The Journal NAMI San Gabriel Valley A grassroots organization serving those impacted by mental illness. 2550 E. Foothill Boulevard, Suite 135, Pasadena, CA 91107 Phone: 626.577.6697 VOLUME 28, NUMBER 4
MAY 2012
Distinguished Speaker Event and Membership Meeting Wilson Auditorium 2471 E. Walnut, Pasadena 7:30 PM—Wednesday—May 9, 2012 Speaker: Subject:
Letty Baldaro and two clients In Our Own Voice (IOOV)
IOOV is an interactive recovery education program presented by trained consumers to lay audiences, professionals and other consumers about the reality of living with mental illness and the high potential for recovery. They will show a brief video featuring consumers speaking about the topics of Dark Days, Acceptance, Treatment, Coping Skills, Successes, Hopes, and Dreams. Gain insight into how people with serious mental illnesses cope with the realities of their disorders while reclaiming productive lives. Ask questions from the real experts -- the consumers are the ones who "have been there."
You’re Invited to a Barbecue! 5:30 PM—Sunday—May 20th Marty Giffen, 2012 NAMI Walk chair, invites you to her home for a barbecue to learn more about how you can volunteer and participate in NAMI Walk 2012. You can be a team captain or a walker, and we will get you and your team registered on-line that night. Wayne Baldaro, who heads up the LA County NAMI Walk effort, will be on hand to tell you everything you need to know. Please RSVP to the office by May 10th. Leave a message with your phone number at 626.577.6697 and you will be contacted with more information. Affiliated with NAMI California, and NAMI USA NAMI SGV e-mail at sgvnami@pacificclinics.org
We are in need of volunteers to staff our information tables and to act as hosts for the presentations we are sponsoring at this important Mental Health Day on May 12th. If you can help for a few hours it will be greatly appreciated. Please leave your name and number at the volunteer office, 626.577.6697, and you will be contacted. Thank you for your consideration. (See page 5 in this Journal for more information about Mental Health day).
Visit the NAMI SGV website at http://sgv.nami.org Visit the NAMI website at http:// www.nami.org
eral reports that 10 percent of children and adolescents in the United States suffer from serious emotional and mental disorders that cause significant functional impairment in their day-to-day lives at home, in school and with peers.
President's Message Robert Liljenwall
The World Health Organization has reported that four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders. By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children. And mental illness usually strikes individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.
May is Mental Health Month -- raising awareness in America Since 1949, May has been officially recognized as Mental Health Month. It's NAMI San Gabriel Valley's time to bring attention to the need to erase the stigma of mental illness and to encourage families and individuals that mental illness is treatable. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services and treatment, supports research and is steadfast in its commitment to raising awareness and building a community of hope for all of those in need. From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Ironically, the firstever meeting in Pasadena to address the issues of treating mental illness was also held in 1979 in Pasadena and coordinated by Christopher Amenson, Ph.D., who is now head of the Training Institute for Pacific Clinics. The group then was called Friends and Families of the Mentally Disabled. This group eventually became part of NAMI National in 1984. Mental illness cannot be cured -- as of today. But it can be treated. Mental illness falls along a continuum of severity. Even though mental illness is widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion--about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 Americans--who live with a serious mental illness. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in four adults-approximately 58 million Americans--experience a mental health disorder in a given year. And the US Surgeon GenNAMI NAMI SGV SGV Journal Journal
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NAMI San Gabriel Valley has many free-to-thepublic programs that address the treatment of mental illness with individuals and families. Our mostattended program is "Care and Share" which is offered each Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pacific Clinics (Wilson Auditorium). In addition, we have educational programs addressed to families ("Family to Family"), veterans ("Front Line"), individuals with mental illness, ("Connections"), and for educating young families on the potential of mental illness at young ages ("Basics"). Our Distinguished Speakers series takes place each month at Wilson Auditorium (the 2nd Wednesday of each month) and features leading authorities on all aspects of mental illness. And our award-winning monthly newsletter, The Journal, brings updates to you if you're a member, which cost so very little ($35 individual). Our 300+ members work hard to support each other and help eliminate the stigma of mental illness. This May we are participating in the 2nd Annual Mental Health Day in Pasadena, Saturday, May 12. We encourage you to attend this event which will feature speakers on a variety of mental health issues at the Pasadena Senior Center from 10 AM until 3 PM. Please join with us in helping to expand public education and awareness about mental illness. We're here to help.
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Carl Davis featured in documentary Of Two Minds
As the author of a revealing and at times tortuous journey of fighting mental illness in his recently published memoir Bipolar Bare, Carl Davis reached another milestone -- being featured in a new documentary on bipolar disorder, Of Two Minds. Started more than four years ago, the documentary explores the extraordinary lives, struggles and successes of three unique and compelling people living with bipolar disorder. The 90-minute film premiered in Cleveland, OH on March 24, and Carl and his wife, Virginia Tanzmann, (both NAMI-SGV members of long-standing) were in attendance. "It was just great….the house was sold out for both performances that I saw. And the film received great reviews in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. But there was no red carpet," he said. "Of Two Minds puts a human face on the illness, opening an engaging, harrowing, and perception-changing view on those all around us who live in bipolar's shadows. Through the stories of the four featured cast members, the filmmakers help us "….experience what it feels like to be bipolar -- from exquisite feelings of grandiosity and sensuality to the depths of despair and depression". The film was produced by veteran documentarians -- Doug Blush and Lisa Klein, who live in Los Angeles. "What was pretty shocking was to see the film for the first time," Carl recalled. "It's one thing to write about yourself and another thing to see yourself on film. I've exposed myself in my book but it's more real in seeing yourself on film. My God," I thought, "that's me! It was pretty embarrassing." Carl indicated that he really enjoyed working with the filmmakers over the four years and seeing the end product. But the first time he saw it, it took him days to recover from it. NAMI SGV is now working to have a showing in Pasadena in the near future. The film will appear at the LA Film Festival and the Newport Beach Film Festival in coming weeks.
NAMI San Gabriel Valley Elected Officers President: Robert Liljenwall Vice President of Programs: Lucienne Marie Vice President of Development: Dennis Thompson Vice President of Operations: Patty Aguilar Treasurer: Larry Hixon Recording Secretary: Julie Traughber Corresponding Secretary: Lynne Garcia Past Presidents: Eleanor Stemshorn Marty Giffen Council of Chairs NAMI Walks: Marty Giffen Advocacy: Shirley Spencer Quality of Life: Katherine Ellis Basics: David Czolba Outreach to Schools: David Czolba Newsletter: Jeri Gaudino Care and Share: Eleanor Stemshorn, Carole Thuesson Frontline: Lynn Garcia Lecture Series: Patty Aguilar Website: Jack Labrie, Max Schenker Membership: Bruce Elgin Data Base: Bruce Elgin NARSAD Liason: Roberta Gunderson
SGV is a 501©3 non-profit. Dues and donations are Entirely tax--deductible. Dues payable annually. Regular member: $35.00 Patron member: $100 Lifetime member: $500 Membership includes Newsletter subscription. For membership application and more information,
contact 626.577.6697
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May 2012 November 2006
Review of Our Distinguished Speaker Event March 14, 2012 Submitted by Marita Pinkel, Program Chair
O
ur speaker, Todd Hutton, MD is a Psychiatrist who is experienced in the evaluation and treatment of many areas of adult psychiatric disorders, started his presentation by giving our NAMI members a brief history of the recognized psychiatric treatments through recent years. We all remember Sigmund Freud and his couch! It was in 1938 that Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was introduced, and it is still in use in a modified form. In 1955, the first anti-psychotic medications were introduced. In 1999, deep brain stimulation was approved by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) the newest area of treatment is called Neural Modulation, and it was approved in October 2008 by the FDA. Our audience sat in rapt attention as Dr. Hutton showed us a visual example of the method. He explained it in this way: “The method is formally called NEUROSTAR * TMS Therapy. It involves the use of very short pulsed magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells within the area of the brain thought to control mood.” In reference to a female patient, Dr. Hutton said, “We saw the patient as she went through her 40-minute outpatient treatment in a calm manner. The woman had driven to the office, and drove herself home afterward. No anesthesia was required. She remained fully alert at all times. We watched as the treating clinician positioned the treatment coil over the left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain thought to be involved with mood regulation.”
Dr. Hutton explained to us just what was happening. “The TMS therapy system generates a highly concentrated magnetic field which turns on and off rapidly. The magnetic field is the same type and strength as that produced by a magnetic resonance imaging machine (MRI). The magnetic field passes through the hair. Scalp, and skull and into the prefrontal cortex unimpeded. This method allows for a precise type of stimulation, minimizing the stimulation of brain tissue not involved in mood.At the end of the usual 40-minute treatment, the patient rose, and walked out of the room by herself. “ There were many questions from our NAMI family members, among which were: What is the current insurance coverage? Dr. Hutton told us that on the East Coast, more insurance companies accept TMS. For instance in Dela-
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ware, Medicare covers it. Blue Cross often accepts it on a case-by-case basis. In northern California, Kaiser does accept it and refers its patients to Stanford. However, so far Kaiser does not accept TMS in Southern California. On March 14, Dr. Oz featured TMS on his TV show. So there is continuing interest, and basically we can say that as for insurance it is changing all the time. Cost is $500 per session, and an average of 25 sessions are needed. One can do a cost comparison with the cost of daily hospitalization. Also to be compared is the cost of medications and their side effects. In answer to whether there clinical trials out there, Dr. Hutton said, “Yes. UCLA has one coming up.” In conclusion As NAMI family members we are always ready to learn more about the newer advances in the treatment of the major mental illnesses. Our members are well educated in these matters. However we are realistic. It was exciting for us to learn from this eminent Psychiatrist that we are in The Third Area of Psychiatric Treatment. That of Neural Modulation We are indeed mighty grateful to Dr Todd Hutton for introducing us to TMS Therapy. For an information brochure and/or a DVD please contact.Southern California TMS Center www.socaltms.com or 310.777.2701or 626.683.8758 Attn: Paige
Dine Out for Pacific Clinics in May During May is Mental Health Month 2012, help us raise donations for Pacific Clinics by treating yourself, your friends and family to a meal at one of the restaurants listed below. Each community partner restaurant will donate a portion of their proceeds on that day to Pacific Clinics whether you dine in or order take out. Be sure to mention Pacific Clinics to your server at check out, or when you call to order take out mention you are ordering on behalf of Pacific Clinics. Wednesday, May 9, 2012 –11 AM until closing Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant 145 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006 626.462.0250 Tuesday, May 15, 2012—5 PM until closing Phoenicia Restaurant 323 N. Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91023 818.956.7800
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2nd ANNUAL
PASADENA MENTAL HEALTH DAY Saturday May 12, 2012, 10 AM to 3 PM Pasadena Senior Center 85 Holly St. in Old Town Pasadena A FREE EVENT Featured presentations: 10 AM . . . . . . Opening ceremonies at the band shell in Memorial park TAI CHI demonstration 11 AM. . . . . . IN OUR OWN VOICE-People living with mental illness share their journey to recovery. (NAMI) MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING—Dr. Nie PTSD VIDEO 12 PM. . . . . . .NO STRESSPASSING—Recovery International ZUMBA demonstration PTSD Panel Discussion 1 PM . . . . . . . BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER (NAMI-SGV) FILM: NO KIDDING, ME TOO (regarding depression) INSTITUTE FOR GIRLS DEVELOPMENT 2 PM. . . . . . . .ASK THE DOCTOR—Dr. Dirk deDrito local Psychiatrist specializing in Adult ADHD (NAMI-SGV) CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY — Dr. Carlson DEPRESSION– Panel Discussion REPRESENTATIVES AND INFORMATION FROM OVER 20 LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OTHER ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: Depression screenings (AM) and Cognitive screenings (PM). Hourly raffles. Arts and crafts, balloon animals, and face painting for the kids. Chair massages. Live band all day. Food trucks. SPECIAL EVENT: FREE screening of Away From Her at the Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 Theater at 11 AM (admission is first come, first served and limited to auditorium capacity. Co-sponsored by Laemmle Theaters and Lionsgate Entertainment.
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Concert Under The Stars…a Fun Way to Support NAMI Programs You enjoy a delicious, catered dinner and an evening—under the stars—of great musical entertainment in an idyllic, outdoor wooded setting for the incredibly reasonable price of $55. But the best news is that NAMI San Gabriel Valley receives 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales to support our programs and activities. This is a Great Deal for All! You can choose from three evenings, each with a different featured musical style:
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels 555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 MHSA Funded Morning keynote speaker will be Dr. Kathleen McKenna, MD, training director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at Harbor-UCLA. She has a long-standing interest in the integration of spirituality and mental health Afternoon keynote speaker will be Reverend Susan Gregg-Schroeder. Reverend Gregg-Schroeder of California founded Mental Health Ministries in 2001 to provide media and print educational resources to help erase the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities. Susan shares her personal journey with clinical depression in her book, In the Shadow of God’s Wings: in the Midst of Depression.
July 14th Smooth Touch thebandsmoothtouch.com 70’s-90’s Dance Music July 21st Silverados thesilverados.com Country and Classic Rock
Workshops offered morning and afternoon. Registration fee is $25.00. Seating is limited. Completed form due by May 15, 2012. For more information and registration contact:
August 11th Mark Allen Felton markallenfelton.com Jazz Each evening, the gates open at 5 PM; dinner is served from 6 to 7 PM with musical entertainment from 7 to 10 PM. Parking is nearby and shuttle service available. Every year the Hafif Family Foundation presents concerts at the elegant estate of Herb and Kay Hafif in the foothills of La Verne, a short 30-minute drive (mostly 210 freeway) from Pasadena. Local charities are invited to sell tickets and retain 100% of the proceeds for their activities. We are fortunate to receive a limited number of tickets to these extraordinary events. Don’t miss this delightful way to spend a summer evening with friends AND support NAMI San Gabriel Valley at the same time. Call the office now to reserve your tickets or for more information. 626.577.6697.
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Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health presents The 11th Annual Conference on Mental Health and Spirituality June 7, 2012 -7:30 AM—5 PM
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Department of Mental Health Community & Government Relations Attention: Destiny Walker 550 S. Vermont Ave., 12th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90020.
Quality of Life By Katherine Ellis, Chair
Last month all residents from Hacienda Guest Home on El Molino Ave in Altadena had to be placed by their families or social services into other homes because of problems. The owner had to vacate the premises. This was a sad day for the residents, and also for the day manager whose name is Beth. I had a wonderful relationship with her, the residents and the day staff. The residents truly loved Beth and she loved them. Hopefully this guest home will be reopened. There were 34 guests in the facility.
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The Power of the Simple Worker Bee Submitted by Lucienne Marie
In Germany it is popular to serve fried bananas with honey. Simply delicious. I love a warm biscuit with a small dab of melted butter and a spoonful of honey. Honey is healthy, long-lasting and resists bacteria. We like to say that some people just have to be the "queen bee"' and honestly, some people are very good at that, naturals you might say. We need a few of those folks to guide the colony in its migrations, but did you know the queen bee never makes a drop of honey? Honey is made by the collective efforts of the simple worker bees. One worker bee makes about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its life. Not much it seems, when you think about swallowing that biscuit and chasing it with a cup of coffee, but did you know that worker bees are responsible for every third mouthful of food we humans eat? While they are gathering nectar to make honey, they are crosspollinating our fruit trees. Even though it takes the nectar of more than two million flowers to make one pound of honey, a beehive can produce over 100 pounds of surplus honey. That's the surplus we're putting on our biscuits. Mmm, now that's prosperity. Simple worker bees are the greatest part of our prosperity at NAMI. Our prosperity is connection, information, and not to mince words, love. We can surely use some help, whether it be copying papers, giving a talk, setting out refreshments for a meeting or party, or helping deliver Christmas gifts for our Quality of Life program. The friendships you make, the kindness you share, and the small suggestions you offer while doing those tasks are likely to extend their effects far beyond what you see. Sometimes we hesitate to volunteer because we already have so much on our plates and another commitment would be too much. Sometimes we hesitate because we think the small amount of time we have to offer won't make a difference. We invite you to NAMI NAMI SGV SGV Journal Journal
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give us a call and offer whatever you can, whether it be ten hours a year, one hour a week of work from your home, or one day a month. Whatever it is, we can use your contribution, and we can be flexible enough to find something that fits into your life. NAMI is rooted in family, and family comes first. Have faith in the power of the simple worker bee, and help NAMI San Gabriel Valley create a buzz. Please call the office at 626.577.6697, and become a simple worker bee. REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT ALONE CARE AND SHARE MEETINGS Except for Front Line all meet at: Wilson Auditorium 2471 E. Walnut Street Pasadena •
5:30-7:30 PM every Thursday.
•
6:30-7:25 PM second Wednesday of the month before the Distinguished Speakers and membership meeting. Everyone is invited to this meeting! ===============================================================
Front Line Support group for families and veterans coping with delayed stress, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). •
5:30 to 7 PM first and third Tuesday of the month at 66 Hurlbut, Pasadena. Call office for more information.
Quote from Tattoos on the Heart by Father Greg Boyle Submitted by Leah Sullivan
“We stand there with those whose dignity has been denied. We locate ourselves with the poor and the powerless and the voiceless. At the edges, we join the easily despised and the readily left out. We stand with the demonized so that the demonizing will stop. We situate ourselves right next to the disposable so that the day will come when we stop throwing people away.”
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NON-PROFIT ORG U S POSTAGE PAID ARCADIA, CA PERMIT #212
The Journal NAMI SAN GABRIEL VALLEY 2550 E. Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena , CA 91107
Address Service Requested
Mother’s Day—May 13th RESOURCE INFORMATION • L A Co DMH Arcadia Mental Health Center 626.821.5858. Monday-Friday, 8 AM-5 PM. • DMH Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT): 626. 258-2004 for crisis management in Service Area 3 MondayFriday 8 AM—5 PM. For PMRT at other times use Access Line listed below. • DMH 24-hr Access Line: 800.854.7771, for information & consultation, and for Psychiatric Mobile Response Team after hours and week ends. L A Co Sheriff/DMH Mental Evaluation Team (MET). operates 5 PM to 1 AM. Call Local Sheriff Station (or 911 if dire emergency) to request MET response. For general information: 626.258.3002 (as of 10/26/06). • LACO DMH Family Advocate: Helena Ditko, 213.738.3948 (as of 12/8/2011). • L A Police / DMH System-wide Mental Assessment Response Team (SMART) Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU): call local LAPD station (or 911 if dire emergency) to request MEU response. For general information: 213.485.4188. • DMH Court program (Diversion): Alisa Dunn 626.403.4370 or Arlene Veliz 626.245.2160 (pager). • Mental Health Justice programs: Ira Lesser, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at Harbor UCLA 310.222.3101. • DMH Jail Mental Health Services: Beth Briscoe, Director , Phone 213.974.9083. NAMI NAMI SGV SGV Journal Journal
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• Twin Towers Jail Inmate Reception Center: phone 213. 893.5385, fax 213.229.9991. • Patient Information Center: 213 473.6080 or 213. 73.6100 or on website www.lasd.org; click on “inmate information center” then enter name or booking number. • Jail Inpatient Unit: Neil Ortego, MD 213.893.5391 • Men’s Outpatient Unit: Stephen Jacobson, PhD 213.473.6183. (as of 9/2003) • Women’s Outpatient Unit: Michael Maloney, PhD 323.568.4678 • Friends Outside Los Angeles County, Mary Weaver, Executive Director 626.795.7607 ext. 104 (As of 10-09) • Suicide Prevention Center Crisis Line 24 hrs 7 days 310.391.1253. Trained Counselors No Fee
NAMI SGV JOURNAL is published ten times per year. Subscription is included in membership dues. Subscription for non-members is $15 per year. Submission deadline is the 5th of each month. Co-editors: Jeri Gaudino and Marty Giffen Editor phone: Leave message for editor at the office. 626.577.6697 Editor e-mail: jerigaudino@roadrunner.com
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