Along These Lines...

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1 Volume 1, Issue 4 Special Conference Issue PHOENIX The Official Newsletter of NAMI Abilene Inside this issue: NAMI Puts A Face On Public Policy Walk for Mental Illness Awareness In Our Own Voice: Louisa P. NAMI Abilene General Meetings NAMI Night Big Country Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 Tuesday, Nov. 7,2017. Tuesday, Dec. 9, About NAMI Abilene 3 NAMI Fest 2017 Educate Empower.Engage 4 Signature Programs 5 Special Thanks 5 Contact Us 5 All meetings are at 6 p.m. 910 Cypress Street. Abilene, TX Along These Lines... Welcome to our 1st Annual Mental Health Conference and NAMI Fest 2017! Our theme this year is Educate, Empower, Engage: The Power of Connection. We re excited about sponsoring this event. Ecclesiastes 4:12 states: Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Throughout the Conference weekend we build that 3-strand cord of educate, empower, and engage the power of connection. We are proud to have successfully trained Facilitators for both our Family Support and Connection Recovery Support Groups. We have opened dialogue with area Pastors and the local Ministerial Alliance to sponsor our NAMI Faith- Net/Bridges of Hope program, as well as meeting with the Military Partnership of West Texas organization to partner with us in offering NAMI Homefront for Military Families and Veterans. We began raising funds in our service area of Taylor and Jones counties by soliciting sponsors and individual contributions for our NAMI Fest weekend with our 4th of July Kickoff Celebration. October 1-7 is National Mental Illness Awareness Week. In 1990, the United States Congress enacted the first week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week in recognition of NAMI s efforts to raise mental health awareness. Since then, mental health advocates from across the country the country have joined together during the first full week of October in sponsoring many kinds of activities. NAMI Abilene has chosen to hold an annual Mental Health Awareness Conference and a Walk for Mental Illness Awareness to further advance our cause for advocacy. We will continue to forge solid community relationships and maintain our vigilance in reaching those individuals and families affected by mental illness and cooccurring disorders. Should you wish to donate, make checks payable to NAMI Abilene. Or you can donate online at -abilene. Until next issue...

2 Page 2 NAMI Puts A Face On Public Policy We welcome our NAMI Texas Public Policy Director to our Mental Health Conference to speak with us about the state of mental health affairs here in Texas. As you may have heard, NAMI Chief Executive Officer, Mary Giliberti has been selected to serve as a member of the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee. The Committee was established pursuant to the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 to provide guidance to Congress and relevant federal de- NAMI Abilene encourages you to stomp out Stigma! 2017 partments and agencies about advances in research and access to services for people with serious mental illness (SMI) and children and youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Walk for Mental Illness Awareness 2017 NAMI Abilene s Walk for Mental Illness Awareness 2017 will kick off Saturday, October 7th at 9 am at Frontier Texas. This event is our annual fundraiser and the goal is to raise money and awareness. The proceeds, including corporate sponsorships will be used by NAMI to: Different WALK, same GOAL It is imperative that our NAMI Abilene members stay on top of advocacy measures. William Byl Boyd has been awarded a scholarship to attend the NAMI Smart Class for Advocacy Training in Round Rock, Texas later this month. Brenda Dagestad will serve as our Advocacy Lead. She is no stranger to Austin and to our State Legislators especially when it comes to all things mental health. We are blessed to have her aboard. Her work with Mental Health America of Abilene has positioned her well to fulfill her role as our Advocacy Lead. provide support to and educate people with mental illness and their families Fight for funding for training of police to expand Crisis Intervention Team in Abilene Advocate for nondis- criminatory and equitable policies at federal, state and local level and in private sector Advocate for improved opportunities for housing, rehabilitation, and meaningful jobs Support research into the causes, systems and treatment of brain disorders Support public education programs designed to eliminate pervasive stigma surrounding severe mental illness. Establish the S.E.A. (Support, Education Advocacy) Centre & Clubhouse.

3 Volume 1, Issue 4 Special Conference Issue Page 3 In Our Own Voice (Louisa s story) In 1988, Louisa joined the United States Navy where she served our country for six (6) years. Following her military service, she found herself living in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area struggling with Post Traumatic Stress and bipolar disorders as well as alcohol addiction. Facing a myriad of challenges, she struggled to get back on a trajectory to success. By 2007, Louisa returned to the Abilene area where she, after a period of time and assistance from Texas A Call to Help/Basic Needs Network in Abilene, was able to connect with the Veteran s Affairs office and other community programs to help her get back on her feet. Louisa sought out the stability and support of Noah Project and Regional Victim Crisis Center following an abusive relationship. In order to end the cycle of homelessness she was experiencing, Louisa moved into the Abilene Hope Haven. These programs gave her a sense of belonging and accountability so that she could focus on recovery and selfsufficiency. Her desire was to give back what was so freely given to her so in 2015 she decide it was time to refocus her life and she enrolled in FaithWorks. FaithWorks offered her the development, guidance, and confidence needed to reenter school. She successfully completed the 13- week career development curriculum offered by FaithWorks and graduated 37th in her class. Louisa is currently enrolled in Texas State Technical College pursuing a certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling. She serves on the Peer Advisory Council of ARCADA and is a Texas Certified Peer Specialist. About NAMI Abilene NAMI Abilene is a newly formed Affiliate in Texas. NAMI Abilene offers a variety of education classes and support groups, participates in area mental health events, and advocates for people with mental illness and their family members and friends. We welcome people living with a mental illness, their family members and friends, and mental health professionals to get involved with NAMI Abilene activities. Our service area (Abilene) covers Taylor and Jones counties. All meetings, classes, and support groups are free and are centrally located. The success of our organization depends upon involvement of community members like yourself! Come JOIN US! YOU can make a DIFFER- ENCE! There are many ways to get involved: Take a mental health class Participate in a support group Lead a class or support group Attend our general meetings Advocate for improved mental health services Become a member Volunteer

4 Educate, Empower, Engage: The Power of Connection. Our publics are people. Those for whom we serve. Those individuals and families affected by mental illness and co-occurring disorders. We are here for them. Our agenda is their agenda. Our political agenda is their political agenda. We represent the least of these. We are that voice, crying in the wilderness. We, are NAMI Abilene. Following this Conference and weekend we will be engaged in advancing our education efforts both internally and externally. Internally by equipping our membership and other collaterals on advanced research about mental health conditions. Externally by introducing NAMI s Ending the Silence in our Middle and High School programs. More information concerning the ETS program will be forthcoming. Stay tuned. We need your help in spreading the word about NAMI. Visit our website at Also LIKE US on our Facebook page. We need your support. Join us on Saturday, October 7th at our Walk for Mental Illness Awareness at Frontier Texas. Registration begins at 8am. Donations welcome. Official Walk Tee Shirts Stomp Out Stigma are $20. This is our Annual Fundraiser. All funds go to increasing our free education programs offered to the general public. Currently we are offering a free 10-week course Peer-to-Peer. All Training Manuals and materials are Free. Our role as an advocacy organization grew from the need of our members individuals with mental illness and their families to affect a positive change in the response of society, government, business and law enforcement, to an individual with a mental illness. And we take our role seriously! We look forward to great things as we continue to forge our relationships with strategic partners in the mental health community. Introducing NAMI In Our Own Voice Schedule a presentation for your group, association, neighborhood club, or church NAMI Abilene is currently scheduling community presentations entitled In Our Own Voice. (IOOV). In Our Own Voice is a unique public education program developed by NAMI, in which two trained speakers share compelling personal stories about living with mental illness and achieving recovery. In Our Own Voice presentations change attitudes, assumptions and stereotypes by describing the reality of living with mental illness. NAMI In Our Own Voice adds a critical perspective to the popular understanding of what people with mental illness are like. Listening to this presentation will provide you: A first-hand account of what it s like to live with mental illness. Presenters humanize this misunderstood topic by demonstrating that it s possible and common to live well with mental illness. A chance to ask the presenters questions, which allows for a deeper understanding of mental health conditions and dispel stereotypes and misconceptions. The understanding that every person with a mental illness can hope for a bright future. IOOV presentations are provided at no cost to peer groups, college students, law enforcement officials, educators, providers, faith community members, politicians, professionals, inmates and interested civic groups. Groups or organizations in Abilene that are interested in seeing a presentation may request one by completing a NAMI Abilene Presentation Request Form. Contact us at officemanager@namiabilene.org

5 P.O. Box 2352 Abilene, Texas (325) Crisis Line: NAMIAbilene/ Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions every year. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness through education and support for both the individual and the family. NAMI Connection Support Group NAMI Signature Programs Type Day and Time Location Contact Third Tuesday 6:00 p.m. -7: Cypress, p.m. Abilene, TX NAMI Family Support Group First and Third Tuesdays of the month 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 901 Cypress Abilene, TX Byl (Bill) Byl (229) Suicide Hotline NAMI In Our Own Voice Coming Fall,2017 TBA. Make appointments at Byl We re on the web nami-abilene General Meetings NAMI Nights Big Country Open to the Public First Tuesday of the month 6 p.m. 901 Cypress Abilene, Texas Byl (Bill) Boyd The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. - Ralph Waldo Emerson A Note of Thanks: There is absolutely no way to thank the myriad of people who helped in pulling off this monumental feat. But to every committee member, volunteer, donor, sponsor, patron, prayer support partner, exhibitor, and to the doubters and naysayers who at least said it to my face, I extend a warm-hearted thanks. There have also been many who have rendered in-kind services thank you. NAMI Texas and most of all, to YOU, our special guests! Every year, NAMI Texas hosts a mental health conference.. It will again be in Austin, Texas and NAMI Abilene plans to be there. November 2-4, 2017