April 17th, 2015
 
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NAMI-NYS NEWS

NAMI-NYC Metro Named as 2015 Rona and Ken Purdy Award to End Discrimination Recipient  

 

We're thrilled to announce NAMI-NYC Metro as this years winner of the Ron and Ken Purdy Award which honors an individual or organization that has done significant work in raising public awareness about mental illness and reducing stigma.  Through the I Will Listen Campaign, and offering every NAMI Signature program this affiliate has done an excellent at reducing stigma.  These efforts, combined with their partnership with the NAMI on Campus group at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and hosting the largest NAMIWalk in the state made NAMI-NYC Metro a well deserving recipient of this award.   

  

NAMI-NYS' Wendy Burch Participates in the 
Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease 
 
NAMI-NYS Executive Director Wendy Burch (third from left) meets with the office of Congressman Paul Tonko.

 

This week, NAMI-NYS Executive Director Wendy Burch traveled to Washington D.C. to join NAMI and other heath organizations for the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease Advocacy Day. The main goal for the advocacy day was to urge members of Congress to listen to patients and the problems they are experiencing in obtaining proper care and medications. Wendy met with the offices of NY Representative Paul Tonko and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). You can click here to read an article from The Hill explaining how Congress needs to talk to patients not at them. You can also follow activities on Twitter using the hash tag #talk2patients.
 
NAMI-Syracuse to be Honored as Part of
What's Great in Our State
A Celebration of Children's Mental Health Awareness

 NAMI Syracuse has been chosen as one of the five honorees at this year's What's Great in Our State-A Celebration of Children's Mental Health. The event taking place Tuesday, May 5th, at the New York State Museum  will honor people and organizations that are on the forefront of raising awareness of children's mental health issues. NAMI-Syracuse is being honored for introducing the  Breaking the Silence  lesson plans to 31 schools and 1,500 students in Central NY and for their annual Children's Mental Health Conference.

Of the award NAMI Syracuse President Karen Winters Schwartz says, "We at NAMI Syracuse are very honored to be chosen for this award. We believe early intervention and support leads to timely diagnosis and subsequent recovery. The key is early education of our children and their educators to help break down the fear and stigma associated with these neurobiologically based illnesses. I want to thank Dr. Stephen Glatt and Dr. Andy Beltran for all their tireless work in bringing Breaking the Silence into our area schools and former president, Judy Bliss-Ridgway for making her dream of a children's conference into a reality. Special thanks to OnCare for their financial contribution to the Breaking the Silence program."

 


Click here  to learn about all the honorees and register for this free event. We also want to promote local events so if you are organizing an event for Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, email the details to Matthew Shapiro to have the event listed on the WGIOS website.

Meet Jene Luciani Hostess of 
2015 A Brighter Day

The third annual A Brighter Day Event is just a week away. NAMI-NYS is thrilled to be joined by fashion expert, TV personality and best selling author Jene Luciani, who will be emceeing the event.  She is the host of Lifetime Network's "Mom's Personal Shopper" and appears regularly on NBC's TODAY Show, The Wendy Williams Show, E! News, Dr. Oz, NBC'S New York Live, The Style Network, Better TV, CNN Money, ABC News, Fox News Channel and Good Day NY.
 
The free event taking place next Friday, April 24th at Glennpeters Diamond Center in Albany is designed to raise awareness of mental health and raise support for NAMI-NYS. NAMI-NYS  member Gary Lampkin will be telling his story of recovery from mental illness. People can support NAMI-NYS by purchasing raffle tickets, participating in the silent auction and purchasing beverages. Complimentary food will be served.
 
Register today for what is sure to be a wonderful evening.
 

NAMI-NYS Participates in Special Needs Planning Law Day

Bob Mascali, Pierro Law Group, Matthew Shapiro, NAMI-NYS, Roger Bearden, NYS Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

On April 11th, NAMI-NYS participated in Albany Law School's Special Needs Planning Law Day. The event was a forum for individuals of all ages with special needs and their families and caretakers. It provided information  about pressing legal, financial and caregiving concerns along with a myriad of resources and services. NAMI-NYS exhibited at the event and Matthew Shapiro led a workshop on NAMI education and support services.

NAMI-NYS Participates in Out of Darkness 
Suicide Prevention Walk

Christine Rickeman, NAMI-NYS (far left) with members of NAMI Rensselaer County at the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.




NAMI NEWS

Three Powerful Messages for Promoting Mental Health Awareness in Every School


Hakeem Rahim of NAMI Queens/Nassau recently wrote a blog which was featured on the NAMI website on the topic of mental health awareness in schools.  To read the full article, click here

NEW YORK STATE NEWS

 

New York Times features Elyn Saks and the Benefits of Employment for People With Schizophrenia

 

Click here to read a New York Times feature where Elyn Saks offers insight into her struggle with the expectations in life for people living with schizophrenia and how she overcame the limitations set on her. She believes part of her success comes from her treatment and focusing on her career. She took on a research project with colleagues at UCLA and USC to find how other people diagnosed with schizophrenia lead successful careers. She found that for many of the people who were part of her research found that working helps distract them from their symptoms.

 

 


Report on Erie County Jail System Shows Progress But Room For Improvement With Mentally Ill

The second series of reports documenting conditions inside Erie County's jails in Buffalo and Alden show that while the county has made progress in treating people with mental health conditions, it lacks a strategy to deal with the revolving door of mentally ill offenders moving in and out of confinement, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union.  Click here to read the full article. 
NATIONAL NEWS

 

CNN Calls for the End of Stigma of Mental Illness

 

Click here to read an article from CNN which uses the Germanwings tragedy to highlight the need for society to stop applying stigma to mental illness. The article states, in order to reduce stigma and allow people to go for treatment, people should be educated on mental illness, and policies should exist to prevent people from the repercussions that may arise from revealing their mental illness.

 

SAMHSA National Prevention Week

 

National Prevention Week is a SAMHSA-supported annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues."
National Prevention Week will take place May 17-23, 2015. The theme for this year for National Prevention Week is "The Voice of One, the Power of All." Click here for a link detailing ways you can get involved.

The Psychiatric Ward Taught Me it Can Be OK to Laugh

Click here to read an article from the Guardian where Marc Burrows sheds light on his time as a patient in a psychiatric ward and how he used humor to make light of his situation. He makes a clear argument, although, that finding humor in mental illness and insulting the mentally ill are two different things. Finding humor in mental illness can work to reduce stigma also help to control and cope with the feelings and emotions that come with mental illnesses.

NIMH NEWS

Director's Blog; "What Caused This to Happen?-Part 2"

Click here to read this week's blog, in which Dr. Insel discusses the excitement around this season of scientific meetings as it is "a good time to take stock of progress and continuing challenges in mental health research." Dr. Insel believes one of the topics surely to be discussed and debated is cause. He elaborates on two types of cause; Proximal cause-the mechanism of disease and Distal cause which is produced by outside risk factors. He then goes on to explore the exciting breakthroughs which are advancing the ability to identify both causes.

NIMH UPDATE


Click here to read the latest update from NIMH.

 

 

NIH Depression Research Study Enrolling Participants

 

  

Several studies are identifying the physical traits of adult depression and investigating medications that rapidly reduce symptoms. For info and eligibility criteria go to www.nimh.nih.gov/JoinAStudy or call: 1-877-MIND-NIH (1-877-646-3644) TTY: 1-866-411-1010, E-mail: moodresearch@mail.nih.gov.

 

Is Your Depression Hard to Treat? Experiencing thoughts of sadness, hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness, lacking interest in everyday activities you once enjoyed?

 

NIH researchers seek depressed persons between the ages of 18-65 for participation in several brain imaging and medication studies that are evaluating how experimental medications (ketamine, riluzole & scopolamine) may reduce symptoms rapidly. Participation includes 1-4 visits, psychiatric interviews, medical history, physical exam, blood and other medical tests.  Some studies are conducted on an outpatient basis, others on an inpatient basis. Participants must be free of other serious medical conditions. Research evaluations and medications are provided at no cost.

 

The studies are conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. There is no cost to participate. We enroll eligible participants locally and from around the country. Travel arrangements are provided and costs covered by NIMH. (Arrangements vary by distance and by specific study.) After completing the study participants receive short-term follow-up care while transitioning back to a provider.



NAMIWalks - Rochester
Date: May 2nd
Location: Village Gate, Rochester, NY
Contact: Lindsay Chambers, 585-330-1968 or e-mail
Click here for more information.

NAMIWalks - Long Island/Queens
Date: May 2nd
Location: Jones Beach, E. Bathhouse, Parking Field #5, Wantagh, NY
Contact: Rori Fleshel, 516-325-0428 or e-mail.
Click here for more information

NAMIWalks - NYC Metro
Date: May 9th
Location: South Street Promenade, New York, NY
Contacts: Sarah Sheahan, 212-684-3365 or e-mail and Ariel Roth, 212-684-3365 or e-mail.
Click here for more information.

NAMIWalks - Westchester
Date: May 16th
Location: Rye Town Park, Rye, NY
Contact: Marie Consideine, 914-258-7613 or e-mail.
Click here for more information
Signature Programs

 
April 20 - NAMI NYC Staten Island will begin a new Family-to-Family course being offered on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM.  Classes will be held at the Fr. Dominic Epifano Parish Center at Holy Rosary Parish in Staten Island.  For more information or to sign up, contact Linda at 718-477-1700 or by e-mail.     


April 24 - Join NAMI-NYS as they host a new Peer-to-Peer training.  The training will take place at the NAMI-NYS office in Albany, NY. To learn more about this training or to submit an application please contact State Programs Coordinator, Shaniqua Jackson at 518-462-2000.  

May 2 - Join NAMI Mid-Hudson as they start a new Basics course being offered Saturdays from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM.  Classes will be held LeGrangeville Middle school in LeGrangeville, NY.  To learn more click here or contact JoAnn Brown at programs@namimidhudson.org or 845-832-6368.    
 

 

Save the Dates
Now - April 24 - Donna Wynbrandt, NAMI-NYS member is currently exhibiting her 5 years of work for an Art Show.  This event will be held at the Historic Salem Courthouse Community Center Monday - Friday, for more information call 518-854-7053.
   
April 17 -
NAMI Huntington will be participating in the 'Standown' for the homeless at the Northport VA Hospital.  Any donations of personal hygiene products are greatly appreciated.  For more information or to donate contact 631-385-0754.

April 19 -
The Eating Disorder Treatment Collaborative and F.E.E.D. University will be hosting complimentary workshops during their program Resistance, Resilency and Recovery.  Workshops will be held from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM in Melville, NY.  Click here for more information. 

April 25 -
Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for their Out of the Darkness walk being held at the campus of Schenectady Community College in Schenectady, NY.  The walk will begin at 1:00 PM, click here to register or learn more.

April 29 -
Join NAMI Westchester for a fundraising event at Alex and Ani in Rye, NY.  The event will take place from 7:00 - 9:00 PM and 15% of all sales will benefit NAMI Westchester.  Please RSVP at info@namiwestchester.org

April 29 -
Join NAMI Huntington as they host a program featuring a CIT officer and will discuss why CIT is so important.  For more information on this event please call 631-385-0754.

April 30 - Join NAMI Buffalo & Erie County for their Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration, sponsoring Major Sam Cochran as keynote speaker about his Memphis CIT Program origins.  On the following day, May 1, Major Cochran will present a two hour program on
"Verbal De-Escalation in a Psychiatric Crisis," a collaboration between Erie County Medical Center and NAMI Buffalo.  The program is free and open to the public, including professionals and families.  For more information contact namibuffalony@gmail.com or Marcy Rose at 716-226-6264. 
 
May 2 -
Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for their Out of the Darkness walk being held at the campus of University at Albany in Albany, NY.  The walk will begin at 1:00 PM, click here to register or learn more.  SUNY Potsdam will also be holding their walk on this day as well, walk begins at 12:30 PM.  Click here to read more.

May 6 - NAMI Syracuse will be hosting their annual Children's Conference at the Empire Room at the NYS Fairgrounds.  The title of this year's conference is New Options for Treatment, Research, and Education on Mental Illness in Children.  The conference will begin at 9:00 AM and conclude at 3:00 PM.  Tickets are $35.00, for more information call 315-487-2085.

 

May 19 - Join NAMI Cayuga as they partner with local agencies for the Tim Durant Recovery Walk.  The walk will begin at 6:00 PM at the Memorial City Hall.  Click here to learn more or contact Terri or Bart Wasilenko at 315-255-7443.     

TO HAVE YOUR EVENTS FEATURED IN THE NAMI-NYS NEWS RELEASE PLEASE EMAIL EVENT DETAILS TO ANDREW CHAKMAKAS.   

NAMI-NYS | 99 Pine Street Suite 302| Albany, New York 12207 | (518) 462-2000