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182 Farmers Lane, Suite 202
Santa Rosa CA 95405
Warmline: 866-960-6264 | warmline@namisoco.org | www.namisoco.org
February 2019 E-News
Do You Know our Board of Directors?
 
Our board leadership includes: Mark Beiting, President; Leah Taylor, Vice President - Membership; Ron Stever, Treasurer; and David Hall, Secretary. Our directors-at-large include: Christina Sanford, RN; Jon Smith, Rita Constantini, Lieutenant John Cregan and Irenne Magoulas, LCSW. You'll find information about each member and their interest in mental health at https://namisonomacounty.org/board-members.

The board meets every other month, on the third Wednesday of the month, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. These general meetings are open to our membership and visitors, and held in our office at 182 Farmers Lane, Suite 202, in Santa Rosa. If you are interested in attending, we suggest that you contact us in advance by emailing mfwalsh@namisoco.org to ensure access to the building. The doors lock automatically at 6:00 pm and we don't want you to be inadvertently locked out!
Expand your Mental Health Awareness & Knowledge at These 2019 NAMI Conferences

NAMI members and non-members alike are now able to register for two separate annual conferences taking place later this year. Both offer educational sessions, exhibits, panels and presentations focused on mental health, recovery, policy, research and leadership.
  • The NAMI California Conference will be held May 31 - June 1, 2019 at the Newport Beach Marriott in Newport Beach, CA. Visit http://www.namica.org to learn more and to register.
  • The NAMI National Convention will be held from June 19-22, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle, WA. Visit nami.org http://www.nami.org to learn more and to register.
Single-day passes, member and youth rates, and scholarships may be available for each conference; please check their corresponding websites to learn more.

Free Wildfire Support Group Continues!

Our free weekly drop-in group is still meeting! The group, facilitated by NAMI Education and Support Services Manager Susan Dunn, M.A., offers support and strategies for enhancing the mental health to anyone affected by the wildfires. No pre-registration is necessary.

The group uses "Skills for Psychological Recovery" (SPR), a program created by the Veteran Administration's National Center for PTSD. Attendees will:
  • Learn to manage reactions from ongoing triggers
  • Gain social support from others going through similar experiences
  • Solve problems and gain a sense of accomplishment and confidence
  • Protect physical and mental health from the harmful effects of long-term stress
  • Enhance life satisfaction with positive social relationships and nurturing activities
  • Create a sense of purpose and hope from experiences of loss and suffering
Meetings are on Tuesdays, 12:30 - 1:30 PM at the NAMI Sonoma County office (182 Farmers Lane, Suite 202) and 5:30 - 6:30 PM at the Airport Health Club (432 Aviation Blvd, Santa Rosa). For more information, call (866) 960-6264 or email warmline@namisoco.org.
IMD Exclusion Waiver: Should California Apply?
 
The "IMD exclusion" is a longstanding federal law that prohibits federal Medicaid reimbursements for mental health treatment in inpatient facilities larger than 16 beds. An "IMD" is an outdated term, meaning an "institute of mental disease." 

In November 2018, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced regulatory changes that will allow states to seek waivers from that restriction, provided they can satisfy certain requirements. States must apply for permission to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and be able to demonstrate that their plans are part of a "continuum" of services for people with mental illness.

Some express concern that waiving this restriction could cause a spike in federal spending. Advocates respond that similar restrictions are not imposed on other diseases and that treatment may well save money over the long run by avoiding other costs.

Learn more in a blog post by Mark Gale, Criminal Justice Chair of the NAMI Los Angeles County Council. Read the post here.
ABLE Accounts Available in California
 
ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings and investment accounts for individuals with disabilities and their families, created as a result of the 2014 federal ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act. These accounts allow individuals who become disabled before the age of 26 to save and invest in a tax-advantaged account, without losing eligibility for certain means-tested public benefit programs like Medi-Cal and Social Security Income (SSI). You can find Fact Sheets and contact information for questions online at https://calable.gov and at www.treasurer.ca.gov/able.
Sonoma County Patient Rights Advocacy Services Outsourced to The SmithWaters Group 
 
Patient Rights Advocacy (PRA) services for Sonoma County Behavioral Health have been contracted out to The SmithWaters Group, a professional PRA organization headquartered in Sacramento. SmithWaters previously provided advocacy services for Napa, Lake and Sacramento counties.

Persons with mental illness have the same legal rights guaranteed all other persons by the federal and state constitutions and laws, unless specifically limited by laws or regulations. Some of these rights include:
  • Timely access to care
  • Respectful treatment
  • Receive information on available treatment options
  • Informed consent to treatment and prescribed medication
  • Request to receive a copy of medical records
  • Culturally competent services
  • Confidential care and record-keeping
Patient Rights Advocacy duties include: oversight of the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Certification Hearing Process; grievance response from clients, staff and community members; mandated PRA audits; PRA & LPS trainings; and quarterly and annual reports on Patients’ Rights Services.

For questions and assistance, The SmithWaters Group can be contacted by calling 707-565-4978 or 707-501-3298. Be sure to leave a message with your name and contact information for follow up.  
Stanford University and UC Berkeley Looking
for Participants in Studies on Schizophrenia 
 
Two universities seek participants for ongoing studies on schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
  1. VA-Stanford Study: Looking for individuals between the ages of 18 and 55 to participate in a study seeking to discover the brain changes associated with schizophrenia. Participation will entail interviews, computer testing, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Participants will be compensated up to $135. A confidential phone screen will be conducted to determine eligibility; call 650-849-1930 to learn more.
     
  2. UC Berkeley Study: Looking for individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 to participate in a study on a new psychological intervention for people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Participants must speak fluent English, have one of the aforementioned diagnoses, and have no history of a major head injury or neurological disease. Participation may entail a series of interviews and a twelve-week therapy group. Participants will be compensated $15 per hour, as well as for travel and parking. Call 510-643-4098 to learn more.
Let us know what you think!

Have you had experiences -- positive or negative -- that you would be willing to share that relate to the IMD exclusion, the ABLE program, or the Patients Rights Advocacy Office? Are you interested in serving on the NAMI Sonoma County Board of Directors?

If you have comments or questions about topics in this newsletter, or suggestions for NAMI Sonoma County, please contact me at mfwalsh@namisoco.org.


- Mary-Frances Walsh
Executive Director

Thank You!

We are grateful to our generous supporters, especially those who responded to our 2018 Annual Appeal. You make it possible for us to provide our educational programs, community mental health presentations, support groups and Warmline services at no cost to participants. If you are interested in finding out how to support us, please visit our website at http://www.namisoco.org or email our Executive Director at mfwalsh@namisoco.org. 
Copyright © 2019 NAMI Sonoma County, All rights reserved.


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