Matters of the Mind September/October 2015 Issue 5 Volume 4

Transcription

1 September/October 2015 Issue 5 Volume 4 NAMI Rome, 3 Central Plaza, Box 317 Rome, GA namiromega@gmail.com Despite the rain, the NAMI Walk Rome was a huge success! Over 200 people gathered at Heritage Park and walked to bring awareness to mental illness as well as to raise funds! We are continuing to raise funds thru the end of November! Our goal was $50,000 and we have raised 76% of that amount! Rome High students helped Barry and Evan cook hotdogs.

2 Page 2 A special thanks to Compassionate Paws, and all who brought their pets for the Best Dressed Doggie Contest. Several pets showed up and brought their masters too. The winning pup received a $25 gift certificate from The Back Yard Pet Boutique and the runner up got a free wash, rinse, and blow-dry from Sudsy Puppy. Six teams from Highland Rivers Health enjoyed the walk. Stomping out STIGMA on Broad Street.

3 Page 3 Don t Forget to Vote!!! We will be electing 3 members for the NAMI Rome Board of Directors! Nominees are: Jonathan Hurley Bonnie Moore Todd VanLeuven There are two ways to vote: You can come to the monthly educational meeting on Monday, 11/23/15, at 6:00 p.m.at First United Methodist Church, Rome GA, OR you can vote by absentee ballot. Contact Frances Helton at or by at fmhelton@comcast.net if you need an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be mailed to NAMI Rome, 3 Central Plaza, Box 317, Rome GA no later than 11/18/15!

4 Page 4 Our Annual Candlelight Service to celebrate MIAW was held on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, at Trinity United Methodist Church. There were 75 people in attendance. Officer Brent Novinger with the Rome Police Department (shown on left) lights the Candle of Understanding. Judge Jack Niedrach (shown on right) speaks about the Floyd County Mental Health Court which will begin in January. MIAW informational table at Berry College, manned by Berry Peer Educators. Pictured above are 3 students and many red blocks which signify the building of a wall to block stigma!

5 Page 5 Teen Maze Jeni Rowland (left) demonstrates to Rome High School students the percentage of youth with mental illness by playing a game. All 9 th grade students in Rome and Floyd County attended the annual Teen Maze event. NAMI has participated in the last three years and has educated the students on the prevalence of mental illness and suicide in youth. ***************************************************************************************** Several Shorter College students and faculty were trained in QPR, a suicide prevention and awareness course. While QPR is not a NAMI program, it goes hand-in-hand with mental illness education. Did you know that 90% of people who die by suicide have a mental illness?

6 Page 6 Three Berry College students stop by the NAMI information table at a recent health fair. *************************************************************************************************** In-Our-Own-Voice is a one-hour presentation that is basically one s own story of recovery. It has been part of the CIT curriculum for years. The officers are able to see the individual not the illness. We offer it frequently and hope to offer it to more church and civic groups. Please tell others about IOOV so we can extend out outreach. *************************************************************************************************** BOOK CORNER Have you been searching for book that would help you understand about mental illness? Dr. Lloyd Sederer, a psychiatrist and a big ally of NAMI, writes an easy-to-follow book that lays out the basics on what families can do to help someone with a mental illness. The reader will learn about the different mental illness categories and their symptoms, medications, therapies, private insurance/medicaid/medicare, and wellness/self-care. It reminded me of the contents of NAMI s Family-to-Family class. Along with The Family Guide to Mental Health Care there are many other excellent books that we have on the shelf at the NAMI Rome trailer. If you have a book to recommend, please write up a short summary and send it to us. Got a good book to donate? We ll gladly accept it. Jim Moore

7 Page 7 CRISIS HOTLINE 24 hour Georgia Crisis and Access Line, operated by Behavioral Health Link and sponsored by the state: WARM LINE 24 hour state-funded, consumer-directed resource for anyone struggling with mental health issues: NAMI the Nation s Voice on Mental Illness with more than 230,000 members, NAMI is the leading grassroots advocacy organization solely dedicated to improving the lives of persons with mental illness including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. NAMI Rome is your local affiliate of the national organization. Please contact, visit or join us in our effort to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness. President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Members: NAMI Rome Info Corner NAMI Rome Board of Directors Jim Moore Marta Turner Frances Helton Joel Pierce Jamie Griffin Evan King Todd Van Leuven As a non-profit corporation (501c3), NAMI Rome complies with US and Georgia statutes. Contributions may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. Donors should consult with their tax advisors or the IRS to determine whether a contribution is deductible. That being said, NAMI Rome is able to accomplish its mission through kind contributions from the community. Your membership helps NAMI with its work improving the lives of persons with mental illness. Membership into NAMI Rome automatically enrolls you in NAMI Georgia and NAMI Regular Member $35.00 Open Door Member $3.00 To Join On line - click here or Print out a Membership Form and mail or bring to a meeting with cash or check NAMI Rome may be contacted at: namiromega@gmail.com Phone Website Facebook