Friday Facts from NAMI National: February 12, 2010

	February 12, 2010 From NAMI National New Announcements Individual and Family Input on DSM-5 Needed Deadline Extended for Award Nominations State Advocacy 2010: Media Tool Kit Hearts and Minds: New Program Launch Repeated Announcements February Adult "Ask the Doctor" Call with Guest John M. Kane Convention Poster Applications Due by February 28 NAMI 2010 Election Announcements New State Advocacy Tools Grants Available for Outreach and Education Program Expansion Keep Them Coming! Media Stories Wanted Advocate Reader Survey Calling New Members for NAMI National Leaders Group National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Planning Webinar Convention Newsletter is Now Available NAMI 2010 National Convention is Open for Business NAMI Education and Program Information Repeat Announcements De Familia a Familia Teleconferences Register Now for the April Education and Support Train-the-Trainers NAMI Connection Training of Trainers Publicizing Family-to-Family Classes in 2010 New Resource for F2F/VHA Outreach New Education, Training and Peer Support Center e-Newsletter Deadlines and Dates to Remember From NAMI National Individual and Family Input on DSM-5 Needed! The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is used by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to classify and diagnose mental disorders in children and adults. The DSM has historically had a very significant impact on the treatment of mental illness and on the payment of mental health treatment and related services. A committee created by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has been working on revising the DSM to reflect current scientific understanding about mental disorders. Earlier this week, the APA posted the draft of the revised DSM, known as the DSM-5. The draft DSM-5 can be found on-line. We want to hear from you: For the next two months, the APA is seeking input from individuals, family members, clinicians and others about the proposed changes contained in the DSM-5. The deadline for submitting these comments is April 20, 2010. We will be providing you with more information, including NAMI's reactions to the proposed changes, in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, we encourage you to visit the DSM-5 Web site, familiarize yourself and your members with the proposed changes and submit comments as appropriate. We also very much want to hear your reactions and comments. Post your feedback on the NAMI Web site and engage in the discussion on DSM-5. Deadline Extended for Award Nominations Due to the snowstorms that kept the NAMI office closed for four days this week, the deadline for submitting nominations for NAMI National Awards has been extended to Friday, February 19. These awards, announced and presented at the NAMI National Convention, recognize individuals and organizations for outstanding work-with national significance-to further NAMI's goals. Information on the awards, a list of former winners, and an nomination form have been sent to NAMI leaders. If you need another copy, contact Connie Schantz via e-mail. State Advocacy 2010: Media Tool Kit NAMI's special media tool kit for state budget advocacy is now available to NAMI state and affiliate leaders, as well as local coalition partners. It has an incredible range of resources. Please use them! Please publicize and circulate it to others! For more information or assistance, please contact Christine via e-mail. Hearts and Minds: New Program Launch On Wednesday, February 17, NAMI will launch its new Hearts and Minds initative taking aim at risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity for major illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes—which contribute to shorter life spans for people living with serious mental illnesses. Watch for the official press release and new Web site's "unveiling" this coming week. The program will include a dedicated Web site and new tools for state and local presentations. February Adult "Ask the Doctor" Call with Guest John M. Kane Save the Date: Friday, February 26, 2010 Please join us for our monthly adult issues conference call with NAMI's Medical Director Dr. Ken Duckworth and guest Dr. John M. Kane. Dr. Kane is vice president for Behavioral Health Services of the North Shore - Long Island Jewish Health System and Chairman of Psychiatry at the Zucker Hillside Hospital. He is professor of psychiatry, neurology and neuroscience and holds the Dr. E. Richard Feinberg chair in schizophrenia research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Kane will discuss "the management of early phase schizophrenia" The call is toll-free and scheduled from 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Feb. 26. To access the call, please dial 1 (888) 858-6021, participant code 309918#. This call can be made from any phone. If you have any questions, please contact Bianca Ruffin via e-mail. Convention Poster Applications Due by February 28 The NAMI 2010 Convention Committee invites you to submit an application to present a poster at our 2010 National Convention, scheduled for June 30 - July 3 in Washington, D.C. Posters presentations display information on a bulletin board rather than orally in a workshop setting. Applications to present a poster must be received by the NAMI Convention Department no later than February 28, and applicants will be notified of its acceptance or denial by March 5. For more information on how to put together a poster presentation and an application form, go to the NAMI Convention Web site. NAMI 2010 Election Announcements - visit www.nami.org/voting for more election information! Board Nominations: Nominations are being accepted for candidates for election to the NAMI National Board of Directors at this year's Annual Convention. Five (5) candidates will be elected to serve for the standard three-year term and one (1) candidate will be elected to fill the balance of a vacancy term for one year. Board nominees must be NAMI members and members of the NAMI Affiliate or NAMI State Organization making the nomination. Nominations may be made only by Affiliates and State Organizations that have submitted their membership and paid dues at least 90 days prior to the Convention. Each Affiliate and State Organization may nominate no more than one candidate. Nominations must be received by NAMI no later than April 3, 2010 (90 days prior to the NAMI annual meeting). Nominations must be made on the letterhead of the nominating Affiliate or State Organization, including evidence authorization by the board of the Affiliate or State Organization to make the nomination, and be signed by the chief officer of the Affiliate or State Organization. (If the chief officer is the nominee, than another proper officer must sign.) Nominations via e-mail may be submitted via e-mail if electronically signed. Bylaws amendment proposals and resolutions. For consideration at the 2010 NAMI Annual Convention, proposed Bylaws amendments and proposed resolutions must be sent to the NAMI office at the above address by return-receipt mail and received no later than April 3, 2010. Proposed amendments to the NAMI Bylaws must be submitted in amendment form. All nominations, amendment proposals and resolutions must be submitted to: NAMI Elections 2010 Attn: Lynn Borton 3803 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, VA 2203 After April 15, NAMI's Voting page will also include: Candidate information (personal statement, letter of nomination, and answers to questions of importance to NAMI) Bylaws proposals Proposed resolutions To ensure compliance with NAMI's Bylaws, 75% of the Board must be "persons who have or have had mental illness, or parents or other relatives thereof," including domestic or civil partners. Candidates will be asked to make a statement to this effect. The current NAMI Board has one member who does not identify as having lived experience. No more than four (4) members who do not have a lived experience with mental illness themselves or as a relative may serve on the board at any time. Questions about the election process may be directed to us via e-mail. New State Advocacy Tools As part of its current mobilization in state budget crises, NAMI is expanding its State Advocacy Web site with a broad range tools for grassroots advocates to use with legislators, the news media and other groups. Do you want to know what the high cost of cutting mental health will be for children? Check the fact sheets. It's just one of many resources that this Web site has to offer. Please spend some time browsing NAMI's new State Adovcacy site and share it with others Contact your governor and state legislators--you can easily do so by e-mail through a special "CapWiz" tool on the Web site's homepage. Write a letter to a local editor. Post budget newspaper stories with comments on Facebook. Take small steps or big steps--whatever you can do. Help spread NAMI's message. Grants Available for Outreach and Education Program Expansion NAMI is seeking applications from NAMI affiliates and/or chartered state organizations to expand and further evaluate Sharing Hope: Understanding Mental Health, an outreach and education initiative targeting African American congregations. The main goal of this initiative is to help NAMI affiliates and chartered state organizations successfully reach out and meaningfully engage African Americans in NAMI (education programs, support groups, etc.). NAMI will award grants to five NAMI affiliates and/or chartered state organizations in good standing. Each of the selected sites will receive a Sharing Hope implementation grant in the amount of $3,000 in order to cover the costs associated with the initiative (staff time, materials, etc.), will receive technical assistance from the NAMI Multicultural Action Center and will be able to participate in program updates and training conference calls. Talk to us before you apply: The NAMI Multicultural Action Center will host an informational conference call to help interested sites learn more about Sharing Hope and the 2010 grant program. You will also hear from individuals who have experience working with the toolkit with successful results in this initiative. Mark your calendar and plan to join us! Friday, Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET Dial 1 (888) 858-6021 and enter code 868887# See the Sharing Hope Web site for more information. Click here to download the grant informational and application packet. Applications are due March 1, 2009. Keep Them Coming! Media Stories Wanted NAMI's top priority for 2010 is to save state mental health services. Many thanks to the people who have sent copies of news stories about budget cuts in their states. Please keep them coming! Help NAMI track what is happening nationwide; they are invaluable in support our advocacy efforts. If you see a news story about mental health budget cuts in your state, please send a Web site link to Christine Armstrong . Please also tell us about any personal experiences that you or family currently are having as a result of state budget cuts. Advocate Reader Survey An online survey for the NAMI Advocate and e-Advocate has just launched and will run through March 31. NAMI would appreciate your invaluable input, comments and suggestions. Results of the survey will be published in the April issue of the e-Advocate. Take the survey today. Calling New Members for NAMI National Leaders Group NAMI is offering members of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities an opportunity to take on a national leadership role by taking part in the NAMI Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Leaders Group. NAMI's multicultural leaders groups bring together experienced individuals from across the country and from all areas of the organization to provide input and recommendations to NAMI and develop strategic plans to transform NAMI into a truly diverse organization. Formed in 2005, the members of the AAPI leaders group work together with NAMI's Multicultural Action Center to ensure that NAMI continues to address the various needs of this community in a culturally appropriate manner. Furthermore, great networking opportunities are provided through regular conference calls and in-person meetings when possible. Examples of the NAMI AAPI leaders group's work includes an extensive review of mental health information available to the Asian American population as well as translation and development of NAMI materials targeting this community including our series of Chinese-language fact sheets. Help this group grow! If you are interested in joining the NAMI AAPI leaders group, please contact us via e-mail. Please pass this message along to anyone you know that might be interested. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Planning Webinar You are invited to join us for a National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (July) planning Webinar. The Webinar will be co-hosted by NAMI and the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health and held on Thursday, Feb. 18 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET. Click here for details. This Webinar forum will focus on media outreach, social networking and opportunities for community events to take place during the month of July. Discussion of available resources, suggested strategies and examples of previous National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month activities will help you start planning your own activities, outreach and partnership efforts. Participation is open to any and all interested individuals free of charge. Visit the NAMI Web site for more information on National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Convention Newsletter is Now Available Click here to read about the exciting program plans for NAMI's 2010 National Convention in Washington, DC. NAMI 2010 National Convention is Open for Business Registration for NAMI's 2010 National Convention is open. Although June, 2010, might seem far off, it's never too early to make plans to attend this very special event. The 2010 National Convention will be held June 30-July 3 at the completely renovated Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. It's scheduled to end the day before Independence Day so you can join your NAMI family and tens of thousands of Americans in the incredible Fourth of July celebration in our Nation's Capitol - or get home in time to enjoy the celebration in your own home town. For more information, a preliminary convention schedule, hotel reservation information, and a convention registration form, visit the Convention Web site. And remember - you'll save big bucks the earlier you register. NAMI Education and Program Information De Familia a Familia Teleconferences NAMI will begin to hold bi-monthly teleconferences in Spanish (2 of these calls will be conducted in English) of one hour in duration for teachers, trainers and program coordinators. The calls will provide participants with the most recent program information, resources, and materials. In addition, participants will share their knowledge, resources, and advice. *If you have a De Familia a Familia teacher, trainer, or coordinator in your area, please inform them of these calls. The first call will be held Wednesday February 17 at 3 p.m. ET.(2:00 p.m. central, 1:00 p.m. mountain and 12:00 noon pacific). The number to connect to the call is the following: Telephone number: 1- (888) 858-6021 Password: 59313303 Please send an email to Ana Ferrara if you plan on attending. Register Now for the April Education and Support Train-the-Trainers We are pleased to announce that registration is now underway for the April 22-25, 2010, Train-the-Trainers in St. Louis for the following programs: Family-to-Family, De Familia a Familia, Basics, In Our Own Voice, Peer-to-Peer and Family Support Group March 8 is the absolute deadline for registration. After that date, we cannot accept any late registrations. A letter of support by either your state program director, executive director or board president is required with the application. Send an e-mail to receive the application. NAMI Connection Training of Trainers The NAMI National Education, Training and Peer Support Center is pleased to announce its fourth Training of Trainers for NAMI Connection State Trainers. This event will be held at the St. Louis Airport Hilton Hotel from Thursday April 22nd at 5:00 p.m. - Sunday, April 25th at 12:00 noon. Individuals attending this training will be certified as state NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group State Trainers. Participants selected by the state to attend this training need to be certified NAMI Connection facilitators who have been facilitating a Connection group for no less than 5 months by April 22, 2010. The next training of state trainers will occur in October 2010. Costs for transportation, training materials, meals and lodging (shared rooms) are covered by the Connection Program for the initial three state trainers selected by each state. Once a state has three trainers' expenses covered by National, the state is responsible for covering the cost of additional trainers. The training fee for Connection state trainers is $350, which does not cover transportation. Train the Trainer registrations are only accepted from NAMI state offices. State registrations are due by March 8, 2010. For more information contact Anna Goodwin, Connection Training Manager via e-mail. Publicizing Family-to-Family Classes in 2010 NAMI National wants to publicize your Winter/Spring 2010 F2F classes. You may post your class information by accessing the Family-to-Family Intranet and clicking on the link Add/Edit a Class. Please make sure your state Family-to-Family program director knows about your classes. You may also contact Marshall Epstein (e-mail or (703) 516-7975) to have him enter your class information. He will also provide advice about the intranet. New Resource for F2F/VHA Outreach We are pleased to announce that a new NAMI education programs brochure has been created for you to use in the outreach to families of Veterans and can be given to participants attending the class at the VHA facility. In addition to providing a bulk supply of the brochures to each of the 49 F2F program states and the VHA MOU site facilities, we are also able to provide the brochure to other local NAMIs working with a VHA facility to set up a F2F class or holding ongoing classes. If you wish to be included on the brochure distribution list, you must send via e-mail the following information: name of NAMI; name of the VHA facility; status of your effort to start/maintain a F2F class; contact name and mailing address to send brochures. New Education, Training, and Peer Support Center e-Newsletter The Education, Training and Peer Support Center has issued its third departmental electronic newsletter, highlighting this year's Education Leadership Academy. The newsletter provides updates on NAMI signature programs: Family-to-Family; De Familia a Familia; Basics; Connection; Peer-to-Peer; In Our Own Voice; Provider Education Course; and Family Support Group Facilitator Skills Training Program. Enjoy!... Education, Training and Peer Support Center e-Newsletter. Deadlines and Dates to Remember February 17 - De Familia a Familia Teleconferences February 18 - National Minority Mental Health Month Planning Webinar February 19 - Nomination Deadline for NAMI National Awards February 19 - The NAMI Multicultural Action Center informational conference call about Sharing Hope and the 2010 grant program February 26 - February Adult "Ask the Doctor" Call with Guest John M. Kane February 28 - NAMI Convention Poster Applications Due March 1 - Grant Application Deadline for evaluate Sharing Hope: Understanding Mental Health March 8 - State registrations due for NAMI Connection Training of Trainers and NAMI Education Training of Trainers March 31 - Advocate survey closes April 3 - NAMI Board of Directors Nominations, Bylaws Amendment Proposals and Resolutions due April 20 - The deadline for submitting DSM-5 Comments April 22 - 25 - Training of Trainers for NAMI Connection State Trainers and NAMI Education Training of Trainers in St. Louis June 30 - July 3, 2010 - NAMI 2010 National Convention in Washington, DC NAMI Friday Facts are electronic newsletters provided free of charge as a service to NAMI members, leaders and staff. NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Contributions to support our work can be made online.

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