NAMI Finger Lakes News This Week- October 15, 2021

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NAMI Finger Lakes This Week- October 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 health conditions. 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:

NAMI Finger Lakes Crisis File
CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Now in Tompkins County
Replay- One Conversation Can Save A Life:
- Perspectives On Suicide Experience, Prevention and Awareness
NAMI Finger Lakes Family Forum- Problem Gambling - Register Now
Register for Upcoming Support Group
6th Annual Cupcake Contest- Sponsored By The Sophie Fund
- Hurry! Submissions Due October 16th
NAMI NYS Education Conference Coming Up!
NAMI FL 2021 Programs and Services Guide
Support NAMI Finger Lakes
Like-Follow-Share NAMI FL

The NAMI Finger Lakes Crisis File contains valuable resources for families in search of help during a mental health crisis. You'll find resources for emergencies, housing, mental health treatment, services and more.

Click to Find Crisis Resources

Crisis Intervention Team Training in Tompkins County

In September of this year, Tompkins County held it's first Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement and other agencies actively involved in responding to crisis calls in our county. CIT programs help keep our loved ones who live with mental health conditions out of jail and in treatment toward recovery, rather than criminalizing their illness. More than 20 participants from the following agencies were represented in this training:

Tompkins County Sheriff's Office
Ithaca Police Department
Dryden Police Department
Ithaca College Public Safety
Tompkins County Probation Department
Department of Emergency Response

CIT programs in our communities decrease arrests and increase the likelihood people in crisis engage with important mental health services. Benefits of CIT include:

Officer and community safety- When people responding to crisis calls have more knowledge and understanding about mental health, their own and those they are responding to, safety is improved for everyone.
Saves time and redirects focus- Techniques used in CIT help officers help people in crisis more effectively, reducing the amount of time required for crisis calls, which gets officers back into the community to focus on crime.
Reduced cost- Incarceration is costly. Helping people access the supports and treatment options that are available reduces the incidence of incarceration and impact it has on people's lives.

For more information about CIT, visit NAMI's advocacy site at:

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs

NAMI Finger Lakes participated in a panel to share family experience during crisis for this training. We created cards with communication recommendations and local crisis resources for them to carry and share with families during crisis calls. To acknowledge individual's participation in the training, NAMI Finger Lakes provided each participant with a copy of the book Overcoming The Darkness: Shining Light On Mental Illness, Trauma and Suicide in Law Enforcement by Sgt. Eric Weaver (Ret.). Each book included a bookmark developed by NAMI Finger Lakes with information about NAMI's signature program, Front Line Wellness. FLW connects first responders with appropriate resources that support their mental health.

NAMI Finger Lakes advocated for CIT in the county during the Reimagining Public Safety process and would like to thank the Tompkins County Sheriff Department and Tompkins County Mental Health Services for coordinating this training and for including NAMI Finger Lakes.

Beth McGee
Executive Director
NAMI Finger Lakes

One Conversation Can Save A Life: Perspectives on Suicide Experience, Prevention & Awareness

On September 27, NAMI Finger Lakes hosted a special forum to raise awareness on the topic of suicide.

Beth Harrington of our local Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service shared information about how to access support and crisis services in Tompkins County. Additional guests, Peer Advocate Larry Albro of Mental Health Association, NAMI NYS Family Advocate, Roy Ettere, and Jason Hungerford, Support Group facilitator and Family Advocate for NAMI FL, generously shared how suicide has had an impact on them. Matthew Shapiro of NAMI NYS provided us with an overview of the upcoming 9-8-8 implementation and advocacy efforts for adoption of Nicole's Law, as well as the inspirational Nicole Ettere Remembrance Garden.

Click to learn about:

Nicole's Law

9-8-8 Crisis Line Implementation

Nicole Ettere Garden of Remembrance

Watch Now

If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide,

please call 800-273-8255 (TALK)

For an emergency dial 9-1-1

NAMI Finger Lakes Family Forum- October 26th- 6:30 PM

With the world in its current state, many individuals are turning to different ways to gamble at home for entertainment, or even to cope. Higher rates of depression are at the forefront amidst the isolation, which can create the perfect storm for those at risk for developing a problem. On top of that, problem gambling has the highest suicide rate among all addiction, and New York State has just made it easier to gamble online.

Join us for NAMI Finger Lakes October Family Forum on Tuesday, October 26^th at 6:30 PM when we welcome Jenna Hotaling of The Finger Lakes Problem Gambling Resource Center (FL-PGRC) to learn how to tell if someone is struggling with a gambling addiction, how to find help and much more.

Jenna Hotaling is the Team Leader for the Finger Lakes Problem Gambling Resource Center (FL-PGRC). Since the fall of 2018, she has been leading the PGRC team through outreach efforts, community education & policy, and raising awareness on problem gambling. Jenna has conducted numerous problem gambling training sessions for agencies across the region for those working with youth, adults, and seniors. Jenna has a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Health and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Get the facts about problem gambling - Call/text today (585) 351-2262 or [email protected] for more information.

THIS EVENT IS VIRTUAL ON ZOOM

“About 50% of those with disordered gambling have had suicidal thoughts.

Over 17% of these individuals have attempted suicide,” (Moghaddam et al, 2015).

NAMI Finger Lakes October Support Groups

NAMI FL Family Support Groups are led by trained facilitators who have gained understanding through lived experience with loved ones who live with mental health conditions. At our support groups, we share concerns, coping skills, and compassion in a supportive atmosphere.

NAMI FL virtual support groups currently meet on Zoom.
To register or for information on how to attend any group, email [email protected] or call 607-288-2460 for assistance.

NAMI Support Groups are for people 18 and over who have a loved one living with a mental health condition.
Groups meet for 1&1/2 hours.

Family Support Group:

Monday, October 18th 1:30 PM- Virtual Family Support Group
Friday, October 22nd at 1:30 PM In person outdoor Family Support Group (in a downtown Ithaca location TBA. Vaccination preferred, masks required for anyone not vaccinated)
Tuesday, November 2nd at 7:00 PM- Virtual Family Support Group

Partner/Spouse Support Group:

Thursday, October 21st at 7:00 PM– Virtual Partner/Spouse Group

Click to view our Support Group Materials

If you need support now, please call the NAMI Finger Lakes Help Line at 607-273-2462. Our Help Line is answered by local NAMI family members who have experience with loved ones living with mental illness.

The 6th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest

Hurry!

Submissions Due 11:59 pm on Saturday October 16!

The world is excited to see what Ithaca’s amateur bakers come up with in 2021!

The judges are still feeling deliciously gobsmacked by last year’s entries. Who can forget the Hidden Treasure or Kahlua Me Crazy cupcakes? Or the Apple Cider or Banana Split or It’s Fall Y’all Apple Crisp cupcakes?

Contestants of all ages are invited to participate and will be eligible for dozens of prizes including a Grand Prize valued at $250. (Open to amateur bakers only.)

For information about how to participate in this year's contest visit The Sophie Fund online for details.

The contest is organized every year by The Sophie Fund, which was established in 2016 in memory of Cornell University art student Sophie Hack MacLeod, who died by suicide at age 23, to support mental health initiatives aiding young people.

Sophie’s passion for baking cupcakes inspired the launch of the first Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest in 2016.

Click For Details

NAMI NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION CONFERENCE

Don't miss the NAMI NYS 2021 Education Conference!
The online event will bring together the NAMI-NYS family to learn, heal and recover together. This year’sagenda aims to address the stressors of the past year and a half and how NAMI-NYS and our affiliates are working to bring about healing. The conference will also present on the latest on research and treatment of psychiatric

disorders, strategies to achieve mental wellness and explore the critical advocacy issues impacting the delivery of and access to mental health services in New York State. Registration is just $10 for NAMI-NYS Members.