nami weekly news and calendar
April 16, 2013
Register for the NAMI California 2013 Annual Conference
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August 16 & 17 2013

San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront
1800 Old Bayshore Hwy. 
Burlingame, CA 94010
Phone: 506-474-2009
 

For reservations call toll free: 877-622-3056

To make reservations online, click here.

 

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THIS WEEK
NAMI Can!
Save The Date: Ask the Doctor
NAMI CA Programs News
Our Hearts Go Out To Boston 

We send our thoughts and prayers to those effected by the tragic events in Boston. No one should be alone. If you or someone you know needs resources during this time, please visit NAMI.org to find your local affiliate.

 

Search here for NAMI affiliates in California.
NAMI Can! 

Follow our Legislation Positions

The NAMI CA Board is still working on legislative positions. The entire list of bills being considered is on the NAMI CA website Legislative page:

 

NAMI CA Position Oppose AB 1264 School safety plans: tactical response

NAMI California, the state affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, strongly opposes AB 1264 as written and has suggestions for what we believe would be beneficial changes.

AB 1264 calls for a comprehensive school safety plan to include development under provision (K) of "Protocol for teachers to provide notification of a pupil identified as having a potential mental health issue that is likely to result in violence or harm to the pupil or others."

Read the Position Paper 

 

Have Your Senator Get On Board with the Mental Health Caucus.

The California Senate now has a Mental Health Caucus. If your senator is not yet on the list, please urge her/him to join!  


The Chair of this Caucus is Senator Jim Beall.  

Members: 

Senator Steinberg

Senator Leno

Senator Correa

Senator Calderon

Senator de Leon

Senator Padilla

Senator Rubio

Senator Anderson

Senator Block

Senator DeSaulnier

Senator Roth

Senator Corbett

Senator Monning

Senator Wolk

Senator Hueso

Find your senator.

 

California Mental Health Services Authority Announces Regional Winners of Statewide High School Video Contest.

The Regional Winners of 'Directing Change,' a statewide student video contest to prevent suicide and change minds about mental illness, have been chosen. The contest is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students.

 

Three hundred seventy-one submissions, representing 922 students from 142 schools were received. Participating high school students competed regionally by submitting 60 second videos in two categories (suicide prevention and eliminating stigma about mental illness.) Competing counties lie within one of 11 regions in the state as defined by the California County Superintendents Educational Services (CCSESA).

Read more about it and view the winning videos. 

 

Health Care and Education Reform: Make Room for Children's Mental Health

The children's mental health system in America is as fragile as the vulnerable youth it is intended to serve. That is a troubling reality and greater collaboration between leaders in education and health care is essential. Here's why and some thoughts on a few partnerships that show promise for the future.

 

Today, fewer than 10 percent of children identified as needing mental health care receive services within three months of that finding; fewer than half of those diagnosed with a serious emotional disorder ever get treatment from a qualified mental health professional.

Read the full article.

 

Fresno, to be Site for Covered California Call Center

One of Three Centers Helping Enroll Millions of Californians in Covered California Health Plans

Covered California announced today that Fresno will be the location for one of three state-of-the-art call centers that will handle questions from Californians, and help them understand the new health benefits available through the Affordable Care Act.

Other Covered California call centers will be located in Contra Costa County, and in Rancho Cordova in Sacramento County. "These three centers will be on the front lines of helping millions of Californians get access to coverage," said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. "We need to have skilled customer care representatives helping individuals and small employers sort through the benefits and federal support, and help them understand the new rules."

Read the entire article. 

 

"Dear Emily" Answers Questions on ACA

California HealthCare Foundation Center for Health Reporting has launched a Dear Emily website to answer your questions about how the Affordable Care Act affects YOU. Email your question to [email protected]. Read the first Q&A here

If you have a question for Emily, email her at [email protected] or tweet her at @emilybazar. Learn more about Emily. 


--Bettie Reinhardt, MPH
Legislative and Public Policy Consultant
[email protected]

--David Czarnecki
Advocacy Coordinator
[email protected]
 
Save The Date: Ask the Doctor, 4/26/2013
April 26th "Ask the Doctor" Conference Call with Ray Gonzalez of the Center for Cognition and Recovery

Hosted by NAMI's Medical Director, Dr. Ken Duckworth, M.D.

When: Friday, April 26th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.

 

To access the toll-free call, please dial:

 

Phone Number: 1-888-858-6021

 

Access Number: 309918#

 

Ray Gonzalez, ACSW, is the Executive Director of the Center for Cognition and Recovery (CCR). Join us as Ray speaks about Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET), which is a form of cognitive remediation therapy. CET is a program developed by Professors Gerard E. Hogarty and Samuel Flesher, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center as a treatment to aid in the psychiatric rehabilitation of people recovering from schizophrenia and related illnesses. The CET model views schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder and works on improving deficits in cognition, increasing social cognition and improving vocational effectiveness. There are now 21 CET program sites across the US with at least four more starting within the next six months. For more information on CET, please visit: www.cetcleveland.org.

 

Ray Gonzalez, ACSW, is a graduate of the Ohio State University School of Social Work. Gonzalez describes himself as an "optimist" with 36 years of experience as a psychiatric social worker. He is a certified CET coach and has been co-leader of four CET groups. Gonzalez has also been a NAMI member for more than 20 years. He conducted a CET workshop at the 2012 NAMI convention in Seattle and will be a speaker at the NAMI convention in San Antonio this June.

 

If you would like to listen to past "Ask the Doctor" calls, including last month's call with Dr. Mary Ellen Copeland of WRAP, please go to www.nami.org/askthedoctor.
NAMI CA Programs News

IMPORTANT REMINDER - The phone number for Lynn Cathy, Family Programs State Coordinator, is the NAMI Office telephone: (916) 567-0163 x101. 

 

FAMILY PROGRAM TRAININGS

 

Family to Family Teacher Training - May 31 - June 2, 2013 in Elk Grove, CA (Sacramento County) waiting list available

 

PEER PROGRAMS NEWS

Peer To Peer Trainings Spring 2013
Chico - 5/17 - 5/19
Ontario - 6/7 - 6/9 (Spanish)

Campbell (San Jose) 6/21-6/23*


STIGMA REDUCTION PROGRAMS

IOOV Spring 2013

4/27 - 4/28 - San Diego, CA

5/4 - 5/5 - Campbell, California

5/18 - 5/19 - Redding, California

6/22-6/23 - Ontario, California

 

Send inquiries about IOOV to Nereida Castillo. Thank you.

[email protected].  

  

BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION CONFERENCE (formerly NARSAD)

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation upcoming conference entitled, "Discovery to Recovery: A Path to Healthy Minds," is being held on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles.

 

This conference will offer an opportunity to hear presentations from mental health experts and leading research scientists in small group settings. The focus and topics will address translating research into practice and you will hear from research experts on discoveries in Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Schizophrenia.

The cost is $80.00 per person and discounted group rates may be available for NAMI California members. Check out the conference brochure or contact the Brain and Behavior Foundation at 800-829-8289.

 

-- Lynn Cathy, State Family Programs Coordinator

Interim Peer Programs Coordinator
[email protected]
916-567-0163 x101

 

Contact Us

1851 Heritage Lane, Ste 150
Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone: 916-567-0163
Fax: 916-567-1757
Email: [email protected]