FIND HELP.

FIND HOPE. May 2019

Volume 37: Issue 2

SINCE 1983

2 - Director’s Message

3 - 2019 Walk Star update;

NAMI Convention

4 - Summer heat tips and

homeless collection items

5 - Peer Corner-personal

stories of recovery & hope

6 - May is Mental Health

Awareness Month;

Presentations Available:

In Our Own Voice; Ending

the Silence

7 - Poet Laureate competition

HIGHLIGHTS Our 13th Annual NAMIWalks event was

held on April 6, 2019 at the Kennedy

Park Fiesta Area.

Wow, what a great day with perfect

weather, a great crowd, lots of great

information on mental health, music

and over 1,000 people who showed up

to walk in support of mental health and

another 1,500+ additional supporters who came to share the day with us!

2019 Honorary Chairs Congresswoman, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Dave Bradley, AZ State Senator, talked about mental health care and cut the ribbon to start the walk.

Julie Jameson, representing our National Elite Sponsor Alkermes, spoke about their company commitment to mental health. A big shout out and thank you for providing each of nearly 100 NAMIWalks throughout the country with a $5,000 donation!

A special thank you to Emcee Lisa Villegas, KOLD Chief Meteorologist, and all the volunteers that helped with the event. We couldn’t do it without you!

2019 NAMIWalks Stats:

Registered Walkers: 1,011

Participants: 2,500+

Walk Stars: 13 Teams: 68

The Walk Awards Ceremony

will be held the last week in

June, so pencil it in. We will

keep you posted on date and

location as soon as everything

We have exceeded our goal; you are all Super Heroes!

We are on a roll, so let’s keep rolling until the website closes on June 6th. Remember

the money raised provides funding for NAMI Southern Arizona’s no-cost advocacy,

education and support programs. With almost $9,000 more than 2018, the bottom

line is the more we raise, the more people in our local community we can

Goal: $140,000 Funds raised as of

May 1st- $141,717

6122 E. 22nd St. Tucson, AZ 85711 (520) 622-5582

HIGHLIGHTS

FIND HELP.

FIND HOPE.

May 2019

Volume 37: Issue 2

HIGHLIGHTS

6122 E. 22nd St.

Tucson, AZ 85711

(520) 622-5582

Contact Us

namisa@namisa.org

namisa.org

Business Hours

Monday - Friday

9 AM to 5 PM

Not a NAMI member? Join NAMI Southern Arizona Today!!

Page 2 FIND HELP

From the Executive Director

Stigma continues to be the single greatest deterrent to mental health treatment and

recovery for youth. Symptoms of mental illness may begin at age 14 or earlier, yet the

stigma associated with mental illness often results in a staggering delay of 8-10 years

between the onset of symptoms and the beginning of treatment. NAMI Southern

Arizona, in collaboration with the UA Department of Family and Community Medicine

and the UA Institute for Research on Women, is nearing the end of the first year of a

three-year grant from the David and Lura Lovell Foundation to systematically reduce the

stigma associated with mental illness.

This initiative, now called Help and Hope for YOUth (HH4Y), includes the

formation of the multi-sector Alliance that now has twenty-eight

members from four counties (Cochise, Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz). As

illustrated in the diagram, the Alliance is composed of stakeholders

representing many aspects of the youth environment. No one is born with

stigma; they learn it. If the stigma curve is ever to be bent, the education

must begin early and one of the tools that the Alliance is using the Ending

the Silence program which educates school age youth about mental

illness.

Of all the pressing issues surrounding mental illness, I believe that

reducing stigma is the most important goal we can accomplish. It is the

shadow cast by stigma that leads the society to discriminate against individuals living with mental illness. It is stigma

that leads insurance companies to systematically provide less service for mental illness in spite of mental health

parity laws that were enacted more than a decade ago. It is stigma that leads legislators to limit the appropriate

investment in effective treatment. It is stigma that has led to the criminalization of mental illness. If we can educate

our young people that mental illness is an illness like any other, when they become decision makers they will think

and act differently.

This is my last message to you as Executive Director of NAMI of Southern Arizona. I joined the Board of Directors in

1997 and became Executive Director (for the third time) in 2005. NAMI Southern Arizona has come a long way in the

last thirty-five plus years. We had no programs when I joined the Board. Now have a wide range of programs for

peers, family members, and friends. We have education, outreach, public awareness, support and advocacy

programs. From that perspective, we have helped and are helping many people, but the long shadow of stigma still

hangs over us like a never-ending fog is now. Our community and our society are more receptive at this moment

than ever before so the chance to lift ourselves and our loved ones out of this fog is now. Do not let one opportunity

pass to tell someone what you know about mental illness. Together, and only together, we can bend this stigma

curve until it finally disappears. Then we will ask ourselves, “…..why did it take so long?”

I am off to another adventure, but NAMI has been and always will be a big part of my life.

Adios y Buena suerte!

Page 3 FIND HOPE

Congratulations -So far

13 fundraisers have

reached Walk Star Status

–individuals who raise $1,000 or

more. A few more of you are close to becoming

Walk Stars or reaching your individual and team

goals! There is still time to get there-the website is

open until June 6th!

Anyone raising $1000 or more by June 6th will be

entered into a raffle to win a 2-night stay at

Loew’s Ventana Canyon Resort!

Lisa Surhio, $4,689

Ardith Powell, $4,222

Marsi Quigley, $4,006

Mary Ann Johnson, $3,820

David Iaconis, $2,995

Christina Bickelmann, $2,840

Cheryl Mason, $2,000

Jasleen Chhatwal, $1,250

Julie Neff-Encinas, $1,195

Ann Lettes, $1,150

Sadia Ghani, $1,070

Art Benitez, $1,000

Kira O’Shea, $1,000

Fundraising ideas:

Check back in with people who indicated they

would contribute and remind them they still

have time (until June 6th) to donate

Do some spring cleaning, then hold a garage

sale

Have a car wash-make signage telling people

the money will go to NAMI

Now that it’s warmer, invite friends to a BBQ or

dinner party and ask guests for a per-person

donation toward your NAMIWalks goal!

100% of all proceeds from tickets sold by NAMI Southern

Arizona will help support our no-cost advocacy, education

and support programs.

With your $25 contribution (or 5 tickets for $100) you could

win this awesome 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit!

2nd Prize: 2 roundtrip first-class airline tickets to anywhere

in the world.

3rd Prize: $5,000 in cash. Stop by our office at 6122 E.

22nd St. and purchase your tickets at our office until

December 6, 2019. The drawing will be held on December

13, 2019.

2019 JEEP CHEROKEE SUMMIT

JIM CLICK “MILLIONS FOR TUCSON” RAFFLE

REGISTER TODAY

https://www.nami.org/Convention

Join the nation’s largest gathering of mental health

advocates as we share, learn and network around

important mental health issues.

Launching at this year’s convention – NAMI’s new

strategic plan! The convention’s theme, Our Movement,

Our Moment captures the power and excitement of this

moment as we mobilize the NAMI movement!

The 2019 NAMI National Convention offers engaging

Page 4 FIND HELP

As the summer months approach

and temperatures begin to rise, it

is important to take care of

yourself in order to avoid

conditions associated with heat

and sunshine such as heat stroke,

severe sunburn, fatigue and poor

eating habits, all of which could affect

medications in various ways.

The following suggestions might be helpful to assure a

positive summer experience.

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day (8 oz. per glass is the recommended amount).

2. Keep medications in a cool area.

3. Be sure to read the storage requirements on your medications.

4. Wear a hat when outdoors.

5. Avoid direct sunshine.

6. Avoid salty foods.

7. Keep food in a cooler when outdoors.

8. When at work, be sure the area is properly ventilated.

9. Schedule outdoor exercising during early morning or evening hours.

10. Wear light-colored clothing that allows for ventilation, such as cotton.

11. Maintain a balanced diet.

12. Try to keep to your daily medication, exercise and eating routines when on vacation.

Here in the Southwest we can have temperatures in the

triple digits causing us to stay indoors more than other

times of the year. This could result in a mild depression

due to “cabin fever.” Make it a practice to get outdoors

at least twice a day when temperatures are not at peak

points (early morning or evenings).

Keep windows open when possible to allow for fresh air

to circulate in your home.

Be alert to blooms and grasses to which you might be

allergic.

Check out the local foliage when traveling to avoid allergic

reactions.

Always have a first aid kit with you when traveling

containing items such as antihistamines, soothing

creams, and bug spray.

Check out the elevations of vacation areas which

might be radically different from what you are

accustomed to. Read the recommended remedy for

adjusting to new altitudes. Be alert to critters here or

at the vacation areas you visit. They could be very

different from what you see in our part of the country.

Beware of rattle snakes that are common to our area.

Be aware excess sunlight and activity can be a trigger

for some people. Practice calming and serenity

techniques.

HAVE A HEALTHY, SAFE, AND HAPPY SUMMER!

SUMMER HELP FOR THE HOMELESS-NAMI Southern

Arizona is collecting Homeless Gear and supplies that

people need to survive and meet their basic needs

while they are homeless. We are looking for outdoor

gear, outerwear, hygiene supplies and non-perishable

Personal Hygiene Items:

Disposable Razors

Shaving Cream

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Deodorant

Combs/Brushes (new)

Soap

Outerwear

Rain Coats or Rain Ponchos

Hoodies (sweatshirts with hoods-no sweaters please)

Summer Hats- brimmed or baseball caps

Light colored clothing which allows for ventilation and

protection from the sun, e.g. cotton-long sleeved shirts.

Sunglasses

Belts

Page 5 FIND HOPE

Peer Corner - personal stories of recovery and hope.

Alicia Boone Cornelison- My name is Alicia and my mental health diagnosis is Schizoaffective

Disorder. My story begins like the story of many others, with multiple miss-diagnoses. They were major

depression, to bipolar, to schizophrenia , to my current diagnosis being a combination of all of those.

Previously, when telling my story, I referred to it as “suffering from mental illness.” However, through

the years, I prefer to now call it “my journey with mental illness.” Although I can admit to great suffering

along the way, I was also able to achieve greater successes. I left an abusive marriage with my toddler

and a baby on the way. I then enrolled and completed an intense nursing program, obtaining my BSN

and certification in Forensic Nursing. I am not trying to toot my own horn but it has definitely not all

been a bed of roses. My children were taken from me due to a combination of symptoms from my illness and substance abuse.

Fortunately, I had a supportive family who stepped up and helped. In addition, my nursing license was ultimately suspended.

Medication non-compliance did not help any of my situations. I would take meds, feel better, and consequently decide I no

longer needed help in any form.

I am currently stable and managing my medications after years of therapy, court-ordered treatments and endless hospital

visits. I am now able to live a life worth living, one with purpose and meaning. I still experience highs and lows, but they are not

so drastic that my life becomes chaotic.

My hope in sharing my story is to encourage others and to provide hope to those feeling hopeless. I am grateful to be where I

am today. So many doctors, therapists, friends and family have all been on my journey with me. I’ve learned how to simply

accept my mental illness as another special facet of me. Without the help of NAMI, my family and I would never have survived

and thrived. “Thank you for taking the time to read my article, and may you have a blessed day!!”

Ariane Davaul, Young Presenter, Ending the Silence- I once heard a woman compare life

to a jigsaw puzzle. I only now truly understand what she meant by that. She was trying to say that when

you finally find the notch where your puzzle piece fits, you will instantly know.

When I was first asked to write my personal experience with mental illness for the youth presenter role,

I was coming out of the worst depressions in my life and had just been diagnosed with PTSD. Much like

we tell the teenagers, if you don’t talk about it, you won’t get better. Just writing my personal story

down on paper was emotional but extremely therapeutic. Waking up and getting professionally dressed

for presentations also helped lift my spirits. It wasn’t until I actually started going into classrooms and getting reactions from

some of the kids that I realized how powerful the Ending the Silence program truly was.

NAMI and Ending the Silence have truly changed my life. I went from being anxious and antisocial to being able to speak

comfortably in front of a crowd of people. I truly wish I had something like ETS when I was a child. As someone who has always

had some degree of depression most of her life, having the skills and being able to positively cope with what I was dealing with

at the time would have definitely kept my life from being derailed. I have had multiple teenagers come up to me and say

“Thank you” or “I’m glad you told your story; I struggle with depression, too.” I felt even more reassured that this is where my

puzzle piece fit. Without a doubt I wanted to be a part of sharing this information gem with as many students that would listen.

Back in the 80’s, when I was growing up, no one talked about mental health. I love that this program aims to normalize asking

for help when in need. I am so very proud to be associated with such a positive movement. It’s been said, “If we reach just one

kid, it was worth it.” I agree with this statement through and through.

I tell the teenagers that change is always happening. Who they were last year isn’t who they are today. Just as who they are

today is probably not who they will be next year. So if they feel like things will never get better, just remember things are

always changing. We all know life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine, but with positive coping skills and early treatment, a

mental health challenge does not have to limit your life. The Ending the Silence is so very dear to my heart. How many lives can

be changed by just a little more information and a lot more compassion? I’m proud to be part of a team that wants to find out.

Page 6 FIND HELP

EDUCATION

General Presentations*: We provide

presentations on NAMI programs

and services as well as about mental

illness in general.

Family to Family*: A 12-class course

for family and friends of adults with

mental illness.

For information email Judy

Kowalick at kowalick@namisa.org or

leave a message at 520-622-5582

Homefront: a six-session education

program for family and friends of

Military Service Members and

Veterans with mental health

conditions. If you would like to

understand how to better support

your loved one, please contact Judy

Kowalick at jkowalick@namisa.org

or leave a message at 520-622-5582

Peer to Peer (P2P)*: A 8-class course

for individuals with mental illness

focusing on recovery.

For information email Yazmin Garcia at ygarcia@namisa.org or leave a message at 520-622-5582

Ending the Silence: An early intervention program that engages students in mental health education and discussion. Presentations are also available for school professionals, parents, and agencies working with children and adolescents.

For information email Judi Maikoff at jmaikoff@namisa.org or leave a message at 520-622-5582

In Our Own Voice*: A presentation given by individuals with mental illness providing their testimonies.

For presenter training or to schedule a presentation, contact Maria Mendoza at mmendoza@namisa.org

NAMI Southern Arizona Programs & Services –

all programs offered at no charge to the participant.

ADVOCACY

Our Advocates are available to act as

your second voice and to help you:

Understand your rights whether

you are an individual with mental

illness or a family member.

Obtain mental health services and

information.

Work with the public/private

mental health and legal systems.

Due to high volume, we are requesting

that those in need of services please

schedule an appointment M-F between

9-5. Thank you! Please note, we

currently do not have a bilingual

advocate.

SUPPORT

Family & Friends Support Groups*:

Provide the sharing of experiences,

knowledge, hope and coping skills for

family members and friends with a

loved one with mental illness.

NAMI Connection*: A weekly

recovery-focused group for adults

living with mental illness.

Creative Arts Group: For those with

mental illness who want to explore

different art forms.

Heart to Heart: A friendship program

for people with mental illness.

Volunteers are matched with

individuals who have mental illness

and are trained to talk and participate

in social activities together.

NAMI FaithNet: Supports faith

communities who want to develop a

mental health ministry and educate

congregations about mental illness

and available community resources.

* available in Spanish

One in 5 or 200,000 adults and youth

experience a mental illness in a given year

which results in $605 million in lost

earnings in Pima County alone!

SUMMER PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE!

In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a no-cost 40 or 60

minute presentation given by individuals with

mental illness sharing their stories. Audiences

learn how people with mental illness can live

their lives successfully in spite of serious

mental illness.

The program is dedicated to the support,

education, and growth of people with mental

illness as presenters. Who better to talk about

coping with a mental illness than those in

recovery? These presentations would be

suitable for businesses, e.g. staff meetings,

management training, Human Resource (HR)

staff, churches, service organizations, adult

probation, mental health courts, college

classes, etc. To schedule a presentation

Contact: Maria Mendoza

mmendoza@namisa.org

Ending the Silence-is a no-cost, 50 minute

presentation designed to give middle school

and high school age students an opportunity

to learn about mental illness through

discussion and short videos.

Ending the Silence is in partnership with Text

Talk Act, the interactive conversation for

youth using a cell phone. Text Talk Act follows

the Ending the Silence presentation within a

week's time. To schedule a presentation for

your youth group, scout troup, summer

school/youth program, contact

Judi Maikoff at jmaikoff@namisa.org

Page 7 FIND HOPE

Board of Directors

David Delawder, CRSS,CPRP, President

Marsi Quigley, Vice President

Zacharias Knickerbocker, Treasurer

Laura H. Fairbanks, Secretary

Members

Margie Balfour, M.D., Ph.D.

Patricia Harrison–Monroe, Ph.D.

Julie Jameson

Kate Lawson

Mathew Pate, LMSW

Betty Seery

Eric Stark, JD, MSW, CRSS

Executive Director

H. Clarke Romans, Ph.D.

Advisory Council

Lesley Abrams, Pastor, St John on the Desert Presbyterian

Church

Michael Barr, Director, Mobile Assistant Team, Sonora

Behavioral Health Hospital

Amelia Cramer, Deputy P.C Attorney, P.C. Attorney’s Office

Derek Derrick, Principal Systems Engineer, Raytheon

Missile Systems; Past President, Raytheon Alliance for

Diverse Abilities

Francisco Garcia, MD, Assistant County Administrator,

Pima County

Lawrence Hecker, Attorney, Hecker PLLC

Peter Hersberger, former State Representative; retired

nonprofit executive

Clint Mabie, President/CEO, Community Foundation of

Southern Arizona

Chris Magnus, Chief of Police, Tucson Police Department

Priscilla Marquez, former VP of Business Development,

Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, retired

Nancy Masland, founder/former Board Member, NAMI SA

Michael McDonald, Executive Director, Community Food

Bank of Southern Arizona

Christian Moher, MD, President/CEO, Escalera Health

Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor, City of Tucson

Southern Arizona

Human Rights

Committee is dedicated to

ensuring human rights for

people with mental illness. It is

a local oversight committee, authorized by the

Arizona Legislature, charged with promoting and

protecting the human rights of children and adults

who receive services from the public behavioral

health care system. Volunteers are appointed by the

Director of Arizona Department of Health Services

(ADHS) and are approved by the committee.

Meetings are the 4th Tuesday of every month from

10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Department of Health

Services Office, 400 W. Congress St., Tucson, AZ

85701. Meetings are open to the public and a portion

of each meeting is devoted to public

comment.....Please join us!

Contacts: Ken Karrels, Ph.D. Chair, Pima County

Human Rights Committee, 400 W. Congress St.

Tucson, AZ 85701 or Yisel Sanchez, Human Rights

Committee Coordinator, 1-800-421-2124 or

602-364-4577

NAMI Southern Arizona is now taking submissions

for our 2019-2020 Poet Laureate! If you would

like to be considered, please submit a minimum

of 4, maximum of 10, poems to

cbickelmann@namisa.org or drop them off at our

office. The winner will be announced at our

NAMIWalks Awards Ceremony in late June.

The deadline for submissions is May 31st!

The winner will have the opportunity to include a

poem in each of our quarterly newsletters and

read a poem at NAMI Southern Arizona events.

6122 E. 22nd St. | Tucson, AZ 85711

Our Mission: NAMI Southern Arizona improves the quality of life for all those affected by mental illness.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

May is Mental Health Month—Help us spread the word, raise awareness, support and promote advocacy activities #IntoMentalHealth - See more at: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Raise-Awareness/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Month; local presentations available. Call (520) 622-5582.

22, May - 9-1 Mission Market @ Gospel Rescue Mission, 338 W. 28th Street- Free-Furniture, produce, clothes, shoes, and agency resources.

6, June - NAMIWalks website closes. Please get your offline donations in by June 1st so we can add them to the website.

19- 22, June – NAMI National Convention, Seattle. Our Movement, Our Moment nami.org/Convention

Last Week in June - NAMIWalks Recognition Ceremony – 5:30 -7:30 p.m., Location TBD.

30, July - Child Parent Center Wellness Fair, Tucson Convention Center, Grand Lobby

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

If your business or organization would like a NAMI presentation on mental health and minority communities, please contact Christina at cbickelmann@namisa.org to schedule a presentation.

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