building hope for recovery through education, support and

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Shining the Light on Recovery Nevada Spotlight Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and Advocacy AprilJune 2016 NAMI Nevada Ginger B. Paulsen Executive Director Board of Directors Sandy StamatesNo. NV President Joe ScottSo. NV Vice President Donna JordanSo. NV Secretary TreasurerPosition open Joseph TylerNo. NV Past President Adam HopkinsNo. NV Education Committee Chair Rick PorzigWestern NV Finance Committee Chair Chuck DuarteWestern NV Policy Committee Chair Barbara Van DykeNo. NV Multicultural Committee Chair Donna ShibovichNo. NV Consumer Council Representative David CaloiaroWestern NV Julian GregorySo. NV Albert TorresWestern NV NAMI Nevada c/o Community Health Alliance 680 S. Rock Blvd Reno, NV 89502 Phone: 775-336-3090 Welcome to Spotlight—NAMI Nevada’s quarterly electronic newsletter. NAMI Nevada and its three Affiliates continue to be very busy. You can read more about the individual happenings at the Affiliate level within this newsletter. I am excited that we have a re-energized NAMI Southern Nevada ready to serve those in the southern part of the state where the need, due to the large population base, is so great. Also, for the first time, NAMI Nevada participated in Nevada’s BIG GIVE on-line fundraising effort. We raised $500! For several months, I’ve been working with a dedicated group of individuals and agencies from across the state, to raise awareness for Mental Health Aware- ness Month in May. The State of Nevada Behavioral Health Planning & Advi- sory CouncilAd Hoc Promotion group have been busy planning media buys (both television and radio). We will be using NAMI’s “A Brighter Day” televi- sion spot that focuses on depression, and radio spots with local individuals tell- ing their story around mental illness and substance use. Keep a look-out in May for these public service announcements (PSA’s) to air on both television and ra- dio across the state. I hope that you and many NAMI Nevada members plan to attend the 2016 NAMI National Convention that will be held in Denver Colorado on July 6 - 9. We are lucky again this year to have the national convention in the West. Patrick J. Kennedy, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and best- selling author of “A Common Struggle” will be a keynote speaker. NAMI Ne- vada will also conduct a State Caucus meeting at the convention on Thursday, July 7th from 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at a table in Grand Ballroom 2. All NAMI Nevada members from across the state are invited. Additional information on the NAMI National Convention is contained in this newsletter or by going to www.nami.org/convention. May is Mental Health Awareness month, please join me at our NAMI North- ern Nevada affiliate’s annual “Walk and Talk” community event on May 7th in Reno at Idlewild ParkSnowflake Pavilion from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Be sure to stop by the NAMI Nevada table and say hi! Ginger Paulsen Executive Director Table of Contents NAMI Nevada Executive Director Message ……………………………………..1 Guest Columnist: Courts and Mental Illness ..…..…………………………….....2-3 Affiliate News ….…………………………………………………………………...3-5 NAMI National Convention & Book Review .………………………………......6 NAMI Basics Info & NAMI Advocacy ……..…………………………...………..7 Article: State Economy Gains by Reducing Stigma ……………………………..8-9 Support Groups/Resources ………………………………………………………..10

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Page 1: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

Shining the Light on Recovery

Nevada Spotlight

Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and Advocacy

April—June 2016

NAMI Nevada

Ginger B. Paulsen Executive Director

Board of Directors

Sandy Stamates—No. NV

President Joe Scott—So. NV Vice President Donna Jordan—So. NV

Secretary Treasurer—Position open Joseph Tyler—No. NV Past President Adam Hopkins—No. NV

Education Committee Chair Rick Porzig—Western NV Finance Committee Chair Chuck Duarte—Western NV

Policy Committee Chair Barbara Van Dyke—No. NV Multicultural Committee Chair Donna Shibovich—No. NV

Consumer Council Representative David Caloiaro—Western NV Julian Gregory—So. NV Albert Torres—Western NV

NAMI Nevada c/o Community Health Alliance

680 S. Rock Blvd Reno, NV 89502

Phone: 775-336-3090

Welcome to Spotlight—NAMI Nevada’s quarterly electronic newsletter.

NAMI Nevada and its three Affiliates continue to be very busy. You can read

more about the individual happenings at the Affiliate level within this newsletter.

I am excited that we have a re-energized NAMI Southern Nevada ready to serve

those in the southern part of the state where the need, due to the large population

base, is so great. Also, for the first time, NAMI Nevada participated in Nevada’s

BIG GIVE on-line fundraising effort. We raised $500!

For several months, I’ve been working with a dedicated group of individuals

and agencies from across the state, to raise awareness for Mental Health Aware-

ness Month in May. The State of Nevada Behavioral Health Planning & Advi-

sory Council—Ad Hoc Promotion group have been busy planning media buys

(both television and radio). We will be using NAMI’s “A Brighter Day” televi-

sion spot that focuses on depression, and radio spots with local individuals tell-

ing their story around mental illness and substance use. Keep a look-out in May

for these public service announcements (PSA’s) to air on both television and ra-

dio across the state.

I hope that you and many NAMI Nevada members plan to attend the 2016

NAMI National Convention that will be held in Denver Colorado on July 6 - 9.

We are lucky again this year to have the national convention in the West. Patrick

J. Kennedy, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and best-

selling author of “A Common Struggle” will be a keynote speaker. NAMI Ne-

vada will also conduct a State Caucus meeting at the convention on Thursday,

July 7th from 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at a table in Grand Ballroom 2. All NAMI

Nevada members from across the state are invited. Additional information on

the NAMI National Convention is contained in this newsletter or by going to

www.nami.org/convention.

May is Mental Health Awareness month, please join me at our NAMI North-

ern Nevada affiliate’s annual “Walk and Talk” community event on May 7th in

Reno at Idlewild Park—Snowflake Pavilion from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Be sure

to stop by the NAMI Nevada table and say hi!

Ginger Paulsen

Executive Director

Table of Contents

NAMI Nevada Executive Director Message ……………………………………..1

Guest Columnist: Courts and Mental Illness ..…..…………………………….....2-3

Affiliate News ….…………………………………………………………………...3-5

NAMI National Convention & Book Review .………………………………......6

NAMI Basics Info & NAMI Advocacy ……..…………………………...………..7

Article: State Economy Gains by Reducing Stigma ……………………………..8-9

Support Groups/Resources ………………………………………………………..10

Page 2: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

I. Court is stressful, tiring and triggering

Going to court is a profoundly stressful experience for

individuals with mental illness. Many people don't under-

stand how the court works, the actors involved, or even

where they need to go. Fun fact: In Nevada there are 182

judicial officers and over 2,000 court employees to handle

nearly 130,000 cases per year. There are more than 15 dif-

ferent court locations throughout the major areas of Ne-

vada, and dozens of different “courtrooms” inside the

greater court buildings. The sheer confusion of it all can

make it difficult for individuals with mental illness to find

reliable information about courts. In essence, without

knowing what to expect, court can be scary for anyone, let

alone someone with mental illness or trauma. Courts are

the most common source of referrals for mental health, sub-

stance abuse and counseling services for youth and liti-

gants. In most instances, judicial officers try to avoid cus-

tody, relying on alternative means of punishment if the case

deserves punishment at all. That said, it is also true that

court can be very challenging for people with mental ill-

ness.

The most frequent complaint by litigants is that court is

excruciatingly tiring. Most court calendars begin at 8:30

AM and continue well into the afternoon. It is not unusual

for litigants involved in a case to wait the whole morning,

and sometimes all day to be heard. The interior of courts

are not built for comfort, and the waiting area outside court-

rooms can be crowded, hot and generally uncomfortable.

The chaotic nature of “calling” a calendar can be diffi-

cult for litigants with autism or sensory processing disor-

der. It is vitally important for mental health advocates to

know that litigants who many need to speak to judicial offi-

cers are not in the best position to explain their needs if

they are anxious, tired or frustrated. It can be helpful to ask

litigants to bring earplugs, a blanket, or headphones and a

music player to the courthouse. It also can be helpful to

advise the bailiff that your client may be more sensitive to

the environment than other litigants.

In addition, a bailiff can also communicate the needs

of litigants to the judge, who can take steps to ensure the

litigant is provided proper accommodations.

II. It’s nearly impossible to remember everything

that is said in court

Court hearings are notoriously quick. The speed at

which they take place, along with bad acoustics, stress

and anxiety can make the information communicated in

hearings difficult to remember.

Processing the multitude of statements made in

court can be difficult for individuals with mental illness.

The dialect of law can also be frightening. Terms like

readiness, pleas, dispo’s, and trial calendars may be

familiar to legal professionals but reinforce the mysteri-

ous and frightening nature of court proceedings. In fact,

hearings can be so confusing and move so quickly that

experienced lawyers often have clerks sitting in the au-

dience to help them write down what happens during a

hearing. For example, in a typical criminal case, a liti-

gant may need to remember anywhere from 10 to 15

instructions from the judge. This includes vital informa-

tion like where to enroll in services, how to contact

court officers, and the location and date of the next hear-

ing. In the best of situations, remembering 40-50 items

of information would be difficult for most people. It is

highly challenging or nearly impossible for people with

compromised attention or executive function.

III. Court can be expensive

Many people don’t understand the economic impact

of going to court. Advocates should remember that

mental illness intersects with poverty, unemployment

and homelessness.

Some clients may not have the financial resources to

even find transportation to court. This can cause clients

with mental illness to run afoul of rules requiring them

to appear.

5 Things to remember when working with people with mental illness who are court-involved

By

Kelly Ranasinghe, JD, CWLS Member Board of Directors, NAMI Northern Nevada

Page 2

Page 3: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

5 things to remember when working with individuals with men-

tal illness who are court involved—Continued from page 2

Page 3

There has been a lot of activity in the NAMI Nevada office during the first quarter of 2016. After more than two

years, we will have a Family-to-Family course again in Las Vegas. We had a wonderful response and registered a full

class. A NAMI Basics class was taught Las Vegas and ended the first week of March. We are thankful for the volun-

teers to who stepped forward to teach these classes. A Family-to-Family course will begin on April 13th on the

NNAMHS campus in Sparks. We received a full class enrollment for this course also. A Peer-to-Peer course will also

be offered in May on the NNAMHS campus in Sparks. NAMI Western Nevada is currently offering a Family-to-

Family course in Gardnerville.

We are working on support by sending two people to Arlington, VA to be trained as State Trainers for our NAMI

Connection Support Group facilitators. Mark Burchell from Reno, and Elizabeth Johnson from Las Vegas will be

trained. Once trained as State Trainers, they will be able to train more facilitators in Northern and Southern Nevada. A

Family-to-Family teacher training will be offered in Las Vegas on June 4th and 5th. A NAMI Family Support Group

facilitator training will be offered in Reno on June 11th and 12th.

On the Advocacy front, we have been busy giving testimony and submitting position letters on the proposed Medi-

caid Managed Care Organization expansion to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled population. We also submitted a letter to

the State of Nevada Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee on the issue of atypical antipsychotic injectable medications

and whether they should be included on the Preferred Drug List (PDL) or not. We asked that they not be included on

the PDL, which allows doctors the full range of medications which they can prescribe to patients without having to do

step therapy or trying an older, less expensive medication before they are able to prescribe a new medication. This is

known as “fail first”. The doctor, working with the patient, will be able to prescribe the medication that works best for

the individual patient. The Committee decided to keep the antipsychotic injectable medications off the PDL.

Congratulations to NAMI Western Nevada! At the NAMI National Board of Directors meeting in March, the Board

voted to approve NAMI Western Nevada as an official Affiliate of NAMI. The process to become Affiliated is detailed

and takes time to accomplish. Our goal is to get all three of our Affiliates through this process. NAMI Southern Nevada

is making strides in the area after installing a new Board of Directors in January, re-writing Bylaws, and sending them

out to the Southern Nevada membership for approval and adoption. NAMI Northern Nevada has also been working on

re-writing their Bylaws. Sandy Stamates, President, NAMI Nevada

NAMI Nevada

IV. Reduce stress by planning ahead

One way to reduce stress for those with mental illness

is to understand the process. Most courtrooms are, by law,

public areas. It is perfectly permissible to sit in a court-

room a few days before your court date to see how it oper-

ates. It is also permissible to ask questions about how the

court works, where to sit, and how long one can expect to

wait. Courts are required by law to provide equal access

to individuals with disabilities, which includes individuals

living with mental illness.

V. 3-Way conversations help

It is helpful for a client with mental illness to have a

post-hearing conference with their attorney shortly after

court. Enlisting the help of an advocate to write down key

points and dates during a hearing can be enormously help-

ful.

Always remember to get a copy of the minute order

after court. This is a condensed record of everything that

happened in the hearing and can help a client organize all

the things they need to do.

Finally, 3-way conversations between a client, a men-

tal health advocate and an attorney can be incredibly help-

ful. In general, no privilege is broken if the client is using

the advocate as a method of equal access, the advocate has

a duty of confidentiality.

Page 4: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

Greetings from NAMI Northern Nevada!

Over the last couple of years, NAMI in Nevada has made great strides. We have welcomed our sister affiliate,

NAMI Western Nevada onto the scene along with a number of talented and capable people into our ranks. NAMI

Northern Nevada, with help from NAMI Nevada is building foundations for more growth and change.

NAMI Northern Nevada plans to hold its yearly fundraiser, the Walk-and-Talk, in early May of 2016 in

Idlewild Park at the Snowflake Pavilion. The event will feature live music performances, free food and refresh-

ments, a face-painting clown and guest speakers discussing the greater mental health issues going on in Nevada.

There will also be a silent auction and a raffle for prizes. Fun will be had for all.

NAMI Northern Nevada continues to hold its Educational Dinners, usually held the last Thursday of each

month at The Bridge Baptist Church in Reno located at 1330 Foster Dr., nearby Reno High School. Dinner begins

at 6:00 pm and a speaker addresses the audience on mental health issues, innovations in mental health treatment,

new mental health services being made available and testimonials from individuals in recovery from mental ill-

ness.

Hopes are high that in the next year, NAMI will come to be recognized on the UNR campus and beyond. Ef-

forts are being made to find audiences for IOOV presentations and student inclusion in the soon to be held NAMI

Connection Support Group training in Northern Nevada this month, January.

Thank you NAMI members in Nevada for everything that you do!

Gerald O’Brien, President

NAMI Northern Nevada

Page 4

Hello from NAMI Southern Nevada!

The first quarter of 2016 has been a busy one. Our new Board of Directors is working hard to build a solid

foundation for the NAMI Southern Nevada affiliate. Longtime NAMI Southern Nevada member Ron Bloecker

has graciously agreed to continue on the board for another term to help us navigate while we get onto solid ground.

Ron is also a NAMI Family Support Group facilitator. New board member Dr. Michelle Giddings, has agreed to

serve as the Education Coordinator. Thank you Dr. Giddings.

Concurrently, with the assistance of NAMI Nevada, we were able to conduct a NAMI Basics class under the

leadership of Kiara Estill. Kiara is a NAMI Basics facilitator and also a NAMI Southern Nevada board member.

Thank you Kiara and your training partner Maria for your dedication and efforts getting this program to southern

Nevada. We also are happy to announce that we currently have a NAMI Family-to-Family class underway. We

have not offered this class in southern Nevada in over two years. The need here is great and we have a full class

with a waiting list! Thank you to the Foundation for Recovery for hosting this much needed class. Momentum is

growing!

We have an amazing new board of directors who are dedicated to making NAMI Southern Nevada strong

again! Thank you to NAMI Nevada and the other Nevada Affiliates for your support and help.

Kim Giddings, Secretary, NAMI Southern Nevada

Page 5: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

Page 5

NAMI Western Nevada Update As my sister Mary likes to say, “and now we’re cookin’ with gas!” It’s a busy and exciting life in the NAMI

Western Nevada affiliate, thanks to the tireless work of a hearty band of volunteers, led by the inspirational Linda

Porzig, our Education Coordinator.

The most exciting part of our work is outreach of NAMI’s message of hope and support in two directions – rural

and Latino. We regularly participate in the Community Coalition meetings in Carson, Lyon, and Douglas counties,

along with the Northern Nevada Behavioral Health Coalition, Rural Nevada Health Network and soon will be join-

ing the Rural children’s Consortium.

We are pleased to announce that we conducted our first NAMI Family to Family class in Elko! We are working

on finding a location to hold our NAMI Family to Family class in Churchill County. One of our board members,

Sandie Draper, is regularly called upon to present to Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings, and we are proud of

the way she communicates to and connects with law enforcement in our service territory. NAMI Western Nevada

has been invited to present the NAMI IOOV/family model CIT presentation developed by NAMI Northern Nevada

at both the Memphis Model-Carson City CIT training and the new Churchill County CIT.

Our Latino outreach is spearheaded by Evelia Duncan, and I do not know the word in Spanish for AMAZING,

but that’s Evelia. She has done outreach to the Hispanic community through churches and Spanish speaking social

and civic organizations. She has also taught NAMI Bases y Fundamentos (NAMI Basics).

Our calendar is full with frequent IOOV (In Our Own Voice) presentations, Peer Recovery Dinners, Peer and

Family Support Groups, and NAMI signature classes, for which we appreciate the support of the State of Nevada

Department of Public and Behavioral Health. Our next major goal is to organize a Legal Symposium for our region,

addressing jail diversion, guardianships, problem-solving and more. My personal goal is to write volunteer job de-

scriptions for the various functions we need assistance with, in order to make it easier for people to join our hearty

band and share in the satisfaction we feel in contributing to the quality of life of peers and their families in our re-

gion.

Sarah Adler, President

NAMI Western Nevada

NAMI Nevada is growing and we need you!

We are looking for individuals that have an interest in any of the following areas:

♥ Office administration (proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher)

♥ Writing articles for our quarterly newsletter “Nevada Spotlight”

♥ Helping us with NAMI Nevada special events

♥ Fundraising—Marketing—Social Media—Web Design/Updates

♥ Community outreach and education

♥ Have an interest in becoming Teacher/Facilitators for NAMI educational programs

♥ Individuals with lived experience who are interested in telling their story for In Our Own

Voice presentations

Please contact the NAMI Nevada office

at 775-336-3060 for details.

Page 6: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

Page 6

NAMI READING RECOMMENDATIONS

Why do we think, feel, and act in ways we wished we did not?

For decades, New York Times bestselling author Dr. David A

Kessler has studied this question with regard to tobacco, food, and

drugs. Over the course of these investigations, he identified one

underlying mechanism common to a broad range of human suffer-

ing. This phenomenon—capture—is the process by which our at-

tention is hijacked and our brains commandeered by forces outside

our control.

In Capture, Dr. Kessler considers some of the most profound

questions we face as human beings: What are the origins of mental

afflictions, from everyday unhappiness to addictions and depres-

sion—and how are they connected? Where does healing and tran-

scendence fit into this realm of emotional experience? Capture is

an intimate and critical exploration of the most enduring human

mystery of all: the mind.

David A. Kessler, MD, served as commissioner of the US Food

and Drug Administration under two presidents. He is a pediatrician

and has been the dean of the medical school at Yale and the Univer-

sity of California, San Francisco. A graduate of Amherst College,

the University of Chicago Law School, and Harvard Medical School. Published—April 12, 2016

Page 7: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

WHAT IS NAMI BASICS?

NAMI Basics is a FREE, 6-session educational program for parents and family caregivers of children and teens

who are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or whom have already been diagnosed. As a caregiver, you face

unique challenges: social stigma, complex family dynamics, navigating the school system, unpredictable aspects of

these conditions. It can be overwhelming.

NAMI Basics provides you with skills, knowledge and a community of people who can relate to your experience.

NAMI Basics is offered in a group setting so you can connect with other people face-to-face. You’ll learn the facts

about mental health conditions and how best to support your child at home, at school and when they’re getting medi-

cal care. The course is taught by a trained team with lived experience—they know what you’re going through be-

cause they’ve been there. The 6-session program provides critical strategies for taking care of your child and learn-

ing the ropes of recovery..

NAMI Basics covers:

Managing crises

Solving problems and communicating effectively

How to take care of yourself and handle stress

Developing the confidence and stamina to support your child with compassion

Advocating for your child’s rights at school and in health care settings

Learning about current treatments, including evidenced-based therapies, medications and side effects

Gaining an overview of the public mental health care, school and juvenile justice systems

Learn to care for yourself, including managing your stress

For more information or to reserve your spot in our next class,

please contact the NAMI Nevada office at 775-336-3090.

Page 7

#ACT4

MENTAL HEALTH

Share the Facts:

▪ 1 in 5 Americans are affected by mental illness in a given year

▪ 75% of rural and frontier communities do not have any mental health professionals

▪ More than 50% of adults and children with mental health conditions received no

mental health treatment in the past year

▪ Over 40,000 American lives are lost to suicide every year. Suicide is the 2nd leading

cause of death among yourn people ages 15-24

▪ 8.4 million Americans provide care to an adult living with mental illness

▪ Mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year

▪ 2 million Americans with mental health conditions languish in jails each year, often as

a result of their mental illness

Page 8: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

State Economy Gains By Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness,

Study Says

By Ana B. Ibarra April 15, 2016

A statewide social marketing campaign to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness has brought eco-

nomic benefit to California’s economy, a new study says.

How? By boosting the employability, productivity and incomes of people afflicted by psychiatric conditions,

according to the study, published Thursday by the RAND Corporation, a Santa Monica-based policy think tank.

The study showed that people in need of mental health treatment who were exposed to the anti-stigma message of

the social marketing campaign were more likely to seek help. Those who get treatment have a significantly higher

chance of finding good-paying jobs, thus contributing more tax dollars to state coffers, it said.

“This is an important finding,” said Alejandra Acuña, an assistant professor of social work at California State

University, Northridge. “Social marketing campaigns have been used with great results to change behavior and

address public health concerns like nutrition and HIV testing.”

“Universal approaches like social marketing target entire communities, so by their very nature they are not

stigmatizing and a great opportunity to shift social norms,” she said.

The Rand study examined an effort launched in 2011 by the California Mental Health Services Author-

ity (CalMHSA), a coalition of counties, to improve the mental health of Californians.

Reducing stigma, especially in the minds of people who suffer from mental illness, was a key priority. Central to

the effort was a multi-faceted social media campaign that delivered stigma-reducing messages in a variety of

forms, including documentaries, public services announcements, online public forums and multimedia advertise-

ments.

An important part of the media campaign was a documentary that recounts the stories of California residents

who have suffered from mental illness and recovered. It was broadcast numerous times on public television sta-

tions, showed to community groups and other audiences and is posted on the CalMHSA-funded website,

EachMindMatters.org.

Another key element of the campaign was an online discussion forum for adults 18 to 24 years old,

ReachOut.com, where people can log on to seek or provide emotional support or help in relationships, school or

work.

CalMHSA’s stigma-busting efforts are funded by the California Mental Health Services Act, also known as

Proposition 63, which imposes a 1 percent tax on incomes of $1 million or more to fund county mental health

programs.

“The goal is to change the conversation [about mental health] in our society by increasing knowledge and

changing attitudes,” said Wayne Clark, executive director of CalMHSA. “The better mental health people have,

the more productive citizens they will be.”

Scott Ashwood, lead author of the RAND study, said an estimated 121,000 people per year seek mental health

treatment after being exposed to a social marketing campaign’s anti-stigma, anti-discrimination message.

The Rand study authors surveyed a sample of 1,066 Californians who had previously reported “mild to serious”

psychological distress, and found that 35 percent of them had been exposed to social media messages related to

reducing the stigma of mental illness. That group of people was more likely to have received treatment.

Page 8

Continued on page 9

Page 9: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

The study also provides some hard numbers on the financial return of these efforts. Its authors calculated

that for each $1 invested in spreading the message, the state government will ultimately reap $36 in extra tax

dollars. And for the state as a whole, that $1 will generate $1,251 in economic benefits, according to the study.

Ashwood said it was difficult to put a dollar value on all the benefits of reducing stigma and discrimination, so

the study could actually underestimate the returns.

The authors derived their estimate of the financial benefit by looking at people who got jobs after treatment

or who missed fewer work days because their mental health improved.

Discrimination against people with mental health illnesses continues to be a serious social problem, experts

say, though many of them think society is headed in the right direction.

And stigma in the eyes of others isn’t the only problem.

“Part of it has to with a person’s own self-perception,” said Tom Loats, director of behavioral health at St.

Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. “People believe they have to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

That’s silly. You can’t do that for diabetes or heart disease.”

Jenny Delacruz, behavioral health program director at Anaheim Global Medical Center, which has a large

psychiatric ward, said she believes that greater social acceptance of people with mental illness makes them

more comfortable in their own skin and eases their assimilation back into society.

“If they recognize and accept their illness, they will seek treatment and function better,” Delacruz said. But

they have to jump through the stigma barrier, she said, that’s where these social media campaign efforts can

help.

Page 9

Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness—

Continued from page 8

SUPPORT NAMI’S PRIORITIES

● Increase the availability of mental health care ● Promote early identification and intervention ● Reduce criminalization ● Enforce mental health insurance parity ● Support mental health caregivers

Page 10: Building Hope for Recovery through Education, Support and

Information You Can Use

Support Groups

NAMI Northern Nevada (Reno/Sparks/Fernley/Verdi)

Weekly Family Support Group and NAMI Connections Support Group

When: Monday evenings, 6:30 p.m.—8:00 p.m.

Where: Renown Regional Medical Center, 1155 Mill Street, Reno, NV 89502

Both support groups meet on the first floor near the Education & Simulation Center on the ground floor

of the Sierra Tower, close to the Pediatric Emergency Room. Both groups meet at the same time in dif-

ferent rooms. Call 775-336-3090 for more information.

NAMI Southern Nevada (Las Vegas//Henderson/Paradise/Spring Valley/Boulder City)

Weekly Family Support Group and NAMI Connections Support Group

When: Tuesday evenings, 6:30 p.m.—8:00 p.m.

Where: On the campus of the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, 6161 W. Charleston

Blvd., Building 2, Las Vegas, NV 89146. Both support groups meet at the same time in different rooms.

NAMI Western Nevada (Carson City/Dayton/Silver Springs/Gardnerville/Minden)

NAMI Recovery Connection

When: Meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 4:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m.

Where: Carson Counseling and Supportive Services, 1665 Old Hot Springs Road, Suite 150, Carson

City, NV 89706. Call NAMI Western Nevada at 775-440-1626 for more information.

NAMI Family Support Group

When: Meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 6:00—7:30 p.m.

Where: Compass Behavioral Health, 224 E. Winnie Lane, Suite 212, Carson City, NV 89706

Call NAMI Western Nevada at 775-440-1626 for more information.

Mental Health Emergency and Resource Numbers

Police: 9-1-1

Tell the dispatcher you are calling regarding a person who has a mental illness. Request a CIT

(Crisis Intervention Team) trained officer and/or someone who has experience dealing with the

mentally ill. For non-emergency situations, call your local police department main number.

Nevada : 2-1-1 (1-866-535-5654)

Is a service committed to helping Nevadan’s citizens connect with the services that they need.

- Housing & Shelter - Food Services

- Mental Health - Substance Abuse

- Children’s Services - Transportation

- Healthcare - Senior Services

- Utility Assistance

Northern Nevada Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMHS) Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS)

480 Galletti Way 3131 W. Charleston Blvd.

Sparks, NV 89431 Las Vegas, NV 89146

Phone: 775-688-2001 Phone: 702-486-6000

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