate
Johnny Perez
.
The event will be opened by The Urban Justice Center's founder and Executive Director,
Doug Lasdon and introduced by artist
Marisa Morán Jahn - who curated an exhibition currently on view at UJC featuring Gregory Sale's work (see description below) alongside prints by Favianna Rodriguez.
April 12
- Join
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for their webinar on
Schizophrenia.
May 5- NAMI Syracuse Children's Conference: Addressing Challenging Behavior in Children & Youth. 9am to 9pm at Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, NY. Presenters: Adrienne D. Allen, MD, Children & Youth Services, HPC Outpatient Clinic, Regina Canuso, NYS Council on Children & Families, Coordinator, Hard to Place/Hard to Serve Unit, Bridget Hier, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, School of Psychology, University of Buffalo. and Panel of Family Members sharing what has worked for their child.
May 7- NAMI Rockland is once again partnering with NAMI NYC Metro for NAMIWalks 2016. 8am Registration. 9am Walk begins. Where; NYC- Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.
May 7
- Join NAMI Rochester for their NAMIWalks at Village Gate. For more information or to register call Kristina Mossgraber (585) 520-8380 or email
[email protected]
.
May 10&11
- The Association for Community Living will host its 2016 Annual Management Symposium - Business Strategies and Practices for a Changing World (Open to All) on Tuesday, May 10th - Wednesday May 11th at the Saratoga Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NY. Visit http://aclnys.org/aclnys_events/acl-management-symposium-2/ for more information.
May 21- Join NAMI Westchester for their NAMIWalks. Starts at 8:30am. Please note it on your calendar and register to walk now at
www.namiwalks.org/westchester. Create a walking team and invite co-workers and friends. Contact friends and family to support NAMI Westchester through your participation.
June 8- Join NAMI Mid-Hudson for their Annual Fundraising Gala 2016. At The Grandview, 176 Rinaldi Blvd, Poughkeepsie. 5pm to 9pm. To Honor: Andrew O'Grady, Executive Director, Mental Health America Dutchess County and Michael P Hein, Ulster County Executive. With Special Guest Dr. Xavier Amador author of: "I'm Not Sick. I Don't Need Help!". For more information, please visit:
www.namimidhudson.org.
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February 29-
NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI-NYC Metro. Mondays, February 29th - May 9th, 6:30 to 9pm. Fountain House College Re-Entry, 437 W. 47th St., New York, NY, (First Priority to attendees of College Re-entry program for family members of young adult children and siblings.) To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
March 1- NAMI Peer-to-Peer by NAMI Mid-Hudson. March 1st through May 3rd, 5:30 to 7:30pm. MidHudson Regional Hospital, 241 North Road, Poughkeepsie. Pre-Registration Required: Jo Ann Brown at
[email protected]
or call (845) 832-6368.
March 2-
NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI-NYC Metro. Wednesdays, March 2nd - May 18th, 1 to 3:30pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
March 3- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI Queens/Nassau. March 3rd through May 19th. 7pm to 9pm. Walk In Love For Jesus Church, 906 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore, Long Island. To Register: email
March 5
- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI Queens/Nassau. March 5th through June 11th. 1:30 to 4pm. The Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York, 110-31 Merrick Blvd, Jamaica, 11433. To Register: email [email protected] or call (516) 326-0797 or (718) 347-7284.
March 5
- NAMI Peer-to-Peer by NAMI-NYC Metro. Saturdays, March 5th - May 21st, 1:30 to 3:30pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. (First Priority to
youths ages 18 - 30
.) To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
March 9
- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI of Central Suffolk. 7-9:30pm at the VA Medical Center in Northport. Priority seating goes to NAMI and Veteran families. To register please contact Nancy (631) 987-3063 or [email protected].
March 10
- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI Queens/Nassau. March 10th through June 2nd. 6:30 pm to 9pm. Unitarian Universalist Congregational At Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset. To Register: email [email protected] or call (516) 326-0797 or (718) 347-7284.
March 12&13- NAMI Provider Education training to become a Teacher. NAMI-NYS.
March 19&20
- NAMI In Our Own Voice training to become a Teacher. NAMI Rochester.
March 21
- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI Mid-Hudson. March 21st through June 13th, 6:30pm to 9:00pm. MidHudson Regional Hospital, 241 North Road, Poughkeepsie, 12601. Pre-registration Required: Jo Ann Brown at [email protected] or (845) 832-6368.
March 22
-
NAMI Peer-to-Peer by NAMI-NYC Metro. Tuesdays, March 22nd - June 7th, 6 to 8pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
March 26
- NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI-NYC Metro. Saturdays, March 26th - June 25th, 10am to 12:30pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
April 2
- NAMI Basics by NAMI Mid-Hudson. April 2, 9 & 16. 9am to 3pm. Arlington High School, 1157 NY-55, Lagrangeveille, 12540. To Register: call Jo Ann Brown (845) 832-6368 or email [email protected].
April 7
-
NAMI Peer-to-Peer by NAMI-NYC Metro. Thursdays, April 7th - June 23rd, 12 to 2pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
April 11
-
NAMI Family-to-Family by NAMI-NYC Metro. Mondays, April 11th - June 27th, 6 to 8:30pm, NAMI-NYC Metro, 505 Eighth Ave., New York, NY. To Register: Call our Helpline (212) 684-3264.
April 15-17
- NAMI Family-to-Family training to become a Teacher. NAMI-NYS.
May 14&15
- NAMI Family Support Group training to become a Facilitator. NAMI-NYS.
May 16
- NAMI Family-to-Family classes by NAMI Greene. Twice a week for 6 weeks on Monday & Thursday nights. Windham Hensonville United Methodist Church, Windham, NY. 6pm to 8pm. To Register: call Jackie at (518) 734-4383.
June 2- NAMI Family-to-Family classes by NAMI Greene. Twice a week for 6 weeks on Monday & Thursday nights. Windham Hensonville United Methodist Church, Windham, NY. 6pm to 8pm. To Register: call Jackie at (518) 734-4383.
June 25&26
- NAMI Family Support Group training to become a Facilitator. NAMI-NYS.
July 16&17
- In Our Own Voice Training to become a Presenter. NAMI-NYS.
July 22-24
- NAMI Family-to-Family Training to become a Teacher. NAMI-NYS.
August 27
- NAMI Ending the Silence training to become a Presenter. St. Vincent's in Westchester.
August 28
- NAMI Parent & Teachers as Allies training to become a Presenter. St. Vincent's in Westchester.
October 7-9- NAMI Family-to-Family training to become a Teacher. NAMI-NYS.
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