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Stronger Together Holiday Campaign Underway: DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT TODAY!
NAMI Illinois provides thousands of people across our state and beyond access help they need.
Your support makes these programs and resources possible. For each affiliate, member, and person with lived experience who make up NAMI Illinois, we are moving forward. We are #StrongerTogether.
This holiday season please consider donating to NAMI Illinois.
Your generosity provides support to establish new affiliates throughout the state, including in underserved urban and rural communities; further enhance our programming for youth and young adults, including suicide awareness and prevention; and much more.
Thanks to a few generous donors, every tax-deductible gift to NAMI IL between now and the end of the year will be matched up to $20,000. Every dollar you give helps bring more NAMI into more Illinois communities.
To donate online, visit tinyurl.com/NAMIILGivingTuesday23. To donate by check, send a check payable to NAMI Illinois, note "Stronger Together Holiday Matching Gift Fund" in the memo, to: NAMI Illinois, 101 N. Wacker Dr., 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
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Provider First Virtual Training
Provider First Program Leader Training, Friday-Saturday, Jan. 26-27
About NAMI Provider First: This is a staff development program for healthcare organizations working directly with people affected by mental illness. This evidence-based experience equips healthcare staff with a deeper understanding of mental illness and the confidence to serve people and families in a collaborative manner.
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Additional Support Groups Added to December Calendar
To provide additional support during the holiday season, a few extra dates have been added to the December Support Group Calendar for NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group. Visit namiillinois.org/calendar/.
Also, be sure to visit our affiliates' websites (the full list can be found here) for in person and virtual support groups sponsored by our wonderful 19 NAMI IL affiliates.
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Resilience During the Holidays: Coping with Holiday Stress & More
We've put together a list of resources to have at your fingertips to prepare for, and help to combat, holiday stress.
You are more than enough, and with NAMI Illinois and our affiliates, you are not alone.
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Train the Trainers
We're so thankful for those who give their time for others!
Congratulations to our wonderful NAMIans who recently completed Family-to-Family state teacher training, Family Support Group facilitator training, Connections Support Group facilitator training, In Our Own Voice facilitator training and Peer to Peer facilitator training.
State trainers for the various weekend-long trainings, which were held at the Hyatt Regency in Lisle and organized by NAMI IL Training Director Lachell Aaroneux, included Alyx Kesselring, Eymarde Lawler, Michelle Layfield, Brian Rootberg, Miriam Smith, Scotty Sossner, Deborah Shulruf, Elba Stewart and Teri Latter.
NAMI IL is committed to expanding our efforts and initiatives to reach every corner of the state.
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Mental Health Unmuted QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Set for Jan. 10
Join Mental Health Unmuted, sponsored by NAMI IL, for QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training, to be held via Zoom from 6:30-830 p.m., Jan. 10.
The training is open free to young adults between 18-34. Thanks to NAMI Illinois, you will receive a QPR Gatekeeper training completion certificate and e-book upon completion of the program.
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Legislative Briefing Set for Jan. 11
Mark your calendars: Join NAMI Illinois via zoom beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 to prepare for the 2024 Illinois legislative session. We will need your voice this spring to pass significant legislation impacting individuals living with mental health conditions and their families.
During this online event, you'll hear from NAMI statewide advocacy leaders about critical mental health legislation and you'll learn how to get involved.
What: 2024 Illinois Legislative Briefing
When: 3-5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 11
Where: Virtual (via Zoom)
Who: NAMI Affiliate Leaders, Legislative Liaisons and Mental Health Advocates & Allies.
Registration information will be posted on NAMI Illinois Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
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IDHS Clinical Trainings Set
Registration is open for the 2024 DC:0-5 Clinical Trainings through the Division of Mental Health. Attendees will learn the recommended approach for diagnosing disorders in infancy and early childhood utilizing the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health & Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-5) V2.0 manual.
Each three-day training will be conducted virtually:
• January 31, February 1, and February 2, from 9:30AM to 2:30PM CST
• April 3, April 4, and April 5, from 9:30AM to 2:30PM CST
12 CEUs will be available for: LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER/LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR/CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
For more information, contact Lisa Betz, Deputy Director of Child and Adolescent Services IDHS/DMH, at Lisa.J.Betz@illinois.gov
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NACDD Communication Guide: Brain Health Messaging
To help public health professionals work together to promote the inclusion of brain health messages into chronic disease risk reduction programs, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) has released a communication guide for integrating brain health messaging for public health professionals.
Healthy behaviors related to heart disease, diabetes, nutrition, physical activity, hearing, sleep, and traumatic brain injury can also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this project adapts existing chronic disease risk reduction messages to include information about how these behaviors can also reduce the risk for cognitive decline.
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NAMI Releases Poll Results Re: Improving Mental Health in the U.S.
NAMI recently released a new poll that found a bipartisan majority of Americans (86%) agree their elected officials need to do more to improve mental health care in the U.S.
The poll, conducted by Ipsos, also found:
- Nearly two-thirds of adults (64%) agree federal funding for mental health care should be a high or the highest priority for Congress. More than half of Americans (57%) believe that federal funding for the new, nationwide 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline should be a high or the highest priority for Congress.
- The vast majority of Americans agree that mental health care should be available to everyone, not just people who can pay for services out-of-pocket (91%) and that insurers should cover mental health care services the same way they cover physical health care services (90%).
- Only one in five adults said it was easy to find a mental health provider who is affordable or in-network.
- The number of Americans contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline grew more than 40% in the first year, however, only 22% of Americans are familiar with the Lifeline and 29% say they have never heard of it.
This poll coincided with more than 80 NAMI Executive Directors recently advocating on Capitol Hill to highlight key priorities to address the urgency of this crisis. NAMI leaders asked Congress to fund mental health crisis response, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, mental health resources in schools, and community-based services.
Find the full poll results here.
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Thank you for your support of, and commitment to, NAMI Illinois!
Let's make 2024 the best year yet to advance mental health and eradicate stigma.
Yours in Good Mental Health,
Andy, Lachell, Teklii, Linda, Alyx, Teri, Arielle, Tony, Darcie & Kemberly
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