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Vol. 15.10 October 2015 www.namiswwa.org
Location & Mailing Address:
5411 E. Mill Plain, Suite 4
Vancouver, WA 98661
Tel: (360) 695-2823
Fax: (360) 823-1088
Clark/Skamania Office
Address
Hours: Monday—Friday
9:00 am—5:00 pm
Janie Gislason
County Coordinator
Location: 109 Allen Street
Kelso, WA 98626
Mailing Address: 5411 E. Mill Plain, Suite 4
Vancouver, WA 98661
Tel: (360-703-6722
Cowlitz Office
Hours: Monday—Friday 10:00 am—4:00 pm
360-703-6722
Address
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.namiswwa.org
Facebook: namisouthwestwa
Twitter: @namisouthwestwa
NAMI OPEN HOUSES AND GIVE-MORE-24
On September 24, NAMI hosted two open house events that were phenomenally
successful! Between the Clark/Skamania and Cowlitz offices, we had over 100 people
stop in and learn about NAMI services and resources. We send a BIG THANK YOU to the
staff and many volunteers who made these events possible! Everyone was amazing. In
addition, we want to thank the community partners who were present, especially Clark
County Crisis Line and SHIBA, who were at the Clark office all day and significantly helped
to make the day a success.
The Give-More-24 online fundraising campaign on September 24 was also a success. We
send another BIG THANK YOU to everyone who made a contribution to NAMI SW WA! Your
donations will make a difference in the lives of those affected by mental illness!
Social Media
Art by Eric Johnson
National Alliance on Mental Illness
President Ann Donnelly, Ph.D.
Vice President Scott Brickley
Treasurer Rebecca Anderson
Secretary Michael Altig, LMHC
Board Members Ted Engelbrecht
Terry Gertsen
Adam Herreid, MA, CMHC
Adam Pithan
Craig Pridemore
Joe Tran, RPh
Darvin Zimmerman, Judge [email protected]
Executive Director Peggy McCarthy, MBA
Executive Assistant
Melinda McLeod
Development/Marketing
Director
Suzanne Arnits
Mental Health Counselor
Janet Ragan, MA, LMHC
Jean Miller, LMHCA
Family Specialist
Lyn Pattison
Peer Benefits Specialist
Cindy Falter
IT Specialist
Jason Harris
Interns
Mary Seifert-Fleming
Page 2
Board Members
Office Staff
From the Director’s Desk
Dear Members and Friends,
September was a whirlwind of activity as we prepared for
our two Open Houses, one in Clark and one in Cowlitz
County, in conjunction with the Community Foundation
Southwest Washington’s second annual Give More 24. Our goal was to have both our
new website and a new Facebook page up and running prior to these events. These
activities kept us running, especially Suzanne Arnits, our Development and Marketing
Director. She worked very hard. I can’t say tirelessly, because the challenges were
immense, especially with Facebook, and I know there were many days where the
numerous technical challenges really wore her to a frazzle. We wanted to ensure we
had these social media avenues ready to go. In the process she, and we, learned a
great deal. Suzanne also taught many people we worked with through her questions
about the intricacies of both programs. At this point, NAMI SW WA has several
Facebook pages that are active. We ask that you please connect to our new page at
namisouthwestwa rather than at any old address. In case you wonder why we just don’t
take the other pages down: we believe it is impossible to remove a Facebook page. If
you know differently, please contact Suzanne at our office to let us know how to
accomplish this! Suzanne was able to work around this issue, and we are very, very
grateful to her and her team (that included Board Member Scott Brickley and former
Board Member Angela Rheingans) for all their work on these projects. And please “like”
this Facebook page!!
October also has some big NAMI events. We hope you will participate in any or all of
them especially the Donnelly Walk, an annual fall event that helps us raise additional
funds to keep our programs going. This year the walk is on Saturday, the 24th and, as
usual, guests for the walk will have the opportunity to walk, run, or bike around the
lovely Vancouver Heights neighborhood with its colorful fall foliage. This event takes
place rain or shine. A terrific breakfast is served to all participants with the centerpiece
of the meal scones that Ann and Mike Donnelly bake prior to the event. If you’ve never
had their scones it is worth attending the event to have one or two. They are
scrumptious. Guests are asked to contribute $25 per person (or more, if you can) for
this opportunity to get a little exercise, have a lovely breakfast/brunch and some great
conversation. Please join us.
We will also start a new Family to Family and a BASICS class in October, both at the
Clark office. If you are interested in attending either, and are not already on our class
list, please call us right away so you can participate. Both classes require pre-
registration. We just graduated a group of 10 from Family to Family. If you are unsure if
this class would be helpful for you or not, please call our office and we will have one of
these people call you to talk about it. Every one of them found the class life-changing,
or so they reported to us at their last class. We will start a Family to Family class later
this fall in Cowlitz County.
Thanks to all of you who chose to support NAMI SW WA through Give More 24 and
through our other programs in September.
Best to all of you as we move into Fall.
Peggy
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 3
Clark
Melinda McLeod
Cowlitz
Janie Gislason
Skamania
Becky Anderson
Scott Brickley
Connection
Support Groups
Eric Johnson
Janie Gislason
Corrections
H-Pod/Workcenter
Eric Johnson
Ilse Schuurmans
Janine DeBacker
Family Support Groups
Don Greenwood
Kay Roberson
STRivE Psychoeducational
Program
Eric Johnson
Ilse Schuurmans
Janine DeBacker
Janie Gislason
Adam Pithan
NAMI Walks Coordinator
Suzanne Arnits
Library Coordinator
Nancy Marsh
Parents and Teachers as Allies
Ending the Silence
Keri Stanberry
HomeFront
Daryn Nelsen-Soza
John Niebert
County Coordinators
Support Groups
Event Coordinator
Vital Support
PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED IN SCHOOL
School is where most children spend the majority of their time during the day. Their
experiences at school can play a major role in their development. It's important that these
experiences are as positive and helpful as possible. A child with a mental health condition
may have additional obstacles at school, and as a parent, you play a critical role in your
child's education. There are laws in place, including the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), that not only protect the rights of children with disabilities, but also
give parents the right to oversee how the school handles their child’s education. These are
called “procedural safeguards.”
Your rights as a parent include (but are not limited to):
An explanation of these rights and the way to make a formal complaint
Participation in meetings about the special educational needs of your child
Confidentiality and access to the educational records of your child
The right to grant or deny consent for many actions that a school can take for your
child
The use of IDEA dispute-resolution procedures, and the right of appeal
The right to disagree and challenge the decisions of the school
An independent educational evaluation (IEE) for your child
The right to be notified in writing before a school takes certain actions related to your
child’s education
While knowing your rights can help ensure that your child is treated fairly by his or her
school, occasionally additional resources are needed to help your child succeed. IDEA
includes more than 13 categories of disability, including mental health conditions, which
determine whether your child can receive special education services. However, just
because a child has learning and attention issues doesn’t mean that he or she is eligible
for services. In order to receive education services, the student must be evaluated.
Either a school official or a parent may request an independent educational evaluation
(IEE), but parental consent is always required for an evaluation to occur. The school then
conducts the evaluation at no cost to you.
You have the right to have an IEE of your child done by an outside professional. The school
must consider this in any decision about an individualized education plan (IEP), but it does
not have to adopt the recommendations. IEPs are only required for public schools, but
many private schools also offer IEPs or similar procedures.
When a child between the ages of 3 and 21 receives special education services, IDEA
requires that the school work with the parents and children to develop an IEP. Through an
IEP, students may be provided with special education services, curriculum or assignment
modifications, or accommodations.
Some examples of accommodations include (but are not limited to):
Alternative assignments.
Shorter papers or tests (or more time to complete tests).
A different or adjusted curriculum.
An atypical grading system.
Having instructions read aloud.
Ability to record lessons.
Use of a calculator or other technology.
Working in a quiet room away from noise or distraction.
Extra break periods.
Sitting at the front of the classroom.
(continued on page 4)
YOU CAN HELP NAMI
SWWA EARN DONATIONS
JUST BY SHOPPING WITH
YOUR FRED MEYER
REWARDS CARD!
Fred Meyer is donating
$2.5 million per year to
n o n - p r o f i t s i n
Washington, based on
where their customers
tell them to give.
Here’s how the program
works:
Sign up for the
Community Rewards
program by linking your
Fred Meyer Rewards
Card to NAMI at
www.fredmeyer.com/
communityrewards.
You can search for
us by our name NAMI or
by our non-profit number
87058.
Then, every time you
shop and use your
Rewards Card, you are
helping NAMI SWWA
earn a donation!
You still earn your
Rewards Points, Fuel
Points, and Rebates,
just as you do today.
If you do not have a
Rewards Card, they are
ava i l ab l e a t the
Customer Service desk
of any Fred Meyer store.
For more information,
p l e a s e v i s i t
www.fredmeyer.com/
communityrewards
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 4
(Continued from Page 3)
PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE…
The goal is to find a balance between giving your child the tools to succeed without
providing them with an unfair advantage. Having too few accommodations can leave a child
frustrated and affect his or her learning and development. Too many accommodations can
leave a child poorly prepared for their post-IEP life.
If you don’t believe that your child needs an IEP, or you have not qualified your child as a
student with a disability under IDEA, you may request a 504 plan. A 504 plan can be helpful
when more substantial interventions are not needed.
In most cases, 504 plans do not allow for a change in curriculum, and they cannot place
children in special education classrooms. They can provide certain services, such as
counseling, speech therapy or other general services. If your child qualifies, a 504 plan
must be provided for free.
As a parent, you have the right to invite anyone involved in your child’s care to the IEP
meeting to be part of the team. At a minimum, your child’s IEP team will include: The child’s legal guardian(s). At least one general education teacher. A special education teacher. A special school district representative. A school psychologist or other professional in the field of psychology. In certain cases, your child.
You should also bring someone with you to IEP meetings to help support you, such as the
child’s case manager, therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist, or someone they recommend.
There must be one IEP team meeting each year to review the plan. Through these meetings,
the IEP adapts as the child progresses through school. Each child must have a new IEP at
least every three years.
See more at: http://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/September-2015/Putting-a-Plan-In-Place-to-Help-Your-
Child-Succeed#sthash.4Qh4nQR1.dpuf
Check out the NEW NAMI SW
WA website at namiswwa.org! There you will find information
about current classes/activities
their description, time, and
location.
Scroll down a little and on the
right click “View Full Calendar”.
We are keeping the calendar up
to date on a timely basis.
Learn more about NAMI SW WA
by clicking on the tab “About
NAMI Southwest Washington” under the navigation list to the
left. On other tabs learn about NAMI Signature courses and
about NAMI SW WA’s unique offerings. Enjoy exploring and visit
often!
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Helen Keller
All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. Walt Disney
When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. Peter Marshall
When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on. LL Cool J
Remember, the storm is a good opportunity for the pine and the cypress to show their strength and their stability. Ho Chi Minh
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 5
NEW TESTS AND PROCEDURES: TMS for Depression
Depression is a treatable condition, but sometimes standard treatments aren't effective.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may be used when standard treatments such
as medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy) don't work.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a procedure that uses magnetic fields to
stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. Transcranial
magnetic stimulation may be tried when other depression treatments haven't worked.
With TMS, a large electromagnetic coil is placed against your scalp near your forehead.
The electromagnet used in TMS creates electric currents that stimulate nerve cells in
the region of your brain involved in mood control and depression.
How TMS helps relieve depression isn't completely understood. It's thought that
magnetic pulses stimulate nerve cells in the region of your brain involved in mood
control. This stimulation appears to affect how this part of the brain is working, which in
turn seems to ease depression symptoms and improve mood.
Little preparation is needed. TMS isn't invasive, doesn't require anesthesia and can be
performed in a doctor's office. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is the least
invasive of the brain-stimulation procedures used for depression. Unlike vagus nerve
stimulation or deep brain stimulation, TMS doesn't require surgery or implantation of
electrodes. And, unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), it doesn't cause seizures or
require complete sedation with anesthesia. However, TMS does have some risks and
can cause some side effects.
TMS often causes minor short-term side effects. These side effects are generally mild
and typically improve after the first week or two of treatment. They can include:
Headache
Scalp discomfort at the site of stimulation
Tingling, spasms or twitching of facial muscles
Lightheadedness
Discomfort from noise during treatment
More study is needed to determine whether TMS may have any long-term side effects.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is usually done on an outpatient basis in a doctor's
office or clinic. It requires a series of treatment sessions to be effective. Generally,
sessions are carried out daily, five times a week for four to six weeks. It's not yet known
if TMS can be used to treat depression for the long term, or whether you can have
periodic maintenance treatments to prevent depression symptoms from returning. The
effectiveness of TMS may improve as researchers learn more about techniques, the
number of stimulations required and the best sites on the brain to stimulate. Excerpts from http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/basics/
definition/prc-20020555
NAMI SW WA has a new Facebook
Page: namisouthwestwa. Please
“LIKE” our page! To do this, log into
your Facebook profile and at the top
click “find friends”. Then in the search
box, top left, start typing NAMI Southwest and several NAMI pages will pop-up to
select. Choose the one that has a gold emblem, is in Vancouver WA, and has
about 130 likes. Once you like what you see, please “invite” your Facebook
friends to like our NAMI SW WA Facebook Page as well. The opportunity to “invite”
all or selected friends just shows up. Because you have just “liked” the correct
NAMI SW WA Page, your friends will automatically be attached to that page if they
choose to accept your invitation.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 6
ANNUAL
Donnelly Walk 2015
Join us for a fun and healthy event to support
Saturday, October 24, 2015 7:30—10:30 am
Southcliff Neighborhood in the Heights 4305 Oregon Drive, Vancouver, WA 98661
Please save this date— Saturday morning October 24— and bring your friends to this informative, healthy self-guided walk-run in the Heights area of Van-couver. The walk will be followed by breakfast hosted by Ann & Mike Don-nelly and their friends. The suggested donation to NAMI SW WA is $25-$100. Walkers, runners, cyclists or just supporters , their friends and leashed dogs are welcome.
5411 E. Mill Plain, Suite 4
Vancouver, WA 98661
360.695.2823
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National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 9
Hello Cowlitz Members, Friends, and Supporters,
Fall 2015 has officially arrived bringing with it colder nights.
Several homelessdrop-ins looking for housing and support ser-
vices have followed. We hear many stories heavy with childhood
abuse, addictions, mental health challenges, incarcera-
tion, psych hospitalizations and unsuccessful suicide attempts.
We welcome our new visitors with a cup of hot coffee or tea and
a handful of cookies and try to offer hope. We remind them to
acknowledge and give themselves credit for the strength it's
taken to get through all the traumas and ongoing struggles as well as the courage it takes to reach out for
help from strangers in a seemingly unfriendly and uncaring or busy world. It is our hope that with kindness,
encouragement and 1:1 peer support that these folks will be able to follow through with referrals and ap-
pointments, getting their immediate physical and safety needs met. We also hope that they will be able to set
goals for themselves and surround themselves with people and community that support them in achieving
those goals. Only after this challenge is met will they be able to begin the arduous and life affirming work to-
ward achieving their greatest level possible of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.
September's Give More 24 and Open House went wonderfully. We hadmany visitors looking for help for
mentally ill family members. There were also a few newcomers looking to see what NAMI was all about and
several staff members from other community providers exchanging information and literature. Many thanks
to the SW Washington Community Foundation and its corporate sponsors for all the planning and advertis-
ing it takes to pull off such a successful event.
Saturday, September 26th, was the Discover Recovery walk at Lake SacajaweaPark. It's gotten bigger and
better every year! NAMI SW Washington suppliedtwo of the three speakers and our booth gave out boxes
and boxes of healthbars, many NAMI stretch bracelets and tons of flyers, newsletters and programinformation. A big, big thank you goes out to Michele Waltz for her MANY hours of meetings, emails and
phone calls to bring so many local providers in both addictions recovery and mental health recovery together
to share information about their programs with the public. Thank you also to Peace Health and other spon-
sors for their generosity and community support.
Our STRivE psychoeducational classes are scheduled to start in October. Please call the office at 360-703-
6722 to reserve a spot soon!
Our Family Support meetings are going to be rescheduled for every other Wednesday night from 6:00 to 7:30
pm instead of weekly. On October 7th, we are most honored to have Bernie Altman as guest speaker. For
those of you unfamiliar with local NAMI history, Bernie and his wife became part of the small group of Cowlitz
County's founding NAMI members over 30 years ago. They are both in their 90’s and still supporting the mis-
sion. We love when Bernie drops into the office and are so honored that he has agreed to speak. We hope
you all put this date on your calendars.
Until next month, be well and remember that the path to recovery begins
with a single step.
Janie Gislason, Cowlitz County Coordinator
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 10
For all NAMI SWWA
courses
CALL (360) 695-2823
to sign up or visit or
website to register.
Classes fiill up quickly
so sign up soon.
BOOK REVIEW RESILIENCE, Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness
By Jessie Close with Pete Earley
Reviewed by Nancy Marsh
Jessie Close grew up in a family of four children, one boy and three
girls. One of the girls became the actress, Glenn Close. Jessie, the
youngest sibling and author of this book has written one of the most
honest accounts of a person’s life you’re likely to read.
The children’s father, a doctor, was emotionally remote. Both parents were frequently out
of the country, unavailable to give their children guidance and emotional support. The
family member most affected was Jessie. As a teenager she tried to get attention by being
a rebel and taking risks.
At age seventeen, she married another rebel who turned her onto drugs, robbed her of self-
confidence, and eventually became physically abusive. That was the first of her five
marriages and toward its end, she attempted her second suicide.
From this time on, Jessie’s life was full of constant ups and downs. Including many risk
taking behaviors including self medicating with alcohol and drugs common to people with
bipolar disorder. Jessie also became the mother of two sons and one daughter.
As Jessie’s symptoms became more serious, she was hospitalized. Her diagnosis at that
time was borderline personality disorder and bipolarism.
Jessie once asked her sister, Glenn, to do something about the stigma of mental
illness. As a result, Glenn raised money and developed the organization, Bring Change 2
Mind. You may have seen the television ad that was part of that campaign. Filmed in Grand
Central Station, it shows how extensively individual and families in this country are touched
by mental illness.
Jessie’s book, available in the Fort Vancouver Library system, was published in
2015. Jessie’s symptoms are being controlled with medication and she continues
advocating for the mentally ill. We wish her well.
Do you have some spare time to volunteer
for NAMI SW WA? Are you interested in volunteering
but not sure if you would be able to help and or find value in
the time spent at NAMI SW WA? Please call and arrange for a
time to stop by. For Vancouver call 360-695-2823 and ask for
Suzanne and in Cowlitz call 360-703-6722 and ask for Janie.
You will be trained and we will place you in a volunteer position
that you are comfortable doing.
Volunteer opportunities in Clark/Skamania: Experienced data entry person, a plus if experienced with Microsoft Excel
Comfortable with answering phones and greeting people who come into our offices
Willing to do light housekeeping such as vacuuming, cleaning the restrooms and
emptying the garbage
Available once a month to help with mailing the newsletter and other projects Represent NAMI SW WA at events with another volunteer Volunteer opportunities in Cowlitz: Volunteers are needed Monday – Friday during business hours - 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Duties will
include answering the phone, greeting visitors, providing NAMI SW WA information. If you
wish, you can represent NAMI SW WA at events with another volunteer. Ideally the volunteer will
be available one full day each week or a minimum shift of 3 hours. We are also looking for
people to be trained to teach NAMI classes.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Page 11
Bulletin Board
NAMI SWWA Help Line
M-F 9am-5pm
(360) 695-2823
(800) 273-TALK Suicide line
(800) 950-NAMI Info line
Mental Health Ombuds: (360) 397-8470
(866) 666-5070
Teen Talk: (after 4pm)
(360) 397-2428
CRISIS LINES
CLARK COUNTY
(360) 696-9560
(800) 626-8137
SKAMANIA
(509) 427-3850
COWLITZ
(360) 425-6064
(800) 803-8833
Resources:
Thursday, October 1st from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, we will begin a weekly Family Support
Group at our Vancouver office.
Our Cowlitz office holds its Parent and Family Support Group from 6:00 to 7:30 pm
every other week on Wednesday starting October 7th.
Our Vancouver office holds a monthly Family Support meeting on the 3rd Tuesday of
every month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
Family-to-Family: A new class will begin Thursday, October 1st at the Vancouver office
from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. If you are interested in participating in this class, please call our
office at 360-695-2823. If the class is full you will be added to the list for the next class.
BASICS will begin October 14th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for 6 weeks at our
Vancouver office.
The annual Donnelly Walk will take place on Saturday, October 24th beginning at 7:30
AM. Please plan to attend this fun fundraising event. No reservations needed.
Independence Bound is a Friday afternoon group for teens affected primarily by autism
spectrum disorder and/or social anxiety issues. The group meets from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.
Kids will make friends and gain a feeling of accomplishment while improving their
communication skills and comfort levels of being around others. If you want more
information, please call us at 360-695-2823.
Our second genetic testing will take place on October 15th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If
you want to participate, call 360.695.2823 to get the forms from Melinda. Give the
forms to your prescriber to complete and return them to us to schedule your
appointment. This test will help you determine if you are able to metabolize a wide
panel of mental health medications.
The Vancouver office is partnering with WSU Clark County Extension by providing a free
expanded food and nutrition education program called Eating Smart • Being Active.
This class begins October 28th from 2:30 to 4:00pm and includes 6 sessions (no class
will be held on Veteran’s Day). Enrollment is limited to SNAP, WIC, TANF recipients and
those who have children eligible for reduced school lunch programs.
Watch our website and FaceBook page for our upcoming Pre-Diabetes Program that can
help you reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, lose weight and become more physically
active. This is a 16-week program. The start date and time will be announced soon.
ADVOCACY TRAINING Class Held at NAMI SW WA
Melanie Maiorino, the SW WA Ombuds, led a training class for those who want
to become advocates for mental health issues. This _ hour class taught many
skills to those who want to learn to write effective letters or to present their
case to law makers and other decision makers to help make change for
themselves or those they love and care for.
BUILDING A TRAUMA-INFORMED NATION: Moving the
Conversation into Action
On September 29 and 30 NAMI SW WA hosted local
mental health activists and advocates through a
partnership with U.S. Health and Human Services in
a 10-hour Webinar on this most important subject:
how can we work together to reduce the level of trauma in every community throughout the
nation.
NAMI Southwest Washington
5411 E. Mill Plain, Suite 4
Vancouver, WA 98661
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National Alliance on Mental Illness
Help
support the
one in four
Americans
who will be
affected by
mental
illness
this year.
Thank you
for being
part of the
team!
