NAMI - NoVa

PRIOR PROGRAMS

2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007

2007 Programs
Jan 2007 | 26 Feb 2007 |Mar 2007 | 23 Apr 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007 | Sep 2007 | Oct 2007 | Nov 2007 |

Monday, April 23: Ms. Sondra Wolff - speaks about a program she has developed for elementary school aged siblings of a person with a mental illness.

Ms. Sondra Wolff - professional history includes a Master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan and 12 years experience as a licensed clinical social worker with children and families in multiple settings including outpatient clinics, detention centers, schools, and private residencies. She has lectured at George Mason University, George Washington University, and the Children's National Medical Center. In her private practice, she sees children, adolescents, and parents and specialize in the areas of early childhood, children of divorce, and special siblings.

Monday, February 26: David Goldstein, M.D.: Neurogenesis: the process of creating neurons. Includes a discussion of preliminary animal research suggesting anti-depressants and lithium may actually spur development of new brain cells.

Dr. Goldstein is on the Board of Directors of DRADA (Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association); teaches at Georgetown University Medical School; has a private psychiatric practice in DC.

2006 Programs
30 Jan 2006 | 27 Feb 2006 |27 Mar 2006 | 24 Apr 2006 | May 2006 | June 2006 | Sep 2006 | Oct 2006 | Nov 2006 |

 

Monday, November 27: James Stewart III, Inspector General for Virginia's Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services

Discussion will cover his Office's review of 2006 studies: Mental Health Case Management and the Integration of MH/SA Services. It is the Mission of the Office of the Inspector General to serve as a catalyst for improving the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of services for people and their families whose lives are affected by mental illness, mental retardation or substance use disorders.

James W. Stewart, III has worked in the publicly funded mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse service system for over 30 years. Prior to accepting appointment by Governor Mark Warner as Inspector General, he served as mental health director (1977 – 1981) and executive director (1981 – 2004) of the Henrico Area Mental Health & Retardation Services Board, one of Virginia’s 40 Community Services Boards. Throughout these years he worked actively at state, federal, and local levels to help shape policies, regulations and funding initiatives with the goal of enhancing services for individuals with mental illness, mental retardation and substance abuse problems. With a personal interest in organizational development and change, he has assisted many public and private organizations in performance improvement.

Prior to coming to Virginia, Mr. Stewart worked as outpatient center director and clinician in a community mental health center and social worker in a state hospital in Tennessee. He was an officer in the United States Navy, stationed in Norfolk, VA. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee.

Monday, June 26: Francis J. McMahon, M.D. Chief, Genetic Basis of Mood and Anxiety Disorders, NIMH, Genetic Research, Bipolar Disorder and OCD.

The mission of the Unit is to uncover human genetic variation that plays an causative role in mood and anxiety disorders, such as bipolar disorder and panic disorder, so that better methods of diagnosis and treatment can be developed. Research methods encompass family studies, genetic linkage analysis, and genetic association analysis. (http://mapgenetics.nimh.nih.gov)

Dr. McMahon received his B.A. in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982 and his M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1987. He stayed on at Hopkins to complete a medical internship, a residency in adult psychiatry, and a post-doctoral fellowship in psychiatric genetics before joining the faculty in 1993. In 1998, he became Associate Professor of Psychiatry and medical director of the Electroconvulsive Therapy Clinic at the University of Chicago. In 2002, he joined the NIMH to establish the MAP Genetics Unit. Recently, Dr. McMahon was named a Mallinckrodt Scholar by the Edward F. Mallinckrodt Foundation. He also serves as a scientific advisor for the National Tourette Syndrome Association, the University of Antwerp, the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, and numerous scientific journals.

Recent Work: McMahon Team Links Gene Type to Antidepressant Response by Muriel Strickland: Francis J. McMahon, M.D., the speaker at NAMI Northern Virginia’s June meeting, is the lead author of an article in the May issue of American Journal of Human Genetics concerning a genetic link to response to antidepressants. Dr. McMahon, a scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health, is chief of research on the Genetic Basis of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. His topic for the June 26 NAMI-NoVa meeting will be “Genetic Research, Bipolar Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder”.

Dr. McMahon and colleagues report in their journal article that response to an antidepressant depends, in part, on which version of a gene the patient has inherited. A favorable response depends on having two copies of a less-common version of the gene rather than of another, more common, version. The gene involved is the gene that codes for the serotonin 2A receptor, which regulates circuits in the brain implicated in depression.

     Everyone inherits two copies of the gene, one from each parent. After screening genetic material from 1,953 patients in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives for Depression (STAR*D) trial, the researchers found that 14 percent had the AA gene type, while 43 percent had the GG type (and another 43 percent had type AG). Nearly 80 percent with the AA gene type responded to an antidepressant, compared to about 62 percent with the GG type. So those with the AA-type were 16 to 18-percent more likely to respond to antidepressant medication.

     But these results applied only to white patients, in whom the AA gene was six times as common as in African-Americans. “We now have to consider genetic factors as well as psychosocial issues in our attempts to explain why antidepressants do not help our black patients as much as they should,” said Dr. McMahon. “The new findings help make a compelling case for a key role of the serotonin 2A receptor in the mechanism of antidepressant action.” [From “Gene Influences Antidepressant Response” by Jules Asher, in a March 15 press release from the National Institute of Mental Health”]

Monday, May 22: Colleen Miller has been the Director of VOPA since 2003. She is an attorney. Prior to her work with VOPA, she was the legal director of the New Mexico Protection and Advocacy System, and, before that, served as a senior trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
                                    Mary Aab is an advocate in VOPA's Resource Advocacy Unit, with a focus on mental health and on housing issues for people with disabilities. Ms. Aab has a masters in social work. Prior to coming to VOPA, Ms. Aab had more than 18 years of experience in mental health service delivery, ranging from case management to discharge planning to evaluations and emergency services.

The Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA) is the state's designated organization to advance and promote the civil rights of persons with disabilities. VOPA is an independent state agency, with a 13 member governing board. VOPA's presentation on May 22nd will include an overview of the responsibilities and authority of the agency, as well as an explanation of the issues that VOPA is focusing its work on currently. It will be an interactive presentation, with questions from the group taken throughout the evening.

Monday, April 24: John Beghtol, Community Services Director at Western State Hospital (WSH), hopes to engage us in a lively discussion about "a growing challenge for Northern Virginia, NVMHI and Western State--the transition of more state hospital civil beds into forensic beds as forensic admissions continue to expand."

At a recent WSH area lawmakers breakfast, Sen. Emmett Hanger discussed plans for WSH. According to Staunton's News Leader:

Under the plan the more-than-20 buildings on the 355-acre property would be consolidated into a new 250-bed facility.
The remaining land would be sold to private developers. Money from the sale would fund construction of the new building.
Consolidating old buildings will save the state millions in operating costs, money which can then be re-invested into improving health care delivery at the facilities (Staunton’s News Leader, Nov. 16, 2005, David Royer)

Northern Virginia jails send their "forensic patients"--inmates who need treatment under a "jail TDO" or who need evaluation and restoration for competency to stand trial--to Western State Hospital. WSH is currently operating at excess capacity in its forensic unit, causing inmates ordered by the court for treatment to be kept in jail, where their condition may deteriorate.

In one Virginia region, community treatment funds are being used to place mental health staff in the jail to effectuate restorations to competency. This has been termed jail-based hospital diversion. Is this our fate in Northern Virginia jails?

Monday, March 27: Pete Earley: A Father's Investigation of America's Mental Health System - We are all too aware that the mental health system in America includes jails as its most frequent provider of confinement of and, sometimes, treatment for people with mental illness.

Many of us have unsuccessfully sought "appropriate" treatment for ourselves or family members prior to society taking the options out of our control. Efforts to obtain treatment from a university, workplace or community provider are met with rejection, delay, or incompetence, resulting in forced hospitalization. Worse, people seeking hospitalization, either forced or voluntary, are turned away, sometimes resulting in arrest and jail-often only hours later.

Pete Earley encountered this legal-medical system with the same shock and disbelief as the rest of us when his son was jailed after being refused hospitalization. However, because of his thirty years experience as a journalist and award-winning author of books about crime and punishment in our society, he was able to write and publish a riveting book documenting not only his son's experience with criminal justice for those who are too ill to conform their actions to society's standards, but also his own tortuous education process.

"Crazy" is the term a police officer used to describe Pete's son, Mike, when he called to inform Pete that his son had been in an accident. And it is the term his publisher (Putnam) selected to describe the system Pete encountered while researching his book. The book's title, Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness, makes it clear that the term describes the system, not the individuals affected by mental illness.

The book intersperses Mike's story with Pete's investigation of the system, including a year's unprecedented access to the staff and inmates in the psychiatric unit of the Miami-Dade County jail. The writing style makes it an easy read; the subject matter makes it a tough read, in parts, for those who have experienced it.

Pete Earley has spent his life writing: first as a journalist, including seven years with the Washington Post; next as an author of non-fiction and fictional books which illuminate subjects he finds meaningful. Read more at http://www.peteearley.com/home/, where you'll find the first chapter of his book, Crazy. Also look for an excerpt in an upcoming issue of Washingtonian magazine.

Monday, February 27: Wayne Fenton, M.D., NIMH: results of the CATIE study comparing new versus older generation psychiatric medications.

Recap by Dave O'Brien who is on the boards of NAMI-NoVA, the Alexandria CSB, and NVMHCA.
Our February Forum speaker was Dr. Wayne Fenton from NIMH who delved into the CATIE Schizophrenia Trial comparing different psychotic medications, including four newer "atypical" antipsychotics and one older antipsychotic. The CATIE Schizophrenia Trial studied efficacy factors such as how long the patients stayed on the medication, with people taking Zyprexa tending to stay on it longer than others.
Dr, Fenton stressed that treatment must be individualized, with the patient given a choice of medications under the supervision of a doctor. He reiterated that physicians should take a look at old drugs, in that it is difficult to predict who will do well on the newer medications, or who will have side effects. He stated that combining medication along with intrapersonal Family Education could do much to reduce relapses.
Effects of the newer psychotropic drugs such as weight gain/obesity, higher cholesterol or other metabolic changes often lead to diabetes. There is a prevalence of hyperlipidemia, EKG abnormalities, and cataracts among consumers, including systemic incidences, such as diabetic ketoacidosis.
This learned physician, who spoke so eloquently, handled a flurry of questions, and touched the spectrum of advice from drug dosages to the technical perspective of the therapeutic doctor/patient exchange. His talk was most welcome to the eager audience whose lives were enlivened by his expertise and presentation style.

Monday, January 30: Lt. Col. Paul Maltagliati supervises Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC or "jail") operations for the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office. He brings significant education, training and experience to his job including a BS and MS in Public Administration from George Mason University, a certificate from Harvard's JFK Senior Government Executive Program, and training at the FBI Academy in 2004. He is active in many community organizations, notably as a board member of Marion Homes, a Knights of Columbus home for physically and mentally challenged women whose parents have grown older and can no longer provide their care. He will provide us some insight and answer our questions regarding operations and how family members of inmates can interact with the jail mental health staff and corrections staff.

The jail houses male and female inmates. Both male and female deputy sheriffs manage the inmate population, which averages about 1,300 daily. Of these, it is estimated that approximately 200 have a mental illness requiring psychiatric medication or other form of treatment. Housing in the jail includes a prison style system of corridors with individual cell blocks; "podular" units with cells arranged around a dayroom; and "direct supervision" units where an officer has direct contact with low-risk inmates who have committed minor crimes. The third type of housing is preferred for consumers.

2005 Programs
28 Mar 2005 | 25 Apr 2005 | May 2005 | June 2005 | Sep 2005 | Oct 2005 |

 

Monday, March 28: Kaye Fair will review the 2005 legislative session and answer questions regarding the involuntary detention and commitment process. She will then discuss and answer questions regarding the programs she supervises including PACT teams, the Mobile Crisis Unit, emergency services, crisis care, and independent evaluators for involuntary commitment hearings.

Kaye Fair, M.A., is Director of the Fairfax/Falls Church CSB Mental Health Division, supervising Emergency Services, the Mobile Crisis Unit, Crisis Care, and the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT). She is also the Virginia Association of CSBs' (VACSB) State-wide "Emergency Services Task Force "lead" for legislation and the VACSB "lead" for bills involving voluntary and involuntary hospitalization (adults and minors) and forensic evaluations

April 25, 2005: Successful Career Strategies
Speaker: Mary Killeen, M.A., will discuss results from a current study based on interviews with people with psychiatric disabilities who have worked successfully for a number of years.
(This is a re-schedule of the January Speaker Forum which was "snowed out.")

May 23, 2005: Presentation on neurofeedback.

June 27, 2005:  Consumer Recovery Presentations. Rescheduled from February. "Recovering from schizophrenia: A Personal Narrative" and "Peer Mentoring."

Our speakers this month represent the reason that every one of our members--including consumers, family members, professionals, friends-continues to support NAMI-NoVA.
Many of our speaker forums feature speakers who are involved in various aspects of planning and implementation of Northern Virginia's mental health services. Others address advocacy, education and support for improvement of the system and, particularly, of the lives of consumers and family members affected by mental illness.
However, the results we hope to achieve from our efforts are epitomized by the consumers who will address us this month on the following two topics.
"Recovering from schizophrenia: A Personal Narrative." By Jason
"Peer Mentoring." A discussion of the value of peer mentoring in recovery from mental illness by Alvin Ramsey, PhD, a PRS Compeer Mentor, and Eric A. Parks, a Compeer client.
Jason has an MBA in Finance and has worked in design/build construction and software development. Eric is an engineering student at George Washington University. Al currently works for a technology company in Falls Church, in addition to his mentoring activities with Compeer.

September 26, 2005: Fairfax County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program.

The Fairfax County Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team grew out of a year-long jail diversion work group.

   Modeled after a Memphis program, the CIT program teaches law-enforcement officers to recognize symptoms of mental illness in persons held for nonviolent misdemeanors. Officers also learn to transfer consumers, in an understanding but safe way, to a special mental health center. At this center, someone from the Consumer Services Board will evaluate each consumer and, within 24 hours, link him or her to local mental health services.
   The CIT training is an intensive 40-hour course. Trainers include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, advocates, family members and consumers. Some family members are also police officers.
   About 30 officers were trained in the first session, in June. Many said it was the best officer training they ever had. The department plans to train 20 percent of its officers over the next several years.
   Jail diversion work group members include law-enforcement officers; staff members from the Consumer Services Board, public defender’s office, and homeless shelters; and advocates, consumers and family members.

Major Thomas Ryan, commander of the Patrol Bureau, Division I, and Captain Michael A. Kline, commander of the Mt Vernon District Station, will discuss and answer questions on the Fairfax County Police Department's new program to help divert consumers from arrest and jail.

Major Ryan and Captain Kline were present at 7:00 p.m. for socializing and refreshments, and also to stayed after the meeting to answer individual questions. Because they intend the forum as information for our membership, the session will be open to questions as the talk progresses.
Topics covered:

October 24, 2005: Inspector General’s Report--Emergency Services in Virginia.

The Virginia Office of the Inspector General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (OIG) conducted a study of the Emergency Services Programs offered by Virginia’s 40 Community Services Boards (CSBs). The study consisted of five main components:

The findings and recommendations were then analyzed according to two criteria: 1) Access to care and 2) Quality of care.

John J. Pezzoli, Senior Inspector/Project Manager with the OIG will present results of the study. Prior to joining the OIG in April 2005, John served for almost thirty years in a variety of positions at the Region Ten Community Services Board, one of Virginia’s 40 community services boards, serving Charlottesville and the counties surrounding it. Beginning in 1975 as Director of Mental Retardation, John later moved on to supervise all of Region Ten’s mental health and substance abuse services, finally serving as Director of Mental Health Services. During this period John served as the statewide chairman of both the Mental Health Council and the Mental Retardation Council of the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, and in various leadership positions in mental retardation and mental health advocacy and professional associations at state, regional, and national levels.

2004 Programs
26 Jan 2004 | 23 Feb 2004 | 22 Mar 2004 | 26 Apr 2004 | 24 May 2004 | 28 June 2004 | 27 Sept 2004 |

 

January 26, 2004: NAMI-Northern Virginia 2004 Plans (RESCHEDULED to 23 February 2004)

Plans include direct consumer and family assistance via a discretionary fund, a jail diversion assistance program, and increased efforts to promote consumer housing.

Comments and ideas from the audience will be sought and welcomed.

February 23, 2004: NAMI-Northern Virginia 2004 Plans

Carol Ulrich, President of NAMI-NoVA, will present current activities and options for activities and programs throughout 2004. We are seeking an exchange of idea and interests with our members. Please attend and help set the course of NAMI-NoVA for the near future.

Comments and ideas from the audience will be sought and welcomed.

March 22, 2004: Estate Planning

Speaker: Robert E. Ward is an estate planning and tax attorney who maintains an office in Bethesda, MD with a practice covering VA, MD and DC. He has taught courses at George Mason University School of Law addressing both individual and business planning. He keeps current on all aspects of estate law, including tax ramifications.

Bob's talk will include issues involved in special needs trusts, advance directives for psychiatric care, alternatives to guardianships, determination of the need for estate tax planning, and other related topics of interest. He will answer questions both during his talk, and remain afterward for individual questions.

Bob is often asked to speak to audiences of CPAs, financial planners and such, so bring yours if you wish. Your own estate/trust planner is also welcome.

April 26, 2004: CSB Mental Health Services

Directors or MH Directors from the five Northern Virginia Community Services Boards will discuss the services they offer, how to access them under what circumstances, who qualifies at what price, the wait for services, etc. They will answer questions, clarify issues, distribute brochures, and address general concerns or problems consumers or family members have encountered. Each panelist will spend five or ten minutes discussing his CSB and answering general questions. The panel will then break into individual groups by geographical area.

Panel Members:
Mike Gilmore, Executive Director, Alexandria CSB
Dr. Alan Orenstein, Mental Health Director, Arlington County CSB
Dr. John DeFee, Director of MH services, Fairfax/Falls Church CSB
Roger Biraben, Director of MH/SA services, Loudoun County CSB
Lisa Madron, Community Support Services Division Manager, Prince William County CSB

May 24, 2004: SPECIAL SCHEDULE FOR ANNUAL MEETING

6:00 p.m. Buffet Supper and Social Hour
7:00 p.m. NAMI-NoVa Business and Election of Board Members
7:30 p.m. Featured Speaker
8:30 p.m. Adjournment

Featured Speaker: James W. Stewart, Virginia's Inspector General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services.

June 28, 2004: Wanted--A Place to Call Home

Panel Leader: Pam Gannon, Director of Planning and Site Development, Fairfax/Falls Church CSB

More than fifty per cent of people who enter Northern Virginia psychiatric hospitals have no identified residence. Parents, realizing they won't live forever, are desperate to find "housing" for their mentally ill adult sons and daughters who need some level of residential care. Consumers sometimes make the difficult choice of being homeless,
rather than remaining in a hospital or jail. If lucky enough to find a place to live, they find they have little right to remain there if their illness becomes inconvenient to the management.

Is there any current solution to the nonexistence of sufficient affordable housing for people with mental illness? Is there a solution for the immediate or even remote future? Looking to the future, come and hear about housing options currently under consideration and the initiatives for development partnerships between CSBs and private organizations to provide homes for Northern Virginia Consumers. For immediate concerns, come and voice your needs and ask your questions. Or learn how we can participate in the development of the type of housing we need, and avenues for advocating to government agencies who can help.

September 27, 2004: Brain Imaging

Speaker: Wayne Drevets, M.D. is Section Chief of the NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Neuroimaging Section, applying brain imaging technologies to investigate the neurobiological bases of mood and anxiety disorders. The overarching goals of these studies are to elucidate the pathophysiology of and improve treatment for serious and disabling mood and anxiety disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and
obsessive compulsive disorder.

Although Dr. Drevets work is focused on mood and anxiety disorders, the images he will present will fascinate all who are interested in seeing "pictures of the brain" and learning how it is affected by genes, hormones, stress and medications.

For more information on the goals of the Section's studies, link to: http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/mood/proginfo/mib/mood.htm

2003 Programs
27 Jan 2003 | 24 Feb 2003 | 24 Mar 2003 | 28 Apr 2003 | 19 May 2003 | 23 June 2003 | 22 Sept 2003 | 24 Nov 2003

January 27, 2003:

Monday, January 27, 2003, fellowship and refreshments begin at 7:30 p.m. and program begins at 8:00 p.m.

We will feature a panel discussion on community educational and training services available to persons suffering from serious mental illness. Panel members include Wendy Gradison of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Joel McNair of Pathway Homes, Ray Bridge of the Laurie Mitchell Employment Center, and Becky Wright of Clarendon House. They will provide descriptions of their services and the criteria and methods for obtaining them.

Your questions will be an important part of this program.

We meet at the First Christian Church, 6165 Leesburg Pike (Route 7), Falls Church, one-half mile southeast of Seven Corners Shopping Center, on the right, heading toward Bailey's Crossroads. There's a sign for the church in front and parking available in the rear of church parking lot.

February 24, 2003:

Featured Speaker: Joe O'Connor, ABC Nightline Producer,
Topic: "Media and Mental Illness: One network news producer's epiphany and journey."

Mr. O'Connor was unable to appear on February 24 due to illness, and will now speak at the 19 May Meeting.

March 24, 2003:

Featured Speaker: Dr. Anita Everett, Inspector General for Mental Health, Commonwealth of Virginia
Topic: Role of the Inspector General; includes proposal for a Volunteer Program to assist in surprise inspections of institutions.

On Monday, March 24, 2003, fellowship and refreshments begin at 7:30 p.m. and general membership meeting and program begins at 8:00 p.m. Our speaker will be Dr. Anita Everett, Inspector General, Commonwealth of Virginia, who will be talking to us about human rights, inspections of mental health institutions, and getting input on consumers and volunteers aiding in the inspections process. She will also review the responsibilities of her office, and potential changes in jurisdiction and accountability.

April 28, 2003:

Sharon Jones, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, DADS program Chair
Topic: Panel discussion -- The Recovery Model of Treatment.

May 19, 2003:

Featured Speaker: Joe O'Connor, ABC Nightline Producer,
Topic: "Media and Mental Illness: One network news producer's epiphany and journey."

June 23, 2003:

Featured Speaker: Mark Bodner, Special Justice and practicing attorney, Fairfax County,
Topic: Responsibilities as a Special Justice, and other mental health related legal issues.

September 22, 2003: Fairfax County Jail Diversion Pilot Project Panel

Panelists include:
Steven Weiss, M.A., Psychology; Certified Clinical MH Counselor--Director of Forensic Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services at Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC, "the jail")
Christopher Tull, Ph.D.--Clinical Supervisor for Emergency Services at Woodburn Mental Health; forensic staff.
Sandra l. Lopez, M.Ed., LSATP Senior Mental health Clinician- Fairfax County Adult Detention Center Forensics/ Mental health Department

Other CSB and ADC staff will be in attendance, along with representatives from OAR and other agencies involved in the project, to answer your questions and learn from your experience.

November 24, 2003: Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute (NVMHI)--Forum: Goals and Planning for 2004

Lynn DeLacy, Facility Director, NVMHI
Dr. Maximilian Del Rio, Medical Director, NVMHI

NVMHI management will present current thinking on goals and operations for NVMHI, including consumer and family involvement in treatment and discharge planning. They seek your suggestions, questions and comments.