Hello again everyone - So many things going on that we've had to work hard to condense this Summer issue of our newsletter down to just some key
issues/comments.
First, please turn back to the first/front page and re-read the 2 lead articles; like everything we do, these are important! The PICNIC!! Although our
annual Christmas party is a larger event with a larger attendance, I personally think our summer PICNIC is the most fun (both for our consumer and
family invitees "and" our own NAMI Snohomish County board members); food, fun and music, and an opportunity for socialization - does it get any
better than that!! Then the WRAP Training: this is an incredible opportunity for consumers themselves to become involved in developing their own
wellness and recovery plan; let's face it - none of us are very good at planning for those situations "when things go wrong"; and although most of us
have "some" idea of what we need to do to take care of ourselves on a day-to-day basis, most of us don't actually lay out a schedule (plan) to help us
"keep on track" - so, what happens? We forget some important activity of daily living (exercise, taking our meds, diet, etc.) and we get ourselves into
trouble. This WRAP training is a "must" for any consumer; if they can't sit thought it all, perhaps some of our providers could attend, take the
information and do a "short course" for the consumers they assist.
Second, we put out the "call" for help (in running the Affiliate) in the last newsletter and have received some fantastic responses. The "big" news is
that we are going to finally have our own Family-to-Family program here in Snohomish County!! Can you believe it!: page 4 of this newsletter
describes the program in some detail as well as providing some info. about how family members can sign up. We had someone step up and indicate
that they'd like to help us get our Affiliate/office library in order and also wanted to help us put together a mental health resource list for Snohomish
County (a project we've been trying to get off the ground for some time). We've had another person volunteer to help us get a NAMI support group up
and operating; we do make available time for some support group conversation, once a month after our regular Board meeting, but we do need a
real, separate support group and we're in the process of working out the details of this important addition to our Affiliate offerings/services to the
community. And we've had someone step up and indicate that they'd like to help us put together a "web page" - how about that!? We‘ll advise you of
progress in these efforts, as they happen. Thanks to all of you who have stepped forward in response to our call for help; "we can't do it without you"!
Third, there seem to be all kinds of activities, meetings, legislation implementations, etc., happening around Snohomish County with which we've
become involved. The Snohomish County 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness effort is ongoing; we're involved in a number of workgroups looking at
ways to help reduce homelessness in our County - it's estimated that about 70% of the homeless, on the streets, have some form of mental
illness/disability. New Offender Re-entry legislation passed this last session in Olympia will have some impact on our releasing mentally ill offenders;
there's some concern that the legislation has a number of "holes", including what appears to be a gap in support for "housing" for re-entering
offenders, and it appears that many of the real needs of the mentally ill offender (a "too" large % of those in prison) will not be met by the legislation -
more on this as we/NAMI play our part in trying to help insure that this legislation is implemented, effectively. For those with senior family members
with a mental illness/disability, good news!; Snohomish County is holding meetings relating to what is being called the "Geriatric Mental Health
Access Project"; the plan is to create a blueprint for improving access to (and availability of) geriatric mental health services in Snohomish County,
with services to be eventually implemented for County seniors. A Blue Ribbon Panel on Law & Justice has been appointed with the charter to look at
the range of supportive services that exist (or don't) and make some recommendations to the County as to how to do this job more effectively and
efficiently; improved mental health services and prevention will certainly come under discussion by this group. Our new Snohomish County PACT
Team is up and operating (Program of Assertive Community Treatment) and we have an Affiliate member on the Advisory Group that's associated
with the Team's implementation. More on these "happenings" later in this newsletter.
Jim Bloss/President
NAMI Snohomish County