Saturday, July 27, 2013

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.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

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***

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

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 LinkNAMI 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***

Thursday, July 18, 2013

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***

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

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.

Friday, July 12, 2013

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