The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia:

Strength through experience

Mental health problems are result of poor parenting, poverty or evil spirits.

People with mental health problems are violent and unpredictable.

People with mental health problems can snap out of it if they try hard enough.

There is no hope for people with mental health problems.

Mental health problems don't affect me.

The Facts: Mental Health Statistics

• 1 in 5 children and adults live with a mental health condition.

• 50% of all mental health disorders begin by 14 years old, and 75% by age 24.

• On average, 10 years pass between onset of first symptom and seeking treatment.

• Nearly 60% of adults and 50% of youth in need of services were unable to receive treatment in the prior year.

• 10x more likely to be the victims of violence than commit violence.

• 26% of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness.

• 24% of state incarcerated individuals have “a recent history” of a mental health condition and 70% of youth in a juvenile justice system.

• Minority communities face especially challenging obstacles to treatment including more stigma, less access to treatment/insurance, poorer quality of care, cultural insensitivity and discrimination.

VS

• Can you think of a slang word for someone with mental illness?

• Name adjectives or characteristics of someone with mental illness?

• How does the media portray mental illness?

The ‘No Casserole’ Illness

Stigma is defined as a sign of disgrace of discredit that sets a person apart. Negative language and attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination. Stigma brings experiences and feelings of:

• Shame• Blame• Isolation• Hopelessness• Misrepresentation in the media• Reluctance to seek and/or accept

necessary help

Stigma: Major Barrier

A Report of the Surgeon General identified stigma as one of the major barriers that discourages adults with mental illnesses, and the families

of children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders from seeking treatment.

• Individuals• Self-stigma and shame lead to isolation and denial

• Families• Lack of family conversations, early recognition, understanding of where to find help, ability

to find support as a caregiver

• Communities• Limited community based funding, services, parity

Stigma: Hard hitting

The impact of mental health stigma on the US is staggering:

• Lost productivity ($193 Billion every year in income)

• Lost lives (suicide occurs, on average, every 15 min in US)

• Cost to provide crisis care, jails, etc. ($31,000 per person cost to jail annually, average wait for a mental health appointment is 3 months, emergency department visits cost $1,200)

So WHAT IS

a Mental Health Disorders/Conditions?

What are mental health disorders?

• When the brain is not functioning properly, the primary systems involved include

• Thinking difficulties or problems focusing attention

• Extreme emotional highs and lows

• Sleeping problems

• When these symptoms significantly disrupt a person’s life and daily functioning, we say that the person has a mental health disorder, mental health condition, or mental illness.

Most Severe Mental Health Conditions

• Serious Mental Illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

• As specifically and narrowly defined in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM 5) this includes • schizophrenia-spectrum disorders• severe bipolar disorder• severe major depression

• However, when other mental illnesses cause significant functional impairment and substantially limit major life activities they also count as a serious mental illness. These primarily include:• Thinking or Cognitive Functioning (hallucinations)• Feeling or Mood (extremes, regulation)

So WHAT CAUSES

Mental Health Disorders/Conditions?

It’s Complicated!

Genetics + Environment + Brain Disorder

‘The brain is an organ of surreal complexity’– Dr Insel, immediate past Director of the National Institute on Mental

Health

Treatment: Individualized Balancing Act

May include an array of elements including:

• Traditional treatment – psychotherapy therapies

• Non-traditional therapies –meditation

• Medication

• Routine and structure

• Health lifestyle – exercise, sleep, nutritional foods

• Informal sources of support – family, friends, support groups

• Hope

Recovery: It’s a Journey

• Because of the array of challenges facing management of a mental health disorder, it is commonly viewed as a journey vs a single treatment.

• Recovery is the term commonly used to describe that journey. The process by which people live, work, learn and participate fully in community with a mental health condition, achieving satisfaction and meaning in life.

Major Dimensions that Support a Life in Recovery: • Health - overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) or symptoms.

• Home - stable and safe place to live .

• Purpose - meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society.

• Community - relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

Recovery is a Personal Journey

• Resiliency - Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress, "bouncing back“. It involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.

• Empowerment – The many elements that lead one to feel in control of one’s destiny. Related to having decision making power, accesses to information and resources, having a range of options, assertiveness, feeling connected and supported.

• Wellness - Maintaining an overall quality of life and the pursuit of optimal emotional, mental, and physical health.

Why does NAMI exist?

To improve the lives impacted by mental health conditions –

Everyone deserves the opportunity for recovery

(youth, adults and their families/loved ones)

How we do we improve lives?

We use our experiences to promote the real faces of those impacted by mental health conditions

• to combat stigma and prejudice• to advocate for service and resources• to offer hope and connection to overcome the isolation • to empower individuals to be able to advocate for

themselves and others not yet at that point

Challenging Journeys are Hardest Alone

Peers offer hope by providing the proof that science and technology cannot yet offer

NAMI uses the lived experiences of individuals and families touched by mental health to educate, inspire, support and guide others,

and to provide community and connection that

combats the isolation stigma causes

Empathy vs sympathy

So What IS NAMI?• Who are we? Families, individuals, professionals,

supporters

• What do we do? Promote mental health recovery through support, education and advocacy across the lifespan

• What do we believe? Everyone deserves the opportunity for recovery

• What is our vision? A world free of stigma and discrimination where all people impacted by mental illness get the help, hope and support they need

We challenge the stigma and offer hope, because no one should feel alone

NAMI’s History

•NAMI was founded in the late 1970’s by family members who felt alone and frustrated and wanted to use their experiences to change the system.

•As NAMI has evolved, interest and membership has extended beyond parents to include spouses, siblings, children and friends of people with mental illness, people with mental illness, youth and young adults with mental health needs, and mental health care professionals.

•NAMI has thousands of local members and affiliates across the country working to promote mental health.

•Nationally, NAMI has become the largest grassroots mental health advocacy group in the country.

How does NAMI work?

•There are three levels to NAMI

•At the national level, there is NAMI

•At the state level, there are state organizations – In Virginia, it’s NAMI Virginia

•At the local level, there are local affiliates – In Virginia, we have 14 local affiliates

How does NAMI work?Each level has a role to play

NAMI NAMI Virginia Local Affiliate

Sets the tone and direction for NAMI as a whole

Sets standards, such as branding and communications, for the state organization and local affiliates to follow

Develops and coordinates NAMI’s Signature Education and Support Programs

Advocates for mental health policy and promotes mental health awareness and education at the national level

Sets the tone and direction for NAMI in Virginia

Reinforces standards that NAMI sets with our local affiliates

Oversees NAMI’s Signature Education and Support Programs, which includes training the facilitators and teachers for the programs and supporting affiliates in implementing the programs

Advocates for mental health policy and promotes mental health awareness and education at the state level

Sets the tone and direction for NAMI in its community

Adheres to standards that NAMI sets

Implements NAMI’s Signature Education and Support Programs at the local level, including scheduling classes and support groups and recruiting facilitators and teachers for the programs

Advocates for mental health policy and promotes mental health awareness and education at the local level

NAMI Virginia: What do we bring to the table?

• Only VA organization to offer education and support programming for individuals and families affected by mental illness across the lifespan.

• Leaders in peer support.

• Inclusive in our membership and approach to addressing mental health reform and stigma.

• Rich in the lived experience and use that expertise to support peers and inform policy makers and push for changes in the mental health care system.

NAMI Programs in Virginia

For Adults Living With A Mental Illness:

• NAMI Peer to Peer - Free 8 week educational course for individuals living with a mental health diagnosis who wish to improve on their knowledge, tools and skills towards living well.

• NAMI Connections - 90 minute, free, confidential and anonymous support group for individuals living with a mental health diagnosis.

NAMI Programs in VirginiaFor Families of Adults:

NAMI Family to Family - Free 12-week educational course for family members of adult individuals living with a mental health diagnosis who wish to learn how to better support and advocate for their loved one.

NAMI Family Support Groups - 90 minute, free, confidential and anonymous support group for family and friends of individuals living with a mental health diagnosis.

NAMI Homefront - a free, 6 class education program for families, caregivers and friends of military service members and vets living with a mental health condition.

NAMI Programs in VirginiaFor Families of Youth and Children:NAMI Basics - Free 3 or 6 week educational course

focusing on more advanced content and tools for parents and primary caregivers of children and youth experiencing mental health conditions.

Children’s Challenging Behaviors – an introductory 6 hour workshop for parents of children and youth with mental health needs.

NAMI Programs in VirginiaFor Youth and Young Adults:

• NAMI Ending the Silence for Students - In-school presentation about mental health awareness designed for middle and high school students.

• NAMI On Campus – Student-run groups geared at promoting support, education and awareness around mental health on university campuses.

• Youth Groups – Activity-based groups for high school youth geared at providing community and resiliency skills. Led by trained young adults with lived experience and an adult ally.

NAMI Programs in VirginiaFor the Community:• NAMI In Our Own Voice - Free 40 or 60 minute

presentation for any audience where two individuals share their personal journey living with mental illness from the dark days to their current level of recovery and dreams for tomorrow.

• NAMI Ending the Silence for Parents and School Professionals - In-school presentation about youth mental health designed for either middle and high school staff and personnel or parents/caregivers.

NAMI Programs in VirginiaFor the Community:

• Helpline - A toll-free HelpLine to provide information and resources to callers who are seeking information about mental illness topics. It’s not a crisis or warm line.

• Facebook – Social media platform where we provide an array of events and resources pertinent to mental health recovery and advocacy efforts.

• NAMIWalks Virginia - Brings together families, friends, neighbors and communities to raise crucial funds and awareness for NAMI Virginia and our affiliates annually. This year’s walk is Saturday, October 5, 2019.

Other Programs

• Virginia Family Network – a statewide network of families who support, educate, and empower other families with children and youth with mental health needs while also promoting family-driven and youth-guided policy throughout the child-serving systems.

• Youth MOVE Virginia – a grassroots peer network for youth and young adults to be empowered, active guides in their own care, while advocating for mental health policy and programs that are specific to their unique needs and experiences.

Our Impact in 2018• In partnership with our 14 local affiliates and community

volunteers, 22,000 youth, adults, and families were served through free of cost support groups and education programs.

• 2,000 Virginians served through the NAMI Virginia statewide HelpLine.

• Legislative advocacy:• New and additional funding for mental health services• Strengthening of mental health laws and system accountability

Join us!• When you join NAMI, you become a member of all three levels and

help support our local programing and aid us in our advocacy strength• Membership levels

• Household Membership - $60• Individual Membership - $40• Open Door Membership - $5

• Stay informed, stay engaged• Helpline - 1-888-486-8264• Website - www.namivirginia.org• Join our e-newsletter (www.namivirginia.org/newsletter)• Follow us on Facebook or Instagram

Thank you!

Sarah Wilson, MSW CVA

Assistant Director

NAMI Virginia

804-285-8264 x203

swilson@namivirginia.org

www.namivirginia.org