News From NAMI Virginia

The Office of Child and Family Services within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is sponsoring a 3 hour workshop for family members. It is designed to provide strategies for family members in obtaining appropriate services for a child in need of mental health services, and support for the caregiver.

June 2nd

5:30-8:30 p.m.

Virginia Tech Richmond Center

2810 N. Parham Road, Richmond, VA 23294

It will be facilitated by Carol Obrochta who is a national family trainer with over 25 years of experience in developing child and family support programs and conducting training sessions.

This event is free of charge but space is limited and registration is required. It is open to the first 25 registrants. To register please contact Malcolm King with DBHDS at 804-371-4604

malcolm.king@dbhds.virginia.gov

Call for Nominations for the NAMI Virginia Board of Directors!

Please refer to the links below for information including qualifications of potential candidates, deadlines, and how to apply.

We would greatly appreciate if you would help with outreach to qualified candidates who may be interested.

Nominations are due Friday, July 20th.

Letter to NAMI leaders, members, and friends

Nomination Form

NAMI Virginia Fact Sheet

Save the Date!

For the NAMI Virginia/Virginia CIT Convention!

September 11-12th

Doubletree Hotel and Virginia Beach Conference Center

Stay tuned for more details, including how you can register and get involved!

For more information: contact Stephany Melton, NAMI VA Convention Coordinator, at smelton@namivirginia.org or visit www.namivirginia.org

Survivor of Suicide Loss Support Group

A Survivor of Suicide Loss Support Group sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Central Virginia (NAMI-CVA) will be held on:

TODAY- Thursday, May 5, 2011

7:00-8:00 p.m.

Monument Heights Baptist Church

5716 Monument Ave

Richmond 23226

Suicide grief is painful, traumatic, life changing, and often different than grief experienced from other types of death. If you have lost a friend or family member to suicide and are looking for support, guidance and understanding, this bereavement support group is for you. You will be connected with fellow survivors and receive support in the healing process.

For more information contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness Central Virginia (NAMI-CVA) at 804-285-1749 or email: namicva@aol.com. Website: www.namicentralvirginia.org

Click here to download the flyer

Changing Minds...One Step At A Time

www.nami.org/namiwalks/VA

Get involved with NAMIWalks Virginia!

We are currently looking for individuals to help on the following committees:

1. Volunteer Committee

Help us recruit volunteers for this year's Walk!

2. Sponsorship/In-Kind Donation Committee

Helps us identify and recruit company sponsorships and in-kind donations!

3. Community Outreach/Marketing Committee

Help with advertising, PSAs, and press releases promoting NAMIWalks!

4. Kick-Off Luncheon Committee

Help us plan for this year's Kick Off Luncheon on August 11th!

5. Walk Day Committee

Help us plan for Walk Day!

If interested please contact:

Farleigh Fitzgerald

NAMI Virginia Walk Manager

ffitzgerald@namivirginia.org

NAMI WEBINAR

SAMHSA Mental Health Block Grant: Will Changes Affect Your Funding?

Thursday, May 26th

3:30-5:00PM EDT

Learn about SAMHSA's proposed changes to the Mental Health Block Grant, a source of funding for many NAMI programs. Listen to NAMI leaders from across the country share experiences that offer valuable lessons in how to successfully respond to changing block grant requirements.

Voices Releases New Report

Yesterday was Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, and to mark the occasion, Voices and The Campaign for Children's Mental Health are releasing a new publication -

Children's Mental Health in Virginia: System Deficiencies and Unknown Outcomes.

The report takes a holistic view of the data available and examines how children who face serious mental and emotional problems fare in Virginia.

As a child advocate, you're probably already familiar with the recommendations that the report offers: comprehensive system reform which will result in increased availability of community based services for kids.

Read the report for full details here.

Also: The Virginian-Pilot Features Op-Ed from Campaign Coordinator

Click here to read the article

http://www.vakids.org/

Registration OPEN for Regional Suicide Prevention Summits

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (Virginia Department of Veteran Services) will be hosting seven regional suicide prevention summits across Virginia during May and June of 2011.

Abingdon, VA May 10, 2011

Roanoke, VA May 11, 2011

Harrisonburg, VA May 24, 2011

Fredericksburg, VA May 25, 2011

Chesterfield, VA June 1, 2011

Annandale, VA June 6, 2011

Hampton, VA June 15, 2011

These summits are open to everyone in the community.

REGISTRATION

The following link can be used to register for a summit in your region:

http://www.vcu.edu/partnership/vsps/index.html

There is a $15 fee to attend the summits.

Click here to download the flyer

Region IV Peer Specialist Training

June 27-July 1, 2011

Chesterfield, VA

Learn how to use your shared experiences to support peers with mental health challenges to address obstacles on their recovery journey.

Click here to download the flyer

Click here to download the curriculum

Click here to download the application

Click Here to Subscribe to Receive the Update

In connection with National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, NIMH has prepared a series of new online fact sheets about child and adolescent mental health. These fact sheets can be found on NIMH's Awareness Day webpage

STUDY REVEALS NEW CLUES TO HOW DEPRESSION MAY DEVELOP

Activating neurons in a brain structure linked to disappointment increased depression-like behaviors in rats, while suppressing the neurons' activity reduced the behaviors, according to an NIMH-funded study. The findings help to explain previous research linking this brain structure to depression in humans and highlight a cellular process that hadn't been previously explored in mood disorders research. The study was published in the February 24, 2011 issue of Nature.

NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICA'S 2 MILLION ADOLESCENTS SUFFERING FROM MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODES IN THE PAST YEAR DID NOT RECEIVE TREATMENT

A new national report released in conjunction with Mental Health Month and National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day indicates that 8.1 percent of America's adolescents aged 12 to 17 experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also shows that only 34.7 percent of these adolescents suffering from major depressive episodes received treatment during this period.

LATEST SAMHSA NEWS: PREVENTING SUICIDE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

This issue of SAMHSA News explores suicide among college students and reports on suicide prevention programs targeted to college campuses. The issue highlights grants on campuses in Tennessee, Boston, and Guam. It also covers alcohol awareness, women and substance abuse, and an initiative that encourages the sharing of ideas between U.S. and Iraqi behavioral health providers.

NEW RESOURCE TO HELP SCHOOLS COPE AFTER A SUICIDE

After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools discusses warning signs and risk factors for suicide and emphasizes that schools should inform students about the connection between suicide and underlying disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The toolkit also recommends that administrators remind the community about available mental health resources, including hotline numbers and local counseling services as well as provide guidance on handling events such as memorial services and graduation without inadvertently romanticizing a suicide.