NARSAD Researchers
In the News
Research
Advances
NARSAD
researchers every day are making headway in understanding the nature of
depression and bipolar disorder, and how best to treat these conditions. Here
are three recent studies performed by NARSAD-affiliated scientists dealing with
the causes and care of these psychiatric disorders.
Protein in
Mouse Brain
A brain protein that seems to be pivotal in lifting depression has been discovered by Paul Greengard, Ph.D., the 2002 Nobel prize winner in Physiology/Medicine and a NARSAD Scientific Council member.
Mice
deficient in this protein, called p11, displayed depression – like behaviors,
while those with sufficient amounts behave as if they have been treated with
antidepressants, according to Dr. Greengard, of
Dr.
Greengard won NARSAD’s Lieber Prize in 1996 and was a NARSAD 1992 and 2002
Distinguished Investigator. Co-author Karima Chergui, of the Karolinska
Institute, was a NARSAD 2002 Young Investigator.
The
Rockefeller neuroscientist and his colleagues found that p11 appears to help
regulate signaling of the brain messenger chemical serotonin, a key target of
antidepressants, which has been implicated in psychiatric illnesses such as
depression and anxiety disorders.
“This
newfound protein may provide a more specific target for new treatments for
depression, anxiety disorders and other psychiatric conditions thought to
involve malfunctions in the serotonin system,” said Elias Zerhouni, M.D.,
director of the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study.
Women with Major Depression
at Risk of Relapse during Pregnancy
Contrary
to common belief that hormonal changes in pregnancy provide protection against
depression, women with major depression who discontinue antidepressant medication
during pregnancy risk relapse, according to a study performed by
NARSAD-affiliated researchers and published in the Febuary 1st issue
of the Journal of the American Medical
Association.
Lee S. Cohen, M.D., of
The
study involved 201 pregnant women who had a history of major depression prior
to pregnancy, were at less than 16 weeks gestation, and were currently (less
than 12 weeks prior to last menstrual period) receiving antidepressant
medication. The researchers found 43 percent of women relapsed during
pregnancy; half during the first trimester. Among women who continued
medication during pregnancy, 26 percent relapse compared to 68 percent of those
who discontinued medication.
Such
studies, the researchers say, provide quantitative data about the relative risk
of prenatal exposure to medication and the risk of relapse, allowing clinicians
and patients make better treatment choices.
Genes seem to contribute more strongly to risk of depression in women than in men, and some genetic factors may be operating uniquely in one sex and not in the other, according to findings from a NARSAD-affiliated researcher.
In
the January issue of the American Journal
of Psychiatry, Kenneth S. Kendler,
M.D., of
Sex-effects
are of two kinds – quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative effects examine
whether heritability differs in males compared to females, and if the overall
importance of genetic factors differs between the sexes; whereas qualitative
effects examine whether the same genes play a role in males and females.
For
example, genes may alter the risk for depression in woman’s response to cyclic
sex hormones, particularly in the postpartum period. Such genes would impact a
woman’s risk for major depression, but would not be active in men.
COMBO DRUG
THERAPY WON’T IMPROVE SCHIZOPHERNIA CARE
Combining two antipsychotic drugs, clozapine and risperdone, offers no benefit in treating people with severe schizophrenia compared to use of either drug alone, Canadian researchers report.
The findings cast doubt on the widespread practice
of “polypharmacy” for schizophrenia, when two or more drugs are prescribed
together.
“This study does not offer any
support for antipsychotic polypharmacy,” says study author Dr. William Honer, a
professor of psychiatry at the
“The study is a very well-written
report of a very meticulously conducted clinical trial, so it carries a lot of
weight,” adds Dr. Leslie Citrome, a professor of psychiatry at New York
University School of Medicine in
The findings appear in the Feb. 2
issue of The England Journal of Medicine.
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental
illness with symptoms that can include hallucinations, delusions and disordered
thinking. The disease affects about 3.2 million Americans.
The
treatment landscape for schizophrenia has been relatively static over the past
15 years, experts say. The antipsychotic medication clozapine represented a
major advance when it was approved in the
“There has been an improvement in allowing us to
match individual patients to individual medicines, but we are still frustrated
at the inability to really control the symptoms of all illness in a patient,”
Honer says.
Even adequately treated with the available drugs, as
few as 20 percent of patients see all of their symptoms resolved. And because
so many people have such a poor response to single antipsychotic drugs, the
practice has been to describe multiple antipsychotic drugs - - despite a lack
of evidence that is any more effective than using one drug alone.
“Current evidence for using more than one
antipsychotic is limited to mainly anecdotal reports,” Citrome says. “A lot of
people do use more than one, and think it’s driven by our desperate need to get
patients better. However, the evidence doesn’t really support this strategy.”
According to Honer, 25 percent to 50 percent of
patients who are being prescribed one antipsychotic medication are also taking
another one, and sometimes as many as five.
In the study, the researcher wanted to see if
symptoms improved when the antipsychotic drug Risperdone was added to the drug
regimens of patients who had only a partial response to clozapine.
Both drugs are widely used antipsynotics.
In all, 68 patients with schizophrenia and a poor
response to clozapine were randomly assigned to receive clozapine and a placebo
or clozapine plus Resperidone for eight weeks, followed by an additional,
optional 18 weeks of clozapine plus resperidone.
At end of the study period, the researchers found no
statistically significant difference in symptom relief between the two groups.
In other words, adding resperidone conferred no extra benefits.
This indicates that antipsychotic polypharmacy is
unlikely to produce a major effect,” Honer says. “It doesn’t say anything about
other combinations (for example, an antipsychotic with an antidepressant).”
So where does this leave patients struggling with
schizophrenia?
One possibility is to combine antipsychotics with
drugs in another class, such as mood stabilizer or antidepressants. Since they
have different mechanisms of action, they might have better synergy,” Citrome
speculates.
There may also be other ways to make single
medications more effective, such as optimizing the dose or making sure
medication is being taken on schedule.
Beyond that, however, Honer says we’re left with
“the unexplored area of can we really come up with drugs that have different
mechanisms that might really benefit people in ways that the current group of
antipsychotic do not?”’
New Schizophrenia
Clue:
Researchers detect
abnormalities in one key gene that might disrupt
thinking and normal
brain function
By Jamie Talan, News
Day Staff Writer
For the first time, scientists have confirmed in human brains what
they had already suspected: A large gene that
regulates many brain functions is abnormal in people with schizophrenia.
The finding, published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, provides clues to how the gene, neuregulin-1, might
disrupt brain development and function and put people at risk for all sorts of
thinking problems.
“This is a very interesting study,” said Dr. Gerald Fischbach, dean of
the faculty of medicine at
Amanda J. Law, a visiting scientist at the National Institute of Mental
Health, and her colleagues analyzed autopsy material from 48 people with
schizophrenia and 80 samples from normal brains. They found that the brains
from people with schizophrenia had 30 percent higher expression of neuregulin-1
(Type 1) in the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex, regions of the brain
involved with thinking and cognitive function.
In addition, they identified alterations of a novel form of
neuregulin-1 (Type 4) that is also associated with increased risk for disease.
Alterations in neuregulin-1 may change the biology of gene and lead to
abnormal regulation of its expression and function in the schizophrenic brain,
Law said.
“We are trying to understand the biological consequences,” Law said.
Scientists say they now have to figure out a way to measure neuregulin in
living patients and identify ways to predict who may become ill and why.
Dr. Kari Stefansson, president and chief operating officer of deCode,
identified neuregulin-1 as a risk gene for schizophrenia. Stefannson has
reasons to go after the disease. As a trained neurologist and neuropathologist,
he has watched his older brother live with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia, which targets a person’s thoughts and emotions, strikes
1 in every 100 people, usually in late adolescence or early adulthood. Typically
those who suffer from the disorder, which occurs in men and women equally and
among all ethnic groups, suffer from disorganized thinking, delusions and
hallucinations.
Neuregulin
is a big gene with many roles in the body. It stimulates the formation of
synapses, the space where two cells meet to communicate. It regulates
remodeling at the synapses. And it is involved in making myelin, the protective
insulation around nerve cells.
Dr.
Kenneth Kendler, of
April 26, 2006
The
boldest move has come in
“What
Several
other states have launched awareness campaigns, including TV and radio spots in
“I
learned the hard way that there is a need for more educational awareness,
emotional and physical support, and medical resources to be at the fingertips
of women,” Carpenter says. “In today’s news, we’ve heard of too many cases that
have ended in tragedy.”
Among
recent criminal cases in which postpartum depression was cited as a possible
factor were the 2001 drowning of five children in
“People
are starting to understand the disease a little bit more –that’s been helpful,”
she said. “But it hurts women who suffer from postpartum depression. They’re
afraid of coming forward. They don’t want to be labeled as crazy.”
Doctors
and researchers say most new mothers experience occasional sadness and anxiety,
known as the “baby blues,” that does not require treatment. Roughly 10 percent
to 15 percent of new mothers suffer postpartum depression, a more serious
condition which can affect a woman’s well-being and which, experts say, should
be treated through therapy, group support or medication.
Emily
Ashby, of
“I
had a fantastic pregnancy and was excited to be a mom,” Ashby said in a
telephone interview. “But almost as soon as she was born, I know something
wasn’t right.
“All
of a sudden, I couldn’t drag myself out of bed in the morning, she said. “It
became this black hole I fell into.”
She
told her husband, but he was unfamiliar with postpartum depression and insisted
Ashby could shake off the malaise on her own. After six weeks, she told her
doctor, and eventually started taking drugs which rapidly restored her sense of
joy.
Though
she praised her doctor, Ashby said physicians should be more proactive
generally in informing and questioning new mothers and their husbands about depression.
Celeste
Andriod Wood, assistant commissioner for family health services, said the
department isn’t mandating a particular screening method. Its recommendations
include the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, which asks 10 simple
questions about emotions.
Dr.
Paul Stumpf, head of the
“It’s
matter of increasing the visibility of the problem, keeping it on the front
burner,” he said.
The
measure succeeded party because of strong support last year from then-Gov.
Richard Codey and his wife, who had postpartum depression.
Nationally,
the disorder has been chronicled in memoirs by former sufferers, such as
actress Brook Shields’ “Down Came the Rain.” The book prompted actor Tom Cruise
to publicly criticize Shields for taking antidepressants.
Dr.
Ralph Wittenberg, medical director of the Family Mental Health Institute, said
drugs and psychotherapy each work in about two-thirds of postpartum depression
cases. Used together, the success rate can exceed 90 percent, he said.
April 26, 2006
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Cox News Service) –No medications are available that effectively treat patients suffering from anorexia nervosa, but a few behavioral therapies may help prevent a relapse and offer other limited benefits, according to a new review of currently available research on eating disorders released today by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The
review also found evidence that several medications and behavioral therapies
can help patients suffering from bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
Eating
disorders are psychiatric illnesses with potentially life-threatening consequences.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an obsession with weight, severely
restrained eating, sometimes exercising excessively, and an inability to
maintain a healthy body weight. In bulimia nervosa, excessive eating is
followed by efforts to compensate by vomiting, misusing laxatives or diuretics,
fasting, or exercising excessively. Those with binge eating disorder eat
excessively but do not purge.
Cognitive
behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy that encourages patients to
develop thinking patterns that will counteract their unhealthy eating behavior,
helped prevent relapse in adult anorexic patients once their weight had been
restored to normal. There was not enough evidence to determine whether CBT
works during the acute please of the illness.
The
researchers concluded that family therapy does not appear to work with adults
with longstanding anorexia nervosa. One particular kind of family therapy,
which starts by encouraging parents to oversee a young person’s nutrition,
appeared to help these patients gain weight and make psychological
improvements.
Mario Testani, M.D.
From
the D&C, summer 2006
Is your child or teen being treated for mental problem that does not seem to be getting better? Possibly bipolar disorder is cause.
Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder
typically causes cycles or swings of mood from depression to mania. Mania
includes extreme happiness, excitement, boundless energy, unrealistic optimism,
belief in one’s extraordinary power and ability, racing thoughts and speech,
and anger.
Bipolar disorder may not present in its classic
form, however, especially in the young. Hyperactivity, inattention,
impulsivity, defiance and academic difficulties may be seen instead.
Since those symptoms occur in a number of others
conditions, ranging from extremes of normal to anxiety, behavioral problems and
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diagnosis is challenging. This is
particularly true in the case of ADHD, which can occur with bipolar disorder.
Psychological testing results in the two conditions may be identical.
Overwhelming, bipolar disorder is overlooked or
misdiagnosed.
Treatments appropriate for a different condition,
such as presumed ADHD, may cause disastrous immediate problems or more subtle
instability over time despite initial improvement.
Evaluation for bipolar disorder is called for when
there are:
·
Problems occurring in cycles. Periods between episodes may show milder
symptoms or normal behavior.
·
Drastic personality changes during outbursts, often with cruelty and
absence of remorse.
·
Sleep disturbances.
·
Loss of sense of reality.
·
Recurring depression or mania, or mixtures of these mood states.
·
Psychiatric problems, especially mood disorder, in the family history.
There is much more to recognizing bipolar disorder
and knowing when to screen for it. Learn more from:
·
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, www.bpkids.org
·
Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation (866) 333-5273 or www.bpchildresearch.org
·
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, which has area chapters. (800)
826-3632 or www.dbsalliance.org.
Mario
Testani, M.D., is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the
April 6, 2006- NAMI E-News Alert
On
April 1, 2006, the latest in a series of major research studies funded by the
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) into the effectiveness of
psychiatric medications was released.
Known
as CATIE II (Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness), the
studies are part of the “Big Four” clinical trials that include STAR*D
(Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression), STEP-BD (Systematic
Treatment Enhancement Program) for bipolar, and TADS (Treatment for Adolescent
Depression Study).
CATIE,
STAR*D, STEP-BD, and TADS are important because unlike clinical trails
conducted by private industry, their focus is longer and comparative in nature,
involving “real world” conditions. They provide essentials building blocks for
a public research treatment “infrastructure” that can lead to newer, better
medications.
Results
from the second phase of STAR*D were released on March 23, 2006, the week
before this latest installment in the return on public investment. Ironically,
release of the studies comes at a time when President Bush has proposed cutting
NIMH’S budget by $9 million. NAMI is fighting to restore the funds.
CATIE Phase II builds on an earlier study released last year, CATIE Phase I, that did not find dramatic differences in medication adherence when individuals were assigned randomly to either one old or several new antipsychotic medications.
NAMI’s
analysis of CATIE I was that it raised more questions than answers. Later, NIMH
also issued a clarification out of concern that state Medicaid programs might
misinterpret the CATIE I results and lead them to restrict formularies to
cheaper, older drugs. “A one –size-fits-all policy for treating schizophrenia
could be harmful, essentially turning the clock back 40 years when conventional
antipsychotic were the only medications available for patients,” NIMH declared.
(CATIE Phase III will address cost effectiveness issues. NAMI will provide
information about Phase III as it is released.
CATIE
Phase II provides addition about choices in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Different individuals respond differently to different drugs. If one medication
is not fully effective in treating schizophrenia, the study provides guidance
to doctors about switching to or adding a second drug.
CATIE
II seeks to answer a basic and common clinical question – what factors might
inform decisions about further treatment when a person does not respond to an
initial antipsychotic medication?
·
For chronically ill individuals whose symptoms did not improve on the
first medication, clozapine produced substantial reductions in symptoms and
considerable improvements in medication adherence.
·
For those individuals who stopped their medication in Phase I because
they were experiencing psychotic symptoms, olanzapine, and resperidone produced
better medication adherence and better symptom reduction than ziprasidone or
quetiapine.
·
For People who stopped taking medication during Phase I because of side
effects, no differences were noted between olanzapine, resperidone,
ziprasidone, or quetiapine in reducing side effects.
These
results once again demonstrate that antipsychotic medications are not
interchangeable. What works for one person may not work for another.
Awareness Project
Have you overheard, encountered, or addressed stigmatizing language? Here is an opportunity to enhance awareness though sharing your experience.
One
way to monitor and influence how the public perceives people who are living
with biologically-based brain disorders is to explore what is being heard in
day-to-day conversations.
Because
communication is two-way, it is important to examine and record not only any
language that is stigmatizing, but also the language that is chosen to address
it, the intended audience becomes collective; we all choose language and
engage in conversations in order to be heard, and we only know how or if we are
being heard by what is said after we speak.
This
project will have several phases. The first part will be collecting specific
examples from those who respond to this solicitation. The second part will be
putting those exchanges into a creative format that can be presented to an
audience. The goals of this presentation are multiple: to raise awareness of
language that is stigmatizing (and of language that is informed and
compassionate); to gather a wide audience for exploring an issue that has been
slow to evolve, namely, informed and compassionate perception and treatment of
this issue as seen through our selection of language; and finally, to foster
growth and community by inviting people to engage in a post-presentation Q and
A, so that understanding and communication can be improved. By providing real
conversational snippets that reflect what is being heard in
Project Focus:
Those
experiencing stigma from biologically-based brain disorders such as severe
depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia. This project will include examples from
range of perspectives—from advocate, family and friend, those living with these
illness, and provider.
Who Should Respond:
Those
who can relate some specific actual language or conversations: what they
heard, how they addressed it (or why they didn’t), how the person responded,
and any final outcome.
What to Include:
1. Your name, gender, age,
telephone number, mailing address, and email address, if desired.
2. Whether you experiencing
stigma-causing language as an advocate, family member (please specify
relationship), friend, person living with one of the illnesses, or as provider.
3. If you are living with an
illness, please state which one, how many years you have been living with it,
and how long it has been diagnosed.
4. A few sentence (no more than one paragraph, please),
that tell what stigma-causing language you heard, how you responded (or why you
didn’t), and what transpired afterwards. (This is an initial way to ensure the
project has representation from different perspectives. Actual interviews will
cover the details of each encounter with stigmacausing.)
How to Submit:
*Drop off your contact information in
a envelope marked “Being Heard in
*Mail your contact information
to:
Terri
Ann Bourke,
*Email your contact information to:
BeingHeardInRochester@frontiernet.org
What This Project Isn’t
Focused Upon:
The
project is not collecting examples of stigma-causing language from the media.
(Movies, cartoons, television, or newspaper and magazine articles) Nor is it a solicitation for general
stories related to these illnesses. (History or what it is like to experience
them) If, however, a stigmatizing comment is heard in response to a media form,
or in response to a discussion about someone’s illness, it will be consistent
with this project’s focus.
Important: Confidentiality will be
protected in a number of ways: no real names will be used in the project, and
actual examples/stories will be represented in a way so that actual identities
would be difficult to identify or confirm. (Perhaps some details will be
omitted, or expressed in general terms.) Notes and tapes of interviews will be
kept confidential, and in possession of the project head.
Process: After a good number and
representation of submissions have been received, people will be contacted to
arrange for one-hour interview sessions. Some people will be contacted to meet
for a one-on-one interview, and others will be invited to be part of a
small-table discussion. A timeline and end date will be communicated, as they
become more apparent.
Here’s
to fostering positive change,
Terri
Ann Bourke, NAMI Member
What is Recovery?
Many people using the health care system are in the process of recovery; for some it’s healing from surgery to walk without pain and return to work; for some it’s getting past effects of chronic asthma and being able to join in activities again; for some it’s beating cancer and watching a son or daughter graduate from high school.
For roughly 8 million Americans who live with a
serious mental illness* and their families, recovery means living life to its
fullest, having relationships, being part of a community, holding down a job,
going to school. Recovery means living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing
life, with or without the limitations of a psychiatric disability.
While the way in which recovery happens may be different for each person depending on the nature of the issues he or she is struggling with, research on advances in mental health demonstrates that recovery from serious mental illness (for example, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and others) is a real possibility.
In the past, people with serious mental illnesses
often were told they would probably get worse over time and lose much of what
was important to them, such as their jobs and friends. Contrary to this myth,
people with psychiatric disabilities can recover. For example, data from around
the world show that more than 5% of those struggling with schizophrenia over
several decades, significantly improve or even recover.
People living with a serious mental illness work as
managers, professionals or anything they have an interest and talent for, they
go back to high school, college or other types of education.
What is recovery like for
someone living with a serious psychiatric disability?
Recovery from a mental illness involves more than recovery from the mental illness it self. People with mental illness may have to recover from the discrimination they have incorporated into their very being, from lack of recent opportunities for self-determination, from the negative side effects of unemployment, and from crushed dreams.
The recovery journey often happens in phases. At
first, the person may be in shock, denying that anything has changed or
happened. The person may go through grief, despair and depression, as the
meaning of his or her situation sinks in. Over time this often gives way to
periods of anger and acceptance. Finally hope, coping and a sense of
empowerment develop as the individual’s recovery strengthens.
Recovery for people living with a serious mental
illness is a journey that involves a network of supports. These supports may
include self-help groups, families, and friends. They may also include the use
of medications and supportive therapy along with rehabilitation to develop
needed skills and supports.
Resources
Part of recovery includes increasing knowledge and control. Here are some organizations that can provide more facts about the topics discussed and/or connections to local resources.
· Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, www.be.edu/cpr
·
NAMI National
·
· The Mental Health Consumer Self Help Clearing House, 1-800-553-4553, www.nmha.org
June 12, 2006
Wellbutrin
XL can be used in the prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with
a history of seasonal affective disorder, often called SAD, the Food and Drug
Administration said. SAD is characterized by recurrent major depressive
episodes during the fall and winter.
The
FDA approved Wellbutrin XL – the extended release version of bupropion HCL in
tablet form – in 2003. The original version of the drug won approval in 1985.
Food
and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov/
Upcoming Events at the Mental Health Coalition :
(WRAP) Wellness
Recovery Action Plan
By Rita Cronise, M.S.
Date: August
25, 2006
Time: 2:00-4:30
p.m.
Location: Mental
Health Coalition
RSVP to
Sam at 325-3145 x 42
A WRAP is a structured way to
regain and maintain a healthy lifestyle by identifying and
Creating a plan to deal with
symptoms or stresses before they reach a critical state. This will be a brief
overview of the key concepts of recovery and the parts of a Wellness Recovery
Plan. After attending the workshop, you will be able to create a WRAP on your
own or you can plan to attend a series of structured workshops that will be
available through the Mental Health Coalition beginning September 8th.
A weekly Depression and Bipolar Support
Bipolar Disorder Research Study ( New)
Do you know a woman, age 14-17 years, 28-39 years, or
50-70 years, who has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder? If so, she may be
eligible for a 2-visit study about stress and physical health being conducted
at
Purpose of Study:
The purpose of this study is to try to determine if
increased levels of IL-6 , a blood protein that can cause inflammation, and
cortisol, a hormone made by the adrenal glands, occur in response to a
psychological stressor in bipolar women at three different time points in the
lifespan. The study will also examine if elevations in IL-6 and cortisol are
related to risk factors you/your child may have for heart disease, diabetes,
and osteroporosis. These results will give us information for future studies to
examine whether IL-6 and cortisol are related to other medical illnesses,
including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and obesity, in the bipolar
population.
WELCOME THESE NEW MEMBERS
TO THE NAMI FAMILY!!!!!!
Donna Long Georgette Lesnak John & Judy Messenger
Ann Marie Giannosa Sue Zartman Teresa Madau
Charles Dick Daune Parsons Judy Weiner
Janet Thompson Sandra Nettles Lechebo Patty Chapman
Barbara Spector Jan Karman Lou Ann Haesser
Christine Liu Margaret McIrvine Valerie Levine
Karina Churchill Tammy Englert Cindy Groves
Peggy Hobbs Beth Hoh Jeanette Plymale
Raul Perez
New Board Members Elected:
Four
new board members were announced at the Annual Dinner on April 24th:
George
Campbell Jodie Terhune Mary Robbins Aaron Taub
George
and Jodie are first time members, Mary and Aaron are returning members who each
previously served on the board for six years. We welcome all !!
New Officers elected at the
May board meeting:
President
Judy Watt, MS.RN.
1st
Vice President Larry Guttmacher,
M.D.
2nd
Vice President Nancy Carlucci
Treasurer Don Anderson
Secretary Sherlaine Shelley
Amendment # 8 to the By Laws
( Article VIII – Officers)
This
amendment was approved by more than two-thirds of the members present at the
monthly meeting on June 26, 2006. It states that the officers of the
corporation shall be the President, First
Vice President, Second Vice
President, Treasurer and Secretary. Previously, there was just one vice
president. The reasons for adding the 2nd vice president position
are that the organization is growing and the board wanted a stronger, larger
executive committee and it will model
what is being done in the larger New York state affiliates as well as the NAMI/NYS
board of directors.
Donation from Molly Lee
Campbell Foundation
NAMI
thanks George Campbell for the unrestricted donation of $2500 from the Molly
Lee Campbell Foundation to be used to benefit the supports and services that
NAMI provides for individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Our Deepest Sympathy to the
Family of “Billy” Ripperger
NAMI
Rochester expresses our deepest condolences to Cathy and Bill Ripperger,
longtime members of NAMI Rochester who lost their son, Billy, to mental illness
on June 16, 2006. Cathy has volunteered for several years as hostess at our
monthly meetings. She said that she and Bill will always be grateful to NAMI
for the support and friendship that they received as members of NAMI and they
will continue to support NAMI Rochester.
Intern from the
This
summer NAMI is pleased to have Maggie Lindstrom, who will be a 4th
year student at the U of R this fall, working in the NAMI office to complete
requirements for her program. She has been working with Rita Cronise, board
member to conduct surveys and gather data from our members for the purpose of
completing the NAMI board of directors strategic planning for the future. Many
of you have met and or talked to Maggie over the phone and we thank you for your
responses to our survey. Maggie is also working with the Young Adult group,
under the direction of Judy Watt. ( See article below).In addition to all this,
she has spent a lot of time in the NAMI office, helping Sherlaine and Pat with
numerous tasks. We will all miss her smiling face and energetic personality and
we wish her the best with her continued studies at the U of R this fall. Maggie
plans to stay active with the NAMI group as she continues with the Young Adult
Group and the plans to develop “NAMI On Campus.”
NAMI Young Adult Group
The NAMI Young Adult group
will be meeting every month during the regular education/support meetings on
the fourth Monday. This group is for
consumers and family members who are 18+ and are interested in gaining support
and education that is relevant for young adults. In addition to the regular
meetings, the group will be planning social events and some members will be
exploring the idea of starting NAMI on campus affiliates at area college
campuses. Come check us out August 28 at 6:30 p.m., at the
Congratulations to Special
Award Recipients:
Special
awards were presented at the Annual Dinner on April 24th. NAMI
volunteer recognition awards were given to Nancy Brackmann, Claire Perlman and
Rich Sine for all the time and dedication that they have given to NAMI in the
past year.
Thomas
Jewell, Ph.D. from the Family Institute was presented with the Community
Service Award for his work with the Family Institute and NYS Office of Mental
Health in collaboration with NAMI/NYS.
Eric
Weaver, retired director of the Rochester Police Department’s EDPRT (
Emotionally Disturbed Persons Response Team) was presented with the First
Annual Karen Cavalieri Consumer Empowerment Award for his outstanding job as
coordinator and trainer for this special
police team.
Jack Goldstein Receives 2006
Distinguished Volunteer Award from the Mental Health Association.
Jack,
who is a board member and facilitator for NAMI Rochester and a board member for
the Mental Health Coalition, was honored at the Mental Health Association’s
Annual Award Event. When the director of the coalition left her position after
many years and the size of the board had substantially decreased, Jack
voluntarily took responsibility for identifying a number of peers in the
community who were committed to the mission of the Mental Health Coalition and
wanted to see it continue and prosper. Jack took over the role of co-chair
person of the Board, giving up many hours of this personal time to review
resumes and interview candidates. Pat Woods, executive director of the Mental
Health Association, who presented the award, spoke about how Jack became a
sounding board as to what peers were looking for in a director and later took a
leadership role in the hiring of a new Director.
LEGISLATIVE
NEWS from NAMI/NYS
We in
NAMI-NYS are grateful to the New York State Legislature for:
1.
Approving bill S.2207C, limiting the placement of state prisoners
with serious mental illness in "Special Housing Units," and providing
them with an alternative to solitary confinement. "The SHU
Bill" passed the Senate by a vote of 61-0.
2. Approving bill
S.03653, which, among other things, requires the establishment of community
housing waiting lists within the office of mental health service system
and directs each provider of housing services in the office of mental
health system to provide, on a monthly basis, the office of mental health with
a list of each person referred to, admitted to, applying for, withdrawing an
application for and denied admission to housing provided by such provider
An
impassioned speech by Senate Mental Health Committee Chairman Thomas
Morahan paved the way for its approval. If this bill becomes
law, there will finally be an accurate assessment of the acutal need
for community mental health housing in
3. Coming to
an agreement between both houses and with Timothy's Law Campaign on a
Timothy's Law health insurance parity bill. (Unfortunately, time ran
out and the session was adjourned before the bill could be voted
on). We got less than what we asked for, but far more than what was offered
last year. It was the judgment of Timothy's Law Campaign that it was an
offer we couldn't refuse. Please see the press release below for a
descripton.
4. Overriding
the Governor's vetoes to the state budget to insure the following:
Extension of
Medicare Part D Wraparound: The Legislature and the Governor agreed to extend Medicaid Wraparound
Drug Coverage for Dual Eligibles who have difficulty obtaining necessary
medications from their Medicare Part D Drug Plan until January 1, 2007.
This coverage had originally been set to expire at the end of this
month.
Restoration of
Physician Override:
This ensures that a physician has a final say in what medications are
prescribed for his or her patients under the Medicaid Preferred Drug
Program. The original Executive Budget sought to remove the patient
protection.
Efficacy, not cost, will be the determining factor in what medications are selected for the Medicaid Preferr