November 2017

Issue 9, Vol. IX

5205 Greenwood Ave. Ste 110 West Palm Beach, FL 33407

561-588-3477 www.namipbc.org

The Voice

what we learn as we talk to more and more people.

Our goal is to become a resource on mental health

policy and information for our legislators and to ally our-

selves with other mental health organizations, thereby build-

ing a robust state-wide advocacy capacity.

So, we encourage you to join this effort. Frankly, we

have nothing to lose and much to gain by getting our stories

out there! We are keeping a running list of folks who would

like to take the NAMI Smarts training. Call our

office and join in!

Here in our NAMI Palm Beach County office we are

embarking on a new effort to change mental health funding in

Florida! At the moment, Florida spends less per person on

mental health services than any other state—in fact, 200 times

less per person than Maine, the top performer. And we’re do-

ing this one legislator at a time—together with NAMI Broward

and NAMI Miami-Dade!

Among the Florida House and Senate members we

visited this month was Senator Joe Negron, the President of the

Florida Senate. Thanks to NAMI Advocacy Group member,

Maura Merkal’s, persistence, we had fifteen minutes to tell

Senator Negron our stories and to urge him to take specific

actions to improve mental health services for our loved ones.

The senator seemed impressed by how hard our loved ones had

tried to succeed despite having a mental illness and how much

we had all sacrificed to make it possible for them to move

ahead in their lives. We pointed out to him that we were all “of

a certain age” and at some point in the future would no longer

be able to provide for our loved ones, and we expressed that

there is a need for the state to fund supportive housing as an

alternative to homelessness.

This new effort started with a NAMI Smarts workshop

held nearly eight months ago. NAMI Smarts is a one-day event

that teaches how to talk to the people who are making mental

health policy in our state. As a NAMI Smarts participant, you

learn what to say, how to say it, and how to get the biggest

bang for the short time you ordinarily have to address your

state representative. The training is similar to Toastmasters in

that it offers a hands-on opportunity to try out your presenta-

tion on the other participants and to hone your skills.

But that was just the beginning. The NAMI Smarts

participants decided that they wanted to form an advocacy

group so that we could support each other in this challenging

work. The group calls itself the South Florida NAMI Advocacy

Group (NAG) and we meet every other month to develop an

advocacy strategy, to learn more about the critical mental

health issues in our state, and to exchange information about

Get Onboard with Advocacy!

By Helen Trainor,

Board Member and Advocacy Coordinator

Mobile Crisis

Mobile Crisis provides emergency intervention, de-

escalation, screening and assessment for individuals who are

in emotional distress. As a family member or close friend,

you can call Mobile Crisis and discuss the situation with

them. They will help to determine the best course of action.

It may involve them going to the individual’s home to assess

the situation. Based on the assessment, they may recom-

mend community treatment or they can arrange to have the

individual hospitalized. Mobile Crisis services are available

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Palm Beach County has three Mobile Crisis Units.

Jerome Golden Mobile Crisis (northern part of county):

561-383-5777 or 877-435-4740 (toll free)

Jerome Golden Mobile Crisis (Glades area): 561-992-8707

South County Mobile Crisis (southern part of county):

561-637-2101 or 877-858-7474 (toll free)

Crisis Intervention Training

If you find that the situation has escalated to a point of crisis,

call 911, describe your situation and ask for a CIT trained

officer. Crisis Intervention Training is a week-long training,

developed nationally by NAMI and the police to improve

responses to people in crisis. Many local officers have partici-

pated in this training.

WHAT’S COMING UP

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SAVE THE DATES

Nov 4 - NAMIWalks

Nov 12 - Peer Council– Mounts Bot. Garden (p. 5)

Nov 15 - Peer Council– L W Playhouse (p. 5)

Nov 22 - Peer Council– Thanksgiving Potluck (p. 5)

Nov 30 - Annual Meeting (p. 6)

Dec 03– Peer Council Meeting (p. 5)

Dec 09– Peer Council Yard Sale (p. 5)

Dec 14- Annual Luncheon—Sold Out!

Annual Luncheon

NAMI Young Adults Group

1st three Fridays of the month

6:00-7:30 pm

NAMI Lake Worth Office

For more information: (561) 588-3477

A big thank you to all the members who volun-

teered to join our Housing Committee. This first

meeting will be an open discussion, welcoming all

ideas for change to help those in need of housing.

I look forward to meeting and working with you

to help Palm Beach County residents living with a

mental health condition have a safe, supportive

environment in which to live in.

-Paula Giordano, Program Coordinator NAMI PBC.

Housing Committee Update

We answered 271 phone calls

05 attended NAMI Peer-to-Peer Education

653 attended NAMI Presentations

08 attended NAMI/PBC Family Support Groups

136 attended NAMI Connection Groups

17 attended the NAMI/PBC Y oung Adults Group

31 Teens Mentored

62 participated in NAMI Peer Council and

N.O.W. activities

In September NAMI PBC served

1,183 individuals

Children’s Service Council “Great Ideas Initiative”

THANK YOU!!!

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Boynton Beach supports mental health

The Executive Women of the Palm Beaches

awarded NAMI Palm Beach County with a 2017

Louis Kwasman Program for Community Impact

Grant at their Annual Fall Luncheon. Thank you

for supporting our adolescent services!

Pictured: Hareen Bertisch, Katherine Murphy, Marsha Martino,

Virginia Spencer, Gigi Tylander

The City of Boynton Beach awarded NAMI Palm Beach

County a grant to offer a class in the city of Boynton

Beach. Mayor Steven Grant welcomed the class partici-

pants and spoke about the importance of mental health

services.

Pictured: Family to Family Instructors Nancy Krell and Carol Pasesser with

Boynton Beach mayor, Steven Grant.

Executive Women of the Palm Beaches

For the second year, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County sought out unique, creative, forward-thinking solutions that benefit the children and families in our community. This year, the council received a total of 77 eligible submissions; twenty-six great ideas funded with more than $615,000. NAMI PBC is excited to announce that we have received a community outreach/engagement grant! The Great Ideas Initiative Grant will be used to expand our NAMI Ending the Silence program. NAMI Ending the Silence is a mental health awareness presentation offered in middle and high schools in Palm Beach County.

About Children’s Services Council:

Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County – a special-purpose government established by Palm Beach County voters in 1986 and reauthorized in 2014 – provides leadership, funding, services and research on behalf of the county's children so they grow up healthy, safe and strong.

NAMIWalks Palm Beach County 2017

Page 4

NAMIWalks 2017 Kick Off Event

Thank you to all the volunteers and participants who attended the NAMIWalks 2017 Kick Off

Event at the South Florida Science Center! Nearly 100 people showed up to get ready for the

NAMIWalks Palm Beach County event on November 4th at John Prince Park.

Special thanks to the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium, Integrity Billing, and Park

Vista High School for your support!

PEER COUNCIL

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NAMI ON WEDNESDAY (N.O.W.) Drop In

Drop In for Arts & Crafts, Games, Socializing, and more! NAMI On Wednesdays (N.O.W.), 11:00 am - 4:00 pm,

NAMI Lake Worth Office, 1520 10th Avenue, N., Suite D., Lake Worth, 33460 For more information, call the NAMI office at 561-588-3477.

Mounts Botanical Garden

Sunday, November 12th 2-4pm

531 North Military Trail, WPB, 33415

Cost: $5 suggested donation

Upcoming Peer Council Events

Thanksgiving Potluck

Wednesday, November 22nd 12pm

Lake Worth Office

A Christmas Story

Wednesday, November 15th 7:45pm

Lake Worth Playhouse

713 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, 33460

Cost: Free

December Peer Council Meeting

Sunday, December 3rd 12:30-3pm

1520 10th Ave N, Lake Worth, 33460

Football & Pizza

There will be NO NAMI PBC Peer Council Meeting in November

NAMI PBC Peer Council members had a great time on the Delray Yacht Cruise!

Yard Sale

Saturday, December 9th 8am-1pm

Lake Worth Office

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EDUCATION

NAMI Lake Worth Office

Monday and Wednesday evenings, beginning January 8th

5:30-8:00 p.m.

NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session education program

for family, partners, friends and significant others of adults living

with mental illness. The course is designed to help all family

members understand and support their loved one living with

mental illness, while maintaining their own well-being.

To register, contact the NAMI PBC office at 561-588-3477.

NAMI Palm Beach County Annual Meeting

Member meeting to vote on bylaws and Board of Directors candidates

Location: NAMI West Palm Beach Office 5205 Greenwood Ave, Suite 110 West Palm Beach, FL, 33407

November 30th, 6:00 pm Presented By: To be announced

NAMI Palm Beach County is pleased to announce that our

very own Peter Davey has been nominated for a Coalition

Champion Award for Civic Engagement for his work with

NAMI Ending the Silence!

Congratulations, Peter!

Adopt A Teen

NAMI PBC is looking for 31 generous individuals to donate $10 each to provide a holiday gift

to the teens in our NAMI Mentoring Program.

To make a donation, please contact Katherine Murphy NAMI PBC; 561-588-3477

NAMI Support Groups

GROUP MEETINGS

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NOTE: Support groups are subject to change. Please call NAMI PBC at 561-588-3477 to confirm details.

NAMI Connection Peer Recovery Support

NAMI Young Adults Support Group

NAMI Family Support Group

NAMI on Wednesdays Drop In Center

Lake Worth (NAMI Office)

1520 10th Ave. N, Suite D Lake Worth, 33460

Sat. 6:00pm-7:30pm

Delray (South County Mental Health Ctr, Toole Bldg)

16158 S Military Trail, Delray Beach, 33484

Mon. 1:45-2:45pm & Wed. 10:15am-11:15am

Jupiter (Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network)

140 Intracoastal Pointe Dr., Ste 208, Jupiter, 33477

Mon. 5:30pm-7:00pm

Lake Worth (NAMI Office)

1520 10th Ave N, Ste D, Lake Worth, 33460

First 3 Fridays of the month 6:00pm-7:30pm

Lake Worth (NAMI Office)

1520 10th Ave N, Ste D, Lake Worth, 33460

Weds. 11:00am– 4:00pm

Boca Raton (East) (Boca Raton Community Center)

150 Crawford Blvd., Boca Raton, 33432

2nd Wednesday 6:30pm-8:00pm

Boca Raton (West) (West Boca Library)

18685 N. State Road 7, Boca Raton, 33498

1st Thursday, 6:30-8:00pm

Delray (Fair Oaks Pavilion, Classroom A)

5440 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach, 33446

2nd Tuesday 7:00pm-8:30pm

Delray Beach* (Fair Oaks Pavilion)

5440 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach, 33446

1st Wednesday 5:30pm-7:00 pm *(NEW TIME)

Jupiter (Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network)

140 Intracoastal Pointe Dr., Ste 208, Jupiter, 33477

3rd Wednesday 6:30-8:00pm

For information about other local support groups, please call NAMI PBC at 561-588-3477.

Non-Profit Organization

US Postage Paid

West Palm Beach, FL

Permit No. 1327

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Palm Beach County

Mollie Wilmot Center—Palm Healthcare Pavilion

5205 Greenwood Avenue, Suite 110

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Or Current Resident

NAMI Membership exists at 3 levels: Affiliate, State & National. NAMI is a 501(c)(3) non-

profit, charitable organization—contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Together, we can continue to fight for all those affected by mental illness. PLEASE NOTE: In

order for NAMI/PBC to receive your full donation, please send your donation to the NAMI/

PBC office. Thank you!

Contributions benefit NAMI|PBC, a not for profit tax exempt organization. A COPY OF

THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF NAMI|PBC

(CH 6498), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SER-

VICES AT WWW.800HELPFLA.COM OR BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1-800-435-

7352 WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY EN-

DORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. NAMI|PBC

receives 100% of each contribution.

Members are NAMI/PBC’s lifeblood; your member-ship helps us continue to

provide free outreach, support & education. In bringing mental health

issues to wider attention, we advocate for better

treatment. As our mem-bership base grows, our voice becomes stronger.

Respect, Compassion & Hope … NAMI Works!

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