Have a Safe Holiday!

We will be observing the holidays and will not be holding Connections Peer Support Group on the first week of January as it falls on New Years Day. We will be starting back up with various events on January 3, 2014 and kicking the new year off with the Regional State Budget Hearing for the Governor's proposed budget for 2014.

Also, in the latter part of January, we will be holding an Open House for the kick off of a youth/teen activity group for youth/teens with mental illness. Please see the events page for information regarding that.

We still have spots open for Peer to Peer classes. It starts January 27, 2014. Please call (276) 669-5840 and ask for Ashley, if interested. The participant must have a mental illness.

We hope you have a safe holiday season! See you in 2014!

                                        

Now Enrolling for Peer-to-Peer Classes

We are now enrolling for Peer to Peer classes. Peer to Peer lasts 10 weeks and each class builds on each other. More information can be found under the Education Programs tab. It is for people with a mental illness only; pre-screening/registration is required to make sure people are right for the class. The classes are free.

                                              What: Peer to Peer Classes
                                              When: Monday evenings
                                                           January 27-March 31, 2014
                                                           Please call for time (pre-screening required)
                                              Where: Highlands Community Services
                                                            Board Room
                                                            610 Campus Drive
                                                            Abingdon, Virginia 24210

If interested, please call (276) 669-5840 and ask for Ashley.

Advocacy Day 2014

Every year, NAMI Virginia and the local affiliates across the state (along with other mental health organizations) come together at the General Assembly Building in Richmond, Virginia to lobby and rally to make mental health needs be known to the various representatives/legislatures. Next year is no exception. Advocacy Day 2014 will be held in Richmond, Virginia on January 20, 2014, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. If you are interested in participating in this advocacy event, please fill out the registration.

                                               Advocacy Day 2014 Registration

Thank you.

Ashley Church, President of (future affiliate) NAMI Southwest Virginia

NAMIWalks Virginia 2013 Photos

NAMIWalks Virginia 2013 was a lot of fun! Pictures are up on the Facebook page (they were taken early in the day) and there will be more up soon on NAMI Virginia's (state office) page. The hope is that next year we will have a team to represent NAMI Southwest Virginia.

Youth Support Group Coming in November

I will be attending a Youth Advisory Board training with NAMI Virginia's Virginia Family Network in early November. In the middle or latter part of November, the plan is to start a youth/adolescent/teen support group for teens around age 13-18 that have a mental illness, with young adults with mental illness serving in a facilitator/mentorship role for the group.

I have had interest in a group for kids that are upper elementary through middle school, as well, so even though they are not quite teenagers, if there is enough interest in the younger age range, we will see what we can do. I definitely would welcome guardian involvement in this, especially with the younger group.

If you are a young adult (18 years to late 20s) living with a mental illness or a guardian of a youth/teenager living with a mental illness and you are within the coverage area or surrounding area (Tennessee included) and would be interested in helping or getting your youth/teenager living with a mental illness involved in this, please email me at swvanami@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Ashley Church, President of (future affiliate) NAMI Southwest Virginia

Mental Illness Awareness Week: October 6-12, 2013

Mental Illness Awareness Week is coming up next week. Even though we had to push the Open House back, we will still be observing Mental Illness Awareness Week on Twitter and Facebook. Please join us!

                                                      Twitter: @NAMISouthwestVA
                                                  Facebook: NAMI Southwest Virginia

          

NAMI Virginia Walk 2013

The main fundraiser for NAMI is called NAMIWalks. NAMI Virginia is hosting their annual walk on October 19, 2013 at Innsbrook in Glen Allen, Virginia. I (Ashley) am trying to fund raise for the walk with the proceeds going to NAMI Virginia as we do not have a bank account set up because we are just now in the affiliate application process. Typically, it is a 50/50 split--half the proceeds raised go to NAMI Virginia and half the proceeds go to the affiliate. However, NAMI Virginia state office is going to set aside money to help us start up, so the money does come back to us. If you would like to donate to this cause, please visit 2013 NAMIWalk: Ashley Church. Thank you!

Moving Towards Affiliate Status

I have a wonderful update. We just reached our fifth person to join this affiliate. That means we can start looking into affiliate status!

An update on the Open House...we have decided to push it back to January due to timing and conflicts of scheduling places.

But, we will continue to grow in the mean time and try and get more support, education, and advocacy for mental illness in the Southwest Virginia region.

Topic for Connections Recovery Support Group

   We are now going to do topics at each of the Connections Recovery Support Groups. To find out the topic for each meeting look on the events page, our Facebook page, or Twitter. This upcoming Connections Support Group meeting topic will be Relaxation/Stress Reduction.

Topics and Open House Update

    For the Connections Recovery Support Group that meets on Wednesday evenings at The Crisis Center, I am going to start picking topics that will be discussed and worked on. If you are a peer, and have a specific topic that you would like to discuss, please let me know (via email, phone, or in person. Email is swvanami@gmail.com or phone is (276) 466-2218 and leave a message for Ashley or Della). I will update the events page with the topic when I get everything worked out.

     As far as the Open Houses go, one of the grants came through. Therefore, at this point, we can only do one Open House with more (being at the other locations) in the future. We do have a date, time, and location selected for the NAMI Virginia Open House in Southwest Virginia. Once we confirm everything, the information will be posted. Look for it within the next few days.

Resources Tab

There is now a tab for resources. It is a work in progress, but eventually there will be a list of books, articles, information for special and vulnerable populations, and local trainings (non-NAMI) that deal with suicide prevention and mental health.

Also, the events tab has been updated with events for September and early October.

Now Enrolling for Family-to-Family Classes

We are now enrolling for Family-to-Family classes. Please click on the Family-to-Family tab to learn more about what the classes goes over and teaches. It is for family members/"like family" of loved ones living with a mental illness. Registration is required for these classes. The classes are free.

                                              What:  Family-to-Family Classes
                                              When: Wednesday evenings
                                                            Sept. 11, 2013 - December 4, 2013
                                                           (the classes build on one another)
                                              Where: Lifetime Wellness Center
                                                            1 Health Way
                                                            Marion, Virginia 24354

 If interested, email Ashley at swvanami@gmail.com; or call Barb at (276) 686-5590 or email her at namif2fswva@gmail.com.
                                

Family Support Group Facilitator Training

        I added the Family Support Group Facilitator Training flyer to the flyers/forms section. The training is for family members of people with a mental illness to become trained to facilitate a family support group. If you are interested in training, let me know and I can send you the application to fill out or you can go to NAMI Virginia's website, go under programs, and click on the Family Support Groups link. The application link is at the bottom of the page.

Survey Update

Hey. I thought I would update people on the survey results. I have a response of 88 people. There are 83 people interested, 5 are not. The week they were thinking of doing it...about 75 people can come. Sarah emailed me and said an expo is way too big and stick to calling it an Open House. So, that means about 50 people at each. I am still taking responses, this is just an update.

The survey will be on-going until August 15, 2013. Then, we will look at the data and put the locations where the interest is. There is definitely enough interest for multiple. If you interested, please take the survey.

                          Survey Link: NAMI Virginia Open House in SWVA Survey

                                                                 ***EDITED***

A Little More About How NAMI Virginia Does Open Houses

   Hey guys! I talked to Sarah Steadman, who is the Director of Programs at NAMI Virginia (state office), and asked her about how NAMI Virginia does their Open Houses (I have never been to one). She said it is "set up like convention workshop but hopefully bigger. Chairs set up like theater style facing the podium. A mic might be necessary depending on the group size. Food is appetizers, finger foods". It is about 50 people. So, if anyone is interested in coming, I am going to take the counts I get from the survey relayed to Sarah and the rest of the state office and the place, amount of food, etc. is going to be based on the survey counts. Please take the survey, if you want to come. Anyone in southwest Virginia (or anywhere in the state is welcome, if they are willing to drive) or Bristol, TN (or anywhere in Tennessee, if they are willing to drive). I am inviting anyone and everyone--mental health consumers, families of mental health consumers, healthcare providers, human service providers, law enforcement/first responders, teachers/principals/administration, clergymen/church staff, the general public/community members. I do, however, need the surveys by August 15, 2013 to allow time for planning and figuring out the details. If there is enough interest, they are going to look into having two to allow everyone who wants to come the ability to come and not have to drive too far.

                             Survey Link:  NAMI Virginia Open House in Southwest Virginia Survey

   The Open House(s) are something that the state office puts on (with the help of local affiliates). Clarification of affiliates in the southwest Virginia region. In the southwest region of the state of Virginia, there are currently two established affiliates and I am in the process of establishing a third. They serve different counties throughout southwest Virginia.

NAMI Southwest Virginia (this affiliate in the works/establishment process): City of Bristol and Counties of Washington, Russell, Smyth, Grayson, Wythe, and Tazewell.

NAMI Tri County: Counties of Lee, Scott, and Wise. The President of NAMI Tri County is Judy Salyer. Her email is jsalyer@mounet.com

NAMI Roanoke Valley: Roanoke area. The President of NAMI Roanoke Valley is Phyllis Scruggs. Her email is pbscruggs@gmail.com

Most of the far western part of Virginia does not have an affiliate created or in the works (think Buchanan and Dickenson counties and a few counties around it). However, we (other affiliates in the area) can assist these people by either joining our affiliate individually (not adding counties, as it can get way too big) or if we have enough people in those areas, there can be an affiliate created in those counties that are not covered. 

  My personal goal for NAMI Southwest Virginia is that we can get as much programming as possible. The programming National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers is extensive. I would love for this side of the state to have those resources.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at swvanami@gmail.com

*** EDITED***

Announcements

Virginia is holding their gubernatorial election this year. A candidate forum will be held in Richmond to allow Virginians an opportunity to hear gubernatorial candidates, Terry McAuliffe (D) and Ken Cuccinelli (R), platforms and ideas regarding mental health issues.

                            What: Gubernatorial Candidate Forum on Mental Health Issues
                            When: Monday, August 5, 2013 at 6:30 PM (to 8:30 PM)
                            Where: Oates Theater
                                          Collegiate School
                                          103 N. Mooreland Road
                                          Richmond, Virginia 23229

NAMI Virginia holds an annual NAMIWalks. NAMIWalks is a nationwide event being held in 83 communities around the country in 2013. It is the largest anti-stigma effort in Virginia and America. NAMIWalks is a community event that includes more than 100 Walk teams from across Virginia, live music, kid’s activities, food, exhibit booths and prominent recognition of sponsors. NAMI Virginia and VCU Department of Psychiatry are once again working in collaboration this year to make strides to advance the science behind mental wellness.

                              What: NAMIWalks Virginia 2013
                              When: Saturday, October 19, 2013 (Time to be announced)
                              Where: Innsbrook
                                           4951 Lake Brook Drive
                                           Glen Allen, Virginia 23060

The NAMI Virginia Open House in Southwest Virginia Survey is still open. If you have not taken it, please do. It will remain open until probably mid-August. 

                              Survey Link: NAMI Virginia Open House in Southwest Virginia

Thank you!

Ashley

                                                                    ***EDITED***

Connections Cancelled Tonight

Connections has been cancelled tonight due to severe weather threat. Hope you stay safe! Sorry for such short notice. We will meet again in August.

Possible NAMI Virginia Open House in Southwest Virginia

NAMI Virginia often holds Open Houses to inform the public, mental health consumers, their families, and health/human service providers about what NAMI is and what it has to offer. These Open Houses are usually held in Richmond. There was a request to do an Open House in southwest Virginia due to the fact that Richmond is roughly a five and a half hour drive or longer from this part of the state; therefore, most of the time, people from southwest Virginia do not attend the Open Houses.

The staff at NAMI Virginia (state office) was very receptive to doing an Open House in southwest Virginia. It would not be until the fall of this year. Of course, we have to see if there is enough interest in southwest Virginia to even pursue putting an Open House together. If there is, we would need to come up with a possible meeting place and date; possible people to help; etc. Please help us get an idea of the interest of a NAMI Open House/Information Session by completing the survey in the attached link: NAMI Virginia Open House/Information Session in SWVA Survey. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at swvanami@gmail.com. Thank you!

  
                                                                       Ashley

Joining NAMI

NAMI Virginia (state office) told us that for people interested in joining this future affiliate, please fill out a hard copy form (found here) instead of joining online. This is due to us not existing in the online system yet; therefore, you would not be able to join this future affiliate online.  On the hard copy form, the affiliate is "NAMI Virginia" and put in parentheses "future affiliate NAMI Southwest VA". If you pay by check, make the check out to NAMI Virginia and put "future affiliate NAMI Southwest Virginia" on the memo line. Please mail to NAMI Virginia, PO Box 8260, Richmond, Virginia 23226-0260. Any faxed membership forms should be faxed to (804) 285-8464.

 At this point in time, we need about three (3) more people for affiliate status.  For more information about what membership gives you and cost, please see the "Join NAMI" tab.

Clarification: You do not have to join NAMI in order to come to support group or classes. Those are completely free.  This post is for those who want to actually join NAMI to receive the magazine, newsletters, and have access to certain information on the NAMI site. You would also be eligible to train in various programming.

Development of a NAMI Affiliate in Southwest Virginia

Welcome! This is the website and blog for a possible future National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter in the southwest region of Virginia. As of this moment, we do not have affiliate status. However, we are working towards that. The affiliate would be called NAMI Southwest Virginia and would serve the City of Bristol and the Counties of Washington, Russell, Smyth, Grayson, Wythe, and Tazewell. Residents on the Tennessee side of the City of Bristol are more than welcome to come to meetings and classes.

Right now, we have a NAMI Connections Recovery Support Group and we are signing people up for NAMI Family to Family classes. All NAMI programming is free to participants.

If you are interested in joining NAMI Virginia, for the affiliate, please put NAMI Virginia. When we get to a point where we have enough members to form an affiliate, then it will be NAMI Southwest Virginia. But, for the time being, put NAMI Virginia.

We will receive affiliate status when we get at least five (5) people as NAMI members in the area and go through the process of getting 501 (C)3 non-profit status and filling out the paperwork with NAMI. We will have to build a Board and do some fundraising. But, I have faith in our community and region.

Please continue to check back with us!

Ashley