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CUMBERLAND and
PERRY COUNTIES, PA NEWS
Page 1—NAMI walk opportunities
Page 2—Board Members, Support
Meetings, and Membership
invite
Page 3—Pitch for memberships and
News from NAMI community
Page 4—Info about online education
course for veterans
Page 5—Article about College with
mental illness
Page 6- Articles about emotion and
anger
Page 7—Article about shortage of
psychiatrists
April 19th—Carlisle Support Mtg
April 22nd—Mental Illness Aware
ness Walk at Shippensburg
University
May 1st—Mental Illness Awareness
Walk in Carlisle
May 3d—West Shore Support Mtg
May 17th—Carlisle Support Mtg
May 21st—Dauphin Cty Support
Mtg
May 23rd—NAMI CP Board Mtg
APRIL MEETING
NAMI PA of CUMBERLAND and PERRY COUNTIES
THURSDAY, APRIL, 19, 2018 at S.T.A.R.
253 Penrose Place, Carlisle, Pa.
7:00 —8:30 Support Meeting
P.O. Box 527
Carlisle, PA 17013 https://namicppa.org/
Message line number:
717 620-9580
It is officially Spring. The weather is warmer. Days are longer. It is time to get out and to get moving. For those in the NAMI family it is time to walk in support of our community and to combat stigma associated with serious mental illness. Shippensburg University students have formed a NAMI group at the Uni-versity that is a recognized student organization. Shippensburg University will conduct a Mental Health Awareness Walk at the University on Sunday, April 22nd at 2:00 PM from the Anthony F. Ceddia Union Building. Taylor P. Andrews, Esq. from NAMI C/P will make remarks prior to the Walk. Come out to support this worthy student organization and the work they are do-ing at Shippensburg. On May 1st the 2018 Mental Health Awareness Week Walk will take place. The Walk stages at Letort Park in Carlisle and the walk will end at the Old Court House at the square of Carlisle with a rally at 11:00. This walk is done by Cumberland—Perry CSP, and this is an important annual event. Though registration to get a T-shirt and possibly a lunch after the walk is past, anyone from the NAMI family can just show up and walk to show support for consumers, family members, providers, and everyone else who values our MH treatment system. Come out and give yourself to this effort.
Duplication and distribution of this Newsletter is made possible by the MH/IDD Board of Cumberland/Perry Counties
Inside this issue: IT IS SPRING AND TIME TO WALK TO SUPPORT
RECOVERY FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND AN END TO STIGMA
NAMI is the largest nationwide, grassroots membership organization devoted to improving the lives of those affected, directly and indirectly, by serious mental illness. NAMI is comprised of family members, friends and consumers.
Volume XXI, Issue 4 April, 2018
Calendar:
Contact Us:
2
NAMI Pa. Cumberland/
Perry Counties
P.O. Box 527
Carlisle, PA 17013
https://namicppa.org/
Message line number:
717 620-9580
President:
Kathleen Zwierzyna 717-877-7214
Vice President:
Thom Fager
Treasurer: Stephen
Zwierzyna
Secretary: Taylor P.
Andrews
Board of Directors:
Sarah Roley
Kathleen Walker
Bonnie Iorfordo
Lisa Savadel
Publisher:
NAMI Pa. Cumberland/ Perry
Counties
Editor: Taylor P. Andrews
243-0123 or 243-1645
April 2018 Vol. XXI No. 4
What: Support Group Meeting When: Meets 3rd Thursday of each month Location: STAR (253 Penrose Place Carlisle, PA 17013) Time: 7:00 pm up to 8:30 pm there will occasionally be an edu-cational program. When there is an education program it shall run from 7:00 PM until 7:50 PM, and the support meeting shall follow at 8:00 until 9:00 PM
April 19, 2017 7:00 up to 8:30 PM—Support Meeting
WEST SHORE SUPPORT GROUP
Meets at 6:30 PM on the 1st Thursday of each month at St. Timothy’s Lutheran
Church, 4200 Carlisle Pike, Camp Hill, PA. There may be an education program 1x
per quarter. Call Hazel at 737-8864 for information.
May 3, 2018
6:30 to 8:00 PM—Support Meeting
support
DAUPHIN COUNTY SUPPORT GROUP [Assoc with NAMI PA Dauphin County]
Meets at 7:00 on the 3rd Monday of each month at the Epiphany Lutheran Church
at 1100 Colonial Rd., Harrisburg, PA. Contact Marge Chapman at 574-0055 for more
information.
May 21, 2018
6:30 to 8:00 PM—Support Meeting
$40.00 For an individual
Membership includes membership in NAMI [national] and NAMI PA, and Subscriptions to The Advo-
cate, The Alliance, and NAMI PA C/P News.
$60.00 For a Household
A Household consists of two or more people living at the same address. A Household has one vote,
and will receive one copy of subscriptions.
$5 - $35.00 For “Open Door” membership
Anybody can opt to join as an open door member. Dues are any amount that can be afforded. This
option is available so that membership is not denied due to financial hardship. Open door members
are regular members with all the privileges and powers of membership including all subscriptions.
$75.00 For Professional Membership
A Professional member shows support for the mission and goals of the organization. Upon request,
NAMI PA C/P will provide multiple copies of our newsletter for the waiting room of Professional Mem-
bers.
Make Payment to: NAMI CPPA
Send Payment to: NAMI CPPA , Box 527, Carlisle, Pa 17013
JOIN NOW TO BECOME PART OF THE NAMI FAMILY
Memberships submitted now will extend for a year
3
NAMI NEEDS YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW !
NAMI CP of PA needs your membership now. Changes in
NAMI processes over the last 3 years have eroded our actual
membership. The maintenance of our membership roll data
has been moved to the NAMI national. We used to keep
track of our own members and jog renewals in the first quar-
ter of each year. Though the national always granted mem-
berships for a year from the date of joining, we considered
memberships as being effective for a calendar year. This ena-
bled us to jog our members for renewals in the first quarter of
each year.
The new membership model has many advantages. Mem-
bers have greater assurance that they are on the rolls with
the national organization. A full year from the anniversary
date of membership is a fairer deal for members.
The disadvantage to the new method is that our affiliate
does not have the staff to jog for renewals that may need to
happen throughout the year. The national does not have the
same level of connection to members as we have as an affili-
ate, particularly for those who do not have an email associat-
ed with their name membership with the national.
Your membership is very important. Going forward in 2018 it
may be required in order for you to receive this newsletter by
email. A robust membership increases the volume of our
voice to local, state, and national policy makers. Membership
dues are the part of our budget that can support activities oth-
er than the newsletter and education programs that are fund-
ed by the county MH office.
It is important that everyone take responsibility for their own
membership renewal. Please send in a membership applica-
tion or renewal now. If you are already on the rolls your mem-
bership will be extended. If you have been receiving this
newsletter but have not been a member, become a member
now to strengthen our family.
NEWS (Exciting and sad) from our NAMI Family
EXCITING
One of our new Board members, Bonnie Iorfordo, is soon to embark on a bicycle ride across the country in support of Multiple Sclerosis. As Bonnie reports: “I am going to fulfill a dream of mine and that is to ride my bicycle across America. I am going with a team from Bike the US for MS (Multiple Sclerosis). It is a fund raising ride and the ride is from York-town VA to San Francisco CA. It will start on June 1 and end on August 1. The ride is a total of 3785 miles. “ We all wish Bonnie well with this adventure, and express our pride that someone with such energy and sense of service is a leader of our NAMI C/P.
SAD
LTC (retired) John H. Castles, of Carlisle, Pa, age 84,
died on March 31, 2018. His obituary is available at
Cumberlink.com.
John and his wife, Jimmy, were charter members of
NAMI C/P, then known as The Alliance for the Men-
tally Ill of Cumberland County.
John is survived by his two sons, Michael and David.
NAMI C/P extends to them our deepest sympathy .
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OCD SUPPORT GROUP
ENCOURAGING, INFORMATIVE, MEETINGS FOR PERSONS WITH OCD AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
Third Monday of each month - 6:30 p.m. ‘til 8:00 p.m.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill, PA 17011
PROFESSIONALLY FACILITATED - FREE OF CHARGE
(this is not a NAMI group)
NAMI Homefront is a free, 6-session educational program for families, caregivers and friends of military service members and vets with mental health conditions. Based on the nationally recognized NAMI Family-to-Family pro-gram, NAMI Homefront is designed to address the unique needs of family, caregivers and friends of those who have served or are currently serving our country. The program is taught by trained family members of service members/veterans living with mental health conditions.
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN
Recovery is a journey and there is hope for all people affected by mental illness. This in-person group experience provides the opportunity for mutual support and shared positive impact. You will experience compassion and reinforcement from peo-ple who relate to your experiences. Through your participation, you have the opportunity to help others grow. NAMI Homefront teaches you how to:
Manage crises, solve problems and communicate effective-ly
Learn to care for yourself, including managing your stress
Develop the confidence and stamina to support your fami-ly member with compassion
Identify and access federal, state and local services
Stay informed on the latest research and information on mental health, including posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse
Understand current treatments, including evidence-based therapies, medications and side effects
Navigate the challenges and impact of mental health con-ditions on the entire family
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“You realize that he will never be the same having been through war. I learned how to treat him more as an adult than as a hurt child.”— Mother of a Veteran after graduating from a NAMI Family-to-Family class held at a VA clinic “We are still friends with everyone that was in the class. There’s always and open ear and an open heart and a shoulder to cry on if you need it.” — Father of a Veteran after graduating from a NAMI Family-to-Family class held at a VA hospital
SIGN UP FOR A CLASS
Now offered online! We understand that attending an in-person class can be difficult for busy individuals and families. We now offer NAMI Homefront Online. Online classes meet weekly in a virtual classroom, so participants experience the same level of interaction and learning as traditional in-person classes. SUMMER 2018 NAMI HOMEFRONT CLASSES NOW ENROLLING*: Central, Wednesdays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., CT, 05/02/2018, - 06/06/2018 Mountain, Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., MT, 05/03/2018, - 06/07/2018 Pacific, Mondays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., PT, 04/30/2018, - 06/11/2018 *Please note the TIME ZONE listed for each class Sign up to receive registration information for NAMI Homefront Online at www.nami.org.
NAMI HOMEFRONT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
JOIN OR RENEW
YOUR
MEMBERSHIP
NOW
5
A Diagnosis of Mental Illness Need Not End a College Career By Marjorie Baldwin | Mar. 19, 2018
A recent survey reports that 47% of adults living with schizophrenia drop out of college, compared to the 27% college dropout rate in the U.S. overall. Another study reports that students diagnosed with bipolar dis-order are 70% more likely to drop out of college than students with no psychiatric diagnosis.
My son was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his junior year of college. I was devastated by what I perceived to be the loss of hope for his future, but he was determined to return to school and complete his degree. His university, which had been eager to help him withdraw when he became ill, was most unwilling to help him re-enroll after his symptoms were under control. When I called the Disability Services Office for help, a staff member told me, “Your son got in trouble…”
I responded, “My son did not get in trouble, my son got sick.”
This kind of negative attitude from a university is tragic. Many young people with schizophrenia or other serious mental health conditions are perfectly capable of completing a college education. There is no reason for universities to discriminate against students living with mental illness—in fact, such dis-crimination is against the law.
WHAT UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE DOING
It is the role of university faculty to enable the success of their students, not to impede it. Rather than assume a student living with schizophrenia will never return to campus, a university should:
Maintain contact with students and families after a diagno-sis, and encourage the student’s return to school when their symptoms are stable.
Ensure that there is a person with expertise/experience with mental illness on their disability services staff.
Provide counseling and support services to assist in a student’s success when they re-enter school.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO Unfortunately, most universities, and society at large, have not adopted such enlightened policies towards students living with mental illness. Until they do, parents have to be the advocates for their children who want to return to school. Rather than losing hope, as I did in the beginning, here’s what parents can do:
Assume that your son or daughter will recover, return to
school and complete their degree. They may need to take a lighter course load, change majors, or take longer to gradu-ate, but so long as their symptoms are under control, they can succeed.
Enlist the support of mental health providers. You will likely need the approval of a psychiatrist before your child can re-enroll in school. Mental health providers should encourage a return to school as soon as symptoms are in remission. If they’re telling you, “It’s not possible to graduate from col-lege with schizophrenia,” then find a doctor with a more positive outlook.
Understand your child’s rights. The Americans with Disabili-ties Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits colleges and universities from discriminating against students living with a mental illness, so long as the student meets the academic and be-havioral requirements of the school. A college or university may not deny access to a student solely on the basis of mental illness, or refuse to implement appropriate accom-modations that will help a student achieve their education-al goals.
When my son prepared to return to school, his psychiatrist ap-proved readmission on the condition that he take a reduced course load. An unenlightened staff member in the Disability Services Office told me, “If your son is not prepared to take a full-time load, he shouldn’t be coming back to school at all.” That position is illegal under the ADA: A reduced course load is a reasonable accommodation for students living with mental ill-ness.
Returning to school has both short and long-term benefits for students, like my son, who experience a psychotic break in the midst of their college career. In the short run, returning to clas-ses provides structure for their days, re-establishes their identi-ty as a student, and helps restore their self-esteem. In the long run, completing their degree helps counteract the stigma that persons with mental illness are incompetent, and increases the likelihood of stable employment. Best of all, as my son said when he graduated,
“Mom, whatever happens now, they can’t take this away from me.”
Marjorie L. Baldwin is a health economist in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and mother of a young man with schizophrenia. Her recently published book, Beyond Schizophrenia: Living and Working with a Serious Men-tal Illness, describes her efforts to help her son recover, together with the latest research on education and employment for per-sons with SMI.is against the law.
6
How to Deal with Intense Emotions
Dealing with intense emotions can be challenging. After all, feelings are a big part of being human. Sometimes, these feel-ings spiral out of control, and we don’t know how to deal with them . Intense emotions can be part of not just mood disorders but almost every mental illness and personality disorder that peo-ple can experience. A tidal wave of intense emotions can threaten to drown peo-ple. But there are ways to deal with them and stay afloat.
Give yourself permission to feel what you feel. (Usually) well-meaning people might tell you to cheer up, smile, don’t worry, calm down, etc. You might try to talk yourself out of your feelings, too, because you feel like you
“shouldn’t” have them. Thank these others, and yourself, for the input, and then just go ahead and feel the way you do.
Rather than thinking of your emotions as “good” or “bad,” simply let them be what they are. Emotions aren’t value judgements.
Refrain from reacting. When your feelings are strong, just be with them. Once, they’ve subsided, you’ll be in a posi-tion to take rational action.
Above all, accept yourself and your feelings. Rather than fight intense emotions, feel. And then you’ll be in a place to keep moving forward. When you deal with your feelings, they have a way of shrinking so they no longer consume you.
How to Channel Anger Constructively TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15 2016 SILKE MORIN
Anger is an unavoidable, normal part of the human experi-ence; learning to channel anger constructively is a process. Undoubtedly, you will get mad many times over the course of your lifetime. But you can channel your anger constructively and bring about meaningful change in upsetting situations.
Constructively Channeling Anger Avoids Bigger Problems You may get angry at your spouse for not pitching in more around the house, angry at your children for not listening the first (or 10th) time you asked them to do something, angry at your boss for not giving you credit for a job well done, angry at a stranger for cutting you off in traffic, or angry at “the sys-tem” for a myriad of reasons. In general, psychologists recognize anger as a normal response when someone perceives a threat or feels their ability to get what they want is being blocked. Thus, anger can be a healthy reaction in many circumstances.
What can be unhealthy, and what can prevent you from culti-vating bliss, is what you do with that anger, how you express it when the feeling arises. Do you give your spouse the silent treatment, yell at your children, bad mouth your boss to col-leagues, shoot the finger at that stranger in traffic, or rant on social media about the government?
If these are your response patterns, what is their point? True, they may make you feel better in the short term (like the next two minutes), but, in the long run, do you honestly think re-sponses like that effect any real change? And, that is the goal of resolving anger, isn’t it, to change what you’re experiencing and make it better?
How to Constructively Channel Your Anger If you want something productive to come out of it, learn to channel your anger constructively.
Acknowledge your anger. Recognize the triggers that make you defensive. When you first start to feel yourself bristle at something someone says or does, stop and acknowledge what you’re feeling. Notice where in your body you are hav-ing a physical response.
Think it through. Unless your personal safety is at risk, it’s unlikely that whatever happened to you merits a response of lashing out. Stop and think through if your reaction is appropriate given the insult you suffered. Stop and think through what will happen if you choose to react the way you want to react. Will your response exacerbate the prob-lem or resolve it?
Relax and reset. Once you’ve acknowledged your anger and thought through what will happen if you respond a certain way, you are ready to relax and reset your frame of mind. Breathe deeply, repeat a mantra, or take a self-imposed timeout. Do what you can to calm yourself and stay ration-al. You will not make a good decision if you are in an irra-tional mindset.
Do something. It’s okay to get angry, but channel anger constructively. If you find yourself getting angry with your partner over a recurring issue, try reading a book or talking with a counselor to learn about how to best address and deal with the specific problem. If you get angry when you see trash in your local park, organize a clean-up day in your community. If you experience road rage, try driving with the mindset that you will be the most courteous driver on the road.
Get Angry but Channel It Constructively The goal of resolving anger is not to repress or deny it. Acknowledge the anger, think through your possible responses, relax and reset your frame of mind, and then do something about it. Learn to channel anger constructively and make posi-tive change happen.
7
Extreme Psychiatrist Shortage Expected For Next 30 Years
New research published in Psychiatric Services by Anand Sati-ani, MD, and authors from Ohio State University anticipates an extreme psychiatrist shortage for the next 30 years. Although there has been much attention focused on physician workforce shortages in recent years, previous estimates of the shortage of psychiatrists have ranged considerably. The au-thors write that "to address the shortage in light of the growing US population and the fact that mental illness has become the costliest condition in the United States, at $201 billion annual-ly, the estimated shortage must first be quantified." Dr. Satiani and his co-authors analyzed estimates of workforce numbers through the Association of American Medical Colleges data in combination with population numbers. They found that by 2024, a little more than five years from now, the availability of psychiatrists per population is projected to reach an all-time low. In 2024, there will be 11.3 psychiatrists per 100,000 popula-tion, according to the results. This translates to an estimated shortage of 14,000-31,000 psychiatrists based on established
ratios determined by the Department of Health and Human Ser-vices. This is due to the expected retirement of more than 25,000 psychiatrists over the next five years who are currently over the age of 55. Although a slow expansion of the psychiatric workforce is ex-pected to begin in 2025, it remains unclear whether this will resolve the shortage in the next 30 years, according to the au-thors.
New research is needed in developing strategies to increase the
workforce to address these shortages, especially to limit the
worsening shortage by 2024. Without an adequate supply of
psychiatrists, no law or policy change can ensure adequate care
for individuals with the most serious mental illnesses.
Elizabeth Sinclair
Director of Research
Treatment Advocacy Center
REFERENCES:
Satiani, A. et al. (March 2018). Projected workforce of psychiatrists in
the United States: A population analysis. Psychiatric Services.
HELP YOURSELF AND
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CUMBERLAND and PERRY COUNTIES Enclosed is my membership or my tax deductible donation (check or money order)
Payable to NAMI C/P PA - mail to PO Box 527, Carlisle, Pa. 17013
___Individual membership [$40] ___Household membership [$60] ___Open Door [5$] ___Professional membership [$75]
___ New member or ____Renewal
NAME:_____________________________________________________________________________________ Date__________
STREET:__________________________________________________________________email:___________________________
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, CUMBERLAND and
PERRY COUNTIES NEWS
P.O. Box 527, Carlisle, PA 17013
