NOVEMBER 8, 2008

The 2009 NAMI Walk for the Mind of America took place November 8, 2008 at Mayes Lake in Jackson, MS.  Over 300 participants were on hand from all over the State.  The NAMI Central Mississippi Affiliate Walk Team collected over $4,700 and was the top fund raising team of the Walk.

Mental Illness Awareness Week
October 5-11, 2008

MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK, NAMI’s premier public information and outreach activity, established by Congress and now in its 18^th year, takes place the first week of October each year.  It recognizes NAMI’s efforts to: raise mental illness awareness through outreach programs, promote early detection and accurate diagnosis, and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.  Materials and information are available at: nami.org.

CMRC Hosts Mental Health Awareness Day
for Young Adults in Newton

As part of a statewide anti-stigma campaign, Central Mississippi Residential Center (CMRC) sponsored its first annual Mental Health Day in February for 8th and 12th graders in Newton, Union, Academy and Newton County schools.

CMRC and the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is partnering with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to lead a public education effort to counter stigma and bring down barriers that keep people from seeking treatment. This campaign is entitled “What a Difference a Friend Makes.” The campaign is designed to decrease the negative attitudes that surround mental illness and encourages young adults to support their friends who are experiencing mental health problems.

CMRC’s Mental Health Day was sponsored in partnership with Mississippi National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-MS), Weems Community Mental Health Center and DMH. The Mental Health Day was geared toward students in the 8th and 12th because these can be difficult transition years for young adults.

The purpose of this program was to educate students about the myths and facts regarding mental illness and show students that mental illness is a treatable illness. The topic of youth suicide was also discussed.

Students learned about the warning signs of suicide and how to respond to someone who is suicidal. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in young adults age 10 – 24 in Mississippi. Students also learned how to cope with difficulties of moving to high school and college and the importance of helping themselves or friends talk to trusted adults.

Washington, D.C.—The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has established an online Veterans Resource Center www.nami.org/veterans to help support active duty military personnel, veterans and their families facing serious mental illnesses such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

“We are a nation at war,” said NAMI executive director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. “The war includes mental illness. Many veterans who return from active duty face a second war at home, confronting profound mental health problems. Their families also are affected.”

The Center’s resources include a growing compilation of fact sheets, self-help information, online discussion groups, research and policy updates, and links to government agencies and other private organizations. NAMI has made the Center a priority to meet a growing need.

“The human toll of any war is felt for years to come,” Fitzpatrick said. “NAMI hopes to expand the Center’s resources over time and provide whatever support we can through our other programs.”  

The Center’s resources are organized into 12 on-line categories: