find help. find hope. · line is the more we raise, the more people in our local community we can...
TRANSCRIPT
FIND HELP.
FIND HOPE. May 2019
Volume 37: Issue 2
SINCE 1983
2 - Director’s Message
3 - 2019 Walk Star update;
NAMI Convention
4 - Summer heat tips and
homeless collection items
5 - Peer Corner-personal
stories of recovery & hope
6 - May is Mental Health
Awareness Month;
Presentations Available:
In Our Own Voice; Ending
the Silence
7 - Poet Laureate competition
HIGHLIGHTS Our 13th Annual NAMIWalks event was
held on April 6, 2019 at the Kennedy
Park Fiesta Area.
Wow, what a great day with perfect
weather, a great crowd, lots of great
information on mental health, music
and over 1,000 people who showed up
to walk in support of mental health and
another 1,500+ additional supporters who came to share the day with us!
2019 Honorary Chairs Congresswoman, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Dave Bradley, AZ State Senator, talked about mental health care and cut the ribbon to start the walk.
Julie Jameson, representing our National Elite Sponsor Alkermes, spoke about their company commitment to mental health. A big shout out and thank you for providing each of nearly 100 NAMIWalks throughout the country with a $5,000 donation!
A special thank you to Emcee Lisa Villegas, KOLD Chief Meteorologist, and all the volunteers that helped with the event. We couldn’t do it without you!
2019 NAMIWalks Stats:
Registered Walkers: 1,011
Participants: 2,500+
Walk Stars: 13 Teams: 68
The Walk Awards Ceremony
will be held the last week in
June, so pencil it in. We will
keep you posted on date and
location as soon as everything
We have exceeded our goal; you are all Super Heroes!
We are on a roll, so let’s keep rolling until the website closes on June 6th. Remember
the money raised provides funding for NAMI Southern Arizona’s no-cost advocacy,
education and support programs. With almost $9,000 more than 2018, the bottom
line is the more we raise, the more people in our local community we can
Goal: $140,000 Funds raised as of
May 1st- $141,717
6122 E. 22nd St. Tucson, AZ 85711 (520) 622-5582
HIGHLIGHTS
FIND HELP.
FIND HOPE.
May 2019
Volume 37: Issue 2
HIGHLIGHTS
6122 E. 22nd St.
Tucson, AZ 85711
(520) 622-5582
Contact Us
namisa.org
Business Hours
Monday - Friday
9 AM to 5 PM
Not a NAMI member? Join NAMI Southern Arizona Today!!
Page 2 FIND HELP
From the Executive Director
Stigma continues to be the single greatest deterrent to mental health treatment and
recovery for youth. Symptoms of mental illness may begin at age 14 or earlier, yet the
stigma associated with mental illness often results in a staggering delay of 8-10 years
between the onset of symptoms and the beginning of treatment. NAMI Southern
Arizona, in collaboration with the UA Department of Family and Community Medicine
and the UA Institute for Research on Women, is nearing the end of the first year of a
three-year grant from the David and Lura Lovell Foundation to systematically reduce the
stigma associated with mental illness.
This initiative, now called Help and Hope for YOUth (HH4Y), includes the
formation of the multi-sector Alliance that now has twenty-eight
members from four counties (Cochise, Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz). As
illustrated in the diagram, the Alliance is composed of stakeholders
representing many aspects of the youth environment. No one is born with
stigma; they learn it. If the stigma curve is ever to be bent, the education
must begin early and one of the tools that the Alliance is using the Ending
the Silence program which educates school age youth about mental
illness.
Of all the pressing issues surrounding mental illness, I believe that
reducing stigma is the most important goal we can accomplish. It is the
shadow cast by stigma that leads the society to discriminate against individuals living with mental illness. It is stigma
that leads insurance companies to systematically provide less service for mental illness in spite of mental health
parity laws that were enacted more than a decade ago. It is stigma that leads legislators to limit the appropriate
investment in effective treatment. It is stigma that has led to the criminalization of mental illness. If we can educate
our young people that mental illness is an illness like any other, when they become decision makers they will think
and act differently.
This is my last message to you as Executive Director of NAMI of Southern Arizona. I joined the Board of Directors in
1997 and became Executive Director (for the third time) in 2005. NAMI Southern Arizona has come a long way in the
last thirty-five plus years. We had no programs when I joined the Board. Now have a wide range of programs for
peers, family members, and friends. We have education, outreach, public awareness, support and advocacy
programs. From that perspective, we have helped and are helping many people, but the long shadow of stigma still
hangs over us like a never-ending fog is now. Our community and our society are more receptive at this moment
than ever before so the chance to lift ourselves and our loved ones out of this fog is now. Do not let one opportunity
pass to tell someone what you know about mental illness. Together, and only together, we can bend this stigma
curve until it finally disappears. Then we will ask ourselves, “…..why did it take so long?”
I am off to another adventure, but NAMI has been and always will be a big part of my life.
Adios y Buena suerte!
Page 3 FIND HOPE
Congratulations -So far
13 fundraisers have
reached Walk Star Status
–individuals who raise $1,000 or
more. A few more of you are close to becoming
Walk Stars or reaching your individual and team
goals! There is still time to get there-the website is
open until June 6th!
Anyone raising $1000 or more by June 6th will be
entered into a raffle to win a 2-night stay at
Loew’s Ventana Canyon Resort!
Lisa Surhio, $4,689
Ardith Powell, $4,222
Marsi Quigley, $4,006
Mary Ann Johnson, $3,820
David Iaconis, $2,995
Christina Bickelmann, $2,840
Cheryl Mason, $2,000
Jasleen Chhatwal, $1,250
Julie Neff-Encinas, $1,195
Ann Lettes, $1,150
Sadia Ghani, $1,070
Art Benitez, $1,000
Kira O’Shea, $1,000
Fundraising ideas:
Check back in with people who indicated they
would contribute and remind them they still
have time (until June 6th) to donate
Do some spring cleaning, then hold a garage
sale
Have a car wash-make signage telling people
the money will go to NAMI
Now that it’s warmer, invite friends to a BBQ or
dinner party and ask guests for a per-person
donation toward your NAMIWalks goal!
100% of all proceeds from tickets sold by NAMI Southern
Arizona will help support our no-cost advocacy, education
and support programs.
With your $25 contribution (or 5 tickets for $100) you could
win this awesome 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit!
2nd Prize: 2 roundtrip first-class airline tickets to anywhere
in the world.
3rd Prize: $5,000 in cash. Stop by our office at 6122 E.
22nd St. and purchase your tickets at our office until
December 6, 2019. The drawing will be held on December
13, 2019.
2019 JEEP CHEROKEE SUMMIT
JIM CLICK “MILLIONS FOR TUCSON” RAFFLE
REGISTER TODAY
https://www.nami.org/Convention
Join the nation’s largest gathering of mental health
advocates as we share, learn and network around
important mental health issues.
Launching at this year’s convention – NAMI’s new
strategic plan! The convention’s theme, Our Movement,
Our Moment captures the power and excitement of this
moment as we mobilize the NAMI movement!
The 2019 NAMI National Convention offers engaging
Page 4 FIND HELP
As the summer months approach
and temperatures begin to rise, it
is important to take care of
yourself in order to avoid
conditions associated with heat
and sunshine such as heat stroke,
severe sunburn, fatigue and poor
eating habits, all of which could affect
medications in various ways.
The following suggestions might be helpful to assure a
positive summer experience.
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day (8 oz. per glass is the recommended amount).
2. Keep medications in a cool area.
3. Be sure to read the storage requirements on your medications.
4. Wear a hat when outdoors.
5. Avoid direct sunshine.
6. Avoid salty foods.
7. Keep food in a cooler when outdoors.
8. When at work, be sure the area is properly ventilated.
9. Schedule outdoor exercising during early morning or evening hours.
10. Wear light-colored clothing that allows for ventilation, such as cotton.
11. Maintain a balanced diet.
12. Try to keep to your daily medication, exercise and eating routines when on vacation.
Here in the Southwest we can have temperatures in the
triple digits causing us to stay indoors more than other
times of the year. This could result in a mild depression
due to “cabin fever.” Make it a practice to get outdoors
at least twice a day when temperatures are not at peak
points (early morning or evenings).
Keep windows open when possible to allow for fresh air
to circulate in your home.
Be alert to blooms and grasses to which you might be
allergic.
Check out the local foliage when traveling to avoid allergic
reactions.
Always have a first aid kit with you when traveling
containing items such as antihistamines, soothing
creams, and bug spray.
Check out the elevations of vacation areas which
might be radically different from what you are
accustomed to. Read the recommended remedy for
adjusting to new altitudes. Be alert to critters here or
at the vacation areas you visit. They could be very
different from what you see in our part of the country.
Beware of rattle snakes that are common to our area.
Be aware excess sunlight and activity can be a trigger
for some people. Practice calming and serenity
techniques.
HAVE A HEALTHY, SAFE, AND HAPPY SUMMER!
SUMMER HELP FOR THE HOMELESS-NAMI Southern
Arizona is collecting Homeless Gear and supplies that
people need to survive and meet their basic needs
while they are homeless. We are looking for outdoor
gear, outerwear, hygiene supplies and non-perishable
Personal Hygiene Items:
Disposable Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Combs/Brushes (new)
Soap
Outerwear
Rain Coats or Rain Ponchos
Hoodies (sweatshirts with hoods-no sweaters please)
Summer Hats- brimmed or baseball caps
Light colored clothing which allows for ventilation and
protection from the sun, e.g. cotton-long sleeved shirts.
Sunglasses
Belts
Page 5 FIND HOPE
Peer Corner - personal stories of recovery and hope.
Alicia Boone Cornelison- My name is Alicia and my mental health diagnosis is Schizoaffective
Disorder. My story begins like the story of many others, with multiple miss-diagnoses. They were major
depression, to bipolar, to schizophrenia , to my current diagnosis being a combination of all of those.
Previously, when telling my story, I referred to it as “suffering from mental illness.” However, through
the years, I prefer to now call it “my journey with mental illness.” Although I can admit to great suffering
along the way, I was also able to achieve greater successes. I left an abusive marriage with my toddler
and a baby on the way. I then enrolled and completed an intense nursing program, obtaining my BSN
and certification in Forensic Nursing. I am not trying to toot my own horn but it has definitely not all
been a bed of roses. My children were taken from me due to a combination of symptoms from my illness and substance abuse.
Fortunately, I had a supportive family who stepped up and helped. In addition, my nursing license was ultimately suspended.
Medication non-compliance did not help any of my situations. I would take meds, feel better, and consequently decide I no
longer needed help in any form.
I am currently stable and managing my medications after years of therapy, court-ordered treatments and endless hospital
visits. I am now able to live a life worth living, one with purpose and meaning. I still experience highs and lows, but they are not
so drastic that my life becomes chaotic.
My hope in sharing my story is to encourage others and to provide hope to those feeling hopeless. I am grateful to be where I
am today. So many doctors, therapists, friends and family have all been on my journey with me. I’ve learned how to simply
accept my mental illness as another special facet of me. Without the help of NAMI, my family and I would never have survived
and thrived. “Thank you for taking the time to read my article, and may you have a blessed day!!”
Ariane Davaul, Young Presenter, Ending the Silence- I once heard a woman compare life
to a jigsaw puzzle. I only now truly understand what she meant by that. She was trying to say that when
you finally find the notch where your puzzle piece fits, you will instantly know.
When I was first asked to write my personal experience with mental illness for the youth presenter role,
I was coming out of the worst depressions in my life and had just been diagnosed with PTSD. Much like
we tell the teenagers, if you don’t talk about it, you won’t get better. Just writing my personal story
down on paper was emotional but extremely therapeutic. Waking up and getting professionally dressed
for presentations also helped lift my spirits. It wasn’t until I actually started going into classrooms and getting reactions from
some of the kids that I realized how powerful the Ending the Silence program truly was.
NAMI and Ending the Silence have truly changed my life. I went from being anxious and antisocial to being able to speak
comfortably in front of a crowd of people. I truly wish I had something like ETS when I was a child. As someone who has always
had some degree of depression most of her life, having the skills and being able to positively cope with what I was dealing with
at the time would have definitely kept my life from being derailed. I have had multiple teenagers come up to me and say
“Thank you” or “I’m glad you told your story; I struggle with depression, too.” I felt even more reassured that this is where my
puzzle piece fit. Without a doubt I wanted to be a part of sharing this information gem with as many students that would listen.
Back in the 80’s, when I was growing up, no one talked about mental health. I love that this program aims to normalize asking
for help when in need. I am so very proud to be associated with such a positive movement. It’s been said, “If we reach just one
kid, it was worth it.” I agree with this statement through and through.
I tell the teenagers that change is always happening. Who they were last year isn’t who they are today. Just as who they are
today is probably not who they will be next year. So if they feel like things will never get better, just remember things are
always changing. We all know life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine, but with positive coping skills and early treatment, a
mental health challenge does not have to limit your life. The Ending the Silence is so very dear to my heart. How many lives can
be changed by just a little more information and a lot more compassion? I’m proud to be part of a team that wants to find out.
Page 6 FIND HELP
EDUCATION
General Presentations*: We provide
presentations on NAMI programs
and services as well as about mental
illness in general.
Family to Family*: A 12-class course
for family and friends of adults with
mental illness.
For information email Judy
Kowalick at [email protected] or
leave a message at 520-622-5582
Homefront: a six-session education
program for family and friends of
Military Service Members and
Veterans with mental health
conditions. If you would like to
understand how to better support
your loved one, please contact Judy
Kowalick at [email protected]
or leave a message at 520-622-5582
Peer to Peer (P2P)*: A 8-class course
for individuals with mental illness
focusing on recovery.
For information email Yazmin Garcia at [email protected] or leave a message at 520-622-5582
Ending the Silence: An early intervention program that engages students in mental health education and discussion. Presentations are also available for school professionals, parents, and agencies working with children and adolescents.
For information email Judi Maikoff at [email protected] or leave a message at 520-622-5582
In Our Own Voice*: A presentation given by individuals with mental illness providing their testimonies.
For presenter training or to schedule a presentation, contact Maria Mendoza at [email protected]
NAMI Southern Arizona Programs & Services –
all programs offered at no charge to the participant.
ADVOCACY
Our Advocates are available to act as
your second voice and to help you:
Understand your rights whether
you are an individual with mental
illness or a family member.
Obtain mental health services and
information.
Work with the public/private
mental health and legal systems.
Due to high volume, we are requesting
that those in need of services please
schedule an appointment M-F between
9-5. Thank you! Please note, we
currently do not have a bilingual
advocate.
SUPPORT
Family & Friends Support Groups*:
Provide the sharing of experiences,
knowledge, hope and coping skills for
family members and friends with a
loved one with mental illness.
NAMI Connection*: A weekly
recovery-focused group for adults
living with mental illness.
Creative Arts Group: For those with
mental illness who want to explore
different art forms.
Heart to Heart: A friendship program
for people with mental illness.
Volunteers are matched with
individuals who have mental illness
and are trained to talk and participate
in social activities together.
NAMI FaithNet: Supports faith
communities who want to develop a
mental health ministry and educate
congregations about mental illness
and available community resources.
* available in Spanish
One in 5 or 200,000 adults and youth
experience a mental illness in a given year
which results in $605 million in lost
earnings in Pima County alone!
SUMMER PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE!
In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a no-cost 40 or 60
minute presentation given by individuals with
mental illness sharing their stories. Audiences
learn how people with mental illness can live
their lives successfully in spite of serious
mental illness.
The program is dedicated to the support,
education, and growth of people with mental
illness as presenters. Who better to talk about
coping with a mental illness than those in
recovery? These presentations would be
suitable for businesses, e.g. staff meetings,
management training, Human Resource (HR)
staff, churches, service organizations, adult
probation, mental health courts, college
classes, etc. To schedule a presentation
Contact: Maria Mendoza
Ending the Silence-is a no-cost, 50 minute
presentation designed to give middle school
and high school age students an opportunity
to learn about mental illness through
discussion and short videos.
Ending the Silence is in partnership with Text
Talk Act, the interactive conversation for
youth using a cell phone. Text Talk Act follows
the Ending the Silence presentation within a
week's time. To schedule a presentation for
your youth group, scout troup, summer
school/youth program, contact
Judi Maikoff at [email protected]
Page 7 FIND HOPE
Board of Directors
David Delawder, CRSS,CPRP, President
Marsi Quigley, Vice President
Zacharias Knickerbocker, Treasurer
Laura H. Fairbanks, Secretary
Members
Margie Balfour, M.D., Ph.D.
Patricia Harrison–Monroe, Ph.D.
Julie Jameson
Kate Lawson
Mathew Pate, LMSW
Betty Seery
Eric Stark, JD, MSW, CRSS
Executive Director
H. Clarke Romans, Ph.D.
Advisory Council
Lesley Abrams, Pastor, St John on the Desert Presbyterian
Church
Michael Barr, Director, Mobile Assistant Team, Sonora
Behavioral Health Hospital
Amelia Cramer, Deputy P.C Attorney, P.C. Attorney’s Office
Derek Derrick, Principal Systems Engineer, Raytheon
Missile Systems; Past President, Raytheon Alliance for
Diverse Abilities
Francisco Garcia, MD, Assistant County Administrator,
Pima County
Lawrence Hecker, Attorney, Hecker PLLC
Peter Hersberger, former State Representative; retired
nonprofit executive
Clint Mabie, President/CEO, Community Foundation of
Southern Arizona
Chris Magnus, Chief of Police, Tucson Police Department
Priscilla Marquez, former VP of Business Development,
Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, retired
Nancy Masland, founder/former Board Member, NAMI SA
Michael McDonald, Executive Director, Community Food
Bank of Southern Arizona
Christian Moher, MD, President/CEO, Escalera Health
Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor, City of Tucson
Southern Arizona
Human Rights
Committee is dedicated to
ensuring human rights for
people with mental illness. It is
a local oversight committee, authorized by the
Arizona Legislature, charged with promoting and
protecting the human rights of children and adults
who receive services from the public behavioral
health care system. Volunteers are appointed by the
Director of Arizona Department of Health Services
(ADHS) and are approved by the committee.
Meetings are the 4th Tuesday of every month from
10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Department of Health
Services Office, 400 W. Congress St., Tucson, AZ
85701. Meetings are open to the public and a portion
of each meeting is devoted to public
comment.....Please join us!
Contacts: Ken Karrels, Ph.D. Chair, Pima County
Human Rights Committee, 400 W. Congress St.
Tucson, AZ 85701 or Yisel Sanchez, Human Rights
Committee Coordinator, 1-800-421-2124 or
602-364-4577
NAMI Southern Arizona is now taking submissions
for our 2019-2020 Poet Laureate! If you would
like to be considered, please submit a minimum
of 4, maximum of 10, poems to
[email protected] or drop them off at our
office. The winner will be announced at our
NAMIWalks Awards Ceremony in late June.
The deadline for submissions is May 31st!
The winner will have the opportunity to include a
poem in each of our quarterly newsletters and
read a poem at NAMI Southern Arizona events.
6122 E. 22nd St. | Tucson, AZ 85711
Our Mission: NAMI Southern Arizona improves the quality of life for all those affected by mental illness.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
May is Mental Health Month—Help us spread the word, raise awareness, support and promote advocacy activities #IntoMentalHealth - See more at: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Raise-Awareness/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Month; local presentations available. Call (520) 622-5582.
22, May - 9-1 Mission Market @ Gospel Rescue Mission, 338 W. 28th Street- Free-Furniture, produce, clothes, shoes, and agency resources.
6, June - NAMIWalks website closes. Please get your offline donations in by June 1st so we can add them to the website.
19- 22, June – NAMI National Convention, Seattle. Our Movement, Our Moment nami.org/Convention
Last Week in June - NAMIWalks Recognition Ceremony – 5:30 -7:30 p.m., Location TBD.
30, July - Child Parent Center Wellness Fair, Tucson Convention Center, Grand Lobby
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
If your business or organization would like a NAMI presentation on mental health and minority communities, please contact Christina at [email protected] to schedule a presentation.
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