The latest resources, news, and events from NAMI February 2025

February 2025 E-Newsletter

Medicaid is a public health insurance program that covers over 72 million people, including many people with mental health conditions, as well as pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, working families, and veterans. Forty percent of non-elderly adults on Medicaid have a mental health (MH) condition or substance use disorder (SUD).



To protect mental health, we need to protect Medicaid. Learn more mental health and Medicaid facts here.

Medicaid pays for vital services that people with mental health conditions rely on such as medications, case management, therapy, peer supports, and crisis care.

Where NAMI Stands on Medicaid

Cutting Medicaid funding or benefits would disproportionately harm people with mental health and substance use conditions.

• NAMI opposes efforts to take Medicaid coverage away from people who don’t meet a work reporting requirement. Learn more.
• NAMI opposes block grants or per-capita caps in Medicaid, which impose financing limits that jeopardize coverage and services for individuals with mental health conditions. Learn more.
• NAMI supports Medicaid expansion to expand access to coverage, with nearly 1 in 3 people covered by expansion having a MH/SUD. NAMI opposes changes to expansion or the federal matching rate that would reduce access to care. Learn more.

Please click the buttons below for more information and/or to take action!

Black History Month

1. The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (Founded by Taraji P. Henson)

🔗 https://borislhensonfoundation.org

Provides free mental health services, scholarships for Black therapists, and community programs to destigmatize mental health in the Black community.

2. Therapy for Black Girls

🔗 https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com

A directory of Black female therapists, a mental wellness podcast, and a supportive online community.

3. Therapy for Black Men

🔗 https://therapyforblackmen.org

A space offering mental health resources and a directory of Black male therapists to encourage men to seek help without stigma.

4. Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/_beamorg/?hl=en

Focuses on education, advocacy, and peer support to build mental health literacy and healing spaces within Black communities.

5. The Loveland Foundation

🔗 https://thelovelandfoundation.org

Offers free therapy scholarships to Black women and girls, helping to make mental health care more accessible.

If you or someone you know is looking for culturally competent mental health support, these resources can help!

If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, please call or text 988! 💚

#BlackMenalHealthMatters | #BlackHistoryMonth | #NAMINYS

The NAMI NYS Education Conference will be held on from November 14th to the 16th at the Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel. We are seeking passionate speakers and presenters who are eager to share their knowledge, experiences, and innovations in mental health. This is your chance to make a significant impact on our community and beyond!

Please have your proposal submitted no later than Friday, May 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Education Conference Committee will review and notify you if your submission has been accepted by Friday, June 13.

Join the New York State Bureau for Tobacco Control, the Office of Mental Health, and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, for this exciting opportunity to develop a shared vision and call to action to reduce the rates of commercial tobacco use and promote tobacco-free recovery for individuals with behavioral health conditions in New York State!

Summit Goal

To develop a shared vision and call to action to reduce the rates of commercial tobacco use and promote tobacco-free recovery for individuals with behavioral health conditions in New York State!

Summit Objectives

By the end of this Summit, attendees will be able to:

· Examine current trends, evidence-based practices, and innovative approaches for tobacco use disorder treatment, among people with behavioral health conditions.

· Consider potential policy, social norms and health system solutions to address tobacco related disparities for individuals with behavioral health conditions, to promote equity.

· Identify opportunities for action across all levels of the socio-ecological model (Policy, Community, Organizational, Interpersonal, and Individual) to improve health outcomes for individuals with behavioral health conditions.

Who Should Attend?

We are excited to bring together leaders, front-line practitioners, individuals who utilize services, and allies from the behavioral health, tobacco/nicotine treatment, public health, and social service organizations and communities during this pressing time. We warmly invite:

· Frontline practitioners (including peers) from

· OMH-Operated Psychiatric Centers

o OMH-licensed or funded or designated outpatient treatment or residential or care management programs

o OASAS-certified or funded or designated outpatient treatment or residential programs

o Inpatient and emergency services in Article 28 general hospitals

o Private Article 31 psychiatric hospitals

· Representatives from healthcare advocacy groups

· County Directors of Community Services and other officials and staff from local government units or city governments.

· Leadership from community organizations and health systems that offer services to New Yorkers

· Champions who are passionate about helping people stop using cigarettes.



· Researchers

· Leadership and staff from NYS agencies

Meet The NAMI NYS Next Gen

Taylor Locke

A recent graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Taylor had originally been enrolled in the NROTC program to work on U.S. Naval Nuclear Reactors. However, after being medically discharged from continued military service due to a diagnosis of PTSD, Taylor has since dedicated themselves to a career in mental health advocacy and has taken on various roles at the local, state, national, and international levels. Taylor serves on the Board of Directors for NAMI Capital Region NY, is a U.S. Representative for the Global Mental Health Peer Network Country Leadership Committee, and is a lived experience focus group member for the Public Library of Science (PLOS) Mental Health Journal.

Come join us on Saturday, March 29, at Brown's Revolution Hall, for the 11th Annual Dustin Mele Memorial Concert.



Dustin fell victim to the disease of suicide, at the age of 28, on March 12, 2013. The Mele/Quade family still reeling from their loss, decided to keep Dustin's memory alive & help others, by putting in the hard work, & organizing this yearly event -- which has grown into one of the largest such fundraisers for awareness, & fundraising, in New York State.

The event features some of the top names in local entertainment, along with many recognizable musicians from around the country.

https://www.facebook.com/DustinMeleMemorial

Proceeds from the Memorial Concert will support three organizations:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
• NAMI NYS (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• NAMI Capital Region NY (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Rensselaer County Mental Health and Emergency Assistance Programs through Catholic Charities CONSERNS-U program

Suggested donation at the door is $20

Join us in celebrating Children's Mental Health Awareness

Save the Date for What's Great in Our State (WGiOS)!

Please save the date for “What’s Great in Our State,” our annual Children’s Mental Health Awareness event, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm (doors open at 8 am for check-in). This event celebrates the outstanding work of programs, agencies, educators, parents, and youth who make a difference in children’s social-emotional health and well-being across New York state.

Attendees will enjoy:

• Keynote Speaker

• Recognition of the 2025 Honorees

• Networking Opportunities

• Workshops

• Light Breakfast & Boxed Lunch

More details and registration information will be shared soon. See the attached flyer for more information.

We hope to see you there!

The New York State Office of Mental Health is seeking individuals with personal experience with Assisted Outpatient Treatment to participate in an independent evaluation of the program. The agency is working with the Human Services Research Institute and the University of Pittsburgh to conduct this study using a team that includes individuals with lived experience of mental health systems.

To fulfill this goal, HSRI and Pitt are recruiting individuals with personal experience under an AOT order, along with others – family members, loved ones, and supporters of people who have been under an AOT order – for one-time interviews by phone or Zoom. 

The experience with an AOT must be from an order in New York State but can be current or from the past. Interested individuals must also be at least 18 years old. Individuals who are selected for the interviews will be paid $50 for their participation.  

Please share this message and the attached flyers with clients and their families, loved ones, and supporters, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. Interested individuals may complete the application form online, with participants selected on a basis to maximize racial diversity and to include individuals from all regions across the state. Selected individuals will be contacted by a member of the project team.  

While we encourage sharing these flyers internally, we would request that you refrain from posting them on social media so that we can avoid erroneous submissions.

For more information about the study, please visit the project website.  

NAMI Schenectady Family to Family February 27

Thursdays, February 27 through April 24 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm at the Emmanuel Friedens Church, 218 Nott Terrace, Schenectady, NY.

To register, contact Cynthia Seacord at (518) 986-9114 / namischenectady@gmail.com.

NAMI NYC Basics Online March 4 

Tuesdays, March 4 through April 8 from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm.

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447 / arobinson@naminyc.org.

De Persona a Persona de NAMI NYC Online March 5

Wednesdays, March 5 through April 30 (skip 4/23) from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447 / arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI NYC Metro Spanish Peer to Peer Online March 5

Wednesdays, March 5 through April 30 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447/ arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI NYC Metro Peer to Peer Online March 6

Thursdays, March 6 through April 24 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447/ arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI NYC Metro Family to Family Online March 8

Saturdays, March 8 through April 26 from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm.

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447/ arobinson@naminyc.org.



Bases y Fundamentos de NAMI NYC Online March 10

Mondays, March 10 through April 7 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. 

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447 / arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI NYC Peer-to-Peer for the Black Community Online March 11

Tuesdays, March 11 through April 29 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. 

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447 / arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI NYC Metro Family to Family March 12

Wednesdays, March 12 through May 7 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm at NAMI NYC Metro, 307 W 38th Street - 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018.           

To register, contact Aubrey Robinson at (212) 417-0447/ arobinson@naminyc.org.

NAMI Buffalo & Western NY Family to Family Online March 17

Mondays, March 17 through May 12 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

To register, contact Sherry Byrnes at (716) 226-6264 / sbyrnes@namibuffalony.org.

NAMI Rochester Family to Family March 19

Wednesdays, March 19 through May 7 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm at NAMI Rochester, 344 N. Goodman Street, Rochester, NY 14607.

To register, contact Beth Winslow-D’Amico at (585) 423-1593 ext. 101 / beth@namiroc.org.



NAMI Family Support Group

May 3 & 4

December 13 & 14

Peer to Peer

March  22 & 23

September 20 & 21

NAMI Connection

April 5 & 6

October 4 & 5

NAMI Provider Education

April 26 & 27

October 18 & 19

NAMI Family-to-Family

June 7 & 8

December 6 & 7

Contact your local affiliate for applications and more information.



Click here for the full list.



Meetings

Support Group for NAMI-NYS Affiliate Helpline Responders

Meets the third Monday of each month at 12:30 pm on zoom.

Contact Christine Rickeman at christine@naminys.org for the zoom link.

Next meeting: March 17, 2025

NAMI New York State Affiliate Meeting

Meets the third Wednesday of each month at 12:00 pm on zoom.

Contact Tammie Paradis at tammie@naminys.org or by phone at (518) 245-9167 for more information.

Next meeting: March 19, 2025

NAMI Family & Friends Zoom presentation

If you are interested in attending this 2 hour seminar, please click the link below to register.

Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

NAMI-NYC is proud to announce that we are now offering FREE peer-led support services to teens ages 14-18 living with mental health challenges throughout the five boroughs.

Our programs include:

• Teen Mental Health Support Group: Facilitated by young people close in age
• Teen participants will discuss what’s on their minds
• How to get support

Meets weekly and virtually Thursdays, 4-5 PM.

Helpline for Teens

Looking for a therapist or concerned about a friend?

Another peer – someone close to your age – will respond to your mental health questions.

Monthly Beginner Friendly Yoga Winter Series

First Sunday of each month beginning February 2, 2025

NAMI Westchester is excited to kick-off our Wellness Programs with monthly Sunday morning yoga from 9:45 am to 11 am! Yoga will be led by Nancy Kardon from Iyengar Yoga at the Temple Israel Center of White Plains Gym. 

Please note that this a free program but the suggested donation is $10/session and $20 for the rest of the series. All proceeds will go to NAMI Westchester to help continue our programs for free. Please select which sessions you would like to attend on the registration.

Follow us on social media!

#NAMINYS | #MentalHealthMatters