Letter from Our Director

Dear Friends,

I would like to invite you to NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's 14^th Annual Education Conference, Young Adults and Mental Illness: Voices for Hope.

Our conference is a really special event this year. For the first time, with thanks to Project Transition, we are able to bring an international speaker, Kevin Hines, to our annual conference. A world famous presenter, Kevin is captivating and inspiring.

Stacy Pershall is a unique young woman, compelling and creative, an author writing her second book. And Dana DeFonso, a community mental health supervisor and clinician, will address the pressing topic of drug and alcohol use and addiction among young adults.

A trio of 30-somethings with a fresh perspective on life in their 20s, each speaker will bring a message of hope and recovery.

Honest, straightforward, positive and confident, Kevin, Stacy and Dana are the "Voices of Hope."

Please visit our website for more information and to register. To apply for a scholarship, contact us at (412) 366-3788 or info@namiswpa.org.

 

Hope to see you at the conference,
 

Christine Michaels, MSHSA

Executive Director

 

 

Scholarships Available for NAMI Conference

Full scholarships are available and easy to access for NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's 14th Annual Education Conference Young Adults and Mental Illness: Voices for Hope on Saturday, April 12.

Parents and Transition Age Youth Scholarships

• Parents of children with emotional disorders
• Transition age youth and young adults with mental illness
• Must live in Allegheny County

To apply, contact Darcey Garda at dgarda@namiswpa.org or call 412-366-3788.

 

Western Region CSP Scholarships

• Open to all counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania
• Individuals living with mental illness and family members
• CSP participants are given priority but others are encouraged to apply

To apply, email wrcsp2006@yahoo.com or call 814-333-2924. 


 

How Young Adults Can Afford the Affordable Care Act

The most challenging part of our 14th Annual Education Conference on Saturday, April 12 is choosing which of the six workshops to attend in the afternoon. With the theme Young Adults and Mental Illness: Voice for Hope, each of the workshops will address a different issue affecting young adults, known as the Millennial Generation.

Last week, we introduced Treatment in the Millennial Age, and today we are highlighting a workshop that addresses the healthcare needs of Millennials:

How Young Adults Can Afford the Affordable Care Act

Many young adults in America are currently living without heath insurance. The Marketplace is the answer for these young people who are no longer being carried under their parents' plan and do not have access to employment-based coverage. It is available to ensure that health needs are being met.

This workshop will discuss the Affordable Care Act: how the law works; who it is intended to help; and the potential impact it can have related to personal health care needs. The presenter will provide a brief overview of the history and current status of the nation's healthcare system and will help participants to understand how the Affordable Care Act impacts consumers. A review of the application process will be provided as well as some details related to Health Exchanges. Learn how you can find assistance in paying the monthly premium. Real-life barriers to healthcare access and possible solutions to these problems will also be discussed.

Presenter: Jennifer Gybosky, Healthcare Navigator, Mental Health America of Westmoreland County. 

For more information about the conference, or to register, visit our website. 

Action Alert: Suicide Prevention Bill for Schools

House Bill (HB) 1559 is still awaiting action by the Pennsylvania House. We are asking for your help to move this bill forward. The fate of HB 1559 may be decided this week, and we therefore ask that you respond to this alert as soon as you possibly can.

If adopted into law as currently worded, HB 1559 would require schools to adopt youth suicide awareness and prevention policies that include methods of prevention (including a requirement for four hours of training every five years for professional educators serving students in grades 6 - 12), intervention and postvention, reporting procedures, and local resources and contacts.

The Senate passed the bill on Feb. 4 unanimously.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Please email or call House leader Rep. Turzai (listed below) to request that he send HB 1559 to the House floor for a concurrent vote, with NO changes or amendments, as soon as possible!

Rep. Mike Turzai

mturzai@pahousegop.com

(717) 772-9943

WHAT TO DO

Your email or phone call can be worded like the following template. Make sure to personalize it, especially the wording in brackets.

Dear Rep. Turzai,

I am a resident of {city/town name}, asking that you please send House Bill 1559 to the floor for a concurrent vote as soon as possible with no changes or amendments. HB 1559 is extremely important to me because {insert your connection to suicide here}.

In Pennsylvania, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10-19. While some of these suicides occur without any outward warning, most young people who are suicidal do give warnings. Our schools have an important role to play in recognizing these signs and knowing what to do to support students at-risk and their families.  

If passed, I am confident HB 1559 will help save young lives. I am a NAMI family member, and I vote. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

{Your Name}

Treatment in the Millennial Age: Using Modern Technology in Recovery

The most challenging part of our 14th Annual Education Conference on Saturday, April 12 is choosing which of the six workshops to attend in the afternoon. With the theme Young Adults and Mental Illness: Voice for Hope, each of the workshops will address a different issue affecting young adults, known as the Millennial Generation. We will highlight each of those six workshops on our NAMI Blog, starting today with:

Treatment in the Millennial Age: Using Modern Technology in Recovery

Many people, especially young adults, use the Internet as a key source of information and to interact with others. Online communication tools such as chat rooms, discussion boards and social networking sites keep Millennials connected to one another and to the world around them. Therefore, a variety of treatments, as well as peer and other recovery support services, can often be successfully provided to young adults via the Internet. This workshop will review how the Internet can be an effective tool for a number of online screening, treatment and other supports, including: chat room and text message support; group (including in-school) and individual counseling; peer-based recovery support groups and services; screening questionnaires regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs; and information about treatment facilities. 

Presenters: Jen Lukondi, MA, Content Director of MedRespond LLC, and Nicole Campbell, college student living with mental illness.

For more information or to register, visit our website.

Meet Kevin Hines

Mark your calendar for NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's 14th Annual Education Conference on Saturday, April 12 featuring Kevin Hines.

Kevin Hines has captivated audiences with his story of an unlikely survival and will to live. At 19 years old and recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Kevin attempted to take his own life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He miraculously survived the fall. After regaining full mobility despite the life-threatening injuries he sustained, Kevin now speaks openly about his journey from the edge of despair back to recovery. His story is unforgettable and his message is one of faith, courage and hope.

Join NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania at its 14th Annual Education Conference, where Kevin will speak for the first time in Western Pennsylvania.

Special thanks to Project Transition, a unique recovery-centered psychiatric rehabilitation program, which sponsored Kevin Hines as Keynote Speaker for this conference.

Kevin Hines to Speak at NAMI Conference

NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania is pleased to welcome international speaker and suicide prevention advocate Kevin Hines to its 14th Annual Education Conference on Saturday, April 14 at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott.

Who is Kevin Hines?
In the year 2000, two years after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Kevin Hines tried to take his own life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. He immediately regretted his decision and, remarkably, Kevin survived. Since then, Kevin has dedicated his life to living and staying mentally well and inspiring people of all ages to change their lives for the better. In his keynote presentation at our 14th Annual Education Conference, Kevin will discuss his experiences and feelings as a 19-year old on the brink of despair, and how parents, teachers, caregivers, professionals and other role models can connect with and help young adults who are coping with a serious mental illness. He will speak with gripping candor about surviving his suicide attempt and his journey through recovery, and how he has dedicated his life to helping others find the peace and hope that now fills his life.

About Kevin
Kevin has spoken to more than 300,000 people about his firsthand experience with suicidal thoughts and eventual attempted suicide in 2000 by jumping 220 feet from the Golden Gate Bridge. Kevin is a powerful, honest and intimate presenter and has been featured in the critically acclaimed film The Bridge, on Larry King Live, 20/20, Anderson Cooper 360, Good Morning America, and Ireland's famed Tonight with Vincent Brown. He has also been featured in hundreds of national and international print, radio, film and television media outlets. In 2012, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding work as a suicide prevention advocate and speaker. Kevin has written several articles about the prevention of suicide and mental health in America and in July 2013 published his memoir, Cracked...Not Broken, Surviving & Thriving After a Suicide Attempt.

Special thanks to Project Transition, a unique recovery-centered psychiatric rehabilitation program, who sponsored Kevin as the Keynote Speaker of our conference.

For more information about the conference, visit our website or call 412-366-3788.

Meet Dana DeFonso, Plenary Speaker

Excitement is mounting for our 14th Annual Education Conference on Saturday, April 12 at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott. We are pleased to welcome amazing speakers to illustrate our theme: "Young Adults and Mental Illness: Voices for Hope."  You can view the full agenda here.

Last week, we highlighted our morning keynote speaker Stacy Pershall. Today, meet Dana DeFonso, MA, Supervisor for Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services at SPHS Behavioral Health. Dana will serve as our late morning plenary speaker on the following topic:

The Voice of Addiction: Substance Use Among Young Adults

The voice of addiction is consuming. Drugs and alcohol are becoming this voice for many youth and young adults. How can we as parents, caregivers, family members and professionals help them to hear other positive voices, and not the destructive voice of addiction? This presentation will reveal the drugs of choice for today's youth and young adults, including the effects, dangers of these substances and treatment options. The presentation will also include feedback of consumers from their own voices as to what they needed prior to, during, and after their addiction. What did they wish they would have known? What did they need for success in their recovery? We will discuss the roles connected adults can play in leading, guiding, supporting and strengthening young adults struggling with addition so that they can recover.

Continuing education credits are available for attending this conference. For more information or to register, click here.