December update Parents Matter

The Adolescent Brain and Risk Taking town Hall event was an excellent information and discussion opportunity. Follow the facebook event page for more opportunities to share your best ideas and hear from others in our community about keeping our kids healthy.

Planned Future topics: Screenagers, Kids in emotional distress.

Parent connect: We are not alone. If your parent group would like to host a parent conversation, many in the Parents Matter group have offered to help organize and coordinate/ facilitate.

Possible topics include: Your kids and anxiety, Parenting and technology/ digital world. How to talk to your kids. Healthy risk taking for adolescent brain development. Do you have some other ideas/ topics?

Whatcom Family Community Network, Communities in Schools and Whatcom County Health department are looking for parents to weigh in on a marketing campaign aimed at parents. If you are willing to offer your opinion please contact RileyOLeary@WFCN.org

Kim Sauter of NAMI Whatcom shared these print resources:

for teens

http://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/NAMI-Getting-the-Right-Start.pdf

http://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/NAMI-Want-to-know-how-to-help-a-friend.pdf

And parents

http://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/MulticulturalMHFacts10-23-15.pdf

http://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/Children-MH-Facts-NAMI.pdf

NAMI Whatcom events and services for 2017

Upcoming Presentations:

· In Our Own Voice NAMI Signature Presentation: Join community members Laurie and Larissa to learn from personal experience how to overcome obstacles to getting help and achieve wellness, recovery, and reintegration when living with a mental illness. Sunday, January 29, 2017 from 2:30 - 4:30 PM at the Lummi Island Library, 2144 S. Nugent Rd, Lummi Island, WA 98262

· NAMI Talks: "Recovering From Psychosis: Getting Help Early": Join NAMI Whatcom for an evening with Roseann Martinez and Haley Lowe on First Episode Psychosis - learn about the WA State First Episode Psychosis Project and the importance of early detection, as well as symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment. Tuesday, January 31, 2017 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Bellingham Central Library, 210 Central Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225. Pending approval by the NASW for 2 CEUs to licensed social workers.

Ongoing Support Groups:

· Connection Recovery Support Group for those living with mental illness(es): Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 PM at 1212 Billy Frank Jr., St., Bellingham, WA 98225

· Family Support Group for family members, loved ones, and caregivers of those living with mental illness(es): Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 PM at 1212 Billy Frank Jr., St., Bellingham, WA 98225

· Suicide Survivors Support Group for those who have lost somebody to suicide: Every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 PM at 1212 Billy Frank Jr., St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Upcoming Education Classes:

· Peer-to-Peer: The NAMI Peer-to-Peer Education Program is a 10-week, 10 session course for those living with a mental health diagnosis. Begins Monday, March 6th and will last until May 8th, 2017.

· Family-to-Family: The NAMI Family-to-Family Education course is a six-week, 12 session class for family members, loved ones and caregivers of individuals living with a mental health diagnosis. Family-to-Family will begin on Tuesday, February 7th and will last until Thursday, March 16th, 2017.

· Basics and WRAP for Kids: The NAMI Basics education course is a six-session program designed for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. WRAP for Kids is a six-session class that will provide a child (ages 7-12) a creative and productive outlet to cope with a mental health concerns, undiagnosed or diagnosed. Basics will begin on Saturday, March 11, 2017 and lasts through April 22, s

Some reccomended Films: No Letting Go A teenager struggles with mental illness as his mother fights to save him without losing the rest of the family.

The Mask You Live in Boys and young men struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America's narrow definition of masculinity.

Miss Representation explores how the media's misrepresentations of women have led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence

Screenagers has been seen by many in the community and there are more opportunities coming up.

Next month at the Parents Matter meeting, we have invited someone from BSD to join our conversation for a Tech Talk.

We will look forward to WFCN. WWU hosting a showing of "Airings. Voices of our youth" by Kuntz & Co. With a community conversation to follow.