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Dear Friend: Here's some important updates from FAMI-Alberta.
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FAMI meetings Dec 10 and Jan 7
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FAMI-Alberta meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Canadian Mental Health Association - Edmonton Region (CMHA-ER) Training Room:
10010 105 Street NW, Room 300
(Transition Place) Edmonton
If the door is locked, press the intercom button and stand immediately in front of the door.
The December 10 meeting will have updates on FAMI activities - hear more about our conference planned for May 22, opportunities to get involved (see below), preliminary results of our questionnaire about involuntary treatment, future FAMI activities and LEAP training (to help someone with Anosognosia accept treatment). There will be plenty of time for sharing and discussing our struggles and victories. Copies of Dr. Xavier Amador's book I am Not Sick, I don't Need Help will be available for purchase ($20 cash or e-transfer).
The first meeting in the new year will be held January 7 - note this is a week earlier than usual. There will be a presentation by Dr. Melanie Robles about how anti-psychotic medications work in the brain.
Each meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Hope to see you there!
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More free LEAP Training sessions
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If you're a family member of someone with anosognosia for serious mental illness (does not believe they are ill) and refuses treatment, then LEAP can help.
The main reason people with serious mental illness refuse treatment is Anosognosia — a brain-based symptom that impairs the ability to see their own illness. LEAP® (Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner) is an evidence-based program that teaches you how to create an alliance with your loved one that can lead to treatment and recovery.
The next sessions will be held on Saturday January 11 and February 1, 2020 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm in south Edmonton. Topics include:
- Identifying Anosognosia vs. "denial"
- Lowering anger, resistance & defensiveness
- Re-establishing trust & broken relationships
- Creating an alliance that leads to treatment.
These are free of charge for family members of someone with mental illness who doesn’t acknowledge their illness and won't accept treatment. Other courses can be arranged for other groups, e.g., mental health professionals, law enforcement or others working with those who have a serious mental illness.
The instructor has been trained personally by world-renowned psychologist Dr. Xavier Amador, author of I am not Sick, I Don’t Need Help.
If you want more information, send an email. If you have a family member who isn't aware of their illness and you want them to try treatment, REGISTER HERE.
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Are you a good writer or aspiring editor? Would you like to reach a growing audience (currently over 400)? Would you like to edit this newsletter? We're looking for some "fresh blood" to take over the newsletter editing - training provided if needed. Learn to use MailChimp and keep abreast of the latest FAMI news.
Are you good at proofreading? Can you write concisely for the web? Are you able to work collaboratively? We're looking for some reviewers to read over our website, find dead links, suggest new areas to add and old information to remove. Our site is being discovered by more families in need, and by other agencies as we now appear near the top of searches. As it grows, it needs more maintenance to keep it fresh and up-to-date.
These positions would be well-suited for newer members wanting to get involved, and can be done in your own home. If you're interested or want more information, please contact Tim.
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We've had over 60 responses to our questionnaire on involuntary hospitalization and treatment - and more are needed. The questionnaire will be concluded at year's end, so please take 3 minutes to complete it now. Your responses will help us in our advocacy work.
If you've had a family member or loved one who has been hospitalized involuntarily, please:
Note: You can also access the questionnaire from our homepage: famialberta.ca
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Save a Life by Supporting the Distress Line Breakfast!
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Join key business and community stakeholders and support the Distress Line which answers over 1,300 calls per month with the majority being related to suicide and family violence.
On January 29, 2020, Bell Let’s Talk is the Presenting Sponsor of CMHA-Edmonton’s Distress Line Breakfast. It costs $75 to operate the Distress Line for one hour. How many calls can you support?
Event: Distress Line Breakfast
Date: January 29, 2020
Location: Chateau Lacombe (Ballroom) 10111 Bellamy Hill, Edmonton, AB T5J 1N7
Time: Formal Program 7:25 am to 8:30 am with doors opening at 7:00 am.
Please join Averie at this event by purchasing ticket(s) and indicating in the Table Preference field in the online form McNary-FAMIA Table.
How many calls can you support?
To purchase your tickets, click here. ($50/ticket )
Unable to attend and wish to make a donation, click here.
We hope to raise $45,000 with expenses of $12,000. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for Making Mental Health Matter!
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Changes to the Mental Health Act
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In passing Bill 22, an omnibus bill involving numerous pieces of legislation, the provincial government made a few changes to the Mental Health Act. Most significantly, Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) are now automatically reviewed after a year, rather than 6 months as it was previously. This change has been in development for years, based on data showing that the vast majority of CTOs are renewed after six months. It has nothing to do with the current ruling that pieces of the Act are unconstitutional.
The government also reduced the size of review panels from 4 to 3 (the chair, a psychiatrist and a member of the public), and allows for hearing to be held by telephone or video conference. We have had no word on when public input will be allowed into that process.
If you want to express your opinion on any legislation to your elected representative, you can find your MLA here.
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Support Groups and Webinars
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The free, weekly family drop-in program Caregiver Connections resumes on December 12 and will run every Thursday (except Boxing Day) from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at CMHA - Transition Place, 300 - 10010 105 Street, Edmonton. The program addresses topics such as managing stress, preventing burnout, family dynamics, communication skills, promoting recovery and navigating supports and services. For more information call 780-414-6300 or email main@cmha-edmonton.ab.ca.
This and other support groups are listed on the support page of the FAMI-Alberta website.
The Schizophrenia Society of Alberta is presenting the webinar: An Update On Add-on Therapies For Schizophrenia on Monday December 9 from 7-9 pm. Description: Combining medications with other therapies can be effective in the recovery phase of schizophrenia. In this webinar, different forms of add-on therapies for schizophrenia will be reviewed, including behavioral and social skills training, individual and family interventions, cognitive remediation and psychosocial (social and vocational) skills training. A first-person account will provide insight into the first-hand experience of some of these programs in Alberta. REGISTER HERE
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Our website famialberta.ca had a recent makeover - the homepage now highlights important events and resources, and new sections are always being added.
Our Facebook group continues to be a safe space for sharing articles, concerns and support.
Our Twitter account regularly posts articles of interest.
And, this newsletter reaches a growing audience every month. If you know someone who wants to subscribe, or if you've had this forwarded to you and want to receive it directly, sign up here.
If you have anything you'd like to share with us, please let us know.
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