NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) Eastside hosts educational forums at Evergreen Hospital on the third Tuesday of each month. Our April 15, 2008 program will feature Seth Dawson, former Snohomish County prosecuting attorney, and now Human Services Contract Lobbyist for Washington State. Mr. Dawson will summarize the mental health legislation and budgetary provisions enacted by the 2008 Washington State Legislature. Please join us 7pm – 9pm, Suite Tan 100 at Evergreen Hospital, 12303 NE 130th Lane in Kirkland. Future forum topics include Schizophrenia, Sleep Disorders, and Housing among others. Please contact the NAMI Eastside office for more information at (425) 885-NAMI (6264) or via email at info@nami-eastside.org. All programs are FREE and open to the public.

May 20, 2008, “Schizophrenia” Dr. Alan Radant, staff psychiatrist at the VA Puget Sound Medical Center, specializes in schizophrenia. Last year he gave an excellent presentation on differences between schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder. This year we have asked him to provide an update on research, medications, and answer your questions. People that attended last year thought he was great. I hope you can join us.

June 17, 2008, “Good Sleep” , Dr. Matthias K. Lee, Virginia Mason Sleep Disorders Center. Sleep disorders are a common characteristic of several mental illness. Find out more about it and what you can do by joining us for this exciting presentation. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.

NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) annual “NAMIWalks for the Mind of America” will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Magnuson Park at Sand Point in Seattle. One in four families is impacted by mental illness. NAMI affiliates provide support to people with mental illness, their family and friends, by offering free support groups, classes and educational forums. This annual walk provides funds for continued outreach to those in need and helps raise awareness about the stigma of mental illness. This year our keynote speaker will be Attorney General Rob McKenna. Registration is free and can be done on line at www.nami.org/namiwalks/WA or at the park on walk day. Become a walker or form a team of your own. Call (206) 935-4170 or email nami@lments.net for more information.

Although this is the largest annual fundraiser for the Washington State affiliates, its goal is actually two-fold.  The main purpose of the walk is to raise public awareness about the reality of mental illness thereby reducing the stigma associated with it.  Although walk participation is growing slowly every year, our message doesn’t seem to be getting out.  We need your help to spread the word.  Contact NAMI Eastside, (425) 885-6264 or via email at info@nami-eastside.org for information on how to recruit people for the NAMI Walk, establish teams, and get posters about the walk on every store window in your neighborhood.  Thank you. .

Survivors of Suicide (SOS) Announces the 2008 Out of the Darkness Overnight Event Seattle, June 21-22, 2008 Plan now to be a part of this first-ever Seattle Out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk. Not a walker? Join us as a crew member!

The walk supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To join the Auburn-Olympia-Tacoma SOS Team, go to www.theovernight.org , click on ‘register online’ and follow the prompts, or call 888-TheOvernight (888-843-6837) for assistance in registering. By walking you help support the following: Research to improve the understanding of biological, genetic and psychosocial factors that contribute to suicide.

Suicide prevention on college campuses through the dissemination of an educational film, The Truth about Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College National Survivors of Suicide Day conferences which inform, and empower families and friends bereaved by suicide. Creation of new survivor support groups and strengthening of existing groups through training. Local suicide prevention programs.

Also please make an announcement: The last meeting of the Depression Support Group will be Thursday, March 27, 2008. The group has been meeting at the Family Resource Center Campus in Redmond and is closing due to lack of attendance.

If there is sufficient interest, the group may restart in the Fall. Consumers are urged to attend the C.A.R.E. (Consumers Advocating Recovery through Empowerment) Support Group that meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Community Room in Crossroads Mall, 15600 NE 8th Street, Bellevue. For more information on this group, contact Alexandra Bogaslav at (425) 802-3211.

The Depression Support Group has been cancelled due to a lack of attendance.

SEARCHING FOR: HOARDERS Are you, or someone you know, struggling to overcome hoarding?

Hoarding is a very serious problem affecting millions of Americans and their friends and families. But little is known about this disorder, and too often hoarders are misunderstood and can't find the help they need. We are working on a documentary on the subject of hoarding.

This documentary is driven by the personal stories of hoarders, so viewers will learn about hoarding as they learn about each individual's life. Individuals will be selected because they are at a point where they must change; this gives us opportunity to have some insight into the disorder. Each hoarder will be provided with free professional counseling and free clean-up of their home.

Our hope is that this documentary will help the general public understand hoarding, and help the hoarders on the show as well as others who may be watching to see that they are not alone, and that help is possible. If you, or someone you know, has a problem with hoarding and is interested in sharing their stories, please contact Celia at (206) 763-3383 ext 205 or email at helpforhoarders@gmail.com.

Drama group is forming Group is forming at Seattle Center Community College at 1:30 on thursdays, beginning on October 18th Room 4135.  People who are interested  in learning to do drama are invited. It is sponsored by Circle of Friends for Mental Health.  There is no charge for our classes.  Let Carolyn know 206 325.6386 or hale700@hotmail.com if you plan to come, please. See our flyer for more information.

"The freedom to be wandering the streets, psychotic, ill, deteriorating, and untreated, when there is a reasonable prospect of effective treatment, is not freedom; it is abandonment."

ACLU Handbook on the rights of People with Mental Disabilities.
Circle of Friends for Mental Health link is http://www.cofmentalhealth.org