September 20th, 2018

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This week's E-News details how our  2018 Education Conference will honor leading voices in the fight against mental health stigma and the social injustices that keep people with a mental illness from appropriate recovery-oriented services. We also have information on the conference's agenda and focus tracks.

In this issue you will also find various ways NAMI-NYS members are making their voices heard on advocacy issues and informing the community about NAMI support and education programs. There is also a story about the importance of family engagement and the sacrifices families make to advance the care of a loved one. We also have an opportunity for you to make your voice heard on this crucial issue, by sharing your insights on paid family leave. 

Remember, we want to hear from you and the work your affiliate is doing. Please email stories to Matthew@naminys.org and send save the date notices to Christine@naminys.org .
 
NAMI-NYS News
Join NAMI-NYS in Honoring Leading Voices
in the Fight Against the Stigma of Mental Illness
and the Social Injustices Keeping People with a Mental Illness
From Accessing Recovery Services

Earlier this week NAMI-NYS announced our third Leader of Mental Health Awareness honoree, Mauro Ranallo, Showtime Sports Announcer and subject of the acclaimed film, Bipolar Rock N Roller. The NAMI-NYS Honors Ceremony will be taking place Friday night, October 26th, as part of the 2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference.

"Every Fight Needs A Voice," is the tagline for the film as well as the theme for this year's honor's ceremony. The evening will celebrate leading voices in the fight against stigma and barriers separating people with a mental illness from appropriate recovery oriented services.

Along with Mauro, the other two Leaders of Mental Health Awareness honorees will be: Dr. Edward Hallowell, renowned ADHD specialist and author of the book Because I Come From A Crazy Family, which explains how mental illness can impact entire families and the importance of engaging families in the recovery process and Toni Lasicki, leader of the Bring It Home campaign, which details the need for mental health housing programs.  

We will also be honoring leaders in addressing the lack of mental health insurance parity: Congressman Paul Tonko, Tom O'Clair, Andrew Malekoff and Karla Lopez. Finally, we will be presenting our Media Award to Alisa Roth, author of the book Insane: America's Criminal Treatment of Mental Illness.

Click here to learn more about all of this year's honorees.
Click here to register.   

 Details of 2018 NAMI-NYS 
Education Conference Agenda and Focus Tracks Now Available


Earlier this week, we also announced the details of the agenda for the  2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference , which features national leaders in the research, treatment of mental illness and advocacy around mental health issues. This year's conference will offer attendees more choices than ever before and will feature five focus tracks, children's mental health, criminal justice, veterans and military families, Faithnet and young adult. 

Click here to view the full conference agenda.

Click here to view the details of the Children's Mental Health Track, which includes an application for school staff to receive a complimentary registration to the track. 

Click here to view details of Criminal Justice Track.

Click here to view the Veterans and Military Family Track

Click here to view the Young Adult Track, which includes a link to the young adult scholarship application. 

Click here to visit the conference website and register today! 

NAMI-NYS Criminal Justice Chair
Presents to the Council of State Governments

On Monday, September 17th, NAMI-NYS Criminal Justice Chair, Jayette Lansbury discussed how courts can work with communities to support people with mental illness at the Council for State Government Justice Center's Judges and Psychiatrists Leadership Initiative Advisory meeting.

Establishing mental health courts is a leading priority for NAMI-NYS and we will be presenting our 2018 Criminal Justice Award to the Honorable Matthew J. D'Emic, Administrative Judge, 2nd Judicial District. Judge D'Emic has been a leader in the Mental Health Court movement and a true advocate for mental health recovery. The award will be presented during Friday afternoon, of the 2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference


NAMI-NYS Holds Latest Lunch and Learn Session
at Rotary Club

On September 13th, NAMI-NYS held their latest lunch and learn session at the Southern  Rensselaer Rotary Club. NAMI-NYS's Tina Lee, pictured above with club president Andy Leyhane, member Kevin Leyhane, and James McHugh, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for the East Greenbush School District, provided an overview of mental health issues and NAMI-NYS's work. NAMI-NYS looks forward to partnering with the East Greenbush School District on October 10th, when Tina and Allie Quinn will be giving Ending the Silence presentations to more than 1,200 students.

If you are interested in bringing a NAMI-NYS Lunch and Learn presentation to your organization, email Tina@naminys.org.

NAMI Westchester Projects Its Advocacy Voice and
Joins Senator Gillibrand for Press Conference on Opioid Bill


On Thursday, September 13th, NAMI Westchester Executive Director Sharon McCarthy had the opportunity to meet with aides for Senator Schumer and Representative Nita Lowey, as part of the NAMI Executive Director Leadership Exchange meeting. Sharon discussed Advance Opioid Use Legislation and other issues concerning mental health funding. 
 
On September 17th, Sharon joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for a press conference on her proposed  Opioid Crisis Response Act, which would provide critical support for New York and other states to expand prescription drug monitoring, support prescribing limits and reauthorize certain treatment programs. Also in attendance, to show support for the bill were Rep. Nita Lowey and Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Click here to watch a news story about the press conference. 

NAMI NYC Metro Presents to Staff of Cornell Weill  Hospital


On September 19th, NAMI-NYC Metro Executive Director Matt Kudish presented to the staff at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Weill Hospital about connecting individuals and family members to NAMI-NYC Metro services and programs. NAMI-NYS encourages all of our affiliates to partner with hospitals and explain how we can augment the services they provide to patients and families. 

ACTION ALERT!!!
Still Time to Make Your Voice Heard on Paid Family Leave
Previous editions of the E-News have informed you on a new study being conducted at Columbia University which is recruiting people to detail how Paid Family Leave impacts them. NAMI-NYS strongly encourages our readers to participate in the study and make their voices heard on this issue of great importance to caretakers of those with chronic health issues (such as mental illness). For years, we have heard stories of how families have had to sacrifice jobs and income in order to be there when a loved one experienced a time of crisis. Paid Family Leave protects workers and allows them to focus on caring for their loved ones when they were needed most. 
 
Click here to read our action alert on the study. Click here to learn more about the study and click here to take the eligibility quiz. 
NAMI News
How My Parent's Support Shaped My Recovery


In a recent NAMI blog, Max E. Guttman, LCSW explains how his parents have been there during the darkest moments of his recovery and during the most triumphant. He details how his parents were the first to identify his illness and reminisces on how during his first hospitalization at 17 following a suicide attempt, "My treatment team asked my family to sit around the table and read to me their thoughts on my decision to end my life prematurely. That was the first time I witnessed the impact of my illness on the emotional state of my family."

He also discusses how the lack of insurance parity impacted his family when he was in college and his parents were retired and there were no outpatient therapists that would take his insurance. "To pay for treatment, my dad worked as a part-time security guard into his 70's. For my parents, working to support my mental health treatment wasn't a question-it was a priority."

Click here to read more.  




This story speaks to two central issues being discussed at the 2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference

On Sunday, Dr. Lisa Dixon, MD, MPH, will be discussing the importance of family engagement in recovery, which will be followed by a NAMI family detailing how their family has been engaged in recovery.

As we detailed above, we will be honoring leaders addressing the lack of insurance parity. Click here to register. 

NAMI Encourages Participation in New Bi-Polar Study
Research=Hope
NAMI is committed to ensuring that the most effective treatments for mental illness are available to those who need them. Determining which treatments are most effective requires research.
 
When NAMI learns of new studies by physicians and other scientists involving new treatment methods, such as psychotherapies, medications, methods of medication delivery, etc, we become excited. That excitement comes from knowing that scientists continue to learn more about mental illness and look for ways to improve the lives of those affected by it.
 
NAMI wants to call your attention to a new study looking at whether a medication called brexpiprazole is safe and effective in the treatment of manic episodes related to bipolar I disorder. This medication has already been approved in the United States for the treatment of schizophrenia and for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The goal of this study is to increase treatment options available for people who experience manic episodes related to bipolar I disorder.

Click here to read more and learn how to participate. 

New York News
New York Times Reports on the Shooting Death of a Woman with Mental Illness in Queens at the Hands of Police

The New York Times reported on the death this past week of Susan Muller, a woman in Queens, who lived with mental illness and was killed when police were called to her home. Ms. Muller was well known to the police in her local precinct as they had visited her home nine times over the past two decades, with the most recent encounter being earlier this month when she was said to be acting irrationally.

On Monday, when she called the police to report an armed burglar in her home, officers from the local precinct were away mourning a colleague who died last week. The four officers who responded were from three nearby precincts helping out, and it was unclear if they had asked or been told by dispatchers about the history of police calls to the home or her mental illness.

Click here to read more. 

Senate Mental Health Chair Robert Ortt
Visits Mental Health Housing Program
 
On Wednesday, September 19th, NYS Senate Mental Health Chair Robert Ortt (pictured, second from the right) toured the Community Missions of Niagara Frontier's Hansen House, a community residence for adults with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. As part of the tour, the Senator met with program leaders to discuss ways to improve mental health services in his district and throughout the state.



Mental health housing programs will be featured throughout the 2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference. Along with honoring Toni Lasicki for her work leading the Bring It Home campaign on Friday evening, there will also be a two-hour focus session on Saturday afternoon detailing mental health housing. Click here to view the full agenda and click here to register. 

National News
NBA Superstar Kevin Love Discusses His New 
Kevin Love Foundation on Today Show

Cleveland Cavaliers' power forward Kevin Love visited the 'Today' show Tuesday morning, where he announced the launch of his new initiative, the Kevin Love Fund.  Love said the initiative's goal is to promote emotional and physical well-being, a cause he's taken personally since penning  an essay  on his own mental health for The Players' Tribune in March.

Click here to read more about the Today Show appearance
Click here to read his Player's Tribune essay. 

NIMH News


 NIMH Update

Click here to read the latest Update from NIMH.


Recruitment Now Open for New TMS Study

Click here to read about a new study on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). NIMH's Dr. Bruce Luber will be presenting on this study at the 2018 NAMI-NYS Education Conference on Saturday, October 27th. 

Research=Hope!
Hope Starts With You!
NAMI Walks

JOIN the MOVEMENT!
 
At the 3rd Annual NAMIWalks-NYS
September 29th 2018
8:30 am Registration
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Jennings Landing
1 Quay Street, Albany NY
Start or Join your team today!!!

 
Click here to sign up for NAMIWalk NYS and start your team today!


NAMIWalks NYS: Strong Body, Strong Mind 2018
NAMI NYS invites You to join the movement...
Helpline Coordinator Christine Rickeman Provides Update 
on Her Strong Mind, Strong Body Challenge 
 
 

We also encourage you to post on your social media why you support NAMI-NYS and are participating in the walk. Send in your posts and we will feature the posts in our upcoming newsletter.
 
Start your walk team now  and join us to change attitudes and save lives!
 
Come Walk for Wellness on Saturday, September 29th, at Jennings Landing, Albany NY. This inspirational community event will have a full day of live music, informational tabling, and family friendly activities.
 
Healthy Minds = Healthy Communities


 
Save the Date

 
Click here for more information on the 2018 Education Conference.

September 26th- NAMI Huntington welcomes John Stenson and Chris Coyle from the New York State Office of Mental Health, who will be presenting about Peer and Family Services. The meeting begins at 6pm. For more information and to register, contact Jayette Lansbury by phone 631-385-0754 or email: lansburyhunt@aol.com


 
OCTOBER 9 - The National Alliance on Mental Illness Champlain Valley will be sponsoring a free one day conference at Clinton Community College on October 9th titled, "Stand Up 2 Stigma." The conference will have a variety of workshops for peers, families, providers, and interested community members.
Our keynote speaker for the event is David Granirer, a counselor, stand-up comic, mental health keynote speaker, and author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead to Happiness and Success. He founded Stand Up For Mental Health, a program that teaches stand up comedy to people with mental illness or mental health issues as a way of building confidence and fighting public stigma. Additionally, the NYS Office Of Mental Health Commissioner, Mental Hygiene Legal Services and many other speakers will be joining us.
The event is expected to provide education & awareness around the effects of stigma, opportunities for reducing stigma, and a chance to become a proactive community member that supports mental health; like one supports cancer and diabetes.
Consider joining us! For those who may remember in 2014 we sponsored Keys to Recovery - 250 were in attendance creating one of the largest mental health conferences in our community. This time, we ask you to take a stand, be the hero, and Stand Up 2 Stigma.
We sincerely hope that you will be able to attend. Registration can be done by going to our website at  nami-cv.org and clicking the Stand Up 2 Stigma tab. When you sign up for the conference you will receive periodic updates. Feel free to forward this information to your friends, family, and colleagues.
Any questions regarding the conference can be addressed to  info@nami-cv.org.

OCTOBER 10-NAMI Syracuse Educational Conference: Stand Against Stigma: Changing Minds about Mental Illness
Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, 8:45am-3:30pm
Earn 4.5 continuing education credits. Presenters: Dr. Malika Carter, CEO's Against Stigma Campaign; Sherie Ramsgard, DNA/Pharmacogenetic Testing; Dr. Christopher Brown, How to Integrate Mental Health Education & Awareness into School Districts; Dr. Julio Licinio, New genetic findings that show common genes for many disorders; Steven DiMarzo & Jennifer Crider, LGBTQ+ Concepts in Cultural Diversity. Call 315-487-2085 for brochure.


OCTOBER 16- CDPC Family Services Presents: An Overview of NAMI - NYS Programs for Families
OCTOBER 16- Capital District Psychiatric Center Family Services Presents: An Overview of NAMI - NYS Programs for Families by Tina Lee Community Education and Outreach Manager. Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm in the CDPC Family Resource Center 75 New Scotland Avenue Albany, NY 12208 (518) 549-6000.
For more information or to register contact: Frank Greco, Director of Family Services (518) 549-6816.


Signature Programs
  SEPTEMBER 17 -NAMI Mid-Hudson Family-to-Family. Mondays September 17th - December 3rd,From 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm in  Poughkeepsie, NY. To register, please call Jo Ann Brown at 845-832-6368 or email jnbrown@optonline.net.  For more information, please visit: www.namimidhudson.org .  

SEPTEMBER 17-NAMI-NYC Metro Family to Family. Mondays - Sep. 17-Dec. 10, 2018 from 6p.m.-8:30p.m. at the NAMI NYC Metro Office 505 8th Ave. @ 35th St., Ste. 1103, New York, NY 10018. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.

SEPTEMBER 18-NAMI Rochester Peer to Peer. Tuesdays September 18th - November 27th from 6p.m.-8:30p.m. at the NAMI Rochester Office, 320 N. Goodman Street, Suite 102, Rochester, NY 14607. to Register contact Caneia Titus at (585)423-1593/ caneia.titus@namirochester.org. 

SEPTEMBER 19-NAMI Syracuse/VA Family to Family Wednesdays Sept. 19th- Dec.12th from 6p.m.- 8p.m. at the  Syracuse VA Medical Center Auditorium,   800 Irving Avenue,  Syracuse, NY 13210. To Register contact NAMI Syracuse (315) 487-2085/ namisyracuse@namisyracuse.org .

SEPTEMBER 20- NAMI NYC Metro Homefront. Thursdays ,  Sep. 20-Nov. 1, 2018 from 9:30am-11:45am at the BRONX VET CENTER, 2471 Morris Ave. @ Fordham Rd., Ste. 1A, Bronx, NY 10468. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.          

SEPTEMBER 21- NAMI Orange County Basics. Friday September 21st- October 26th at the  Orange Regional Medical Center 707 East Main St., Middletown, NY 10940,  Conference Room 3,  Contact NAMI helpline 845-956-6264, Marcy Felter 845-258-8240

SEPTEMBER 24-NAMI Queens/Nassau Family-to-Family.Mondays  September 24th - December 10th from 7:00p.m.-9:30p.m at the 
North Shore Zucker Hillside Hospital,  NorthWell Health Hospital
Ambulatory Care Pavilion,  Room  1237,  263rd Street & 74 Ave.
Glen Oaks, NY 11004.  To register: Please contact NAMI Queens Nassau at (516) 326-0797 or  (718) 347-7284 or email www. namiqn@ org, www.facebook.com/namiqn.  Co-Leaders: Janet Reilly (516) 238-1023 and Angela Babaev (718)490-9504

SEPTEMBER 24-NAMI-NYC Metro Family to Family. Mondays - Sep. 24-Dec. 10, 2018 from 12pm-2:30pm at the NAMI NYC Metro Office 505 8th Ave. @ 35th St., Ste. 1103, New York, NY 10018. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.

SEPTEMBER 25- NAMI Westchester Family-to-Family. Tuesdays September 25 thru December 11 from from 6:00pm-8:30pm at 100 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. To register contact sharonm@namiwestchester.org / 914-592-5458.

SEPTEMBER 25- NAMI NYC Metro Homefront. Tuesdays, Sep. 25-Oct. 30, 2018 from 6:00pm-8:30pm at the MANHATTAN VA MEDICAL CENTER, 423 E. 23rd St. @ 1st Ave., 3W Conf. Rm. B, New York, NY 10010. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.

SEPTEMBER 27-NAMI NYC Metro Peer to Peer. Thursdays, Sep. 27-Nov. 15, 2018 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the NAMI NYC Metro Office, 505 8th Ave., Ste. 1103, New York, NY 10018. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.

SEPTEMBER 29- NAMI Westchester Family-to-Family. Saturdays September 29 thru December 15 from 9:00am-11:30am at St. Vincents Hospital, Harrison, NY . To register contact sharonm@namiwestchester.org / 914-592-5458.

OCTOBER 2-NAMI NYC Metro Peer to Peer. Tuesdays, Oct. 2-Nov. 20, 2018 from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the NAMI NYC Metro Office, 505 8th Ave., Ste. 1103, New York, NY 10018. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.

OCTOBER 13- NAMI Westchester Peer to Peer. Saturdays- October 13th - December 15th from 9:00 a.m -11:30 a.m. at the NAMI Westchester Office, 100 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. To register contact sharonm@namiwestchester.org / 914-592-5458.

OCTOBER 17-NAMI-NYC Metro Family to Family. Wednesdays - Oct. 17-Jan. 16, 2019 from 6:00pm-8:30pm at the JAMES J. PETERS BRONX VA MEDICAL CENTER, 130 W. Kingsbridge Rd. @ Webb Ave., Rm. 1B-07, Bronx, NY 10468. To register contact NAMI NYC Metro at (212)684-3264.
2018 NAMI-NYS TRAINING SCHEDULE
Please contact your local affiliate program le aders for more information and how to enroll.


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