Greater Des Moines Box 12174, Des Moines, Iowa 50312 (515) 277-0672 (voice mail) AFFILIATE AND SUPPORT GROUP NEWSLETTER

February 2009 “Support, Education, and Advocacy” Serving Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties

www.nami.org/JOIN - Join NAMI with a single click of your mouse, and become a member at the local, state, and national level.

Our Education Meetings are generally the 1st Sunday of the month from 2 - 4 PM at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Level B conference room. Dates on Sundays other than the 1st Sunday of the month are due to holidays or other special scheduled events.

Business and Committee Meetings are the 2nd Thursday of the month at 5 P.M. at the NAMI-Iowa Office. 1. Business 4. Education 6. Fundraising 2. Marketing and membership 3. Support 5. Advocacy 7. Special Events

Sunday, Feb. 1 2 PM

The topic is the “Des Moines Mobile Crisis Unit and Jail Diversion”. Our speakers will be Larry Hejtmanek and Officer Kelly Drane.

Thursday, Feb. 12 5 PM

We will be discussing and planning around 7 topic areas.

Sunday March 1 2 PM

A panel discussion of “Consumer Recovery Services offered by Behavioral Health Services”. Programs to be discussed will be IPR, PACT, and Illness Management and Recovery. Panelists will be Mollie, Cynthia, and Shannon.

Thursday, March 12 5 PM

We will be discussing and planning around 7 topic areas.

The rest of the 2009 Sunday Education Meeting Dates

April 5 May 3 June 7 July 12 August 2 September 13 October 3 – NAMI Walks November 1 December 6 – Legislative Forum

The rest of the 2009 Business Meeting Dates

April 9 May 14 June 11 July 9 August 13 September 10 October 8 November 12 December 10

Support groups – See inside the newsletter for a listing of support groups. We have: 2 support groups for family members – 1 in Des Moines and 1 in Indianola 3 support groups for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbance – Johnston, Des Moines, and Altoona 9 listings for support groups for persons in recovery A support group for those coping with the aftermath of a suicide Do you know of more support groups we could list?

Educational classes – Free – contact us for more information – classes will start in the spring. Family to Family – a 12 week class for family members of adults with mental illness – on Tuesdays, March 3 to May 19 6:30 to 9:00 PM - Contact: Grace at 961-6671 rsivadge1@juno.com or Teresa at 277-0672 tbomhoff@mchsi.com Visions for Tomorrow – an 8 week class for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with severe emotional disorder Contact: Diane at 273-5054 DLJohnson@magellanlhealth.com or Steph Estes at 967-6997 steph_estes@msn.com Peer to Peer – a 9 week course for persons in recovery Contact: Dawn Olson dawnao@iowatelecom.net 254-0417 Parents and Teachers as Allies – a 2 ½ hour in-service for teachers and parents – Contact: Susan Gill slsgill@aol.com 242-7556

An alternative contact for the above classes is the NAMI Iowa office: 254-0417 or 1-800-417-0417

Provider Education – a 10 week course for persons at agencies and organizations who work with persons with mental illness A contract is negotiated with NAMI Iowa for this class. Contact: 254-0417 or 1-800-427-0417

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Would you like to become a teacher for Family to Family, Visions for Tomorrow, or Peer to Peer? Would you like to become a support group facilitator for a family member support group or for the consumer support group – NAMI Connections?

Contact the NAMI Iowa office to be placed on the class list for training to be held in the spring. Their phone numbers are 254-0417 or 1-800-417-0417 or send an e-mail namiiowa@mchsi.com

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Did You Know?

Mentally ill adults who receive treatment in the public health system die 25 years sooner , on average, than Americans overall.

Here is an article from Time magazine on the subject:

Why Do the Mentally Ill Die Younger? By Kate Torgovnick

Dec. 03, 2008

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1863220,00.html?iid=tsmod

Cynthia Scott is your average health conscious 56-year-old. She watches what she eats, drinks lots of water and takes a multivitamin every morning. She goes for frequent walks and visits her doctor regularly for check-ups, including cholesterol and diabetes screenings.

Scott also has schizoaffective bipolar disorder, a mental illness she keeps in check with a low dose of Zyprexa. If you ask Scott, she would say she is overall a healthy person. So she was shocked when the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMPHD) published a study two years ago called, "Morbidity and Mortality in People with Serious Mental Illness."

The report analyzed data from 16 states, and found that, on average, people with severe mental illness die 25 years earlier than the general population. "Hearing that made me so sad," says Scott. (See the Year in Health, from A to Z.)

The findings were a bombshell for the rest of the mental health community. "The study jarred the field," says Dr. Bob Glover, the executive director of NASMPHD.

After the 2006 report came out, many mental health agencies in the U.S. made it an immediate priority to figure out why their patients die sooner, and how to improve their longevity.

Says Glover, "Mental health has been late to the dance in terms of looking at the connections between mental health and physical health. It may be moot what you're doing for mental health needs if people are dying so early from physical causes."

Indeed, the causes of physical illness and death among psychiatric patients are much the same as those in other groups — cigarette smoking, obesity, diabetes — and treatable.

The problem is that people with serious mental illness tend to be low on the socioeconomic totem pole and don't often get the best available health care. Often, their own doctors pay little heed to their patients' physical health.

"Medical doctors think, 'Well, they're crazy,' so don't take their concerns seriously," says Wendy Brennan, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in New York City. "Their very real physical symptoms are often dismissed."

One of the commonest contributors to early death among mentally ill patients, for instance, is smoking. While about 22% of the general population smokes, more than 75% of people with severe mental illness are tobacco dependent. According to Glover, a study conducted by NASMPHD after it published the mortality study found that 44% of all cigarettes in the United States are consumed by people with psychiatric histories.

"I used to run state hospitals and we'd use cigarettes as reinforcement— 'You did good, you get a cigarette,'" he says.

"When people didn't do well, we took away their tobacco privileges. We were part of the problem." The agency is now working to make state mental hospitals smoke-free by 2011.

Obesity is another big risk factor. People with depression or bipolar disorder are about twice as likely to be obese as the general population; in people with schizophrenia, that risk spikes to three times higher. This is in part because so many psychotropic medications cause weight gain.

At many state hospitals, says Glover, "you'd see a woman be admitted at 120 lbs. Three to six months later, she'd weigh 200."

Obesity-related illnesses like diabetes are so prevalent among the mentally ill that health officials call it an epidemic within an epidemic — for example, about 13% of schizophrenic adults in their 50s have been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 8% of the general population of the same age.

In October, the NASMPHD released another report with recommendations for treating the particular problem of obesity, including giving those with severe mental illness better access to dietary consultations and promoting the prescription of low weight gain anti-psychotics. They are currently working on creating a toolkit for federal health-care providers to better inform them on the issue.

At NAMI-New York City, health workers held focus groups, after reading the 2006 mortality report, to assess their patients' health concerns.

There were many — foremost among them, the simple desire to feel deserving of good health. "The most shocking thing was that people really wanted to be healthy, but there was a disconnect," says program associate Katie Linn, who ran the focus groups. "A lot of it came down to self worth — they didn't feel like they were worthy of taking care of themselves."

Based on the participants' responses, NAMI created a program called Six Weeks to Wellness, a once-a-week class that teaches everything from proper nutrition to controlling anxiety through yoga and meditation. "It's been wildly popular," says Linn. "It helps to say, 'Your health is important to us.' They've never heard that before."

For the NASMPHD, the next logical step is to educate the doctors who care for the mentally ill. This month, the agency will release guidelines for standardizing the medical tests, assessments and care given to mental health patients in the public system.

The recommendations include taking regular measurements of patients' height and weight, checking their glucose levels and carefully evaluating their medication history. Psychiatrists, likewise, are not exempt. According to Mental Heath America, based in Virginia, a recent survey of people with schizophrenia revealed that they rarely discussed physical health with their psychiatrists. So, the organization is now working on an initiative, with the American Psychological Association, to better educate mental health specialists about the physical concerns facing patients with serious mental illness.

As for Cynthia Scott, for the past two years, she's taken her health consciousness to a whole new level, regularly attending NAMI's yoga workshops in New York. "I'm big on taking care of myself," she says. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all." - Bill Clinton

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Book Reviews by June Judge "Working in the Dark: Keeping your Job While Dealing with Depression" by Fawn Fitter/Beth Gulas, Hazelden, 2002.

Each year 11 million Americans experience a major depressive episode. Keeping a job while struggling to

regain health is one of the least talked about but most difficult aspects of recovery from depression.

Here is a useful guide in dealing with depression at the workplace. The authors address questions such as: ++Should I ask my boss for time off? ++Should I tell my colleagues about my depression? ++What are my legal rights? Authors Fawn Fitter's personal struggle with depression has inspired this book. She has written about career and workplace issues for numerous publications.

Beth Gulas is a licensed mental health counselor and is a business management and organizational development consultant. www.hazelden.org

"On the Edge of Darkness: Conversations about Conquering Depression" by Kathy Cronkite. Doubleday

Depression is the most treatable mental illness, yet the 24 million people caught in its downward spiral each year may feel so isolated that they never seek help.

Kathy Cronkite, daughter of Walter Cronkite, who herself suffered from depression, has interviewed dozens of writers, actors and television personalities who have conquered the illness. Their stories are a rallying cheer of hope for everyone who has ever despaired.

Kitty Dukakis (author of 'Shock'), Joan Rivers, Mike Wallace, and Rod Steiger are among those whose personal setbacks and tragic losses led to debilitating ordeals. They share their optimistic outcomes as a means of helping others.

Psychiatrists, psychologists and medical researchers explain in detail how the disease operates in the body, how it is treated and what the current research is discovering about the mind-body connection.

In 2004, the daughter of Billy Graham formed Ruth Graham & Friends, a ministry that helps others address problems that she found are too often ignored in the Christian community, including the depression she experienced.

Her "Get Growing" conferences address issues like addiction, depression, and eating disorders.

"I was tired of being a plastic Christian. I told everybody I had it all together, and I was falling apart. And I was scared to death to tell somebody," she said.

At the conferences, she talks about her experiences and how her faith and a supportive family helped her survive

“Wishful Drinking” – by Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia of Star Wars, daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, ex-wife of Paul Simon.... has written "Wishful Drinking" - in which she discusses her monthly ECT treatments which continue to this day - for her treatment-resistant depression.

MENTAL ILLNESS: THE FACTS

From NAMI: In Our Own Voice Mental illnesses are brain disorders. They are not defects

in someone’s personality or a sign of poor moral character or lack of faith. They certainly do not mean that the ill person is a failure. Chemical imbalances in the brain, from unknown or incompletely known causes, are much of the reason for symptoms of mental illnesses.

Mental illnesses are like other organ diseases in which body chemistry changes. The abnormal chemistry of mental illnesses affects brain function the same way that too little or too much of other body chemicals damage the heart, kidneys or liver.

A heart attack is a symptom of serious heart disease, just as hearing voices, mood swings, withdrawal from social activities, or feeling out of control are common symptoms of a mental illness.

Mental illnesses can affect people of any age, race, religion, education or income level. As you read this, five million people here in the United States are dealing with serious, chronic brain disorders. Major brain disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), major depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

There are many points on the continuum of wellness, and different degrees of recovery that can be reached with medication, therapy, and a strong support system.

Like Mother Like Son Bipolar disorder creates special bond By Bekah Porter TH Staff writer BPorter@wcinet.com

MANCHESTER, Iowa -- The voices called to him.

Teasing and taunting, the murmurs rambled through Matt Mitchell's mind. Swallowed by darkness, the Manchester teen felt the shadow's whispers sink into his soul.

"They are coming to get you," the night said. "They are coming."

Mitchell scrambled off the park bench serving as his bed, and he ran.

He raced to escape his ghosts -- his past, the cops, his drug dealers, his diagnosis. Yet the eyes of the monster behind him grew brighter, approaching at a speed he could not outrun, and Mitchell turned to face his demon.

A car door opened, and a silhouette crossed the headlights.

"Matt, are you OK?" his mother asked.

Her son, still high, thought she was not real.

"It's OK, Matt," she said. "I understand. You know I understand."

'Not alone'

Robin Stone and her 18-year-old son, Matt Mitchell, suffer from a disease with no known cause or cure.

They will not die from it. Not in the traditional sense, anyway, Stone said.

Instead, they will suffer through the symptoms and will battle the backlash caused by a mishmash of medications they call their "cocktails."

Being bipolar, both understand their lives will be littered with incidents -- like last summer, when Stone discovered Mitchell

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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wandering the streets, hallucinating after a manic-induced drug binge. His prescriptions interacted with marijuana, and psychosis attacked.

That night, Stone sensed her son's trouble and sought him out. Yet often both the mother and son say their diagnoses leave them feeling isolated, despite the fact that 5.7 million American adults share their disease.

Only one thing eases the pain.

"It helps, knowing that Mom is the same," Mitchell said. "When I am in trouble, I can talk to her about it."

Stone echoes those sentiments.

"With Matt, I know I am not alone," she said.

'Life-threatening' More than 2.6 percent of the U.S. population suffers from the mental illness characterized by dramatic mood swings.

A euphoric high morphs into a depressive prison again and again, until either prescriptions ease the pain or desperation drives the victim to his or her death.

About one in five bipolar patients commits suicide, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Symptoms include extreme irritability, a propensity for drug and alcohol abuse, poor judgement, chronic pain and feelings of hopelessness or guilt.

Worse yet, only a quarter of the bipolar population receives an accurate diagnosis less than three years after seeking medical attention. The rest muddle through a decade or more before doctors discover what is wrong, according to the National Institute for Mental Health.

"This is a life-threatening disease," Stone said. "It's just not one you can see."

'Ramped up'

The clip appears scratchy, fuzzy, old.

Filmed 19 years ago, the video shows a pregnant woman sharing her hopes for her unborn child.

"We thought about the military, and we talked about college," Stone said.

Yet the highly anticipated arrival delivered more than a son.

"I knew from the very moment Matt was born that something wasn't right," Stone said. "He came out of the womb screaming, and he did nothing else. And it went downhill from there."

Screaming turned into outbursts, and doctors diagnosed attention deficit disorder and prescribed medication.

"They'd help a little, but he was still a wild child," Stone said. "It was like ADHD, but ramped up a couple notches."

For nine years, Stone wondered why Mitchell banged his head on the floor, broke things and smacked his siblings. Discipline failed, and Stone's only remedy for controlling fits was to clasp her child on her lap, her arms wrapped around his middle as he bucked and reared against her.

During one such rage, Stone held her son and watched TV as she waited for her son's anger to subside.

A program about bipolar children aired, and for several moments, Stone sat in disbelief.

"Oh, my God," she said. "That's Matthew."

Although the average onset for the disorder is 25, Mitchell received the diagnosis at 9.

'Not for me'

Life dimmed after the diagnosis.

Stone's marriage dissolved. Her relationship with her other children -- a son and daughter -- faded. Her job-seeking attempts failed, and the newly single mother of three sank into depression.

"Having a child with a mental illness is extremely isolating," Stone said. "You lose friends over it."

Family life suffered, too.

"I feel like my other two kids have not gotten the time and attention from me they deserve," she said. "But when you have an ill child, you have to take care of them, and you can't expect that the others will understand. It was really hard on the other kids, because Matt just sucked the energy out of this family."

For years, she argued with teachers about care plans. She fought the "bad mother" stereotype forced on her by fellow grocery store shoppers and Bible study members. But she waged the biggest battle against herself.

She sat in front of the window for entire days. She did not eat. She did not move.

"I was not the best of mothers when I got that way," Stone said.

While her son fought his illness, Stone struggled with a stream of depression diagnoses.

A referral to a psychiatrist changed everything. At the session's end, he passed her a prescription to treat bipolar disorder.

"That was like he threw a bucket of cold water on me," Stone said. "For some stupid reason, it was like it was OK for my son, but not for me."

'Never, never, never'

"It was like coming out of a 45-year fog," Stone said. "I missed a lot of years, a lot of years."

With a new understanding of herself, Stone now attacked her own disease alongside her son's.

Such a connection proves common, said John Curtis, a Dubuque psychologist.

"There is a genetic component," he said. "Oftentimes parents see their children experiencing the symptoms, and then they look into their family history for the sake of their child, and then they notice the similarities."

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a bipolar parent carries a 30 percent chance of producing a bipolar child. Two bipolar parents are 75 percent more likely to have children with the symptoms.

"Never, never, never did I think this was happening," Stone said. "Never, not once, when Matt was growing up did I think, 'Oh, me too.'"

Yet, Mitchell recognizes similarities.

"We're both the same," he said. "We both yell. We both fight. We both get depressed."

Still, distinct differences remain. Stone experiences the milder diagnosis of bipolar II, while Mitchell suffers from the more intense bipolar I and bipolar psychosis.

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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'Blacked out' Last summer, Mitchell came home after his drug-induced stupor and punched several holes in the walls. Four times, the mother has hospitalized her son for being a danger to himself and, in some cases, to others.

"I didn't even know I was doing these things," he said. "It was like I blacked out."

He punched his best friend in the face. He has been kicked out of four apartments and has dropped out of school. He got involved with "the wrong people," including partiers and drug dealers. He lived on the streets, and he did drugs.

Bad behavior?

Definitely not, Stone said.

"Impulsiveness is part of being bipolar," she said.

Mental health experts back her claim. Studies show that bipolar adolescents, in contrast to adults, are more prone to destructive outbursts, including becoming violent or aggressive.

Such "rages," as Mitchell calls them, have left the teen struggling to maintain a normal life that includes work or school.

For now, he relies on disability checks for finances, and he wants to finish high school and go on to college.

"I am pretty confident I can," he said. "Being bipolar, that doesn't really, like, hold me back or anything. People that know me, they know me, not my diagnosis."

'It makes me better'

Medications keep both mother and son satisfied with life.

They still have differences, but since Mitchell's last outburst six months ago, things have calmed.

If nothing else, Stone said her diagnosis has only improved her quality of life.

"Now that I know I have this mental illness, it almost makes it easier, because my son knows I understand him," she said. "So in some respects, it makes me a better mother, and in other respects, it even makes me a better person."

For Mitchell, the passing time provides relief.

"It's gotten better. I have matured more. The medications have started working better," he said.

But both credit each other for improvements.

"It's a part of who we are," Stone said. "Together, we can get through this."

Assistance with Prescription Cost Polk County residents without full health insurance coverage can save on prescription drugs under a

county sponsored drug discount program. For a complete list of card locations or a list of participating

pharmacies, call 286-3895. and The Partnership for Prescription Assistance - Call 1-888-477-2669 or visit www.pparx.org to see if you may qualify for a variety of programs available. and

Patients who lack prescription drug insurance and are not eligible for Medicare - call 1-800-444-4106 or visit the Together Rx Access Web site for the Together Rx Access™ Card.

Pharmaceutical Company Patient Assistance Programs

By the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) Many pharmaceutical companies offer patient

assistance programs to provide prescription medicines free of charge to physicians whose patients

might not otherwise have access to necessary medicines. Each company determines the eligibility criteria for its program. Eligibility criteria and application processes vary.

Following is a partial list of companies who are members of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) who offer patient assistance programs, along with the telephone numbers for these programs. Your physician should call. If you are unsure which pharmaceutical company makes the drug you are looking for, please contact your local pharmacy. Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company (800) 332-2056 Janssen Pharmaceutica (800) 544-2987 Eli Lilly and Company (800) 545-6962 Parke-Davis (908) 725-1247 Pfizer Inc. (800) 646-4455 Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc (800) 242-7014 GlaxoSmithKline (800) 546-0420 Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc (800) 788-9277 Zeneca Pharmaceuticals (800) 424-3727 Other Assistance Programs Lilly Answers (877) 795-4559 - Provides flat-fee prescriptions to people with Medicare. The Medicine Program (573) 996-7300 - Assists people in applying to multiple patient assistance programs. Pfizer for Living Sharecard (800) 717-6005 - Provides flat-fee prescriptions to people with Medicare.

HelpingPatients.org Interactive Web site by PhRMA and 48 of its member companies designed to help you find patient assistance programs. To contact other companies, consult a Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR), available at your physician’s office and at many public libraries. Letters to the Editor

You are welcome to send letters to the editor by mail or E-mail. If you receive our newsletter by e-mail and would rather receive it by snail mail – or if you receive our newsletter by snail mail and would rather receive it by e-mail – communicate your preference to: Teresa Bomhoff, 200 S.W. 42nd St., Des Moines, Iowa 50312 or E-mail: tbomhoff@mchsi.com

Looking for Community Resources?

Phone 211 www.211Iowa.orgContact Polk County Health Services

218 6th Ave – 243-4545 http://polk.ia.networkofcare.org/mh/home/index.cfmGo to the visiting nurses website www.vnsdm.org

click on “links” – then click on Community Resource Directory Community Mental Health Centers Polk County Child Guidance Center – 808 5th Ave – 244-2267 Eyerly Ball Community Mental Health Center 1301 Center St. – 243-5181 Broadlawns Medical Center- 1801 Hickman Road – 282-6770 Behavioral Health Resources – 945 19th St – 241-0982 Dallas County – West Central Community Mental Health Center 2111 Green, Adel – 515-993-4535 Madison County – Bridge Counseling Center 300 West Hutchings St. – 515-462-3105

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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What to Look For, What to do A person may be suicidal if he or she:

Talks about committing suicide. Experiences drastic changes in behavior. Withdraws from friends and social activities. Loses interest in hobbies, work, school. Gives away prized possessions. Has attempted suicide in the past. Takes unnecessary risks. Is preoccupied with death and dying.

What you can do Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide. Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Be non-judgmental. Show interest and support. Don’t act shocked. Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Offer hope that alternatives are available, but do not offer glib

reassurance. Remove means, such as guns or stockpiled pills. Get help. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 911 or

1-800-273-TALK (8255), the 24 hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Sources: Suicide Prevention Action Network (spanusa.org) And the American Association of Suicidology (www.suicidology.org)

SUPPORT GROUPS for Family MembersThird Sunday of the month - Family members, if you are interested in participating in a NAMI family support group, please contact Glenn Hobin IowaGH@aol.com or call 965-9799 - or contact Grace Sivadge 961-6671. Meetings are at Eyerly-Ball Community Mental Health Center, 1301 Center St., Des Moines – 2:30 – 4:00 P.M.

First Monday of each month -6:30 – 8 PM - a support group for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbance (SED) or mental illness – meets at the Child Serve Center – 5406 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston. For more information – call Diane at 255-8157.

4th Monday of each month – 5:30 – 7 PM – a support group for Polk County parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbance (SED) or mental illness – a sibling support group meets separately - at Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, 511 Des Moines St., in the basement – child care provided, can also provide free transportation and interpretation services – please pre-register, if possible – call Dawn at 558-6247. The outreach target is the Sudanese and minority population, but anyone can participate.

NEW! 1st Thursday of each month - 6:30 P.M. – a support group for Family members – First United Methodist Church – 307 W. Ashland, Indianola. We'll be in the first room on the right when you go in the Northwest door on Ashland Ave. The room is called Gabel Chapel. The facilitators will be Erika Bachof 961-4001 and Rose Weeks 480-8286.

NEW! 2nd Tuesday of each month – 7-8:30 P.M. - a support group for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbance (SED) or mental illness - at Adventure Life Reformed Church, 1700 8th St. SW, Altoona – Call Dawn at 558-6247 for more information.

SUPPORT GROUPS for Persons in Recovery Every Monday evening 7-8:30 P.M. – NAMI Connections – a support group for persons with mental illness – facilitated by persons with mental illness – at the NAMI Iowa office – 254-0417 – or 1-800-417-0417 - 5911 Meredith Drive, Suite E, Des Moines. Contact Dawn Olson at dawnao@iowatelecom.net or 641-842-3859 if you have questions. Dawn Olson and Kyle Damman are facilitators.

2nd & 4th Mondays of each month – 7 P.M. – For depression and anxiety disorders only – WestView Church, 1155 SE Boone, in Waukee. Call Julie at 710-1487 or E-mail at candlesinthedarkness@mchsi.com

2nd & 4th Mondays of each month – 7 P.M. – depression and bipolar support group., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 1200 Warrior Lane, Waukee. Candlessupportgroup@mchsi.com 313-6184

Every Tuesday evening – 8-10 P.M. - Recovery Inc., a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 3120 E. 24th St., Des Moines – Call 266-2346 – Marty Hulsebus.

2nd Tuesday of the month – New Light Support Group – 6:30 to 7:30 -for persons experiencing depression or other mental health issues – at Westkirk Presbyterian Church, 2700 Colby Woods Drive, Urbandale, Iowa – 515-253-0330 – Pastor Michael Mudlaff

4th Tuesday evening of the month – Presentations on Mental Health issues and topics at Westkirk Presbyterian Church, 2700 Colby Woods Drive, Urbandale, Iowa 515-253-0330 – Pastor Michael Mudlaff

Every Thursday at 2:00 P.M. - Recovery, Inc. - a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at Central Iowa Center for Independent Living, 665 Walnut St., Des Moines – Call 237-0232 – Mark Grunzweig.

1st and 3rd Thursdays – 5:30 – 6:30 P.M. in Room 213 - The H.E.L.P. Depression Support Group meets at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, Call 222-1520, ext. 175 or Lisa.davidson@hopewdm.org

Every Thursday evening – 7:45 – 9:45 P.M. – Recovery, Inc. - a self-help group for people who have nervous and mental troubles – at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 1020 24th St., in West Des Moines. Call – 277-6071-Deb Rogers.

Every Saturday morning – 10 to 11:15 A.M. – Room 214 - The H.E.L.P. Depression Support Group meets at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, Call 222-1520, ext. 175 or Lisa.davidson@hopewdm.org

Every Saturday afternoon – 2:00 – 3:30 P.M. – the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance meets at Iowa Lutheran Hospital – University at Penn Avenue – Level B – private dining room. This is a support group for consumers.

Coping After a Suicide Support Group – Polk Co. Crisis and Advocacy Services – Contact: Chris 515-286-3887 Meeting day – 2nd Thursday of each month 6-7:30 P.M. and last Saturday of each month 9-10:30 A.M. Meeting place is 525 5th Avenue, Suite H. Victim Services Phone: 515-286-3600

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Warning: Regular or heavy alcohol use can worsen most psychological states, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, or eating problems. Alcohol can change the way a person feels in the short run;

however, the overall effect only worsens a disorder. Marijuana and other drugs can have similar or more serious effects on the brain.

If you have a mental health crisis in your family and need assistance – call 911. Be clear with the dispatcher what the situation is, that it is a mental health crisis, and you need the DM Mobile Mental Health Crisis Unit to assist.

The goal is to keep everyone safe and to seek the appropriate level of assistance for the ill family member or friend.

The first people to arrive to the situation will be Des Moines police officers. Officers will determine if it is a mental health related issue and maintain safety at the scene. Officers make a request through dispatch if the Mobile Crisis Unit is needed.

When DM Mobile Mental Health Crisis Unit staff arrive, a mental health assessment will be done, on-site counseling and problem solving, crisis plan development, coordination with hospitals if transport to a medical facility is necessary, and medication can be administered if necessary. A psychiatrist is always on call to help make those determinations and authorizations.

DM suburbs also use the mobile crisis team services – their officers make the decision whether or not the mobile crisis team is called.

The Mobile Crisis Unit is available 6:30 AM to 2:30 AM – 7 days a week. It is staffed by licensed mental health professionals and registered nurses.

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Another tidbit from Rhonda Shouse – regarding the various waiver programs Iowa offers residents to allow persons to receive necessary services to remain their home and community rather than an institutional setting.

The waiver programs are: Ill & Handicap, AIDS/HIV, Elderly, Mental Retardation, Brain Injury, Physical Disability, and Children's Mental Health.

The director for the Dept. of Human Services is Gene Gessow. Gene was appointed in late Sept., 2008.

How to contact the Iowa Dept. of Human Services Mental Health and Disability Services Division (Established in 2006 via HF 2780 by the Iowa legislature) Address: Hoover Office Building, 1305 E. Walnut St. Des Moines, IA 50322 Phone: 515-281-7277 – Barbara Jean Funke Website: www.dhs.state.ia.us/mhdd/index.html

Interim Division Administrator until a replacement for Dr. Allen Parks has been chosen

Bill Gardam

Assistant to the Division Administrator

Barbara Jean Funke

Children & Youth Bureau Chief Pam Alger Child/Youth Specialist &

Primary Block Grant Planner Mary Mohrhauser

Child/lYouth Specialist Becky Flores School Specialist Laura Larkin Assistant to MH/MR/DD/BI

Commission Connie Fanselow

Adults Bureau Chief Dr. Kelley Pennington State Payment Program Lin Nibbelink Community System Consultant Julie Jetter Community System

Consultant/Adult Block Grant Planner

Robyn Wilson

Emergency Mental Health Specialist

Karen Hyatt

Secretary Kay Hiatt Older Adults Program

Specialist Lila Starr

Budgets, Contracts & Grants Charlie Leist Accreditation/Bureau Chief Jim Overland Accreditation specialist Dennis Sibert Accreditation specialist Craig Petersen Accreditation specialist Cheri Reisner

NAMI Greater Des Moines Board of Directors Effective January 1, 2009

President and Editor of Newsletter Teresa Bomhoff 274-6876 E-mail: tbomhoff@mchsi.com

Vice-President Glenn Hobin 965-9799 E-mail: IowaGH@aol.com

Treasurer – Jim Vandeberg 360-1529 E-mail: NAMI-DM@peoplepc.com

Secretary – Cece Arnold 276-7871 E-mail: cece.arnold@mchsi.com

Board members Grace Sivadge 961-6671 E-mail: rsivadge1@juno.comKathy Hoegh 255-7907 PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Please send a big THANK YOU to Cindy Gross and Plaza Printers

For their assistance in printing our newsletter 6762 Douglas Avenue, Urbandale, Iowa 50322

278-4695 www.plazaprinters.net

AMI Greater Des Moines 277-0672 AMI Iowa Office 254-0417 or toll free 1-800-417-0417 M-F 9-4 AMI National HelpLine 1-800-950-6264–Mon-Fri 10 AM-6 PM EST

There is also information here regarding Remedial Services.

Go to: www.ime.state.ia.usClick on "Members & Consumers" Click on "Additional Services" Then choose "Home & Community Based Services."

If you scroll further down on the page you will see a section called "HCBS Funding Slots." Click on the link for "Slot and Waiting List Information." This will tell you how many individuals were waiting for each particular program as of the end of the previous month.

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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State Legislation Here are 3 places on the web to access E-mail to figure out who your legislators are, to contact your legislators, get mailing addresses, and phone numbers. http://www.infonetiowa.com/ - Has the latest on legislation. Check out their great newsletters online. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/www.nami.org/advocacy

Update on Polk County Waiting List As of the end of December there are now - • 449 on the waiting list for disability

services, • 341 have mental illness • 76 have mental retardation

• 31 have developmental disabilities • 1 unknown

• 134 of the 430 are at risk of hospitalization and/or homelessness • Those who came off the waiting list in December were on the

waiting list an average of 217 days. • 62 kids age 16-18 are on the waiting list

At the 10/10/08 MH/MR/DD/BI Commission meeting, Polk County CPC Administrator, Lynn Ferrell, shared Polk County is projecting by fiscal year 2010 a new person needing county funded services will be on the waiting list for five years without changes to the county funding formula.

Polk County is barred by state law (as are all other 98 counties) to raise additional funds for mental health services. County dollars are frozen at 1996 dollar levels. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We cannot solve the problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ----Albert Einstein

January 12, 2009 – 2009 State Legislative Session Begins

NAMI Greater Des Moines Legislative Priorities

The complete NAMI Greater Des Moines legislative priorities document is on our website. Priority 1 – Adequately fund the mental health system in Iowa Priority 2 – TAKE ACTION to Address an Inadequate Workforce – Beds – Services These are basic needs not being met. Priority 3 - Institute Mental Health/Illness Education Mandates This a medical illness like any other. There should be no shame in seeking help. Accurate information is needed. We support an improved mental health parity law. The federal mental health parity law requires that if insurance companies offer mental health benefits they are to be offered with the same coverage as other physical ailments. Iowa should require that all insurance policies offer mental health benefits. We support jail diversion efforts. We support Code changes.

The solutions are not easy.

They require resources.

More than anything, a solution requires the political will for a commitment to place mental illness on the front burner of public policy.

We’re paying for it in jail costs; homeless services; in lost wages; in anguish of loved ones and in lost lives.

Don’t forget. . . . In 2006 Iowa was one of 8 states who received an “F” in NAMI’s “Grading the States” report. The report and scoring tables can be found at www.nami.org/grades. A new grade will be issued in 2009.

HOPE court gives offenders an alternative to jail time By LEEANN MOORE • Staff Writer • October 23, 2008

Zanesville Time Recorder

ZANESVILLE -Muskingum County is now one of 31 counties in the state that operates a mental health court.

The Healthy Options Promoting Empowerment (HOPE) Behavioral Health Court, is a specialized program designed for non-felony offenders going through both Muskingum County Court and Zanesville Municipal Court.

Presiding Judge Eric D. Martin said the program is designed for those who may not have committed a crime if it weren't for a mental illness or behavioral issue.

He said The National Institute of Mental Health estimates the economic cost of untreated mental illness is $300 billion each year and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction reports that 27 percent of Ohio prisoners have mental health problems.

"So, it only makes sense to treat the mental health issues. Jails and prisons are not equipped, trained or staffed to deal with the specific needs of persons with mental illness. As a result, many persons with mental illness churn through the system over and over without ever receiving the treatment, support and structure they need. Our court is designed to get at the genesis of these problems, to break that cycle, reduce the crime rate, save tax payer money and improve public safety," Martin said.

If accepted into the program, a participant pleads guilty to their legal charge(s) and is sentenced. Their sentence includes participating in HOPE, with the remaining conditions of the sentence to be suspended if they complete the two-year program. Martin said participation in the program includes court-ordered treatment that is, for most, tracked on a weekly basis.

Martin said the Supreme Court of Ohio recognized the creation of Muskingum County's HOPE last month, making it one of 31 in the state.

"We're spending no money on this and we're keeping people out of jail, helping them not to re-offend. It's a win-win situation," he said.

HOPE began as a pilot program in December of 2007 by the Muskingum County Court, in conjunction with the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board's Criminal Justice Collaborative.

Counselors and case managers from Six County, Inc. and Muskingum Behavioral Health, in partnership with Martin and the court's probation staff, work on an individualized basis with the participants.

So far, the court has accepted and served about 10 individuals successfully, according to Rod Hollingsworth, executive director of Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.

"We've only had a couple of people who have dropped out and decided they wanted to do their jail sentence rather than this. They just didn't want to comply, didn't want to be in treatment all the time, but those who have followed through, I mean, we've had really good success with it," he said.

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See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Program lauds first graduates . Offenders diagnosed with a serious mental illness can join the alternative program. By Ginnie Graham, Tulsa World Staff Writer 10/21/2008

Robert L. Berry thought he might be boring sober — and possibly permanently damaged from nearly two decades of alcohol and substance abuse.

But when he was arrested in May 2007 on a misdemeanor complaint of driving under the influence, he wanted to change his life.

"I'd never been in serious trouble and never been to jail," Berry said. "I could have really, really hurt someone. That was my breaking point.

"Because it was a misdemeanor, my punishment would not have been severe. I knew I needed help, but I didn't know where to go."

With a diagnosis of depression and anxiety, Berry was among the first defendants to enter the Tulsa County Mental Health Court. On Monday, he became its first graduate.

The court was launched in June 2007 with a $170,000 legislative appropriation to provide a voluntary alternative to incarceration for criminal offenders who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. The court emphasizes monitoring, accountability and therapy.

About 50 slots are available, with 42 participants now on the docket. About 120 people have applied to enter the program.

Berry was joined at Monday's graduation ceremony by the court's other graduate, Zenobia A. Murdock.

Speaking at the ceremony, Berry said he got drunk for the first time at age 10. Since age 15, he has been through a revolving door of treatment centers, often testing the limits of his family relationships and friendships. He often went off his medications once he thought his mental health was stable.

Berry said the court provided a life-altering experience, putting him in control of his life.

"You have to accept you are living with a mental illness," Berry said. "I've come to terms with that. It's OK. It's manageable."

Special Judge Carlos Chappelle, who is in charge of the Mental Health Court docket, said the program is a tough one to complete.

"These folks work hard," Chappelle said. "Literally seven days a week they have to do something."

Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of adults with serious mental illness, and a local study indicates that about 63 percent of people going through the Tulsa Jail are mentally ill, Chappelle said.

"That reconfirmed to me that we need this type of docket," the judge said. "It has the potential to do a lot of good and is a win-win for everyone."

Nearly all the current participants have substance-abuse problems, which advocates and officials say can be an attempt at self-medication for people with mental illness.

Charges for certain violent crimes are grounds for automatic exclusion from the program. Current program participants are charged with an assortment of crimes, including drug possession, larceny, driving under the influence, false impersonation and obstructing an officer.

District Judge Rebecca Nightingale said the court works because the therapeutic approach is embraced by key players, including

prosecutors, defense attorneys and state policymakers.

"Mental illness was the reason for the criminal behavior, but our system is not designed for mental illness," Nightingale said. "We sentenced the criminal behavior but had very little to offer for mental illness. This is about the community coming together to address this need."

Berry's arrest also included complaints of leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license or insurance verification.

"I was afraid I was completely crazy or irrevocably damaged beyond repair," he said. "You end up in an isolated life. This program will not allow those old delusions or excuses to keep you from sobriety and success. In time, we will start to see that programs generated in compassion will be more successful than incarceration."

Mental Health Court Is a voluntary court alternative to incarceration for people

diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Operates in four phases — orientation and engagement,

stabilization, building independence and transition. Requires defendants to enter into mental-health treatment,

have regular and frequent court appearances, comply with a doctor’s medication regime, and undergo drug testing.

Takes at least 13 months. Is not for participants who claim to be innocent. Gives prosecutors the ability to veto an admittance. Includes sanctions such as jail time, community service,

increased drug testing and judicial admonishment for defendants not complying with the rules.

Requires graduates to be free of drugs and alcohol for at least six months and free of judicial sanctions for three months.

Mandates probation after graduation for a time determined by the District Attorney’s Office.

Studies Released on Alaskan Mental Health Courts Consensus Project Newsletter – December 2008

A pair of recently released studies found that two mental health courts in Alaska may lead to the better use of public funds, reduced crime, and improved outcomes for people with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system.

Researchers examined mental health courts in both Anchorage and Palmer and reported that they effectively fulfilled their shared mission to connect individuals with mental illnesses with treatment services while under court supervision.

These specialty courts were developed through the cooperative efforts of the Alaska Court System and many state and local agencies and with funding from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and the Alaska Legislature. The two studies, which were funded by the Trust Authority and conducted by Hornby Zeller Associates of Portland (Maine), ME, include the following highlights:

The average daily cost to operate the Anchorage program is estimated at $19.82 per person, which is substantially less than the average daily cost of incarceration ($121.60).

Palmer Mental Health Court participants were less likely to engage in new criminal conduct after exiting the program (17%) than an equivalent group of people with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system (40%). Program graduates were the least likely overall to re-offend (5%).

Reductions in both the number of incarcerations and psychiatric hospital visits and the length of stay in either

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institutional setting generated a net savings for the Anchorage Mental Health Court over time as well as compared to a control group ($97,685).

The authors suggested several further improvements to the mental health court process. Their recommendations included changes to target populations, how individuals enter the program, and the monitoring of participant progress. The Alaska Court System will work with other criminal justice and behavioral health entities involved with the Anchorage and Palmer mental health courts to implement these findings. Glen Close – Actress and Mental Health

Advocate Excerpts from Jan-Feb AARP magazine

Glen Close has a more personal connection with mental illness, which strikes

5% of the U.S. population and affects one in four families. In her first public statement on the issue, Close revealed to AARP The Magazine that she has a family member who suffers from bipolar disorder, and another who has schizoaffective disorder. “I’ve seen mental illness firsthand,” she says. “I know there are millions of people affected, and it’s not just the patient who is suffering. It’s everyone around them.”

Two years ago the actress began quietly making donations to Fountain House (www.fountainhouse.org), a 60 year old not-for-profit organization headquartered in New York City that she discovered while searching for help for her relatives. Fountain House, the model for 325 facilities around the world, offers its members assistance with jobs, education, and housing and also provides a supportive community. “It’s a place where people with mental illness can go and feel safe and that they’re worth something and have value,” Close says. Several times in the past year, Close has volunteered at the New York City Fountain House – cooking meals, and working the phones to help find places to stay for those who are on the streets.

Her involvement in 2009 will be riskier: in the year ahead Close, 61, will headline a national advertising campaign intended to diminish the stigma of mental illness. The actress will represent the face of the three most common mental health disorders: depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. “When I first thought about doing this, I wondered if people would think that I was mentally ill,” says Close. “Then I thought,‘ What’s the alternative? Not to do it?”

“She gets nothing from this,” adds Fountain House president Kenn Dudek, “and it is in fact a little dangerous. Everybody knows that if you come out and admit a connection with these illnesses, you risk being thought of as unreliable or dangerous, when in fact most of the mentally ill are not.”

Her sensitivity to human frailty has been heightened from watching her mentally ill relatives struggle with addiction, cope with treatment costs (“One of my family members once had to choose between buying a new coat for her child or visiting her therapist”), and deal with the side effects of their medications. What has troubled Close the most, though, and inspired her decision to get more involved with Fountain House, was witnessing the excruciating isolation they experienced. “There was a big part of me that wanted to get into the trenches,” she says.

Close acknowledges that continued research into better treatments for mental illnesses is important. But erasing the stigma, she says, is the first step. That will lead to better funding and better care.

Most important, it will help ease the loneliness her family members and others feel. For that, she says, speaking out on behalf of those who cannot always speak up for themselves is worth any risk.

It Takes a Village By Melissa Fulton, Who lives in Riverside, Iowa This article was published in Schizophrenia Digest

I once had an ordinary lifestyle. At 35, I had two kids and a husband. Then my

schizoaffective disorder went beyond the stages of major depression, and my life fell apart.

My family wanted nothing to do with me. My husband did not understand the disease and divorced me, taking our children – ages 3 and 5 – and the health insurance with him. With no medication, I ended up homeless for two years, living out of a 1986 Toyota pickup truck.

The police pulled me over many times because my truck had a California license plate and was not in good shape. Mostly they would just ask me to leave town. A few times they would get concerned and call my family to let them know that I was all right. My stays with relatives were short if they asked me to take medication; usually I wore out my welcome because I would do bizarre things they didn’t understand.

I traveled all over. I learned to keep going to avoid the mental hospital, bad shelters, and being forced into bad housing. I had to beg for gas money, but I learned to ask for two dollars at a time since, at five-foot-eight and 110 pounds, unwashed, I looked like a drug addict. Many people helped; some would give more money and say, “I’ve been there.”

I tried a few female shelters, but they required me to get up at 6 a.m. and I couldn’t because I had anemia so bad. They did not understand mental illness and usually threw me out. Many churches gave me fuel money and a meal. McDonald’s would give me breakfast if I asked; Pizza Hut would provide a large pizza when I asked for a personal pan. I felt safe sleeping in Walmart parking lots because they were well lit, and employees would sometimes buy me the 88 cent underwear if I asked. I will never forget the franchises that helped me, nor the churches. Just about every religion there is – helped me.

Finally, I gave up. I went to my aunt and uncle’s place. My aunt could no believe how dirty I was. She and her husband did the most loving thing that anyone could do: they committed me so I would have to get medication. They help me recover by fighting to keep me in the hospital for 70 days until t he medication had a good hold.

The road is still long, even after I was able to accept my diagnosis. Luckily, Iowa has some good government programs. There was a special housing project for people with mental illness, and I was able to move into one of their new duplexes. The local grocery store hired me in the deli, and I worked there for a year and a half. My social worker was outstanding, and the housing people took a special interest in my case because I had nothing. I met many good people through a home health agency, and they introduced me to the community.

Today, I work in a nursing home in an effort to give back to the community and care for others. I took two semesters of nursing school, but working part time and losing my disability income did not mix. Before, I had three years of college, a paralegal degree, and a dental assistant certificate, and I had worked as a paralegal

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for many years. I’m disappointed that I will not get back to a semi-professional level.

But I am on the board of directors for a home health care agency, on the Iowa Homeless Council, and I’m a member of the Buchanan County Iowa Case Management Advisory Board. I even won a special achievement award from the Iowa Rehabilitation Association in 2006. My children are now 7 and 9; I speak to them at least once a week and I get to see them twice a year.

I did not recover by myself. There are very caring people in this world. They do care, and they do help. It took a whole community to put me back together again.

Motivation . By Mary Ellen Copelandhttp://akmhcweb.org/recovery/motivation.htm

Recovery from severe and persistent psychiatric symptoms is a daunting task. You may often feel like

giving up, like it's not worth the trouble. All of us feel like that from time to time. It is important to remember that this is absolutely normal. What can you do to motivate yourself when you feel this way?

Remind yourself that it is normal to feel unmotivated from time to time -especially when you are working on something that is very hard, when progress may be slow and when you feel that you often have setbacks.

Remember that people who experience psychiatric symptoms take back control of their lives and go on to do the things they want to do and be the kind of person they want to be. It may help to think about people you know or have heard of, even famous people, who have overcome difficult symptoms and gone on to live healthy lives.

Take small steps. Big change doesn't happen overnight. If you have trouble looking people in the eye, and today you looked one person in the eye, that's great. Maybe you feel anxious when you ride the bus and today you rode the bus for two blocks. That is a major achievement.

Spend some time writing your goals. What do you want out of life? How can you best achieve that? Develop a time line for meeting both your short and long term goals. Make sure they are your goals and not goals that someone else has developed for you. Share your goals with your close supporters. Ask them to encourage you as you work to meet these goals.

Give yourself a reward for each accomplishment, even the smallest things. Some examples of simple rewards are: a pat on the back, half an hour reading a good book, taking a short rest, calling for a chat with a good friend, or renting a video for yourself.

Spend some time each day doing things that are easy for you to do, as much as you need to. Don't spend all your time trying to do the hard stuff. Clean out one drawer. Wash the kitchen sink. Take the dog for a walk. Sew on a button. Write one letter or answer one e-mail.

Do things that make you feel good about yourself. Take good care of your personal hygiene. Do something you really enjoy. Do something special for someone else. Tell someone else they are doing a good job. Tell your supporters how much you appreciate their help.

Psychiatrists Offering Less Psychotherapy

Harvard Mental Health Letter – November 2008

Although psychotherapy has traditionally been akey aspect of the practice of psychiatry, a report published in

August 2008 finds that fewer psychiatrists are providing it to patients. The researchers analyzed data on psychiatric appointments collected from 1996 through 2005 as part of the National ambulatory Medical lCare Survey.

Psychiatric visits that included psychotherapy declined from 44% in the fiscal year ending in 1997 to 29% in the fiscal year ending in 2005. The number of psychiatrists who provided psychotherapy to all of their patients also declined in the same period, from 19% to 11%.

The authors attribute the change in practice to a combination of factors, including changes in reimbursement formulas, the growth of managed care, and the increased reliance on medications

Psychiatric Care: Coming to a Computer Near You? Cortney Mears, Psychiatric Times. Vol. 25 No. 14 December 1, 2008

Persons who live in rural areas in this country often lack access to adequate mental health care. Psychiatrists from Michigan State University (MSU) are tackling their state’s lack of resources by providing counseling via videoconference for patients with psychiatric disorders who live in remote areas.

To cope with the growing number of psychiatric cases in Michigan’s rural areas, particularly among children and adolescents, doctors at MSU’s department of psychiatry may “see” up to 10 patients on any given morning via a video connection without ever having to leave their office.

Psychiatrist Paul Quinlan, who regularly holds videoconferences with patients, noted, “We do take a slightly different approach to establishing rapport, but we’re finding patients respond well and are very comfortable.”

To participate, patients visit their county’s community mental health center where they are electronically connected with an MSU psychiatrist. The program, which began 3 years ago, is now at capacity and has become one of the most active programs in the Midwest.

Jed Magen, chairperson of MSU’s department of psychiatry, said that the center was developed “in response to a shortage in psychiatrists—a problem seen not only in Michigan but nationwide. The problem is especially acute in child psychiatry. This is the only viable solution.”

The Impact of Mental Illness on Society NIMH Fact Sheet The burden of mental illness on health

and productivity in the United States and throughout the world has long been underestimated. Data developed by the massive Global Burden of Disease study conducted by the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and Harvard University, reveal that mental illness, including suicide, accounts for over 15% of the burden of disease in established market economies, such as the United States. This is more than the disease burden caused by all cancers.

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This Global Burden of Disease study developed a single measure to allow comparison of the burden of disease across many different disease conditions by including both death and disability. This measure was called Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). DALYs measure lost years of healthy life regardless of whether the years were lost to premature death or disability. The disability component of this measure is weighted for severity of the disability.

For example, disability caused by major depression was found to be equivalent to blindness or paraplegia whereas active psychosis seen in schizophrenia produces disability equal to quadriplegia.

Major depression is the leading cause of disability (measured by the number of years lived with a disabling condition) worldwide among persons age 5 and older. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Success is not final Failure is not fatal It is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill

At NAMI’s 2009 National Convention, we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary in San Francisco. The dates are July 6-9.

All activities will be held in the San Francisco Hilton and Towers located at 333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 1-800-HILTONS (415) 777-1400

The San Francisco Hilton Hotel is located in the heart of the city in the Union Square neighborhood. This wonderful area boasts a number of reasonably priced restaurants and is located just 3 blocks from San Francisco’s metro system – the Bart. And it’s only a 15 minute walk to Chinatown. Take a look at all the stores, restaurants and wonderful sites at www.unionsquaresf.net. To view more information about the 2009 convention, go to: http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=convention

Federal Legislative Issues www.nami.org/advocacy

Contact information for members of Congress Capitol Switchboard 1-202-224-3121

Contact via E-mail can be made directly through their web sites. http://grassley.senate.gov/ http://harkin.senate.gov/http://www.house.gov/boswell/ http://www.tomlatham.house.gov/http://www.house.gov/steveking/ http://www.braley.house.gov/http://www.loebsack.house.gov

President-elect Barack Obama wants grassroots dialogue for a U.S. healthcare reform initiative expected in 2009, and his nominee for Secretary of Health & Human Services, former Senator Tom Daschle, has launched a high-tech outreach campaign to support it. Comments and suggestions can be posted on the official presidential transition team website. NAMI recommends raising key concerns in your own words along with any other personal comments. Here are some suggestions:

Mental health is part of health care. Cover mental health and substance abuse services the same way as other conditions.

Do not restrict access to psychiatric medications. One size does not fit all.

Recovery from serious mental illnesses involves more than doctors' visits or medication. We need access to talk therapy, peer support services, assertive community treatment (ACT), supportive housing, and other supports. Insist on cost-effective, evidence-based practices.

Fix the Medicaid law to pay for inpatient treatment in facilities that primarily serve people with mental illnesses. During the

campaign, President-elect Obama said he strongly supports this reform. Please keep his promise.

There are twice as many Americans living with schizophrenia as HIV/AIDS. They and others living with mental illnesses die on average 25 years younger than the rest of the population We need more medical research. We need to integrate mental health and physical health care.

There is a severe shortage of doctors and other mental health workers: psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses. We need more and they need better training.

We must become the change we want to see in the world. --Mahatma Gandhi

Prison Issues Grow in Size and Complexity Treatment Advocacy Center

New reports indicate the problem of people with severe mental illness in prison shows no

signs of abating.

"We are literally drowning in patients, running around trying to put our fingers in the bursting dikes, while hundreds of men continue to deteriorate psychiatrically before our eyes into serious psychoses. . . . The crisis stems from recent changes in the mental health laws allowing more mentally sick patients to be shifted away from the mental health department into the department of corrections." ―California prison psychiatrist

If anything, the problem is likely to grow as prison populations continue to swell. The issue leads mental health advocates to question both recent and past progress.

A study in the December 2008 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, which examined the country's largest state prison system, found that the 10 percent of inmates with a severe mental illness were far more likely than those without a mental illness to be imprisoned repeatedly. While previous studies have shown higher rates of mental illness among prison populations, this is the first to detail that a higher rate of mental illness represented a risk factor for repeat incarcerations.

That study was conducted in Texas, examining more than 79,000 inmates. News reports from states including Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, and others with lower population numbers show that smaller or rural states are not immune.

In a New York Times Article published 12-7-08, it is reported in California, where the Los Angeles County Jail has the dubious distinction as the nation's largest mental hospital, a three-judge panel will soon decide if prison conditions in that state are so bad that more than 50,000 inmates should be released. Faced with chronically packed prisons and a federal mandate to improve medical and living conditions, a three-judge panel is meeting here to decide whether the overcrowding results in unconstitutional treatment of California’s more than 150,000 inmates.

“We have a motion today to exercise a very serious order which interferes in a profound way with the state’s right to run its own affairs,” one of the judges on the panel, Lawrence Karlton of Federal District Court, said in a hearing last week. “And on the other hand, we have a serious failure of the state to provide adequate care.”

California’s 33 adult prisons teem with nearly double the inmates they were designed to hold. Lawyers for the inmates say the conditions lead to violence, outbreaks of disease, inadequate mental and other health care for prisoners, and even death.

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“Overcrowding is dangerous for the prisoners, for the corrections officers and for the public,” said Michael Bien, a lawyer for the inmates, who asked the judges to reduce the prison population by 52,000 inmates over two years.

Lawyers for the state argued that reducing the prison population would result in increased crime and burden counties already facing tight budgets.

“Releasing more than 50,000 inmates onto the streets is dangerous,” said Matthew Cate, secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who added that he had seen reports saying that California’s inmates tended to have more felony offenses than inmates in other states.

“Our most serious problem is providing enough appropriate space for our seriously mentally ill inmates,” Mr. Cate said, “and releasing prisoners is not going to fix that problem.”

But lawyers for the inmates said that they were not seeking the release of dangerous criminals and that much of the reduction in the number of inmates could come from not sending people who have committed minor parole violations back to prison.

Dorothea Dix Revisited

The dilemma leads one to wonder if the nation is experiencing a back to the future moment. It was in the 1840s that the noted reformer and mental health advocate Dorothea Dix began her work to improve conditions for people with mental illness who were being warehoused in jails. Her successful reforms moved thousands from jails to newly constructed mental hospitals. In Out of the Shadows, Dr. E. Fuller Torrey reported that by the 1880 census, only 0.7 percent of the nation's 58,609 prison and jail population suffered from a serious mental illness. Today, the best estimates place the number at 10 percent of a dramatically larger population.

In the 1950s, the attempt to deinstitutionalize people with mental illness from hospitals into the community didn't work out as intended. The movement caused more of a transinstitutionalization from hospitals to prisons, as is being witnessed across the country. If a mass release of prisoners with severe mental illness was ordered tomorrow, the nation does not have the hospital beds or adequate outpatient treatment structure in place, to handle the shift.

A century and a half ago, Dix was successful in getting states to build some 75 mental hospitals by 1880. No easy accomplishment for an advocate, especially given the nation's economic woes and the intervening Civil War. That should give today's advocates for improved treatment for mental illness some hope. As in Dix's own words:

"In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do."

NAMI Indiana Correctional Training: improving safety for inmates and officers

As part of our effort to address the needs of people with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system, NAMI Indiana has developed a 10-hour program to educate correctional officers about mental illness and provide them with practical skills for working with people with mental illnesses.

By teaching correctional staff about mental illness, we prepare them to better understand and more effectively communicate with inmates with mental illness, and thus enhance their personal safety. We have trained more than 1700 correctional staff in Indiana and 247 from Kentucky.

The training has improved working and living conditions tremendously for both correctional staff and for inmates living with mental illnesses. Use of force by correctional officers who were trained has decreased by as much as 70%.

Reducing Recidivism: New Program Aims to Help Mentally Ill Inmates Elana Gordon, KUCR News Kansas City, MO (11-19-08)

Local Corrections and Community Leaders Announce a New BRIDGES Project at the Kansas

City Metropolitan Bar Association.

Over half of the inmates at the city jail have been imprisoned there at least three times before. Local corrections and community leaders say that's in large part due to untreated mental illness and substance abuse. But a new program at the Municipal Correctional Institution, or MCI, aims to break that cycle.

The three year project is called BRIDGES. It'll provide social services like job training and mental health care to about 100 inmates. Nancy Leazer is the Superintendent of MCI and says a key part of the program is continuing those services for people after they're released from jail. She says that in turn will help them successfully transition back into the community and improve the overall safety of the city.

Leazer: "We will see it at the jail that these folks are not going to be coming back. The police department is going to recognize that they're not spending so many of their resources re-arresting these folks."

Several organizations, including Truman and Swope Health Services, are teaming up with MCI for the project. It's being funded through a $900,000 grant from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Police Chiefs’ Association makes improved relations between law enforcement and persons with mental illness a priority International Crisis Team newsletter – Fall 2008

The President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Ronald C. Ruecker, says one of his priorities will be to improve relations between law enforcement and persons with mental illness. Following is an excerpt from his first President’s Message in December 2007.

“… Over the last two decades, we have seen a dramatic change in the type of housing and care for the mentally ill in our communities. People who used to be institutionalized are now living in mainstream society. All too frequently, their encounters with police have resulted in tragedy. We can improve on the degree to which we prepare our officers to deal with the mentally ill.

“Like use-of-force issues, this is not an issue solely for police; we need whole communities to work together on it. Again, we will work with the mental health community and our criminal justice partners to help develop recommendations for more effective training, policies, available resources, and responses to our encounters with the mentally ill.”

Ruecker’s priority interest may have a significant and positive influence on the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program and other issues relating to the criminal justice and mental health systems. The entire President’s message can be found at www.policechiefmagazine.org

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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Iris the Dragon Series

Books on mental health issues for children http://iristhedragon.com/store.htmlIris the Dragon is a Charity that publishes a series of books for children specifically dealing with the topic of mental health disorders. The books have been

endorsed by leading children’s doctors in the field and caregivers as a way to learn about these topics using a compassionate approach.

“Catch a Falling Star” – is an introduction to the topic of mental health in addition to educating children about the importance of sharing their thoughts and worries with a caregiver. The book is now out of print but is now downloadable from the website.

“Lucky Horseshoes” – addresses the topic of ADHD in children. The book is now out of print but is now downloadable from the website.

“Hole in One” addresses the topic of anxiety disorders in children specifically anxiety about going to school and performance.

New in April 2009! “I Can Fix It” focuses on educating about Asperger's Syndrome - one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and the importance of a caring community surrounding children with developmental, emotional and behavioral challenges.

Many thanks to Linda Brundies from the State Ombudsman’s Office. Linda spoke at our December affiliate education meeting. There will

be an article in the next newsletter regarding what the Ombudsman’s office can and cannot do.

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Des Moines Box 12174 Des Moines, Iowa 50312

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES IA PERMIT NO. 34

CAMPUS MENTAL HEALTH: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

A new guide from the Bazelon Center Mental Health Policy Reporter offers assistance to

college and university students who want to seek help for mental illness or emotional distress. Campus Mental Health: Know Your Rights!, written by Leadership21, an advisory committee for the Bazelon Center, is now available online in both HTML and PDF versions. The guide offers information to help students find and use mental health resources on campus and safeguard their rights. The booklet will be published in print form later in the year. Go to: www.bazelon.org

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We were notified by Prairie Meadows that NAMI Greater Des Moines has been awarded a $10,000 Community Betterment grant for the 2009 NAMI

WALKS to be held on Saturday, October 3, 2009. As per our fundraising agreement with NAMI Iowa – 40% will be given to NAMI Greater Des Moines after the 2009 NAMIWALKS accounting is completed, and the balance of funds will go to NAMI Iowa and NAMI National. What a great way to start 2009.

Our website is: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIGreaterDesMoines See yourself as a person, not an illness.

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