December 2014 - NAMI Clallam | National Alliance on Mental Illness

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SUPPORT: NAMI members support one another by listening, empathizing and sharing information.
Monthly meetings are held to offer HELP and HOPE for individuals, families, and friends.
NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS
Supporting, Educating, & Advocating
NAMI of Clallam County Newsletter
December 2014 – January 2015 Issue
New Board of Directors
President: Angel Lucas
Vice-President: Dawn Acuña
Secretary: Ann Foulk
Treasurer: Margi Ahlgren
Director: Ginger Melville
Local Contact Information
NAMI of Clallam County
PO Box 2878
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Message Phone Number:
360.452.5244
Email:
[email protected]
Web Site:
www.nami.org/sites/clallamcounty
Featured in This Newsletter
What’s Going On .………..……..………………….……2
Annual Christmas Potluck Dinner ….……......…3
Clallam County Respite Center ……………..…..…4
State Mental Health Legislation: Trends,
Themes and Effective Practices …………………...5
Dr. Grace Yelland to Speak ………………………...6
NAMI Day at Olympia ................................…7
Hotlines ….………………..…………..……………...….. 8
Tips for Managing the Blues ………………………..8
Some Words from Ginger……………....………….. 9
2014 NAMI Membership …………………………...10
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Vivian Mulligan
[email protected]
Send me your ideas!
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Newsletter Editor
What’s Going On
Calendar of Events
NAMI Affiliate Meetings
Free
Olympic Medical Center (Hospital)
Linkletter Hall, Basement
(Third Thursday of each month
6:30 pm)
January 15
6:30 Meeting
7:00 Program
See page 6 for details.
Refreshments will be served.
All Consumers, NAMI members, and Friends of
NAMI are Welcome! No meeting in December
due to Christmas Party – See page 3
BINGO
Free
Horizon Center - Port Angeles
Corner of 5th and Lincoln
(Last Thursday of each month
2:00 – 3:15)
January 29
All Consumers and NAMI members are
Welcome! No meeting in December due to
Christmas Party – See page 3
Support Groups
Free
Family Members
Peninsula Behavioral Health
Port Angeles
(Every Thursday Noon – 1:30 )
December 04, 11, 18
January 01, 08, 15, 22, 29
No meeting on Christmas Day
For more info call 681-7414
Family Members
Sequim Community Church
Sequim
(2nd and 4th Monday 7:00 pm)
December 08, 22
January 12, 26
For more info call 457-0330
Adults Living with Mental Illness
Connections
Church of God
Corner of 5th and Race, Port Angeles
(Every Saturday 1:30 – 3:00 )
December 06, 13, 20, 27
January 03, 10, 17, 24, 31
All Adults with mental illness, regardless of
diagnosis, are welcome!
NAMI of Clallam County - The correct
one has NAMI in all caps with this logo:
Vivian Mulligan
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You may see more than one page for
From the Editor’s Desk
I will be leaving the Board at the end of
the year but will remain as Newsletter
Editor.
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For more info call 360-452-5244
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Yes, it is a potluck! Please bring food to share.
Clallam County Respite Center
The long-awaited Clallam County Respite Center, operated by Peninsula Behavioral Health, is
ready to house short-term patients as they get help to stabilize their mental health. People in crisis may
now voluntarily enter for three to five days. The facility is equipped with semi-private sleeping rooms, a
kitchen, dining area, laundry, and common living area. Both men and women can be accommodated in
the center as they receive 24-hour care.
The center is located next to Peninsula Behavioral Health on Eighth Street in Port Angeles, and
occupies the building previously used by St. Vincent de Paul as a thrift store. The interior has been
completely remodeled and updated to meet regulations (see photos).
Up to six individuals can stay in the center at any time. Although admissions are voluntary, the
ability to serve a number of people right here in our community is predicted to reduce the need to send
people to other facilities around the state, as has been the practice until now. The Olympic Medical
Center’s emergency room and Clallam County Jail should also see cost savings, as people are diverted to
the Respite Center for appropriate treatment.
Perhaps most importantly, people will be able to remain in their community among family and
friends as they work through a mental health crisis. As a representative of many families who have
dealt with this heartbreaking issue, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Clallam County sincerely
thanks the PBH staff, led by Peter Casey and Dr. Joshua Jones, for their diligent work in making this
dream of many people happen in our community.
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Contributed by Margi Ahlgren
State Mental Health Legislation 2014: Trends, Themes & Effective Practices
In December of 2014, the staff of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) published a 47 page
report on state mental health legislation. Below are some of the findings regarding the state of
Washington.
Increased
Decreased
Level
Note: Compares enacted
FY2015 state mental
health authority budgets
to FY2014. To the extent
possible, budget status is
based on non-Medicaid
state general fund dollars
allocated to inpatient and
outpatient mental health
care for children, youth
and adults.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the potential to substantially improve
access to care for 11 million previously uninsured Americans with mental health or substance use
conditions. However, with the first wave of ACA enrollment under way during the 2014 state
legislative sessions, political debate was intense. States that were supportive of the ACA, enacted bills
to implement the law. Washington State enacted H 2572 to improve purchasing and develop a state
innovation plan that stresses integration of behavioral health among other provisions.
Suicide Prevention
Tragically, each year suicide takes the lives of around 38,000 Americans. Every day at least 22 of our
nation’s veterans die by suicide and suicide remains one of the top three causes of death among young
adults. Alarmingly, the number of suicide deaths in the United States has been growing in recent years.
Recognizing this crisis, a few states passed suicide intervention legislation. Washington passed HB 2315
that requires certain medical professionals to complete an approved training in suicide intervention.
This same legislation also requires the State Secretary of Health to convene a steering committee that
will develop a statewide suicide prevention plan.
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http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Policy_Reports&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=1728
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See the entire report at:
Dr. Grace Yelland to speak at January 15 Affiliate Meeting
Grace Yelland, MD, is a pediatrician with 23 years’ experience. graduated from New
York University with a degree in Biology then completed medical school at Albert
Einstein College of Medicine. She did a pediatrics residency at U.C. Irvine, California. She
has worked as a pediatrician in Bremerton, Guam, and Omak WA. Grace moved to the
Olympic Peninsula in September 2010. She practices at Peninsula Children’s Clinic in
Port Angeles.
Her topic will be Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
What NAMI Has to Offer You
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NAMI is a three-tiered organization with functional organizations
independent from one another yet deeply connected by the same mission.
NAMI Day in Olympia
When: January 19, 2015 - Beginning at 9:00 am
Where: First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St SE, Olympia 98507
Please RSVP to [email protected] if you plan to attend.
(NAMI of Clallam County usually sends a car-full. See our next newsletter for details.)
NAMI members are the most effective people to educate legislators about mental illness and the need
to change our current "mental illness" system to a "mental health" system.
Start your planning now. Below is the preliminary schedule for NAMI Day, more details will be available
as NAMI Day approaches.
Schedule for NAMI Lobby Day
9:00-9:30 AM
Arrival and continental breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM
NAMI's 2015 Legislative Priorities
Tips for meeting with your legislators
10:30-11:30 AM
NAMI WA Open Board Meeting
11:30
Legislative Visits Begin
How to Schedule Appointments with your Legislators
 Affiliates should schedule their own appointments for NAMI members attending NAMI Day.
 Please attempt to schedule appointments to begin after
11:30 AM so that as many NAMI
members as possible can attend the NAMI WA Open Board Meeting.
 Most appointments can be scheduled via an email request,
although it is often better to call the
legislator's office. If you need additional assistance, contact Lauren ([email protected]).
Frequently Asked Questions
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I have never visited the legislature before, will I get training on our issues and etiquette? Yes, that is
going to be covered from 9:30-10:30 AM.
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Is any food provided throughout the day? Yes, a light continental breakfast is provided. Lunch is on
your own and there are campus cafeterias in the Legislative Building Dome Deli and the Pritchard
Library.
Hotlines Available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Peninsula Behavioral Health Crisis Line: 360-457-0431
 Crisis Counselors on call 24 hours a day
East Clallam County Crisis Line: 360-452-4500
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Tips for Managing the Blues
Peninsula
By Courtney Reyers, NAMI Publications Director www.NAMI.org
Copyright Date: 12/05/2014
Many people can experience feelings of anxiety or depression during the holiday season, and people
who already live with a mental health condition should take extra care to tend to their overall health
and wellness. In fact, a recent NAMI survey showed that 64% of people with a diagnosed mental illness
report that the holidays make their symptoms worse.
Extra stress, unrealistic expectations or even sentimental memories that accompany the season can be
a catalyst for the holiday blues, and people can be at risk for feelings of loneliness, sadness, fatigue,
tension and a sense of loss.
A lot of seasonal factors can trigger the holiday blues, too. Less sunlight, changes in your diet or
routine, alcohol at parties, over-commercialization and the inability to be with friends or family are all
factors that can seriously affect your mood.
Ken Duckworth, M.D., NAMI’s medical director, shares advice for managing your health—both mental
and physical—during the holiday season ….
Stick to normal routines as much as possible.

Get enough sleep or rest.

Take time for yourself, but don’t isolate yourself. Spend time with supportive, caring people.

Eat and drink in moderation. Don’t drink alcohol if you are feeling down.

Get exercise, even if it’s only taking a short walk.

Make a to-do list. Keep things simple.

Set reasonable expectations and goals for holiday activities such as shopping, cooking, entertaining,
attending parties or sending holiday cards.

Set a budget for holiday activities. Don’t overextend yourself financially in buying presents.

Listen to music.

Remember that holiday blues are short-term. Be patient. Take things week by week and day by day.
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
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Dr. Duckworth’s tips for managing the blues include:
Some Words from Ginger
Dear Friends and NAMI Members,
At this Holiday time I would like to wish each and every one of you a blessed
Christmas time with happiness filled with lots of love, peace and hope in the
new year of 2015.
I have realized the need to step down from being your CCNAMI President this
past year due to experiencing “burn out,” along with my challenging medical
diagnosis the past 2 years. As of January 1st Angel Lucas will move up from
Vice President to President. Look forward to a wonderful new year with
Angel as she will bring a new freshness to us all. The Board has ok’d me to
stay on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio member where I hope to be
supportive to these hard working beloved friends.
I want you to know I LOVE NAMI and that I knew when I first inquired about
this organization 2 years ago that I wanted to get involved and I felt like I had
“come home.” I could identify with NAMI and the stories I would hear since I
grew up with my Mother who suffered with mental illness.
If you would like to get involved more in NAMI –there is a need for several
more members to join the Board of Directors. We especially need
representation from Sequim. Our present Board is a unique, strong group
and we have accomplished much these past few years which has to do with
our Mission: Education, support and advocacy in improving the lives of
individuals and families affected by mental illness.
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Ginger Melville
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Bless you and Bless NAMI,
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Clallam County
PO Box 2878
Port Angeles, Washington 98362
NAMI
of Clallam County
Your Local Voice on Mental Illness
MEMBERSHIP DUES 2014
SINGLE MEMBERSHIP
CONTRIBUTION / GIFT
$35
______$
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP
$35
OPEN DOOR (minimum/ low income)
$3
PLEASE PRINT
Name
E-mail
______________________________________________________
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City, State, Zip _____________________________________________________________________________
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