National Alliance on Mental Illness
page printed from NAMI Idaho
 

 NAMI Idaho
President’s Annual Report
2012

The NAMI Idaho Board was very active this year, holding ten conference call meetings and three in-person meetings.  Again this year, in-person Board meetings were held in each of the three NAMI Regions, allowing affiliates direct access to the Board so that at least once a year they can observe the Board in action, participate in the meetings, and make sure the Board is aware of their concerns and needs.  The Board held its January meeting in the West Region (Boise),  its May meeting in the East Region (Idaho Falls) and its September Annual  Meeting in the North Region(Sandpoint). 

The Board’s 2012 accomplishments are grouped below by subject matter, making it easier to comprehend the scope of the Board’s work.

Organizational Activities:

- The Board complied with all requirements to become chartered as a state NAMI organization under the new Standards of Excellence.
     - Adopted an Inclusion, Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy.
     - Adopted a Code of Ethics Policy.
     - Created Regional Conferences in lieu of a state-wide conference with the permission of NAMI – recognizing the excessive cost of travel and geography of Idaho
          o Held the first East Region Conference in May in Idaho Falls
          o Held the first North Region Conference in Sandpoint in conjunction with the September Annual Meeting.
- Electronically published a quarterly NAMI Idaho electronic newsletter to approximately 1,500 addresses in June 2012 and September 2012.
- Amended the NAMI Idaho Bylaws to comply with the Standards of Excellence.  The amendments were first approved by the Board and then formally approved by the Members of NAMI Idaho at the September Annual Meeting.
- NAMI Idaho was determined by the NAMI Board of Directors to have complied with all the required Standards of Excellence and officially signed the charter agreement at the NAMI National Convention in Seattle in June.  At that time only 16 states had been chartered with ten states being chartered at the Convention. Of the 23 states now chartered by NAMI, Idaho is the only state with no paid state organization staff.

- Created and distributed to the Board a Director Handbook containing all pertinent state organization information. 

- Established Bi-monthly conference call meetings with the Affiliate Presidents

- Created a template for Idaho Affiliates Bylaws compliant with Idaho state law and the Standards of Excellence and approved by the NAMI national staff.

Educational Activities:

- Established a goal of having trainers for each NAMI Signature program in each NAMI Idaho Region.
     o Paid for 2 people to attend the IOOV Train the Trainer classes in St. Louis
     o Arranged a NAMI scholarship to train 2 people in the NAMI SMARTS advocacy training program and covered all the incidental expenses not covered by NAMI.

- Received two grants to fund our educational efforts including Board development.

- Helped to organize and encourage inter-regional attendance at trainings in NAMI Connection, Family Support Group Facilitation, Family-to-Family, and Peer to Peer.
 
CIT Activities:

- Administered Byrne/Jag grant funds
     o Provided funding for CIT Train the Trainer programs taught by University of Memphis personnel in Boise in October and in Sandpoint in February.
     o Supported all 7 DHW regions in their development of CIT programs through an Idaho CIT Workgroup headed by NAMI Idaho Director Ann Wimberley.
     o Made additional CIT funding available to all of the Regions under the grant

Advocacy Activities:

- At the start of the legislative session, NAMI Idaho Directors met personally with approximately half of the state legislators and many agency personnel in Boise during January Advocacy Days
     o Talking point papers were created for all the Directors on the various subjects that might be raised in their visits
     o A packet of information was left with each legislator containing an introduction to NAMI, facts and figures concerning mental illness, and NAMI Idaho’s four main 2012 legislative issues: mental health budget, the proposed Medicaid Managed Care System for Mental Health Services, support for the Suicide Prevention Hotline and serious concerns relating to Idaho’s Mental Health System.
 
- Provided written testimony to the state Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee on access to psychiatric medications.

- Submitted written comments to the Idaho Division of Medicaid regarding the “Demonstration Proposal to Integrate Care for Dual Eligibles”.

- Submitted written comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the establishment of health insurance exchanges and qualified health plan requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

- Submitted written comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on the essential health benefit package under the Affordable Care Act.

- Provided written and oral testimony to the Idaho Health Care Task Force regarding our views on Medicaid Managed Care as it relates to mental health services.

- Issued a press release regarding the NAMI report on state budget cuts to mental health emphasizing Idaho’s position as one of the nation’s top ten budget cutters over the last 4 years.

- Wrote a formal response to the DHW white paper on “Transforming Idaho’s Behavioral Health System”.  

NAMI Idaho’s success this year was highlighted by the signing of the NAMI state chartering agreement at the NAMI National Convention where our state organization was recognized by the NAMI Board and staff for its efforts.  Much has been accomplished this year but there is so much more to do.  NAMI Idaho will continue to strive to actively represent the interests of individuals living with mental illness and their families.  I want to thank the Directors for all of their hard work and dedication.

Doug McKnight, President
NAMI Idaho

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