NAMI of Connecticut, Inc

As State officials have repeatedly acknowledged, persons diagnosed with serious mental illness are being denied access to Connecticut’s alternative incarceration and early release programs. As a result, these individuals are more likely to be incarcerated, and to remain in prison longer than others charged with similar criminal offenses.

Connecticut Legal Rights Project is looking for people with mental illness who were denied jail diversion because of a lack of residential facilities. In other words, a person who was arrested, recommended for jail diversion, and then refused jail diversion by the judge because of a need for (unavailable) residential services. These people are likely to be in either Garner or York Correctional Institution now. CLRP is also concerned about their equal access to early release programs from DOC. If you have a family member or friend in prison who fits this description, please contact CLRP at 860-262-5034 or toll-free at 877-402-2299.

This study examines the impact of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) on symptoms, physiological arousal, stressors, and the ways to deal with them in individuals with schizophrenia. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the role cognitive coping strategies play in mediating the link between stress, physiological arousal and psychotic symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia during recovery from psychosis.

Location: Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY.

Study Design: All participants will complete either standard psychiatric treatment or 26-weeks of weekly, individual Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) to target hallucinations and delusions in addition to standard psychiatric treatment. Participants will complete four research assessments at the beginning of the study and after 10, 20, and 30 weeks. These will include interviews, questionnaires, and neuropsychological tests, as well as monitoring sessions of heart rate and experiences. Urine samples will be collected at the initial and at the Week 30 assessments.

Participants may receive up to $350 (over ~6 months) for completing the four research assessments including the interviews, questionnaires, neuropsychological tests, monitoring sessions of heart rate and experiences, and providing two urine samples.

Do You Hear Voices?
Yale Treatment Study
Investigational Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations (Voices) using
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation being studied.

Subjects remain on usual medications.
All transportation and hospital costs covered.
No injections or drugs given.

For further information contact Joan
at 203-737-2762; Yale School of Medicine,
Department of Psychiatry
Yale School of Medicine HIC # 27023

NAMI Connection support groups are held weekly, and are open to anyone who need support as they recover, regardless of diagnosis. Each group is facilitated by people in recovery who have reached a point in their journey where they want to assist others. They are trained and certified by NAMI to conduct Connection groups.

AVON

HARTFORD

PUTNAM

A program of NAMI Windham County

STAMFORD/GREENWICH

WILLIMANTIC

Beth (860) 208-6002

CONSUMER RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUP FACILITATOR TRAININGS

NAMI Connecticut has a great opportunity for consumers who want to empower others as they recover from mental illness, by becoming a NAMI Connection Support Group Facilitator.

Trainings are held at least once a year. We announce them in this section once a training has been scheduled.

NAMI Connection support groups are run by people recovering from mental illnesses who want to empower others who are in recovery. Facilitating a Connection group is an excellent opportunity to use your experience to give back to others.

To manage mental illness, free on-line video and workbook focus on diet, exercise, smoking cessation

Arlington, VA—Treating mental illness does not depend on medication or talk therapy alone. It’s a matter of mind and body, especially the heart.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is making its “Hearts and Minds” program available for the first time, free of charge, through a video and workbook at www.nami.org/heartsandminds.

“Too often, the medical profession and society focus on mental illness alone—which may stigmatize a person. Any individual living with a mental illness needs to be treated as a whole person,“ said NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, M.D., who narrates the video.

The Hearts & Minds program supports self-management of chronic illnesses such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia through a comprehensive approach that focuses on whole body health, including diet, exercise, and smoking cessation.

“You should never have to choose between a healthy mind and a healthy body,” says a woman in the video.

“Everything has to work together in order for you to be well. You have to take care of yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet.”

People with mental illnesses are more prone to die from heart disease than the general population. This is due to higher levels of smoking, diabetes, poor diet and inactivity, all things that people have control over, but pose greater challenges when mental illness is involved.

The 26 page workbook offers shopping tips, a food substitution guide, recipes from a variety of cultures, and general healthcare guidelines. The 13 minute video features commentary about the importance of healthy lifestyles from both men and women who have made positive changes in their lives.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Video available on-line. Dr. Duckworth is available for interview.

STATEMENT OF MIKE FITZPATRICK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI)

NAMI is extremely grateful to Acting CMS Administrator Leslie Norwalk for agreeing to extend the waiver of the late enrollment penalty for individuals eligible for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program for 2007. As the nation’s largest organization representing individuals with severe mental illness and their families, NAMI is extremely pleased that low-income Medicare beneficiaries will be able to enroll in prescription drug coverage without facing a financial penalty. Extending this waiver forward is critical to reaching our shared goal of enrolling everyone who is eligible to receive the LIS and access affordable medications with no gap in coverage.

NO MEDICARE PART D LATE ENROLLMENT PENALTY
FOR LOW-INCOME ENROLLEES, CMS SAYS

CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk announced the elimination of the 2007 late enrollment penalty for any beneficiary eligible for the low income subsidy for a Part D plan even if they failed to sign up by the program’s initial deadline.

Generally, Medicare beneficiaries who are qualified to join a prescription drug plan, or Part D, but choose not to enroll during their initial enrollment period, may be subject to a late enrollment penalty (LEP). These fees were intended to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for the drug coverage plan when they first become eligible, but may cause some low-income beneficiaries to avoid seeking coverage.

“It is very important that we remove whatever barriers may be preventing low-income beneficiaries from taking advantage of this great, cost-saving program,” said Ms. Norwalk. “This is our most difficult population to reach and the one for which we continue to focus our efforts. By continuing to remove the fear of a late enrollment penalty for those who may not be able to pay, we are taking a positive step aimed at broader coverage for everyone.”

By taking today’s action, CMS is continuing the same protection against the LEP for low-income Medicare beneficiaries as it did during last year’s launch of the massive new program. Under the initiative announced today, certain low-income Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan with no penalty through December 31, 2007.

The program is aimed at seniors who qualify for extra help paying for their Medicare prescription drug coverage. Certain other groups are also exempt from the late enrollment penalty, such as those who qualify for Medicare for the first time in 2007 and enroll in a prescription drug plan during their initial enrollment period.

There are two simple steps that a potential low-income beneficiary can take to secure Part D coverage. First, they can check with the Social Security Administration to determine eligibility for extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage. Second, once the person is declared eligible for the low income subsidy, they can apply for drug coverage, with the late enrollment penalty waived.

Those who qualify for the low-income subsidy can join a prescription drug plan anytime throughout 2007. If they do not enroll on their own, Medicare will enroll them in the prescription drug plan that is most suitable for them.

For more information, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, or visit www.socialsecurity.gov on the web. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778

With RIDESHARE CONNECTICUT, you can ride in the Manchester area for as little as ten dollars, per ride (round trip). If you travel outside of the Manchester area, you can ride for as little as fifteen or twenty dollars, per ride (round trip).

You are picked up, and dropped off, at your door. You can select the time you wish to be picked up, and dropped off.

All you have to do is make a reservation at least twenty-four hours in advance. The RIDESHARE CONNECTICUT MiniVan so very comfortably carries up to five people, per ride. And, if there is a seat available, you receive an immediate confirmation. If there is NOT a seat available, you will be placed on a waiting list, at your option. Priority is given to pre-paid reservations in the Manchester area.

RideSharing for the disabled: our priority is to provide rides for the disabled, primarily in the Manchester area. Please note, however, that the minivan is NOT handicapped accessible.

If you wish to travel on a weekly or monthly basis (five consecutive days or longer), there is a twenty-five percent discount in the Manchester area. Outside of the Manchester area, there is a fifty percent discount. To receive a discount, and to select a specific time for drop off and pickup, the fee must be pre-paid.

Trips outside of Connecticut are considered, but must be negotiated. An increased fee will apply and, substantially, with overnight trips.

RIDESHARE CONNECTICUT is a charitable, non-commercial, and personal venture, to promote pleasure and to provide adventure, empowering and encouraging disabled people and seniors in the Manchester, Connecticut area. High priority is given to meet the explorational needs, and the minimal wants, of disabled people within our community. Some of us are seniors.

Currently, rides in the Manchester area are infrequent, and are not scheduled regularly. Summer trips, scheduled whenever possible, are primarily journeys to Harkness Memorial State Park, located in Waterford. Harkness Memorial State Park heartily welcomes, and provides programs for disabled people, free of charge. During the warm weather, we enjoy camping, kite flying, model airplanes, and swimming. It allows us to have some fun in life, while we gainfully participate in healthy activities, which prevent us from dangerous and harmful isolation.

Should this venture become financially stable, the frequency and scope of activities will be increased. At that time, and hopefully by 2008, RIDESHARE CONNECTICUT will seek non-profit status. As a small group, we are already charitable, helping one another in our immediate circle, by sharing our extremely-limited resources.

For Immediate Release Contact: Alexis O’Brien

January 30 2007 703.312.7893

Arlington, VA— The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will significantly expand its support group program for people with mental illnesses to all 50 states and Puerto Rico by 2009, thanks to an exclusive multi-year partnership with AstraZeneca, LP.

NAMI C.A.R.E. (Consumers Advocating Recovery through Empowerment) is a recovery model in which individuals who live with serious mental illnesses share experiences in safe, confidential environments and learn coping skills. The weekly 90-miinute meetings also help to overcome the isolation often experienced by mental health consumers.

“We look forward to enhancing an already successful partnership with AstraZeneca through the expansion of NAMI-C.A.R.E,” said Suzanne Vogel-Scibilia, M.D., president of the NAMI national board. The program is especially important because building a strong support system provides the foundation for recovery. Many people with mental illness try to recover alone, but a powerful healing process occurs when people find that they have peers who share their experiences.”

“Because patient health is at the foundation of everything we do, we are pleased to be part of a program that will have a dramatic impact on the health of people with mental illness,” said Tony Zook, president and chief executive officer of AstraZeneca LP. “Our responsibility goes well beyond just making medicines. We are committed to help making available the supportive services that patients need also.”

NAMI-C.A.R.E. began with a NAMI affiliate in suburban Chicago, Illinois and has spread to various cities. The expansion aims to have a support group in every major city nationwide, in English and Spanish, with standard training and materials.

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders.

AstraZeneca is a one of the world’s leading international health care businesses, engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services.

Do You Hear Voices? Yale Treatment Study Investigational Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations (Voices) using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation being studied.