From the President s Desk

Transcription

1 The Iris Vol 30 No 10 October 2013 Support, Education, Advocacy Editor, Ann Akland NAMI Wake Contact Information: From the President s Desk Mental Illness Awareness Week Reminds me to thank all those who work together to make struggles with brain disease more bearable As most of you know, Mental Illness Awareness Week is October All of the NAMI affiliates across the nation receive notices and even a toolkit from NAMI National to remind us of the fact that this is the week we should all be aware of Mental Illness. I emphasize the word all because if we have those with mental illness in our lives, including those who provide support and services to our loved ones, we need no reminding. It is for the others in our community who need the awareness. But do these awareness events really drum up extra attention for our cause which results in long-term benefits, including reducing stigma? I am skeptical that awareness events actually make more people get up and do something. Perhaps it is just a side effect of living in the information age, where there is so much information available to all of us on any subject. We become saturated to the point that we lose interest. The following table illustrates the point. There are nine entries, all related to mental health. They cover 4 different months, and some illnesses celebrate awareness during the same month. (Note that this is not an all-inclusive list of mental health diagnoses and awareness events.) If your loved one has OCD, do you focus your attention and energy on mental illness events, or OCD events, or both? If you are like me, I am lucky to just go to one. Which one should I choose? If we have choices, what message must we be sending to the general public? Furthermore, we add confusion when we have Awareness Months and Awareness Weeks (in a different month). AWARENESS TOPIC AWARENESS WEEK AWARENESS MONTH MENTAL HEALTH OCTOBER 6-12 MAY ALZHEIMER S DISEASE NOVEMBER DEMENTIA MAY PTSD JUNE 26 (DAY) JUNE DEPRESSION OCTOBER ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION MAY 5-11 BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER MAY OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER OCTOBER MAY SCHIZOPHRENIA MAY I worry that by putting all our effort into awareness weeks and awareness months, once the month or week is up, people immediately move on to the next thing. And those who work on the campaigns get exhausted by the end, leaving less energy for the more useful acts of goodness. I apologize for my lack of enthusiasm to all those volunteers who plan events for Mental Health Awareness week and Continued on page 2

2 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 2 Continued from page 1 all the other awareness campaigns, for that matter. I don t want to make those involved feel like they ve wasted their time caring and trying. And I am sure these events help in the overall long-term awareness of the public about mental illness and brain disease. But I think we may all be better off putting more of our energy into the actions that help day to day. When we think of the people who deal with the day to day, we think of those who do it for a living, such as social workers, counsellors, therapists and doctors. In addition to the professionals, there are many who do their part as volunteers, which is over and beyond their jobs, family life, and many other activities. For example, I think of people like Tom and Sue Hadley who have devoted thousands of hours over the years serving in various capacities. Sue Hadley, after years of excellent service, recently decided to step down as NAMI Wake s Family to Family Coordinator. (Fortunately, Barb Maier, who recently moved to this area, immediately stepped up to teach a class of Family to Family and has now agreed to coordinate the Family to Family program for NAMI Wake. See her article below.) I think of all the support group facilitators who lead weekly, biweekly and/ or monthly groups for those who are coping with symptoms or stresses in their lives. I think of all the teachers of NAMI programs who help those who need education about mental illness and to learn skills that will help their families live with mental illness. I think of those who serve on the Board of Directors and on program committees who implement our NAMI mission. I also think of family and friends who help support us in our daily struggles. Mental Health Awareness Week helps remind me to thank all those who work together to make our struggles with brain disease more bearable. by Gerry Akland NAMI Wake has new Family to Family Coordinator My name is Barb Maier and I have been asked to coordinate Family to Family classes for our affiliate. I will give you a little background information on me and why our family has come to make NAMI a very big part of our lives. April 31st, 1998, at 1:00 a.m. our phone rang. That day I had just completed the final task in the Adler School of Professional Psychology s Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy program. But at 1:00 a.m., when that phone rang, little did I know I was about to enter a whole new school, the school of the lived experience of serious mental illness. The phone call was from New York University and my husband Tom was told our son Nate, a sophomore in N.Y.U. s Tisch School of Film, had just been taken to St. Vincent s Hospital following an argument with a security guard at his dorm. We never slept that night. We arrived at 9:15 a.m. at the E.R. at St. Vincent s to find Nate in five point restraint, babbling Hold onto the ropes, hold onto the ropes, incoherent and hardly seeming to recognize us. He had been held in a bed since the night before as the hospital waited for a bed in the psych ward to become available. A doctor met with us in a closet sized room and explained why they wanted to admit him. Although my first screaming impulse was to get him out of there and on a plane home, I soon realized the futility of that impulse. He was admitted to, fortunately, the pediatric ward as there were no adult beds available. And so began our long journey. We bumbled around for a year and a half. Nate returned to school the following January and I became determined that he had what was called in the then DSM IV, a Brief Psychotic Episode, meaning, a psychosis that occurs once and only once in a person s life time. My son did not have mental illness. He had a Brief Psychotic Episode. We all agreed he did not need medication. (Though not a Christian Scientist, I did attend a Christian Science school where I developed a distrust of medication.) And, as a newly minted marriage and family therapist, surely I could provide considerable help to him. Earlier this same year during a family meeting at the hospital in Evanston I happened upon a tacky handmade poster in the kitchen during the coffee break. It said something about the National Alliance for Mental Illness and some kind of classes. I tore off the phone number at the bottom and stuck it in my pocket and forgot about it until I was doing the laundry several days later. I called the number on the tag and the most wonderful woman in the world answered. Abbey told me about NAMI and about Family to Family. She was mesmerizing. And forceful. And hope giving. She was the first person since this all began who truly understood what we were going through. She said she would call me when the next classes were to begin and would send me materials and stay in touch until then. Continued on page 5

3 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 3 Dr. Bill Atkinson to Depart WakeMed Health & Hospitals According to a statement on WakeMed s website, with the start of WakeMed s new fiscal year on October 1, 2013, Dr. Bill Atkinson will step down from his role as President & CEO of WakeMed Health & Hospitals. Citing differences in the future direction of the organization, the WakeMed Board of Directors and Dr. Atkinson agree that the separation is in the best interest of both parties. Over the years, NAMI Wake County has advocated for all our area hospitals to establish inpatient psychiatric services. It s a little ironic that Dr. Atkinson s departure comes at a time when his antics have resulted in forcing UNC into providing more mental health services in Wake County including 16 inpatient beds with the promise of 12 additional beds. We are grateful for the outcome even though we didn t like the approach to making it happen. Pictured: Ann Akland, NAMI Wake County, Dr. Bill Atkinson In 2005, Dr. Atkinson made a commitment to families (Podium) Dr. Bob Golden, Chair of Psychiatry, UNC (2005) and consumers to operate a psychiatric unit but quickly backtracked. Subsequently, Dr. Atkinson and the other area hospitals, Rex and Duke Raleigh, put their support behind Holly Hill Hospital for Wake County funding to operate 44 beds. Since that time, NAMI Wake has pushed WakeMed to do more to help people with mental illness, even rallying for the state to reject their Certificate of Need for a Medical Outpatient facility unless they also met Wake County s need for psychiatric beds. Hopefully, a new era of NAMI Wake and all three hospitals working together for the needs of people with mental illness will emerge with the selection of a new WakeMed CEO. UNC Leaders Invite NAMI Wake County Representative to Participate in Wakebrook Leadership Team Meetings by Ann Akland Wakebrook Medical Director, Dr. Brian Sheitman, invited NAMI Wake County to appoint someone to attend Wakebrook s weekly Leadership Team meetings. In extending this invitation, Dr. Sheitman stated, My hope is that your presence and input would serve as an ongoing reminder to the group of why we are here. Sometimes given the day to day struggles, we all sometimes forget that. Ideally, I would like the culture of Wakebrook to develop whereby we honestly assess all criticisms and determine if valid how we can use this information to improve our services. We are very grateful to have this wonderful opportunity to provide input because of the very important role this facility s operation plays in our community and in our lives. I will be filling this role, and will strive to represent families and consumers. Please feel free to pass along your views or information to me. On Friday, I met with Dr. Joseph Balla, the Medical Director of Crisis and Assessment Services at Wakebrook. He is a psychiatrist trained at Duke, who most recently worked with Wake County Human Services. He explained current operations and future plans at Wakebrook and took me on a tour of the campus. I was especially excited to see that many of the beds in the new Wakebrook UNC Psychiatric hospital were operating. This is a wonderful new resource that should help to get people into treatment faster and lessen the number of waits in hospital emergency rooms. UNC is also starting a medical clinic on the Wakebrook campus. This capability is a wonderful asset given the medical health needs of many people with psychiatric illness. In addition, it was great to see the two 16 bed units on the 2nd floor above Crisis and Assessment Services--the substance abuse residential crisis beds and the recovery center--filled with people receiving assistance in a beautiful, sunny, therapeutic environment. The facility has two pharmacies so patients on medications can continue their medications. Meals are catered by Rex Hospital. I look forward to learning more about the operations at Wakebrook so I can pass the information along to you.

4 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 4 Much-Needed Psychiatric Hospital Beds OPEN in Wake County September 13, bed inpatient hospital now open, however, WakeMed may send patients there and spread the responsibility of caring for these patients more evenly. The facility opened about two months late largely because of inspection issues. A UNC spokeswoman said there were no major hangups, but coordinating with construction crews and state inspectors simply takes time. Atkinson did not blame anyone for the delays; After two-month delay, UNC Wakebrook mental health hospital opens The UNC Wakebrook mental health hospital in Raleigh opened this week. Jason debruyn, Staff Writer- Triangle Business Journal UNC Wakebrook, the new mental health hospital adjacent to WakeMed in Raleigh, opened its doors this week after various building inspection issues delayed the ribbon-cutting by about two months. This is the mental and behavioral health hospital operated by UNC Health Care that came out of an agreement between UNC and WakeMed Health & Hospitals after WakeMed CEO Bill Atkinson made an unsolicited and some called hostile bid to buy Rex Healthcare, the Raleigh subsidiary of UNC Health Care. Atkinson had long argued that WakeMed shoulders more than its share of the burden of mental health care, typically a money-losing prospect for hospitals. UNC Health Care CEO Dr. Bill Roper agreed to invest $30 million in mental health in Wake County, with UNC Wakebrook accounting for much of that investment. Caring for mental health patients is a big and growing need not only in Wake County but across the state, an opinion held nearly unanimously by health care professionals. In Wake, inpatient adult psychiatric days of care increased from 14,506 in 2006 to 28,294 in That s more than population growth. Days of care per 10,000 population increased from 251 in 2006 to 408 in 2011, according to UNC Health Care data. There were aspects of UNC Wakebrook that were already functional, but the new portion which was set to open in July is what Atkinson really had his eye on. Per federal laws, a hospital may not transfer a mental health patient from a facility with a higher level of care to one with a lower level of care. Because WakeMed offered a higher level of care than Wakebrook before UNC took over, WakeMed was not allowed to transfer patients there, even though the two facilities are adjacent. With the new UNC Psychiatric HospitalWakebrook Campus he was just happy the facility was now open. UNC Wakebrook also has plans to add 12 beds at that facility, though it must await state approval to add those services. Here is a short timeline of when UNC Health Care took over services at UNC Wakebrook. Clinics start with services that provide the lowest level of care to the highest. + Crisis and Assessment Clinic: Came under UNC s management in February, sees about 400 patients per month. + Addiction Treatment Center: Came under UNC s management in May. + Facility Based Crisis Center: Came under UNC s management in July + Inpatient hospital with 16 beds: Opened Sept. 9

5 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 5 New F2F Coordinator Continued from page 2 Already I felt a glimmer of light, the slightest ray of hope pierced the deadened world, a bit of the terrible burden lifted, ever so slightly. But the classes took a long time to organize. It was several months. In the mean time, Nate was getting better and better. So much better that he returned to school and in his words my brain is on fire, I can do anything! Tom and I thought this was a GOOD thing! When Abbey sent me mailings, I stopped looking at them and even tore one up into teeny tiny pieces while muttering My son does not have mental illness, my son does NOT have mental illness... But Abbey continued to call even though I was pretty rude to her. She did not give up on me, she knew what was coming and she was determined to stay connected. There was something about her voice that kept me connected. When Nate came off the plane for summer break he looked horrible; emaciated, anxious, dirty, disorganized, touchy. He could not eat the special welcome home dinner I had made. I made two more meals in the hopes something would tempt him. He couldn t eat or he wouldn t eat. The fork would go half way to his mouth and back down. I hand fed him a few bites in desperation. He choked them down. In the middle of the night Tom went down stairs and found him; naked, curled up in a fetal position under the dining room table, sobbing. My son did indeed have a mental illness. He was again hospitalized, and Tom and I joined the Family to Family classes that fall. And that was when everything changed. That was when we finally began to learn all the things we needed to learn. That was when we stopped doing all the wrong things and started doing it right...the NAMI way. I say, NAMI saved our lives. Family to Family saved our lives. Now I would like very much to hear from others about your story and how you and your family member are doing today, and if you can, to help NAMI Wake really spread the news by teaching Family to Family continuously, year round. Ambitious? Yes. Doable? Yes. Needed? Desperately! With your help and by training as many new teachers as possible, we can catch families in the safety net of NAMI and return them to their lives more sane, more stable, more educated, stronger, and more able to truly assist, support, and advocate for their family members. Please call me when it is convenient for you. Or, me your number and the best times to reach you. Call even if you cannot teach. I would like very much to hear your story. If you prefer not to have a conversation, that is absolutely fine, and should you change your mind and want to call in a month, six months or a year, I will be eager to hear your story. I appreciate your taking your time to read my story. Nate is great. He lives in Myrtle Beach with the love of his life and her six year old son. He works full time in a health food store/cafe with his peeps who are fellow vegans, leads a NAMI Connection group and founded a community garden that grows food and feeds the homeless. Several years ago he rode his bike from Chicago to Washington D.C. to lobby for housing for people with mental illness. He is happy. Not satisfied, but happy. I do what I do for NAMI in honor of Abbey and all the Family to Family teachers who are out there saving entire families every day. You are needed now more than ever before. Contact: Barb Maier ; pearlmidwest@ gmail.com Family Connections Class for Family Members of People with BPD Family Connections is a researchbased, manualized 12-week course for family members with a relative with borderline personality disorder (BPD), or symptoms of the disorder. Developed by Dr. Alan Fruzzetti and Dr. Perry Hoffman, the program seeks to provide the most current information and research on BPD, to teach coping skills based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and to develop a support network. Modeled after Family-to-Family, Family Connections classes are led by family members trained during a weekend training retreat. The effort of Family Connections is coordinated by the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA.BPD); with preliminary research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health. Data documents that family members experience a decrease in depression, burden, grief and an increase in empowerment. Family Connections includes: Education on BPD Research on BPD Skills training based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in the context of a supportive group environment. The information presented is based on effective treatment theories and practices, and the latest research findings to provide the foundation for a better understanding of this complex disorder. To help participants obtain the latest knowledge and to develop skills for their own well-being. An adaptation of a decade of professionally-led Dialectical Behavior Therapy family groups, these institution-based programs are now brought into the community and are led by trained family members. Course Content Topics Addressed Include: Education on BPD Research on BPD Family Perspectives and Experiences Relationship Mindfulness Skills Emotion Regulation Skills Effective Communication Skills Validation Skills Problem Management Skills Next Class starts October 12, 2013 Location: Highland United Methodist Church, Raleigh, Registration Required. Contact: Ann Akland, aakland@namiwake.org.

6 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 6 NAMI Wake Monthly Education Meeting Monday, 10/28/2013, 7:00-8:30 pm, Panel Presentations and Discussion A family member is in a Mental Health Crisis...What can I do? Consider filing involuntary commitment papers, what is the process, and what can I expect to happen next? What role does law enforcement play? What happens at the UNC Wakebrook Crisis & Assessment Services (CAS) Where will they take my family member for help? Will CAS ask for family input? Can CAS decide the person does not need to be hospitalized & send them back home? Highland United Methodist Church, 1901 Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC, Conference Room NAMI Wake Support Groups PEOPLE LIVING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS Wake County Affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Wake) is offering free peer support groups where people facing difficulties have a safe place to voice their concerns and explore options for making positive changes in their lives with others who have similar experiences. No matter what your diagnosis or issues, join one of our Free Groups. No need to call. Just come by and participate when you can. Try different groups to find one you like best. Connections Support Groups: 1) Highland United Methodist Church, 1901 Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC, Rm 206, 7-8:30, First 3 Mondays of each month. 2) Garner United Methodist Church, Senior Center, 201 Methodist Drive, Garner, NC., 6:30-7:30 pm, Second, third, and fourth Thursdays of each month. 3) Wake Forest United Methodist Church, 905 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC, 7-8:30pm, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. Contact Marc Jacques for information Stress & Depression Support Groups: 1) St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 1005 Wilbon Road, Fuquay Varina, NC. Meetings every Monday, 7:30-8:30pm Contact Arline O Hara arlineohara@gmail.com for more information. 2) Wake County Human Services, 220 Swinburne St., Raleigh, NC, Every Friday: 2-3 pm, Rm 1151, Call Gerry Akland, for more information. FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS Family & friends of adults with mental illnesses: Highland United Methodist Church, 1901 Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC., Rooms 202 & 204, 7-8:30 p.m. on the first three Mondays of each month. Wake Forest United Methodist Church, 905 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC, 7-8:30pm, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. For more information contact Gordon Gogola (gogolags@ hotmail.com), phone Parents and Caregivers of children and adolescents who are living with mental disorders: NAMI- Wake Young Families Support Group. The Support Group is led by parents with a shared life experience of parenting a child with a brain disorder. Contact: Cynthia Daniels-Hall or danielshallc@aol.com for time and location. Not a member and interested in joining NAMI Wake County? Already a member? No need to do anything. You will receive a renewal notice in the mail when your membership is due for renewal.

7 NAMI Wake County The Iris Page 7 Good Bye to One of Us - Robert Bullock - A True Champion Robert left this world suddenly on Friday, September 13, leaving behind many, many friends and people who continue to be inspired by his wonderful, caring personality and motivation to advocate for people with severe mental illness. Robert has worked tirelessly to increase awareness about mental illness, to decrease stigma and to advocate for those who cannot represent themselves. He was a role model whose actions inspired others to advocate for people with disabilities in NC. Robert s caring and advocacy for others began when he was a patient at Dorothea Dix Hospital. After being released from Dix, Robert chose to live in a supervised living group home in Cary, NC, and to attend the Fellowship Health Services clubhouse. Both the home and the psychosocial program have played an important role in Robert s recovery. In turn, Robert enriched the lives of his peers by helping them understand their illnesses and to advocate for themselves. Because of his caring and helpful nature, Robert has become a role model which others strive to emulate. In addition to his role within his home and clubhouse, Robert was an active public figure. In 2010, He published an article in the Independent Weekly about his experiences at Dorothea Dix Hospital and the importance of the care he received in his recovery. Robert frequently presented his story of illness and recovery at area hospitals, churches, and organizations. These presentations have opened the eyes of many people in the community about the need to embrace and support people with disabilities. Hurley attended and spoke at his funeral and that Rep. Nelson Dollar s Legislative Assistant, Candace also attended. She and Robert had talked many times. Robert was a member of the NAMI NC Consumer Council and the NAMI Wake County Board of Directors. He has received many awards including the NAMI Wake County Person of Courage Award for The NAMI Wake County Board voted at our recent meeting to rename the award the Robert Bullock Person of Courage Award. Robert was also selected to receive a Champion of Equality and Justice award from Disability Rights NC. This award will be presented to his mother in his memory. Robert helped NAMI Wake organize rallies by getting people to participate, and he has been interviewed on many newscasts within the past year. Both Laura Leslie from WRAL TV and Lynn Bonner with the N&O contacted me because they were personally saddened by Robert s death. He is featured on the NAMI Wake Website as a spokesperson for people living in group homes. Robert s untiring advocacy and outreach activity to improve awareness about mental illness and needs for public services were an inspiration. He was an excellent advocate, colleague, and friend. We will miss you, Robert. May you rest in peace. by Ann Akland In addition to his community advocacy, Robert has been a tireless legislative advocate for people with mental illness, particularly those who cannot advocate for themselves. He has written countless s and made hundreds of calls to members of both the House and Senate. Robert advocated vigorously for Dorothea Dix Hospital and for adequate funding for group homes. Robert would have been proud that Rep. Pat Join the Team - Volunteer! Newsletter Assistance: Layout & Design: Looking for someone with experience with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. Time commitment would be about 8 hours per month. Contributors: Looking for people who are interested in researching and submitting articles for publication consideration. Please contact Ann Akland, aakland@nami-wake.org. Les Girls Social Group Sat, Oct. 26 at 12:00 Noon, Golden Corral, 6129 Glenwood Ave. This is a social opportunity for people living with mental illness and family members. Everyone is invited--not just girls--guys are welcome! Lunch is Dutch-treat.

8 NAMI Wake County P.O. Box Raleigh, NC Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Raleigh, NC NAMI Wake County October 2013 We Care. We Act. Are you interested in a Part-Time Contract Administrative Assistant position? We are looking for an energetic, independent, self-starter who has a job history and significant experience performing a variety of tasks in an office setting. Some of the duties include data analysis & data entry, writing business correspondence and documenting policies and procedures, answering the phone and returning calls for assistance, updating the website and social media, and recruiting, screening, and linking volunteers. Required skills: Excellent computer skills and experience with Windows operating system, web browsers, Microsoft Office applications including Word and Excel. Excellent business writing skills. Data base and social media experience is preferred. Experience with Adobe Photoshop and InDesign is a plus. Personal Attributes: Organized, detail-oriented, task driven, engaging personality. This is an 8 hour per week job. Office location: First Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC. If you are interested in being considered, please send a statement explaining your interest to Ann Akland at aakland@nami-wake.org, and she will send you an application to complete and return.