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NAMI COBB
Welcome to our family of National Alliance for Mental Illness - NAMI Cobb!
Our group works to be a wealth of information to you the consumer, the family member, the friends and relatives of those dealing with day to day issues of living with a Mental Illness.
Come join us: we are here to help educate, support, and point you to information you might need. If you have ideas or an article that may be of interest for newsletter please pass those on to John Avery, listed below.
NAMI Cobb Leadership Team
President -- Neill Blake 770-427-5353 [email protected]
1st Vice-President – Pam Burton
2nd Vice-President – Nancy Spetnagel [email protected]
Secretary - Sylvia Oliphant [email protected]
Treasurer and Parliamentarian– Paul
Wiser [email protected]
Past President/Membership Chair Robert Gray [email protected]
LT/Newsletter Editor – John Avery
LT/Website Management Chair: Tim Link [email protected]
NAMI Walk/Communications Chair – Ashley Burton
Website: www.namicobb.org
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address: NAMI-Cobb P.O. Box 999 Kennesaw, GA 30156
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E
1 NAMI Cobb Education Meeting/Guest Speaker
2 President’s Message
3 NAMI Cobb Annual Membership Meeting and Elections
4 Guest Speaker Lt Becky Westenberger
5 NAMI Cobb Activities / Research News
6 Cobb County Sheriff’s Department hosts CIT Training
7 News and Commentary from the Treatment Advocacy Center
8/9/10 Announcements
11 Meeting and Membership Information
Newsletter Date Volume 1 Issue 1 March 2015 FRESH START
Next Educational Meeting: Lt Becky Westenberger
March 19, 2014
Lt. Becky Westenberger has worked for Cobb County Sheriff's
Office since May 1997 and has worked her way up through the
ranks where she currently hold the rank of Lieutenant. She started
in a civilian position and soon after become deputy sheriff. Since
that time she has worked the Detention Facility, Court Security,
Public Outreach, Internal Affairs and Warrant Division. She is
currently the Lieutenant over Cobb County Sheriff's Office
Training Unit. Lt Westenberger also coordinates the CIT Training
program and has two more trainings scheduled in 2015.
There are a limited number of parking spots in the church courtyard adjoining the Parish Hall; additional parking is available on the streets in front of and along the side of the church as well as in a parking lot across the railroad tracks adjacent to the church. We extend a warm welcome for all in the community to join us. We hope to see you there
We meet in the Parish Hall at St. James Episcopal Church, 161
Church Street in Marietta. The doors open at 7:00 p.m. for
registration, refreshments and fellowship. The meeting and program begin at 7:30 p.m. and conclude by 9:00 p.m.
Page 2 Fresh Start
President’s Letter
Our Annual Membership Meeting and election of officers will be held this Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall at St James Episcopal Church just prior to our monthly Educational Speaker Series. The list of candidates for office proposed by the Nominating Committee is included in this newsletter – each of these individuals has agreed to serve in this capacity if elected. Any current member may propose himself or herself or another current member who is willing to serve as an officer if elected by emailing or telephoning me at [email protected] or 770-427-5353. Interested candidates should communicate their desire to run for office before midnight on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 in order to be placed on the ballot. Have you ever wondered what might happen if law enforcement assistance is needed in a mental health crisis? This month’s speaker in our Educational Speaker Series will be Lt. Rebekah Westenberger with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. After the Annual Meeting and Election of Officers at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday, March 19, 2015, Lt. Westenberger will address what we should do and what to avoid doing when law enforcement intervention is needed for a mental health situation. She will also discuss the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program that equips officers to de-escalate a mental health crisis. We all hope that law enforcement intervention is something that we personally never need to use, but it is good to be informed and prepared if the need should arise. In light of recent headlines, this is a very timely program for us all! NAMI Cobb recently sponsored a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training class with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities on February 23-27, 2015. CIT training is a 40-hour mental health training program that began in 1988 and now is in place across most of the United States. We plan to sponsor several more CIT trainings in Cobb County this year. Did you know that in the event of a mental health crisis, public mental health and addictive services are offered by contacting the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 1-800-715-4225? This free service sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources is available 24/7 for both crisis and helpline assistance. The CGAL call center will assess crisis situations over the phone and send out a mobile crisis response team to the consumer’s location for a face-to-face assessment as needed. In addition, they can fast-track someone into the community mental health system (the Cobb-Douglas Community Services Board) or an inpatient setting as needed. If emergency assistance is needed for an individual in immediate danger to themselves or others, the call will be “warm” transferred to the closest 911 dispatch center. This is when CIT officer assistance should be requested. For less intense mental health needs, individuals in need of routine helpline services can call this GCAL phone line to schedule appointments with local community mental health service providers through the Cobb-Douglas Community Services Board. As a reminder, our weekly support groups are continuing to go strong! These meet every Monday from 7-8:30 p.m. at Marietta First Presbyterian Church; the Connections Recovery Group for individuals with a mental health diagnosis meets in Room 231 and the Family Care & Share Group for those who have a loved one living with mental illness meets in Room 232. These are drop-in groups so please come join us anytime you need some extra support! I hope to see each of you at this month’s Annual Membership Meeting and Educational Speaker Series featuring Lt. Westenberger. She has a great program prepared for us!
Neill Blake, President NAMI Cobb
Fresh Start Page 3
NAMI COBB ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Event Date/Time: March 19, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. James Episcopal Church Parish Hall
161 Church Street
Marietta, GA 30060
Agenda:
Reading of Minutes from the 2014 Annual Meeting
Treasurer’s Report and Committee Reports
Election of officers for three-year term of office
2015-2016 Slate of Officers:
President: Neill Blake (Class of 2016)
1st Vice President/Website Chair: Tim Link* (Class of 2015)
2nd Vice President/Communications Chair: Greg Ausham*
Secretary: Ashley Burton (Class of 2016)
Treasurer and Parliamentarian: Paul Wiser* (Class of 2015)
Leadership Team: Directors and Committee Chairs
Member At Large/Education Committee Chair: Pam Burton (Class of 2017)
Member At Large/Newsletter Editor & CIT: John Avery (Class of 2017)
Member at Large/Hospitality Committee Chair: Nancy Spetnagel (Class of 2017)
Member At Large/Advocacy Committee Chair: Sylvia Oliphant (Class of 2016)
Membership Committee Chair: Robert Gray
Fundraising Committee Chair: Reina Pantaleon
* Candidate for Office; officers are elected by the membership of NAMI Cobb
Page 4 Fresh Start
Education Speaker Series Presents:
Lt. Becky Westenberger from the Cobb County Sheriff’s department joins us to discuss the Crisis Intervention
Training program. Lt. Westenberger joined the Sheriff’s department in May 1997 and has worked her way up
through the rank. She started in a civilian position and soon after become deputy sheriff. Since that time she
has worked the Detention Facility, Court Security, Public Outreach, Internal Affairs and Warrant Division. She
is currently the Lieutenant over Cobb County Sheriff's Office Training Unit.
Lt. Westenberger attended a CIT class in 2008 as a Hostage Negotiator and had an eye opening
experience. This class helped her see and understand that mental illness is an illness no different than cancer
or diabetes. In addition, she feels very strongly that law enforcement needs to become more educated on the
topic of mental illness and work towards getting the individual some help verses automatically taking them to
jail. Law enforcement comes in contact with individuals who are mentally ill more often and unfortunately the
officer is not aware of the resources where the consumer can get help. Hopefully CIT class can both educate
and inform the officers there are more options to utilize.
This event is a FREE community service; all are welcome!
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Doors open at 7:00 pm; the meeting will be from 7:30-9:00 p.m. St James Episcopal Church Parish Hall
161 Church St Marietta 30060
Fresh Start Page 5
NAMI Cobb Activities
NAMI Connections Weekly Support Group
Our NAMI Connections Support Group for persons with a mental health diagnosis continues to meet every Monday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Room 231 at First Presbyterian Church located at 189 Church Street in Marietta. We have a good core group of people who are committed to living in wellness - please come join this drop-in group any Monday or every Monday! Contact Ashley Burton at 404-936-3887 for more information.
Family Care & Share Weekly Support Group
Our Family Care and Share Support Group is a drop-in group for family members and caregivers for someone with a
mental health diagnosis. The group meets every Monday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Room 232 at First Presbyterian Church, 189 Church St in Marietta. If your family member is in crisis, come any or every Monday to receive support from others. And if your family member is doing well, please come to give your support and share your experiences with others! Contact Greg Ausham at 330-801-0328, Susie Allen at 770-565-4335 or Sylvia Oliphant at678-471-5907 for more
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Be a Partner in Clinical Research
Whether you’re healthy or sick, young or old, you’re probably eligible to participate in a clinical study. Learn how you can help improve medical care. (From NIH News in Health) at
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/mar2015/feature1
RESEARCH STUDIES
Carman Research has been running clinical trials in various
indications for over 3 decades in Smyrna (studies in
depression, bipolar disease, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety
Disorder and countless other indications), but we are really
excited to announce that we now have two Alzheimer
disease studies as well as a geriatric depression study. We
have been involved in pivotal dementia studies leading to
the FDA approval of medications such as Aricept, Exelon
and Namenda.
We are located on the campus of Ridgeview Institute,
neighboring with the friendly folks at Woodland Ridge. If a
subject consents and qualifies, we may offer a diagnostic
workup at no cost (depending on the study, this may
include an Amyloid PET scan; full neuropsychology
battery; psychiatric evaluation, brain MRI, free eye exam
among other invaluable services). Additionally, upon
consent, there is compensation for time and travel to study
visits.
We are looking for those with agitation associated with
dementia of the Alzheimer's type. We are also looking for
those with early Alzheimer's disease or with mild dementia
of the Alzheimer's type. Our depression study focuses on
elderly patients with major depressive disorder with an
inadequate response to antidepressant treatment. To find
out more about these trials specifically, you can visit
www.clinicaltrials.gov.
If you would like to learn more about our studies, have
questions, are worried about your depression/looking for an
assessment for your mild memory complaints, please feel
free to call us at 770-333-0093, email
[email protected] or visit
www.CarmanResearch.com & fill out a
eligibility questionnaire.
Page 6 Fresh Start
During the week of February 23 thru February 27, 2015, law enforcement officers from Cobb County, Paulding
County, Douglas County, Kennesaw and WellStar Healthcare Security traveled to the North Central Georgia
Law Enforcement Academy in Austell, Ga to take part in a 40 hour CIT training provided by NAMI Georgia.
Our NAMI Georgia Cobb Affiliate supported the week of activities with refreshments, homemade baked goods,
several lunches and resource materials. Numerous members of NAMI Cobb, came to visit and learn about the
CIT process.
Neill Blake, NAMI Cobb Leadership Team President, was in attendance the whole week and gave a
presentation on family perspectives and her personal journey as it related to mental illness. Robert Gray,
Leadership Team member and Membership Chair, gave an In Our Own Voice presentation during which time
he was able to give his story and personal account of mental illness in his life. John Avery, Leadership Team
member and NAMI GA CIT Facilitator, was called upon to fill in and gave a presentation on PTSD.
The determination of the class to learn was evident in the many challenges that were faced during the week.
Most of these were weather related and caused schedule changes and presenter cancellations. Due to the hard
work of the class coordinator, Lt Becky Westenberger, the NAMI GA CIT Region One Coordinator Bonnie
Moore and NAMI Cobb President Neill Blake all of those challenges were met and successfully negotiated.
Neil Blake, Lt Becky Westenberger Honorable Mary Staley Neill Blake, Family Perspectives
North Central Georgia Field Trip Transportation Graduating Class Picture
Law Enforcement Academy
The Leadership Team of NAMI Cobb would like to express our thank you to the NAMI Cobb families who
joined us and provided wonderful lunches to the attendees and staff, to those who donated their time to make
this a successful class and to those who worked tirelessly to make this training successful.
Fresh Start Page 7
News and Commentary from the Treatment Advocacy Center February 23 - February 27, 2015 To get news as soon as we post it, follow us on Facebook or Twitter. "Five Priorities for Addressing Mental Illness" - guest column “I'm tired of hearing stories from suffering families,” writes Liza Long. “It's time for the experts to sit down and have a real conversation about mental illness.” READ IT ALL... at
http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/69-no-state/2782-five-
priorities-for-addressing-mental-illness-guest-column "Severe Mental Illness Brought My Son to His Knees" - personally speaking I am forced to live without my son. It’s still difficult to talk about what happened to Joshua, but I’m speaking up to help others. Senator Murphy’s bill would clarify HIPAA and help hurting people like my son and my family. READ IT
ALL... at http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/69-no-state/2780-
severe-mental-illness-brought-my-son-to-his-knees-personally-speaking "Homeless Need a Better Solution" Staff at the Salvation Army homeless shelter in Chicago are worried after noticing a drop in the number of people seeking shelter from bitter cold temperatures this week. People with untreated serious mental illness comprise approximately one-third of the total homeless population. They are even more vulnerable this winter. READ IT ALL...
at http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/93-il/2781-homeless-need-a-
better-solution "More Mental Health Courts, More 'Human Kindness'" Paton Blough spoke candidly to a Senate subcommittee last week about the criminal acts he committed while suffering from untreated bipolar disorder and urged support for a proposal that would establish more mental health courts in South Carolina. Indeed, increasing the number of mental health courts is not only the smart thing to do, it is the kind
thing to do. READ IT ALL... at http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/121-
sc/2779-more-mental-health-courts-more-human-kindness "The Modern Asylum" “We can’t continue to abandon our most vulnerable citizens in the name of autonomy,” argues Christine Montross, in an op-ed for the New York Times. Montross is correct. The elimination of hospital beds for people who are psychotic or otherwise acutely or chronically disabled by severe mental illness endangers them and society at large. READ IT ALL...
at http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/69-no-state/2777-the-
modern-asylum "Her Name Was Kylee Forrest" Justin Michael Chisum, 29, has been charged with murdering his 4-year-old daughter, Kylee Forrest, in what police described as a “violent attack” in Lubbock, Texas. The shortage of public psychiatric beds contributes to a number of costly and sometimes dangerous social problems, including increased violence. READ IT ALL... at
http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/124-tx/2769-her-name-was-
kylee-forrest If you have a letter or commentary published, please email a link or a copy to [email protected] so we can save it, acknowledge your reform efforts and share it with others.
Page 8 Fresh Start
Mental Health First Aid Trained
Sylvia Oliphant receives Mental Health First
Aid Certificate from Metro Atlanta Chapter of
the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
The training covered Psychosis, Medication,
Addiction and Diagnosis. Mental Health First
Aid course teaches you the risk factors and
warning signs and strategies for how to help
someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
Anyone can take this course and the next class
is approaching.
Register here:
https://afsp.wufoo.com/forms/m1o2rfjd1yqowb4/
Fresh Start Page 9
Family-to-Family Class Coming in April 2015
The Atlanta VA Medical Center is pleased to continue the community partnership with NAMI and to
work together to serve family members of veterans who live with mental illnesses such as PTSD,
Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia. The NAMI Family-to-Family Education
Program is a free 12-week course for family members (over 18 years of age) and is taught by a
trained family member with shared experiences. The course was designated as an Evidenced-Based
Practice in 2013 by SAMHSA. Examples of course topics include education about mental illness,
communication, problem-solving, resources, collaboration with treatment providers, and self-
care. Testimonials from past participants speak to how the course provides support, understanding,
and hope while working towards improved knowledge and family relationships.
Next Course Starts on Tuesday, April 7, 6 pm – 8:30 pm
For more information or to sign-up, the interested family member should contact:
Dr. Erin Elliott, Staff Psychologist, 404-321-6111, ext. 6011
Class Location:
GB 151, Mental Health Clinic, Ground Floor Atlanta VAMC
1670 Clairmont Road
Decatur, GA 30033
Page 10 Fresh Start
At the 2015 NAMI National Convention we will Embrace the Future!
The program will offer more than 65 outstanding convention sessions: Here is a sampling of just
some of the excellent presentations you will be able to choose from. For details about the daily
schedule click here.
The 2015 NAMI National Convention will feature: •Top-notch researchers, psychologists and clinicians providing tools and resources to advance and sustain recovery from mental illness. •A program track specifically for youth and young adults. •People living with mental illness and their families providing stories of experience and perspective on recovery. •Fun and educational abundant networking opportunities to learn from one another about improving the lives of all people living with mental illness and their families. •Innovative and important topics about living with mental illness, research currently being done and innovative recovery initiatives.
Hotel Information The Hilton San Francisco Union Square is located in the heart of San Francisco! We have arranged special NAMI hotel rates of $159/single and $165/double, plus tax, per night. To be eligible for these rates, you must make your room reservation no later than May 15. Plan Your Trip Today.
Fresh Start Page 11
Thank you so much for your interest in joining NAMI Cobb Affiliate! Please complete the form below, and mail this with your check made out to
NAMI Cobb. (If you wish to pay by credit card, go to www. nami.org and click on “Become a Member”. You will start receiving our monthly
electronic newsletter within the month. You are also invited to attend our monthly education and support meetings at St. James Episcopal Church in
Marietta, 161 Church St. NE, on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm (there is a time to look at resources and brochures at 7pm). You are not
alone. Come join us.
NAMI Cobb March 2015
P.O. Box 999
Kennesaw, GA 30156
TO:
Yes, I would like to join NAMI Cobb of Georgia! Date:____________________
New
Renewal
$3 Financial Hardship Membership
(Please note there has been a slight increase in membership fees nationally).
___________Donation (I would like to give an additional donation
to support NAMI-Cobb programming and outreach) Name(s):______________________________________
Address:______________________________________
_______________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: _______________________________________
I am interested in volunteering. My skill is ________________________.
NEW LOCATION AND MEETING
DAY
Family Care and Share Support Group
For families of those with a mental illness
1st Presbyterian Church
189 Church St
Marietta, GA
MONDAYS Time: 7-8:30 PM
Susie Allen 770-565-4335
Greg Ausham 330-801-0328
Sylvia Oliphant 678-471-5907
Monthly NAMI Cobb General Meeting
March 19, 2014
St. James Episcopal Church
161 Church St, Marietta
7:00 PM Networking/Social
7:30 PM Program
**Please mail this form along with your check to:
NAMI Cobb, P.O. Box 999 Kennesaw, GA 30156
Thank you for your membership!
