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NAMI Finger Lakes This Week- January 15, 2021

At National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Finger Lakes affiliate, we provide advocacy, education and support for families of people living with mental illness. In our weekly e-news, we share events and resources of interest to our mental health community. You'll find more resources and information at our website namifingerlakes.org.

In this newsletter:

  • Tompkins County COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Info
  • NAMI Statement on the Killing of Patrick Warren Sr. 
  • Register for Upcoming Family Support Group
  • OMH Regional Advisory Committee Meeting- January 25
  • NAMI Finger Lakes Family Forum Welcomes CAHOOTS- Coming up!
  • Mental Health Advocacy Opportunities
  • Community Mental Health Services Board- February 1st
    Open to the Public, Please Attend
  • Share Your Favorite Mental Health Service Provider
Find Crisis Resources
Make A Secure Donation
TOMPKINS COUNTY COVID-19 INFORMATION

Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) is working closely with community partners to prevent and respond to the evolving novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.



Our loved ones who live with mental health conditions may be vulnerable to COVID-19 exposure due to many factors. Important information regarding testing, vaccination and more is available at the following links:



Click here for information regarding COVID-19 Testing

Click here for information regarding COVID-19 Vaccination



Additionally:

As part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act , the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will provide claims reimbursement to health care providers generally at Medicare rates for testing uninsured individuals for COVID-19, for treating uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 primary diagnosis, and for COVID-19 vaccine administration to the uninsured.

Visit The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

NAMI Statement on the Killing of Patrick Warren Sr.

Arlington, Va. — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today released a statement on the Jan. 10 killing of Patrick Warren Sr., 52, of Kileen, Texas, from its CEO, Daniel H. Gillison Jr.:

“The killing of Patrick Warren Sr. is yet another senseless, preventable tragedy. NAMI’s hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Warren and all those who experience losses because of our nation’s unacceptable current approach to managing mental health emergencies. A person should not lose their life because they are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition or are in crisis.


When a mental health crisis happens, it deserves a mental health response. The lack of this response in Mr. Warren’s case led to the death of yet another unarmed person in crisis. This situation is yet another tragic example of racial inequities because Mr. Warren was a Black man in America — and Black men already face discrimination proven by hard statistics on interactions with police officers.

The lack of access to mental health care is clearly contributing to people experiencing crises — many of which are inherently avoidable if people get the right care at the right time. We should not have to wait until somebody is experiencing a crisis to try and get them help. It is not good for the person. It is not good for their family. It is not good for the community.

Last year, federal adoption of 9-8-8 as a three-digit number for mental health, substance use, and suicidal crises, which will be effective nationwide by July 2022, provided a path forward which, if well-implemented, could stop these tragic situations. NAMI is advocating for state and local 9-8-8 crisis systems that combine well-trained crisis call center hubs with behavioral health mobile crisis teams and crisis stabilization programs.

We must remain focused on solutions that will prevent the deaths of people like Mr. Warren, Walter Wallace Jr., Daniel Prude, and too many others, and get people the care they need and deserve.

”Read more: NAMI’s resolution against racism, NAMI’s statement on acts of racial injustice and Gillison’s STAT op-ed on diversion. You can also view recent “Ask the Expert” webinars that discuss the intersection of race and mental health. Click here to view CEO, Daniel H. Gillison Jr.'s statement at NAMI.

NAMI Finger Lakes Family Support Group

NAMI FL Family Support Group currently meets in Zoom online:

Support Groups can be attended with a computer, cell or landline phone. To register or for information on how to attend, email [email protected] or call 607-288-2460 for assistance.


NAMI Family Support Groups are for people 18 and over who have a loved one living with a mental health condition.

To have a safe and manageable group size that maintains privacy to the best of our ability in an online format, groups will be limited to 10 people. Please register soon for best availability. Registration is required.

Third Monday of the month 1:30 PM-3:00 PM- (January 18th)

First Tuesday of the month 7:00 PM-8:30 PM- (February 2nd)



If you need support now, please call the NAMI Finger Lakes Help Line at 607-273-2642. Our Help Line is answered by local NAMI family members who have experience with loved ones living with mental illness.

The NAMI National HelpLine may also be reached Monday through Friday, 10 am–6 pm, ET- at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or [email protected]


The NAMI HelpLine is a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with mental health conditions, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public. HelpLine staff and volunteers are experienced, well-trained and able to provide guidance.

OMH Mental Health Regional Advisory Committee - January 25

The Office of Mental Health Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) is an important opportunity to express your views and needs regarding Mental Health care in New York State. The next RAC will be held on January 25th, 8:30 AM-12:30 PM ET.


The RAC is an opportunity for Consumers/Survivors/Ex-Patients, (c/s/x), and Families of people with mental health issues, to provide actionable advice to the Office of Mental Health.

JANUARY DRAFT AGENDA (subject to change)

  • 8:30 am-8:45 am -Networking, Sound Check, Orientation to the technology
  • 8:45am-9:00am -Announcements from community partners: NY Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services(NYAPRS) Mental Health Empowerment Project, (MHEP) National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mental Health Association of NYS. (MHANYS)
  • 9:00am - 9:25am- Regional Reports from Community and Facility partners
  • 9:25am - 9:45am - Regional Updates from 2020
  • 9:45am -10:00am - Central Office updates from 2020
  • 10:00am -10:30am Updates from the Commissioner
  • 10:30am -10:45am Assignment to Breakout sessions: Topic - What should the Office of Consumer Affairs Prioritize for 2021?
  • 10:45am – 11:45pm Breakout/brainstorming sessions
  • 11:50am - 12:30pm Report outs from breakout sessions.
  • 12:30 Meeting Ends

To register for this training session go to
https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/k2/j.php?MTID=t18b9ebd1626579308b9e2c1e61244bc8


Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.

NAMI Finger Lakes Family Forum Welcomes CAHOOTS

NAMI Finger Lakes continues our Family Forum series exploration of Mental Health Crisis Response on January 26th at 6:30 PM. This month, we turn our focus toward alternative solutions to policing for crisis response.



Join us as we spotlight the program CAHOOTS, Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, the mobile crisis and medic response team for Eugene-Springfield’s Public Safety System in Oregon.

Registration is required for this event.
To save your space, please visit:


NAMI Finger Lakes Family Forum- CAHOOTS

For over thirty years, CAHOOTS responders have provided a community-based public safety system of mental health first response for crises involving mental illness, homelessness, and addiction. Responders utilize trauma-informed de-escalation and harm reduction techniques to assess needs and provide immediate stabilization in case of urgent medical need or psychological crisis, assessment, information, referral, advocacy, and, when warranted, transportation to the next
step in treatment.

Last year, CAHOOTS answered roughly 24,000 calls and called for police backup 250 times. The program saves the city of Eugene an estimated $8.5 million in public safety spending annually.

Meet our panelists:

Tim Black is the Director of Consulting at White Bird Clinic. With a background in runaway and homeless youth, harm reduction, and street outreach, he began working for CAHOOTS as a Crisis Intervention Worker in 2010, before moving into an administrative role as the CAHOOTS Operations Coordinator.

Ben Brubaker
works as Administrative Coordinator of White Bird Clinic. He began serving White Bird in September 2006. Ben first started as a full-time Crisis Worker (Qualified Mental Health Associate) on WBC’s 24/7 Crisis Line and Walk-in Center. A few years later he joined the mobile crisis intervention team (CAHOOTS) as a Crisis Worker and presents internal and external training for the agency.

Click to Register For This Event
Mental Health Advocacy Opportunities

Act4MentalHealth is a NAMI advocacy campaign.


You can Act4MentalHealth by engaging with your elected officials to help ensure people with mental health conditions get help early, get the best possible care, and get diverted from justice system involvement.

You
have the power to influence policymakers and your voice makes a difference. Sign-up to join our movement and receive alerts when your elected officials need to hear from you.

To learn more about the important Mental Health initiatives you can share in your community, and to sign up for alerts about action you can take to help NAMI improve the lives of people living with mental health conditions, click here to visit NAMI's Act4MentalHealth action center.

Community Mental Health Services Board Meeting

Monday, February 1st at 5:30 PM, the Community Mental Health Services Board Meeting will include a discussion with Tompkins County Administrator, Jason Molino, regarding mental health and the County Reimagining Public Safety initiative.

Families have a unique perspective to share regarding mental health crisis response and law enforcement, as family members are often faced with the decision to call for help when our loved ones are in crisis. Please take this opportunity to learn from Administrator Molino how the initiative is moving forward. Family participation in this process is imperative for successful reform. You can access this meeting by visiting this link:

                 Community Mental Health Services Board Meeting

                                  February 1, 2021 - 5:30 PM



Share Your Positive Mental Health Provider Experience

Do you have a therapist you love? Have you had an excellent experience with a mental health service provider in the area? Do you find a local agency very helpful with meeting mental health needs?


We want to know about it!



Please visit the link below to share your favorite mental health professional and/or service provider. Your input helps us better meet the needs of families seeking support. We appreciate your sharing!



                          Mental Health Provider Survey

Thank you for your support of NAMI Finger Lakes!
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NAMI Finger Lakes
PO Box 6544

Ithaca, NY 14851

Information: 607-288-2460

HELP Line: 607-273-2462

[email protected] / namifingerlakes.org


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