2022

A Parent's Guide to Mental Health as School Starts Back Up
Posted on Aug 23 2022
WUSA9: DC
Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director at NAMI, said parents can explain in simple terms what they do to calm down. The key is to keep listening. "If your child is keeping to themselves, they're just staying in the room, they're not engaging with you, or with their friends, then that's certainly reason to be concerned about what's going on," Crawford said. If you notice new behavior that makes you concerned, it's time for another conversation.
2022 NPT Power & Influence Top 50
Posted on Aug 01 2022
The NonProfit Times
Much of what engulfed the nonprofit sector during the past 12 months got its start between 2020 and 2021. Just as the sector has been influenced by events, so has this 25th anniversary edition of The NonProfit Times’ Power & Influence Top 50. Nearly one-third (32%) of those have not been previously inducted into the club. Women outnumber men on the list for the first time, 28 to 22. It is also arguably the most diverse group of honorees. NAMI CEO Daniel Gillison, Jr., is among the 2022 honorees who has distinguished himself as an initiator, innovator and leaders by redirecting and pivoting operations to meet the moment.
Mental health days are the new sick days for students and schools are OK with it
Posted on Jul 30 2022
Today.com
“What is helpful about the way in which mental health days are being rolled out in some states is that there’s a certain number of days that is allocated to take off,” Dr. Christine M. Crawford, NAMI associate medical director, told TODAY Parents. “If schools see a pattern in which the student exceeds the allotted number of mental health days that really signals to the school that perhaps a student requires more mental health support.”
Finally we can call 988 suicide hotline when we fear that we or a loved one is at risk
Posted on Jul 16 2022
USA Today
"In a suicide or mental health crisis, seconds count," said Jennifer Snow, national director of government affairs, policy and advocacy for NAMI. Snow pointed out that the 988 hotline will be answered by those with mental health expertise, a lifesaving upgrade. This is a huge step forward for those with loved ones at risk, as well as those of us who are ourselves prone to suicidal ideation.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline will be changing its number to 9-8-8 over the weekend
Posted on Jul 15 2022
NBC News NOW
Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO, joined NBC News Now morning edition for a live on-camera interview to discuss the new 988 number connecting callers to the Lifeline starting tomorrow (7/16) and how the process will work and what callers can expect.
The U.S. Has a New Crisis Hotline: 988. Is It Prepared for a Surge in Calls?
Posted on Jul 15 2022
The New York Times
The law establishing 988 left the funding of call centers largely to states. While it gave states the option to raise money the same way they do for 911, with a monthly fee on phone bills, only four states have authorized a phone-bill charge. The national labor shortage has also affected the ability to hire and retain employees. The work force was an issue for the mental health field “long before the pandemic,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO, who noted that burnout was also a concern for professionals already in this space. While a lot of work has been accomplished since 988 was signed into law, Ms. Wesolowski said, “we’re trying to build a comprehensive system, and that’s going to take more than two years.”
The national suicide hotline is changing to 988 starting Saturday
Posted on Jul 14 2022
Washington Post
“I look at 988 as a starting place where we can really reimagine mental health care,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO. “We’re really looking at a fundamental tide shift in how we respond to people in mental health crisis.”
What to Know About 988, the New Mental Health Crisis Hotline
Posted on Jul 12 2022
The New York Times
Counselors on the other end of the hotline are trained in handling a wide range of mental health issues, including self-harm, addiction and suicidal ideation, said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO. “If someone has been through a traumatic event and is struggling to process it — and there are traumatic events happening throughout this country — this is a place to turn to,” Wesolowski said.
Many Black children are dying by suicide, doctors say: Understanding the why -- and how to help
Posted on Jul 06 2022
ABC News
"A lot of people are just now learning that the unfortunate reality for a lot of Black youth is that they are dying," said Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director for NAMI. "And a lot of that has to do with the fact that mental health conditions are often underdiagnosed or are not adequately treated for the conditions that they have." Crawford said the utilization of mental health services among Black youth is lower than among other groups.
With therapists in short supply, group counseling offers alternative
Posted on Jul 02 2022
Washington Post
Teri Brister, NAMI Chief Program Officer, says peer groups can be a good fit for anyone looking for personal support and to learn from others. Although each peer group differs, the underlying goals tend to be the validation of people’s emotions, help them feel less alone, and create community. One study found that these groups can increase resilience and help people feel more empowered and hopeful about the future.