We have two upcoming events to announce!

The first is MHAM’s education event Celebrating Recovery on October 5, 2010. This education event in recognition of Mental Illness Awareness week will provide you with information about self-care and advocacy and offer tips on how you can become a partner in your own care. We are also very excited to unveil our brand new Steps to Wellness kits. All attendees will receive a free kit. Lunch will be served and is included in the registration fee. Cost is $15 per person in advance, $20 per person at the door, and $40 to exhibit at the Wellness Fair (includes admission to the event and lunch). Location: Ramada Plaza Hotel, 1330 Industrial Boulevard NE, Minneapolis, MN.Click on the link for more information and to register online.

The second event is Proof by David Auburn, produced by the Phoenix Theater Project. After the death of her father, Catherine is left to pull together her own life; a life that was set aside to care for her ailing father, a famous mathematician. She must deal with his legacy; hundreds of notebooks that most likely hold the ramblings of a man slowly losing his genius, but may reveal the last great work of a brilliant mind.  Now she is forced to face her own life and can no longer avoid her possible inheritance; genius or insanity. Proof will be playing weekends beginning Friday, September 10 and running through Saturday, September 25 at the People Center’s Theater, 425 20th Avenue South, Minneapolis. Tickets are $16. MHAM is working closely with Phoenix Theater Project to offer feedback on the portrayal of family relationships where a mental illness is involved, and we will be participating in a talk back session after the show on Sunday, September 12. Visit Phoenix Theater Project for more information on this Pulitzer Prize-winning play or to purchase tickets.

It’s been very hot in Minnesota, and we’ve heard from some people who have had concerns regarding staying safe.

Individuals on certain medications may be more vulnerable to heat stress. Persons taking regular medication should consult with their physician.  Some medications cause an adverse reaction in hot weather, such as reducing a person’s ability to sweat. If you are on such a medication, or if you know someone who is, please take a look at these strategies for managing heat stress.

To avoid heat-related illness:

• Avoid, as much as possible, working or playing in the hot sun or other hot areas.  If you must be out in the sun, wear a head covering and sunscreen.  A wide brimmed hat or visor will not only protect your head from intense rays of the sun; it will also provide a shield for your eyes.
• Shut blinds and open windows slightly during the day to release trapped hot air.  Use air conditioners if you have them.
• Wear lightweight clothing.
• Drink plenty of water and fruit juices; avoid alcohol, carbonated or caffeinated drinks.  Because the body loses fluids in the heat, drinking lots of liquids helps to avoid dehydration.
• Eat frequent, small meals; avoid high-protein foods
• Take cool baths or showers—cold water can lower body temperatures 25 times faster than sitting in an air-conditioned room
• Spend time (even 2 hours will reduce the risk of heat-related illness) in an air-conditioned environment or basement; cover windows to block direct sunlight; turn lights on low or off; use fans to blow hot air outside.  Public libraries, community centers or other similar locations may be a good option for spending some time away from the heat.
• Do NOT direct fans to blow in at you.  Fans can actually increase heat stress.
• Do not leave older people, children, or pets, alone in cars.

Non-emergency questions about how to stay cool—call 2-1-1 or visit the heat information at the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.

For emergency heat-related health problems—please call 9-1-1

For over 60 years, Mental Health America – who began this tradition in 1949 – and other national and state mental health organizations have been celebrating “Mental Health Month.” In recognition of Mental Health Month, MHAM will be informing you about several important mental health initiatives involving both national and state led efforts. The central focus of these initiatives involves wellness and recovery for persons with mental illnesses. The importance of self-care and personal wellness not only can improve our mental health, but can also improve our overall health and well-being. So revisit our blog throughout this month and learn more about how these initiatives will help promote wellness and recovery for persons with mental illnesses.

Also, please check out our calendar of events that are occurring around the state for the month of May. If your organization is having an event and you would like it to appear on our calendar, please email details to Nancy at [email protected].

Thanks to all of you who have celebrated 70 years of mental health education and advocacy in Minnesota with us this year! We are grateful for your ongoing support!

2009 has been very productive:

• In January, we introduced new vision and mission statements and established new principles of service.
• In February, we introduced a new newsletter, The Voice, published 5 times per year.
• In May, we hosted the first event of the Gloria Segal Education Forum, Taking the Lid off the Black Box of Mental Illness.
• In July, we launched a brand new website.
• In August, we hosted the second event of the Gloria Segal Education Forum, Managing Stress During Tough Times.
• In September, we welcomed two new staff members, Ben Ashley-Wurtmann and Anna Raudenbush.
• In November, we celebrated our 70th anniversary with a Birthday Gala.
• Throughout the year, we continued to provide individual advocacy to people living with mental illnesses and to participate in issues advocacy through our work on the Mental Health Legislative Network and with Local Mental Health Advisory Councils throughout Minnesota.

If you are interested in making a year-end gift to MHAM to help us continue our work in 2010, here’s an easy way to do it! MHAM has its own page on GiveMN.org. Click on the button to visit our page to make a quick and easy online donation. All proceeds will come directly to MHAM.

We will be taking a little time off during the holidays. Our offices will close at noon on Thursday, December 24 and reopen at 9 am on Monday, December 28. We will also close at noon on Thursday, December 31 and reopen at 9 am on Monday, January 4. Advocates will be available all other days throughout the holidays. If you need to speak to an advocate, please give us a call at 612-331-6840 or 800-862-1799.

We hope you are having a healthy and joyous holiday season, and we wish you a very happy new year!

Tomorrow Kathy and I will be in Marshall meeting with the 5 County Local Advisory Council for training on strengthening the LAC.  Hope to see you there!

Welcome to our new website!

We have spent the past few months developing a new identity and interface for our mental health resources & service offerings.  We have implemented new colors in unison with our updated logo design.  While our core services haven’t changed, our goal is to keep you more informed as to action that may impact your life.

As we work on keeping our web content current so you can be fully and accurately informed, we also want you to participate with others around Minnesota.  As we went around the state with our 2008 Community Forums, we heard from many people about feeling isolated.  A request for a manner to talk with other people led to the development of myMHAM, or new online community that provides access to a mental health Discussion Board.

The intent with the Discussion Board is to allow people to share information, ask questions and share stories of recovery.  While having a Discussion Board is new and exciting to us, we anticipate many people will benefit from it.  To make it a success, we need your help to acheive its’ goal.  Please be respectful of others, don’t use profanity or other inappropriate words, and don’t instigate actions that may cause harm to others.  We will have moderators watching and taking action when necessary.

Establishing a myMHAM account gives your access to the Discussion Board and grants you options for our organization to communicate with you, including email newsletters, quarterly mails and blog updates.

We will also be hosting our new blog page to provide updated information on decisions made in regard to services, provide the latest scientific based studies,  promote activities and events of interest, and keep you updated on legislative action, health care updates, and wellness information.

We hope you find our new website useful and that you choose to participate with us.

The MHAM Workplace Education department hosted a series of webinars in spring 2009 as part of our ongoing effort to provide mental health guidance for employers and employees in the workplace. These are no-cost educational workshops available to everyone online through our website.

We give a big thanks to the professionals and supporting individuals that participated in the process and the Minnesota Department of Human Services who made these presentations possible.

The Spring 2009 Workplace Webinar Series:

Topic: Psychiatric Disabilities and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)

This session discusses the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), which is expected to significantly expand the ADA’s protections for employees and job applicants in cases which arise after the ADAAA’s effective date of January 1, 2009.

• Click to view the archived web page and learn more

Topic: Ask the Doctor: Mental Health and Your Employees

This session provides you with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of mental health and how it can affect your employees.

• Click to view the archived web page and learn more

Topic: A Practical Approach to Accommodating Persons with Mental Health Impairments

This session provides practical solutions for providing accommodation for workers with psychiatric impairments.

• Click to view the archived web page and learn more