Posted on October 26, 2021
USA Today
A recent Pew Charitable Trusts survey found few responding call centers have staff with mental health crisis training. Most centers do not have access to mental health professionals who can help with the calls or first responders in the field trained to handle such crises. The data overrepresent areas with predominately white populations. Still, the results provide a snapshot of what people experience every day across the country when they seek help for a mental health crisis: That it often isn't there, said Angela Kimball, national director of government relations, policy and advocacy at NAMI. Only about 2 in 5 centers said they had access to mobile crisis response teams of trained police and clinicians paired. "Millions of people every year experience a mental health crisis, and they deserve to have a response that is not a law enforcement response," Kimball said. The survey found that compared to urban areas, rural 911 call centers were more likely to lack access to behavioral health clinicians to guide the call or connect patients to care. "The hope here is that people are starting to really recognize and name mental health crises. And they want a different response," Kimball said. "So now it is really up to our country to invest in that different response."
READ MOREPosted on October 26, 2021
Capital News Service
A new three-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, set to launch next July, is expected to increase the use of mental health crisis services as access becomes easier. But advocacy organizations worry some states may not have the funding or capacity to support increased use of the “988” hotline and its related programs. “This kind of crisis infrastructure is going to take a lot of communities some time to develop, but they need to get started now,” said Angela Kimball, national director of government relations, policy and advocacy at NAMI. “The real fear though, is that if people call 988 and expect a mental health response, we want them to get a mental health response,” Kimball said. Kimball explained that police calls to mental health emergencies have sometimes led to arrests, inappropriate uses of ERs, as well as deaths. “That kind of trauma and tragedy is the last thing that we need,” Kimball said. “There is a subset of people, about three in 10, for whom the phone call isn’t going to be enough,” Kimball explained. There needs to be available mental health services to address the need for care after someone calls.
READ MOREPosted on October 18, 2021
Gray TV D.C. Bureau
More than 20 years later, Ginger Lenore Phillips said she finally knows what was leading her to abuse drugs. “It’s a mixture of bipolar I and Schizophrenia” she said. Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO said drug-use is a common trend among people either misdiagnosed or improperly diagnosed with mental illness. “A lot of people who are experiencing emotional distress try to change how they feel,” he said. Dr. Duckworth said the shame society places on people experiencing mental distress, lack of open discussion, and access to services are often what drive people to self-medicate. “All contribute to the idea that this should be held in silence, and that leads to trouble for people because these are treatable conditions,” said Dr. Duckworth.
READ MOREPosted on October 14, 2021
INSIDER
Spanish-language speakers often face difficulty accessing mental health resources, but that could change with the launch of the only national Spanish-language text crisis line. People in need of help can now text HOLA to 741741 or text 442-AYUDAME in WhatsApp. The Crisis Text Line experienced a surge in users during the pandemic. In 2020, the English-language text line had about 40% of callers were people of color, with more than 20% of users identifying as Latino. Yet the Spanish-language crisis line will reach a different group of the Latino communities, according to Juan Velez Court, a NAMI consultant. "In Spanish, we have this expression, 'eso es una changería,' which means, this is nonsense, that will go away," Velez Court told Insider. "Latinos use it a lot when it comes to mental illness because there's so much stigma attached to diagnosis and not many Spanish-language resources to educate people." The text component of the crisis resource also makes services more accessible, said Velez Court, because people won't have to worry if someone will recognize their voice or if they start crying.
READ MOREPosted on October 10, 2021
Good Morning America Weekend
For World Mental Health Day, Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, discusses the mental health impact of the pandemic and challenges to our state of mind. He talks about how children and teens are disproportionally affected and provides tips for parents on approaches for an open conversation on mental health concerns.
READ MOREPosted on October 8, 2021
ABC News Live
For a live on-air segment highlighting Mental Illness Awareness Week, Dan Gillison, NAMI CEO, discussed the increase in mental illness amid the pandemic and breaking stigmas that keep many from seeking help. “We meet you where you are, not where we want you to be," he says about helping those struggling with mental health. He talked about starting with a primary care provider for a loved one that might be hesitant about seeking help." Gillison mentioned the NAMI HelpLine extended hours and 800-number; the growth in volunteers to meet demand for resources and support; and compelling year-over-year statistics.
READ MOREPosted on October 5, 2021
SELF
We could all use someone to talk to right now. “It can be really tough to go online and start googling mental health treatment and support because you’ll get a whole slew of responses,” says Christine M. Crawford, M.D., MPH, NAMI associate medical director. “And if you’re already feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and depression or experiencing trauma, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to process all of the information to know where to start.” A potentially more approachable first step: Schedule an appointment with a primary care provider, Dr. Crawford suggests. They can quickly assess your symptoms and guide you in a direction that’s tailored to your unique mental health needs. The article includes the six most common types of therapy, what to expect, what issues they may help, and how to get started finding providers.
READ MOREPosted on October 5, 2021
SELF
Therapy can be incredible. Trying to find a therapist you connect with and can afford? Not so much. If you’d like to bypass a difficult-to-navigate insurance website, call your insurance company and ask insurance to send you a list of in-network therapists in your area. “Tell them exactly what you need,” says Ken Duckworth, M.D., NAMI CMO. “You’re paying them, and [helping you find someone] is part of their obligation.” Fortunately, some providers operate on a sliding scale with some or all of their clients. This means that the amount they charge varies based on factors like a person’s income, although how much of a discount they offer is totally up to them, Dr. Duckworth says. You might be wondering whether these online options are as good as classic therapy. The answer can be yes for some people, as long as you are working with a licensed individual, Dr. Duckworth says. However, the field is still relatively new, rapidly growing, and generally unregulated, Dr. Duckworth explains. It’s key to make sure that you’re getting good care, even if it’s virtual. To help you figure out if you’re on the same page as soon as possible, Dr. Duckworth recommends interviewing your new therapist during your initial consult or first session.
READ MOREPosted on October 5, 2021
PSYCOM
Q&A style article: Psycom spoke with Christine Crawford, M.D., NAMI associate medical director and an adult and child psychiatrist based in Boston. Dr. Crawford shares her expertise and valuable advice on how to interact with a loved one before, during, and after a psychotic episode. The article has a Resources for Psychosis section that includes: The National Alliance on Mental Illness psychosis web page, which has valuable information for caregivers and family members. For more information and support: to learn more about working with law enforcement during a mental health crisis; to be prepared for a mental health crisis; and to find a caregiver support group near you.
READ MOREPosted on September 30, 2021
CBS Mornings
For a live in-studio interview, Dr. Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer of NAMI, spoke about the pandemic’s impact on teen mental health. “If you think about the teen years, socializing and finding your identity are the core developmental. Due to the pandemic, isolation and not feeling safe in the world has made it much harder for teens to cope. As a result, we’re seeing substantially higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. There's still a lot of shame but these are ordinary, common, treatable conditions. We just have to move past this idea that people have to suffer in silence. Some signs for parents to look for are loss of interest in friends, sleep changes, changes in grades, irritability and anger which can be a sign of depression. If your teen is struggling try to speak openly about how they’re feeling and maybe start with your pediatrician.
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NAMI 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).