NAMI was founded in 1977 in Madison, Wisconsin by Harriet Shetler and Beverly Young. The two women shared the experience of raising a child with a serious mental illness. They decided to assemble a group of people with similar concerns. Within six months, 75 people had joined.

Young and Shetler decided to hold a national conference, hoping for around 35 people. 284 representatives from 59 groups (representing 29 states) showed up. By the end of the conference, a national group, The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill had been formed, named and financed. It was renamed The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to further reduce stigma and the discrimination associated with mental illness.

NAMI is now based in Arlington, Virginia. NAMI has over 1,000 local affiliates groups comprised of consumers, family members, friends of people with mental illness and professionals.


Sources:
National alliance on mental illness. (2021, February 26). Retrieved March 03, 2021.

NAMI Wisconsin History. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2021.

The Wauseon VFW Post 7424 has once again made a donation to NAMI Four County to help sponsor our free community Mental Health First Aid trainings. Wauseon VFW has also been the host site for the Dennis Deeds Suicide Awareness Motorcycle benefit for the last three years. Over the last two years the Post has donated a total of $700 to NAMI to help underwrite the cost of the free trainings.  

Thank-you, Wauseon VFW Post 7424 help NAMI Four County make more people aware of suicide and how to prevent it from occurring in youth and a

NAMI would like to thank all of the staff who work at agencies in Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams county who serve persons living with a mental illness and their families for their dedicated service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The trying times of staying at home, keeping social distance, wearing a mask  and more have certainly changed the way that they have done their jobs, but it hasn't changed their commitment to helping individuals and families who continue to need their help and support.  Thank-you!

NAMI Ohio recently printed hundreds of these signs for agencies all across our state who serve individuals and families living with mental illness. Locally, NAMI Four County has placed these signs at seven locations; however, our heroes aren't just found at those locations. They can be found at more than 35 locations  in our area where dedicated people continue to make sure that counseling and therapy, medications and lab work, housing and transportation, case management, and encouragement are provided even in these difficult times.

By: Alan Johnson, NAMI Ohio 

    As Ohioans slowly begin returning to work in the next few weeks, it’s natural to feel a good deal of anxiety and fear.
   Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement this week that Ohio will gradually, and with great caution, return to work is no doubt being met with a combination of relief and concern by the most Ohioans, particularly those with existing mental illness.
   While times remain uncertain, mental health officials shared with the National Alliance on Mental illness of Ohio some helpful suggestions to potentially deal with back-to-work worries.

IT’S OKAY TO BE ANXIOUS
   “It’s definitely a time of uncertainty. The big thing is it’s invisible and unpredictable,” said Vicki Montesano, chief of mental health treatment for the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. ”Anxiety and unpredictably exacerbate it when we can’t control the situation.”
   Montesano says what we all know: “We look around and life as we know it is going to change.”
   Dr. Douglas Smith, medical director of the Summit County Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Services Board, agreed. “One big message is its okay to be anxious. It’s part of the human experience and you’re not alone.” Smith is interim Director of Psychiatry at the Northeast Ohio Medical University and a NAMI Ohio board member.
   Both Montesano and Smith agree that recognizing anxiety and fears rather than trying to ignore or hide them is crucial as the recovery from the long COVID-19 quarantine unfolds.

GET HELP IF YOU NEED IT
   “You don’t necessarily have a panic disorder if you are a little bit afraid about walking into the grocery store,” Montesano said. “But it’s important to get help if you need. Don’t wait too long if your symptoms are serious and you’re struggling.”
   “Therapy is helpful for insight into learning about oneself,” she said. “It can help you work through anxiety and fear. We are probably in this for the long haul.”
   Smith said people who have mental health providers should keep in touch with them, even if appointments are done virtually through a computer or phone. There will be issues to work through, including dealing with the return to work-life balance, a new or increased workload, financial concerns, and trauma from the two-month isolation.
   “They should be open and discuss their issues with a professional who knows them well,” Smith said. “They need to look for their support systems, including family, friends and NAMI.”

EMBRACE THE RETURN TO STRUCTURE
   “Paying attention to our thoughts is something we are not trained to do,” Montesano said. “Temper those thoughts: try to find a middle ground. We’ve got a scary invisible enemy out there. But it doesn’t have to be like I’m walking into a black hole.”
   “Be kinder to yourself. If you have anxiety, try deep breathing exercises,” she said. “Try to get back to eating right, stay away from caffeine and sugar as much as possible. Get outside and get some exercise and pay attention to what’s going on in the world.”
   Smith said a big problem people have faced during the quarantine is a lack of structure in their lives, especially if they are not working or are working from home.
“Most people do better with structure in their life,” he said. “Part of the problem with the last six weeks or so is there has been no structure. I enjoy my weekly venture to Walmart, but it’s different.”
   “Everybody craves that vacation but it’s different now that we’ve disrupted our schedules. Sleep is off, work is off, exercise is off. We must adapt to the new situation.”

GET SOME SLEEP, PET YOUR DOG
   Both of those sound simple, but they’re invaluable, Montesano and Smith agreed.
   “Sleep is very important,” Montesano said. “Try to do the same thing every single night. Have a routine. Turn off the television and the phone.”
   “Embrace the structure, even if you’re not in the first wave of going back to work,” Smith said. “Human are social animals and we need some sort of connections like we have with co-workers.”
   As for petting your dog, or cat, that’s one of several relaxation techniques recommended by both experts. Others are listening to music, prayer, meditation, mindfulness exercises and progressive muscle relaxation to ease tension in the body head to toe.
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A record number of motorcycles and riders participated in the 4th annual Suicide Awareness bike ride on Saturday, July 11.  It took nearly two minutes for more than 100 bikes to empty the Wauseon VFW Post 7424 parking lot as part of the Team Deeds benefit.  Julie Deeds and her son Justin and their friends organized the first ride in 2017 with 12 bikes participating.  They organized the event to raise awareness of mental health issues and to prevent suicide, which took the life of Julie's husband, Dennis, in 2012.

In addition to the ride, Julie and her crew put together a silent auction, raffles, door prizes and food for participants.  Registration was $20 per rider and $10 for passengers and non-riders.

Some 101 motorcycles -- many with two riders -- were signed up to participate in the 4th Annual Dennis Deeds Memorial Suicide Awareness Bike Ride on Saturday, July 11.  It took more than two minutes for all of the bikes to leave the VFW parking lot in Wauseon. The Wauseon Police Department and Fulton County Sheriff's Office provided the escort.

WATCH A SLIDE SHOW OF 101 MOTORCYCLES LEAVING THE FROM WAUSEON VFW POST 7424 BELOW.

With restrictions on group gatherings due to the CO VID-19 pandemic, our spring mental health education class schedule has been canceled.  We will re-schedule the all-day Youth Mental Health First Aid training that is currently scheduled for Thursday, April 30.  At this time, we are not able to announce a rescheduled date until we better idea of when group gathering restrictions will be lifted.  Likewise, we have canceled the May 30 three-hour training on Strategies for Managing Challenging Behavior in Youth.

If you are interested in participating in either of these FREE trainings, then please email Billie Jo Horner at bjhorner71@yahoo.com or by phone at 419-906-5569 with your name, contact information and the training(s) that you are interested in attending and you will be contacted by her once a new date has been set for the Youth Mental Health First Aid training and the Strategies for Managing Challenging Behavior in Youth.

Youth Mental Health First Aid.  An all-day training for persons whose job or volunteer work involves youth and families as well as parents, grandparents, foster parents and other caregivers of youth.  Participants will learn how to identify and help youth who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. A rescheduled date will be announced once we have a better idea of when restrictions will be lifted on group gatherings.

Strategies for Managing Challenging Behavior in Youth.  A 3-hour workshop offered in partnership with the Defiance College Hench Autism Studies Program for parents, grandparents, caregivers or volunteers who work with youth who may have disruptive, challenging behaviors and youth who do not respond to your requests to stop the behavior(s).
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NAMI members and friends gathered at the Scout Cabin in Archbold's Ruihley Park for our annual holiday party and potluck.  In addition to fellowship and a good meal, everyone enjoyed Ed Clinker playing holiday music on the piano and our ever popular evening of "robber" gift exchange.  Merry Christmas and best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year from your friends at NAMI Four County!
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