By Derrick Keith, Band Member, The Last Gold Leaf

When I was sixteen my parents bought be my first guitar as an Easter present. I never thought of myself as a musician. I was the kind of kid that spent endless hours locked away in my room, pencil in hand, drawing feverishly, seeking desperately to express the fanciful worlds in my head into images on a page. In fact, even as I began writing songs I never imagined I would seek to make a career out of music.

Picking up that guitar unlocked an urgency in me. I found that others could identify with the loneliness and depression that informed my music. And that made us all a little less lonely, the days seem just a little bit brighter. I was hooked and there was no looking back. I set out to find that connection on a larger and larger scale.

If I were to try to sum up my goal as a songwriter in one word I think it would be “fearless.” I believe my role as an artist is to bring light to those dark places in our psyche that we become afraid to talk about. The unpretty things: addiction, poverty, hunger, betrayal. It seems as if our culture is almost engineered to isolate ourselves from one another. But it’s in recognizing our griefs, our failures, in forgiving that we can tear down the walls we built originally to protect us. The walls we found cut us off from our lifelines.

I have seen friends, family members, lovers, strangers in deep hurt. In need of help. Become helpless. But I believe in the power of music to heal. To foster community. To open up wounds to draw the infection out. I seek to bring to the surface the ugliness so we can accept one another.

That’s why I reached out to the Mental Health Association of Minnesota (MHAM). Music can raise the questions, but MHAM has the resources to help heal the wounds. None of us can do it alone. According to the National Institute on Mental Health’s website, In 2012 18.6 percent of adults ages 18 and above were diagnosed with mental illnesses. That’s almost 2 out of every 10 people. And that’s just the people seeking help.

If you or a loved one you know have questions, seek help.

The Mental Health Association of Minnesota is proud to support the band The Last Gold Leaf in their upcoming EP release party for their new album Opaque. Through this release party for the EP Opaque, The Last Gold Leaf hopes to generate awareness of mental health and point people in the right direction to find treatment and services for mental illnesses.  Staff from MHAM will be at the party to share information about mental health and our services. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Mental Health Association of Minnesota.

Guests include: Parachute Empire, The Lost Wheels, and Kara Doten

Featuring photography by Haythem Lafaj

Location
The Stu
77 13th Ave NE
MInneapolis, MN

Cost: $11

Purchase tickets here.

At MHAM, we depend on individual donors to support our mission to enhance mental health, promote individual empowerment, and increase access to treatment and services for people living with mental illnesses. You can help us by contributing to MHAM through Give to the Max Day tomorrow, November 14. What’s more, your donation will be matched by our Board of Directors up to $10,000.  Simply visit our page at GiveMN.org, enter the donation amount you’d like to make, and follow the prompts to complete the transaction. You will help people like Henry.

The sun shone brightly and the temperature was perfect as Henry made his way to visit family and friends in a nearby community. The world looked good, and Henry drove toward his destination with anticipation boosted by an elevated level of mania. With his history of bipolar, Henry suspected he was feeling so good because was he was becoming manic. He knew that mania often resulted in problems in his life, but he also knew that it felt a whole lot better than those days when he was caught in the grip of depression.

Henry’s good day went downhill fast. Suddenly, he saw flashing red lights behind him. He had stopped quickly at a stop sign and then made a right turn without signaling. A police officer approached Henry’s car. The flashing lights and the uniform caused Henry’s stress level and mania to increase. He started to talk fast and loud. Instead of staying in the car, he tried to exit to explain to the officer. The officer thought Henry had been drinking.

Henry was taken to a detox center where he was tested for alcohol and other drugs. They found he had a very low level of alcohol–well below the legal limit for driving. However, once he was admitted to the detox center, he was stuck there for the next couple of days. Henry had neither his medication for bipolar disorder, nor medication for a separate physical condition. He did not need to be in detox. Henry should have gone to the hospital where he could get treatment for his bipolar disorder.

Henry eventually called MHAM because he was billed by the detox center for his time there. Henry is on Social Security Disability and cannot afford a large medical bill. Moreover, the detox center should be covered under Medicare. Henry and his advocate contacted a Medicare representative, who told them that a bill was not submitted to Medicare for the detox center. The advocate then helped Henry set up some conference calls with the county and the detox center in an attempt to figure out what happened. As it turns out, a police transport brought Henry to a detox center from a neighboring county. The detox center did not bill Medicare, but instead billed the county that transported Henry to the center. The transporting county then billed Henry. After talking to staff in both areas, it was clear that the detox center needed to send the bill to Medicare and not to the transporting county. Henry was pleased that the issue of the bill was resolved. However, a larger issue still stands. This problem would not have come up if Henry had been treated for his bipolar disorder at a hospital or clinic rather than held in a detox center when no detoxification was needed.

The Great Minnesota Give Together is a week away! On Thursday, November 14, MHAM will participate in its fifth Give to the Max Day through GiveMN.org. And, we are pleased to announce that the MHAM Board of Directors has offered a very generous matching grant to help MHAM reach its year-end fundraising goal of $25,000. The Board will match all donations made to MHAM from November 1 through the end of the year up to $10,000. Give to the Max Day also provides many other opportunities for MHAM to raise additional funds.

Each year generous supporters like you join us for the exciting 24-hour annual Give to the Max Day. Every gift made on November 14 increases our chances of winning at least one $1,000 Golden Ticket! By partnering with GiveMN, an online giving website for Minnesota nonprofits, MHAM will have 25 chances to be selected for a $1,000 Golden Ticket.  Here’s the really exciting part: At the end of Give to the Max Day, one donation from across Minnesota will be randomly selected for a $10,000 Super-sized Golden Ticket! What’s more, if we reach the top of our leaderboard, we are also eligible for a $10,000 grant.

In addition to Golden Tickets and Leaderboard awards, GiveMN is also introducing Power Hours. During five different hours, agencies that reach the top of their leaderboard at the end of the hour will receive an additional $1,000 donation. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, there are times you may want to consider donating. Power Hours are:

• 2:00 – 2:59 a.m.
• 5:00 – 5:59 a.m.
• 5:00 – 5:59 p.m.
• 6:00 – 6:59 p.m.
• 11:00 – 11:59 p.m.

Participating is easy. On Thursday, November 14, go to the Mental Health Association of Minnesota page on www.GiveMN.org. From our donation page you can enter the amount of your donation. Follow the prompts to complete the transaction. You can also schedule your donation early if you don’t want to worry about it on the 14th. Just visit the MHAM page on GiveMN.org, enter the amount of your donation in the space provided, and then check “Make my donation count for Give to the Max Day 2013 (11/14/2013).”

Funds raised through Give to the Max Day will be used to support MHAM’s mental health advocacy and outreach programs. MHAM improves the lives of thousands of people each year by making sure they have access to mental health services and that the community has the correct information about mental illnesses. As a result, people across the state are better able to manage their overall health, remain independent, and lead a more engaged life.

Thank you for your support!

Recently, SMCPros featured the work of individuals and organizations in the community.  We had an entry posted there, but we wanted to share it here as well.

Every day of the week, I find a call for help in my inbox.  The people who write are unflinchingly honest about emotional breakdowns, job losses, and medical nightmares.  They found a form on our website or our general email address, and sent something in the hopes that there is some help on the other end.  Even though they have no idea they are writing to me, they are honest and candid to a degree that awes me.  Because I forward these emails directly to our client advocates, Anna and Tom, almost none of them ever hear from me at all.
But nonetheless, they have come to the right place.  In a system that still tends to treat people as less than, and with an illness that can make even the smallest obstacle too much to handle, they have run into a group of people who are dedicated to understanding their needs and helping them find their way.  I work for a small non-profit, Mental Health Association of Minnesota.  For over 70 years, we have helped people with mental illness be heard.

We don’t focus on what we think is important, we ask them what their goals are.  For one client, it was making copies of correspondence without feeling like the hospital staff were looking over her shoulder.  For Amanda, it was just sorting through the paperwork that meant the difference between a stable home and living on the street.  For Kevin, it was trusting group home staff enough to tell them about his nutritional goals.  It all matters because the person behind it matters.

Believing that we’re important and that we can take a concrete step towards recovery is absolutely necessary.  Time becomes a real enemy when I feel depressed or anxious.  I lose my sense of what things are like without that cloud hanging over me, much the same way that you might forget how good a full, deep breath feels after a long bout of the flu.  Without hope and help, everything is too much, and every set back feels like the end of the world.

More than a decade ago, I was a patient at Abbot Northwestern, hospitalized a handful of times for suicidal behavior and thoughts.  I was not responding well to medication, and every change in my prescription added another 15 or 20 pounds to my frame, until I could barely recognize myself in the mirror.  In a matter of months, I had gone from zero involvement in the system to a head-first dive.  It was frightening and lonely, full of people who didn’t believe me or listen to what I thought might help.  I was on a unit with all kids, but many went days or even entire stays without seeing family.

I got daily visits from family.  There were cards from my friends waiting for me when I got home.  My internship supervisor came to the unit to make up for a lunch we were supposed to have.  She even arranged a get-well call from her boss’s boss, a guy named Paul Wellstone.  And from working in his office, I knew that it took phone calls all the way up the chain of command, and a scheduling effort.  Far from taking away from the impact, it doubled it.  You see, the point is that it’s not about one person who cares, it’s about entire families, communities, workplaces that do.

Mental illness is often chronic.  It can be extremely painful and damaging.  It is also true that people recover, leading wonderful and meaningful lives.  They do so every day, but they almost never do it without support. MHAM takes phone calls and emails from anyone who is living in Minnesota or is concerned about a Minnesota resident who is having a hard time navigating the mental health system.  We connect people with needed services, teach skills for self-advocacy and wellness, helping them live into their recovery.

I wanted to share this story with you so that you know two things.  First.  If you have a mental illness, and you don’t know where to turn, there is help. If it’s 2 AM when you’re reading this, and you’re in crisis, please call 800-273-TALK. It’s a different organization, but they are ready to connect with you, and believe me that it is worth it.  But the next morning, I hope you email us at [email protected], or give us a call at 651-493-6634/800-862-1799.

Second.  Whether or not you are living with a mental illness, do you agree with me that recovery shouldn’t be luck? There are plenty of ways for you to help.  Drop us a line to find out more about volunteer opportunities, how to contact your legislators about life changing community mental health services, or our wellness education program. And yes, consider a donation.  Our services may not be the easiest to fund in today’s economy, but that voice of hope is worth something.  Personally, I think it’s worth quite a lot.

Ben Ashley-Wurtmann

Policy and Outreach Associate

We are very excited to announce that Beta Theta Pi at the University of Minnesota will be hosting a concert to raise funds for MHAM!

Back to Beta will be held on Friday, September 14, 2012, from 6:30 until 10:00 p.m. at Beta Theta Pi, 1625 University Ave SE, Minneapolis. The concert is open to the public and features The Tasty Tones with special guests Hustle Rose and Gin and Phonic. Cover charge is $5.

Take a look at their Facebook invitation. Please share this information with your friends. All are welcome.

MHAM extends a huge THANK YOU to the guys of Beta Theta Pi!

When it comes to services for people with disabilities, how well do you think current public policies and practices in Minnesota meet your needs? What’s working for you? What isn’t? These are all questions the Minnesota Olmstead Committee would like to ask.

By October 2012, this committee must develop goals, recommendations, and a timeline that will become Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan. This Plan will be submitted to the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will begin to implement recommended changes in 2013.

You can help shape this plan by going to the Minnesota Olmstead Planning Committee’s website. The committee wants to hear from individuals living with disabilities, their families, service providers, and concerned community members.

The site is still being developed, but check back often for more information about the Olmstead Decision and ways that you can be a part of the conversation.

MHAM is accepting nominations for the 2012 Gloria Segal Award for excellence in improving the lives of Minnesotans with mental illnesses. This award is given to honor the memory of Representative Gloria Segal. Representative Segal served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1983 until her untimely death in 1993. In her 10 years in the legislature, she worked tirelessly to change how people with mental illnesses are treated in Minnesota. She led the way in the passage of groundbreaking legislation such as mandating coverage of mental health treatment in group health insurance plans and the creation of the mental health division at the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Ombudsman’s Office for Mental Health, and the State Advisory Council.

The Gloria Segal Award is given to an individual who has improved the lives of a great number of Minnesotans with mental illnesses. Accomplishments may include:

• Empowering people with mental illnesses
• Clinically treating people with mental illnesses
• Championing key legislation
• Increasing resources for people with mental illnesses
• Creating or improving systems of care for people with mental illnesses
• Performing key research in the area of mental health
• Creating a popular book/movie/play or other work of art that significantly decreases stigma

The Gloria Segal Award has been received by Representative Mindy Greiling in 2009 and Robin Wold and Hope House in Bemidji in 2011.

Do you know someone who has significantly improved the lives of Minnesotans with mental illnesses? We invite you to let us know! Please provide a short narrative including:

• Name and phone number of the person you are nominating
• Your name, phone number, and email
• Nominee’s relationship to the mental health community
• Activities which improve the lives of people with mental illnesses
• Accomplishments in those activities

Nominations will be accepted May 15 through June 30, 2012. The award will be presented at the 3rd Annual Celebrating Recovery event on September 27, 2012.

Submit your nomination to edeide @ mentalhealthmn.org or via mail to:

Mental Health Association of Minnesota
Attn: Gloria Segal Award Nomination Committee
475 Cleveland Avenue N, Suite 222
Saint Paul, MN 55104

by Kim Lutes, MHAM volunteer

The Hennepin County Mental Health Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, March 15, 2012, at the Hosmer Library on 36th and 3rd avenue. This Thursday’s meeting is a special one because it is the first meeting of our 2012-2013 session. The council will welcome newly appointed members.  The formal meeting begins at 2:00, but members are encouraged to arrive at 1:30 for a brief gathering in honor of the new members. Since Thursday’s meeting marks the beginning of the 2012-2013 session, much of our time will focus on orienting our new members to the council– sort of like “Advisory Council 101”.  We hope this will also be a helpful review for returning council members.  In addition, Commissioner Jan Callison is scheduled to address the council. I look forward to a full meeting and a productive year.  Stay tuned for monthly updates on this blog.

By Kim Lutes, MHAM Volunteer and Hennepin County LAC Member

I first heard about the Hennepin County Mental Health Advisory Council in an announcement in our local newspaper. My mom happened by it and clipped it out to give to me. She knew that I was trying to find meaning in my decades long struggle with mental illness. She thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to use my experiences to help others by sharing my experiences and advocating for individuals living with a mental illness. I decided to go for it.

Each county in the state of Minnesota has the opportunity to form a mental health advisory council, sometimes referred to as a Local Advisory Council, or LAC. The purpose of a local advisory council is to advise county commissioners on issues of concern regarding the way mental health services are delivered in the county. The Hennepin County advisory council, which meets in the lower level of the Hosmer Library in Minneapolis, is composed of: six individuals receiving mental health services, six mental health care providers, six family members of individuals receiving services, two community advocates, and three representatives of underserved communities. Each member of the council brings his or her unique perspectives on issues discussed at meetings.

Members of the council are appointed by the county commissioners. I found the process intimidating, but rewarding. The first step was to complete an application. Once the application was reviewed, I got a call from the commissioner’s office to set up an appointment to go before the commissioners to be interviewed. This was the scary part. I had purchased a suit from a thrift shop, and arrived, looking like a professional. When my name was called, I had to stand at a podium and testify before the full council, the reasons why I would be a valuable member of the mental health advisory council- in three minutes.

One of the symptoms related to my mental illness is severe anxiety, which sometimes leads to full-blown panic. Needless to say, my anxiety went sky high. But, my desire to become a member of the council took over, and I was able to stand at the podium and tell the commissioners that I lived with a mental illness, I had used a lot of services provided by the county and that my experiences would make me an asset to the council. That was all I needed to say. My voice quivered the whole time, and sweat was dripping down on my power suit, but I did it!

When I was finished with my testimony, I took the elevator to the first floor. I needed to walk across the courtyard to get to my car. As I was walking, I looked up at the glass windows twenty-four stories above me, and remembered the last time I had taken this walk. It was the day, six years earlier, when I was going through the civil commitment process. I remember wearing an oversized sweatshirt, and jeans I had to hold up because I had lost a lot of weight and they kept slipping down. But, six years later, I stood in the courtyard in a power suit, having just testified before the Hennepin County commissioners, asking to be appointed to the Hennepin County Mental Health Advisory Council.

A couple of weeks after I went through the application process, I received a letter from the commissioner’s office saying that they had appointed me to a three year term on the council.

The MHAM staff had a busy week between Christmas and New Year’s Day! We moved our offices from Northeast Minneapolis to our new location in Saint Paul. The new office will save us nearly $14,000 per year, which means more of our annual budget can go directly to Individual Advocacy, Issues Advocacy and Education.

Please note our new contact information:

Address: 475 Cleveland Avenue N, Suite 222, Saint Paul, MN 55104-5589
Phone: 651-493-6634
Fax: 651-340-1202

Our website, email addresses, and toll-free phone number will remain the same.

As we come to the end of our first full week in our new office, we are settling in and adding small touches that make the new space feel like home. We believe that our phones, website, and email are all up and running. However, should you have difficulty reaching us, please accept our apologies. We appreciate your patience as we make this transition.

As we move into 2011, we continue to find ways to work smarter and save money wherever possible. Our goal is to maintain our services at their current level. The recent move is part of this cost-saving plan. However, we still need support from individual donors to pursue our mission to enhance mental health, promote individual empowerment, and increase access to treatment and services for persons with mental illnesses. Please consider a tax-deductible donation. You can make your gift online.

Thank you for all you do to support our vision of improved lives for people with mental illnesses! And Happy New Year!!