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QUARTERLY NEWS
In This Issue
Crisis Intervention Hotlines
Crisis Center
Idaho Increased Funding
Idaho Affiliates
Contact Us
Contact our Governor
Medicaid Redesign
Depression
Western Conference
Help for Idaho Mental Health Crisis
2014 NAMI Idaho Annual Meeting/Elections
Affiliate News
Federal Spending Update
Crisis Intervention
 Hotlines

Anxiety Disorder
1-800-7ANXIETY

Panic Disorder
1-800-64-PANIC

Runaway Hotline
1-800-621-4000

Suicide Hotline
1-800-273-8255(TALK)

 

New

Crisis Center 

Open


 

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - Idaho's first state-funded behavioral health crisis center opened its door this week.

 

The Post Register reports that the center in Idaho Falls received $1.5 million in state funding along with grants and donations. As of Wednesday, the center had received three patients.

 

In June, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter announced that Idaho Falls had beaten out two other locations to be the state's first mental health crisis center. The center will serve as a pilot program with more facilities opening around the state in the future.

 

Center Coordinator Brenda Price says they provide help to individuals experiencing acute mental health or substance abuse crises. However, the facility is not meant for ongoing care.

 

Official say services will be provided for free and no one will be turned away.

 

  

Associated Press

December 21, 2014



Way to go -
IDAHO
Editor's note: Thanks to all the hard work of NAMI Idaho, their affiliates, and other agencies who support mental health initiatives, Idaho was one of the 29 states where mental health funding increased.
By Jessica Hart, NAMI State Advocacy Manager
 

NAMI just released a report highlighting what went on in state legislatures in 2014 across the country when it comes to mental health issues. The report, State Mental Health Legislation 2014 shows that investment in mental health services slowed from last year and that when progress was made around specific policy issues much of the legislation felt like it only skimmed the surface.

 

This year, only 29 states and the District of Columbia increased funding for mental health services. Overall, the mental health care system still simply needs to recover lost ground from the state budget cuts of 2009-2012. But reinvestment is unsteady. See where your state fell in investment this year below.

 

There were some victories this year. Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin were leaders in the country by passing measures that can serve as models for other states in areas such as workforce shortage, children and youth, school-based mental health, employment and criminal justice.

 

Our policy recommendations for states in 2015 are:

  • Strengthen public mental health funding.
  • Hold public and private insurers and providers accountable for appropriate, high-quality services with measurement of outcomes.
  • Expand Medicaid with adequate coverage for mental health.
  • Implement effective practices such as first episode psychosis (FEP), assertive community treatment (ACT) and crisis intervention team (CIT) programs.

What can you do?

 

Write to your Governor and State Legislators to let them know that they need to make mental health care a priority.

Connect with your local NAMI to see how you can help advocate for mental health services and supports in your community.

 

December 11, 2014

Idaho Affiliates
Contact Information

NAMI Boise  

Kelly Norris, President 

[email protected]

4696 Overland Rd., Ste. 274    

Boise, ID 83705                  

[email protected]

www.nami-boise.org  

208-376-4304

Educational Programs: F2F, FSG, Basics, Connection, P2P, IOOV

 

NAMI Coeur d'Alene  

Susie Fischer, President   

P.O. Box 2068               

Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816 

www.namicoeurdalene.org

208-772-9650

Educational Programs: F2F, FSG, Basics, Connection, IOOV         

                      

NAMI Far North (Sandpoint)

Catherine Perusse, President  

[email protected]   

P.O. Box 2415 

Sandpoint, ID 83864  

www.nami.org/sites/namifarnorth

[email protected]  

208-597-2047

Educational Programs: F2F, FSG,

Basics, Connection, IOOV

 

NAMI Latah  (Moscow)

Jane Pritchett, President

[email protected]   

P.O. Box 8654 

Moscow, ID 8384 

208-882-7743

Educational Programs:  F2F, FSG 

    

NAMI Lewis/Clark Valley (Lewiston)

Barbara Kauffman, President

[email protected]

3336 16th St.

Lewiston, ID 83501

208-743-4708

 

 

NAMI-Quad (Payette)

Lee Kroeker, President

[email protected]   

108 W. Park Ave.

New Plymouth, ID 83655

208-291-0322


 

NAMI Southeast Idaho (Pocatello)

Zina Magee, President

[email protected] 

P.O. Box 6066

Pocatello, ID 83205

208-232-5791

Educational Programs: F2F, FSG, IOOV


 

NAMI Upper Valley Idaho (Idaho Falls)

Jane Roberts, President

robertslj@cableone.net  

P.O. Box 2452 

Idaho Falls, ID 83401

www.namiuv.com

[email protected] 

208-757-8300

Educational Programs: F2F, FSG,

Basics, Connection


 

NAMI Wood River Valley (Hailey)

Gail Miller Wray, President

[email protected]     

P.O. Box 95

Hailey, ID 83333 

[email protected]   

www.nami-wrv.org 

208-309-1987

Educational Programs: F2F, Basics, Connection, P2P

 

Contact NAMI Idaho:
Email us at:


Visit our webpage at:

Volume 3, Issue 3
                  December 2014 

From the President's Desk

 

 

Dear Members and Friends of NAMI Idaho: 

 

Here is wising you all peace and wellness for the New Year 2015. A little bit about me; I grew up in Arco Idaho and now live in Idaho Falls Idaho. I teach Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at Idaho State University School of Nursing. I am a board certified Psych/Mental Health Nurse and a Drug and Alcohol Counselor. My hope for the future is to have more people living with mental illness and substance abuse having access to insurance and treatment. NAMI Idaho continues to support education, awareness, advocacy, and research. We all live communities that can reach out to Idahoans affected by mental illness by becoming and staying educated and advocating day to day.

 

Our communities are the young and older citizens that may be affected by mental illness, families, children, veterans, homeless, and too many others that need not only case management but understanding of their trauma. There is hope with education and treatment as there is with advocacy. There are mental health care delivery strategies such as Integrated Care, Peer Support Specialists and Telehealth that are showing promise. Advocacy and support of mental health workforce competency is critical in Idaho. Evidenced based treatment such as supportive employment, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), early intervention in psychosis, and school based mental health training and services. Idaho is looking forward to Community Crisis Centers development and sustainability.

 

Idaho citizens can bring about change for the future in behavioral health care. Idaho NAMI is working hard to support the Idaho affiliates from the North to the South and East to West. I am grateful to the many Idaho volunteers that work with passion and conviction in our Idaho affiliates. These citizens are the heroes that are making a difference. They are supporting people living with a mental illness and their families.  They are advocating for improved behavioral health care and educating all of us.  I am also working with wonderful people on the NAMI Idaho board.  I want to help with making voices heard. Contact me at [email protected]Thanks.

 

Happy Healthy New Year 2015!

  

Kim Jardine-Dickerson, President

NAMI Idaho

Operation Contact Governor

Goal:  To provide Governor Otter with support.  Encourage him to take his workgroup's Medicaid Redesign recommendations seriously, and make "Closing the Gap" part of the State of the State address. 

 

Please make the message short and positive, whether you are writing a card, emailing or calling the Governor.  MAKE THE MESSAGE WORDING YOUR OWN, JUST KEEP IT CONSTRUCTIVE.

 

Message Bullet Point Examples:

  • Thank you for bringing the Medicaid Redesign workgroup back together to find a solution for the 78,000 Idahoans who live without access to a healthcare plan.
  • There could be no better holiday gift than the security of knowing Idaho families are no longer one medical emergency away from huge medical bills and spiraling debt.
  • The work group recommendations would help craft an Idaho solution, and will save millions of dollars that can be used for important priorities such as education.
  • By adopting the workgroup recommendations Idaho can save lives with early detection of many diseases that go undiagnosed without access to health insurance.
  • Not only will we be able to provide families with affordable healthcare options, but ensuring all Idahoans have access to care makes our community and economy stronger.
  • Over 20,000 persons with serious and persistent mental illness are currently uninsured and have no access to care.  Many of these have disabilities and chronic health conditions.

 

email example:

        

 Dear Governor Otter:

 

Thank you for reconvening the Governor's Medicaid Redesign workgroup.  Their recommendations will allow hard working Idahoans and persons living with mental illness access to affordable health care which will make for better New Years to come.  You can count on my support as you move these recommendations forward.

 

Voice Message example: 

 

I just wanted to call and express my support for the Governor's Medicaid Redesign workgroup recommendations.  All Idahoans deserve access to healthcare, it only makes our economy and communities stronger.  Count me in as a strong supporter.

 

Governor Otter's Contact Information

 

   The Honorable C.L. "Butch" Otter

   PO Box83720,  Boise, ID.   83720

   Email:   [email protected]

   Telephone:  208-334-2100

 

 

Medicaid Redesign 

 

Each year NAMI supports different changes in health care policies that would benefit persons living with mental illness and their families.  This year our number one priority is supporting Medicaid redesign in Idaho.  As the Legislature begins their session, we need to understand the facts related to the issue, and communicate with our elected representatives.  NAMI National has stated expansion would provide the greatest possible improvement in mental health care for the whole nation.  We are one of 24 states yet to adopt this improvement.

 

Of the 41,000 persons in Idaho who have a serious and persistent mental illness, more than half have no insurance and access to affordable care.  There are currently at least 76,000 persons in the gap between Medicaid coverage, and having an income level which would qualify them for subsidies to purchase coverage under the Affordable Care Act.  Most are hard-working citizens, veterans and those with a disability in the 2 year gap waiting for Medicare.  Due to chronic medical conditions, persons with mental illness die on the average of 25 years sooner. 

 

Governor Otter convened a workgroup twice, both in 2012 and 2014, to study and report back on what would be the best for Idaho.  Both times his workgroup has recommended that Idaho expand Medicaid to persons earning up to 138% of the poverty level.  With new coverage, mental health problems could be diagnosed and treated earlier, before a full blown psychiatric crisis.  Medical conditions treated earlier would increase longevity.  People can recover sooner and be more productive.

 

Please communicate your support for this program with the governor, your legislators, and county commissioners.  Ask your friends and relatives to also send letters, email, or phone calls. We need to help bring about better health care outcomes for ALL of our citizens.


Depression: A Scientific Approach


By Marisa Balades

"Of all the major illnesses, mental or physical, depression has been one of the toughest to subdue." 

 

Dr. Richard A. Friedman.

 

Millions of teens and adults all over the world are affected by depression every year and it may be a more complex problem than we thought.


 

With over 350 million people affected by depression worldwide, it's no doubt an incredibly real and serious problem, but what exactly is going on inside a depressed person?


 

"There might be something genetic about it", Beverly Lehr, health sciences clinical professor and staff psychologist from the University of San Francisco. She talks about how depression might actually be hereditary and is usually misconstrued as a disease "you can just get."


 In the past, depression was often described as simply a chemical imbalance in the brain. In recent years, scientists began to notice that the brain cell growth and connections actually may play a larger roll. The hippocampus region in particular controls memory and emotion and the longer a person has been depressed, the smaller the hippocampus becomes. The cells and networks literally deteriorate.

Stress may actually be a main trigger in the increase of new neurons in this area of the brain. Interestingly, many modern drugs have an indirect effect on the growth of brain cells. This is likely why serotonin-based drugs seem to help some patients, but not for the reasons we once thought. Instead, they promote the release of other chemicals which ultimately stimulate neurogenesis.


 

Some scientists now believe the focus should be on drugs which directly affect neurogenesis. However, while your neurons and chemicals may be the direct influencers, many genetic factors have been discovered as well. Every part of your body is controlled by genes. "If the genes get it wrong, they can alter your biology in a way that results in your mood becoming unstable." Harvard Health Publications explains. Knowing this, we are informed how genes make biological processes and how they can alter your biology.


 

Obviously, more research needs to be conducted in order to prove that depression could have be hereditary.  

"They are considered usually to be vulnerable to depression because of family history," Lehr said.  She explains how depression is a disease involving genetics. This is imperative because you can see if your parents or grandparents had depression and be better prepared. One particular study found that in a variation in the serotonin transporter gene leaves individuals more vulnerable to depression.


 So while the true cause or causes of depression are yet to be identified, it is important to remember that depression is a disease with a biological basis along with psychological social implications. It is not simply a weakness that somebody should get over or even something we have a say in. Just like heart disease or cancer, shedding light onto the subject is of the utmost importance in order to bring funding and proper research.


 

Psychologist David Burns is quoted as saying, "Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer." He tells us this because most people with cancer feel loved, have hope, and have self-esteem. 

Jan Silver Maguire, who lives with depression, shares, "I've come to understand that recurrent depression is my Achilles's heel. There is also a strong biological component in my family; my mother and sister both struggled with severe postpartum depression. I know that medication alone is not the cure-all so I've expanded my arsenal of coping skills. I exercise, try to eat healthfully, volunteer, set boundaries like saying "no" when I need to, work on turning negative to positive self-talk, and cultivate an attitude of gratitude whenever possible. Some days are better than others, but that's OK."

Jan shares her depression story on Anxiety and Depression Association of America (AADA) and explains her journey through her recurrent depression. Jan's story helps truly understand some important information. She talks about how there is a strong biological component in her family which goes to show that depression stands on a biological basis.

"It pains me that there are still so many misconceptions about mental illness because it prevents so many people from seeking treatment," she writes. "It's your life and you absolutely matter." Jan provides hope for people suffering with depression, stating that they can get help. This lets us know, that even Jan, knows that there is hope for anyone who has depression. People shouldn't stop when there is a better way to solve the issue. 


Although depression cannot actually be cured without medicine and more research, studies do show that just by saying 'hi' to a depressed person can make their day better.  Try to say hi to someone who you know is not feeling the happiest in their lives. It is hard for people struggling with depression. Every aspect of life can be impacted.


 

Marisa is a 7th grader in California. This is an edited version of a class assignment.

Logo 
Western Region Conference
The Way Forward for 
Mental Health Care in Idaho

Monday, January 19, 2015
First United Methodist Church/Cathedral of the Rockies
Emmaus Center
717 North 11th Street, Boise, ID
9:00 a.m. -- 4:30  p.m.
 

This is a Conference for...Everyone interested in improving the lives of people living with mental illness

 

It is an opportunity to network and receive support...


Educational Presentations: 

 

 

Morning Sessions
Afternoon Sessions
NAMI "In Our Own Voice"Update on Jeff v. Evans (Idaho's youth with SED)
Panel on Optum's Peer Support Program and Idaho Certified Peer SpecialistsRAISE! and Children's Mental Health
Crisis Intervention CentersVeterans Programs in Rural Idaho
Recovery IdahoCriminal Justice Intervention Training

Youth CIT

The Way Forward by
Chief Mike Masterson
Boise Police Dept.

 

 

FREE Conference and Lunch

 

 There is no fee for registration, but you MUST register by 12:00 noon, January 12, 2015

to ensure food and handout materials for all participants

 

To Register, call Carla Young at (208) 440-2384 or email [email protected]

 

Help for Idaho Mental Health Crisis

By Danya Lusk 
BSU Newsletter 

 

Boise State's School of Social Work has received a new federally funded research project, "Training & Education Access Model (TEAM) for Social Work." The principal investigator for this grant is Roy Rodenhiser, director of the School of Social Work.

 

The objective of this project is to increase the number of clinically trained Masters of Social Work (MSW) graduates who are committed to working with children, adolescents, and at-risk transitional-age youth in order to fill the high need and demand for services throughout Idaho. At-risk transitional-age youth are teenagers and young adults from 14-25 who have additional risk factors and needs. They may be transitioning out of foster care or juvenile detention centers. They also may have run away from home, dropped out of school, have substance abuse issues or other mental health issues.


 

"TEAM for Social Work" provides support for 36 additional field placements across four areas where graduate students in social work will focus on these target populations: Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Lewiston, and Twin Falls. While in the field, students will engage with primary care integrated health care teams while working in primary care clinics, hospitals and select non-profit agencies.

 

"There is a mental health crisis in Idaho," said Rodenhiser. "There are not enough mental health providers, particularly in rural areas to meet the health needs of Idahoans. Social workers and other human service providers are needed to work in integrated clinics and care facilities serving a multitude of mental health challenges facing today's youth. Social workers can provide both direct mental health services to clients as well as follow-up case management to insure continuity of care."

Boise State, offering Idaho's only public MSW program, has been designated by the State Board of Education to tackle the mission of delivering MSW education in Idaho. This project provides additional resources to accomplish that mission. The project is supported by numerous agencies in Boise and across the state who recognize how additional MSW graduates will help ease Idaho's mental health crisis.


 

This project also will explore the implications of videoconference as a form of field supervision for clinical work placements. Videoconferencing will allow faculty to supervise students placed in more rural areas of the state, where the mental health crisis is most dire.

 

All funding for this project is provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Professionals and Paraprofessionals program grant for a three-year total of $483,417.

 

 

 


2014 NAMI Idaho Annual Meeting & Elections

NAMI Idaho 2014 Annual Meeting

  

The NAMI Idaho Annual Meeting was held in Coeur d'Alene, ID on September 20, 2014 in conjunction with the North Region Conference. 

 

Our January advocacy helped win gains for persons living with mental illness in Idaho. The legislature approved one crisis center, which opened December 12, 2014.  Preventive and some other dental benefits were restored.  Rick Huber (below, on right) attended NAMI national in September with Tom Hanson (below, on left) and was awarded the Ken Steele Award, which is the top consumer advocacy award given.  Some affiliates are struggling with having trainers to staff classes.  National now has training available for Peer to Peer for Veterans.


 

Tom, Jeremy, and Rick Huber
 

Election of Directors
The NAMI Idaho Board of Directors must have a minimum of twelve but not more than sixteen Directors, with a maximum of four Regional Directors residing in each of the state's three Regions. A complete list of directors is presented below:

Director
Affiliate
Kim Jardine-Dikerson, PresidentSoutheast Idaho
Kathie Garrett, Vice-presidentBoise
Mike Sandvig, TreasurerUpper Valley
Kathy Mercer, SecretaryBoise
Sharlisa DavisLatah
Tewa EvansWood River Valley
Tom HansonWood River Valley
Linda HaraldsonCoeur d'Alene
Rick HuberSoutheast Idaho
Zina Magee, President EmeritusSoutheast Idaho
Catherine PerusseFar North
Sean RodgersCoeur d'Alene
Shannon RoodUpper Valley
John TannerUpper Valley
Ann Ferguson WimberlyFar North

 

Affiliate News

North and Far North 

 

Several people received (re)training as teachers of NAMI's Family-to-Family course.  These people are:  Kathy Henderson, Candice Kelly, Jim Chubb, Joy Fryman, Linda Haraldson, BridgetSchafer, Carisa McAlistar, Amber Snoddy, and Gini Woodward.  

 

Recently I heard a young man say, "I wish there was something that could be done to help the people in the mental hospitals; to give them hope." Those words kept coming back to me and prompted an idea and inspired a project. NAMI Far North and the Bonner and Boundary Counties Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness are now the Conduit of Care to provide gifts of hope to people in mental health crisis.

 

There are groups who make quilts for Veterans and breast cancer survivors. There are groups who make blankets and hats for premature infants. There are people who provide teddy bears for children who are victims of domestic violence. There are people who knit hats for the homeless. People send flowers and cards to people recovering from surgery. These are all welcome gifts of hope and comfort.

 

People in crisis with mental illness are often stripped of liberty and material comfort. Something as basic as socks and underwear may be a gift of dignity.  An anonymous handmade gift of hope and comfort could be beneficial to both the recipient and to the creator. By re- categorizing people with mental illness.... to people in need of hope and recovery, some stigma and discrimination may be diminished. A back pack stuffed with toiletry essentials and other items will be a Hopeward Bound Gift for patients being discharged and returning to the community.

 

State Hospital North is a facility in Orofino, ID for people in mental health crisis. Admission, 275-300 people annually, is by involuntary commitment. There are approximately 50 beds and the average stay is about 70 days until people are stabilized enough to return to our communities for continued treatment and support. Many people arrive at SHN without any personal belongings, financial, or family support.

 

I spoke to staff members at SHN about the idea of providing some hope and encouragement to patients at SHN. The staff at State Hospital North suggested the following items to help patients while in the hospital:

  • Women's briefs/white, especially large sizes
  • Sports bras (not regular bras), large sizes
  • Socks, all kinds, sizes 9-11
  • Basic toiletries

 

Additional items which could be made and donated include:

  • Lap or twin size quilts,
  • Pretty Pillow cases
  • Knitted hats, gloves (fall and winter)
  • Pretty bookmarks or other small artwork for patient walls with recovery quotes
  • Packets of notecards (mail for patients...You have mail!)
  • Yarn for craft department

 

NAMI Far North in keeping with its mission to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness is the Conduit of Care. Many items are purchased by NAMI Far North volunteers in coordination with the staff at SHN. The remaining handmade items are donated by caring people who wish to send an anonymous message of hope to people in mental health crisis.

 

We seek community partners for this project. As the hub of this project, NAMI Far North collects, stores, and ships in coordination with the needs of SHN. We are looking for collection partners in other North Idaho communities.

 

Email Gini Woodward:  [email protected]  or [email protected] for more information.

 

 Monetary donations may be sent to:

 

NAMI Far North, Conduit of Care, P.O. Box 2415 Sandpoint, ID 83864.

NAMI Far North is a 501(c)3 IRS tax exempt charitable organization.  

 

Thank you for joining us with care and compassion,

 

Gini Woodward, chairperson

208-304-7306 

 

 

Wood River Valley 


Southeast Idaho - Pocatello

 

 

NAMI Southeast Idaho held an open house for graduates of several years Family to Family classes on December 4th.  We had holiday refreshments and music and it was fun to touch bases with past graduates.  We do this every year.

 

On January 13th we will be having a table with information at the Fort Hall Convention Center in their new hotel.
Congressional Budget Bill - 
Mixed Bag
  
By Andrew Sperling, 
NAMI Director of Federal Legislative Advocacy

This past weekend Congress passed the "Continuing Resolution - Omnibus" spending bill (HR 83) for the remaining months of fiscal year 2015 which runs through Sept. 30, 2015. The measure is now waiting for the President's signature. This bill contains good news and bad news for mental health. The good news: HR 83 provides a small increase in funding for mental illness research. Bad news: the bill includes a small reduction for mental health services.

 

Mental Illness Research Funding
  

The omnibus bill prevents any further cuts to funding at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Overall the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget for 2015 will be increased by almost $150 million. NIMH received a budget increase of almost $17 million for a total budget of $1.463 billion for 2015. The bill also allocates funding to the NIMH as part of the President's Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. Multiple federal agencies and a number of foundations collaborate in the BRAIN Initiative designed to release new technologies and undertake basic mapping of circuits and neurons in the brain.

 

Mental Health Services Funding
  

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will receive a $39 million increase over fiscal year 2014 levels, for a total budget of $3.62 billion. However, most of this increase is directed to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to address the growing crisis of opiate addiction in America. Funding at the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) will actually be reduced for 2015 - a reduction of $9.4 million out of total CMHS funding level of $1.079 billion. Almost every line item in the CMHS budget endures a small reduction, in most cases, less than 0.5%. Among the highlights of the final CMHS budget for 2015 are:

  • $481.5 million for the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) - a $1.2 million reduction. The MHBG is dedicated to building and supporting the community-based public mental health system across the country. Despite this reduction the bill does continue the 5% set aside for early intervention in first break psychosis that Congress put in place last year. This requires each state and territory to direct 5% of the block grant funds for evidence-based programs that address the needs of young adults experiencing first break psychosis. NIMH will continue its role of validating evidence-based approaches for early intervention and psychosis.
  • $64.6 million is allocated for the PATH program, a $100,000 reduction from its 2014 level. The PATH program is a state grant program for outreach and engagement for individuals with serious mental illness who are homeless.
  • $117 million is allocated for the Children's Mental Health program, $300,000 below the current level.

Most programs under the CMHS "Programs of Regional and National Significance" (PRNS) would continue at levels slightly below their 2014 level. The total amount for 2015 for PRNS is $366.6 million which is a $7.7 million reduction. Among these line items are:

  • $49.8 million for the Primary-Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) program, which supports the co-location of services in behavioral health and primary care settings.
  • $54.9 million for suicide prevention activities, including the Garrett Lee Smith state and campus grant programs.
  • $39.9 million for new Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) grants.
  • $14.9 million for Mental Health First Aid training.
  • $30.7 million for homelessness prevention programs.
Supportive Housing Funding
  

This bill regrettably does not include the increases put forward in President Obama's 2015 budget proposal for supportive housing programs. Back in February, the President proposed $301 million in additional funding for development of new permanent supportive housing (PSH). These new funds were projected to continue the program on a trajectory to end chronic homelessness by 2017. The President's budget also called for a $25 million increase for the HUD Section 811 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PRA) program which supports the lowest income people with long-term disabilities to live independently in the community. The spending bill did not include either of these requests and instead provides only enough funding to renew the operating subsidies associated with existing PSH units in both programs. The bill does include an additional $75 million in funding for new rental vouchers for supportive housing for veterans experiencing homelessness under the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program.

 

Veterans Funding
  

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical services are funded for 2015 at $45.2 billion - which will provide care and treatment for about 6.7 million veterans.

This funding includes:

  • $7.2 billion in mental health care services.
  • $133 million in suicide prevention activities.
  • $229 million for traumatic brain injury treatment.
  • $7.4 billion in homeless veterans' treatment, services, housing and job training.
  • $250 million in rural health initiatives.

The bill also includes $209 million to help address new costs related to the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACAA) - such as hiring medical staff and expanding facility capacity - and to implement the Caregivers Act, which provides stipends and other assistance to families of seriously wounded veterans.

 

To assist the VA in meeting its goal of ending the disability compensation claims backlog by the end of 2015, the bill includes $2.5 billion for the costs of processing disability claims. This level is a $69 million increase from last year. Language is also included directing that $40 million of the increase should be used to support digital scanning of claims, to hire additional claims processors in regional offices, and for the centralized mail initiative. Funding for the Board of Veterans Appeals is increased by $11 million for a total of $99 million to address the looming appeals backlog.

 

Finally, the bill contains $58.7 billion in advance fiscal year 2016 funding for the VA - the same level provided in the House budget resolution. This funding will provide for medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities, and ensure that our veterans have continued, full access to their medical care.

 

December 18, 2014


Every day begins with an act of
courage and hope
getting out of bed

Join NAMI|Idaho
 B
ecome a member of NAMI, NAMI Idaho and your local affiliate 

  

                                 Name_________________________________________________    

 

                                 Address_______________________________________________

 

                                 City, State, Zip __________________________________________

 

                                 Phone ____________________________

 

                                 E-mail____________________________

 

 

My local NAMI Affiliate is____________________________________

 

Membership Type (Check One)

____ Individual/Family Membership ($35 Annual Dues.)

____ Open Door Membership ($3 Annual Dues.)

  (Full membership for individuals and/or families on limited income. )  

         

____ I want to make a tax-deductible donation to NAMI Idaho.

                                                    

  

Optional Information:

I am: ___An Individual Living with Mental Illness 

   ___A Family Member

   ___A Friend

   ___A Mental Health Professional

   ___Other ___________________

 

Print Application and mail with check payable to NAMI Idaho to:


 

Treasurer, NAMI Idaho * 1985 E. 25th Street * Idaho Falls, ID 83404

 

NAMI Idaho is a 501(c)(3) corporation