From NAMI National
New Announcements
- 2011 NAMIWalks Application Process Now Open
- HUD Announces Availability of Housing Assistance for People Living with Mental Illness: NAMI Organizations Need to Urge Local Housing Agencies to Apply
- Leadership Institute to Target Diversity, Advocacy and Standards
- Less than Three Months until NAMI's National Convention in Washington, D.C.!
Repeated Announcements
- Sneak Peek: State Budget Cuts-Ask Your Local Media
- What Does Health Care Reform Mean for People Living with Mental Illness?
- NAMI Launches Social Networking Site for Young Adults
- Membership Deadlines
- NAMI's Story Is Coming to PBS Stations for May
- New National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Resources
- SAMHSA Voice Award Nominations: April 30 Deadline
- Consumer Scholarships Available for National Association of Rural Mental Health
- Media Opportunity: Women Living with Depression
- Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Conference
- The Implementation of Mental Health Parity: Has It Made a Difference?
- Individual and Family Input on DSM-5 Needed
- Hearts & Minds: New Program Launch
- Keep Them Coming! Media Stories Wanted
- Join NAMI Asian American and Pacific Islander Leaders Group
- Convention e-Newsletter Is Now Available
NAMI Education and Program Information
Repeated Announcements
- F2F Tribute and Class Five Problem Solving Videos Now Available
- Watch for Your 2010 F2F Curriculum Updates
- F2F Hall of Fame
- Fifth Edition of What Hurts/What Helps: Now Available
- 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
2011 NAMIWalks Application Process Now Open
Applications are now being taken for the 2011 NAMIWalks season. If your affiliate is interested in participating in 2011, please go to the NAMI Web site for detailed information about how to apply and exactly what involved in becoming a NAMIWalks franchise holder.
Raise the visibility of our cause, build new partners in your business community, raise new, unrestricted funds to help accomplish your mission and have some fun at the same time.
In the seven years since its inception, NAMIWalks for the Mind of America has become the largest national mental health awareness event and one of the fastest growing programs of it kind. More than 500,000 walkers have participated, raising over $40 million to fund state and local NAMI advocacy, education and support programs. To find the NAMIWalk nearest you, visit the NAMIWalks Web site.
HUD Announces Availability of Housing Assistance for People Living with Mental Illness: NAMI Organizations Need to Urge Local Housing Agencies to Apply
On April 7, 2010, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the availability of $30 million in funding for approximately 4,000 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) for non-elderly disabled households. Funds unobligated under previous HUD NOFAs will also be made available as part of this NOFA, bringing the total funds available to $40 million for approximately 5,300 vouchers. Go to this link for a complete copy of the NOFA. Applications are due to HUD by July 7, 2010.
Visit the Technical Assistance Collaborative Web site for more information.Leadership Institute to Target Diversity, Advocacy and Standards
The Center for Leadership Development has announced a series of sessions for this year's Leadership Institute, scheduled for the morning of June 30 during the NAMI National Convention. Sessions will focus sharply on three NAMI priorities: inclusion and diversity, advocacy and the NAMI Standards of Excellence. All participants will take part in all three workshops. The Leadership Institute offers education, technical assistance and tools to experienced and emerging volunteer and staff leaders in NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates. It is held in conjunction with NAMI's National Convention, and there is no additional fee to attend. This year's National Convention is scheduled for June 30-July 3 at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C. For more information on the Leadership Institute, contact Annie Suliga at annies@nami.org.
Less than Three Months until NAMI's National Convention in Washington, D.C.!
We'll be meeting at the beautifully renovated Washington Hilton Hotel June 30-July 3. Hotel rooms at the Washington Hilton are going fast, so make your hotel reservations today.
To make a reservation, call (202) 483-3000 or go to visit the Hilton Web site.
Learn more at about all the exciting program plans at the official NAMI National Convention Web site.
Sneak Peek: State Budget Cuts-Ask Your Local Media
This coming week, NAMI will issue a press release linked to news stories from around the country-asking editors, producers and reporters whether they are covering the state mental health crisis in their states. Advocates are encouraged to be ready to forward copies to local media with a short personal notes making a request coverage.
NAMI's special state Advocacy Web site provides a sneak peek at budget stories that have been collected to date-many sent to us by local leaders. (Thank you!) NAMI press releases are distributed to state presidents and executive directors for forwarding to their local networks. You can also receive state advocacy releases by signing up for NAMI's state policy Listserv; contact policy director Angela Kimball at angelak@nami.org.
Press releases are routinely posted in the Newsroom of the NAMI Web site. For any issue or topic, local leaders are encouraged to use them as resources for social media, newsletters, and models for their own press releases.
Sharing Hope: Community Partnership through Education Webinar
NAMI'S Education, Training and Peer Support Center and Multicultural Action Center are pleased to announce a special Webinar, Sharing Hope: Community Partnership through Education to be held on April 14, 3-4:30 p.m. ET, focusing on NAMI's Sharing Hope: Understanding Mental Health initiative. You will not want to miss hearing about this exciting program which targets African American congregations to start a dialogue on mental health and build partnerships with NAMI.
Our motto is you learn by doing and we're delighted to have representatives from two successful Sharing Hope program sites share with us their key strategies, such as leadership support and education program collaboration, as well as the outcomes of their efforts. There will be plenty of time available for questions and answers. You will leave the Webinar with strategies and models that NAMI state organizations and local affiliates can replicate for your own initiatives to get the program up and running in your area.
Join us for this Webinar on April 14 at 3 p.m. ET
Click here to access the necessary information to join this Webinar.
To learn more about NAMI's Sharing Hope: Understanding Mental Health initiative, visit the NAMI Web site.
NAMI Launches Social Networking Site for Young Adults
NAMI has launched StrengthofUs.org, a new online community where young adults living with mental health concerns can provide mutual support in navigating the unique challenges and opportunities during the critical transition years from ages 18-25. The site also offers support and resources for young adults who have a family member or friend affected by a mental health problem.
Developed by young adults, this newly launched Web site consists of a user-driven social networking community where young adults can connect with their peers and share personal stories, creativity and helpful resources by writing and responding to blog entries, engaging in discussion groups, posting status updates on "the Wire" and sharing videos, photos and other news. The site also offers a variety of resources on issues that young adults have identified as important to them, including relationships, campus life, independent living, family and friends, employment, mental health issues and much more.
A lot is already happening on the online community so check it out today and join the conversation at StrengthofUs.org. For more information, contact Dana Markey, NAMI program coordinator, at danac@nami.org.
Membership Deadlines
Please keep these critical deadlines in mind:
BY APRIL 3: Complete your Certification of Entitlement to Vote. Complete this online process to certify your NAMI Affiliate or State Organization for the 2010 election process. This is the first step in ensuring your Affiliate/State Organization is "in good standing" and your participation in voting. You MUST complete this process by midnight Eastern time on April 3, 2010 to be eligible to vote. Our goal is to have 100 percent participation in voting, and this is the first step.
Complete your Certification of Entitlement to Vote
BY JUNE 4: Complete updating membership records and payment. Register for Training Now! When you complete the certification above, you will be asked to indicate how you want to process your membership records. If you are unfamiliar with using our Web-based system (TouchBase) or basic Excel spread sheets, sign up for a training session. Sessions will be held at least twice each week, beginning March 24.
Register for training
NAMI's Story Is Coming to PBS Stations for May
Find out how to work with PBS stations to support promotion of When Medicine Got It Wrong, the documentary about NAMI's origins as a grassroots movement and founding as a national organization-the same film shown at NAMI's 30th anniversary national convention last year, after its premiere on San Francisco's KQED-TV.
- Learn more in a teleconference on Wednesday, April 7 at 2:30 p.m. (ET) with the film's producer, Katie Cadigan and programming consultant Kristin Fellows.
- Phone-in for the teleconference: 1 (888) 858-6021. Pass code: 628443#. NAMI contact is Christine Armstrong at christinea@nami.org or (703) 312-7893.
PBS is making the documentary available to their local television affiliates for broadcast during Mental Health Month (and beyond) with the suggestion that it be scheduled around Mother's Day. It is partly the story of families who were sick and tired of being blamed for their children's mental illness-the myth of the "schizophrenogenic mother"-and insisted on advancements in medicine and science.
The film is not just about the past-it's about ours present and future. In the face of continuing stigma and discrimination, budget cutbacks and people still falling through cracks, it asks, "Where is the outrage today?" Help publicize it through NAMIWalks or state advocacy campaigns and use it to reinforce NAMI messages in other community events.
Will your local PBS station be airing the film? For information on how to approach local PBS stations to ask that they put it on their schedule, please also feel free to contact Kristin Fellows at kfellows@charter.net.
New National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Resources
Promotional posters have been added to the available resources to help you start planning for National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, July 2010. Like the other available resources, these posters are available in both English and Spanish and can be utilized to promote local activities and partnership efforts in July. Start planning now and utilize the resources available on the NAMI Web site.
Among those resources is the recording of the first National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2010 planning Webinar. This Webinar featured information on social marketing and media outreach strategies as well as provided an example of an event held in 2009. The planning Webinar series will continue to be offered leading up to July to help NAMI states and affiliates plan activities and partner outreach strategies for National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2010. Stay tuned!
Visit the NAMI Web site for more information on National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
SAMHSA Voice Award Nominations: April 30 Deadline
Join SAMHSA in recognizing entertainment industry professionals and individuals who live with mental illness who have given a voice to people living with mental illness.
The annual Voice Awards honor film and television writers and producers who incorporate dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of people with mental illness into their scripts, programs, and productions. The awards also recognize the accomplishments of consumer leaders who raise awareness and understanding of mental illness and promote social inclusion.
- If you know of a TV show or film released between March 15, 2009 and April 15, 2010, please nominate it for a 2010 Voice Award.
- All entertainment industry nominations must be received by April 30, 2010.
- If you know of a person who lives with mental illness who has led efforts to promote social inclusion and by personally demonstrated that recovery is real and possible please nominate them.
- All nominations for individuals living with mental illness must be received by May 14, 2010.
Nominations are open to anyone, free and there is no limit to the number an individual can submit. For more information, please consult the Voice Awards Web site. The awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in Hollywood on Oct. 13, 2010.
Scholarships Available for National Association of Rural Mental Health
The National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) is holding its annual meeting, Innovations in Caring for Rural America, June 2-5 in Denver.
In order to foster transformation of mental health care to focus on recovery, the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) is offering to provide scholarship support for 10 individuals who live with mental illness who would like to participate. To be eligible for this scholarship, a completed application and letter(s) of recommendation must be received by NARMH by April 15, 2010.
For more information about the conference and to download a copy of the scholarship application, visit the NARMH Conference Web site.
Please note the following regarding the scholarship process:
- Consumer scholarships are available for consumers in the United States, including Colorado.
- The letter(s) of recommendation should be from someone that is familiar with you, ideally someone such as a counselor, therapist, clergy or other mental health care provider.
- The selection criteria will be based on the reasons for attending the conference as well as the letters of recommendation.
- The letter(s) of recommendation should attest that the individual would benefit from attending the conference.
- The deadline is firm as April 15. The recipients of the scholarships should receive a YES or decline from NARMH by May 15.
- Consumers wanting to attend on a scholarship should NOT register on the Web site; upon the granting of the scholarship, staff at CMHS will assist with registration.
- Following the scholarship award, CMHS will work with the individuals on their travel needs and per diem expenses.
Interested individuals should read the scholarship application regarding additional conditions and expectations. If you have additional questions, please contact NARMH at info@narmh.org.
Media Opportunity: Women Living with Depression
A writer for the patient Web site of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) is working on a story about women and depression.
She is specifically looking to interview women who fit one of the following profiles:
- A woman who was diagnosed with depression as a teenager
- A woman who had depression related to premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- A woman who developed depression during menopause
If you fit one of these profiles and would like to share your story, please send a brief description (250 words or less) of your experiences living with depression to christinea@nami.org. NAMI will not share your name or contact information without your explicit consent.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Conference
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Conference will be in San Antonio June 1-3. The conference brings together local law enforcement agencies, mental health providers and NAMI advocates to network, celebrate the CIT movement and learn more about CIT. Register online today! Early registration ends April 15. Fred Frese, former NAMI Board of Directors member, will be a featured speaker at the conference.
For more information visit the CIT International Conference Web site.
The Implementation of Mental Health Parity: Has it made a difference?
There is no single date for implementation of the new federal mental health parity law. Beginning Oct. 3, 2009, as health care insurance plans are renewed, they are required to include the provisions outlined in the law.
Learn more about the new law and share your experience.
We want to hear from you! Share your experience as mental health parity is included in your health care plan. Join the discussion and share the good news and the bad:
- Is my plan imposing separate deductibles for mental health and general health …or what is the difference for me now that these are equal?
- Are there higher co-pays imposed when I visit my mental health care providers….or are these now equal to other health care provider copays?
- More...
Join the discussion
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 by clicking here.
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 days and 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.
Hearts & Minds: New Program Launch
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, NAMI launched its new Hearts & Minds initiative 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 illness. The program includes a dedicated Web site and new tools for state and local presentations. The Hearts & Minds Facilitator's Guide, which comes with the Hearts & Minds DVD, as well as a booklet entitled Hearts & Minds: A Roadmap to Wellness for Individuals Living with Mental Illness, are available for purchase in the NAMI store.
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 christinea@nami.org. Please also tell us about any personal experiences that you or your family currently are having as a result of state budget cuts.
Join NAMI Asian American and Pacific Islander 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 Group work together with the 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 at MACenter@nami.org. Please pass this message along to anyone you know that might be interested.
Convention e-Newsletter Is Now Available
Click here to read about the exciting program plans for NAMI's 2010 National Convention in Washington, D.C.
You can now view all previous editions.
F2F Tribute and Class Five Problem Solving Videos Now Available
The Family-to-Family Tribute and Class Five Problem Solving videos are back in stock. They may be ordered by clicking on the blue Family-to-Family tab in the NAMI store. If you do not have access to this tab, contact Marshall Epstein (703) 516-7975 or marshall@nami.org and he will adjust your web account so you can order these materials.
Watch For Your 2010 F2F Curriculum Updates
Your state F2F program director has received the 2010 F2F curriculum updates to distribute to F2F teachers. Make sure you are on your state F2F teacher distribution list. If you are in a state without a program director, please contact Lynne Saunders at lynne@nami.org.
F2F Hall of Fame
It's that time again to honor your special F2F teachers who have taught 10+ classes and those very special ones who have taught 20+ classes. We also want to honor state F2F trainers who have led 10+ teacher trainings. Nominees attending the NAMI Convention will be recognized during the Education Institute.
All nominees will receive a certificate of appreciation and they will join a growing number of other special teachers in NAMI's F2F Hall of Fame.
A nomination letter must come from the state program director/executive director to Lynne@nami.org by May 31.
Fifth Edition of What Hurts/What Helps: Now Available
The fifth edition of What Hurts/What Helps is now available on the Family-to-Family Intranet under the heading of Resources and the subheading National Resources. The author of this manuscript is Joyce Burland, Ph. D. To quote Dr. Burland, "What Hurts/What Helps was written to help residents in psychiatry learn quickly what they must be "doing wrong" with families and how to "set it right."
Access to the Family-to-Family Intranet can be obtained by contacting Marshall Epstein marshall@nami.org or by calling (703) 516-7975.
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 at marshall@nami.org 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 to Lynne@nami.org 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 will provide an update on the 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!
Deadlines and Dates to Remember
- April 14: Sharing Hope: Community Partnership through Education Webinar at 3 p.m. ET
- April 15: Early Registration Deadline for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Conference
- April 15: National Association of Rural Mental Health Application Deadline for Consumer Scholarships
- 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
- April 30: SAMHSA Voice Award- Entertainment Industry Nominations Deadline
- May 14: SAMHSA Voice Award - Mental Health Consumer Nominations Deadline
- May 31: F2F Hall of Fame Nomination Letter Deadline
- June 1-3: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Conference in San Antonio
- June 4: Complete updating membership records and payment
- June 30-July 3: NAMI 2010 National Convention in Washington, D.C.
- July 7: HUD Applications Due
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