PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Marjorie Antus

Transcription

1 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Marjorie Antus CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM ON YOUR SIDE DECEMBER 2018 Vol. 12 P.O Box 1423 Woodbridge, VA Standing in front of the police officers, I begin: On the morning of July 16, 2005, my son had been pacing his bedroom for hours. For some reason, he d stopped taking his medication for schizoaffective disorder two days earlier. He d become agitated and disorganized. The officers, all two dozen, gaze intently at me. Fearing violence, my husband and I knew better than to try to talk to him. That s why we called 911. I ve told this story several times to officers in Greater Prince William who are training to become Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) members. Originating in Memphis in 1988, the CIT is a partnership between mental health providers and law enforcement that steers people in mental health crisis to hospitals, not jails. It reduces the risk of injury to everyone the person in crisis, family members, and the police. Taking place over the course of a 40-hour week, local training includes officers from Prince William County, the City of Manassas, Manassas Park, the Adult Detention Center and the Sheriff s Department. The police departments of Haymarket and Dumfries will soon join the coalition. Important aspects of CIT training include verbal de-escalation, addressing stigma, and role playing so that officers can practice the skills they learn in class, says Ann Brown of Prince William County Community Services. On the first day of training, officers listen to personal mental health stories by peers from Trillium Drop-In Center and family members from NAMI-PW. That part of the course is all about putting a human face on mental illness, and it s proven to be effective. Officers are impressed by the bravery of the peers who come in to speak to them, says Brown, explaining that merely meeting peers and hearing their stories is most helpful to officers. Two members of NAMI-PW who have experienced a police encounter with their family member also tell their stories. When the encounter with police was less than positive, the affiliate member is free to say so and offer an assessment of what might have been handled better. Usually, the family member has a positive police-encounter story to relate, which also helps to enlighten the officers. My own story of what took place that July day in 2005 ended well: four officers arrived and told my son that he d either have to take his medication or go with them to the hospital. He readily got in the police cruiser, went to the hospital, and received treatment a crisis averted. Those officers acted proactively and protectively, I say at the CIT training. They called my son Mr. Antus. That s something I haven t forgotten or ever will forget. In NAMI Family-to-Family classes and Family Support Group sessions, participants are advised to ask for a CITtrained officer whenever they call 911. Ann Brown adds this advice: let the police dispatcher know what the diagnosis is, if there are weapons on the scene and whether drugs or alcohol are involved. Of course, the primary concern is letting the dispatcher know if the person in crisis is threatening harm.

2 NAMI PRINCE WILLIAM GENERAL MEETING Motivational Interviewing: How to Overcome Behavioral Challenges Teressa Bowman, LPC Ms. Bowman is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist working as a Novant Health UVA Prince William inpatient therapist. She holds a B.S. in Psychology (UMUC, 2010), an M.A in Professional Counseling (LU,2013) and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Psychology (UoR, anticipated 2019). She has worked as a community support worker and mental health liaison for over eight years in the DC metropolitan area. She combines evidence-based practices with tailored therapeutic interventions to guide individuals away from mental road blocks toward success. Benefits of Motivational Interviewing Triggers change in high-risk lifestyle behaviors. Increases willingness to get help and fight through addiction. Increases participation rates during treatment programs. Lowers the chance of future relapse. Allows individuals to find encouragement during treatment and establish self-actualization goals. Thursday, December 6 th, 2018, 7-8pm Prince William Medical Center 8700 Sudley Road, 4th Floor, Conf. Rm A Manassas, VA

3 COMING SOON MENTAL HEALTH SPEAKER PANEL COMING SOON IN EARLY JANUARY! More information on location, date and time to be announced. NAMI Prince William (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Prince William and HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action) are collaborating on a Latino Mental Health Awareness and Outreach program. The program seeks to raise awareness of and reduce stigma about mental health conditions and increase help-seeking behavior in the Latino community of Greater Prince William. It will provide free NAMI educational and support programs in Spanish to families of those coping with mental illnesses. One out of every four individuals are affected by a mental health challenge. If you, or someone you care for has depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder you will want to come hear the first-hand accounts from three young adults about living with mental health conditions. These peer panelists will share their stories of struggling with a mental health condition, how they overcame the obstacles and where they are now with their successful recovery. Afterwards there will be a period for questions from the audience. There will be free refreshments, and the whole family is invited. If you are interested in attending or need more information, please call Liz at NAMI Prince William at

4 COMING SOON What is the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program? NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session education program for family, partners, friends and significant others of adults living with mental illness. The course is designed to help all family members understand and support their loved one living with mental illness, while maintaining their own well-being. The course includes information on illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, major depression and other mental health conditions. Thousands of families describe the program as life-changing. The program is taught by trained teachers who are also family members and know what it is like to have a loved one living with mental illness. WOODBRIDGE Tuesday and Thursday evenings Tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday, January 8 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Participant Perspectives This course overall was the single most, without a doubt, helpful and informative thing ever offered in all my years searching for answers It has helped me to understand better and communicate more effectively with my brother. The course has helped me to realize that my son is still inside the body that is often times hidden by the mental illness and that I am not alone in this. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Call the number below to register! P.O. Box 1423, Woodbridge, VA info@nami-pw.org 4

5 December is National Human Rights Month. It is about acknowledging that people are people, plain and simple. If we take the time to learn about other cultures, we will begin to gain insight from their perspective and be able to better understand them as real people. This month, we are all challenged to learn more about a specific culture (or several) that may make us uneasy or hesitant. Give yourself a little history lesson and chances are, you ll change your preconceived notion about that particular group of people. We at NAMI Prince William have our own culture. People who live with mental health challenges are discriminated against, stigmatized, and are denied access to adequate mental health care. With one out of every four individuals affected by mental health conditions, it s time to recognize, stand up and demand better treatment for those with a treatable illness. Visit a mental health treatment center or talk to someone who has spent time in our state mental health facilities. Ask why people in mental hospitals are treated differently from people in medical hospitals. Don t we all deserve the best care, respect and compassion? Visit NAMI.org and learn about depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, you may be surprised to learn that with proper treatment and support, successful recovery is possible. 5

6 NAMI PRINCE WILLIAM FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS The challenges of mental illness do not only affect an individual's family members but also friends, teachers, neighbors, coworkers and others in the community. Family member and caregiver refer to anyone giving emotional, financial or practical support to a person with a mental health condition. Whether you're providing a lot of assistance or very little, the information and support you receive from a NAMI Family Support Group can help you better understand the issues that you might face. (Excerpt from: The most important thing to know is YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Below are the two NAMI Family Support Groups currently being held in Prince William County: WOODBRIDGE Second Tuesday of the Month, 7:00 pm to 9:00pm Sentara Potomac Hospital Room "C" in the Hylton Education Center 2300 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge, VA Contact: Donna Fortunato, HAYMARKET: Third Tuesday of the Month, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Haymarket Gainesville Community Library Community Room Lightner Road, Haymarket, VA Contact: Bonnie Cuppett, Most family members attend the groups when their loved one is in crisis. When the crisis is over, they stop coming. Get in the habit of attending every month, whether things are going well or not. That way, if a crisis does hit, you know where you need to be. And remember, there are others who are new to this journey, and they need the support you can COMMUNITY COLLABORATION! We are proud to announce that thanks to a grant from Potomac Health Foundation, Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Action (HOLA) and NAMI Prince William are working together to reduce stigma about mental health conditions and increase help-seeking behavior in the Latino community, by creating awareness, to educate, and to support those coping with mental illnesses. NAMI PW will be able for the first time in Spanish to build awareness and dispel stigma ( Ending the Silence ), provide education (12-session NAMI Family to Family course), and offer NAMI Family Support Groups. The population served will be Latino residents of eastern PWC 18 years and older. Prince William County Public Schools have not, to date, been interested in outside groups providing mental health education, but a new state law mandating information for middle and high school students may be an entree to reach these age groups as well. 6

7 P.O. Box 1423, Woodbridge, VA T info@nami-pw.org Website: nami-pw.org MEMBERSHIPS: Household $60 Regular $40 Open Door $5 *SPONSORSHIPS: Professional $75 Corporate $250 I want to donate *Sponsorships are separate from membership and are considered donations to NAMI Prince William. Please complete the form below and mail your membership/donation to the P.O. Box noted above, or pay online through our secure website at: nami-pw.org Members are NAMI-PW s lifeblood; your membership helps us continue to provide free outreach, support & education. In bringing mental health issues to wider attention, we advocate for better treatment. As our membership base grows, our voice becomes stronger. Check here for renewal: Respect, Compassion & Hope NAMI Works! Date: Name: Address: City/St: Zip:...Phone: I d like to volunteer for NAMI- PW s 2019 Go Green for Mental Health Walk/Run. I wish to receive NAMI National s solicitations. NAMI Membership exists at 3 levels: Affiliate, State & National. NAMI Prince William (NAMI-PW) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization contributions are taxdeductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Together, we can continue to fight for all those affected by mental illness. PLEASE NOTE: If making a donation, in order for NAMI-PW to receive your full donation, please send your donation to the NAMI- PW office. Thank you! CONTRIBUTIONS BENEFIT NAMI-PW, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION, TAX ID A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF NAMI-PW MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE VIRGINIA STATE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND CONSUMER SERVICES, P.O.BOX 1163, RICHMOND, VA REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. NAMI RECEIVES 100% OF EACH DONATION. 7