NAMI Finger Lakes News This Week- October 29, 2021

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NAMI Finger Lakes This Week- October 29, 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
Register For Upcoming NAMI FL Support Groups-
Note Partner/Spouse Date Change in November due to holiday
NAMI Finger Lakes Participates in #GivingTuesday
We need More Mental Health Professionals!
FREE LEAP Online Training- November 17th
NAMI Reimagine Event- November 15-19- Register Now
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

NAMI Finger Lakes Upcoming Support Groups

NAMI FL Family Support Groups are led by trained facilitators who have 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, please contact us via email [email protected] or call 607-288-2460 with your name, preferred phone number and email and the date of the meeting you wish to attend.

**PLEASE NOTE- You must register for each group you wish to attend. Please contact us as requested above 2 hours prior to the meeting you wish to attend so we do not miss your request.**

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:

Tuesday, November 2nd at 7:00 PM- Virtual Family Support Group
Monday, November 15th at 1:30 PM- Virtual Family Support Group

Partner/Spouse Support Group: (Please note, November's Partner/Spouse group will meet one week earlier than usual due to the Nov. 25th holiday.)

Thursday, November 18th 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.

Now more than ever, we are called to make a difference...

NAMI Finger Lakes is participating in #GivingTuesday this year. People can show their generosity in a variety of ways during #GivingTuesday⁠⁠—whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes—everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts.

NAMI Finger Lakes programs and services are always free so families impacted by mental illness can access information, education and support when they need it most. It is because of the generosity of folks like you who care about mental health that we accomplish this goal every day.

Over the month of November, we'll share the many ways NAMI Finger Lakes is making an impact in the lives of people affected by mental illness with the generous support of our community.

Visit us on the web today at namifingerlakes.org to learn more about how we can support you and your family. Our support group offerings are growing and classes are increasing with the addition of virtual options. Our reach is growing to meet the need.

Thank you for your many acts of generosity that make an impact in our community.

What Are The Odds Podcast

NAMI Finger Lakes Executive Director, Beth McGee, joins Jenna Hotaling of The Finger Lakes Problem Gambling Resource Center (FL-PGRC) to talk about the connection between mental health and problem gambling.

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

Listen Now

We Need More Mental Health Professionals!

Finding a mental health professional who takes your health

insurance has become more difficult in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, with nearly 1 in 3 people in the U.S. reporting symptoms of depression or anxiety, demand for mental health care has gone up.

Unfortunately, not all health plans, including Medicare, cover services from certain types of mental health professionals. Fortunately, there are two bills in Congress – the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432) and the Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services (PEERS) in Medicare Act (S. 2144/H.R. 2767) – that can help.

These bills would allow people to get help from marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and peer support specialists by permitting Medicare to reimburse these types of providers. Millions of people are covered by Medicare, including people over the age of 65 and certain younger individuals with disabilities, like mental health conditions. These bills would increase the Medicare workforce by over 225,000 mental health providers – helping more people access services in their community.

These two bills would be a critical step forward in the fight to increase the number of mental health professionals so they are available to people who need help. Ask your members of Congress to support passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act and the PEERS in Medicare Act.

Engage at NAMI's Quorum Advocacy Center and you'll find quick access to help sharing your story and asking for your representative's help to make Mental Health Care a priority.

Advocate Now!

ANOTHER FREE LEAP ONLINE Training - Live with Q&A is coming up Wednesday, November 17th.

This is an exclusive offer, sponsored by the Sarah B. Foulke Estate Grant for New York residents to attend a LEAP Training for free (regular cost $150)—primarily for NAMI NYS affiliates, staff, community members, and their local professional

partners—who care for people with serious mental Illness.

LEAP (Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner) is an evidence-based approach that helps you create relationships that lead to treatment. This session presented live, with Q&A by Dr. Amador, author of "I AM NOT SICK, I Don't Need Help!", will teach family and professionals how to create trusting relationships with people who

have serious mental illness and anosognosia - a neurological symptom that leaves a person unable to understand they are ill, resulting in conflict, isolation and treatment refusal.

To register or to find more information for this class, click here.

Visit the Henry Amador Center on Anosognosia for more information about LEAP.

NAMI Reimagine- A week of Action to Reimagine Our National Response to People In Crisis

For far too long, people experiencing mental health or suicidal crisis haven’t received the mental health care they deserve. Instead of receiving compassionate care, people in crisis frequently languish in ERs, interact with law enforcement and struggle with substance use and homelessness.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With 988, the new three-digit number for mental health, substance use and suicidal crises that will go live nationwide by July 2022 — we have an opportunity to #ReimagineCrisis.

Join us virtually for REIMAGINE: A week of action to reimagine our national response to people in crisis, Nov. 16–18. REIMAGINE will bring together leading organizations to elevate crisis response and coordinate federal and state advocacy efforts to establish and fully fund our country’s crisis response systems.

At REIMAGINE, you can:

Hear personal stories from individuals with lived experience of our current crisis system
Join panel discussions with organizations that bring civil rights, providers, law enforcement and youth perspectives to the conversation of how crisis response intersects with other key factors
For individuals leading or engaging in advocacy efforts, join a 988 Advocacy Intensive to gain insight on policy details and advocacy tactics
Contact policymakers to share why they should prioritize improving our crisis system

Register today to learn more about our current response to mental health and suicidal crises, how it intersects with different communities, how you can help #ReimagineCrisis — and, ultimately, how we can work together to build a better, more equitable crisis system.