The County’s Voice on Mental Illness

newsletter

11718 Parklawn Drive Rockville, MD 20852301-949-5852 | www.namimc.org

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Montgomery County (NAMI MC) is excited to announce we will be hosting a community festival on Sunday, May 3rd from 12pm to 4pm in the NAMI MC parking lot (located at 11718 Parklawn Dr.) to:

Want to see your name on the next newsletter? Email megan@namimc.org for sponsorship opportunities

What is NAMI MC

Mental Health Awareness Month?

Launch the NAMI MC Thrift Shop grand-reopening; Thrift Shop sales constitute 30% of our annual funding which allows us to provide free programs to all affected by mental illness in our community. We would like to boost that percentage through increased donations and sales to 50% of our annual funding.

Help raise awareness about mental illness and the services that NAMI MC provides to the community, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Other non-profits will be on site to provide resources.

Register walkers for the NAMI Walks Maryland fundraising event held in Baltimore on May 16th.

Celebrate the end of winter and reach out to local community members for a family-friendly fun time!

doing for

INSIDE THE ISSUE Announcements NAMI Programs/ Letter from ED Calendar Spotlight on NAMI Veterans MHAW at Blair High School NAMI EN ESPAÑOL Photo Page NAMI Thrift Shop

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Special Thanks to our newsletter donor

this month, Evelyn Burton, in honor of Gil & Deb Knight. We couldn’t do what we do

without you!

to Barb & Don Reed for an inspiring and useful F2F class. Your compassion and

knowledge will be helping our families for years to come.

With love,Your friends in the Winter 2015 F2F class

Many Thanks1

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Dear NAMI MC Members,

NAMI MC has seen many changes since the New Year. We’ve brought an evidence-based suicide prevention program called Sources of Strength to three area high schools, we’ve brought on three new staff members, we’ve introduced another new program called NAMI Homefront for the family members of active duty service members and veterans living with mental illness, and we had a very successful Advocacy Day in Annapolis on Jan 29. Let me just briefly recap each of these:

From Jan 26-30, NAMI MC brought Sources of Strength National Trainer Dan Adams in from Colorado to conduct the first round of trainings for the official rollout of our Sources of Strength implementation along with partnering organization Umttr. We’re still reveling in the immense amount of positive energy generated from this week of implementation in three area high schools – Bethesda Chevy Chase, Springbrook and Wootton – and are excited to bring the program to Churchill this month and more schools this fall.

I also want to give a very warm welcome to our three newest staff members: Julianne Grothe, Ilyane Roey and Mark Reed. Julianne was our intern last fall and is now joining our staff as Youth Program Coordinator & Office Manager. Mark Reed has joined us as a Thrift Shop Manager and Ilyane Roey has joined us as the Thrift Shop Marketing Director. Please read more about Julianne on page 5 and more about Mark & Ilyane’s new plan for the thrift store in our cover story.

NAMI MC is also very excited to announce the unveiling of a new NAMI program that NAMI MC is piloting: NAMI Homefront. The first class will be held at the Mental Health Association in Rockville on Monday evenings at 6:30 starting on March 2. Additionally, another Family to Family class will be beginning in March. Please visit www.namimc.org for further details and links to register for the classes. If you don’t have access to a computer, just call the office and ask for Nicole Lucas, our Program Director.

Last but definitely not least, we had a successful Advocacy Day in Annapolis this January thanks to much hard work from NAMI MC Advocacy Director Elyssa Diamond, NAMI Maryland’s Policy & Advocacy Director Jessica Honke as well as numerous volunteers. Thanks so much to everyone who made this year’s Advocacy Day a success.

I’m very excited for what’s ahead in 2015 and hope you’ll be apart of our mission in this new year. Don’t miss our March & April general education meetings: the March 12 meeting will feature art therapy and the April 9 event will tackle the issues of IEPs and guardianship.

Best regards,

For General Public Awareness:General Education Meetings - presentationAwareness in the Workplace - presentation/classIn Our Own Voice - presentationNewsletter Helpline - 301.949.5852 Mon-Fri 10am-2pm

For Family Members of Individuals Living with Mental Illness:Family-to-Family - 12 session classFamily Support Groups

For Individuals Living with Mental Illness:Peer-to-Peer - 10 session classConnection Recovery Support Groups

For Parents & Teachers of Children & Adolescents:NAMI Basics - 6 session classParents and Teachers as Allies - presentation

For Adolescents:Ending the Silence - presentationSources of Strength - in school support program

For Young Adults:NAMI on campus - club

For Family & Friends & Caregivers of Seniors:Side by Side - series/class - Coming Soon!

For Family & Caregivers of Veterans or Service Members:NAMI Homefront - 6 session class

For Veterans Living with Mental Illness:Connection Recovery Support Group

For Police:CIT Training - presentation

For Mental Health Care Providers:Provider Education - 5 session class - Coming Soon!

For Spanish Speaking Communities:Compartiendo Esperanza - presentationEn Nuestra Propia Voz - presentation - Coming Soon!Padres y Maestros Como Aliados - presentationFamilia-a-Familia - 12 session classPersona-a-Persona - 10 session class - Coming Soon!Bases y Fundamentos - 6 session classGrupos de Apoyo

For African American Communities:Sharing Hope - presentation

For Faith Based Communities:Sharing Hope - presentationCompartiendo Esperanza - presentation

Advocacy:Smarts for Advocacy - workshop Ambassadors Training - workshop

NAMI Program List: Ever Expanding!What’s New with NAMI MC & What’s to Come SoonFrom the NAMI MC Executive Director

may 2014Please visit www.namimc.org for calendar updates!

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ NAMI MC Office

7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ The Bullis School

7:00 pm De Familia a Familia @ Family Services, Inc.

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7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ Family Services, Inc.

7:00 pm Family Support Group @ St. James Episcopal Church

7:00 pm Peer-to-Peer @ NAMI MC Office

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ The Bullis School

7:00 pm Spouse Support Group @ NAMI MC office

7:00 pm Grupo de Apoyo Familiar en Espanol @ NAMI MC Office

3:00 pm NAMIConnection @ Silver Spring Wellness Center

9:00 am NAMI Walks Maryland! @ VenueBaltimore Inner Harbor

7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ Family Services, Inc.

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ Adult Behavioral Health Program Building

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ NAMI MC Office

9:30 am Family Support Group @ MedStar Mont. Med Center

3:00 pm NAMIConnection @ Silver Spring Wellness Center

12:00 pm NAMI MC Bazaar! Thrift Shop Grand Re-Opening!

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ The Bullis School

7:00 pm De Familia a Familia @ Family Services, Inc.

7:00 pm Family-to-Family @ The Bullis School

7:00 pm De Familia a Familia @ Family Services, Inc.

2:30 pm Family Support Group @ Rockville Uniterian Universalist Church

7:00 pm Peer-to-Peer @ NAMI MC Office

7:30 pm General Education meeting @ NAMI MC Office

7:00 pm NAMI Connection @ Adult Behavioral Health Program Building

7:00 pm Peer-to-Peer @ NAMI MC Office

Save the Date: April 9 General Education: In-School Accommodations & Long-Term PlanningSave the Date: May 14 General Education: New Schizophrenia Treatment Options

Save the Date: June 11th @ 7:00pm NAMI MC Annual MeetingSave the Date: October 9 Heroes 2015 "Everyone Has A Story" Gala ft. Diane Rehm, Jessie Close & Pete Earley

Family to Family: Class starting May 4th. Visit namimc.org to register.Familia a Familia: Class starting April 14th. Llame a Stephanie Del Cid para registrarse, (301) 949-5852, ext. 103

A Road to Recovery: NAMI MC’s Sam Walinsky in conversation with Megan Pauly

Sam Walinsky is NAMI MC’s newest board member, but he has been around for many years, leading NAMI MC Connections support groups. He is an Army Veteran, having earned a commission from ROTC at Temple University in Philadelphia. He went in as a second lieutenant in 1961 and I served until 1975 having risen to the rank of major. I spent 6 years in Europe, 10 years in Vietnam and the rest of the time in the states. How was this experience for you Sam?

Some of it was extremely positive, rewarding and satisfying and some of it was not quite so pleasant.

Would you care to elaborate?

I guess my story starts when I came home from my first tour of Vietnam. I was emotional; first of all very sad because of all the people who had not yet gone home and I knew would never go home. But at the same time I was elated that I had made it and was going home to what I thought was a relatively whole existence. What I was to find out years later was that I had become a casualty of war. I was profoundly depressed, I was irritable, I argued and fought at the drop of the hat. I had a lot of difficulty getting along with bosses, supervisors, managers and it caused me to walk out of job after job after job.

When I left the Army I worked for 10 companies in 6 years; I walked out of each one, never fired…I just left. I was instrumental in the destruction of two marriages, I almost drove my only child away from me, I had a great deal of trouble with interpersonal relationships.

Was it PTSD?

I was ultimately – when I retired from the workforce – I began to realize I had a problem. I had been in denial for years; I had the urge to go to the VA and be evaluated and I was in fact diagnosed with PTSD and I began receiving help immediately. I was given therapy – which was excellent – and I was put on medication, which was very helpful. I worked very hard at my recovery and I started doing better and better and became more able to handle symptoms. At one point a therapist, who was aware of my desire to get better, suggested that I start facilitating groups at the VA and as I said my experience there led me to NAMI.

Now I facilitate groups both at NAMI and the VA and I’m involved in a few other programs. It was become my passion and I get a great deal of satisfaction from doing so. The group at the VA is quite unusual in that it’s in a lockdown ward; all of the other groups there are for patients who come in and take programs during the day and then leave at the end of the day after their sessions. I have patients who are committed to the facility, who are all in various stages of crisis.

How is it working with them?

It’s tremendous; they’re just so grateful and so enthusiastic about their recovery. I really like it. I find that about recovery groups in general; I’ve had people tell me that this group changed my life…you saved my life which is probably a stretch but it’s really gratifying to

hear. But the programs are really, really good. They are effective and I see tremendous changes in participants.

So as a result of this I’ve come a long way towards recovery. I now can enjoy interpersonal relationships, I can experience joy and my daughter and I have an incredible relationship. I adore my grandchildren and they me, and my wife and I have a steady, loving marriage. I guess in summary I’m living a happy productive life.

As you know, mental illnesses don’t go away but we (hopefully) develop coping mechanisms which help me deal with the symptoms and I’m doing quite well. Once in a while I get down or I get upset or I become angry and I handle it, I get over it.

How do you feel about NAMI Homefront?

I think it’s wonderful. Those people and the soldiers for whom they are caring certainly could use all the help they could get.

Anything else to add?

I’m proud and excited to be affiliated with NAMI. It’s a wonderful organization and I think it does fabulous things. As of late I think it’s being run in a great direction; management is exceptional.

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Recently I spent a week helping the Student Government Association at Montgomery Blair High School put on a Mental Health Awareness Week. A week like this comes as a necessity in the wake of numerous tragic losses of life to suicide within the Montgomery County Public Schools. Many schools have been seeking speakers, programs, and presentations to get people thinking about such a sensitive topic but the students at Blair High School decided to take matters into their own hands. As I walked into the school on Monday morning I was greeted by massive posters displaying facts and statistics such as “50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14” and “1 in 5 young adults is living with a mental illness”. They had even introduced a hashtag to use on social media “BlairMHAW” (Mental Health Awareness Week). During lunch throughout the week students came up to our table in the cafeteria area, they played Mental Health Jeopardy for candy, took flyers, fact sheets, and resource cards. Students also showed their support and awareness by taking different colored ribbons that represented different mental illnesses. Some wanted to support every cause by taking one of each ribbon, while others rifled through the baskets looking for a specific illness to bring awareness to. The highlight of the week came on the last day where we held an open mic in the school’s media center. Students read poetry, sang songs and played instruments, and shared personal work. We were also able to bring a fantastic young adult speaker who shared his story about his journey with mental illness. When the week was over I felt such a sense of reward being involved with these students, who were so committed to bringing awareness to such sensitive issues that are too often regarded as taboo. The students at Montgomery Blair High School are helping to make waves and change the way society views mental illness and I am so happy NAMI MC was a part of it.

Mental Health Awareness Week at Montgomery Blair High SchoolBy ??

NAMI OFFERING FOR VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES

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Major General David Blackledge has seen multiple deployments to Afghanistan. During one deployment, he sustained back injuries and received rehabilitation in installations around the world as well as at our very own Walter Reed Medical Center here in Bethesda. In an online NAMI interview which took place on Veteran’s Day 2010, he remarked that “combat is a stressful and traumatic situation.” However, the military knows a lot more about making troops physically, rather than mentally, resilient. He should know because he became the one out of every three veterans to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In Major General Blackledge’s case, symptoms of PTSD occurred six to twelve months after returning to the United States for rehabilitation. He remembers flashbacks of his armored tank rolling over and over and others somehow lifting him out. However, others seated near him inside the tank were not as lucky and lost their lives. His PTSD symptoms included trouble sleeping, anger issues, a short-attention span, detachment from loved ones, and feeling it was too hard to be optimistic about the future.

However, now he is taking part in a novel approach to promote the concept of comprehensive soldier fitness – where soldiers are trained to master mental as well as physical resiliency training. His message for troops is that mental health injuries should be taken as seriously as physical injuries. By the time you are reading this, NAMI MC will have kicked off its own program for veterans and their families entitled NAMI HomeFront. Major General Blackledge feels getting mental health treatment has made a “remarkable difference on me and my family.” Now, he feels more optimistic about life and can better handle combat issues. If you are a veteran or a family member, isn’t more optimism just what you need from life right now? Contact NAMI to sign up for NAMI HomeFront today!

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NAMI EN ESPAÑOL

¡BIENVENIDOS a los Programs en Español de NAMI MC!

¿Está viviendo con una enfermedad mental? ¿Tiene un familiar con una enfermedad mental?

Es importante saber que ustedes no están solos. En actualidad, tener una enfermedad mental como depresión, ansiedad, o esquizofrenia, es mas común que nos damos cuenta. Aproximadamente 1 en cada 5 personas va a ser diagnosticado con una enfermedad mental durante su vida. Siete porciento de personas en el EEUU tendrán un episodio de depresión este ano. Las enfermedades afectan a todos; si no le afecta personalmente, puede aftectar a su vecino, su cólega de trabajo, o un familiar.Por eso, no debemos tener miedo o verguenza de hablar de las enfermedades mentales, y pedir ayuda si la necesitamos. Si tenemos una enfermedad física, como diabetes, visitamos al doctor; y cuando tenemos síntomas de una enfermedad mental, debemos ir al doctor también. El doctor puede diagnosticar lo que está pasando, y asegurar que no es algo físico. Puede recomendar una especialista, como un psiquiatra o terapista, que le puede ayudar con medicina o con hablar de la situación.La verdad es que hay tratamiento, y hay la oportunidad de recuperación y vivir una vida productiva. Debemos despedir al estigma, y pedir ayuda con la necesitamos. ¡Puede cambiar la vida al mejor!

¿Qué tipo de servicios ofrece NAMI MC para la comunidad Latina?

¡CONTÁCTENOS CON CUALQUIERA PREGUNTA!

La Coordinadora de Programas Latinos es Elyssa Diamond, MSW. Tiene mucha experiencia con la comunidad Latina, y ha trabajado con el Centro Gilchrist, Enlaces Para el Aprendizaje, y como una voluntari con CASA de Maryland. También, tiene su maestría en trabajo social (MSW), y habla español.

Esta primavera tenemos el placer de tener la ayuda de una Coordinadora Asistente, Stephanie Del Cid, que está completando su práctica para el programa de Salud Mental en el Colegio Montgomery.

1) Línea de Ayuda: (301) 949-5852, ext. 103. Se puede dejar un mensaje, y regresaremos la llamada tan pronto como posible. Tenemos trabajadores de habla hispana para servirles. Podemos proveerles con recursos como los nombres de médicos y terapistas en su área, y también podemos darles información sobre nuestros grupos de apoyo y clases educativas.

2) Grupo de Apoyo en Español: Cada primer y tercer viernes del mes, a las 6:30pm en nuestra oficina en Rockville (11718 Parklawn Drive), nos reunimos para hablar de las dificultades de tener una enfermedad mental, y recibimos apoyo y aviso de personas en la misma situación. El grupo está abierto a personas con una enfermedad mental, y también a familiares. Facilitado por líderes entrenadas, el grupo es gratuito y no necesita registrarse. ¡Venga cuando pueda!

3) “De Familia A Familia:” Una clase de 12 semanas, ésta es una oportunidad magnífica para aprender sobre la variedad de enfermedades mentales que existen, y los síntomas y señales de tenerlas. La clase es para adultos (18+ años) que tienen familiares (también 18+ años) que padecen de una enfermedad mental. Participantes aprenden como cuidar a su ser querido, mientras cuidar a si mismo. Llame a Stephanie Del Cid para registrarse, (301) 949-5852, ext. 103.

*La próxima clase empieza el 14 de abril de 2015 en Gaithersburg en Family Services, Inc. Llámenos para inscribirse y para más información.*

4) “Bases Y Fundamentos:” Una clase de 6 semanas para padres de jóvenes menor de 18 años que se han diagnosticados con una enfermedad mental. Los padres aprenderán como comunicarse mejor con sus hijos, y como reconocer los síntomas de enfermedades mentales en niños y adolescentes. Llame a Elyssa Diamond para registrarse, ext. 103.

5) Una Variedad de Presentaciones: Tenemos muchas presentaciones especiales para ayudar a la comunidad a empezar la conversación sobre la salud mental. Por ejemplo, ofrecemos “Compartiendo Esperanza” para iglesias, y “Padres Y Maestros Como Aliados” para escuelas. Podemos presentar también a organizaciones comunitarias. Llámenos para más información.

Nos alegramos que Edith Salazar todavía sigue siendo facilitadora voluntaria para nuestros programas.

Para más información contacte:Elyssa Diamond: 301-949-5852, x103; email: elyssa@namimc.org Horas de Trabajo: Lunes, Miércoles, Jueves, y Viernes, de 1pm-6pmStephanie Del Cid: 301-949-5852, x103; email: stephaniedelcid@namimc.org Horas de Trabajo: Martes, Miércoles, y Viernes, de 11am-4pm

¡ESTAMOS AQUÍ PARA SERVIRLES! ¡FAVOR DE LLAMARNOS!

Center: Edith Salazar (Latino Program Coordinator) with the “Obamas” at NAMI Convention. Clockwise from upper right: NAMI MC staff celebrating a great Convention, Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy with Stephanie Joseph (Office Administrator), NBC 4 reporter Shomari Stone making a donation to Miriam Christenson (Thrift Shop Manager), Stephanie Rosen (Executive Director) at NBC 4 Changing Minds Town Hall, Nicole Lucas (Director of Programs) giving a Sharing Hope presentation, NAMI MC

volunteers getting a chocolate making tour at SPAGnVOLA, Stephanie Rosen on Let’s Talk Live.

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11718 Parklawn DriveRockville, MD 20852Phone: (301) 949 - 5852Helpline: (301) 949 - 9630comments@namimc.orgwww.namimc.org @NAMIMontgomery County @NAMIMoCo

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THRIFT SHOP(301) 949 - 5731

Shop NAMI MC Thrift Shop!When you donate or shop at the NAMI MC Thrift Shop you are supporting the programs and mission of NAMI MC. All of our programs are free to our community. Support our thrift shop! It supports us!Donations AcceptedMonday - Saturday 11 AM - 6 PMShop Hours

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gil Knight (President) Les Ulanow (Treasurer) Josh Wooldridge (Secretary)Bernard RaicheMimi KressNancy WolfMichael Murray Holly Funger Roberta Petrishko Sam Walinsky - Welcome!

STAFF

Stephanie Rosen, Executive DirectorStephanie Joseph, Finance DirectorMegan Pauly, Communications DirectorNicole Lucas, Director of ProgramsElyssa Diamond, Latino & Advocacy Programs CoordinatorJulianne Grothe, Youth Program Coordinator & Office Manager Mark Reed, Thrift Shop ManagerIlyane Roey, Thrift Shop Marketing Director

Monday - Saturday 11 AM - 6 PM