Posted on October 28, 2020
USA Today
The fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr., 27, in Philadelphia is raising questions about what the officers involved were told before arriving at Wallace's home and whether police officers should respond to mental health crises. About 2,700 of the nation's roughly 18,000 police departments have some or all of their officers go through crisis intervention training (CIT), known as the "Memphis model," which aims to help police recognize mental health problems and get people to treatment, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Angela Kimball, national director of advocacy and public policy at NAMI, said the U.S. needs to focus on intervening further upstream. "When you look at the lack of access to mental health care, it’s clear that that is contributing to people experiencing crises — many of which are inherently avoidable if you get people the right care at the right time," Kimball said. "We shouldn’t wait until somebody is experiencing a crisis. It’s not good for the person. It’s not good for their family. It's not good for the community. And it’s not the job law enforcement signed up for."
READ MOREPosted on October 28, 2020
ABC News
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the stay-at-home measures and disruptions to daily life that aimed to slow the spread of the virus and save lives led many public health specialists to worry that the nation also could see an uptick in suicides, drug overdoses and domestic violence. Nine months later, those grim predictions look like they're coming true. "There is a mental health wave to this pandemic," Dr. Ken Duckworth, CMO of NAMI, told ABC News. "We as a species don't do well with uncertainty." People age 18 to 25 may be the most affected group, Duckworth explained. "We need to take a look at the age impact," Duckworth added. "In the age where identity is developed, young adults are missing college." "This pandemic isn't going anywhere," Duckworth said. "My advice is: Lower expectations, stay connected with people, reach out for professional help when needed, don't skip your flu shot and remain physically active."
READ MOREPosted on October 27, 2020
Washington Post
The killing of Walter Wallace Jr. on a Philadelphia street Monday afternoon became the latest police shooting to prompt outraged protests in a year that has been regularly punctuated by them. His family said he suffered from mental illness and angrily questioned why police had not used nonlethal methods to subdue him. “Unfortunately this is something that happens all the time. It’s been happening day after day, year after year,” said Angela Kimball, national director of public policy and advocacy for NAMI. “It is just now that communities are starting to say, ‘No, this is wrong.’” A better solution, she said, is for communities to establish teams of “mental health professionals who are trained at de-escalating. They’re not in uniform. They’re not shouting. They’re able to establish rapport and connect someone to treatment and support.”
READ MOREPosted on October 27, 2020
Washington Post
Seasonal depression, known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD is a type of depression that occurs when it gets colder, there’s less light and it’s more difficult to get outside. Mental health experts worry that, because the pandemic has already triggered depressive symptoms in many Americans, more people will experience seasonal depressive symptoms this winter. Although only a small percentage of people typically report seasonal depression (most estimates put it at 6% of the U.S. population for severe symptoms and 14% for mild symptoms), Wright says she wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another increase in depressive symptoms among the population in general as the cold weather compounds social isolation. Get a light box or SAD lamp: These are lamps specifically created to mimic outdoor light. Ken Duckworth, CMO of NAMI, says people with SAD should use one for a couple of hours in the morning during the winter.
READ MOREPosted on October 23, 2020
Poynter.org
For years, Latinos have faced challenges in obtaining culturally competent mental health care. And the need is only growing during the pandemic, as practitioners across the country receive more referrals from patients within the Latinx community. Only 5.5% of psychologists can provide services in Spanish, according to a 2015 APA survey, and U.S. Census data shows only 7% of psychologists identify as Hispanic. Mónica Villalta, the national director of inclusion and diversity at NAMI, is well aware of this void in mental health services. “When you add the added layer that those services are costly, that the system is complicated, and that many of the individuals in our community do not have insurance to begin with,” she said, “prior to 2020 we were already in a sort of a crisis.” That crisis, Villalta and other mental health professionals across the country say, is amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic as Latinos are disproportionately impacted by the virus and cope with the trauma, stress and anxiety that comes with family deaths, illness, economic uncertainty, and social isolation. According to CDC data, Latinos comprise nearly 30% of the country’s COVID-19 cases, yet make up 18% of the U.S. population.
READ MOREPosted on October 21, 2020
Everyday Health
Systemic racism and hostile racial environments are nothing new in the United States, but 2020 has marked a significant milestone in awareness and lack of tolerance for it. Ironically, while this upheaval signals the potential for change, it has also put a strain on the mental health of many Black Americans, whose stress may be increased by media reports of violence and police brutality. “Racism is a public health crisis,” says Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of NAMI. In fact, a growing body of research shows that experiencing racism increases the risk for anxiety, ulcers, insomnia, mood swings, and emotional and social withdrawal. Even in cases in which Black Americans are resilient, have support, and practice self-care, overcoming stress rooted in systemic and constant discrimination remains a challenge. The article provides a list of organizations offering help.
READ MOREPosted on October 20, 2020
Hartford Business Journal: CT
As a manager you might think that your workplace is a safe space to discuss and get help for mental health issues, but your reports likely disagree, according to new data from local insurance giant The Hartford. A majority of employers (68%) said they’d created “an open and inclusive work environment” in regards to mental health, but only 42% of workers agreed, a recent survey by the insurer found. The survey was announced as part of a new alliance between The Hartford and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a leading nonprofit. The two plan to work together to reduce the stigma around mental health issues in the workplace and get those in search of support the help they need. “Especially during these difficult times, treatment can make a positive impact on anyone struggling with their mental health,” said Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO of NAMI. “We call on fellow business leaders to join us in creating a new standard for employee benefits that include mental health resources which not only improve the lives of employees, but also the overall success of the company.”
READ MOREPosted on October 19, 2020
The Hill: Changing America
President Trump signed the Suicide Designation Act of 2020 into law on Saturday, designating 988 as the dial code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Founded in 2004, the network of 161 crisis centers is backed by the federal government and provides a toll-free number for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The law also allows states to enact fees to offer these expanded services, in the same way they currently do for 911. “The need for 9-8-8 is urgent. Without appropriate care, people with mental illness end up on our streets, in jails and in emergency departments — and dying in tragic encounters with law enforcement,” said Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., NAMI CEO, in a statement. “By signing this bill into law, we are making real progress toward ensuring people in crisis get help, not handcuffs. We are grateful to Congress and the FCC for their efforts in moving this legislation forward and making 9-8-8 a reality.” The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the health care system and made it difficult for many Americans to access vital mental health services.
READ MOREPosted on October 19, 2020
Forbes
Make sure that you get some mental health support if you need it. Oh, by the way, doing so may mess up your career. After all, over the years, relatively little has been done to alleviate one of the big barriers to doctors seeking mental health services: career and licensure concerns. But recently, KIND Healthy Snacks and the National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) have launched an effort to change such situations. They’ve started petitions on Change.org for medical boards in five states (Florida, Wyoming, Alabama, Oklahoma and Idaho) to stop asking overly-intrusive mental health questions on their medical license applications. In this way, KIND and NAMI are asking medical boards to be kinder to physicians, so to speak.
READ MOREPosted on October 12, 2020
CNN Health
The Covid-19 pandemic has been somewhat unique in that the crisis has continued for an extended period. Such moments of uncertainty can take a significant toll on those already facing mental health challenges. "Any loss of social support can have a meaningful impact on people with mental illness," said Katherine Ponte, founder of the online peer support community ForLikeMinds and lives with bipolar 1 disorder (NAMI Blog writer and NAMI-NYC Board member). During the last week of March, Ponte and researchers at Yale University School of Medicine conducted an online survey that included 193 people who self-identified as living with a mental illness. The survey, published in Psychiatric Services, found that most of those living with a mental illness (98%) said they had at least one major concern related to the Covid-19 pandemic. "I definitely feared that my mental illness would get worse," she said. "In the past, my manic episodes have been triggered by world tragedies." Ponte also emphasized that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In response to trauma, some people can experience what is called "tragic optimism," which occurs when someone remains hopeful and builds resilience. These responses can culminate in what is referred to as post-traumatic growth. Ponte said that her hope for the nation is growth after trauma.
READ MORENAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).