This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are proud to recognize May 1-7, 2023, as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week to help increase awareness and support people living with this burdensome condition.

TD is an involuntary movement disorder that is characterized by uncontrollable, abnormal, and repetitive movements of the face, torso, and/or other body parts.^1-4 TD is associated with prolonged use of certain mental health medicines (anti-psychotics) that can be used to treat bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder.^3,4 TD affects approximately 600,000 people in the U.S.^1,5

Specifically, approximately 822,000 adults in Maryland are living with a mental illness, and many people with a mental illness may also have TD.^7,8

The uncontrollable movements of TD can impact patients physically, socially, and emotionally.⁹ It can impact one’s ability to work, drive, button a shirt, eat, or even hold a cup of coffee.^9,10 TD can exacerbate feelings of vulnerability, embarrassment, and frustration and add to the overall disease burden for the those living with the condition.^4,9-11

If you or someone you love is showing symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia, you are not alone, and help is available. Click the button below to download more information, and even a guide to help you start a conversation with your doctor to get treatment.

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¡Nosotros en NAMI Baltimore estamos emocionados de anunciar algunos de nuestros servicios ahora están disponibles en español!

Aquí en NAMI, queremos eliminar el estigma hacia la salud mental en las comunidades por educación, eventos de alcance y grupos de apoyo que son dirigidos por compañeros voluntarios. Provenimos servicios y recursos a la gente con condiciones de la salud mental, sus seres queridos y profesionales de la salud mental.

En este momento, podemos ofrecer la Helpline (línea de ayuda) para los hispanohablantes. Si indicas que te gustaría hablar con alguien en español, puedes dejarnos un mensaje y unos de nuestros voluntarios calificados le contactaran en 48 horas vía llamada telefónica o email.

Tenemos una gran lista de recursos y organizaciones en Maryland con los que podemos conectarte. Podemos darte derivaciones a recursos comunitarios en la ciudad y condado de Baltimore que incluyen la salud, vivienda, gestión de casos y servicios de discapacidades y legales—muchas que se especializan en apoyar a comunidades de inmigrantes e hispanohablantes.

Por favor, llámanos (410-435-2600 y oprime 1) o envíanos un email (info@namibaltimore.org).

Queremos conectarnos con tu comunidad

¡Nos gustaría participar en un evento en tu comunidad! Invítanos a tus escuelas, iglesias o ferias comunitarias. Podemos provenir materiales educativos, informarle a la comunidad de nuestro trabajo y albergar programas y presentaciones informativas.

¡Contáctanos hoy y trabajemos juntos para planear actividades para tu comunidad!

Compartiendo Esperanza

Estamos develando nuestra iniciativa de Comportamiento Esperanza en mayo de 2023. Será una seria de videos que explorarán el paso de la salud mental en comunidades hispanohablantes/Latinx por diálogo, narración y una discusión guiada de temas diversas.

Por favor, comparta el proyecto en tu comunidad para iniciar diálogo de este tema importante.

¿Tienes una emergencia?

Llama al 988 si tú o un ser querido está en peligro inmediato. Notifica a la operadora que haya una emergencia psiquiátrica y solicita un oficial de policía competente en CIT, quien haya recibido formación especializada para responder a emergencias de la salud mental de NAMI Baltimore y nuestros socios comunitarios.

Si tienes una crisis o necesitas hablar, llama a 988 para inglés y 1-888-628-9454 para español, la Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis. Es una línea directa, gratuita y confidencial para la prevención del suicidio que funciona las 24 horas. El número 988 te dirige a un centro de atención telefónica local, pero si te gustaría llamar a un número local, llama a la línea directa de Baltimore Crisis Response al 410-433-5175. Está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana.

¡Únete a nosotros!

Si te gustaría ser parte del trabajo que hacemos, contáctanos. Envía un email a Volunteer@namibaltimore.org o puedes crear una cuenta de voluntario en NAMIbaltimore.volunteerhub.com

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We are so grateful to everyone who joined our virtual Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony and made it a night to remember. It was a great year for NAMI Metro Baltimore and for reaching a record number of community members here in Baltimore. Learn more by reading our full annual report.

During the Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, we reflected on our impact from the last year, engaged in an deep discussion with youth about their mental health and ways to support the next generation of leaders as they navigate the ever-changing world, and recognized professionals and community members who go above and beyond to support the mental health of our fellow Baltimoreans.

Couldn’t make it to the live event? You can catch the recording on YouTube by clicking the play button, below!

For any questions, please contact info@namibaltimore.org or call our HelpLine during weekdays from 9am – 5pm at (410) 435-2600.

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Beginning Saturday, July 16, people across the country can call or text 988, the new three-digit number for mental health, substance use and suicidal crises, to connect directly to mental health support during a crisis. This new, shorter dialing code will help people more easily connect to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network — over 200 local crisis call centers — for support during a crisis.

In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, this means people in need of mental health crisis support will only have to remember to dial 9-8-8, and will automatically be connected to 24/7 support provided by counselors at trusted call centers like Baltimore Crisis Response Inc., the Here2Help Hotline, and Affiliated Sante Group’s Crisis Hotlines.

Questions? Want to learn more? NAMI has more information available about what is and is not changing across the country with the launch of 988.

The availability of 988 is a great step to helping people in crisis and their families – but the work to improve our full crisis response system is only beginning. While the new number is now live, efforts to build the system’s local capacity in our state to help everyone in crisis will continue in the weeks, months and years to come. Our policymakers must act to build and invest in local resources so that everyone in crisis has someone to talk to (local 24/7 crisis call centers), someone to respond (mobile crisis teams consisting of mental health professionals instead of law enforcement) and somewhere to go (short term crisis stabilization options instead of relying solely emergency departments). Learn more about this vision here.

Want to help spread the word about 988? According to a recent survey by NAMI National, 80% of U.S. residents do not know what 988 is, and what the changes will mean to their ability to access mental health support. Help us lower that number when you click the button below to share social posts, flyers, and information!

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Are you curious to learn more about the work NAMI Metro Baltimore does, and about the people behind the mission? Every quarter, NAMI Metro Baltimore hosts a 1-hour virtual session, so you can learn about all of the programs we provide to our community, meet some of the staff and volunteers, and ask questions about how you can get involved as a volunteer or advocate!

Upcoming Get to Know NAMI Metro Sessions

Click any of the dates you are interested in to register.

Check back in with us soon for our 2024 Get to Know NAMI Metro Schedule!

During each session we talk about:

• NAMI as an organization and how we operate
• How we end stigma in the community and raise awareness
• Our educational programs and offerings
• Our support groups
• Advocacy opportunities for our community
• Volunteer roles
• Any questions you have!

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To Our Dedicated Volunteers, Program Participants, and NAMI Friends,

The Fall of 2021 brought us some hope, as we relaunched in-person programming with great success. But, if this pandemic teaches us one thing, it will be flexibility. We have pivoted, swiveled, and salsa danced around each scenario thrown in our path – and unfortunately it is time to do so again.

We have made the tough decision to temporarily suspend our in-person support groups through February, 2022. Our staff have been closely monitoring trends in COVID-19 data and are following the advice of public health officials. While it has been so special to bring community members back together in a physical space, we feel it is important to do our part to protect the health and safety of our participants and volunteers.

We know that our support groups and classes are essential for many to manage and maintain their mental health and wellness, and that this decision will have a big impact on the people who count on us.  As such, we want to make clear that the support groups that were in-person will be made available through Zoom.

To view our updated support group offerings and how to access them, please click here or visit www.namibaltimore.org/support-groups

All support groups will be held virtually in January and February 2022. In mid-February, we will re-evaluate the state of public health and determine how groups will operate in March and April 2022. We are so grateful for your patience and flexibility as we are trying to create the best experience for our participants and volunteers.

I know you, like me, are exceedingly weary over this ongoing pandemic and the constant changes. At the same time, I am increasingly hopeful over the elevated voices around mental health. The conversations are happening all around us – in the media, in schools, in the workplace, and yes, even in line masked-up at the grocery store. The buzz around mental health that initiated in 2020 at the onset of COVID-19 has become a roar. 2022 might be off to a rough start, but we will persevere and we will get louder!

Yours in Health,

Kerry Graves

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Learn more about each course below, and click the green button beneath the class of your interest to register.

NAMI Peer-to-Peer

Open to any adult over the age of 18 living with a mental illness or looking to learn tools to support their mental health.

Location: Online via Zoom | Click to register
Dates: Sundays starting in April | 4/24/2022 – 6/12/2022

NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session education program for adults who are looking to better understand their mental health condition and journey toward recovery. Taught by a trained team of people who’ve been there, the program includes presentations, discussion and interactive exercises.

What You’ll Gain

NAMI Peer-to-Peer will help you:

• Create a personalized relapse prevention plan
• Learn how to interact with health care providers
• Develop confidence for making decisions and reducing stress
• Understand the impact of symptoms on your life
• Access Baltimore-area resources to assist you in maintaining your journey toward recovery.

Register for a Class

NAMI Peer-to-Peer is offered virtually. Space is limited and advanced registration is required.

To register, click here or contact our HelpLine at (410) 435-2600 or email info@namibaltimore.org.

NAMI Family-to-Family

Location: Online via Zoom | Click to register
Dates: Saturdays starting in April | 4/23/2022 – 6/11/2022

NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people living with mental illness. It is a designated evidence-based program that includes presentations, discussion and interactive exercises. Research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to an individual living with a mental health condition.

What You’ll Gain

NAMI Family-to-Family provides critical information and strategies for taking care of the person you love.

In the program, you’ll learn about:

• How to manage crises, solve problems and communicate effectively
• Taking care of yourself and managing your stress
• Developing the confidence and stamina to provide support with compassion
• Finding and using local supports and services
• Up-to-date information on mental health conditions and how they affect the brain
• Current treatments, including evidence-based therapies, medications and side effects
• The impact of mental illness on the entire family

Register for a Class

NAMI Family-to-Family is offered virtually. Space is limited and advanced registration is required

To register, click here or please contact our HelpLine at (410) 435-2600 or email info@namibaltimore.org.

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Our friends at The Van Dyke Family Foundation are matching your online donations to NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore! They’ll match donations up to $10,000 from now until the end of the year.

Wondering why you should donate? NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore provides free mental health support to the 1 in 5 individuals in Baltimore living with a mental health condition, and their families. Below are some numbers about the our impact, and you can learn even more about the work we do by checking out our Annual Report.

188: individuals enrolled in our education classes for families, peers and parents.

134: support group meetings were held in-person and online for peers and family members.

435: individuals reached through workplace presentations provided to local employers.

Your donation will help us reach even more individuals, and keep providing free mental health programs to our community here in Baltimore.

Thank you for supporting mental health!

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NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore is proud to release our 2020 Annual Report. This year has been anything but ordinary—it’s been difficult, stressful and unprecedented. It’s been a strain on the mental health of so many of us. It would have been so easy to explain away a less than stellar year for NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore. But, here’s the thing: 2020 was a great year for us and our community members.

Truly! A lot of wonderful things happened in our community—we provided more than 8,500 service touch-points to community members affected by mental health conditions. Here’s just a few great things:

• I Will Listen grew to 12 campuses reaching over 3100 students with meaningful conversations about mental health, reducing stigma, and supporting peers without judgement
• In Our Own Voice—a presentation that changes attitudes, assumptions, and ideas about people with mental health conditions reached 2,210 individuals at hospitals, companies, community organizations, schools, and to Baltimore City and County police officers.
• 2,501 hours were donated by 135 incredible volunteers to lead our support groups, classes, presentations, and other programs

Want even more good stuff? You’ve got it! Check out the entire Annual Report below.

And there’s more—no matter what the future has in store, we’ll be there. We’ll keep growing our virtual support, adapting quickly and expanding our programming—just like we’ve done since March—because in the midst of all of this we’ve increased our work, reached more people and seen more success. We’ve done it for you, for your family, for your friends, for your community—and NAMI Metro Baltimore will be there every step of the way providing essential education, advocacy and support. That’s our promise to you.

Can we ask for a favor, in return? Consider making a donation to our annual campaign. We rely on donations from individuals like you to continue to support the 20% of our community living with a mental health condition. Every bit helps, and we appreciate you making the most generous donation that your circumstances allow.

With your help, there isn’t anything that can stop us from reaching our potential. We’ll do it together.

With thanks and best wishes,

Your NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore Crew

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We have all faced new and unprecedented challenges in 2020, as our community and world adapts to COVID-19.

In March, NAMI Metro Baltimore began to respond and do our part to mitigate the spread of the virus. At that time, we knew that our programs could not cease. NAMI’s education programs and support groups provide life-changing help.

We also recognized that our community would need us more than ever as they coped with social distancing and managed their mental health, anxiety and fear.

We didn’t stall. We adapted. We innovated. We worked tirelessly to ensure that our community has access to the care they need.

Our volunteers answered the call. They helped us to launch online support groups within 2 weeks. By mid-June, we began hosting 4 ongoing groups for peers and families. We’ve also hosted virtual NAMI education programs, and have plans to continue offering Family-to-Family and Peer-to-Peer classes throughout the summer.

Below are a few words our support group participants have shared with us about the value of our continued programming.

“I just finished participating in the Virtual Connection Support Group and I wanted to let you to know how helpful it was to me…With the current deadly virus threat and the requirement that everyone stay inside their homes, it is doubly (and sometimes triply) depressing and lonely. For me, this support group was a positive and uplifting experience and I plan to attend every meeting. I’m not always this upbeat but I know that the people I met will help me through, what I call, my dark days. And I will help them.“
–NAMI Support Group Participant

“Everyone was so open and respectful. …The group reminded me of the value of talking about mental illness and hardships in a group setting. I wasn’t expecting this, but sharing my personal experiences and listening to others’ lifted a little weight off my chest. I am so grateful that NAMI offers these resources and connections.”
–NAMI Support Group Participant

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We need your support.

We are making a difference. As we continue to do whatever it takes to provide mental health programs to our community here in Baltimore, we ask you to join us. Your donation allows NAMI Metro Baltimore to continue providing our services at absolutely no cost to participants. Your support will help us to continue to adapt, innovate, and meet the challenges of this moment.

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