Recovery for All: August 2010

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month a Great Success
NAMI Leader Receives America Honors Recovery Award
New Resources
Upcoming Events

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month a Great Success

NAMI was proud to be a part of the many activities and efforts that took place in July in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Events across the country hosted by NAMI state and affiliate organizations and our partners brought diverse communities together to celebrate the importance of mental health awareness. Activities included educational presentations, resource development and donations, award ceremonies and media campaigns—all demonstrating the power of community networking and partnership.

The Multicultural Action Center wishes to thank those who worked with us to help spread the word about this special month and congratulate our partners on the impacts of their efforts. We encourage you to continue on in the spirit of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month all year!

Highlights of 2010 activities:

Last month the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Ad Council, launched a national public service announcement (PSA) campaign to promote mental health recovery among diverse communities, specifically young adults. “Raising awareness that effective treatments for mental illnesses are available¬—and that people recover—can encourage those in need to seek help," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. The new PSAs were released as part of a broader public service effort to reach Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Chinese American and African American communities during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
NAMI Meridian held a free program, "Voices of Hope: Celebrating National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month," in partnership with the Weems Community Mental Health Center at New Canaan Baptist Church, a predominantly African American church in Meridian, Miss. The program began with speakers sharing personal and family perspectives on recovery from serious mental illness. A panel discussion followed, featuring a member of the clergy, a minister working with the local Spanish-speaking community, a mental health professional and the NAMI affiliate president.

Click here for more highlights of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month activities that may serve as examples for efforts that can be made throughout the year.

Joe Powell

NAMI Leader Receives America Honors Recovery Award

During last month’s America Honors Recovery awards reception in Washington, D.C., Joe Powell proudly received the Vernon Johnson award for his personal achievements as a passionate advocate for recovery from addiction and mental illness. Association of Persons Affected by Addiction (APAA), a Dallas-based organization where Powell serves as executive director, received the Joel Hernandez Award. Powell also serves as board chair of the NAMI Southern Sector Dallas affiliate and is a member of the NAMI African American Leaders Group.

The Vernon Johnson award presented by Faces and Voices of Recovery honors individuals for their success in model efforts to bring public awareness and supports to people in recovery. The Joel Hernandez Award, named for a champion of recovery advocacy, was recognized the APAA as “a pioneering force in the recovery advocacy movement; its members and leaders embody the passion and dedication that we are seeing in growing numbers of recovery community organizations across the country.”

Representative Patrick Kennedy received the Legacy Award. Read more about the America Honors Recovery awards.

New Resources

Cultural Competency Assessment Tool

Coming soon! "Cultural Competency in Mental Health Peer-Run Programs and Self-Help Groups: A Tool to Assess and Enhance Your Services," developed in partnership between the NAMI STAR Center and the University of Chicago and Illinois National Research and Training Center. Contact the STAR Center for more information on how to obtain a copy of this valuable new resource soon to be released.

Webinar Downloads

Did you miss last month’s “Celebrating Mental Health in Diverse Communities” webinar forum, hosted by the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health? Do you want to share it with others? Recordings and PowerPoint presentations are available for download:

Part I on Latino and American Indian communities, aired July 7 and
Part II on Asian American, African American and GLBTQI communities, aired July 28.

Health Reform Impacts on Diverse Communities

Families USA has made available “How Health Reform Helps,” a series of fact sheets that highlight how the new health reform law will help America's communities of color by expanding coverage, increasing funding for community health centers and providing grants for workforce diversity. Fact sheets are available by population of focus:

Book for Champions of Child, Youth and Family Mental Health Advocacy

The Leadership Equation: Strategies for Individuals Who Are Champions for Children, Youth and Families, edited by Gary M. Blau, Ph.D., and Phyllis R. Magrab, Ph.D., was praised as “an outstanding resource to anyone interested in becoming a champion in the field" by Kathryn Power, director of the Center for Mental Health Services at SAMHSA.