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NAMI Butler County

In This Issue
NAMI Book Club
F2F Class Registration
Hand to Hand Class Registration
F2F Support Group for Graduates
Mental Health Care to Seniors Expanded
LCOH Teen Program
Connections Support Group
Guardianship Conference
Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program
Featured Article
NAMI Butler County Board of Directors

Chair

James C. Jones
Secretary 

Lewis Kruger
Treasurer
Nancy Young

Suzan Stracke
Betsy Jones
Bebe McCurry
Nancy Holtkamp

NAMI Butler County Office

Executive Director
Sally Fiehrer
Associate Director
Rhonda Benson

5963 Boymel Drive
Fairfield OH 45014

 (513) 860-8387 
(513) 860-8373

Fax: (513) 860-9241

www.namibutler.net

NAMI National Organzation

President
Amand Pandaya, MD
Executive Director

Mike Fitzpatrick


2107 Wilson Blvd.
Ste. 300
Arlington, VA 22201

(703) 524-7600

NAMI Ohio

President
Rory McGuiness
 
Executive Director
Jim Mauro

747 E. Broad Street
Columbus OH 43215

1-800-686-2646

Join Our Mailing List
Next Meeting Date:
Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
at Transitional Living, Inc., 2052 Princeton Road in Hamilton
Greetings!

Please join us for the next NAMI meeting to hear local speakers, get answers to questions, share stories and find support.  The featured presentation begins at 7:00 p.m.
 
August Featured Topic:  Andrea Taylor Smith, author, artist, and public speaker discusses her book on childhood trauma and onset of mental illness.  She presents a powerpoint of her unique approach to recovery.   Andrea won an Eli Lily $5,000 award for a charity of her choice for her advocacy work and her innovative use of art to heal.
NAMI Book Club 
Tuesday, August 25th at 7:00 p.m.
broken3
Join us for our monthly meeting every fourth Tuesday at the NAMI office located on 5963 Boymel Drive in Fairfield.
 
This month's book is Broken, My story of addiction and redemption by William Cope Moyers, son of Bill Moyers, journalist and host of acclaimed TV show "NOW".

Book Review: General Acclaim for Broken...
This book, by William Cope Moyers, is one of the best non-fiction books I've read this year. Strong, courageous, a gutsy, heart-wrenching, soul-baring story - a harrowing tale of descent into destruction counter-balanced by ascent into redemption. In telling his story, I hope William found peace. I know that in reading it, I did.
Family to Family (F2F) Fall Class Registration 

Because of the increased demand for NAMI's signature 12-week FREE F2F education classes, we are offering two classes at two different locations this fall:2008kickoff

1. Location:  Lindner Center of Hope
4075 Old Western Row Road
Mason, Ohio 45040  
 
Start Date:  Monday, Sept. 14th

Time: 
6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
 

2. Location:  NAMI Office
5963 Boymel Drive
Fairfied, Ohio 45014  
 
Start Date:  Tuesday, Sept. 8th

Time:  7
:00 PM to 9:30 PM
 

Please call the NAMI office to sign up for one of the classes, indicating the location most convenient for you. The free 12-week series of classes cover a variety  of topics invaluable to families coping with the mental health disorder of a loved one.  Parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses and close friends all would find these classes immensely helpful and informative.

NAMI F2F is a safe place to talk, share experiences, learn facts and know that severe and persistent mental disorders like schizophrenia, depression, bipolar illness, anxiety disorders like PTSD are "no shame, no blame" illnesses that are often very successfully treated.  Call NAMI BC office to register 513-860-8387 or 513-860-8373.   

New Hand to Hand Classes Starting 

Suzan Strake will again be facilitating a new 9-week FREE Hand to Hand Class:

Location:  NAMI Office
5963 Boymel Drive
Fairfied, Ohio 45014  
 
Start Date:  Monday, Sept. 21st

Time:  7
:00 PM to 9:00 PM
 

If you are interested in learning more about how problems in the classroom, home or even on the soccer field can be handled, please join a group of other parents facing the same issues by enrolling in this Hand to Hand class.  Science is just beginning to learn how brain chemistry impacts how we behave, think, feel and learn.  We have made great strides in understanding symptoms of impulsivity, lack of focus, an distactibility and are better able to help children who are impacted by these and other problems. For registration or more information call:  NAMI office 513-860-8387, 513-860-8373 or Suzan at 513-874-0710. 

handtohand

NAMI F2F Support Group for graduates
Thursday, September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. 
 
NAMI Butler County has recently started a support group for graduates of our Family to Family signature program. The purpose of this group is to offer continuing support to anyone who has graduated from the program. We meet and talk about what is going on in our lives right now, share information and coping techniques, and in general provide each other with support that enriches our lives.
 
Join us on the first Thursday of every month and find out for yourself how rewarding it can be to laugh, cry and share.  Meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. at the NAMI office located at 5963 Boymel Drive in Fairfield.
Mental Health Care for Seniors Expanded
 
Beginning in the fall, a program jointly funded by  BC Elderly Services and the Butler County Mental Health Board, will address a shortfall in mental health treatment for seniors based on two models of excellence. Services will be provided by Community Behavioral Health.  Depression in older adults is common with rates of suicide highest for people over 65 yrs. of age.  The program will address depression and other mental health needs of the elderly, enhancing quality of life and enabling many to stay in their homes as they age.  The two model programs are PEARLS (Program to Encourage Active Rewarding Lives for Seniors) and IMPACT (Improving Mood Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment).  PEARLS is an in-home program and primarily targets depression. IMPACT is based in a doctor's office where a mental health worker and physician collaborate on integrative treatment for seniors diagnosed with more severe depression.  Dr. Terry Royer, Executive Director BCMHB states that "this is the first attempt to systematically treat seniors on a countywide basis...we are the first county in the state to implement these greatly studied and highly effective models to address seniors' mental health needs." 
2008kickoff 
Lindner Center of Hope's Teen Program

LCOH offers a new treatment program where teens with a mental health disorder attend the program by day and return home by night.  This partial hospitalization program is an option for teens 11-18 and operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30.  In this new program, doctors and therapists work with families to design a customized program for each individual.  The program is appropriate for teens transitioning from a hospital to home, for teens needing more intensive care than traditional outpatient visits provide, and can possibly reduce the cost of more expensive hospitalization.  Diagnoses for patients include affective disorders (depression and bipolar), anxiety, eating disorders, adjustment disorders, thought disorders; services include group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, and med management. For more information about adolescent partial hospitalization, visit www.lindnercenterofhope.org  or call at 513-536-4673. 

connection 
Connections Support Group Meets at Lindner Center of Hope
 
"Connections", a special peer support group working toward making these groups available within a 50-mile radius from anywhere in the country meets:
     When:  1st and 3rd Mondays of the month 
                 7 PM to 8:30 PM        
    Where:  Lindner Center of Hope, 4075 Old Western Row Rd., Mason 45040
    Facilitators:  Julie Bowen and Denise Nichols
 
For more information:  Call NAMI Butler County Office at 513-860-8387 or the NAMI Warren County office at 513-695-3650.
Fourth Annual Guardianship Conference being held in Fairfield
 
Dave McClain, last month's NAMI speaker and volunteer guardian for Lifespan, Inc. passed on this information about an excellent conference for anyone wanting more details about when guardianship is appropriate, challenges of being a guardian, planning for peace of mind, recent court decisions, ending the day with a panel of Judges (Judge Rogers of Butler County is one of judges on the panel)
 
What:
Fourth Annual Ohio Guardianship Conference: Guardianship Practice: It's in the Details
Where: Receptions Conference Center, 5975 Boymel Dr., Fairfield, 45014  p. 513-860-4100
When:  Tuesday, Sept. 15th, 2009 from 8:30 am-4:45 pm
Cost: $30.00 special NAMI rate 
Registration: Laurie Luken at 513-721-4330 for mailed brochure, or download one: www.guardianshipohio.org
New Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program in Butler County
 
A new program in Butler County addresses the needs of those diagnosed with both a mental illness and a developmental disability (MI/DD).  The program is jointly being implemented by the BC Mental Health Board and the BC Board of Developmental Disabilities or BCBDD (Mental Retardation recently removed from the MRDD acronym to reduce stigma associated with that label) and involves intense collaboration between the two boards.
 
Dr. Scott Rasmus, BCMHB Associate Director and project director and Dennis Burger, BCBDD Director of Services & Supports and their staff have worked intensely and collaboratively to get this cutting-edge project off the ground. The program is funded by a three-year $200,000 grant from The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati and will begin in the next two months. The program is based on a model that incorporates enhanced training,, family respite, and service linkage components and is targeting at least 70 dually diagnosed, MI/DD clients, transitional youth and adults.  Congratulations to everyone involved in this new program for all the effort that went into it!
Events Calendar
 
August 17th:  Connections Support Group meets at Lindner Center of Hope 7:00pm - 8:30 pm 
 
August 20th (Thursday): NAMI education/support meets at TLC,Inc. 2052 Princeton Rd., Hamilton, OH. 7:00pm
 
August 25th: NAMI Book Club meets 7:00pm at NAMI office.  Book is "Broken" by William C. Moyers.
 
September 3rd: NAMI support group for graduates of Family to Family 7:00pm NAMI office
 
September 8th:  Support group for families with children under 18. 7:00pm to 9:00pm, St. Mark's United Methodist church, 4601 Fairfield Ave., in Fairfield. For info call 887-5519
 
September 15th:  Guardianship Conference Receptions Fairfield, 8:30am to 4:45pm
 
September 16th:  Public meeting of the Butler County Mental Health Board, 5963 Boymel Dr. 6:00pm
 
First and Third Thursdays:  Friendship Club meets for crafts, games, snacks etc. at downtown Hamilton YMCA. 7:00pm.  Call 874-7455
 
Every Thursday from 5:00pm-6:30pm: Women's Speak Easy Support meets at 1490 University Blvd. In Hamilton.
 
DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Association) meets 7:00pm -9:00 pm every Monday at First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown.  Call Gina for info: 513-594-7413
 
Family to Family Classes start September 8th and September 14th;
 
Hand to Hand starts Sept 21st
SAVE THESE DATES!
 
August 27th:  Butler County 2009 NAMI Walks Free Kick-Off Luncheon
Miami University Hamilton's Wilks Center, 11:30am - 1:00pm.
Call the NAMI office for reservations!
 
October 10th: NAMI 5K "Walks for the Mind of America"
Fitton Center for Creative Arts, Hamilton, 9:00am.