NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore is offering weekly online support groups. Meetings will be held via Zoom video call.

Registration is required to participate in each meeting. Space is limited to ensure participants can be heard, and receive needed support. Registered attendees will receive a link to join the Zoom call 24 hours in advance.

NAMI Family Support Group

Schedule: Beginning April 2nd, Thursdays, 7:00-8:30pm
Participants: Open to any family member or caregiver whose loved one lives with a mental health condition

NAMI Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar circumstances. Learn more.

Schedule: Beginning May 13th, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, 6:00-7:30pm
Participants: Open to any young adult (under 40) living with a mental health condition

NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group is a free, peer-led support group. This group is specifically open to young adults living with mental illness. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. Learn more.

Please note: NAMI Support Group facilitators will make every effort to adhere to the NAMI Signature Support Group models and practices. Adaptations may be made in the online format. The group is confidential, and personal information requested in the registration form will only be shard with NAMI Metro Baltimore staff.

Questions? If you have any questions about the group, or experience any difficulty with registration, please contact our HelpLine at 410-435-2600.

Share this story

NAMI Metro Baltimore takes the coronavirus risk very seriously, and is staying informed of all advisories from the state of Maryland and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Program Schedule Update: April 22, 2020

In accordance with the state of Maryland’s declaration of a state of emergency, NAMI Metro Baltimore suspended in-person education and support programs beginning March 16th. NAMI Metro Baltimore adheres to the closure policy of Baltimore County Public Schools for all programs and activities. Please see below for additional program and event schedule changes.

Online Support Group Meetings

Beginning April 2nd, NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore will offer weekly peer and family support group meetings online. Registration is required to participate in each meeting. View the schedule and learn more here.

Event Postponement

• The Of Substance Stoop Storytelling event scheduled for March 31 at Goucher College will be  postponed. The partnering organizations are developing plans to hold the event in the fall.  
• The Mental Health Education Conference for Faith Leaders scheduled for April 2nd at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt has been postponed.
• The Writers LIVE event in partnership with the Enoch Pratt Library scheduled for May 28th has been postponed to October 14, 2020.

We will continue to keep you updated as events are rescheduled.

Virtual NAMI Classes

NAMI Family-to-Family will be offered online this spring. This class is open to any family member or caregiver of an adult living with a mental health condition. Learn more about the program here.

Class Schedule

Dates: Tuesdays, May 5th – June 23rd, 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Online via Zoom

Registration is required. Please contact the NAMI Metro Baltimore HelpLine (410) 435-2600 to join.

Office Closure and HelpLine

The NAMI Metro Baltimore office will be closed from March 16th through May 15th. Staff will be available remotely. Additionally, the HelpLine will continue to be available during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm.

NAMI Metro Baltimore will share updates on our program schedule and events via email, our website, and our social media accounts. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to receive the latest updates and announcements. You can subscribe to receive our email newsletter and updates here.

Managing Your Mental and Physical Health

First, and foremost, we want you to care of your own health. Be sure to stay hydrated, eat good, healthy foods, get restful sleep, and maintain, to the best of your ability, your own personal self-care practices. This is key to wellness.

We know that the breaking news and headlines about this health emergency can feel overwhelming and stressful. It’s important to remain informed and aware, but also to manage your stress and anxiety. Here are a few tips and practices:

• Take breaks from your news consumption: With smartphone apps, push notifications, and 24/7 news coverage, there is a tremendous amount of information available at all times. It’s ok to take breaks. Be observant of your own tendencies in news consumption, and limit your time on news sites if you notice yourself spending a lot of time on them.
• Be cognizant of your social media use: Social media can intensify the effects that you feel from news and information overload. The seemingly endless stream of information can make it difficult to shift your focus. Make sure to exhibit self-control when it comes to social media use, and consider deleting apps, turning off push-notifications, or giving yourself a mental break.
• Practice good stress management: Consistent and sound stress management practices can be an easy and effective way to mitigate news anxiety. Be sure to stick with practices that work for you.

Share this story

After an extensive search, NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore has selected Kerry Graves as the organization’s new executive director, effective Nov. 15, 2018.

As executive director, Graves will apply her 10 years of experience working in the non-profit sector to providing direction and leadership for the mission and vision of NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore, Graves will serve as the chief liaison with government officials, media, community organizations, and key constituency groups.

Graves currently serves as the vice president for development for the DC/MD/VA chapter of the ALS Association. In this capacity, she has been responsible for a revenue budget in excess of $2 million and spearheaded fundraising efforts for the organization.

“Given Kerry’s experience working for organizations with a focus on health advocacy, she is uniquely qualified to continue to foster NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore’s reputation as a leading agency in the Baltimore area for outreach and community service,” said Lawrence S. Conn, president of the board of directors. “There’s never been a greater need for our services than now, and Kerry’s strategic fundraising experience will be critical in taking NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore to the next level.”

Graves is succeeding outgoing executive director Sherry Welch, who joined NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore in 2014. During her tenure, Welch doubled the number of people served by the organization and quadrupled the number of volunteers.  Welch also oversaw a geographic expansion of services and was instrumental in both stabilizing the organization’s finances and advancing the board of directors.

“Sherry put her heart and soul into NAMI, and the organization has seen significant growth as a result of that,” said Conn. “Her efforts have led us on a path that has set up NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore and Kerry for continued success.”

Share this story

Guest Blog Post by Mia Ellis

When I was 20, I came to an alarming realization that something was wrong. A week before Thanksgiving, I ended an abusive long-term relationship, and it seemed my entire world fell apart overnight. As a senior at Towson University living in an off-campus apartment, the winter that followed was debilitating.

Some mornings, I could not get out of bed. I barely made it to class or work. I cried as I got dressed, cried as I got in my car and drove. At my internship, I tried desperately not to cry at my desk, but I would start shaking until tears eventually fell as I stared into my computer screen. When I got home from class, I started taking painkillers to feel less miserable. That got me through the evenings, relieved once I could get in bed and sleep once again. I hated mornings because I didn’t want to participate in life, I just wanted to sleep. I was scared of being alone because of the dark thoughts that consumed me. I deleted my social media and ignored my friends; I couldn’t stand to see people happy and successful when I felt like a miserable failure. I became a shell of the happy and motivated extrovert I was, and I didn’t recognize myself. I felt empty, alone, depleted, isolated, useless, and irrationally overwhelmed with the feeling that my life didn’t really matter.

I attribute my recovery from major depressive disorder, which I was diagnosed with at 21, to three things: a good treatment plan, the support of my loved ones, and NAMI. I found NAMI Metro Baltimore through Towson University’s Counseling Center. In the spring I booked an emergency appointment with a mental health counselor, and not only did that begin my healing journey with therapy, but I met someone at the center who told me about NAMI Metro Baltimore. That day, for the first time in months, my spirits lifted. Maybe I wasn’t alone after all. I felt surrounded by people who truly understood, cared, and wanted to help.

I have been a NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group facilitator for almost two years, and it has changed my life and the way I view mental illness. After I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Psychology, it became clear to me that I wanted to help people like me, struggling with a mental health condition. I wanted to be sure that nobody had to suffer through it alone or without help. With certainty, I can say to anyone with mental illness – whether it be depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD or anything else – you are not alone in the way you feel. There are so many others out there who can relate to you and genuinely understand you.

For me, helping others work through mental illness helped me work through my own illness. I feel a strong connection with young adults in particular. Young adults, especially those of us with mental illness, experience the world differently. Growing up and finding your place in the adult world is not easy for anyone. School, finding jobs, figuring out what you want to do with your life, coming to terms with who you are, dealing with family issues, finding intimate relationships, living on your own – these are just a few of the struggles of young adulthood, and mental illness makes this journey feel overwhelming, if not impossible at times. But it is not impossible, and sometimes we need to be reminded of that. I think the more we can empathize and relate with one another, the more we can try to understand and support each other through the toughest of times.

This January, NAMI Metro Baltimore will launch a new NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group for young adults. This peer-led support group will provide a space for young adults to connect, share challenges, to see that there is hope for recovery. Starting January 10^th, the group will begin meeting bi-weekly at the Southeast Anchor Library in Highlandtown. This free program is open to any young adult age 18-39 who is living with a mental health condition.

I am a young adult with mental illness. At times I need support, and I know other young adults like me need it too. Through NAMI, we can offer each other mutual support, comfort, and understanding as we battle mental illness. You are not alone, and you do not have to go through this alone. Together, we can cope, heal, and find the road to recovery.

Mia Ellis is a Connection Support Group Facilitator and NAMI Metro Baltimore outreach volunteer. She has been volunteering with NAMI Metro Baltimore to help peers living with a mental health condition since 2016. 

 

 

Share this story

This fall, NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore launched a new mental health education and wellness initiative in partnership with Christian Temple. Christian Temple, will serve as a “hub” for NAMI’s evidence-based Signature education and support programs in the Catonsville area.

The new initiative formally launched on Sunday, October 23^rd with a program introducing NAMI’s supportive resources. NAMI Metro Baltimore volunteers shared personal reflections on the impact of mental illness with members of Christian Temple and the greater Catonsville community.

The programming schedule at the hub will be driven by community-identified needs and interests. Upcoming programs will include NAMI’s In Our Own Voice presentations, information sessions, and NAMI’s education programs for peers and families. NAMI Peer-to-Peer, a program for individuals living with a mental illness, and NAMI Basics, a course serving parents of a child or teen, are currently registering to begin this winter.

In addition to education and support programs, Christian Temple will house a drop-in resource library. Community members can find mental illness fact sheets, health-related books, videos, and DVDs, and other community behavioral health resources at the library.

NAMI’s programs provide life-saving information and support to the 1 in 5 people affected by mental illness. All programs are available at no cost to participants. See the schedule and registration details for upcoming programs:

Winter Program Schedule

 NAMI Peer-to-Peer
A free 10-session, peer-led education program for individuals living with a mental health condition

Christian Temple
5820 Edmondson Ave, Baltimore, MD 21228

Thursdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Class Start: Thursday, December 1st
Class End: Thursday, February 2^nd

NAMI Basics
A free education program for parents and family caregivers of children and teens who are experiencing a mental health issue

Christian Temple
5820 Edmondson Ave, Baltimore, MD 21228

Saturdays, 9:00am-2:00pm
Class Start: Saturday, January 14th
Class End: Saturday, January 28th

Space is limited and advanced registration is required. To join an upcoming education program, contact NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore at (410) 435-2600.

Share this story

 Companies join together to develop workplace culture of understanding around mental illness

 ARLINGTON, Va., July 7, 2016 — Today, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) launched Stigmafree Company, a new initiative that will challenge, highlight and cultivate a company culture of caring and enhanced engagement around mental health. An initial group of seven companies have joined as partners including Coty, EY, FOX Sports, Kenneth Cole Productions, Participant Media, Philosophy, and Wear Your Label.

“Nearly 60 million Americans are affected by mental illness and they often encounter stigma, or invisible barriers to acceptance and understanding, including in the workplace. This is something we need to change, together,” said Mary Giliberti, Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “NAMI is thrilled to have these seven businesses partner with us as Stigmafree companies and commit to joining us in our fight to end the stigma of mental illness through education, increased awareness and social action.”

Mental health conditions that go untreated can have a huge impact on companies, from decreased employee productivity to lower morale. Eight in ten workers say shame and stigma prevent them from seeking treatment for a mental health condition. In addition, mental illness costs the economy about $200 billion in lost earnings each year. Companies committed to the Stigmafree company partnership are helping reverse these negative effects by creating a caring culture that recognizes mental illness and can better respond.

To learn more about how these company partners are promoting Stigmafree, visit nami.org.

Share this story

Three years ago I stood in the pulpit of the church where my family had worshipped for more than three decades to give the most difficult talk I have ever had to give — offering reflections on the life and death of my 36-year-old daughter, Libby, who had passed away just a few days before. As I prepared my remarks, Libby’s sister and brother encouraged me to speak openly about the illness responsible for her death. If she had died of cancer, they noted, we would not be reluctant at all to talk about her battles with and eventual death from it. But it was not cancer that took Libby from us. It was another terrible disease — depression.

Continue reading the full Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun.

W. Daniel Hale is special adviser to the president at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

 

 

 

Share this story

Last Friday, when a 25-year-old man dressed in a hedgehog costume terrorized Fox 45 and threatened to set off a candy bar “bomb” if the station didn’t play the video on his flash drive, it didn’t take long for the social-media machine to go into full swing. “In Baltimore, even our terrorists are kinda awesome,” read one post. “Baltimore: Let’s Get Weird,” professed another. “Truly a Trump supporter,” read another. All day long, the one-upmanship continued.

I don’t know if this man who was ranting about the end of the world has a mental illness, but his father told news media that his son had struggled with mental illness in the past. I spent the better part of a day pointing out online that such situations may be due to some kind of psychosis; it didn’t take long for the barbs to turn toward me. One heckler, a local comedian, accused me of having no sense of humor. Note to Facebook friend: Sorry to rain on your virtual standup routine, but even a platypus costume wouldn’t have given me the giggles.

Continue reading the full Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun.

Jane Marion is the food and travel editor at Baltimore magazine; her email is janefmarion@gmail.com. 

Share this story

NAMI is excited to announce the release of its newest report, State Mental Health Legislation: Trends, Themes and Effective Practices. This is NAMI’s third annual state legislation report tracking state mental health budgets and identifying legislative trends across the country. In good news, the report found that several states passed innovative measures that can serve as models for development and change across the country.  In more alarming news, NAMI found that overall investment in state mental health budgets has been declining for the past three years. NAMI hopes this report will serve as an important tool for state leaders and advocates as we work together to improve mental health care in this country. For more information, visit nami.org.

Download the Report.

Share this story

I am frequently asked whether someone with a mental health disorder can get Social Security or SSI disability benefits.  The answer is YES, depending on the specific facts of each case.  First you need to understand the difference between Social Security disability and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) disability.  To get disability benefits under Social Security you must have worked long enough and paid into the Social Security system.  If you do not have enough work credits to qualify for Social Security then you can apply under the SSI disability program.  SSI is a needs based program which means that you must first meet the financial requirements for SSI.  Once you determine which program you are eligible for, then you must prove that you are disabled according to Social Security’s definition.

The key to getting these benefits is to prove that your limitations are severe enough to prevent you from doing any type of work.  Social Security has a very specific definition of disability.  I talk to many clients who believe that because they are unable to return to their specific job they will automatically be found disabled by the Social Security Administration.  This is not true.

The definition of disability that applies to Social Security/SSI claims is:

The inability to do any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.  To meet this definition you must have a severe impairment(s) that makes you unable to do your past relevant work or any other substantial gainful work that exists in the national economy.  20 C.F.R. §404.1505

What does this really mean?  Basically, your psychiatric condition must be so severe that it keeps you from doing any type of work on a full-time basis and has already lasted for 12 months or longer, or is expected to last that long.  The determination of disability is based on the information in your medical records, reports from your treating doctors about your mental limitations, reports from any Consultative Examinations scheduled by the Social Security Administration and your testimony at the hearing before an administrative law judge.  The Social Security administration will consider whether you are capable of returning to any of the jobs that you most recently held or any other type of work.  This determination of disability does not consider whether you could earn the same amount of money in other types of jobs.  This determination is based solely on your physical and/or mental capabilities.

For Social Security purposes your condition must be totally disabling for at least 12 consecutive months.  However, you can still receive benefits if your condition improves and you return to work.  This is called a “closed period” and means that you were unable to work on a full time basis for at least 12 months but have now recovered and can return to work.  For example, if you suffer a traumatic event and have a decline in your mental health condition you may need more intensive treatment for an extended period of time.  After that period of more intensive treatment you may be able to return to work.  You can still qualify for Social Security/SSI disability benefits if for that extended period that you could not work, as long as it lasted at least 12 consecutive months.  You would not receive ongoing monthly benefits, however, once you can return to work.

Medical evidence of your psychological limitations is the key to getting Social Security/SSI disability benefits for mental health problems.  If you have been unable to work for at least 12 months or anticipate that you will be unable to work for that long you may qualify for Social Security/SSI disability.  If this describes your situation you should apply for disability benefits right away.

Sharon Christie is a nurse and an attorney in Timonium, Maryland.  She handles only Social Security/SSI disability cases.  To receive a free copy of her Unofficial Guide to Social Security Disability Claims visit her website at www.SharonChristieLaw.com or call 410-823-8200.

Share this story