2019

Suicide Attempts Rising Among Black Teens
Posted on Oct 14 2019
HealthDay
NAMI mentioned
Historically, black teenagers in the U.S. have had lower suicide rates than whites. But a new study in Pediatrics finds that more black teens have been attempting suicide in recent years and experts are not sure why. 
How to Improve Youth Mental Health Outcomes, According to an Expert
Posted on Oct 10 2019
Thrive Global
NAMI mentioned
Editorial Piece by Ken Duckworth, medical director, about a session at the World Economic Forum focused on youth mental health called “Building the Mental Wealth of Young People Globally.” This session was part of a larger goal of improving mental health outcomes across the globe. Youth mental health — including prevention, early support, and services — plays a key role.
Trump's claims and what experts say about mental illness and mass shootings
Posted on Aug 23 2019
ABC News
NAMI mentioned
Reports that under pressure to take action, the president has repeatedly tried to shift the cause of mass shootings away from guns and toward mental illness. There was strong reaction as well from NAMI acting CEO Angela Kimball. "The president should be talking about better care and earlier access to intensive treatment, not revisiting the shameful institutions of our past," she said in a statement. "Words matter, Mr. President. 'These people' are our friends, neighbors, children, spouses. They're not 'monsters,' 'the mentally ill' or 'crazy people' -- they're us. Talking about reinstitutionalization only further marginalizes and isolates the 1 in 5 people with mental illness. Instead, we need to be talking about the power of early treatment and effective intervention to change lives," she said.
'Trauma Doesn’t Go Away By Itself.' How El Paso Is Tackling Mental Health Stigma After the Walmart Mass Shooting
Posted on Aug 20 2019
TIME
NAMI mentioned
Reports that since the mass shooting at Walmart in El Paso, those working in the mental health care field say there has been increasing demand for their services and they believe it may be a turning point in public perception. “It can span from religion, to the belief that [mental illness] just doesn’t exist, or a ‘people just need to get over it’ attitude — sort of machismo culture where you don’t admit anything’s wrong with you, you’re not allowed to cry and you just have to get over something,” says Isidro Torres, director of outreach and fundraising, NAMI El Paso, which has for decades attempted to reduce the stigma in the area. Torres says more resources can help everyone.
Five-Question Interview with Doug Beach, NAMI FaithNet
Posted on Aug 19 2019
Faith in Healthcare
NAMI mentioned
Interview with Doug Beach, Chairperson of NAMI’s FaithNet Advisory Group. FaithNet encourages and supports outreach to faith communities through NAMI’s local and state affiliates across the country. Beach is also a NAMI Family-to-Family instructor and leads a Family Grace faith-based support group for families impacted by mental illness.  “People are surprised to learn that, if persons with mental illness can get care and find community, 80 to 90% of the time they get better,” he said. “Building community and providing family education does not replace medical treatment, but they are a critical component of people getting better. The importance of spirit and community means faith communities have a huge role to play in the process. They not only provide the belief structure, but they provide community.”
Advocates slam Trump for remarks on mental illness
Posted on Aug 18 2019
Washington Times
NAMI mentioned
Mental health advocates chastised President Trump for saying the U.S. could fight gun violence by reopening institutions to keep “mentally deranged and dangerous” people off the streets, saying it could stigmatize patients. Others said focusing on people who have mental illness distracts from the issue at hand. “It’s easier to get a gun in the United States than it is to get mental health care,” said Angela Kimball, acting CEO of NAMI.
Trump wants to bring back mental institutions to address mass shootings
Posted on Aug 16 2019
CBS News
NAMI mentioned
Reports that the president's insistence that mental illness is the cause of mass shootings has disconcerted mental health professionals who insist that most people with mental illness are nonviolent. These experts also say people afflicted with mental illness are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrator, and fear the president's language only further stigmatizes those struggling with mental health issues. NAMI acting CEO Angela Kimball said the president "should be talking about better care and earlier access to intensive treatment, not revisiting the shameful institutions of our past." "Words matter, Mr. President. 'These people' are our friends, neighbors, children, spouses. They're not 'monsters,' 'the mentally ill' or 'crazy people' — they're us.
Trump advocates for more mental health facilities to address gun violence
Posted on Aug 16 2019
USA TODAY
NAMI mentioned
Reports that President Trump is calling for more mental health facilities to combat gun violence in the wake of deadly shootings in Texas and Ohio. "Talking about reinstitutionalization only further marginalizes and isolates the one in five people with mental illness," Angela Kimball, the acting CEO of NAMI, wrote in a statement. Closures of mental health facilities have been due to a variety of factors, Kimball said. Among them are reports of inadequate care, sub-par conditions and the development of new treatment methods that could address the mental health concerns of patients. Specifically, a shift toward community-based care was discovered, Kimball said in an interview with USA TODAY, responding to Trump's comments to reporters in New Jersey.
Trump says US should build more mental health institutions to combat gun violence
Posted on Aug 16 2019
CNBC
NAMI mentioned
Reports that President Trump says the U.S. should begin building more mental health institutions to combat the nation’s ongoing gun violence. In response, the National Alliance on Mental Illness said the president “should be talking about better care and earlier access to intensive treatment, not revisiting the shameful institutions of our past.” “Words matter, Mr. President. ‘These people’ are our friends, neighbors, children, spouses. They’re not ‘monsters,’ ‘the mentally ill’ or ‘crazy people’ — they’re us,” acting CEO Angela Kimball said in a statement.
Democrats, Independents Less Likely Than GOP to Blame Mental Illness in Gun Attacks
Posted on Aug 07 2019
Morning Consult
NAMI mentioned
Reports on a new Morning Consult/Politico poll of 1,960 registered voters, 48% of voters are in agreement with Trump, placing “a lot” of blame on mental illness for mass shootings, while another 35% place “some.” Among the GOP electorate, roughly 3 in 5 Republicans place “a lot” of blame on mental illness for mass shootings — making it the No. 1 factor Republicans believe drive mass shootings. “In the U.S., it is easier to get a gun than it is to get mental health care,” said Angela Kimball, the acting CEO of NAMI.