NOVEMBER GENERAL MEETING

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1 1 Contra Costa s Voice on Mental Illness July P The NAMI Contra Costa Newsletter is available on the web at: * You can get a copy of this newsletter and/or the electronic newsletter by e mailing: xnamicc@aol.com xnamicc@aol.com Phone Number 24/7: (925) Office Number: (925) If Your Family Faces The Challenge of Mental Illness... E mail: xnamicc@aol.com and/or crashcoursehelp@ aol.com WOULD YOU LIKE A CASE MANAGER A case manager for your loved one s case that was thoroughly versed in every detail of the case and it s history. A case manager that would not change every time the case moved from a facility or program. A fantasy? Not since NAMI Contra Costa started the Crash Course program in February of Since then over 1000 persons have learned that a family member can acquire the knowledge and information that enables them to be the permanent case manager for their loved one s case. It s called The Family Case Manager. The Crash Course presents 160 slides and 48 pages of detailed information that becomes their manual to be the case manager. It s offered at the Family Justice Center (2151 Salvio Street, Concord Same building that the E.J. Phair Restaurant is in). Its entirely free and no reservations are required. The Crash Course is offered EVERY Wednesday without exception. It starts at 6:30 pm and ends at 8:30 pm Information: xnamaicc@aol.com NOVEMBER GENERAL MEETING There will be two presentations at the November General Meeting. Dr. Stuart Buttlaire and then The Action Team. Dr. Stuart Buttlaire from Kaiser Permanente will be the featured speaker at our upcoming meeting. Dr. Buttlaire has more than 30 years of mental health leadership both in the public and private sectors. He will be discussing Kaiser s Northern California mental health and substance abuse system of care. Dr. Buttlaire also is co-chair of Kaiser s Patient and Family Advisory Council and will discuss the importance that feedback plays in program development. (Continued on page 4 Column 1) The Action Team The Contra Costa ACTiOn Team, a program of Mental Health Systems, provides Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) to Contra Costa County residents who qualify for services under AB1421, also known as Laura s Law. (Continued on page 4, column 1) November 16, 2017 GENERAL MEETING 7:00-9:00 p.m. Thursday, November 16, 2017 Dr. Stuart Buttlaire Kaiser Permanente Dr. Buttlaire will speak on the Kaiser system and how you can make it work for you. And Ivette Kwan Contra Costa Action Team Will speak on Laura s Law And how the Action Team provides Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) to residents who qualify for AB 1421 (Laura s Law.) Location: John Muir Hospital Concord Campus 2540 East Street Concord Open To The Public- Free Admission

2 2 NAMI-CC Care and Support Groups Central Contra Costa County 3rd Monday of Each Month, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., John Muir Medical Center, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek Campus, downstairs in the Epstein Conference Room. Park in the FREE public garage on the La Casa Via side of the hospital. The group is facilitated by Sharon Madison and Bob Thigpen. or call: (925) , (925) NAMI Contra Costa Writers Group All writing levels welcomed. 1st Tuesday of Each Month 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon Rainbow Center-2118 Willow Pass Road, Concord Roberto Roman Margaret Netherby, facilitator, NEW HOPE SUPPORT GROUP Offering support, education and resources to parents, caregivers of children, teens and young adults diagnosed with a mood disorder. Meets the 2nd Monday of Each Month Lafayette/Orinda Presbyterian Church 49 Knox Drive, Room 204, in Lafayette 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Christina Mellin The Crash Course A comprehensive orientation to the resources in Contra Costa to help with recovery EVERY Wednesday night 6:30 pm 2151 Salvio St. Concord 2nd Floor dk122932@aol.com Free-RSVP NOT Required Open Our Hearts Family Member Support Group For family members of adults with mental illness. 4th Monday of Each Month 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Temple Isaiah 945 Risa Road, Lafayette (In The Talmud Torah Center, Room E204) Call Karen at (925) or at karen@mmcohen.com NAMI West County Support Group 2nd Wednesday Each Month 6:30 8:00 pm Richmond Medical Center of Kaiser 901 Nevin Avenue 3rd Floor Room 317 Conference Rm 1 Richmond Contact Dr. Sumchai or E mail: family2familyrichmond.nami@gamil.com NAMI CC Mandarin Program Family Support Group Language: Mandarin 中文 2 nd Saturday of every month Time 10:00 to 12:00 Noon Location: DCBC, 2278 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA Contacts: Shelly ; Jane mandarin@namicontracosta.org SPANISH SUPPORT GROUP 3RD Tuesday 6:30-8:30 pm Salvation Army, 4900 Appian Way, El Sobrante Alejandra, Support Group for Parents of Adult Children with Mental Illness Meets the 2nd Sunday 2-3:30 pm San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church 902 Danville Blvd., Alamo, CA Karen Scalzi: (925) or kscalzi@comcast.net Marilyn Clarke: (925) Office: (925) Brentwood Support Group Last Monday Evening of the Month Raley s Grocery Store 2400 Sand Creek Road, Brentwood 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Contact: Laurel Howard-Fong lphfong19@gmail.com NAMI SPANISH LANGUAGE FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP PITTSBURG 1st Thursday each month 7:00-8:30 pm Faith Based-ALL Creeds Welcome! Church of the Living God 1125 Harbor St. Pittsburg Veronica: defamiliaafamilia@namicontracosta

3 3 NAMI Contra Costa National Alliance on Mental Illness PRESIDENT S COLUMN By Charles Madison OFFICERS: Charles Madison, President (925) C_madison@msn.com Douglas Dunn 1st Vice President douglaswilldunn@sbcglobal.net Graham Wiseman 2nd Vice President gwiseman@wisemangifts.com Mark Cohen, Secretary mark.cohen@namicontracosta.org David Kahler, Treasurer (925) dk122932@aol.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Barbara Scott Susan Horrocks Phil Belisle Al Farmer Guy Qvistgaad Shelly Ji Don Green Emeritus Board Member: Kay Derrico Gigi Crowder: Executive Administrator COMMITTEES: Don Green Criminal Justice Shelly Ji Mandarin Groups Susan Horrocks Membership David Kahler Publishing Peggy Luna Newsletter Veronica McManus F 2 F Spanish Barbara Scott Nominating Committee Nancy Seibert Family-to-Family Clare Beckner Database Richard Derrico Behavioral Health Court Gigi Crowder FaithNet Coordinator Phil Belisle Internal Auditor Kay Derrico Outreach Committee Steve Sullivan Librarian Douglas Dunn Political Advocacy NAMI In-Motion held on October 7 th at the Community Park in Pleasant Hill was a fun event with a lot of meaning. We had an outstanding group of people (young and old) who jumped right in and participated in every facet of the event. Thank all of you who volunteered and attended. Special thanks to Pastor George Mimms who supplied the sound systems as well as his prayer before the event and comments prior to the release of doves. As previously announced, NAMI CC was awarded the Volunteer Family Support Network RFQ (Request for Qualification). This is a New Program between the County and NAMI CC. The award is subject to the approval of the County Board of Supervisors. This program will enable NAMI to bring on board new personnel that will expand our services and outreach to families in our County. We want to make sure all families are aware of all the programs that our County provides. At our General Meeting, Thursday, October 19 th Dr. Stephen Seager showed his award winning film Road Map and discussed the need to advocate for changes in our system of help for the SMI (Seriously Mentally Ill). He showed what programs we have that work for a good portion of those suffering with a mental illness but also explained what we must do to fix the problems and insure we target the small percent of the most seriously mentally ill that need a more assertive program to be successful. The General Meeting on November 16 th will feature Dr. Stuart Buttlaire who is a psychologist with Kaiser. He will address the Kaiser programs that we all need to know more about. I am sure there are some of you that may have some questions for the Doctor. Also, Ivette Kwan will brief us on how the Action Team might be helpful. The very best to all and remember that everyone counts. FAMILY ADVOCATE Bob Thigpen robert.thigpen@hsd.cccounty.us, Bob Thigpen is the County s Family Advocate. You can talk directly with him at the Crash Course which is EVERY Wednesday night ( ) E mail: crashcoursehelp@aol.com Newsletter Group Fran Martin Peggy Luna Dick Owens David Kahler Karin Baker Greg Beckner Rich and Yvonne DeAndre xnamicc@aol.com Website: Phone: (925) P CCCC P EEEE Newsletter Deadline: NAMI Contra Costa Mission Statement Our Mission is to Provide Support, Outreach, Education and Advocacy to Families affected by and Individuals living with a mental illness. 20th of Each Month

4 4 General Meeting Dr. Buttlaire (Continued from page 1, column 2) Dr. Buttlaire has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and an MBA from UC Irvine with an emphasis on Healthcare. He serves on the NAMI Board in Southern Alameda County and on the Behavioral Health Board of the California Hospital Association and is the Past Chair of the American Hospital Association s Governing Council for Psychiatry and Chemical Dependency. THE ACTION TEAM (Continued from page 1) Laura s Law was designed to enable California counties to deliver Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) or court-supported treatment to individuals who qualify. AOT is a civil process, whereby individuals who meet all nine of the Laura s Law criteria may be ordered by the court to engage in behavioral health treatment. Once enrolled in the program, the AC- TiOn Team wraps around individuals from a client-centered, wholistic perspective and works to identify their most pressing needs. The goal of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is to help clients stabilize, and develop skills that enable them to live safely and independently within the community. The ACTiOn Team philosophy is recovery-based and focuses on a whatever-it-takes philosophy. Through a Teambased approach, this dedicated group of individuals work together to combine a variety of education, training and lived experiences that support each client s multisystemic needs. Services include case management, psychiatric care, medication management, individual and family therapy, substance use recovery services, vocational rehabilitation, housing assistance, support for activities of daily living, and other skills and community connections that lead to client wellness. It s important to note that while the ACTiOn Team provides treatment for AOT clients, the process can only be initiated through a referral system provided by Contra Costa County Behavioral Health Service s Forensic Department. This program processes all in- Family to Family Education Course Register Now for January 2018 Brentwood and Pleasant Hill Through 12, free, weeknight classes, families have the opportunity to gain understanding and confidence about issues and facts related to their mentally ill relative or friend. The class series covers information on Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder, Bi Polar Disorder, Major Depression, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In 2017 we presented this course in six locations throughout the county and were supported by 18 certified volunteer instructors who have lived experience in the challenges and stresses of the subject matter. In addition to the English-speaking courses, NAMICC has presented one Mandarin-speaking course and several Spanish-speaking series. We project the following calendar for 2018: January- Brentwood January Pleasant Hill March Martinez May Pleasant Hill September Brentwood September Lafayette September Richmond Registrations are now being taken for Brentwood and Pleasant Hill locations. Contact F2F Program Coordinator Nancy Seibert for class flyers and registrations, (925) or Fam2fam4u@gmail.com NAMI In Motion NAMI s fundraiser was held at the Pleasant Hill Community Park

5 5 THE FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK A NEW PROGRAM WITH NAMI CONTRA COSTA AND COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES As previously announced, NAMI CC was awarded the Volunteer Family Support Network RFQ (Request for Qualification). This a New Program between the County Behavioral Health Services and NAMI CC. The award is subject to the approval of the County Board of Supervisors. The program will enable NAMI to hire new personnel that will expand our services and outreach to more families in our County. The locations targeted will be East (Antioch), West (San Pablo), South (Danville) and Central (Concord). This will entail having the Crash Course and Support Groups in all these locations. It will also mean the expansion of our Volunteer program that continues to support families throughout the County. The program objective is to make sure all families are aware of all the programs that our County provides as well as programs being offered outside the County. We will be hiring four Family System Volunteer Coordinators; a Family Support Office Manager and a few part-time support personnel. The Family System Volunteer Coordinators will be responsible to recruit and train new Volunteers as well as conduct the Crash Course and Support Groups. (Continued in the next column) DR. STEPHEN SEAGER Dr Stephen Seager, CCRMC psychiatrist, author and producer of films, showed his two films, Shattered Families and Roadmap at the NAMI General Meetings September 21 and October 19. They were met with interest and appreciation. He has told the story of the mental health system well. A story that badly needs to be told. The Shattered Families film then was shown at the CIT training for police officers in Pleasant Hill on October 24. They will all be responsible to the Executive Administrator. In the very near future we will be putting out more information on the details and when we will start posting positions that will be available. This is a fantastic step forward for the families of the mentally ill and their loved ones in Contra Costa County. BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER The National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEABPD) is the only organization given a Letter of Cooperation (Dec. 2013) from NAMI. The Letter of Cooperation states that "NAMI looks forward to exciting ways to continue our partnership with NEABPD in the future so that the nation continues to hear our collective voice for borderline personality disorder". These classes (called Family Connections) are modeled after NAMI's Family to Family Classes with the difference that the entire 12 week class is focused on skills, education, and support for family members who have a loved one who are diagnosed with bpd or exhibits symptoms of bpd. You may sign up for a class by going to er.com, go to the tab that says "Families" and then go to the tab "Family Connections Registration Form". You will be contacted when there is a class in your area. If you have any questions, please contact Joy Rynearson at Left to right: Nancy Seibert, Charles Madison, Lydia Koerner, Shelly Ji, Sherry Jin, Bier Liang

6 6 BOOK REVIEW An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. Published by Vintage Books-Random House, 1996, 224 pages. Review by: David Kahler An Unquiet Mind is one of the top selling books in the mental health field. Jamison has produced four books in spite of her mood disorder. She says the book was written from the heart. The fact is, that she went from being a troubled student to being a professional, treating and supporting others. She had grave misgivings how going public would affect her life and profession. Just to lessen the suspense, she currently holds an important position at Johns Hopkins University. She is Professor of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. And is regarded as a distinguished author. One of the books on suicide is regarded as one of the most effective in that field. Why not? She attempted suicide herself several times. In her youth, she knew something was wrong, but she made a point of keeping it all to herself. Later, when she got into training she disagreed with the then current approach: Although I have had many disagreements with psychoanalysts over the years and particularly virulent ones with those analysts who oppose treating severe mood disorders with medication, long after the evidence clearly showed that lithium and antidepressants are far more effective than psychotherapy alone. Jamison describes the feeling of her disorder as a particular kind of pain, elation loneliness and terror involved in this kind of madness. She writes: The ideas and feelings are fast and frequent like shooting stars, and you follow them until you find better and brighter ones. Shyness goes, the right words and gestures are suddenly there, the power to captivate others a felt certainty. There are interests found in uninteresting people. Sensuality is pervasive and the desire to seduce and be seduced irresistible. Feelings of ease, intensity, power, well-being, financial omnipotence and euphoria pervade one s marrow. But somewhere, this changes. The fast ideas are far too fast, and there are too many: Overwhelming confusion replaces clarity. Memory goes. Humor and absorption on friends faces are replaced by fear and concern. There many intimate facts in the book. For example, how devastating it can be to reveal the condition to a friend and have the friend go to pieces over it. Another amazing fact that when she asks herself if she was to live life over, would she want to be bipolar? And her answer is... yes. In her words: So why would I want anything to do with this illness? Because I honestly believe that as a result of it I have felt more things, more deeply, had more experiences, more intensely; loved more and been more loved; appreciated more the springs, for all the winters... In spite of her description of depression: Depression, instead, is flat, hollow and unendurable. It is also tiresome. People cannot abide you when you are depressed. This is an important book for everyone to read. It is an imperative book for anyone who has the disorder. Fortunately it s 219 pages are an easy read as it conveys much useful information. It is in the NAMI library, but you would be wise to order it and have it in your own library.

7 7 NAMI DOES CIT TRAINING NAMI Contra Costa has been working with the Sheriff s Department for several years. Twice a year, about 40 officers are given four days of training in how to handle an incident that involves a mentally ill person. NAMI CONTRA COSTA DONATIONS Brent Farmer Memorial Fund Larry Cohen Deborah Jean Andrews Chris Ahlman Carlene and Bruce Reeves Crestwood Behavioral Health, Travis Curran, Campus Administrator Ben and Judy Swanson Harold and Richard Schrader Arnold Paul Betty and Tony Wood Left to Right: Lt. Brian Bonthron Corporal Summer Galer Sergeant Xavier Shabazz It is done under auspicious of the Sheriff s Department and is offered to all of the police jurisdictions in the county. A family in crisis making a 911 call can ask to have an officer sent who has had CIT training. From the beginning, they have brought in families from NAMI to give the officers an insight into what the family is going through during a crisis. They also bring in people from the Office of Consumer Empowerment so that the consumers can express their viewpoint. Donations Richard and Alice Kulka Oakland Donation Dale Watson From: Kay Derrico NAMI CC Board Meetings Open to all 2 nd Thursday of Every Month 7:00-9:00 PM Hillcrest Congregational Church, 404 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill enews A RAY OF SUNSHINE Did you get your copy? Our first edition of NAMI CC's enews, A Ray of Sunshine, came out in June. It was jam-packed with current information about NAMI CC programs and activities. If you did not get a copy by , go to the first page of our website. and sign up. It is free and easy. If you have an announcement to include in the enews, send it to karen@mmcohen.com.. Donations Michael Wang Leon Zhang and Nan Wang Shengda Wang and Xuetao Zhan Jeanette Bartz Linda Lewis

8 8 3rd Monday Support Group November 20, :00 p.m. John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Epstein Meeting Room Basement Area (See page 2) Stamp To: From: NAMI Contra Costa P.O Box Concord, CA Phone: (925) APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP NAMI CONTRA COSTA Make check payable to NAMI Contra Costa Complete this information and please return to: Treasurer NAMI Contra Costa 550 Paterson Boulevard Pleasant Hill, CA., Name Address City Phone Zip Cell Address: Renewal New Member Open Door $ 5 General Membership $40 Household $60 Amount DONATION FORM Mail to: Treasurer, NAMI Contra Costa 550 Patterson Boulevard Pleasant Hill, CA., Note: Tax ID # (No goods or services have been received from the following donor or donors) Name Address City Zip Phone Cell Address