In honor of... Mental Illness Awareness Week. #FutureofMentalHealth

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1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 The Iris Vol 32 Issue 5 The State s Voice on Mental Illness IN THIS ISSUE Poetry by Dylan Abraham 2 11th Annual Healing 3 Art Show MIAW Affiliate Events 4 Program Focus 5 Back to School: Focusing 6 on Youth Mental Health Community Involvement: 7 Building Blocks for the Next Generation NAMI Wisconsin s 7 Young Professionals Event Whiteboard Project 8 10 Ways to be an 9 Advocate During MIAW In honor of... Mental Illness Awareness Week Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. During the first full week of October, NAMI and participants across the country are raising awareness of mental illness. Each year, we fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care. Each year, the movement grows stronger. We believe that mental health issues are important to address year-round, but highlighting them during #MIAW provides a time for people to come together and display the passion and strength of those working to improve the lives of the tens of millions of Americans affected by mental illness. During Mental Illness Awareness Week on Oct. 1-7, join NAMI in shining a light on mental illness and replacing stigma with hope! Turn to page 4 for a full list of MIAW events going on around the state! #FutureofMentalHealth 2017 Ask the Doctor 10 From the President 11 ED s Corner 11 NAMI WISCONSIN 4233 W BELTLINE HWY MADISON, WI (608) (800) NAMIWISCONSIN.ORG NAMI Wisconsin is an Affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness 2017 NAMI Wisconsin. All Rights Reserved. In honor of this year s MIAW, NAMI Wisconsin is asking you to participate in our Whitebord Project! We ve distributed whiteboards to our 31 affiliates across the state so advocates from all over Wisconsin can tell us why mental health matters to them. Each whiteboard includes the phrase mental health matters because... and a large blank space that can be filled in with a personalized message. After taking a picture, we encourage everyone to post the photo on their social media accounts with the hashtag #FutureofMentalHealth. Even if you don t have a whiteboard, you can still participate at home! Continue to pages 8 and 9 for a cutout version of the whiteboard and instructions on how to participate. NAMI Wisconsin s Healing Art Show For our 11th Annual Healing Art Show, NAMI Wisconsin is excited to announce that we have over 50 talented artists participating in this year s Healing Art Show! We hope you can join us in supporting these talented artists at the opening reception of the exhibit on Saturday, September 30th. Continue to page 3 for more information!

2 HOPE AND RECOVERY The mission of NAMI Wisconsin is to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental illness and to promote recovery. NAMI Wisconsin will accomplish its mission through the following: Establishing local affiliates in keeping with NAMI National s principles and guidelines. Supporting affiliates by providing follow-up advice and counsel, educational and training programs and materials, access to financial resources as appropriate, conferences, seminars, and presentations. Advocating at all levels of government and throughout the public sector. Promoting public education and understanding of mental illnesses. Moving On Written by Dylan Abraham As a consumer, I advocated over the years. Now its over, moving on, After many laughs and tears. When I first was ill, I didn t know what to do, There were not many options, At first that s what I knew. But way down deep inside, I found the strength to grow, Teaching, helping others, Helping them to grow. I gave many talks, Articles, poems as well, I went around the country, To share the things to tell. It wasn t always easy, But I had the strength within, Reaching out to others, Was a way to begin. I made a sound recovery, As others are doing too, Feeling more like a person, My problems became few. This newsletter is published six times per year. The views expressed in the newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of our officers or funding sources. Looking back at all of this, It satisfies my soul, Going from mental illness, To a person who is whole. Now I am retired, But now a new generation, To take over the load, To help those in our nation. I did the things, That helped me on my way, Looking deep within, Taking life day by day. So now for those who follow, All the things I ve done, Believe in what you can do, And have a little fun. 2 namiwisconsin.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

3 HOPE AND RECOVERY NAMI Wisconsin s 11TH ANNUAL HEALING ART SHOW When facing a mental illness diagnosis, a million thoughts and feelings flood the mind. It is often hard to conceptualize those thoughts or slow down to describe these feelings to others. This is when art comes in. Art is one of many tools used in recovery from mental illness. For many individuals living with a mental health condition, art is an incredibly effective way to connect with built-up emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. This can be accomplished through painting, drawing, sculpting, writing, music, and much more. Art requires active participation in treatment and recovery from the artist. Time and time again, research continually shows that art therapy can be effective in: Empowering and providing self-discovery Increasing motivation for recovery Relaxing and providing stress-relief Teaching proper coping skills Facilitating insight and empathy Promoting problem-solving skills Relieving symptoms For the eleventh year in a row, NAMI Wisconsin will celebrate the power of art through this year s Healing Art Show. This is an exhibit of 40+ artists from around the state of Wisconsin who also live with a mental health condition. No artwork displayed during the Healing Art Show looks the same. Just like the artist, each piece has a unique background and story to share with the world. Not only does the Healing Art Show aim to celebrate the talented participating artists, but through artistic expression brings awareness to the surrounding community, reducing stigma surrounding mental illness. The exhibit provides an opportunity to spotlight the creative strengths of each artist which far overshadow any shame or stereotypes that one might associate to mental illness. This year s exhibit is graciously hosted by Lakeside St. Coffee House in Madison, Wisconsin. In honor of Mental Illness Awareness Week, we hope that you can join us to celebrate the power of art at our opening reception of the 11th Annual Healing Art Show! This will be held on Saturday, September 30th from 5:00-9:00pm at Lakeside St. Coffee House. Stop by anytime-- there will be food and beverages, an art workshop, live music, and a chance to meet the artists. There will be fun for all ages, so bring the whole family! OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, September 30th, 2017; 5:00-9:00pm EXHIBITION: September 29th, 2017-November 10th, 2017 HOSTED BY: Lakeside St. Coffee House, 402 W. Lakeside Street, Madison, WI SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER namiwisconsin.org 3

4 AFFILIATE HIGHLIGHTS Check out Mental Illness Awareness Week events around the state! NAMI Ozaukee SEPT. 21 NAMI Ozaukee Fall Picnic Join us for a fun day of food and sunshine to kick off MIAW festivities! namiozaukee@gmail.com NAMI Rock SEPT. 30 Paint the Town Yellow Join NAMI Rock in painting the town yellow in this unique 5K run/ walk! NAMIRock5K.ezregister.com NAMI Dane OCT. 1 NAMIWalks Dane County NAMIWalks Dane County is their largest awareness event that reduces stigma. walk@namidanecounty.org NAMI Green OCT. 1 NAMIWalks Dane County NAMI Green will join NAMIWalks Dane County once again as Trevor s Team! NAMI Trempealeau OCT. 1 Green Ribbons Join us in partnering again with many local organizations in wearing green ribbons during MIAW to spearhead dialogue about mental health. namitremplocounty@yahoo.com NAMI Dodge OCT. 2 HOME Movie Screening Towne Cinema will be showing HOME three times. Board members will be available for discussion after each showing. namidodge@gmail.com NAMI Manitowoc NAMI Racine OCT. 2 OCT. 2 Candlelight Vigil Dr. Tony Marchlewski of Bellin Psychiatric will speak on self harm. There will be live music and refreshments. jprotsman@sbcglobal.net Go Green Monday Let s kick off the week by asking the community, counties, and state to join us in wearing GREEN! mperri@namiracine.org NAMI Waukesha OCT. 2 Pieces In My Own Voice A thought provoking theatrical production depicting youth as they deal with the labels of mental health issues. NAMI Fond du Lac OCT. 3 Trivia Night Test your knowledge and workout your brain for a fun evening of trviia! Teams can be up to 4 people. Prizes will be awarded to top teams! namifonddulac.org NAMI Portage-Wood OCT. 3 Kick the Stigma Play a fun game of soccer in NAMI Portage-Wood s fundraising event! Board members will speak at half-time about mental illness and MIAW. namiportagewoodcounties@gmail.com NAMI Washington OCT. 3 Is My Moody Teen Just Being A Teen or is There Something Else? A mother and daughter will share their story of how they navigated together when the young teen developed a severe mental illness. NAMI Fond du Lac OCT. 4 Trauma Informed Care & Childhood Experiences Matthew Doll, PhD, will be presenting about TIC & Adverse Childhood Experiences. Includes 6 Hours of CEU credits and lunch. namifonddulac.org NAMI Greater Milwaukee OCT. 4 38th Annual Awards Dinner Come celebrate our 38th Annniversary and honor our 2017 award recipients! peterh@namigrm.org NAMI Racine OCT. 4 Call Me Crazy Movie Showing This mid-week showing is presented to the community to bring awareness to mental illness and gives family members a better understanding of mental illness. mperri@namiracine.org NAMI Monroe-Juneau OCT. 5 Annual Mental Health Event Join us to learn more about mental health! There will be speakers, annual awards, food, and many resources! info@namimonroecounty.org NAMI Fox Valley OCT. 7 Bowl-a-Thon This is an awareness and fundraising campaign that runs from late August through October. Join us for the highlight of the campaign! NAMI La Crosse OCT. 7 Iris Fundraising Event NAMI La Crosse will be selling silk irises in honor of van Gogh s story in efforts to raise money for their affiliate. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! 4 namiwisconsin.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

5 PROGRAM FOCUS NAMI Wisconsin s HALL OF FAME GOLD LEVEL Recipients that have completed either: 20+ classes, 20+ presentations, 60+presentations, 5+ years facilitating, or 20+ trainings per program. Barbara Martinez, Family Support Group Kathy Hartman, Family Support Group Marvin Lutz, Family Support Group Barbara Habben, Family Support Group Greg Habben, Family Support Group Kathy Stippich, Connection Mary Luzinski, Family Support Group Megan Mclachlan, Ending the Silence David Zanon, Peer-to-Peer SILVER LEVEL Recipients that have completed either: 10+ classes, 10+ presentations, 30+presentations, 2+ years facilitating, or 10+ trainings per program. Terri Brah, Family Support Group John Abbott, Family Support Group Rich Smith, Ending the Silence Sheryl Smith, Ending the Silence Jim Grimes, Family Support Group Helen Grimes, Family Support Group Dorothy Lambert, Family Support Group Mike Smith, Ending the Silence Sue Kennedy, Family-to-Family Jim Kennedy, Family-to-Family Steve Hirby, Family Support Group Scott Radtke, Family Support Group Steve Ware, Family Support Group Sue Petkovesk, Family Support Group Shirley Drake, Connection NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people livng with mental illness. NAMI Wisconsin is coordinating a Family-to-Family Training on October 13-15, 2017 in Appleton, Wisconsin. This course is designed to facilitate a better understanding of mental illness, increase coping skills, and empower participants to become advocates for their family members. If you are interested in participating in this training, please contact NAMI Wisconsin s Program Coordinator at marykay@namiwisconsin.org or (608) The deadline to register for this course is September 14th. NAMI Wisconsin s Local Affiliates: Barron: (715) Brown: (920) Chippewa Valley: (715) (Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire) Dane: (608) Dodge: (920) x217 Door: (920) Douglas: (715) Fond du Lac: (920) Fox Valley: (920) (Outagamie, Calumet, Waupaca, Winnebago) Green: (608) Jefferson: (920) Kenosha: (262) La Crosse: (608) Manitowoc: (920) Milwaukee: (414) Monroe-Juneau: (800) Northern Lakes: (715) (Vilas, Oneida, Forest) Northwoods: (715) (Marathon, Lincoln, Langlade) Oshkosh: (920) (Winnebago) Ozaukee: (262) Portage-Wood: (715) Racine: (262) Rock: (800) Sauk: (608) Southwest Wisconsin: (608) (Grant, Iowa, Crawford) St. Croix Valley: (608) (St. Croix, Pierce) Trempealeau: (608) UW Madison: (262) Vernon: (608) Walworth: (262) Washington: (262) Waukesha: (262) SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER namiwisconsin.org 5

6 AROUND THE STATE & NATION WAYS OF GIVING BACK TO SCHOOL: A Time to Focus on Youth Mental Health Written by Jamie Gurgul, Communications & Events Director School is right around the corner! For parents and youth, this serves as a time to prep for all back to school festivities, such as buying supplies, registering for classes, and joining new extracurricular activities. Going back to school after a long summer break can be extremely overwhelming for many students. The idea of having a new schedule with new subjects and new classmates can seem like a lot all at once. What are your hopes for the future? For many of us, we dream of a tomorrow where our loved ones get the mental health treatment they need and are able to discover a path to recovery. Your gift increases advocacy, support and education efforts that bring hope for the future for children and adults living with mental illness and their families. Mail a check or donate online at namiwisconsin.org/donate Designate NAMI Wisconsin to receive payroll deductions through your annual Community Health Charities workplace giving campaign Shop at Amazon.com and designate a small percentage of your purchase to be donated to NAMI Wisconsin Direct your Thrivent Choice Dollars to NAMI Wisconsin Donate your car or boat through our Vehicle Donation program Consider a planned gift such as bequests, annuities, bonds or retirement funds Questions? Please contact Nate Schorr: nate@namiwisconsin.org or During this time of intense transition, it is crucial that parents can identify potential signs of mental illness in their children. Research shows that 1 in 5 youth ages years-old are living with a serious mental illness. Unfortunately, the average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is still about 8-10 years. Over 50% of students living with mental illness drop out of high school. This is often due to the fact that they were not supported with proper treatment and medications when they needed it most. As with any health condition, it s so important that parents can identify symptoms and behaviors that might often be connected to a mental illness before it gets to this point. Some warning signs might include: Feeling very sad of withdrawn for more than 2 weeks (e.g. crying regularly, feeling fatigued, feeling unmotivated) Trying to harm oneself, attempting suicide, or making plans to do so Out-of-control, risk-taking behaviors that can cause harm to self or others Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart, physical discomfort, or fast breathing Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to lose weight; significant weight loss or gain. Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships Substance use Drastic changes in behavior, personality, or sleeping habits Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that can lead to failure in school Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities like hanging out with friends or going to classes. If your child is experiencing these symptoms, please remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Be sure to talk to your pediatrician, get a referral to a mental health specialist, work with your child s school, connect with other families, or reach out to your local NAMI. Many NAMI affiliates offer a variety of programs that can be helpful to you and your family during this stressful time. If you would like to bring mental health awareness to a school near you, we recommend that you learn about Raise Your Voice. This is a NAMI Wisconsin club that is dedicated to increasing mental illness awareness, inspiring advocacy, and promoting acceptance. To learn more about how to get involved in this initiative, please visit 6 namiwisconsin.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

7 AROUND THE STATE & NATION Community Involvement: Building Blocks for the Next Generation Written by Crystal Hester, Public Policy & Advocacy Director NAMI Wisconsin is gearing up for our first ever young professional s event, Advocates of Tomorrow. The event will take place on Thursday, October 26th in Madison, WI and will bring together a diverse group of individuals interested in adding their voice to the nonprofit sector. This free event will provide attendees with information about how to get involved with NAMI Wisconsin and many other nonprofit organizations. With the spirit of youth in mind, we ve compiled the top five reasons to start early building a foundation for community involvement. 1. Skill Building Community involvement allows youth to gain valuable, hands on skills that they may not get the opportunity to explore within a classroom setting. Working collaboratively as a group or independently on a specified task helps to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Community involvement may also offer opportunities for public speaking, writing, networking, mock interviewing and expanding one s knowledge of technology. 2. Resume Building These skills can be transferable to a resume when the time comes to enter the workforce. Today s job market is competitive and finding paid employment can be especially challenging for young professionals who have no prior experience. Skills obtained from working closely on a project in the community are not only desired by employers, but highly sought out. An added bonus is being able to use a former boss or team leader as a reference in an interview. 3. Building Life Skills Whether one is giving their time to a cause or helping out during an event or specific project, there is the opportunity for success and failure. It is in these experiences that youth develop resiliency, patience, work ethic, responsibility and the gratification of a job well done, just to name a few. Development of life skills at a young age helps to create a strong foundation for greater hurdles ahead, both in professional and personal relationships. 4. Relationship Building Getting involved in one s community not only allows young professionals to connect with one another, but people of all different ages and backgrounds. Just as young people from their elders, folks with years of experience working in the community have the opportunity to gain fresh perspectives and new ideas from younger generations. 5. Building a Sense of Belonging The most valuable asset that can be gained from community involvement is the sense of belonging. The ability to say I m a part of something. I have a purpose. I make a difference is simply irreplaceable. SAVE THE DATE! Are you a young professional who is interested in furthering involvement within the nonprofit sector? If so, join us for Advocates of Tomorrow, NAMI Wisconsin s first young professionals networking event for individuals interested in adding their voice to the nonprofit sector. This FREE event will be held on Thursday, October 26th from 6:00-8:00pm at Boardman and Clark Law Firm. There will be opportunities to network, a keynote address by Kyira Hauer, and of course... food! RVSP for free at or find us on Facebook. With any questions, feel free to contact NAMI Wisconsin s communications & Events Director at jamie@namiwisconsin.org. We hope to see you there! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER namiwisconsin.org 7

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9 NEWS FROM NAMI WISCONSIN 10 WAYS TO BE AN ADVOCATE During Mental lllness Awareness Week Written by Crystal Hester, Public Policy & Advocacy Director During the first week of October, NAMI recognizes Mental Illness Awareness Week. Each year we fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care. And each year, the movement grows stronger. Here are ten ways you can get involved and show your support: 1) Connect with your local affiliate. Find out if they are hosting a community event in honor of MIAW and ask how you can get involved. You can find your closest NAMI affiliate here: 2) Call your state representatives. Let them know it s Mental Illness Awareness Week. Ask them what they re doing to in the legislature to promote a better mental health system in Wisconsin. Be sure to thank them for their efforts. You can find out who represents you by typing your address here: 3) Host a community forum. Invite community leaders such as teachers, elected officials and faith leaders to partake in a mental health forum hosted at your local community center. One of the best ways to spread awareness is through one-onone experiences. 4) Wear lime green. Be bold. Grab attention and send a message without saying a word. Show your support by wearing lime green, the official color representative of mental illness. You can find NAMI garb at the NAMI Store by visiting www. nami.org. 5) Post on social media. Whether you Tweet or Facebook, social media connects thousands of people to your cause. Let people know that the first week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week by using #FutureOfMentalHealth. 6) Share your story. Sharing your story and creating safe spaces for others to do the same is one of the most effective ways to eliminate stigma. 7) Start a dialogue. Ask your local affiliate about NAMI Wisconsin s Whiteboard Project, an opportunity for the community to share why mental health matters to them. 8) Volunteer your time. NAMI affiliates are the heart and soul of our organization and many are volunteers! Find a way to connect your skill set with a need at your local affiliate. 9) Educate. Politely raise mental health issues with elected officials, local leaders, teachers and colleagues. Find the facts here: 10) Be present. One of the best gifts you can give a person is a listening ear. Let a loved one who is going through a hard time know you are there for them. WHY DOES MENTAL HEALTH MATTER TO YOU? Continued from cover. How to participate in NAMI Wisconsin s Whiteboard Project: Step 1: Cut out page 8 and write a personalized message to go along with the phrase Mental health matters because... Step 2: Take a photo so that the personalized message are clear and visible. Step 3: Post the photo on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) along with the hashtag #FutureofMentalHealth Visit for more information. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER namiwisconsin.org 9

10 NAMI Wisconsin, Inc W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Nate Schorr OFFICE STAFF Chrisanna Manders Crystal Hester, MSW Dennis Wilder Jamie Gurgul Mary Kay Battaglia VOLUNTEERS Bob Fox Carol Grogan Nancy Abraham BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Keenan Chris Schmaling Jennifer Kleinert, RN John Battaglia, MD Jessie Uttke Katherine Rybak Kelly Kruse Lauren Keepers Lindsay Stevens Ricky Muhammad Rob Golub Tenisha Grimmer, CPA Phone: (608) FAX: (608) nami@namiwisconsin.org ASK THE DOCTOR STAY CONNECTED! Get the latest updates in mental health news and research. Follow NAMI Wisconsin on social media! What is Happening With Heroin and Opoiods? BY JOHN BATTAGLIA, MD Opioids are a class of drugs that affect the brain in two very important ways. First, they reduce pain, and second they can cause euphoria. The number of people using opioids has steadily risen over the past decade, and along with that has come a rise in opioid related crime, legal issues, medical problems, and deaths. How can we make sense of this? Opioids have been around for a long time. The opium poppy was used to induce euphoria several thousand years BC, and the Sumerians referred to it as the Joy Plant. Hippocrates, the father of medicine used it for medicinal purposes around 400 BC. Over the following centuries opioid use grew and became a core component of international commerce, leading to the Opium Wars of the mid-19th century. In 1909 the US Congress passed the Opium Exclusion Act barring the importation of opium for purposes of smoking. This was followed by the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914, which required physicians to register opiate prescriptions, and made opioids federally controlled substances (narcotics). Opioids are powerful and effective. Opioids include the semisynthetic narcotics such as oxycodone (Oxycontin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and fentanyl. Opiates (derived from opium) include morphine, heroin, and codeine. Almost every man, woman and child in the US today can tell you that people taking narcotics regularly, whether for medical or recreational purposes, often develop an addiction to them. Once a person starts taking opioids regularly for any reason, they are hard to stop. Recently the number of opioid related deaths (over 35,000 last year) now surpassed all other forms of drug poisoning deaths in the United States. One component of this upswing has been the increasing number of prescriptions that physicians write for opioids (for a compelling and humorous look at why Google John Oliver opioids ). By one estimate, more than 250 million prescriptions are written by physicians for opioids every year in the US. That is a LOT of opioids. Hard to tell how many of these wind up in the wrong hands, or are used in ways that were not intended, but we know that many do. Treatment approaches for opioid addiction include counseling programs, self-help groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Heroin Anonymous) and medications. Counseling programs and self-help groups are often helpful, however, the majority of people in these programs usually relapse. Sometimes it takes several cycles of treatment and relapse, before a person finally gets sober. The main message with these treatments is to keep trying, no matter how many times you feel knocked down. The mainstay of medication treatment for opioid addiction includes methadone and suboxone. Methadone is an opioid with less addictive and euphoric effects than other opioids, and is used as a replacement treatment. Only FDA approved clinics can prescribe methadone, and people using methadone treatment often use it for years or even lifelong. People taking methadone still undergo relapses with other drugs, and methadone overdose is a common phenomenon. Suboxone (buprenorphine) was developed to both detoxify (get people off of opioids) and also for chronic treatment. Physicians undergo special training and certification in order to prescribe it. Suboxone and methadone share similar efficacy in treating those with opioid addiction, and both should only be taken while the person is engaged in counseling for substance abuse. Let me tell you about my niece Trina (with her permission). Trina was addicted to heroin for many years and underwent the legal, medical, and family trauma that goes with it. She went through many treatment programs, sometimes court ordered, but continued to relapse. About 4 years ago she changed her attitude while attending self-help groups ( I started really listening ) and become sober. She now leads programs for young women with addictions, and every day helps people emerge from the hell of the addiction lifestyle. Be like Trina start listening! 10 namiwisconsin.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

11 FROM THE PRESIDENT As the new president of the state board for Wisconsin NAMI, I want to you to know how proud and excited I am to be a part of this amazing community. One of my most favorite things to do is to have a chat with the amazing people of NAMI. I m talking about consumers, staff, volunteers, all of us. Have you ever met a more committed, caring group of people, with so much love in their hearts? I can t say that I have, which is why I find my volunteer work with NAMI so very nourishing. I got involved with NAMI after the newspaper where I was editor, The Journal Times in Racine, did a series of stories on the government system and its relationship with mental health consumers and advocates. I m still proud of that work (forgive me my pride, please) and it s part of what propelled me to NAMI. If you re reading this, that means you re interested in NAMI. I want to invite you to deepen your involvement, whatever it is. Whatever we do is not enough. The challenges are countless. We ve got people in our midst with insufficient health insurance, not enough family or community support and untreated or even undiagnosed conditions. It can all be so overwhelming. Where to start? The answer is that it doesn t matter. Start somewhere. Start with the person right in front of you, or with a NAMI committee, or by attending something at your local affiliate. Narrow down the options to what you can do and jump in! No one person can lift an unfurled quilt into the air alone. But if we all take an edge, maybe we can get threads of love and activism off the ground and into the air. As I said, it s nourishing and as we nourish ourselves, we ll be making the whole world a slightly better place. Thanks for your part in this. Rob Golub, Board President EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S CORNER Working for NAMI Wisconsin, I am constantly reminded about how a strong community is central to everything that we do. We see this personified in our program leaders who dedicate countless hours to provide support and education to their peers. We see this on the regional level when affiliate leaders come together and share resources on how to better serve those in their local community who are affected by mental illness. We see this as a state when a coalition of about thirty members from across Wisconsin travel to Washington DC to advocate for mental health care on Capitol Hill. The community we have within all levels of NAMI Wisconsin is what makes our work so meaningful, and also makes our impact so widespread. In the face of some recent adversity, I have also seen how this community extends far beyond the framework of NAMI. As part of the proposed federal budget, Wisconsin is facing significant cuts to mental health block grants. NAMI Wisconsin, as well as a handful of other organizations that provide mental health services throughout the state, will likely be met with large reductions in funding in the coming years. What this means for our NAMI Wisconsin directly is a hard blow to our capacity to provide support, through trainings and technical assistance, to our 31 local affiliates throughout the state. What this means for many other organizations is a similar reduction in services or even the complete removal of their statewide programming. While it is easy to look inward and focus on how this affects our NAMI community directly, what we ve seen is how quickly this coalition of mental health organizations throughout the state have come together to stand as one in opposition to this budget proposal. That same sense of family and togetherness that we share with our fellow NAMI members is being shown outside of our NAMI community through a unified group of like-minded organizations saying, a cut to one of us is a cut to all of us. Looking to the future, it s hard to be certain about what the landscape of mental health services will continue to look like as we continue to move forward. Although uncertainty can no doubt bring about fear and stress, it s important to remember what NAMI stands for and what makes our work so impactful. NAMI s message is a message of hope. This hope is not built on money or notoriety, it s built on people. People coming together to help other people is the foundation of everything we do, and this community that we have built gets larger and larger every day. We see this locally, we see this as a state, and we even see this in our partnerships with other groups that support people affected by mental illness. As long as we continue to stay true to that sense of community and togetherness, our work will only continue to grow. Nathan Schorr, Executive Director SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER namiwisconsin.org 11

12 Wisconsin 4233 W Beltline Hwy, Madison, WI Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No.1731 Madison, WI Return Service Requested Help NAMI Wisconsin bring vital education programs to people affected by mental illness. Yes, I d like to join NAMI: $5 Open Door Membership $40 Regular Membership $60 Household Membership Yes, I d like to renew my membership: $5 Open Door Membership $40 Regular Membership $60 Household Membership Yes, I want to support NAMI Wisconsin with the following gift: $250 $100 $50 $25 Other $ Name Address City State Zip Phone: Home Cell Please charge $ to my: Visa MasterCard Acct # Exp. Date / Name on Card Signature Is your donation being made in memory or in honor of someone special? If so, please complete the following: In memory of: In honor of: Address to which we should send recognition of honoree: Donors may be publically acknowledged. Please check here if you prefer your gift to remain anonymous. Be part of the movement that helps families find help and find hope. 88 cents of every dollar you give to NAMI Wisconsin goes directly to program expenses that support Wisconsin residents. Please consider making a gift to NAMI Wisconsin. Your support is taxdeductable and touches the lives of hundreds of families throughout Wisconsin. Please consider making a generous gift today.