Revitalizing National Alliance for the Mentally Ill -- WE CARE
The Augusta County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, known as WE CARE will meet on June 19, 2007, and every 3rd Tuesday of the month. The organization will meet in Central United Methodist Church, corner of Lewis and Beverly Street in Staunton at 6:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Teresa Wright-Conquy and Micahel Shanks will present their recent CELT (Conosumer Empowerment Leadership Training) experiences at the Airleigh 4-H Center in Wakefield, VA. Chris Owens, CELT Director will also speak. Parking is available in the rear of the church in the Wilson Lot, corner of Lewis and Frederick St. All consumers as well as concerned parents, siblings, spouses, and friends who care about the quality of life and the recovery of persons with a serious mental illness are invited. There is no charge.
WE CARE NAMI works to promote and provide support and advocacy by offering mutual encouragement through a sharing of problems and coping strategies and helping individuals overcome feelings of guilt, isolation, and frustration. Families, friends, and those who have a mental illness learn about the causes of mental illness, how to recognize acute and chronic symptoms, and current treatments. Education is key in the recovery process and for the public to help them overcome myths and fears and stigma. The more the public knows about mental illness, the more doors and opportunities become available for those who have a mental illness.
Mental Illness makes it difficult for people to cope with their emotions or to think clearly. It can cause them to behave in unusual or inappropriate ways and can bring tremendous stress and suffering to them and their families. If you or someone you know is suffering from mental illness, it is important to realize you are not alone.
Mental Illnesses can affect persons of any age—children, adolescents, adults and the elderly—and they can occur in ANY family. Mental illnesses afflict millions of people in the United States, yet continue to be medically under served, scientifically under researched and widely misunderstood.
Severe mental illness touches one in every five families. In Virginia, more than 260,000 adults and at least 75,000 children experience symptoms of serious emotional disturbances or brain disorders. Yet despite these statistics, there remains an unfortunate stigma surrounding mental illness.
When someone in a family has mental illness, most often it is family members who are the primary caregiver. In fact, more than 48% of all adults with serious and persistent mental illness in Virginia who receive services from the public mental health system live with their families. Therefore it is of vital importance to provide these families with accessible resources for leading-edge quality care and continued support.
At the national level, NAMI works to promote and provide research for new treatments and prevention, does advocacy at all levels of government ensuring funding for quality community and institutional services, and networks by sharing information through conferences and newsletters and promotes changes of common interest throughout the nation.
