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NAMI GREATER DES MOINES AFFILIATE AND SUPPORT GROUP NEWSLETTER

December 2006 “Support, Education, and Advocacy”

THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION (www.heritage.org), July 11, 2006

[The Treatment Advocacy Center E-news - Editor’s Note: Be it a conservative, liberal, or anarchist, having a loved one with a severe mental illness predictably, and understandably, breeds interest in what can be done to benefit those with acute psychiatric disorders. Interestingly, the answers derived are normally quite independent of the inquiring person’s general political persuasion. Below Rebecca Hagelin, a vice president of The Heritage Foundation, considers what mental health policy innovations are most needed.]

ENDING THE STIGMA OF "MENTAL ILLNESS"

By Rebecca Hagelin

You’d think nothing could compare to the heartbreak endured by families whose loved ones suffer from diseases such as cancer or muscular dystrophy.

But as a recent House committee hearing on mental health made clear, the darkest and most devastating of illnesses often deal with the brain. Why? Because of the stigma, ignorance and pathetic health-care/legal policies that surround what we still call “mental illness.” Unfortunately, this phrase makes it sound as if it’s all psychological. The fact is that brain diseases are just as physical as heart diseases, diabetes or any other illness of any other organ.

Unfortunately, I know much more about the issue than I’d like. My late mother suffered from bipolar illness, transforming the best mom in the universe into someone I didn’t recognize. Brain disorders bearing the names of bipolar, depression, schizophrenia and others aren’t about emotions or having “down days” -- they are conditions

that affect judgment, mood, actions, relationships, finances, employment, integrity and every other aspect of one’s makeup and human existence.

It’s about time that the powerful, affluent, advanced, wonderful nation that is America address and redress the tragic human and societal consequences of “mental health” policies that are more akin to something you’d expect out of Transylvania in the dark ages rather than from the most blessed nation on earth in the 21st century.

Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., (who sponsored the House hearing) has bravely taken her own familial experience with brain disease and is attempting to turn the tide. Her granddaughter plunged into a living hell when she developed severe bipolar disorder more than a decade ago, taking her family with her (as is often the case). This loving, courageous, unashamed grandmother struggles daily through a broken system that continues to fail the most vulnerable among us. And Rep. Myrick wants to take what she has learned about the failures of our system and help others.

According to Dr. Kay Jamison, a renowned researcher and psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins who also suffers from bipolar disorder, the cost of untreated brain diseases for America’s young is particularly staggering. Dr. Jamison testified at the hearing that at least 70 percent of the teenagers who commit suicide suffer from a potentially treatable major mood disorder. Yet “the effort to develop new treatments for severe mental illness and to prevent suicide seems remarkably unhurried,” she said:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Education Meetings are generally the 1st Sunday of the month from 2 - 4 PM at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Level B conference room. Dates on Sundays other than the 1st Sunday of the month are due to holidays or other special scheduled events. Caring and sharing will be held after the educational speaker has finished. See inside the newsletter for support groups.

Business and Committee Meetings are the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4 P.M. at the NAMI-Iowa Office. 1. Business 5. Advocacy 2. Marketing and membership 3. Support 6. Fundraising 4. Education 7. Special Events

Thurs., Nov. 30 8AM to 4:30 PM- and Fri., Dec. 1 9 AM to 4 PM

NAMI Iowa Annual Meeting and Fall Conference – “Evidenced Based Practices and Mental Health for the Future” at the Holiday Inn & Suites, 4800 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines. Featured speakers are: William J. MacPhee, Founder and Publisher of Schizophrenia Digest Tina Kotulski, author of “Saving Millie: A Daughter’s Story of Surviving her Mother’s Schizophrenia” – Cost to NAMI members is $55.00. PLEASE JOIN US!

Dec. 3

The topic will be anxiety and panic disorders.

NAMI GDM election results

Dec. 7 Date change

We will be discussing and planning around 7 topic areas. Website stakeholder meeting in the evening.

Jan. 7

The topic will be eating disorders. 2007 Elected officers and Board members terms begin.

Jan. 12

We will be discussing and planning around 7 topic areas.

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“Every 17 minutes in America, someone commits suicide. Where is the public concern and outrage? … I cannot rid my mind of the desolation, confusion and guilt I have seen in the parents, children, friends and colleagues of those who kill themselves. Nor can I shut out the images of the autopsy photographs of 12-year-old children, or the prom photographs of adolescents who within a year’s time will put a pistol in their mouths or jump from the top floor of a university dormitory building.”

One parent well acquainted with the pain of brain disease also testified: Pete Earley, a former Washington Post reporter who wrote a harrowing book about the state of mental health in this country. As he noted:

“In 1955, some 560,000 Americans were patients in state mental hospitals. Between 1955 and 2000, our nation’s population increased from 166 million to 276 million. If you took the patient-per-capita ratio that existed in 1955 and extrapolated it out based on the new population, you’d expect to find 930,000 patients in mental hospitals today. But there are fewer than 55,000. Where are the others? More than 300,000 are in jails and prisons. Another half-million are on court-ordered probation. The largest public facilities for the mentally ill are not hospitals. They are jails and prisons. They have become our new asylums.”

What can we do to fix this? Dr. Timothy Kelly, a licensed clinical psychologist, several years ago outlined principles for reform in a paper for The Heritage Foundation. It’s time for Congress and society to discuss these principles and start reforming antiquated, cruel policies.

For one thing, we need to focus on results. “Most mental-health management information systems in the public and private sectors simply list demographics and services provided,” Dr. Kelly says. “Rather than documenting process, a valuable evaluation should measure progress -- the actual outcomes of care provided.”

Dr. Kelly also recommends that policymakers:

*** Provide equivalent insurance coverage for severe mental illness. In programs that specify health benefits, that means giving equal coverage for brain diseases as for other diseases. “A person suffering from a serious mental illness may be as debilitated as someone with a serious physical illness, and both should have adequate coverage and access to care,” he says.

*** Establish “outpatient commitment” for mental illness. Currently, the right of an individual with SMI (severe mental illness) to refuse treatment is overridden only if he is deemed at risk of hurting himself or others. “However, once a person has been successfully treated and is discharged from a psychiatric hospital,” Dr. Kelly writes, “the court has no say regarding whether or not he or she continues to receive treatment. In most cases of relapse after discharge, the cessation of treatment, especially of medications, is the primary cause.”

With outpatient commitment, SMI patients could be discharged early if they agree to remain in treatment in their home community. If they don’t abide by this agreement, they could be re-hospitalized or required to attend a day treatment program. A new commitment hearing wouldn’t be necessary.

*** Require parental approval for child and adolescent mental health treatment. We must safeguard parental rights even as we ensure that children and adolescents who suffer from SMI receive adequate care.

*** Engage those who use mental-health services in the process of reform. “Nobody knows the need for effective treatment more that those who have suffered from ineffective care,” Dr. Kelly says. That’s exactly why we need substantial input from them.

We owe it to our future to get this right. Pete Earley explains why:

“Mental illness is a cruel disease. No one knows who it might strike or why. There is no known cure. It lasts forever. My son Mike has it. And because he is sick, he will always be dancing on the edge of a cliff. I cannot keep him from falling. I cannot protect him from its viciousness. All I can do is stand next to him on that ravine, always ready to extend my hand. All I can do is promise that I will never abandon him.”

America has abandoned those who suffer with brain disorders for far too long. We can, and must, do better.

A Look at the Year in Review This is a recap of the Sunday affiliate meetings in 2006:

Jan. 8 – Civil Commitment – Attorney Dan Flaherty Feb. 5 – Bipolar/Genetic Research – Nancy Hale Mar. 12 –Schizophrenia – “Out of the Shadow” at the Temple for the Performing Arts.- - Special Event April 2 – Self Harm, Borderline Personality Disorder – Barb Appleby May 7 – Veterans Issues, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – Dr. Steven Hagemoser and Linda Kramer June 4 –Depression, Suicide Prevention – Joan Blundall July 9 – Dual Diagnosis – Brian Bartemes and Julie Lefler Aug. 6 – Schools and MH Students – Curt Sytsma Sept. 10 – Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation – Shannon Evers Oct. 1 – “Meet the Legislators/Candidates” @ Westminster Presbyterian – Special Event Nov. 5 – “Ask the Doctor” – Whoops! Dec. 3 – Anxiety and Panic Disorders

The dates for 2007 will be: Sunday affiliate meetings Thursday business meetings January 7 January 11 February 4 February 8 March 4 March 8 April 1 April 12 May 6 May 10 June 3 June 14 July 1 July 12 August 5 August 9 September 9 September 13 October 7 October 11 November 4 November 8 December 2 December 13 If you have topics which you would like to see presented in 2007, please send an e-mail to tbomhoff@mchsi.com or call and leave a message at 274-6876.

Other happenings/changes in 2006:

We amended the Articles and By-laws to change the name of the organization from National Alliance for the Mentally Ill to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

We have our first support group for family members started by Dr. Bobby Dickerson. We plan on developing more support groups as the need grows.

Our new Board member, Diane Johnson, leads a parent and caregiver support group for those with children and adolescents with severe emotional disorder or mental illness.

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We hold our business meetings separately from the Sunday affiliate meetings so the Sunday meetings allow more time for speakers to make their presentations and allow time for questions.

Our newsletter mailing list has grown from 100 to over 650.

Our e-mail newsletter list has grown from 20 to over 100.

VHM (Virtual Hallucination Machine) events will number 20 by the end of 2006 with well over 400 participants.

We had 3 Family to Family classes in 2006 – 1 in the spring and 2 in the fall.

A Visions for Tomorrow class was held in the fall of 2006.

In 2007, • we will have a website, • will continue to develop more support groups, • have more classes in Family to Family, Visions for

Tomorrow, and Peer to Peer, • develop more special projects, • VHM events will include the Iowa Women’s Police

Association Conference and the State Targeted Case Manager’s Conference, among others, and

• we will continue the newsletter by postal mail and E-mail.

Fundraising efforts – these items are now for sale

Silver ribbon pins, copies of Schizophrenia Digest and Bipolar magazines, small and large note cards, holiday

cards, silver ribbon charms and earrings, bookmarks, “Campaign for the Brain” wristbands, and other items.

The items are available for sale at Sunday affiliate meetings as well as at other events such as the State Mental Health Conference (held in October) and the NAMI Fall Conference (Nov 30-Dec. 1).

8-16-06 – Iowa Grants Symposium was attended.

9-20-06- Notified of award of $4996 capacity building grant from the Wellmark Foundation for volunteer development and creation of a website.

On October 6, 2007, we will have a NAMI Walks event with NAMI Iowa as well as pursue other grant opportunities.

The foundation of our organization will always be membership dues. Have you become a member yet? We need you.

Advocacy efforts in 2006

January 2006 newsletter contained the legislative agenda for 2006 1-19-06 “Mental Health” legislative day at the State Capitol 2-13-06 “Lobby Day for Suicide Prevention” at the State Capitol 3-29-06 “Advocate for Change” day at the State Capitol 4-8-06 Citizens Health Care Working Group at the Botanical Center October 2006 newsletter contained the legislative agenda for 2007 10-1-06 “Ask the Legislators/Candidates” affiliate meeting 10-17-06 “Iowa Mosaic Diversity Conference” – the lunch speaker was from NAMI Urban Los Angeles – Nancy Carter – she spoke to participants on mental illness issues. 10-26-06 Mobile Crisis Conference

We appreciate the countless phone calls, personal visits, letters, and e-mails sent by our members in support of mental health legislation at the federal and state level.

In 2007, we will continue to notify you of events at the State Capitol and provide alerts on federal and state legislation regarding mental illness issues. We need your stories. We need you to let legislators know that our mental health system needs systemic change. Please help.

Volunteer opportunities abound in our organization. We do not have paid staff so we rely on generous people such as yourself to volunteer the time you feel is available to help out with the activities which are most important to you.

These are volunteer needs for 2007. If you see an opportunity to help out, please e-mail tbomhoff@mchsi.com or leave a voice mail at 274-6876.

2-3 hours per month • Sunday affiliate meetings - help with the set up and take

down of resource table, volunteer sign-up and sales table. • Newsletter committee – collate, staple, and ready the

newsletter for mailing. • Be willing to share your story as part of a presentation to

various groups.

Teacher/Support Group Facilitator – would involve a weekend of training to become a teacher

as well as teaching at least 2 classes in two years. • For Family to Family educational classes

• For Visions for Tomorrow educational classes • For Peer to Peer educational classes • Support Group facilitator (involves once a month 2-1/2 hr

commitment of time)

NAMI Fall Conference – we will have a sales table and need people to volunteer for 2 hour shifts each of the 2 days of the conference. NAMI GDM will pay $30 of the $55 registration cost for the first 8 people to sign up. Shift times on Thursday (11/30) and Friday (12/1) are:

• 8 AM to 10 AM • 10 AM to Noon • Noon to 2 PM • 2 PM to 4 PM

Sales Table Manager – would be the primary person in charge of ordering supplies and attending conferences on behalf of NAMI Greater Des Moines.

Committee assignments: • Web site – help to decide what our web site should look

like and what information should be posted. • Justice issues – would include VHM (Virtual Hallucination

Machine) events – help out with events at organization meetings and locations and conferences – normally a day long commitment at a time

• NAMI on Campus – DMACC affiliate • Education – implementing educational courses in the

school systems and colleges on mental illness. • Where Do I Turn to Now? – assembling information for

persons with mental illness (and family members) while hospitalized and for use after release.

NAMI Walks – October 2007 • Fundraising • Marketing • A job on the day of the walk • Committee work

You can e-mail your interest for any of the above to tbomhoff@mchsi.com or leave a voice mail at 274-6876. There will also be sign up sheets at the Sunday affiliate meetings.

Your help will be most appreciated. Thanks.

We have the 8 volunteers for the Fall conference – THANKS!

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The Mental Health Advocacy Coalition is asking for Your Help.

We would like to compile stories that illustrate mental health issues. These can be anecdotes or human

interest stories which help to identify important mental health issues and problems – stigma, lack of access to services, your story and struggle in dealing with mental illness, mental health problems of returning soldiers, importance of the right medications, lack of funding, etc – real stories of Iowans.

Copies of your stories should be sent to CeCe Arnold at ncrlcca@mchsi.com. The person sending the story should “de-identify” information in the story for replication purposes but still provide attached identifying information to Cece in case she needs to contact you. Anyone with writing skills who would like to help with this project should send an E-mail.

Family to Family Education - Take the 12 week course (1 night/week for 2-2 ½ hours) NAMI Family to

Family educational course to obtain coping skills and information about mental illness. Severe mental illness is

traumatic to the entire family - you might consider asking other family members to attend with you – a friend, a parent, spouse, a sibling, or one of your children (must be at least 14 years old). Call the NAMI office to sign up –254-0417. The next Family to Family class will be in the spring starting March 8.

Sign up for the next “Visions for Tomorrow” class. It is an 8 week course (1 night a week for 2-2 ½ hours) for

parents, foster parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents who have serious emotional

disorders. Curriculum includes types of mental illnesses and emotional disorders as well as instruction on coping skills; dealing with schools; communication; medication; rehabilitation, recovery, and transition; and advocacy. Call the NAMI office to sign up – 515-254-0417. The class this fall started on Sept. 19. The next class will be in the spring.

2007 NAMI Greater Des Moines Election Results Term of office begins 1-1-07

Many Thanks to Linda Jayne, June Lavigne, Bill Darby, and Marlene Foster. These wonderful people have served as an officer or

on the Board of Directors of NAMI Greater Des Moines for many years. They decided not to run for office again in 2007. They were all instrumental in NAMI Greater Des Moines continued existence believing in the mission of our organization. Thank you for a job well done!

Linda, June, Bill, and Marlene will continue to help out on the newsletter committee. We are blessed that they volunteer to continue to help us.

www.nami.org/travel NAMI now has its own travel web site. This new service is like having our own Expedia. You get

access to the same airlines, hotels and rental car companies, cruises, and vacation packages you find on all the other major travel web sites – and low travel prices. Every time you use a travel web site like Expedia, the travel companies pay big commissions for your reservation. Now, if you book through NAMI, 40% of the commissions will help to improve the lives of people living with mental illnesses.

CONFUSED ABOUT DUES?

NAMI of Greater Des Moines, NAMI Iowa and NAMI National are separate non-profit

organizations even though GDM is an affiliate of the state organization, and the state organization is part of the national organization.

If you pay dues directly to NAMI-National– you only have a national membership.

NAMI-National NAMI-Iowa NAMI-GDM Yes No membership No membership

When dues are paid to NAMI Iowa – you have a state membership and a national membership

NAMI-National NAMI-Iowa NAMI-GDM Yes Yes No membership

When dues are paid to NAMI Greater Des Moines – you have NAMI GDM membership, a state membership, and a national membership (3).

NAMI-National NAMI-Iowa NAMI-GDM Yes Yes Yes

By paying $35 for an individual/family membership to NAMI GDM – you help to support all 3 organizations.

Assistance with Prescription Cost

Polk County residents without full health insurance coverage can save on prescription drugs

under a county sponsored drug discount program. For a complete list of card locations or a list of participating pharmacies, call 286-3895. and The Partnership for Prescription Assistance - Call 1-888-477-2669 or visit www.pparx.org to see if you may qualify for a variety of programs available. and Patients who lack prescription drug insurance and are not eligible for Medicare - call 1-800-444-4106 or visit the Together Rx Access Web site for the Together Rx Access™ Card.

President and Editor of Newsletter Teresa Bomhoff 274-6876 E-mail: tbomhoff@mchsi.com

Vice-President – Dr. Bobby Dickerson 979-8390 E-mail: bdickerson@paccdisciples.org

Treasurer – Don Jayne 225-8912 E-mail: dojayne@hotmail.com

Secretary – Sharon Browne 988-5151 E-mail: msrvliving@peoplepc.com

Board members Kevin Lind 205-1960 E-mail: Kevin.lind@performancefinishinc.com

Glenn Hobin 965-9799 E-mail: IowaGH@aol.com

Diane Johnson 255-8157 E-mail: itsdianej@aol.com

Post card Mailings: Mark Adams 556-8164 NAMI-Iowa office 254-0417 E-mail: namiiowa@mchsi.com

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Letters to the Editor

You are welcome to send letters to the editor by mail or E-mail. Letters can be sent to: Teresa Bomhoff, 200 S.W. 42nd St. Des Moines, Iowa 50312 or E-mail: tbomhoff@mchsi.com

Federal Legislative Issues www.nami.org/advocacy

Contact information for members of Congress Capitol Switchboard 1-202-224-3121

Contact via E-mail can be made directly through their web sites. http://grassley.senate.gov/ http://harkin.senate.gov/ http://www.house.gov/boswell/ http://www.tomlatham.house.gov/ http://www.house.gov/steveking/ http://leach.house.gov/ http://nussle.house.gov/email.htm

House representatives have tried for years to move the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act out of committee to the floor for a vote. When Congress reconvenes on November 13, action is needed on the Ramstad (MN)-Kennedy (RI) discharge petition for a vote on HR 1402. If you are interested in seeing true mental health parity become a reality, please contact our House representatives from Iowa to sign the petition and support passing this key piece of legislation. Contacting the Senators from Iowa will also help to make your wishes known. Message: "I am calling to ask that the Representative to sign discharge petition #18 for immediate passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act. I appreciate his/her having cosponsored the bill, but families struggling with mental or substance use disorders need this additional help now."

Background: Just before the House recessed until November 13, Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN) filed a "discharge petition" that, if approved by the House, would compel a November vote on their mental health and substance use disorder bill. The sponsors view this step as necessary because of the continued opposition of the House Republican Leadership.

A total of 230 Members of the House are on record as cosponsoring H.R. 1402 (38 of whom are Republicans). Though this is 12 more than a majority in the House, the bill has been blocked. 218 need to sign the petition.

To see if your Representative has signed the petition, go to http://clerk.house.gov/109/lrc/pd/petitions/Dis18.htm The Legislation: The Kennedy-Ramstad bill, H.R. 1402, addresses discrimination in group health plans against persons with mental or substance use disorders. It would expand the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 by prohibiting group health plans from imposing treatment or financial limitations on mental health benefits that are different from those applied to medical/surgical services.

The legislation closes the loopholes that allow discrimination in the copayment, coinsurance, deductible, maximum out-of-pocket limit and day and visit limits. It applies only to group health plans already providing mental health benefits, and excludes (as does current law) health plans sponsored by employers of fewer than 50 people.

New data has proven that parity in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program has had minimal cost. Members of Congress and their staffs are among the 8.5 million federal employees, retirees and dependents who have had parity for BOTH mental health and substance use disorders since January 2001.

H.R. 1402 was modeled on that federal employee benefit.

SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS Family members, if you are interested in participating in a support group, please contact our Vice-President – Dr. Bobby Dickerson Work phone: 288-1914 Cell phone: 979-8390 E-mail: bdickerson@paccdisciples.org – The next support group meeting is Sunday, Dec. 17 from 2-3:30 PM at Park Ave. Christian Church – 3219 SW 9th St., Des Moines.

First Monday of each month – 6 – 8 PM - a support group for parents and caregivers of children with severe emotional disturbance (SED) or mental illness – meets at the Child Serve Center – 5406 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston. For more information – call Diane at 255-8157 or Mary Ann at 883-8014. For newsletters, go to http://www.iffcmh.org/newsletters.htm

Every Monday evening – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M. – the Support group meets at the Mercy Franklin West Conference Room (enter West side entrance) – 48th & Franklin, Des Moines. This is a support group for both family members and consumers.

Every Monday evening – 7-8 PM – Broadlawn’s-1801 Hickman – dual diagnosis support group “Double Trouble and Recovery” – in lower level – Sands Kitchen-call Julie at 282-6793

2nd & 4th Mondays of each month – 7 P.M. – For depression and anxiety disorders only – WestView Church, 1155 SE Boone, in Waukee. Call Julie at 710-1487 or E-mail at candlesinthedarkness@mchsi.com

Every Tuesday afternoon – 1:30 to 2:30 P.M.- A consumer support group meets at Res-Care located at the Hammer Medical Pharmacy building at 602 E. Grand. Come early at Noon and have a hot lunch.

Every Tuesday evening – 8-10 P.M. - Recovery Inc., a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 3120 E. 24th St., Des Moines – Call 266-2346 – Marty Hulsebus.

Thursdays from 11:00 A.M. to Noon - Anger Management class at Res-Care located at the Hammer Medical Pharmacy building at 602 E. Grand. A hot lunch is provided at noon.

Every Thursday at 2:00 P.M. - Recovery, Inc. - a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at Central Iowa Center for Independent Living, 665 Walnut St., Des Moines – Call 237-0232 – Mark Grunzweig.

Every Thursday evening – 7:45 – 9:45 P.M. – Recovery, Inc. - a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 1020 24th St., in West Des Moines. Call – 277-6071-Deb Rogers.

Every Saturday morning – 10 A.M. A group of people who have depression will meet at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, Call 222-1520, ext. 175.

Every Saturday afternoon – 2:00 – 3:30 P.M. – the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance meets at Iowa Lutheran Hospital – University at Penn Avenue – Level B – private dining room. This is a support group for consumers.

Coping After a Suicide Support Group – Polk Co. Crisis and Advocacy Services – Contact: Chris 515-286-3887 Meeting day – 2nd Thursday of each month 6-7:30 P.M. and last Saturday of each month 9-10:30 A.M. Meeting place is 525 5th Avenue, Suite H. Victim Services Phone: 515-286-3600

Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

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Do you know of other support groups in the Des Moines area that we should list in our newsletter?

Bipolar Genetics Study and Major Depression Study at the Univ. of Iowa (

You can contact the U. of Iowa directly by calling Nancy Hale at the toll free number (888) 850-8531 if you are interested in participating in genetic studies for either bipolar or early onset depression research programs.

Several Schizophrenia Studies are also at the U. of Iowa

Toll free inquiries may be made at 800-777-8442. Ask for Jane Kerr or Tim Holman.

The University of Iowa Mental health Clinical Research Center has multiple studies available: • Diagnosis and Phenomenology • Anatomic Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging: Brain Structure • MR Spectroscopy: Brain Chemistry • Positron Emission Tomography: Brain Blood Flow • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Brain Function • Cognitive Neuroscience: Cognitive Functions • Clinical Neuropharmacology: Drug Response and Clinical

Trials • Genetics/Epidemiology: Molecular Genetic Studies • Collaboration with the Mental Illness and Neuroscience

Discovery (MIND) To participate, contact Frank Fleming, BS, BSN Phone toll free: 1-877-575-2864

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) also has several studies. For more information, go to: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/studies/index.cfm We will have pamphlets at the Sunday affiliate meetings on various studies available for participation.

MENTAL ILLNESS: THE FACTS From NAMI: In Our Own Voice

Mental illnesses are brain disorders. They are not defects in someone’s personality or a sign of poor moral character or lack of faith. They certainly do not mean that the ill person is a failure. Chemical imbalances in the brain, from unknown or incompletely known causes, are much of the reason for symptoms of mental illnesses.

Mental illnesses are like other organ diseases in which body chemistry changes. The abnormal chemistry of mental illnesses affects brain function the same way that too little or too much of other body chemicals damage the heart, kidneys or liver.

A heart attack is a symptom of serious heart disease, just as hearing voices, mood swings, withdrawal from social activities, or feeling out of control are common symptoms of a mental illness.

Mental illnesses can affect people of any age, race, religion, education or income level. As you read this, five million people here in the United States are dealing with serious, chronic brain disorders.

Major brain disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), major depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

There are many points on the continuum of wellness, and different degrees of recovery that can be reached with medication, therapy, and a strong support system.

Mental health problems are real, common, and treatable. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness – taking care of yourself is an act of strength.

Another Resource for Families

Families of Iowa Network for Disabilities (FIND)

The ASK Resource Center 321 East 6th St., Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 243-1713 or (800) 450-8667 www.askresource.org

FIND has been awarded a grant to create a database/directory only accessible to families. Families will be able to FIND other families who share similar experiences and interests, as well as, access information to expand their knowledge and leadership qualities.

Families will have access to: • Family to Family directory

- Links to other families - Share skills and interests - Find support group/disability organizations

• ListServe/Message board - Ability to share ideas; information and resources

• Links to Disability Related Activities - Calendar - Trainings - Public policy - SALYD (Self Advocacy and Leadership for Youth

with Disabilities)

Psychiatric Medications for Children, written by Mark Perrin, M.D.

A recent review in The National Alliance on Mental Illness publication NAMI Beginnings (Summer 2006) highlights its relevance in these troubled

times for children’s mental health services.

“This book is a terrific resource for families. One that parents and caregivers of children living with mental illness should have readily available as they contemplate the appropriateness of psychiatric medications for their child. It walks parents and caregivers thoughtfully through the complex issues that families face when medication is recommended as part of a treatment plan.

Dr. Perrin covers the important questions that most families struggle with like “should my child be on medication” and “what, if any, are the effects of medication on the development of a child’s brain … and what are the possible long term consequences?”

The book removes much of the mystery by describing the parts of the brain that that specific medications target and the effect that they have on the function of the brain. The book outlines the medications used for the most common childhood mental illnesses, the side effects associated with each of the medications, monitoring that should be done when using the medications, warnings associated with the medications, and practical additional facts included in the “what else you need to know” category.

This family-friendly and practical book will lead to families making better informed treatment decisions for their child. It comes highly recommended as an effective resource for families and professionals who work with children with mental illnesses.” Darcy Gruttadaro, J.D., Director of Child and Adolescent Action Center, NAMI

This book has gone into its second printing and a new soft cover edition is now available. Prices: hard cover $19.95 Soft cover $13.35 Shipping and handling $3.85 for 1 book. More information about the author, additional reviews, and order form available at www.stillwaterpressnj.com

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In previous issues, we’ve talked about the educational program called “Breaking the Silence”.

Breaking the Silence (BTS) is a teaching package that includes lesson plans, games and posters on serious

mental illness for three grade levels: upper elementary, middle school, and high school. Through stories and activities students learn the warning signs of mental illness, that mental illness can be successfully treated, and how to recognize and combat stigma. BTS is designed to put a human face on mental illness, replacing fear and ridicule with compassion.

To get a FREE copy of the Tool Kit and BTS, visit www.btslessonplans.org Email: btslessonplans@aol.com Phone: 516-326-0797 - To order one of the 3 sets of lesson plans is $18 or to order all 3 levels – the price is $45.00.

*****There is now a possibility of a grant to help implement the program in your school.

Student-Focused Tolerance Projects Funded Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance Grants Program

The Teaching Tolerance Grants Program, administered by the Southern Poverty Law Center, offers grants of $500-$2,500 to preK-12 classroom teachers to develop and implement innovative anti-bias projects in classrooms, schools, and communities. Proposals from other community organizations will be considered based on direct student impact. Projects funded by Teaching Tolerance tend to be small-scale, student-focused projects focused on character/moral education, conflict resolution, multiculturalism, community service, or other aspects of tolerance education. Funded projects should also be sustainable in some way, rather than one-time-only events or activities. Requests are accepted throughout the year.

A grants program advisor said they DO NOT tend to fund other resources or simply the purchase of resources. HOWEVER if �Breaking the Silence� was included as one of the resources used for a tolerance education project the proposal would be considered.

TIPS - They are looking for: � Well developed activities � A clear presentation of how the project will impact students � An active process/project that creates dialogue � A clear plan for implementation � Project evaluation

Go to: http://www.tolerance.org/teach/grants/index.jsp for more information

Good News from Story County!

The Story County Sheriff’s Office has had a Crisis Intervention Team since 2000 – a benefit for both

families and police. NAMI Central Iowa Executive Director Fran Berger states “However, we have fed into the system that expects the law enforcement community - not the medical community – to take the lead with mental illness. I don’t think we are on the right path yet.”

Fran goes on to say “Story County has received a grant to begin a mental health court here and hopefully that will answer some of the questions we have in how we can better serve the mentally ill here. Very few grants were awarded from the Dept. of Justice, but we have had a coalition of medical, social services, police and corrections from 2000 and this gave us a good base. What

happens after the grant is finished--we hope the county will see the savings and continue it.”

Note: The only other mental health court in Iowa is in Sioux City. Des Moines needs a mental court, too.

Earlier in this newsletter, we talked about VHM events (Virtual Hallucination Machine) in the Greater Des Moines area. Other states are pursuing this same method of sensitivity training. Here’s an article from Mesa, Arizona.

With 'Reality Visors,' Officers Try New Tack To Face Mentally Ill

In Sensitivity Classes, Police Get Taste of Schizophrenia

By GARY FIELDS, September 26, 2006

MESA, Ariz. -- The black visor wrapped around police officer Johnny Lopez's head made him look like a comic-strip character. As he peered at a computer screen, he felt his brain filling with murmurs and whispers calling him worthless and crazy. "They're after you," said one voice. Hallucinations flitted in and out of his line of sight.

Mr. Lopez and a group of 30 police officers from the Phoenix area were undergoing a simulated schizophrenic episode. It lasted just five minutes, but the officers were clearly relieved when it was over. One officer ripped off the headset broadcasting the voices. "This would drive me crazy," said Sgt. Barbara Alexander, "if I had to listen to it all the time."

The officers' taste of psychosis was supposed to give them new perspective on an increasingly common part of their work -- dealing with mentally ill people on the streets. The problem follows the shuttering of state-run mental-health facilities a generation ago. Prisons helped pick up the slack. The Justice Department estimates that about 330,000 of the nation's 2.2 million inmates are mentally ill. When released, they usually end up back in prison, in part because of a lack of outside treatment options.

Traditional police training runs counter to the tactics sometimes needed in encounters with sick people. Young recruits in police academies, for instance, are taught to take immediate command of unstable situations by shock and awe, issuing loud commands.

Mentally ill patients often react adversely to that. A Los Angeles study found that between 1994 and 1999, officers there shot 37 people during encounters with the mentally ill, killing 25.

Now, hundreds of police departments nationwide are trying to change their approach. In San Diego, officers are paired with mental-health professionals on some calls. In Arlington, Texas, all patrol officers and new recruits are given training that ranges from identifying symptoms to knowing what services are available. Some departments direct calls that appear to involve mentally ill people to officers with special training.

The training began here in 2001 and was patterned after a program created in Memphis, Tenn., following the fatal shooting there of a mental patient by local police. Five years later, about 1,000 officers have been trained, and now even 911 dispatchers and some detention officers are getting some instruction. The program here is one of the largest in the country.

In Mesa, officers learn to use softer, more conversational language less likely to agitate someone who is mentally ill. They also learn about psychiatric disorders and listen to firsthand accounts from mentally ill patients. A student at Arizona State University told the officers he had heard voices "every waking moment" for nearly 10

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years. "It wasn't about the weather. They say your life's not worth living, kill yourself," said the student who asked not to be named. "The voices told me to kill a friend once. I told him. It made him nervous."

The student was quickly peppered with questions. "What words really piss you off?" asked Phoenix police Lt. Mark Hafkey, echoing the thoughts of other officers there.

"Nutcase," responded the college student. "I had an officer call me that." He added that while he was suffering a breakdown, trying to use physical force with him would only escalate a situation. Questions that make him focus his attention are best. " Have you eaten? Have you seen a case manager? Are you on medication? Those questions bring me back to reality," he said.

Two of the officers instructing the classes, Nick Margiotta and David Beauchamp, went on patrol later that evening through Phoenix neighborhoods with a high concentration of homeless residents, some of them mentally ill. Both men do much of the outreach for the program. Over the next several hours, they patrolled areas and conducted home visits with a number of mentally ill residents to make sure that they were attending therapy sessions, getting medical care and taking their medication. They urged the homeless mentally ill to move to shelters and voluntarily accept help for their illnesses.

Because there is little bed space for the mentally ill outside prisons, the two officers see the stops as pre-emptive visits to head off potential crimes. They even drive some patients to doctors' visits. Mental-health advocates like to see officers involved but worry that governments are shifting the responsibility for caring for mentally ill people to the criminal-justice system. Police officers are also wary of their new role.

"Doctors, lawyers and now mental health professionals -- they want us to be everything," says Chuck Canterbury, the national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 300,000 street level officers. He supports the training but cautions that the public "cannot expect or anticipate law enforcement will be mental health professionals." The training shouldn't change how police react when confronted with life-threatening situations, he added.

The first visit of the night was with a regular who frequents places near the airport, including a bank where he has parked five grocery carts of trash and trinkets. Wheelchair-bound because of a leg infection, he tried to outrun the patrol car when he spotted the officers, until Officer Beauchamp got out. The officer had tried several times to get the man into a shelter, but he refuses because he doesn't want to give up the grocery carts and one of his prized possessions, a 20-year-old stuffed animal.

Later, they ran across another of their former contacts, a schizophrenic pushing a grocery cart. He became agitated when he heard one of the officers describe him as homeless. He has in fact been homeless for 27 years and said, "I don't want to be off the street."

Normally officers stay together in a show of force, but here Mr. Margiotta stayed several feet away, but within sight so the man wouldn't feel overwhelmed.

At another stop, the officers spotted an emaciated man sleeping on a grate behind an electrical-supply business. Mr. Margiotta hung back while his partner approached the man gingerly and talked to him softly. "Hey, we're not here to cause you any problems. We're just checking on you. You alright?" he asked.

Both officers noticed that the man had begun twitching and hitting his leg -- a sign, Mr. Beauchamp said, of mental illness and stress. "He's calibrating himself, doing that to keep himself on an even keel. We're making him uncomfortable."

His partner took a step back, giving the man more space and assessed his situation. Both realized the big toes on each of his feet were gone, probably the result of diabetes. It was difficult for him to walk. He carried no ID, but said his name was Smith. He said he was 30 but appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. Not once during the 20-minute encounter did he look at either officer, even as they reassured him repeatedly that he had done nothing wrong.

Because the man wasn't suspected of a crime and didn't appear to be an immediate danger to himself or others, the police couldn't take him into custody or order him to get a psychological assessment. The man reluctantly agreed to cooperate with social service and mental health groups if the officers contacted the organizations. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In the Des Moines area, we have the Mobile Crisis Team to assist in mental health crisis situations. Call 911 and explain the situation to the dispatcher to receive assistance. 1. Mental illnesses are prevalent. 2. Mental illnesses are treatable. 3. Mental illnesses are 'no fault'. 4. FAMILIES are members of the treatment team, and safety-nets for their loved ones who are experiencing first time psychosis, or relapse.

Should the Term 'Schizophrenia' Be Dropped? As Reported by CNN

British mental health experts on Monday called for the term schizophrenia to be dropped, saying it has no scientific validity, is imprecise, and stigmatizing. "The

concept of schizophrenia is scientifically meaningless," said Dr. Richard Bell, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Manchester. "It groups together a whole range of different problems under one label -- the assumption is that all of these people with all of these different problems have the same brain disease."

It was suggested the term be replaced with the label dopamine dysregulation disorder to more accurately describe someone who is psychotic.

HOW MANY COUNTIES IN IOWA COULD HAVE THIS HEADLINE?

Boone County, MO Teens Face Shortage of Mental Health Treatment Options

(columbiatribune.com, October 24, 2006)

Calling access to services for mental health treatment in this Missouri county a "crisis", a juvenile justice center supervisor testified recently that he could not even find treatment for a juvenile actively trying to commit suicide. Officials point to a two-decade decline in the availability of mental health services, including a reduction of 41 percent of available treatment beds and a 25 percent reduction in state funding for mental health services. According to the report, private ministries are feeling the weight of this demand and are now having to turn people away due to limits on their capacity. Impossibility – a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools. Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France

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Psychiatric crisis beds in Des Moines Broadlawn’s 24-26 (lower level is used for storage) Mercy Franklin – 24 Iowa Lutheran – 60 beds (34 for adults)

110 crisis beds? – Am I missing any?

Polk County’s population is 401,066 1% of the population has schizophrenia – over 4000 1.2% of the population has bipolar - - close to 5000 5-10% have depression – over 30,000

39,000+ people with brain disorders With an average of 3 relatives per person = 117,000 117,000 relatives + 39,000 persons with brain disorders = 156,000 lives affected

Does anyone see a shortage of health services here?

Is there a project you think NAMI Greater Des Moines should be working on? Tell us what that project is. Then. . . .please volunteer to be on a committee to implement the project.

How Many Families in Iowa Have to Do This?

Families Choose Poverty to Access Mental Health Care for Children

(Cincinnati.com, October 22, 2006)

Families with children and adolescents who are experiencing mental illness are being forced to leave employment and choose poverty in order to access needed mental health services, according to a recent report from Ohio. The state does not have a mental health parity mandate and more and more frequently employees are leaving good jobs that provide inadequate insurance or no coverage for mental health treatment. The report follows one mother who left a job at the University of Cincinnati and applied for Medicaid. In the past year, services for her daughter have cost the state $22,000.

2007 NAMI National Convention

The 2007 Annual NAMI Convention will be held at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, CA June 20 – 24. Online registration is now open. Find out more at www.nami.org/convention!

NAMI Members are eligible for a special First-on-Board rate of $175 if they register by December 31! If you would prefer to register by mail, a registration form will be printed in the fall issue of The Advocate, which has been mailed out in November 2006.

Hotel reservations can be made by calling 1-800-772-8527. You must make your reservation by May 18, 2007 and tell the reservations clerk you are attending the NAMI Annual Convention to receive this special convention hotel rate.

Depression Questionnaire May Change Treatment Plan

Excerpts from Medscape Medical News – Karla Harby – Oct 2006

At the American Psychiatric Association's Institute on Psychiatric Services this month, one of the most significant findings was that asking patients to fill out a 1-page, 9-item questionnaire, the PHQ-9, caused their psychiatrists to change their treatment decisions 40% of the time. Moreover, 93% of psychiatrists said that the questionnaire was helpful in their practice.

The 1-page, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is based on criteria for major depression and dysthymic disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Originally designed for primary care physicians, the PHQ-9 is free for clinical use and available from the Web site of the

MacArthur Initiative on Depression and Primary Care.

The researchers also found, to their surprise, that the PHQ-9 showed that rapid remission in depression is quite rare. Using a score of 5 or lower to define remission, after 3 months 39% of patients showed a response to treatment, while only 17% were in remission, said lead researcher David J. Katzelnick, MD, Director of Healthcare Technology Systems Inc, in Madison, Wisconsin. "I think we don't remember the people who come in once or twice and then disappear," he said. "But they count."

The questionnaire was well-received by physicians and patients alike, Dr. Katzelnick said. The 9 questions can be answered by the patient in the waiting room, at home, or during consultation with the physician. "Clinicians said it did not take [extra] time to do this, sometimes it actually saved time," Dr. Katzelnick said.

Book of the Year

Crazy - A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness

Pete Earley, Author Pete Early had no idea. He’d been a journalist for

more than 30 years, and the author of several award winning, even bestselling, nonfiction books about crime and punishment and society. But he’d always been on the outside looking in. He had no idea what it was like to be on the inside looking out – until his son Mike, was declared mentally ill, and he was thrown headlong into the maze of contradictions, disparities, and Catch-22’s that is America’s mental health system.

The more he dug, the more he discovered the bigger picture: Our nation’s prisons have become our new mental hospitals. Crazy tells two stories. The first is his son’s. The second describes what Earley has learned during a year long investigation inside the Miami-Dade County jail, where he was given complete, unrestricted access. There, and in the surrounding community, he shadowed inmates and patients; interviewed correctional officers, public defenders, prosecutors, judges, mental health care professionals, and the police; talked with parents, siblings, and spouses; and consulted historians, civil rights lawyers, and legislators.

The result is both a remarkable piece of investigative journalism and a wake-up call – a portrait that could serve as a snapshot of any community in America.

Alteration of Gene May Trigger Schizophrenia

A new study suggests that the trigger for the mind altering disorder may actually be laid down at birth, through an alteration of genes involved in insulating the brain’s wiring. Dr. Joseph Buxbaum, a professor of

adult development at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine compared DNA in blood samples from 673 patients with long histories of schizophrenia and 7l6 people without the debilitating mental illness. The researchers found that a specific variety of a gene called OLIG2, which controls the creation of oligodendrocytes that make the insulation called myelin, is far more common among schizophrenics than in the general population. The study appears in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Music Therapy Might Be Effective in Treating Schizophrenia Reuters 10/31/06 A small British study indicates that music therapy might help relieve some of the symptoms of

schizophrenia in people who are "acutely unwell," as opposed to those who symptoms are relatively stable. The music therapy consisted of eight to 12 sessions in which individuals were encouraged to express themselves using musical instruments. Individuals who participated in the sessions showed greater

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improvements in their symptoms than people with schizophrenia who only received standard treatments, although the researchers pointed out that other factors may have been involved. But the results should prompt larger studies to examine the effects of music therapy, the researchers note. The study was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

"Art Works! Using the Arts to Counter Stigma and Discrimination." From the SAMSHA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma Associated With Mental Illness

One of the causes of discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses is a misperception that people who have mental illnesses lack the same interests and abilities as everyone else. Art, including the visual and performing arts, can be a powerful force in correcting this misperception. Using music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, theater, and more, people with mental illnesses can demonstrate their creativity, insightfulness and intelligence. Through art, they send the message that "I work, live, and play, just like you,” which can lead individuals to question and ultimately reject stigmatizing myths. Also, the confidence-building and peer support that can be found in arts programs can be powerful forces in recovery from mental illnesses.

Earlier in this newsletter, we talked about having items for sale – NARSAD products – the silver ribbon – note cards, etc. This is the story about how these products came to be.

NARSAD ARTWORKS By Hal and Patsy Hollister

Annick Hollister was blessed. She was born with enormous artistic creativity. Our second child, Annick was born in Paris, France. It was almost as if that art-filled city touched her with a special grace. She began drawing and making cutouts at the age of 2. Watercolor soon followed. She charmed and delighted everyone with her talent.

By the time she was 10, she had graduated to oils and was taking classes with adults. Her talent and determination were clear.

In 1973, our family moved to southern California. It was a joyous time for us as we were both born here and it gave us the ability to be near our large families once again. Our other children, 12 year old John and 8 year old Meggin and Annick were excited with the move even thought they left behind many good friends behind. We felt as if we had found paradise.

Annick transferred her dancing interests to athletics and academics. But she did not turn away from her art. However, it was watercolor rather than oil painting that seemed to hold her main interest. Annick was brilliant, beautiful and athletic. A wonderful future seemed assured.

At the end of her freshman year in high school, Annick was elected vice president of her sophomore class. She was to hold that position for only a day. Her turmoil had begun during the summer at first symbolized by obsessions with the sun and the sea. She left school on the second day never to return. Her first hospitalization occurred on Halloween. It was some months later when her increasingly aberrant behavior was diagnosed as schizophrenia. It marked the beginning of years of running – hitchhiking from coast to coast; lone voyages deep into Baja California in search of

nirvana; wandering along the highways of Colorado in mid-winter, barefoot and clad in tank top and jeans. Between “runnings” were hospitalizations or short stays at home, or in various board & cares. Only one thing was constant – Annick continued to paint and draw. It provided escape from the torment going on in her brain and from the “voices”.

She told her psychologist sister, Meggin, that while in the acute ward at Metropolitan State Hospital, the act of painting an intricate series of eight sailboat paintings enabled her to block out her furies and the need to respond to them. During those years Annick’s anger prevented us from doing much for her other than occasional rescues, and ensuring that the various hospitals knew what the last one had done, as records never seem to catch up and, of course, providing her with art materials. It was during this time that she looked into using children’s paints with cheap brushes. It amazes us how much she can accomplish with such primitive supplies.

For years we would ask ourselves, “How can Annick’s art be used to benefit her?” Then that thought expanded to, “How can we use the work of artists who suffer from mental illness to benefit them?” Two things happened that provided the answer.

First, in 1986, NARSAD, the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, was formed and we became involve nationally with that fledgling organization. Hal had just taken an early retirement and we felt that by tightening our belts we could afford a year as full-time volunteers. Second, the Canon Color Copier came into being. The color copier gave us the ability to reduce art works down to greeting card size and make mock-ups of art card products. Simultaneously, we saw that, because of our involvement with NARSAD, we sat in the unique position to bring together, as sales outlets, the local affiliates of NARSAD’s founders, namely the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (then known as AMI), the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (then known as DMDA), and National Mental Health Association groups throughout the country.

In early 1989, after agreement from each of the 3 national organizations, a development group of 18 people was assembled, all pro bono, the purpose of which was to provide the expertise necessary to start a serious business enterprise. The group included several lawyers, executives from Avon and a major marketing firm. Kaiser Permanente offered to help fund an annual poster and 3 foundations gave enough capital to get started. A Compensated Work Therapy group of mentally ill veterans at the VA in Long Beach was located to do packaging and by the fall of 1989 NARSAD Artworks was launched, first with a trial in Southern California and then nationally in the spring of 1990.

The wonderful thing about NARSAD Artworks is that it does so many things in one program

Its most important aspect is public education and destigmatization of mental illness. Each card contains a definition of schizophrenia and the depressive disorders (putting them clearly into the biomedical arena) and also lists NARSAD and its founding organizations, NAMI, DBSA, and NMHA. Each product, whether it be a box of note or holiday cards or a T-shirt - is packaged with an informational brochure providing facts on how prevalent mental is.

Equally important is the way our quality products and true art validate our artists as contributing, talented people – the program tends to change the way the public views persons with mental illness.

Another important facet of the Artworks program involves the self esteem and income it generates for the artists whose works are selected. The self esteem factor affects not only the artists

“As for me, you know I shouldn’t precisely have chosen madness if there had been any choice. What consoles me is that I am beginning to consider madness as an illness like any other, and that I accept it as such. – Vincent Van Gogh

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Illness.

.

(NARSAD Artworks – cont’d) themselves – it has dramatically changed the lives of many of them – but also those around them, their friends, living groups, art therapy groups, etc. The income, of course goes directly to the artists. All are compensated at the same approximate level that commercial firms pay, $250 per selected painting.

There is a big difference, though, between a NARSAD Artworks and a commercial firm: the latter usually buys the art and all rights to it outright whereas we return the original work to the artists immediately after we process it, and all rights to its use are returned after three years. If the artist becomes recognized through our program, it is he or she who should benefit, not NARSAD Artworks.

From the start of the Artworks program, one of our philosophies has been that, where possible, we would also employ persons suffering from mental illness. That is why we selected the work team at the VA. We are committed to find ways that the Artworks program can be used to provide income and training to consumers.

Another way that the NARSAD Artworks program helps in the overall picture is in the promotion of the NARSAD name. NARSAD’s sole mission is to raise funds for research, and name identification is all important in that pursuit. We are rapidly becoming a national clearinghouse for art created by persons with mental illness. Our artists’ work adorn the covers of a number American Bar Association’s publications including the “The Americans with Disabilities Act Manual” and the “Disabilities Law Reporter” as well as several publications of the American Psychiatric Association. Mental health problems are real, common, and treatable. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness – taking care of yourself is an act of strength.

State Legislation Here are 4 places on the web to access E-mail to figure out who your legislators are, to contact your legislators, get mailing addresses, and phone numbers. http://www.infonetiowa.com/ - click on advocate at the bottom of the home page http://polk.ia.networkofcare.org/mh/legislate/state_index.cfm http://www.legis.state.ia.us/ www.nami.org/advocacy

A book for all of us to read - The Mad Among Us: A History of the Care of America’s Mentally Ill – written by Gerald N. Grob, a professor at Rutgers University. We’re going backward in our country. We’re locking up the mentally ill in jails and prisons, and that’s exactly where they started out.

A Recap of the November Election House District 3 – Leonard Boswell (D)

Governor of Iowa – Chet Culver (D) Lieutenant Governor – Patty Judge (D)

Polk County State Senators Polk County House Representatives District 30 – Pat Ward (R) District 42 – Geri Huser (D) District 31 – Matt McCoy (D) District 59 – Dan Clute (R) District 32 - Brad Zaun (R) District 60 - Libby Jacobs (R) District 33 – Jack Hatch (D) District 61 – Jo Oldson (D) District 34 – Dick Dearden (D) District 62 – Bruce Hunter (D) District 35 – Larry Noble (R) District 63 – Scott Raecker (R) District 64 – Janet Petersen (D)

District 65 – Wayne Ford (D) Congratulations to All! District 66 – Ako Abdul Samad (D)

District 67 – Kevin McCarthy (D) District 68 – Rick Olson (D) District 69 – Walt Tomenga (R) District 70 – Carmine Boal (R)

[Treatment Advocacy Center - Editor’s Note: Families of a person overcome by the symptoms of an acute psychiatric disorder dread possibilities – homelessness, jail, suicide, substance abuse and even, in some cases, harm to themselves. Perhaps just as anguishing as any of those is simply not knowing.]

SEARCH FOR A LOVED ONE IS AGONY

By Lampert Smith- WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, October 15, 2006

You haven't really seen Madison until you've searched it for a loved one gone missing.

The bushes, parks and alleys take on a sinister air when the temperatures are falling and the person you love is out there, somewhere.

When you eat, you feel guilty.

When you're warm, you worry.

That's how it was for the family of Kelly Koehler, a 31-year-old Williams Bay woman with bipolar disorder, who disappeared Sept. 11.

On Friday, nearly five weeks after she left home, police called her husband, Keith, to say she was found and being taken to a hospital for 72 hours of observation. Keith Koehler says he's relieved, but the worry isn't over.

Please detach, complete, attach check, and mail to NAMI-GDM Treasurer – Don Jayne, 1291 16th St., West Des Moines, Iowa 50265

IT’S TIME Dues are as follows: Dues paid now will cover the 2007 calendar year (please check one) ____$35.00 Individual/Family Name________________________________________________________ ($10 national, $10 state, and $15 local) Address______________________________________________________ ____$3.00 Consumers/Limited Income City, State, Zip code ____________________________________________ ____$50.00 Professional Phone______________________ E-mail ____________________________ ____Gift $____________

Be part of a movement to create awareness of the facts of mental illness – it is a human issue, a health issue, a community issue. At our meetings, you can meet, share, and care with others who are living with mental illness, as well as obtain information about mental health resources, meet speakers knowledgeable about mental illness, have access to informational resources and legislative issues.

_____ For Renewal of NAMI GDM dues

_____To Become a NAMI-GDM member

Please make checks payable to NAMI Greater Des Moines

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Search for Loved One is Agony (cont’d)

"If the psychologists say she's not in danger and likes living that way, they're going to take her back where they found her," he said. "They can't tell me where that is."

If you've ever had a family member who has a mental illness or a severe addiction, you already know this story. If you haven't, you might feel like Kelly Koehler's mother, Barb Hein, of Durant, Iowa. She spent the past month searching the streets with her son-in-law, putting up posters and growing increasingly angry at a legal system that values her daughter's privacy more than her life.

"We also want to make a difference for other people looking for their loved ones," Hein said. "This system has to be changed. They keep saying she's an adult, she has rights. Obviously they've never been around someone with bipolar disorder."

This spring, things seemed to be going well for the Koehlers. They were eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child, and Kelly Koehler's bipolar disorder, which first developed when she was a student at Iowa State University, had been under control for years with medication.

But during the later months of her pregnancy, she developed preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder that causes blood pressure to shoot up, threatening the lives of mother and child. Keith Koehler said his wife spent a month here in Meriter Hospital, before their son, Keegan, was born on May 3. He weighed less than 2 pounds and had skin that hadn't formed correctly, leaving him vulnerable to infection.

"We were blessed to have him for 10 days," said Keith Koehler, 45.

Kelly Koehler sank into depression after her son's death, but seemed to be doing better. Then, suddenly, her mania and paranoia were back in full force. The family later discovered she had stopped taking her medicine.

Hein and her husband traveled to Williams Bay on Sept. 9, to join their son-in-law in urging Kelly Koehler to go to the hospital. Instead, she became angry and left in the car with Charlie, the family dog.

The family knows she spent three nights at the West Towne Suites hotel. Then, on Sept. 15, a teenage employee of Buck's Pizza, 5502 University Ave., noticed a woman had been sitting in her car for hours and asked her boss to call police.

The officer talked to Kelly Koehler, decided she wasn't in danger, and drove her to the Salvation Army Shelter. That's the last time she was seen for nearly a month. Charlie was picked up and taken to the Humane Society. He's home now, but depressed, said Keith Koehler: "He misses his mom."

Keith Koehler said he began the paperwork to have a judge declare his wife a danger to herself the day she disappeared. It took a month. Finally, on Wednesday, the judge signed the order, giving the police the legal ability to pick her up if they found her.

Carlos Valentin, a Madison police officer who walks a beat Downtown, said he knows the laws are frustrating to worried families, but they're necessary.

"People have their basic constitutional rights," Valentin said. "They have their basic human rights."

As they made the rounds of Madison last week - from alley, to shelter, to free meal site - the family heard the same thing.

At Luke House on Ingersoll Street, which serves a free meal each day, Paul Ashe told Kelly Koehler's family that he sees five or six families a month making the same search. Sometimes, he said, people don't want be found because the same medicine that makes them easier to live with makes them feel awful.

"Mental health is very complicated," Ashe said. "The system doesn't give enough credit for how complex it is."

Keith Koehler said he's learned so much in the past month that he's going to write a book for people in the same situation.

Frank Ryan, of the local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, has heard many stories like this and says there are no easy answers. Keith Koehler could begin his book with Ryan's simple but eloquent summary: "It's hell.

To learn more about mental illness, call NAMI Iowa (515-254-0417) or visit their office library at 5911 Meredith Drive, Suite E, Des Moines, IA 50322-1903. Check out the online resource NAMI website, www.nami.org, for information on research, disorders, treatments, medications and other topics. NAMI Iowa’s website is at www.namiiowa.org. Polk Co. Health Services’ website is www.polk.ia.networkofcare.org.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Greater Des Moines 5911 Meredith Drive, Suite E Des Moines, Iowa 50322-1903

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES IA PERMIT NO. 34