CMRC Hosts Mental Health Awareness Day
for Young Adults in Newton

As part of a statewide anti-stigma campaign, Central Mississippi Residential Center (CMRC) sponsored its first annual Mental Health Day in February for 8th and 12th graders in Newton, Union, Academy and Newton County schools.

CMRC and the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is partnering with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to lead a public education effort to counter stigma and bring down barriers that keep people from seeking treatment. This campaign is entitled “What a Difference a Friend Makes.” The campaign is designed to decrease the negative attitudes that surround mental illness and encourages young adults to support their friends who are experiencing mental health problems.

CMRC’s Mental Health Day was sponsored in partnership with Mississippi National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-MS), Weems Community Mental Health Center and DMH. The Mental Health Day was geared toward students in the 8th and 12th because these can be difficult transition years for young adults.

The purpose of this program was to educate students about the myths and facts regarding mental illness and show students that mental illness is a treatable illness. The topic of youth suicide was also discussed.

Students learned about the warning signs of suicide and how to respond to someone who is suicidal. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in young adults age 10 – 24 in Mississippi. Students also learned how to cope with difficulties of moving to high school and college and the importance of helping themselves or friends talk to trusted adults.

Washington, D.C.—The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has established an online Veterans Resource Center www.nami.org/veterans to help support active duty military personnel, veterans and their families facing serious mental illnesses such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

“We are a nation at war,” said NAMI executive director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. “The war includes mental illness. Many veterans who return from active duty face a second war at home, confronting profound mental health problems. Their families also are affected.”

The Center’s resources include a growing compilation of fact sheets, self-help information, online discussion groups, research and policy updates, and links to government agencies and other private organizations. NAMI has made the Center a priority to meet a growing need.

“The human toll of any war is felt for years to come,” Fitzpatrick said. “NAMI hopes to expand the Center’s resources over time and provide whatever support we can through our other programs.”  

The Center’s resources are organized into 12 on-line categories:

October 9, 2007

NAMI Central MS Takes Part In Jackson Town Hall Meeting On The Economic Impact Of Mental Illness

Tuesday October 9, 2007, NAMI Central Mississippi members manned the NAMI display booth at the Town Hall Meeting on Mental Health in the Jackson Medical Mall, sponsored by Jackson State University.  Community partners:  Mental Health Association of the Capital Area, MS Dept. of Mental Health, Region 8, NAMI Mississippi, Tougaloo College, NAMI Central Mississippi, the Anti-Stigma Campaign of Central Mississippi, and other mental health care providers handed out bipolar awareness information to the general public from 1- 5 pm.

October 4, 2007, Madison County Herald

Mental health group launches new site

By Leah Square
leah.square@mcherald.com

The Central Mississippi affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness on Monday launched its new Web site, www.namicentralms.com, to help stop the stigma surrounding mental illness.

The Web site provides information on NAMI's programs, which cover schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe anxiety disorders.

NAMI Central Mississippi vice president Ricky Quinn said he hopes the Web site will draw more eyes to the educational programs offered in Jackson.

"We know this is not an attractive issue, but it's very important," said Quinn, a Canton resident and caretaker of a mentally ill sibling. "When someone's brain quits putting out the right chemicals and you're responsible for taking care of them - without help and training, I don't know how anybody survives."

The local affiliate covers five metro area counties - Hinds, Madison, Rankin, Copiah and Simpson. But NAMI especially wants to see more Madison Countians join programs because Madison County enrollment has been relatively low, Quinn said.

It seems "there has been a lack of information about mental health in that area," he said.

Programs

According to NAMI, about 140,000 Mississippians were living with a serious mental illness post-Hurricane Katrina.

Quinn said the course that most helped him cope with his sibling's illness is NAMI's free, 12-week Family-to-Family course for family caregivers. The classes touch on clinical treatment and teach skills that family members need to successfully manage the illness.

NAMI also offers a free Peer-to-Peer course, a provider education course, a connection recovery support group for patients and interactive multimedia presentations.

Becky Bynum of Canton said what has helped her better take care of her mentally ill relative is hearing the experiences of other caregivers enrolled in NAMI programs.

"Finding out what people are going through and how they're handling things, knowing there are other people out there - that helps," said Bynum, who keeps her course book handy to help keep her skills sharp.

In the future, NAMI will make information packets available for downloading on the Web site, Quinn said. NAMI is also planning to have, sometime next year, quarterly workshops for the public.

NAMI Walk

Help "Stomp Out Stigma" by participating in the 2007 Annual NAMI Walk on Oct. 6 at Mayes Lake in Jackson.

The walk will kick off at 10 a.m. Check-in time is at 9 a.m.

"We'll have free refreshments, moon jumps for the kids, face painting, door prizes ... You can bring your whole family," said Shirley Montgomery, executive director of state affiliate NAMI Mississippi.

Companies, organizations, families and other groups are encouraged to sign up in teams.

Montgomery said registration is free and may be done online. But NAMI is asking for donations, which can be made online.

Donations will go toward NAMI's programs, she said.

Directions:  I-55 to Lakeland/Carthage,  Hwy 25 N exit. Head East on Lakeland Drive 0.7 miles. Pass Smith Wills Stadium to next light , turn right at Shell Station. Follow signs and balloons to Mayes Lake.

The NAMI Walk is an annual fundraising and mental health awareness event being conducted nationwide including right here in Mississippi.

There is no walker registration fee for the Walk. All participants are to collect donations from members, friends, and business associates in support of their participation the Walk. All walkers must register for the walk. A registration can be downloaded by clicking here.

All proceeds from the Walk will be used to fund NAMI's programs in Mississippi which include support, education, and advocacy involving schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe anxiety disorders.

NAMI Walk is a rain or shine event. Refreshments will be available.

Companies, organizations, and families are encouraged to organize teams of walkers made up of employees, organization members, relatives and friends to take part in the Walk. There is a wide-range of corporate sponsorship opportunities available to local companies and businesses related to the walk. If you know of sponsors or want to get involved, please contact Amy Wilson, NAMI Mississippi Walk Coordinator, 601-899-9058 or 800-357-0388.

NAMI congratulates Jennifer Cook and the Peer-to-Peer mentors and trainers on receiving the Outstanding State Award for the Peer-to-Peer Program during the NAMI National Convention in San Diego in June. This award signifies recognition by NAMI National of our achievements in consumer education and support. Jennifer was hired to develop this program beginning in June of 2003, as a part of the Department of Mental Health pilot project on Person Centered Planning and other peer specific activities. Under her guidance, the first Peer-to-Peer training was held October 10-12, 2003 at Eagle Ridge Conference &: Training Center in Raymond. There were twenty consumers in this training from Greenwood, Gulfport, and Vicksburg. The first Peer-to-Peer class was held in Vicksburg in April 2004. Since 2003, NAMI Mississippi has extended the program to many regions and has trained fifty-three (53) Peer-to-Peer mentors and has held thirty-three (33) Peer-to-Peer classes. We now have seven (7) Peer-to-Peer State trainers.

Peer-to-Peer is a unique, experiential learning program for people with any serious mental illness who are interested in establishing and maintaining their wellness and recovery. It is taught by a team of three trained "Mentors" who are personally experienced at living well with mental illness. Participants receive hand-out materials, as well as many other tangible resources: an advance directive; a "relapse prevention plan" to help identify tell-tale feelings, thoughts, behavior, or events that may warn of impending relapse and to organize for intervention; mindfulness exercises to help focus and calm thinking; and survival skills for working with providers and the general public.

In March 2007, the NAMI Central MS Affiliate sponsored a booth at the Annual State Conference of the Mississippi Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASWMS) at the Hilton Hotel in Jackson, MS.  Members distributed brochures and information on NAMI programs and made many new contacts.

Then in April, Janice Sandefur, Executive Director of NASWMS, and H. L. "Hank" Rainer, LMSW, spoke about the important rolls Social Workers play in mental health care at the monthly Affiliate meeting.

Affiliate members also helped the state office man the NAMI booth at the SMHART Conference sponsored by Jackson State University which focused on how to better serve underserved populations.

Many thanks to all who volunteered their time.