NAMI Minnesota

Working to improve the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families

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NAMI Minnesota
800 Transfer Road, #31
Saint Paul, MN 55114

phone: 651-645-2948
toll free: 1-888-NAMI-HELPS
fax: 651-645-7379

email: namihelps@namimn.org

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Children's Mental Health Funding Gets Boost

Advocates cheered the final Health and Human Services funding bill, which includes more than $17 million in funding for school-linked mental health services over the next four years along with other major improvements. This was a top priority of the mental health community and the Governor because of their effectiveness in reaching youth early and alleviating symptoms and improving outcomes. Read more.

NAMIWalks Information Meetings - May 21

Join in a NAMIWalks Information Meeting to learn about the 2013 goals for the walk, how to participate, how to register, how to build a team and how to volunteer for the walk. Meetings will be held Tuesday, May 21, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Roseville Library, 2180 North Hamline, in Roseville - RSVP to Amanda May, amay@namimn.org or 651-645-2948 x112, and in Rochester, at the Heintz Center, 1926 College View Road E, Room HA 112. RSVP to Courtney Lawson at clawson@namisemn.org or 507-287-1692.

Children's Mental Health Awareness

NAMI Minnesota launched its new website for Youth - www.namihelpsyouth.org - to coincide with national Children's Mental Health Awareness Day on May 9. NAMI was also in five metro area schools with its Walk a Mile in My Shoes campaign to help students to support each other and promote mental health.

Postpartum Support International Conference

The 26th Annual Postpartum Support International Conference will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, June 19-22. The conference will help train and inform medical and mental health providers, childbirth professionals, support and resource providers, caregivers, policy-makers, researchers, families, and educators who want to improve their understanding of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. CEUs are provided for Minnesota social workers, LPCs and LPCCs; CMEs will also be provided. NAMI Minnesota is co-hosting this year’s conference. For information, call Amanda at 651-645-2948 x112 or 1-888-NAMI-Helps. See article: When it Isn't Just Baby Blues, StarTribune 4-15-13

NAMI's Spring Gala - Great Vibes 60's Style

Thanks to everyone for making NAMI's Spring Gala a big success! It was a fabulous night of fun with a 60's theme, with flowers everywhere, paisley and tie-dye shirts, beards and long hair, mini-skirts, black lights - you get the picture: outrageous & righteous, man. There was also great food, dancing, and silent and live auctions. All this good fun, generosity and love raised over $75,000 to help support NAMI's programs. See more Gala photos.

Photo: Gala speaker Louise Newsom and emcee Ken Barlow.

Hope for Recovery Resource Guide Updated

NAMI Minnesota has just published an updated version (April 2013) of its popular Hope for Recovery resource guide which provides a variety of highly useful information for navigating the mental health care system and finding the right services, contacts and supports. Hard copies of the booklet are also now available.

Court Ruling Against PCA Cuts will Stand

In a budget balancing act last year, Minnesota legislators cut the pay of personal care attendants (PCAs) for family members by 20 percent. The courts have ruled the cuts affecting more than 6,000 family caregivers as unconstitutional. DHS says it will not appeal the ruling. More, here. In a separate decision, the Appeals Court ruled in favor of unemployment benefits previously denied to family PCAs, StarTribune2-26-13

Wellstone-Barlow Mental Health Initiative

David Wellstone and Ken Barlow have launched an initiative to reduce the stigma of mental illnesses. First steps in the effort include encouraging others to share their stories, find information and volunteer. See the organization's website, or facebook page. Also find more, here.

Reframing Mental Illness Podcasts

Reframing Mental Illness is a podcast developed by Ruth Koscielak and NAMI Minnesota to raise awareness of mental illnesses and to promote dignity and hope. There are nine podcasts to date covering a range of topics such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, stigma, childhood trauma and parenting tools for military families. Go to RuthToday.

In the News

Disabled Students and Restraints, StarTribune 5-9-13
Suicide Rates Up Among Middle-Aged, StarTribune 5-2-13
The Problem with How We Treat Bipolar Disorder, NYTimesMag 4-28-13
When it Isn't Just Baby Blues, StarTribune 4-15-13
St. Paul Losing Drop-in Center, StarTribune 4-14-13
Unmet Demand, MNDaily 4-11-13
UnitedHealth Suit Tests Parity, StarTribune 4-7-13
Mental Health Funds Dwindle, Apollo Center to Close, City Pages 4-2-13
Students: Fund MH Fully, MNDaily 3-4-13
Legislative Auditor Critical of DHS, StarTribune2-28-13
Franken, Ramstad: Improving Care for Mental Illness, StarTribune 2-27-13
Appeals Court Rules for Family PCAs, StarTribune2-26-13
Helping Schools with Troubled Kids, StarTribune 2-12-13
Misguided Focus on Mental Illness in Gun Control Debate, NYTimes
Legislators Vow to Improve MH System, MPR 2-5-13
Obama in Minneapolis to Push for Gun Reforms, MNPost 2-5-13
Working to Implement Wellstone Parity Act, StarTribune 2-4-13
Panel Tackles Invisible Disabilities, MinnesotaDaily 1-28-13
Can Schools be Frontline for Mental Health, TwinCities.com 1-26-13
Life is Better After Revealing Secret, StarTribune1-20-13
Mental Health Groups Seek More, PoliticsinMinnesota 1-19-13