AUGUST 2016

Issue VIII Vol. V

5205 Greenwood Ave. Ste 110 West Palm Beach, FL 33407

561-588-3477 www.namipbc.org

The Voice

When my wife and I learned of our oldest son’s mental ill-

ness, we sprang into action. We feverishly searched for a cure,

only to find a treatment several years later that helped restore

a life for our son. Along the way, we suffered enormously as a

family. Of course, our ill son suffered the most. Having the rug

pulled out from under him, while standing by helplessly watch-

ing his life and his reality disappear before his eyes, causes me

to tear up every time I allow myself to think about it. I’ve al-

ready written several times about the struggles my wife and I

have had to overcome as a result of our son’s mental ill-

ness. This article is dedicated to our other two sons, who have

suffered in their own ways.

Intellectually, our family understood that our ill son’s condi-

tion required our full attention. It was such a “given,” that we

never spoke about it, although looking back, I wish we had. We

were all in this together, and no one wanted to shortchange

our ill son in any way. My wife and I witnessed many selfless

acts by our two well sons. We saw a bond among all three of

our children that is stronger than steel. We use that memory

as a reminder of how fortunate we are when our friends, rela-

tives and neighbors tell us about their children’s latest job pro-

motions, and show us pictures of their newest grandchildren.

Our middle son is by far our most sensitive child. Unfortu-

nately, he’s also the most withdrawn. To this day, he finds it

difficult to speak about how his brother’s illness affected him,

and yet the effects are obvious. Over these past years since the

onset of his brother’s illness, he has struggled with relation-

ships, commitment and sobriety. Emotionally, we’ve witnessed

him check out as far as he can go, and physically, we've helped

move him to the other side of the continent, in the hopes that

he can find contentment and purpose in a faraway location.

My wife and I recently visited with our middle son at his new

home. We spent four days speaking with him, meeting his new

friends and really listening to what he had to say. I think he

needed to remove himself from the dynamic of his brothers

before he could open up about his unique experience facing

the challenges that mental illness presented to our family. He

got to tell us what it was like to have his lifelong role model

suddenly turn hostile and unrecognizable, and then watch himself disappear into the background. We told him what it was like to have the care of a mentally ill adult child sudden-ly thrust upon us, and to be faced with the responsibility of making unimaginable choices that we were completely un-prepared to make. We laughed and cried. Most of all, we had the oppor-

tunity to apologize to each other, and to remember

just how much we love one another.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Manny Kushner

In June NAMI/PBC served

620 individuals

We answered 184 phone calls

14 attended the Cognitive Enhancement

Therapy

9 attended the NAMI Peer-to-Peer Education

126 attended NAMI Presentations

87 participated in NAMI Peer Council and

N.O.W. activities

43 attended NAMI/PBC Family Support

Groups

118 attended NAMI Connection Groups

9 attended the NAMI/PBC Y oung Adults

Group

21 attended the NAMI/PBC Adolescent Sup-

port Groups

9 REACH for Teens mentored

WHAT’S COMING UP!

Page 2

Join us for September’s General Meeting

Diagnosis and Treatment Considera-

tions in the Use of Psychotropic Medi-

cations in Psychiatric Patients

Tuesday, September 27 , 2016

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

NAMI of Palm Beach County, 5205 Greenwood Ave

#110, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Presented by:

CHRISTOPHER KYE, MD

Mark your calendars

for the NAMI Young Adult Group’s

free upcoming Summer Film Series. Of Two Minds is the featured film on Fri-

day, August 19, at 6:00 pm at our Lake Worth

office. This free event is open

to all. Call Peter at 561-588-3477 for more details. We had 8 join us last

month for our featured

film Call Me Crazy.

Our August General Meeting is still in the

works.

Keep an eye out for our e-blast with

information!

NAMI’S MYSTERY DINNER

Buffet-style Dinner and a Show!

Friday, August 26, 2016, 7:00 pm

Tickets $50 - Advance Sales Only

Get your tickets soon - this event sells out! Go to namipbc.org to purchase

online or call the NAMI office at

561-588-3477

WHAT’S COMING UP

Page 3

NAMI PEER COUNCIL MEETING

THERE WILL BE NO AUGUST MEETING, BUT WE HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND OUR

MYSTERY DINNER (see page 2).

NAMI On Wednesdays (N.O.W.)

Make sure you “drop in” for Arts & Crafts, Book

Club, Games, Speakers, Computer Training, Ad-

vocacy, Movies and more at NAMI On Wednes-

days (N.O.W.), 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. NAMI PBC

Office, 1520 10th Avenue, N., Suite D., Lake

Worth, FL. For more information, call the NAMI

office at 561-588-3477.

NAMI TEEN GROUP

Next Meetings: Saturday, August 6 and August 20, 11:00 am-12:00 pm

Topic: NAMI Walks

The NAMI Teen Group is a social and recreational club open to teens ages 15-17. For more infor-mation contact Peter Davey at peterdavey@namipbc.org Last month the Teen Group designed our Mystery Dinner welcome sign:

N.O.W. HAT PARTY

The NAMI Peer Council Invites You To:

South Florida Science Center and Aquarium

4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach, FL 33405 Sunday, August 14, 2016, 10:00 pm-3:00 pm

RSVP: $5.00 per person (NAMI group rate) By calling the NAMI office 561-588-3477

NEW PEER COUNCIL OFFICERS

From left above, Kim Hammond, Secretary, and

Mitzi Gilea, Vice president. NAMI PBC extends a

big THANK YOU for your service!

IN THE NEWS

Page 4

PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT AT THE AMERICAN POLISH CLUB

On July 15 we had a successful day! NAMI PBC had a lot of activity. Many of the people who attended were very open to learning about our resources. We also had fellow vendors curious about our services. Their hope was to be able to net-work and find resources for their clients, as that is always our goal.

PLEASE NOTE THESE IMPORTANT MEETING CHANGES

The following NAMI Family Support Group Meetings will not be held in August:

- Boynton-Delray (formerly Hagen Ranch Library)

- Wellington Library

Boynton-Delray Beach (formerly Hagen Ranch Library) NEW LOCATION STARTING TUESDAY, 9/13 /16, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm: Fair Oaks Pavilion Classroom A 5440 Linton Boulevard Delray Beach, FL 33484

NAMI PBC is please to announce its first Spanish-

speaking NAMI Family-to-Family Education. This EBP program will start Saturday, August 27 from

10:00 am - 4:00 pm every Saturday for 6 weeks at our Lake Worth Office. Must be able to attend all 6

sessions. Registration is required. If you or someone you know would be interested in taking this life -

changing course, please contact the NAMI office at 561-588-3477. Seating is limited.

Peer and Family Support Groups Call 561-588-3477 for more information

NAMI/PBC Connection Recovery Support Groups

Lake Worth (NAMI Office) 1520 10th Avenue N, Suite D Lake Worth, FL 33460 Sat. 6:00-7:30pm

Delray Beach (Toole Building So. County Mental Health Center) 16158 S Military Trail, Delray Beach, FL 33484 Mon.. 1:45-2:45pm & Wed. 10:15-11:30am

Hypoluxo (Amigos Group — Jeff Industries) 111 E Coast Avenue, Hypoluxo, FL 33462 Mon. 2:30-4:00pm

Jupiter (Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network) 140 Intracoastal Pointe Dr., Suite 208, Jupiter, FL 33477 Mon. 5:30-7:00pm

NAMI/PBC Young Adults Group 18-35 Year Olds

Lake Worth (NAMI Office) 1520 10th Avenue N, Suite D, Lake Worth, FL 33460 First 3 Fridays of the month 6:00-7:30pm

NAMI/PBC Adolescent Support Groups - Regis-

tration Required

NAMI/PBC Family Support Groups

West Boca (West Boca Raton Library) 18685 State Road 7, Boca Raton, FL 33498 1st Tuesday 6:30-8:00pm

Boynton Beach/ Delray Beach (Hagen Ranch Library) ** Fair Oaks Pavilion, Classroom A, 5440 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach, FL 33446 2nd Tuesday 7:00-8:30 pm NEW LOCATION STARTING 9/13/16

Jupiter (Southeast Behavioral Health) 140 Intracoastal Pointe Dr, Ste 208, Jupiter, FL 33477 3rd Thursday 6:30-8:00pm

Wellington (Wellington Regional Library) ** 1951 Royal Fern Drive, Wellington, FL 33414 2nd Monday 6:30-8:00pm

Other Local Support Groups for Peers

GROUP MEETINGS

South County Mental Health Center Depression Bipolar Support Alliance 16158 S Military Trail, Delray Beach, FL 33484 1-877-858-7474 for directions ALL DISORDERS (Building E. — Toole Building) Wed. 7:00-9:00pm

Peer Place Support Center 2100 45th Street, Suite B12, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 561-712-0584 for directions and information Schizophrenics Anonymous Mon, Wed, Fri. 2:00pm-3:00pm DRA (Living in the Now) (12 Step Co-occurring) Tues,

Thurs, Sat. 10:30am-11:30am Peer Support Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-4:00pm; Sat. 9am-1pm

Fair Oaks Pavilion (Behind Delray Community Hospital) 5440 Linton Blvd, Ste 1010, Delray Beach, FL 33484 Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) Mon. 7:00 pm 561-716-7511 Jupiter Fire Station No. 19 322 N. Central Boulevard, Jupiter, FL 33458 561-633-7525 for information Depression/Bipolar Thurs. 7:00-8:30pm

West Boca Medical Education Center 21644 State Road 7, Boca Raton, FL 33428 For directions and info: Jason Spielman 954-217-1757 OCD 1st Thurs. 7:30-8:30pm

Trauma Support Group Center for Trauma Counseling, Inc. 801 Lake Worth Road, Suite 101, Lake Worth, FL 33467 Tues. 6:30-8:00 pm, Contact Helya 561-444-3914

Support for Eating Disorders Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness 1649 Forum Place, # 2, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561-841-0900 Mon. 7:00-8:30pm Thurs. 7:00-8:30pm Friends and Family Support Group Weds. 7:00-8:30pm

Jupiter 50 South US Highway 1, Suite 309, Jupiter, FL 33477 Grades 7-8: Mon. 5:30-6:30pm Grades 9-12: Mon. 6:30-7:30pm

Page 5

NAMI/PBC N.O.W. (NAMI on Wednesdays)

Lake Worth (NAMI Office) 1520 10th Avenue N, Suite D, Lake Worth, FL 33460 Wed. 11:00am-4:00pm Drop-in

NEW - NAMI Teen Group — Social/recreation If interested, contact Peter Davey for more details at 561-588-3477.

**SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR BOYNTON/DELRAY BEACH (HAGEN RANCH ROAD

LIBRARY) AND WELLINGTON LIBRARY Due to early

voting, these two NAMI Family Support

Groups will be cancelled for August.

Dr. Raj Shekhat

Dr. Raj Shekhat is a Board Certified child, adolescent, and adult psy-chiatrist serving Palm Beach. Prior to starting Goldcoast Psychiatry, he practiced in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Shekhat trained at Emory University in Atlanta and the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Roches-ter, New York. He has traveled to Washington, D.C. as part of the Ameri-can Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) to advocate for mental health services on Capitol Hill.

THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT By Lori Jo Baach, CRPS

The Olympics are all about winning, achieving, overcoming obstacles and be-ing in the spotlight. I’m known as, “You are the person who wrote that book.” I do have that Olympic feeling in my own way. When I wrote “The Quiet Room,” I wanted to share my story of jumping over hurdles, one at a time, and reaching that finish line a champion. I never anticipated that the book would be so success-ful as to be translated into nine languages. My true triumph was not so much in having the book published, it was the victory that unfolded inside that book. There is a difference because, in my case, the book was autobiographical. Even though I may just be that “person who wrote that book,” I am proud of what is in the lining of those pages. I once saw a bumper sticker: “No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.” I continue every day to strive to reach my goals and better myself. Ongoing, I try to prove to the world that Lori Jo Baach, in the quasi-Olympic spirit, is a true winner… Lori Jo is a NAMI Peer-to-Peer Instructor/Mentor and is a past NAMI PBC Board Member.

THINGS TO KNOW

Page 6

Flynn Bertisch

Flynn P. Bertisch is a native Floridian and former police officer who currently works as a criminal defense attorney in Palm Beach County. His work in defending individuals in both state and federal court has exposed him to a variety of unique situations and theories of defense, especially in the areas of mental health. His desire to work with NAMI stems from his commitment to ensure that people who suffer with mental ill-ness are not lost in the system and do not feel ostracized.

MEET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

THINGS TO KNOW

Page 7

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE NAMIWALKS Kick-Off Event

Saturday, September 10th 10:00am – 12:00pm

5205 Greenwood Ave, West Palm Beach

Join us for brunch as we get ready to “HAVE a BALL and WALK for ALL!!” We will review team building, sponsorship opportunities, Walk Day details, and provide you with the tools you need to help the 2016 Walk be amazingly successful! For additional details and to RSVP, call Carmen at 588-3477.

Have you registered or created your team yet? To register, simply log on to www.namiwalks.org/palmbeachcounty today.

THINGS TO KNOW

Page 8

Chairmen Margaret Donnelley and Manuel Kushner and the Luncheon Committee

Kindly request the pleasure of your company at its

NAMI Annual Luncheon

with featured speaker Donna Gephart

Thursday, December 7, 2016

11:00 AM Silent and Tea Cup Auctions

12 O’clock Lunch and Program

Marriott West Palm Beach, 1001 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL

$75 per person

The courtesy of your reply is requested by December 1. 2016

For additional information please contact Carmen Moore (561)-588-3477 — carmenmoore@namipbc.org

Please mail to: NAMI Palm Beach County, 5205 Greenwood Avenue, Suite 1 1 0, West Palm Beach, FL 33407.

Name ___________________________________________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________________________________________

City_______________________________________________________State ___________Zip___________

Telephone __________________________ Email:______________________________________________

__ *Grand Benefactor $25,000/10 Tickets __ *Grand Benefactor Ticket $2,500 per person

__ *Benefactor Table $15,000/10 Tickets __ *Benefactor Ticket $1,500 per person

__ *Sponsor Table $10,000/10 Tickets __ *Sponsor Ticket $1,000 per person

__ *Patron Table $5,000/10 Tickets __ *Patron Ticket $500 per person

__ *Supporter Table $2,500/10 Tickets __ *Supporter Ticket $250 per person

__ *Contributor Table $1,000/10 Tickets __ *Contributor Ticket $100 per person

__ *Friend Table $750/10 Tickets __ Friend Ticket $75 per person

*Recognition of your generosity in the Benefit Program if received by December 7.

Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

□ I would like to reserve ___Tables/Tickets for a total of $_____________. Please list the names of your guests, or those with

whom you wish to be seated, on the reverse side.

□ I cannot attend, but wish to donate $___________ to support NAMI/PBC’s programs.

□ Check enclosed (payable to NAMI of Palm Beach County) $____________.

□ Charge $____________ to my credit card □VISA □MC □AMEX □Discover

Card # ___________________________________ Exp. Date __________ CVC (3 or 4 digits)______

Signature (required) _____________________________________________________________________

□ You may also pay by credit card through our secure website www.namipbc.org

Contributions benefit NAMI PBC, a not for profit tax exemption organization. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCI AL

INFORMATION OF NAMI PBC (CH 6498), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES AT

WWW.800HELPFLA.COM OR BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1-00-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. REGISTRATION DOES NOT

IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. NAMI PBC receives 100% of each contribution.

THINGS TO KNOW

Page 9

Make your purchases through smile.amazon.com and select NAMI Palm Beach County as your charity and NAMI will receive

0.5% of the purchase price with no cost to you! Remember us for holidays, birthdays and special occasions.

SUE GORDON - Receptionist

It has always been important to me to work in a field where I can help people. Offering hope, resources, and information is invaluable when someone is in need of services. As mental illness has touched my life with my own family members , NAMI is a perfect fit. I have been fortunate to have worked for, and with, many talented and inspiring people along the way. Previously, I worked for Jeff Industries as a voca-tional instructor, and at Gulfstream Goodwill as a program coordina-tor. I have volunteered with Palm Glades Girl Scouts and at the Hos-pice of Palm Beach County (summer) Teen Bereavement Camp. I am excited to be working at NAMI with a team who really knows that education, awareness and hope are needed in our community and who are all dedicated to removing the stigma associated with mental illness.

MEET OUR NEW STAFF

GIA SWEENEY - Peer Specialist

It is both an honor and a privilege to be working with NAMI PBC as a REACH teen mentor. I have been involved with NAMI for many years. Some of my experiences include volunteering as a yoga instruc-tor, joining the Peer Council for many activities, and attending the many different classes, support groups, and monthly meetings.

I hold an Associate in Arts degree from Palm Beach State College. I am both a certified Yoga Instructor and an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist.

I am so excited for this opportunity to give back in any way I am able.

CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM By Dorothy Kelleher

If you have a loved one in crisis and need the services of a CIT officer, you should call 911

and give the necessary information to the dispatcher, making sure the dispatcher under-

stands that you do need a CIT officer sent to the scene. NAMI and CIT work closely togeth-

er in providing this service.

Non-Profit Organization

US Postage Paid

West Palm Beach, FL

Permit No. 1327

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Palm Beach County

Mollie Wilmot Center—Palm Healthcare Pavilion

5205 Greenwood Avenue, Suite 110

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Or Current Resident

NAMI Membership exists at 3 levels: Affiliate, State & National. NAMI is a 501(c)(3) non -profit, charitable organization—contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Together, we can continue to fight for all those affected by mental illness. PLEASE NOTE: In

order for NAMI/PBC to receive your full donation, please send your donation to the NAMI/

PBC office. Thank you!

Contributions benefit NAMI|PBC, a not for profit tax exempt organization. A COPY OF

THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF NAMI|PBC

(CH 6498), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SER-

VICES AT WWW.800HELPFLA.COM OR BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1-800-435-

7352 WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY EN-

DORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. NAMI|PBC

receives 100% of each contribution.

Members are NAMI/PBC’s lifeblood; your member-ship helps us continue to

provide free outreach, support & education. In bringing mental health

issues to wider attention, we advocate for better

treatment. As our mem-bership base grows, our voice becomes stronger.

Respect, Compassion & Hope … NAMI Works!

I’d like to support NAMI PBC with a donation of: __ $25 __ $50 __ $100

other: $____

5205 Greenwood Ave., Suite 110, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

T: 561.588.3477 F: 561.588-3499

Email: info@namipbc.org Website: namipbc.org

I’d like to volunteer for NAMI/PBC’s 2016 Walk. I wish to receive NAMI National’s solicitations.

Check here for renewal: Date:_______

Name:______________________________

Address:____________________________

City/St:_____________________________

Zip:_________....Phone:_______________

Email:______________________________

MEMBERSHIP: Regular $35 Open Door $3

SPONSORSHIP: Family $55 Professional $65 Corporate $250