April 29th, 2016
 
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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH 2016

This E-News comes to you as we prepare to kick-off Mental Health Awareness Month. This year Mental Health Awareness Month arrives against the backdrop of disturbing news that suicide rates in America are the highest they have been in 30 years. It is clear that we all need to do more to raise awareness of psychiatric issues and urge people impacted by mental illness to find help and find hope in NAMI-NYS and our affiliates. This issue features a plethora of information both on the suicide study and the awareness initiatives NAMI-NYS affiliates can engage in including the Ribbon Awareness Campaign and the NAMI Walks which begin next weekend. 

We want to know how you are raising awareness in your community. Please email Matthew@NAMINYS.org with details and pictures about your work. This way we can feature it in the E-News and the upcoming Spring Newsletter. Showcasing your work will allow others to learn from you and that's the best way we can grow together as an organization. Together, we can create a more mentally healthy New York State but remember... 

Hope Starts With You!

NAMI-NYS News
 2016 
NAMI-NYS A Brighter Day 
Fundraising and Awareness Event Taking Place Tonight

NAMI-NYS will kick-off Mental Health Awareness Month a couple of days early by holding our annual A Brighter Day event at Glennpeter Jewelers Diamond Centre in Albany tonight. 

The event is free to attend and there will be complimentary food. We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Tiglao-Glass the founder of Link of Hearts, who will tell her remarkable story of recovery and how it led her to start her own business with a mission to provide hope to people living with a mental illness.There will also be music by the Grassroots Rebels. The event will also highlight the NAMI-NYS Ribbon Campaign and the NAMI-NYS NAMI Walks. 

Attendees will be able to support NAMI-NYS by purchasing raffle tickets and all bar sales will be donated to NAMI-NYS. 

NAMI-NYS wishes to thank Bob and Evelyn Keplinger for once again sponsoring the event,  Glennpeter Jewelers Diamond Centre for hosting and all the businesses that donated to the raffle.

You can click here for more info and to register.

Mental Health Awareness Month is Here!
There's Still Time to Launch Your Ribbon Campaign 
NAMI Awareness Ribbon displayed in the National Bank of Coxsackie
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and NAMI-NYS and many of our affiliates are engaging in our statewide Ribbon Awareness campaign. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of  mental illness and mental health issues as well as demonstrate how NAMI is a resource for support and education and a place for people to find help and find hope. 

NAMI-NYS and our affiliates in the Capital Region have been busy distributing the ribbons. All of the Albany Public Libraries, the Albany County Departments of Health and Mental Health, Albany Medical Center and many businesses and banks will be displaying the ribbons. We look forward to including more pictures from around the region and around the state throughout the month.

There is still time for you to participate in the ribbon campaign which will help you grow your affiliate's identity in your community by providing you an avenue to establish or strengthen a relationship with your local governments and businesses.

Click here to learn more. 
Two NAMI-NYS Initiatives to be Honored as
2016 What's Great in Our State

As we detailed in the last E-News, two initiatives from the NAMI-NYS family-NAMI at Emma Willard (the first NAMI high school club in New York) and the Dutchess County Children's Mental Health Awareness Week collaborative (which NAMI Mid-Hudson is a part of)- will be honored at this year's What's Great in Our State: A Celebration of Children's Mental Health Awareness. The event will be taking place on Tuesday May 3rd at the New York State Museum. Along with honoring programs, the event will also feature artwork from children living with a mental illness. It is free to attend and you can click here to register.     

NAMI Champlain Valley Participating in
 SAFETALK Training   

As we will detail below, the rate of suicide in America is increasing. NAMI-NYS and our affiliates can play a major role in helping prevent suicide. We are glad to see one our affiliates, NAMI Champlain Valley, being a leader in their community.

On May 9th, NAMI Champlain Valley and the Clinton County Coalition to Prevent Suicide will be providing a SafeTALK training. SafeTALK is a three-hour training that prepares caregivers to identify persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help to stay safe. Alert helpers know how to use these opportunities to support that desire for safety. As a SafeTALK-trained suicide alert helper, you will be better able to move beyond common tendencies to miss, dismiss or avoid suicide.

Those interested in participating can email Amanda Bulris at Amanda@NAMI-CV.org.

NAMI Mid-Hudson Demonstrates the Ribbon Campaign at National NAMI Training and Launches 
I Am Stigma Free Campaign in 
Dutchess and Ulster Counties
Clockwise from top: Suzanne Robinson, NAMI Senior Education Program Manager and Teri Brister, NAMI's Director of Knowledge Integration Information, Support and Education with Tina Lee and Allie Hill; Marissa Pane with  Stissting Mountain HS teacher Mr. DeLuca; Joyce Miyaka and Mr. DeLuca: JoAnn Brown and students from Rachel's Challenge Club; NYS Senator Sue Serino with Tina Lee; Dutchess County Executive  Marcus Molinaro with his daughter and Allie Hill

Our NAMI Mid-Hudson affiliate has remained busy in recent weeks. Tina Lee and her daughter Allie Hill were in Washington D.C. during a NAMI training to participate in a new video NAMI is producing. As part of their involvement, they introduced the ribbon campaign to several of NAMI's senior staff.

The affiliate also launched an I Am Stigma Free campaign. They have presented the campaign in schools throughout Dutchess and Ulster Counties and caught up with New York State Senator Sue Serino and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro to have them take the I Am Stigma Free pledge.

NAMI News
#Act4MentalHealth
Tell the Senate to Support S2680!

The rate of suicide in America is increasing. It breaks hearts and scars communities.  Where is Congress?

In the Senate, the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 (S. 2680) has passed committee, but that's not enough. It needs to be voted on by the full Senate.

Reach out to your Senators. Let them know that S. 2680 will help the suicide epidemic by:
* Investing in mental health services and supports that are evidence-based, so people know they are getting care that works.
* Prioritizing early identification and intervention, so people can get the right mental health care at the right time.
* Emphasizing outcome measures, so we know if people are getting better or not.
* Providing suicide prevention resources across the country.

S. 2680 will help save precious lives. But, only if it passes.

Click here to contact your Senators today.

NAMI Tips For Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Month. May is a time when the mental health community can spread information, resources and support to new audiences. It's also a time to increase our advocacy efforts to push for mental health reform and, as a result, improve the mental health system for everyone affected by mental illness. You may already have a plan for how to get involved during this important time of year. If you aren't sure what you can do, click here for a few steps NAMI suggests to help make a difference.

NAMI CEO Mary Giliberti Releases Statement on Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee on Appropriations

Click here to read Mary Giliberti's statement on the appropriations that impact NIH/NIMH and SAMHSA.
New York State News
The New York Times Reports on the Rates in
Suicide in America Surging to a 30 Year High

Suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years, a federal data analysis has found, with increases in every age group except older adults. The rise was particularly steep for women. It was also substantial among middle-aged Americans, sending a signal of deep anguish from a group whose suicide rates had been stable or falling since the 1950s. The overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
The increases were so widespread that they lifted the nation's suicide rate to 13 per 100,000 people, the highest since 1986. The rate rose by 2 percent a year starting in 2006, double the annual rise in the earlier period of the study. In all, 42,773 people died from suicide in 2014, compared with 29,199 in 1999.
Click here to read more from the New York Times.
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation 
CEO  Dr. Jeff Borenstein Writes Letter to Editor on Suicide Increase
Our colleague Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, CEO of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, wrote a letter to the New York Times in response to the article above. In his response Dr. Borenstein states: "Just as we declared a war on cancer and increased funding for research, we need to declare a war on mental illness and accelerate the funding of research to improve treatment."
Click here to read the full letter.
New York Times Reports on the Need for Crisis Intervention Training for Police

Earlier this week the New York Times released an excellent feature in their health section detailing the need to provide police with a playbook for interacting with people with mental illness in the form of CIT training. It details the success the program has had in Portland, Oregon and quotes NAMI's CIT Coordinator Laura Usher.
Click here to read the article.
National News
Read President Obama' Proclamation Declaring 
Mental Health Awareness Month

On April 28th, President Obama released a proclamation declaring May as Mental Health Awareness Month. As part of the proclamation the President said:

"During National Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize those Americans who live with mental illness and substance use disorders, and we pledge solidarity with their families who need our support as well.  Let us strive to ensure people living with mental health conditions know that they are not alone, that hope exists, and that the possibility of healing and thriving is real.  Together, we can help everyone get the support they need to recover as they continue along the journey to get well."

Click here to read the proclamation.

Presidential Candidate John Kasich Focus on Mental Illness is Personal as his Brother has a 
Serious Mental Illness

For the last few months we have used the E-News to detail the good, the bad and the ugly of how mental illness has been discussed during the Presidential primaries in both parties. As we have noted these articles are meant to be informational and do not serve as an endorsement of any candidate.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich often speaks about mental health in his campaign for president. He has defended his decision to expand Medicaid in Ohio by highlighting its benefits for mentally ill residents. As the New York Times reported, "he is probably the only Republican candidate this year to ask a crowd, 'Do you know what it's like for somebody to live with depression?"

The question, posed at a rally in upstate New York recently, threw a hush over a room of 1,000 people. Mr. Kasich went on:
"There are people here who know exactly what I'm talking about."

It turns out that his connection to this issue is a personal one as his only brother Rick has battled serious mental illness since college. Though Gov. Kasich rarely speaks about his brother's illness publicly, his campaign did release this statement from the Governor and his family:

"We love Rick deeply and have shared the struggles that his disease brings with it. As families with a loved one living with mental illness know, you take it one day at a time, and some days are better than others. In the process, we have all become sensitive to and supportive of the needs of those living with this disease. Among the ways we support him is by working hard to protect his privacy, and we hope others respect that also."

Click here to read a full article on this which includes an interview with Rick Kasich.

When it Comes to Mental Health 
Campus Climate Matters

Among college and university students in the United States, there is a substantial gap between the need for mental health treatment and the use of mental health services. Almost 20 percent of college students experience some form of serious psychological distress - anxiety, depression, or feelings of hopelessness - yet only about a third of these students, many of whom have access to on-campus providers, as well as insurance to cover services, ever receive treatment. One of the most important factors in terms of a student's decision to seek mental health services was campus climate. Students who felt that their campus was a place where they were less likely to be stigmatized for admitting to a mental health problem - who felt that their campus community would support them in seeking treatment - were over 20 percent  more   likely to receive services, and 60   percent   more likely to do so on campus. Click here to read more.

The NAMI on Campus program helps interject positive mental health awareness into campus climates. We are excited to see the program expanding throughout New York State and encourage students to start clubs in 

Watch the Royal Family's PSA on 
Mental Health Awareness

Royal family members Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Kate continue to commit themselves to raising awareness of mental health issues in the UK. Click here to watch their latest public service announcement.


NIMH News

NIMH UPDATE

Click here to read the latest Update from NIMH. This Update features new resources in Spanish as well as a thought provoking article on whether it is ethical to enroll suicidal patients in clinical studies.

NIMH Experts Featured in PBS Documentary

Several NIMH experts and grantees are featured on the PBS documentary Ride the Tiger: A Guide Through the Bipolar Brain. This one-hour documentary tells the stories of highly accomplished individuals who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The Detroit-based PBS crew came to NIMH in April 2015 to interview Dr. Carlos Zarate, Chief, Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders and Chief of Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch at NIMH. Former NIMH Director Dr. Thomas Insel is prominently featured as well. Dr. Sarah Lisanby, Director of NIMH's Division of Translational Research, was also interviewed for the documentary while serving as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine.

Ride the Tiger airs at various times on local PBS stations and is also available online by clicking here.

NIMH is Hosting a Twitter Chat on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder as Part of National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

If your child displays extreme irritability, anger, and frequent, intense temper outbursts, they may benefit from being screened for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), which is fairly new diagnosis. On National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day May 5, NIMH is hosting a Twitter chat on DMDD and severe irritability from 12-1 p.m. ET with expert Dr. Ellen Leibenluft. Please follow NIMH's tweets on NIMH Twitter page. To ask questions, you must have a Twitter account and include the hashtag #NIMHchats in every tweet. If you won't be able to make the chat, you can submit your questions in advance. You may submit questions via email NIMHpress@nih.gov, Twitter using #NIMHchats, or NIMH's Facebook page.


NAMI WALKS 2016

NAMI-NYS NAMIWalks-Saturday September 24th, Jennings Landing Albany. Click here for more information.

NAMI-NYC Metro NAMIWalks-May 7th at the South Street Seaport. Click here for more information

NAMI Rochester NAMIWalks-May 7th at Village Gate.  Click here for more information.

NAMI Queens/Nassau NAMIWalks- May 7th at Jones Beach. Click here for more information.

NAMI Westchester NAMIWalks- May 21st  at Rye Town Park. Click here for more information,
 
Save the Dates

April 29- Brighter Day Event at Glenn Peter Jewelers Centre, 1544 Central Ave. Albany, NY on Friday April 29, 2016 from 5-8. Join us in Celebrating Mental Illness Awareness. There will be a silent auction, hot and cold buffet, cash bar and cupcake desserts.

M
ay 2
- Join Achieve for a free webinar.  Respectful Workplace- Strategies for a Healthy Environment from 1-2 pm. For more information: www.achievecentre.com.

May 3- What's Great in Our State at New York State Library, 222 Madison Ave. Albany, NY 12230 on Tuesday May 3, 2016 from 2-4. 

May 5- NAMI Syracuse Children's Conference: Addressing Challenging Behavior in Children & Youth.  9am to 9pm at Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, NY.  Presenters: Adrienne D. Allen, MD, Children & Youth Services, HPC Outpatient Clinic, Regina Canuso, NYS Council on Children & Families, Coordinator, Hard to Place/Hard to Serve Unit, Bridget Hier, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, School of Psychology, University of Buffalo, and Panel of Family Members sharing what has worked for their child.  

May 5- In anticipation of the walk and Mother's Day, NAMI Westchester is "charmed" to announce the date for our annual Alex & Ani event.  The event will be held at the Rye Alex & Ani store, 52 Pirchase St., on Thursday, from 3 to 6pm.  A percentage of purchases made by phone or in the store will go to NAMI Westchester.

May 7 - The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention presents Hike For Hope at 11am, FDR Park in Yorktown.

May 10&11 The Association for Community Living will host its 2016 Annual Management Symposium - Critical Information and Strategies for a Changing World (Open to All) on Tuesday, May 10th - Wednesday May 11th at the Saratoga Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NY. Visit http://aclnys.org/aclnys_events/acl-management-symposium-2/ for more information.

May 18-NAMI Queens/Nassau will be sponsoring another FaithNet event this year topic will be:  Clergy's Role in Psychiatric Hospitals. Some of the questions that will be answered by them are:  How did you come to be a chaplain of an inpatient psychiatric hospital?  What do you feel is your most successful approach when dealing with patients that have a mental illness and their families? Can you share a story about a particularly meaningful relationship or impact you had on a psychiatric inpatient? The event will take place at Zucker Hillside Hospital's Sloman Auditorium beginning at 7:30

June 8 - Join NAMI Mid-Hudson for their Annual Fundraising Gala 2016.  At The Grandview, 176 Rinaldi Blvd, Poughkeepsie.  5pm to 9pm.  To Honor: Andrew O'Grady, Executive Director, Mental Health America Dutchess County and Michael P Hein, Ulster County Executive.  With Special Guest Dr. Xavier Amador author of: "I'm Not Sick.  I Don't Need Help!".  For more information, please visit: www.namimidhudson.org

October 15The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention presents Out Of The Darkness Walk 10am, FDR Park in Yorktown.  Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck.  They need volunteers or for more information contact Maria Idoni (914) 610-9156 or midoni@afso.org.
 
Signature Programs
May 3 - June 7 - NAMI Basics by NAMI of Central Suffolk.  10am to 12:30pm, Tuesdays at the Sagamore Childen's Center in Dix Hills.  For more information or to register please contact Beth (631) 697-6097 or bethsramme@gmail.com.

May 9-July 18 - NAMI Peer-to-Peer, 6:30 to 8:30pm.  At the Patterson room in Samaritan Hospital, Troy, NY.  To register call Christine Rickeman at (518) 462-2000 or (518) 506-6484, email rickemanc1@yahoo.com.  Or Gregory Hitchcock (518) 921-4146, email ghitchcockonline@gmail.com.
 
May 14&15 - NAMI Family Support Group training to become a Facilitator.  NAMI-NYS.  Contact your local affiliate.

May 16 - NAMI Family-to-Family classes by NAMI Greene.  Twice a week for 6 weeks on Monday & Thursday nights.  Windham Hensonville United Methodist Church, Windham, NY.  6pm to 8pm.  To Register: call Jackie at (518) 734-4383.

June 2- NAMI Family-to-Family classes by NAMI Greene.  Twice a week for 6 weeks on Monday & Thursday nights.  Windham Hensonville United Methodist Church, Windham, NY.  6pm to 8pm.  To Register: call Jackie at (518) 734-4383.
 
June 25&26 - NAMI Family Support Group training to become a Facilitator.  NAMI-NYS.  Contact your local affiliate.
 
July 16&17 - In Our Own Voice Training to become a Presenter.  NAMI-NYS.  Contact your local affiliate.
 
July 22-24 - NAMI Family-to-Family Training to become a Teacher.  NAMI-NYS.  Contact your local affiliate.
 
August 27 - NAMI Ending the Silence training to become a Presenter.  St. Vincent's in Westchester.
 
August 28 - NAMI Parent & Teachers as Allies training to become a Presenter.  St. Vincent's in Westchester.

August 30 - Family-to-Family by NAMI AMICO.  Tuesdays from 6;30 to 9pm, for 12 continuous weeks.  At First Presbyterian Church, 33 Park Place, Goshen, NY 10924.  Contact Catha Weiben (845) 551-1777.
 
October 7-9- NAMI Family-to-Family training to become a Teacher.  NAMI-NYS.  Contact your local affiliate.
   
To have your events and Signature Programs listed in the E-Newsletter contact Tammie Paradis at Tammie@naminys.org
 

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