Friday Facts from NAMI National: August 28, 2009

	August 28, 2009 From NAMI National New Announcements MIAW UPDATE: New Media Materials Great Tool for Community Outreach-in time for MIAW 2009! NAMIWalks - Surging Across America, Raising Community Awareness In Our Own Voice Grants! Social Inclusion and Trauma Informed Care Teleconference Repeated Announcements NAMI 2008 Annual Report Online NAMI Identity Guide Updates NAMI has Moved! NAMI Launches new 2009 "Puzzle Pieces" Public Service Announcement Campaign NAMI Education and Program Information New Announcements Education, Training, & Peer Support Center Electronic Newsletter Repeated Announcements NAMI Connection Training of Trainers Notice to Family-to-Family State Trainers and State Program Directors Deadlines and Dates to Remember From NAMI National MIAW UPDATE: New Media Materials Samples for press releases, op-ed articles, and letters to editors for Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), October 4-10, are now available on the NAMI Web site. They should be sent to news media at least a week in advance (September 27+). They also can be used to prepare talking points for interviews. MIAW also is the launch pad for a public education campaign extending into 2010 based on the television program Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness, offering additional resources online. The program is being released to PBS stations around the country in October. So far, approximately 15 stations are scheduled to air the program during MIAW. For MIAW media information, please contact Christine Armstrong via e-mail or 703-312-7893. For information about the Minds on the Edge campaign, please contact Kristin Fellows via e-mail or 828-253-2296. Great Tool for Community Outreach-in time for MIAW 2009! The second fully bilingual issue of ¡Avanzamos!, NAMI's popular Spanish-language publication, will be out soon--just in time for MIAW and Hispanic Heritage Month. In celebration of this month, the issue honors Latino NAMI leaders who help NAMI advocate for, educate and support thousands of people across the country. This issue also features personal stories of mental illness recovery and family support, new research on resiliency of Latino teens, an article on how the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University is addressing the challenges Latinos face to receive psychiatric rehabilitation services and more. Articles are included in both Spanish and English. Visit the NAMI Web site to subscribe to this publication in electronic format via e-mail, receive the print version via standard mail and access previous issues of ¡Avanzamos! in the online archive. This publication is not only a great tool for outreach but also an interesting and uplifting read for all. NAMIWalks - Surging Across America, Raising Community Awareness The 2009 NAMIWalk season continues this weekend in Cleveland where they will be holding their 7th Walk on Saturday, August 29th. They will be walking in Voinovich Park behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are already more than halfway toward their goal of $100,000. If you are reading this and are near one of the 80 NAMIWalks being organized for 2009, get connected and join the fun! In the 7 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 350,000 walkers have participated, raising over $37 million to fund state and local NAMI advocacy, education and support programs. To find the NAMIWalk nearest you, visit NAMI's Web site. In Our Own Voice Grants! Applications are now being accepted for In Our Own Voice (IOOV) Program and Seed grants. Applicants must be NAMI State Organizations who have not received IOOV funds within the last 12 months. For an application or for more information, call Cynthia Evans, Director, In Our Own Voice, at (703) 524-7600 ext. 7987, or send an e-mail. Application Deadline: Friday, September 18, 2009. Social Inclusion and Trauma Informed Care Teleconference SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health invites you to register now for a free teleconference training titled, "Social Inclusion and Trauma Informed Care." Date: Thursday, September 10, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Eastern Time) To register for this training teleconference, please click here for the registration page. Please pass this invitation along to interested friends and colleagues. Please note: Registration for this teleconference will close at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on Friday, September 4, 2009. NAMI 2008 Annual Report Online SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health invites you to register now for a free teleconference training titled, "Moving Towards Social Inclusion." NAMI's 2008 Annual Report is now online. Take a look back at NAMI's accomplishments, happenings and benchmarks throughout the year as well as read some personal testimonials from wonderful people sharing their stories about mental illness and how they found NAMI. NEW: NAMI Submissions Guidelines Submissions guidelines for the Advocate are up in the Advocate section of the Web Site. If you ever wanted to know how to contribute to NAMI's flagship publication, or know people who have asked, this is the place to visit. NAMI Identity Guide Updates NAMI has a new editorial style guide, available both in English and in Spanish as well as a new, expanded color palette. NAMI's editorial style is based on the Associated Press style book. Check out all of the useful tools the Identity Guide has to offer, including downloadable templates for business cards, letterhead and more. Also new in the Identity Guide is the NAMI Hearts and Minds logo. And don't forget to grab your MIAW logo if you're planning activities around Mental Illness Awareness Week. Both logos are available here along with many other NAMI logos. NAMI has Moved! NAMI's new address is 3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100, Arlington VA, 22203-1701. Please make note of this change and share it with all of your NAMI friends. NAMI Launches new 2009 "Puzzle Pieces" Public Service Announcement Campaign NAMI Launches new 2009 "Puzzle Pieces" Public Service Announcement Campaign. NAMI's PSA initiative encourages people to connect with each other through NAMI to help themselves and others affected by mental illness. The PSA initiative includes TV, Radio, Web banner, outdoor and print options. In addition to NAMI national's distribution effort, NAMI affiliates can engage through supporting the effort by contacting stations in their media market areas who have received the PSA and/or purchasing PSAs for a supplemental distribution. Listen and watch the new 2009 NAMI "Puzzle Pieces" PSA! Engage in this effort to help make NAMI a household name. For complete information, visit the NAMI Web site. Resources and Publicity Tools for Promoting Mental Illness Awareness Week are Now Available! MIAW 2009: Now available on the NAMI Web site: information resources and publicity tools for promoting Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), October 4 - 10, 2009, in your area, including a logo, sticker and poster (both English and Spanish-language versions), as well as model materials for work with the media and public events. The materials are offered in easy, downloadable format. You can print them from your computer or supply them to your local print shop. For complete instructions on how to use these resources, please refer to the comprehensive Idea Book on NAMI's MIAW Web site. NAMI Education and Program Information Education, Training, & Peer Support Center Electronic Newsletter The Education, Training & Peer Support Center has issued its second departmental electronic newsletter, highlighting this year's Convention activities as well as the various program activities happening throughout the country. The newsletter will 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 & Peer Support Center Newsletter. 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 starting Friday, October 23 at 9:00 a.m. - Sunday, October 25, 2009 ending at 2:00 p.m. This training will be for trainers from states that became part of NAMI Connection in 2007 or 2008 and for 2009 states that have certified Connection facilitators who meet the criteria. Individuals attending this training will be certified as state NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group 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 October 23, 2009. The next training of state trainers will occur in April 2010. Costs for transportation, training materials, meals and lodging 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. The training fee for state trainers (beyond the initial three covered by the National program) is $350, which does not cover transportation. NAMI Connection facilitators who are interested in becoming state trainers should contact their state office. National does not accept registrations directly from facilitators. Applications to the state office are due by September 11, 2009. Train the Trainer registrations are only accepted from NAMI state offices. State registrations are due by September 18, 2009. For more information contact Anna Goodwin, Connection Training Manager agoodwin@nami.org. Notice to Family-to-Family State Trainers and State Program Directors 2009 Family-to-Family Trainer Manual Updates The 2009 Family-to-Family Trainer Manual Updates have been mailed to certified state Family-to-Family trainers. The new trauma lecture is included in the updates. If you have not received your updates, you should contact Lynne Saunders with your current mailing address. Also, you should check with your state Family-to-Family program director to ensure that you are listed on the active state Family-to-Family trainer list. A new one hour lecture on Trauma Learning has been added to your FRIDAY training schedule. There are 2 things you must pay attention to as you schedule your next training: Notify trainers and trainees of the new starting time on Friday morning ( Arrival: 9:30 am; start training at 10 am). Be sure the trainees get the updated welcome letter (new PREP page 6). Major changes on Friday schedule are as follows: 9:30 - 10:30 am Arrival and welcome 10:30 - 11:45 am Nuts and Bolts 11:45 - 1:15 pm Lunch 1:30 - 2:30 Lecture on Trauma Learning 2:30 - 3:00 Break 3:00 - 4:50 Class 1 (10 minute stretch) We will mail new pages for your Training Manual next week. Be on the lookout for them! Joyce and Lynne will be holding a series of Trainer conference calls this summer to go over these changes and review the new trauma lecture with you. Deadlines and Dates to Remember September 10 - Social Inclusion and Trauma Informed Care Teleconference September 18 - NAMI Connections Train the Trainer Registrations Due September 18 - In Our Own Voice Grants Application Deadline October 4-10 - Mental Illness Awareness Week 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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GREATER BOSTON WALK FOR AUTISM...WE NEED YOU

Register Online for the 2008 Walk!
Visit us online for some exciting announcements and incentives
SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2008
At SUFFOLK DOWNS
ROUTE 1A
EAST BOSTON, MA


Kick-Off Reception
You are invited. Join us for a fun, informative and inspirational event featuring special guest speakers at 6:30 pm on August 7th at Café Escadrille in Burlington, MA.

Team Fundraising Incentive
Team captains get ready. The next 4 teams that reach $10,000 in fundraising by August 15th will receive 2 tickets to the game on the Red Sox Autism Awareness Day on September 9th AND participation in our on-field opening ceremony.

Top Team Update: Teamsters Local 25
A HUGE thank you to the Teamsters who held a special Gala for Autism Speaks on March 8th and raised $125,000 for their team.

Purchase Puzzle Pretzels
5% of the proceeds from purchases of Bachman’s special Puzzle Pretzel will be donated to Autism Speaks. These fun and tasty puzzle shaped pretzels are available nationwide. Send the following link to your friends and family to find local stores that carry them:

Take Action for Autism Funding
Click on the link to send your support for a letter currently being circulated by Representatives Mike Doyle, Chris Smith, and Carolyn McCarthy, which seeks $15 million for autism research in the House version of the Fiscal 2009 Defense Appropriations bill, as well as full funding for Fiscal 2009 of the Combating Autism Act.
1. Call your state representative and senator at 617-722-2000. Urge them to support the larger Senate appropriation for the Division of Autism (Line Item 5920-3010).
2. Call the House Ways & Means Chair, Robert DeLeo, at 617-722-2990. Thank him for the increase in funding for the Division’s Children’s Autism Medicaid Waiver and urge him to support the larger Senate appropriation for the Division of Autism (Line Item 5920-3010) in Conference Committee.
3. Call the House Ways & Means Chair, Stephen Panagiotakos, at 617-722-1481. Thank him for his support for the increase in funding for the Division of Autism and the Children’s Autism Medicaid Waiver (Line Item 5920-3010) and ask him to please continue to support this funding in Conference Committee.
4. Pass this e-mail on to anyone you know who would make these calls. Send this to anyone who would dedicate 5 minutes of making these quick phone calls in support that can make a difference. Anyone who lives in the State of Massachusetts: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, coworkers, therapists, etc.

Volunteers Needed
Help is needed before the walk, with making phone calls, mailings and more. Contact us if you would like to get involved! 617-924-3300.

Committee Members Needed
We are looking for additional Walk Committee members. If you would like to help plan and implement this year's Walk, please contact us. We especially need assistance with public relations and logistics. Call 617-924-3300.

About the Walk Now for Autism Event

Join Autism Speaks as we tackle autism! Experience the power of thousands united by a single cause by joining Walk Now for Autism. Start a corporate, school or family team today. Walk Now for Autism offers everyone a fun-filled experience with entertainment, refreshments, an autism community resource fair, and much, much more. Be sure to raise $100 to earn your commemorative Walk Now for Autism t-shirt. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Whether you are walking, forming a team, volunteering, or just passing this e-mail along to your address book, THANK YOU so much for your help.

The Greater Boston Walk Planning Committee

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER NEWSLETTER JUNE 2008

SCIENCE

For three days in May many of the world’s leading autism researchers converged on London for the 7th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), the single most important event for autism research, co-sponsored by Autism Speaks. A record number of 1,150 people attended the conference, which featured outstanding keynote speakers, several invited educational symposia and many oral presentations and poster sessions. This was the largest and most exciting IMFAR since the first conference was held in Florida in November 2002 – initiated by the parent groups that form part of Autism Speaks, NAAR and CAN. In just 7 years the field has made many important and exciting advances. Presentations covered a full range of topics: from genetics (including evidence for several new ‘risk’ genes), to environmental factors (e.g., immune response factors) that contribute to the underlying causes; from differences at the level of the cell to overall brain size and function; from behavioral patterns to new treatments and service delivery models for children and their families.

Even before IMFAR began satellite meetings were held, including one that focused on research and treatment studies for infants at high risk for autism and another that brought together epidemiologists from around the world who investigate the prevalence of autism and monitor changes in rates of diagnoses. These satellite groups drew on research networks (Baby Sibling Research Consortium; Epidemiology Network) that were created by Autism Speaks.

Researchers from the Boston area were very well represented at IMFAR 2008 (e.g., Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University). Our own group from Boston University School of Medicine contributed to 14 different poster and oral presentations covering the following topics: underlying brain pathology; neuroimaging studies; research on language; developmental and behavioral studies; impact of autism on the family; and several presentations from our collaborative project (with Children’s Hospital Boston) on infants at risk for autism.

We are all looking forward to IMFAR 2009, which will be held in Chicago next May. Not only is Autism Speaks an important sponsor of the meeting, but so many of the presentations and posters that I attended this year were made possible by funding from Autism Speaks. There is no doubt that Autism Speaks is the critical organization that is making the difference in advancing research and in the lives of families every day!

If you want to learn more about our own research see our WEBSITE. We are always looking for families interested in participating – especially for our infants at risk and brain imaging studies!

Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D.
Board Member: Greater Boston Chapter, Autism Speaks
Director, Autism Research Center, Boston University.

It was found that infants who were later diagnosed with autism had a more rapid rate of head growth in the first 2 years of life than infants who did not develop autism. For example, they begin with average size head at birth, and enlarged head size by the preschool years. Monitoring head growth, can easily be done at a well-baby visit, and could be an early risk marker for autism in infants who have an older sibling with autism.

A computer intervention was presented by researchers at Yale University, who hope to teach facial recognition skills using a game in which children practice matching expressions and emotions. The data suggests it is effective at improving face processing.

For a full recap of the IMFAR events READ MORE

ADVOCACY

Autism Votes, an initiative of Autism Speaks that focuses on advocacy, launched a new website in March. The website is designed to keep the autism community abreast of a variety of governmental issues on both the state and federal level. As New England continues to grow their grassroots and work on state based initiatives, we will need your help out in the community.

Our goal is to have 10,000 advocates in New England signed up by the end of this year so that next year will be even more productive! Forward this information to your family, friends, business associates, teachers, therapists and neighbors. Even if they live in another state, their assistance at a grassroots level is very important as we work on a variety of issues!

Please take a moment to sign up for advocacy alerts today to find out how you can help in the near future by visiting HERE. This will keep you updated on legislative issues and is the best way that you can personally make a difference in legislation that impacts families. Thanks

Congratulations to the Greater Hartford for championing HB 5696, Autism Insurance reform and HB 5590, teaching children with autism and developmental disabilities to signing by Connecticut Governor, M. Jodi Rell. Special Thanks to Shannon Knall, Community Advocacy Chair for her untiring efforts.

FAMILY SERVICES

Interested in Participating in Local Research?
The online Family Services Resource Guide lists opportunities for families to make a significant contribution to scientific research. You can join a clinical trial, enroll in a research study, contribute to our rich genetic database, or participate online by adding your family information to a research database. While 90% of children with cancer are enrolled in clinical trials, only 5% of children with autism currently participate in research, which is why your participation will make a BIG difference! In addition to Autism Speaks’ initiatives such as the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) and the Clinical Trials Network (CTN), we also have studies listed for other research organizations at Harvard University and Yale University. Please visit AUTISM SPEAKS and click on “Participate in Research” to find a study near you!

Take Advantage of the Resource Library!
Family Services has developed a Resource Library to provide you with a variety of information and reference materials. The Resource Library includes the latest blogs, books, catalogs, DVDs/CDs, educational toys, magazines, manuals, toolkits, and autism websites. You can access the Resource Library. We hope you find it helpful! If you'd like to recommend

AWARENESS

LADDERS, 13th Annual Current Trends in Autism Conference, April 11, 12, 2008, Burlington, MA.
Vincent Goglia, New England Chapter Executive Director gave welcoming remarks to the several hundred attendees at this year’s conference which presented the most up to date, scientifically sound information in the field of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders to parents and professionals concerned about children, adolescents and adults whose diagnosis falls along the Autism Spectrum.

Speakers included: Margaret Bauman, MD, conference organizer; Timothy Buie, MD; Charles Henry, MD; Marvin Natowitz, MD, Ph.D and Sheldon Wagner, MD

Family Day at McCoy Stadium
Southern New England Community Leadership Committee invites you to their fifth Annual Family Day on Sunday, June 22, 2008. See flyer for details.(LINK to flyer)

Strike Out Autism Night
Greater Hartford community leadership Committee invites you to baseball action at Rock Cats Stadium for a game between New Britain Rock Cats and Binghamton Mets, Saturday, August 30, 2008 at New Britain Stadium (Link to flyer)

COMMUNITY/LOCAL

Light Up The Night
March 8, 2008
hosted by Teamsters Local 25
Boston, MA... raised $125,000.00. 875 Teamsters members enjoyed music, live and silent auctions and wonderful food. Teamster Local 25 President and Principal Officer Sean M. Obrien was proud and pleased with the results. He gave special thanks to Lt. Governor Tim Murray for taking the time to speak at the event.

Master of Ceremonies was WHDH-TV news anchor Randy Price who introduced the speaking program. Boxing Champ, Mickey Ward pulled the winning ticket for the Harley Davidson, which was won by John Perry, Secretary-Treasurer of the Teamsters Local 25.

Evening of Purpose
Ocean House Restaurant
Dennisport, MA
June 1, 2008...raised $100,000.00. It was a fantastic evening of entertainment, fun, auctions, raffles and culinary delights by Executive chef Anthony Silvestri all benefiting the New England Chapter.

Janet Hart-Barbato, owner of Ocean House and mother of Kristopher, the inspiration for the evening hosted 450 happy patrons. The highlight of the evening was a vocal duet from Kristopher and singer Pam Pryor.

Greater Hartford Walk Now for Autism, June 8, 2008
More than 5000 walkers braved the extreme heat to walk in the Greater Hartford Walk Now for Autism. 218 teams raised $382,000. by walk day and much more money is expected to be sent in in the days ahead. Special thanks to the Co-chairs Noreen Simmons and Shannon Knall and to Logistics Chair, Diana Yeisley and Resource Fair coordinator, Beth Katten.

Vermont Walk Now for Autism, Saturday, June 14, 2008
More than 200 walkers in 23 teams gathered at Battery Park in Burlington Vermont to walk in support of Autism Speaks. More than $36,700. was raised by day’s end and more is expected to be collected in the days ahead Jill St. Thomas, event chair and her able walk committee organized a fabulous morning of fun and excitement. Special thanks to Jill St. Thomas-Benoit, Nancy Reino, Janet LaDuca, Eloy Iebeau, and Helena Haque-Campbell.



Vin Goglia

Executive Director, New England Chapter

Please forward to family and friends