Family to Family Classes Beginning

Fall is just around the corner, and that means NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's Fall Family-to-Family Education Classes will be starting soon. Sponsored by NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania and NAMI Pennsylvania, the Family-to-Family Education Program is a free, 11-week course held in March and September for families and friends of individuals with brain disorders called serious mental illness. The course is taught by trained family members who have lived with this experience. Many family members describe this program as a life-changing experience.

Fall 2011 classes will be held in the following locations:

Dormont/Brookline
Pittsburgh Baptist Church
3100 Pioneer Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15226
Classes beginning Tuesday, August 30, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

East Liberty
Veterans Place of Washington Blvd.
945 Washington Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Classes beginning Wednesday, September 7, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

WPAHS Outpatient Care Center
Peters Town Center
160 Gallery Drive, McMurray, PA 15317
Classes beginning Tuesday, August 16, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

For more information or to register for a class, please contact our office at 412-366-3788.


Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

NAMI Breakfast Event Takes on Challenges in Mental Health System

Significant changes are needed for a more effective mental health system, but this comes during a time of great uncertainty. To address this issue, NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania hosted a breakfast event this morning called Current Challenges and Future Opportunities: A Breakfast Discussion on our Public Mental Health System.



Leaders in the mental health field and government officials convened at Pittsburgh's Sheraton Station Square at 8 a.m. A panel of regional, state and national experts (see below) discussed challenges and opportunities facing Pa.’s publicly funded mental health system as Congress and state governments look to transform Medicaid and plan for the implementation of healthcare reform.



Moderated by NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's Executive Director Christine Michaels, an impassioned discussion ensued that Board Member Dick Jevon called "an eye opener" and others cited as the best presentation on the topic they had seen.

Our esteemed panelists were Ron Honberg, JD, National Director of Policy and Legal Affairs, NAMI, Arlington Va.; Valerie J. Vicari, Director, Division of Western Operations, Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, (OMHSAS) PA Department of Public Welfare; Patricia Valentine, Executive Deputy Director for Integrated Program Services, Allegheny County Department of Human Services; Lynn Keltz, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumer's Association, Harrisburg, Pa.; Kathy Yarzebinski, Director of Behavioral Health, Family Services of Western PA; and Joan Erney, JD, (former Deputy Director, OMHSAS) Chief Business Development Officer, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. 



We are incredibly grateful to our event sponsor Janssen, represented by its Healthcare Policy and Advocacy Director Chris Herbine. Special thanks to the esteemed panelists who presented an informative, thought-provoking and inspirational discussion.

NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's Dick Jevon, Board Member;
Christine Michaels, Executive Director; Sharon Miller, Director of
Education and Community Relations; and Ron Honberg,
National Director of Policy and Legal Affairs at NAMI.

Free Legal Clinics from Mental Health America Legal Services

Free Legal Clinics from Mental Health America Legal Services (MHALS), sponsored by the EECM Community Stress Center!

WHAT:  Free legal counseling from an MHALS attorney


WHEN:  Every Wednesday and Friday from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.


WHERE:  Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - East Liberty Branch (130 South Whitfield St.)

Mental Health America Legal Services

MHALS  provides free counseling and representation for individuals residing in Allegheny County who receive services through the public mental health system for the following:

- Family matters such as divorce, custody, visitation, support and PFA
- Debt relief
- Landlord/tenant matters
- Social Security (SSI and SSDI)

If you are unable to attend one of the free sessions and would like more information about legal services, please call 412-661-7860.

To keep up with the latest information in mental health, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Back from the NAMI Convention

The NAMI National Convention in Chicago wrapped on Saturday, and the NAMI Southwestern Pennsyvlania staff are back in the office in Pittsburgh.

As always, the convention was an enlightening and enjoyable experience, one that allowed us to reconnect with our NAMI peers across the country. Now that we've returned to Pittsburgh, we're eager to get back to our work of support, education and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness.

NAMI National Convention Continues

With 40 workshops and symposia sessions today, the NAMI National Convention in Chicago continues to keep us busy and enlightened. The five NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania staff members in attendance -- pictured below (left to right): Debbie Ference, Associate Director; Darcey Garda, Manager of Marketing and Development; Christine Michaels, Executive Director; Alan Corn, Consumer Action & Response Team Program Director; and Sharon Miller, Director of Education and Community Relations -- tried to cover as many sessions as possible.

Some of the sessions were:
--Suicide Prevention and Intervention for Service Members, Veterans and Their Families
--Federal Special Education Laws
--Health Care Reform: Washington Insights
--Confronting Disparities and Embracing Cultural Competence
--Employment: A Cornerstone of Recovery
--Health Care Reform: Bringing it all Back  Home
--Transitioning Students Living with Mental Health Conditions to Life After High School
--Real Help for People Living with Mental Illness and Substance Abuse: An Introduction to Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT)
--Spirituality + Recovery + Cultural Competence = Endless Possibilities

There are still a series of late afternoon workshops and a series of evening programs to attend. Yes, it is a very busy and educational day at the NAMI National Convention! Tomorrow we say farewell... stay tuned.

NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania Lands in Chicago for National Convention

Five staff members from NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania and a handful of regional affiliate volunteers made the 500-mile journey to Chicago for the annual NAMI National Convention from July 6 - 9.

The convention titled "Better Together" kicked off yesterday, and we've covered a lot of ground so far. In addition to networking with peers from NAMIs across the country and touring NAMI-Land, an exhibit area with a wealth of information, we have attended a variety of workshops, plenary sessions and meetings, including:

--Special Seminar on Borderline Personality Disorder led by phenomenal presenter Dr. Alan Fruzzetti from Reno, NV

--Leadership  Institute - Better Together: Building Partners in Excellence and Better Together: NAMI's Grassroots Advocacy

--Special Session with Dr. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), who spent two hours sharing fascinating, exciting and up-to-date research in the field of mental illness

--Workshop on The Four Pillars of a Solid In Our Own Voice Program, one of the signature events at NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania

--Workshop on Getting Parents and Teachers as Allies Program into your Schools

--Estate Planning General Session

--The PA State Caucus, where we had the chance to share our accomplishments from the past year and hear what programs and initiatives are effective across the state

--Federal Legislation Briefing

This evening we will attend a homecoming party, allowing us the chance to interact with NAMI leaders and peers from across the country. This is always a great opportunity for the staff to build relationships that we can call upon as we continue to grow our programs in our region. Stay tuned for more tomorrow!