2015 Spring Newsletter

April 12th Fundraising Event Features U.S. Representative Seth Moulton and Boston Globe reporter Michael Rezendes M IC HAE L R EZEN D ES

by Karen Gromis, Events Manager Our fourth annual spring fundraiser will happen on Sunday, April 12, 2015 at Canary Square Restaurant, 435 South Huntington Avenue in Jamaica Plain from 3 to 5 pm. At prior events, Governor and Kitty Dukakis, Glenn Close and Senator Elizabeth Warren were our riveting special guests. This year, 6th District Congressman Seth Moulton has agreed to join us. He is a first-term Congressman, elected in November 2014. After graduating from Harvard in 2001 with a B.S.in physics, Moulton joined the U.S. Marine Corps. continued on page 13

S ETH M O U LTO N

Boston Globe reporter who exposed the Bridgewater State Hospital tragedy

Congressman and Iraq War Veteran

“NAMI is doing such important work to support those across Massachusetts who are living with mental illness. As a Marine, I know many veterans who have struggled with post traumatic stress. When gone untreated, PTS can have devastating consequences for people who have risked their lives for this country. We owe it to our veterans, and to everyone facing mental health challenges, to provide them with the services and resources they need to live happy, healthy lives. From education to ongoing support and treatment to serving as an advocate for those in need, NAMI is a great resource for mental health patients and their families looking for answers.” — Congressman Seth Moulton

Table of Contents

NAMI on Campus

Spring Fundraising Event...........................................1

by Gina Doris Tremaglio, Emmanuel College Student

NAMI on Campus................................................................1 Board President & Executive Director........2 CEOs Against Stigma...................................................2 NAMIWalks..................................................................................3 NAMI Mass Compass....................................................4 Public Policy...............................................................................4 Education & Support Programs.........................5 Educating the Educators............................................7 Diversity & Inclusion Matters..................................8 Criminal Justice Diversion Project...................8 Affiliate News............................................................................9 Advocacy Day.......................................................................13 Bernice Drumheller........................................................15 Support Groups.................................................................16

NAMI on Campus Emmanuel College was established in October 2014. Our club is the first NAMI college chapter in the state of Massachusetts! We are thrilled to be an integral part of this incredible grassroots organization to help change how our society views mental illness. Our purpose is to provide education and resources to support our fellow students and encourage them to be advocates for change. The main goal is to alleviate the stigma that surrounds mental illness on our campus so that all students will be more confident about seeking help! continued on page 7

The display board for NAMI Mass on Campus at Emmanuel College.

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President/Executive Director Remarks by Steve Rosenfeld, NAMI Mass Board President and Laurie Martinelli, Executive Director Dear Supporter of NAMI Mass, We need to let you in on a secret: You know all those wonderful free programs we at NAMI Mass offer across the state— Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, Connection, Basics, In Our Own Voice—fortunately, they are free to you and the thousands who benefit from them, but unfortunately, they are not free to us. We’re telling you this at this point in the year, because we need your help to balance our budget. We are turning over every stone, picking every pocket (legally, of course) and pestering every (we hope still) friend to raise the funds necessary to keep pace with our amazing growth. We have more programs going than ever before. The number of In Our Own Voice presentations almost doubled in 2014, from 125 in 2013 to 215 in 2014. Similar growth occurred in several other programs. We can keep pace because we have a terrific staff at NAMI Mass, which itself has almost doubled in the past five years. Also, we have had tremendous success with the NAMI Mass Criminal Justice Diversion Project. In three years, we have partnered with public and private agencies to bring high quality crisis mental illness training to thousands of police officers. But that project costs money, too. So each year we’ve had to find funders to help out. And it is critical for private foundations that we are committed to raising funds from our supporters to match the grants we ask for. We have greatly expanded our NAMI Mass Help Line (now called NAMI Mass Compass), which you can read about on page four. Also, our Diversity efforts increased dramatically when we hired Florette Willis as our Director of Diversity Outreach and Inclusion. Under Florette’s

leadership, our goal is to make NAMI programs accessible to all people. The bottom line is, we need the help of every single friend we have to continue to do an effective job in support and education as well as advocacy, and in making change happen in the way our society treats mental illness. When we ask you to form a Walk Team or make a donation to a Walk Team—our Walk is on Saturday, May 16, 2015 incidentally—we hope you will and that you will consider joining us at our Spring Fundraiser on Sunday, April 12, 2015 with U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, or make a general donation so we can continue to grow the organization and meet the demand for our programs. Please think about how much these donations matter. Thank you. n

Steve Rosenfeld NAMI Mass Board President

Laurie Martinelli NAMI Mass Executive Director

NAMI Mass Launches CEOs Against Stigma Campaign by Joanne Pallotta, Ellis Strategies, NAMI’s media consultant What a busy beginning to 2015. We are moving full steam ahead on an important new project—partnering with the Commonwealth’s top leaders—to target and wipe out the stigma surrounding mental illness in the workplace. Mental illness is the leading cause of workplace disability in America. It can result in absenteeism and a loss in productivity. Even in the best workplaces, mental illness remains a secret, mostly due to stigma. People needing help often fear the consequences of disclosure. Stigma could be a barrier to seeking help. NAMI Mass is hoping to change that with our new anti-stigma campaign, CEOs Against Stigma. NAMI Mass received a two-year grant from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office last year and after a period of research the project is really taking shape. The concept of CEOs Against Stigma was born last year after NAMI Mass conducted a statewide survey of 800 registered voters to gauge mental health attitudes. While the survey showed voters considered mental illness a serious issue and felt more needed to be done, the revelation about workplace attitudes really stood out. When it comes to the workplace, few respondents said they had a co-worker with mental illness—even though the data finds approximately one in five respondents has (or has had) a mental illness. And, while most people would advise someone with mental illness to tell their friends and family, our poll revealed only 27 percent of those questioned said it was “best to tell your co-workers.”

continued on page 13

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NAMIWalks Massachusetts 2015

We are looking for senior management business executives to help us branch out our Walk Corporate Sponsorships beyond the mental health community.

by Alivia Hall, Northeastern Co-op Student (Intern)

It is about that time of year. We are gearing up for our enormous, stigma busting event—our 12th annual walkathon—and I couldn’t be more excited. I am a fourth year psychology student from Northeastern University and I currently have the pleasure of interning for the Walk Manager, Karen Gromis, for the next six months (along with my little Cavalier King Charles service dog, Cooper!). So far, the two months I have worked at NAMI have flown by as I have been kept busy with all the preparations and planning necessary to make this event as fun, educational and inspirational as it always is. This year the Walk will be held on May 16, 2015 at Artesani Park, along the Charles River, in Brighton. Over the past 11 years, NAMIWalks Mass has raised over $4.2 million towards building mental health awareness, combatting stigma, and funding NAMI Mass programs, support

groups, and grassroots advocacy. Seeing as mental health is my passion, I can’t wait to join thousands of other passionate walkers, teams and volunteers as we all come together to actively display our support for individuals affected by mental illness. Also we are pleased to report that Beacon Health Options (formerly Beacon Health Strategies) has stepped up again and will be our Walk Lead Sponsor. Late last year, we celebrated their contributions to our 2014 Walk with a special sheet cake (picture at right)—their Walk Team raised an outstanding $27,660! We are grateful to their continued involvement with the Walk and their commitment to the NAMI cause. n

If you can help, please contact, Karen Gromis, [email protected].

Alivia Hall and her service dog, Cooper.

Lead Sponsor:

Beacon Health Options’ CEO, Tim Murphy, cutting a celebratory NAMIWalks cake.

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The NAMI Mass Compass: Your Guide to Mental Health Resources by Megan Wiechnik, Resource Helpline Coordinator and Meagan Traughber, Intern NAMI Mass staff and volunteers have been working hard over the past few months to get the new and improved information and referral helpline—the NAMI Mass Compass—up and running. We are building a state of the art resource database that will help us connect callers to the most relevant and reliable resources faster than ever. In January 2015, eight new volunteers began an intensive training process to learn to use our new database to locate resources and respond to complex helpline inquiries. As the NAMI Mass Compass grows, we must keep in mind the multifaceted needs of our peer and family callers and understand that mental health challenges can affect various areas of wellness. Through the new helpline initiative, NAMI Mass is building relationships with other community organizations to more effectively connect our callers to people who can help. One such successful connection happened when Lisa called NAMI Mass with a time sensitive issue regarding her son’s MassHealth coverage. For reasons that were unclear to Lisa and to us, her son was asked to pay an enormous out-of-pocket fee for his prescriptions, rather than the typical MassHealth copay. Lisa and her son could not understand why there had been such a sudden change in his MassHealth coverage. After gathering information from Lisa, NAMI Mass was able to put her in contact with Health Care for All (HCFA), a great resource for insurance information in Massachusetts. HCFA was able continued on page 6

Snowstorms, Transit Delays and Extraordinary Opportunity in 2015 by Joseph A. Giannino, NAMI Mass’ Director of Government Affairs Consultant A new governor facing a midyear budget crisis, a legislature that is off to a very slow start, and a long, nasty stretch of winter weather have created a perfect storm that has caused the 2015–2016 legislative session to move forward at a glacial pace. In most years, the governor’s annual budget proposal would have been filed by the time I am writing this article, but a new governor is given some extra time and Governor Charlie Baker filed his FY2016 on March 4. After a crash course in winter storm management and also having spent the first four weeks in the Corner Office hammering out a plan to close a $768 million deficit in the budget Baker inherited, Baker’s team seems to be fully focused on how they will craft their first full budget while at the same time hoping the legislature embraces their creative plan to fix the existing budget gap. Although at this early stage it is difficult to predict how the budget process will progress, rest assured that NAMI will continue to monitor developments while at the same time stressing to all that the Commonwealth must expand community-based services for individuals with serious psychiatric conditions. As we have said before, unless the Commonwealth makes a significant and sustained increase in funding levels for the Department of Mental Health it is a recipe for disaster and will result in catastrophic dismantling of services. And, in the coming weeks, NAMI will both monitor and analyze legislative initiatives while advocating our own priority agenda. The legislature acted quickly in response to the public health emergency of the opioid epidemic. The new major substance use law expands access to treatment

Joe Giannino.

and recovery services, and by October 2015 requires commercial insurers and MassHealth to cover up to 14 days in an in-patient treatment facility. Because there is a nexus between mental health and substance use, it is a great first step that helps many of our friends and family members. More interesting, though, is the fact that private health insurance companies in Massachusetts avoided getting toppled by the bill and in a remarkably unprecedented move, voluntarily moved to cover methadone treatment for people recovering from drug addiction. This new policy not only provides a new pathway to combating substance use, but more importantly, it provides a wonderful opportunity for NAMI to capitalize at the right time and move forward a very ambitious 2015–2016 legislative agenda. At the forefront of NAMI’s attention will be increased funding for the Department of Mental Health. It is hard to comprehend that despite increases in revenue and successful efforts over the years, we continue to fight to restore and expand services for our members and their families. NAMI is fortunate to have strong relationships in the legislature and is even more encouraged by the number of new legislative partners we have welcomed. This session, NAMI Massachusetts renews our call on our local, state and national leaders to commit to providing a sustainable and robust array of community based continued on page 14

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Education and Support Programs by Judi Maguire, Director of Child and Adolescent Programs

by Judi Maguire, Peer Support Programs Coordinator

by Bruce Crowell, NAMI Vet Outreach Coordinator

Basics classes are confirmed for Chicopee, Newburyport and Newton Wellesley. We hope to have classes in Roxbury, Worcester and on Cape Cod. We are working with the Educating the Educators leaders to promote the classes through their program.

Our 2014 fall class, sponsored by the Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community, graduated 19 people thanks to Larissa James, Melissa Talal and Dan Sullivan who did a great job mentoring such a large group.

In December, we decided to move the Connection Recovery Support Group for vets to the Haverhill Clubhouse. One of our Connection vet facilitators, Ronald Clark, is a member of the Haverhill Clubhouse so he has been doing outreach and telling vets about the Connection support group.

by Judi Maguire, Peer Support Programs Coordinator Attendance at our Connection groups keeps rising thanks to some very skilled and hardworking facilitators. More groups are planned for 2015 and there will be more facilitator trainings, including one for Veterans. The Connection trainer and facilitator guides have been completely overhauled so we’re very glad that Robyn Hand will be attending the “Train the Trainer” program in Arlington VA at the end of April 2015. She will be able to properly introduce current facilitators and trainers to the new materials. Sadly we are saying goodbye to two of our best. Trish Gallivan from Western Massachusetts is moving to Connecticut, and Beth Wilson from the Northeast Essex affiliate is changing course so she can concentrate on doing more In Our Own Voice presentations. Best wishes and thank you to Trish and Beth.

We are getting a much bigger group of vets now that we are firmly planted in the Haverhill Clubhouse. This Connection group is held twice a month—see below VETERANS  SUPPORT  GROUPS            VETERANS  SUPPORT  GROUPS   for details. Please let any vets who may be interested in NAMIGroup? Connection know that What is the Veterans Connection Support the support groups are free of charge to P2P graduation sponsored by the Metro Boston Recovery   Leaning Center.Veterans  Connection  is  a  veteran-­‐led   participants and everything discussed support  group  program  that  offers  respect,   “Veterans  Connection  is  the  promise  of  what  is   understanding,  encouragement  and  hope.     is confidential. and  what  can  be  in  our  lives.”     We have a long list of people waiting to Veterans  Connection  groups  are:   sign up for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) classes and • Free  athis nd  confidential   Mentor trainings spring. We will be • Held  weekly  for  90  minutes       running classes in the North Central, • Designed  to  connect,  encourage,  and   Central Middlesex, support  Boston veterans  and using  Newton a  structured   support   g roup   m odel   Wellesley affiliates starting in March and • Led  by  veterans  who  have  been  trained   April. Thanks to the support of the North in  the  veterans  Connection  model   East and   South East Recovery Learning       Communities, we will be running two FOR  MORE  INFORMATION   “I  believe  the  Veterans  Connection  means   Mentor trainings.   A BOUT   V ETERANS   SUPPORT  GROUPS  IN  YOUR   hope.”    

Beth Flannery is going to the “Train the Trainer” program in Arlington VA. She has already taught one P2P class and will be teaching with Christine Rigopoulos in the Newton Wellesley area and with Eliza Williamson in the West Concord area. Eliza will also be teaching with Judi Maguire in Leominster. Ewa Pytowska and Larissa James are teaching in Jamaica Plain.

AREA,     PLEASE  CONTACT      

Bruce  Crowell   Veterans  Outreach  Coordinator   617.580.8541  x  207   781.718.8483  (cell)   [email protected]     Veterans  Connection  Support  Group  at:   Haverhill  Clubhouse   100  Locust  Street,  Haverhill,  MA    01830   2nd  and  4th  Tuesday  of  each  month  –  1  to  2:30pm  

    continued on page 6 “Getting  involved  with  the  Veterans  Connection  group  has  helped  me  to  get  involved  with   other  people  who  share  the  same  issues  as  I  do.  I’ve  learned    a  great  deal  from  my  peers”  

6 Education & Support… continued from page 5

by Julie Langbort, IOOV State Coordinator Another In Our Own Voice Testimonial…

“I just wanted to thank you again for your powerful presentation to the Steward Quality, Nursing and Behavioral Leadership forum. The audience was riveted and moved and after the meeting we began outlining ideas for change we can make that were triggered by your presenters’ candid thoughts and perspective. I continue to hear back from attendees how valuable their words were on so many levels.” — Justine M. Carr, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Steward Health Care

by Joyce Calogero, Director of Education and Support Programs It was week twelve of a NAMI Massachusetts Family-to-Family course. For the past eleven weeks the twenty students had been attending this course to learn about mental illnesses, empathy and coping strategies for their families and loved ones. Each week they sat, quietly listening to the two presenters share factual cutting-edge material combined with examples from their own family experiences. Gradually, the students relaxed into a routine of learning experiences that gave them skills to cope with their family members. They would return to class the following week with excitement to

NAMI Compass… continued from page 4

share with the group the progress each family was making. The class members would laugh and cry with joy to hear of the growth. Class members were talking to each other during the snack break and offering hugs and support. The two teachers were overjoyed to see the smiles, the concern for each other and the learning that took place during those twelve weeks.

to explain to Lisa that her son does have MassHealth coverage, but was enrolled in the wrong managed care plan and needed more robust behavioral health coverage to resolve the issue. Ultimately, connecting Lisa with HCFA allowed her to better understand the health care benefits provided to her son and find a long term solution to his insurance issue.

The course ends at the twelfth week. The students and teachers brought dinner items to share for a festive graduation ceremony. The class sat in a circle formation and shared their stories of growth through the learning materials and the experiences of the course. There was not a dry eye in the room. “My daughter told me she loves me!” “I think we can get our son off the sofa!” “I am able to tell my child what I need and I am able to sleep at night!” “I know I will find my sister and I now know how to talk with her!” “My niece is graduating!” “I really get what it is like to hear those voices all the time.” There was palpable excitement in the room. The class gathered for a group photo, a plan for get-togethers and a group hug. No one wanted this to end, they had all come so far from despair to hope and joy. All of a sudden a male voice burst into song, “One singular sensation…” and a kick line formed! We danced with joy for NAMI and Family-to-Family.

For further information on financial assistance with medication, especially for those with private insurance, please check out the following resources on prescription assistance programs:

NAMI Mass offers Family-to-Family classes in the Winter/Spring as well as the Fall. Please consult our website— www.namimass.org—for a course near you. You don’t have to know how to dance, but you just might find yourself in a kick line! n

• NeedyMeds helps people locate Patient Assistance Programs, clinics and state programs to cover costs of medication. (1-800-503-6897, www.needymeds.org) • Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps people find prescription assistance programs in English and Spanish (www.pparx.org) • RxAssist provides online information on free and low cost medicine programs (www.rxassist.org) The Health Care for All (HCFA) HelpLine answers questions about health insurance coverage in Massachusetts. (1-800-272-4232, www.hcfama.org/helpline) The NAMI Mass Compass is a referral helpline that answers questions about a variety of issues relating to mental health such as, treatment services, crisis information, legal advice, insurance information, housing referrals, employment and discrimination, substance use treatment and more. n

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Educating the Educators by Joyce Colagero, Director of Education and Support Programs “Why don’t my teachers understand me?” a 15 year old high school student cries out in frustration to his mother. In similar frustration the mother calls NAMI Massachusetts, and asks, “What can we do to help teachers more effectively teach my son?” This year we have an answer. NAMI Massachusetts is piloting a new program to educate school staff about mental illnesses. This unique professional development program called Educating the Educators (ETE) is set to begin the first of three pilot presentations in the spring of 2015. Based on the successful model from NAMI New Jersey, we are excited to take this program to schools across the state beginning in the fall of 2015. “ETE brings education, empathy and practical teaching strategies to teachers, school counselors and other school staff. Everyone who interacts with our children at school plays an important role in helping with school adjustment, selfesteem building and education,” said Kathleen Considine, one of the program developers. “What has made ETE unique and successful is that the program blends the clinical and technical with personal stories,” she added.

Educating the Educators is a professional development program for school district personnel. The two-to-three hour program is offered during professional development days or after school hours for K-12 educators and school staff. The presentation is provided by three people with unique perspectives: • A physician gives the “Biological Nature of Mental Illness” content. • An experienced teacher gives the “Where do we go from here” information on strategies and resources that will lead to a more enriching school experience for students and school staff alike. • A parent presenter provides a personal perspective entitled “Walk in my Shoes” about the devastating effect of mental illness on the student and the family, the challenges a family faces in navigating the mental health and education systems as well as giving credit to skilled teachers whose relationship with their child made a difference in that student’s school experience. This program has been quite successful in New Jersey for many years with audiences ranging from classroom teachers to guidance, school psychologists in public, parochial, charter and alterna-

tive schools settings. NAMI New Jersey has graciously allowed NAMI Mass to use the model to fit our school districts. Kathleen Considine, NAMI Mass State Board member, Executive Board member and Chair of the Education and Support Committee, developed and directed the program during her tenure at NAMI New Jersey. After moving to Massachusetts, she saw the same need for the school program here. She has worked tirelessly to inform the state board, the committees and interested NAMI members about the programs. In concert with the NAMI Mass state office, Kathleen was able to fund the program through a generous donation from a fundraising effort by a NAMI Mass member, Paula Gauthier. Ms. Gauthier thought ETE was the right match for her efforts to honor her late son’s memory. Three school districts will pilot the Educating the Educators program. In March and April there will be programs in Charlton-Dudley, Barnstable and Newburyport school districts. According to Laurie Martinelli, Executive Director of NAMI Mass, and Steve Rosenfeld, NAMI Mass Board President, “ETE works to fulfill the NAMI mission as it brings education and support to this new audience serving our children.” n

NAMI on Campus… continued from page 1

Although our primary focus is on awareness of mental illness, NAMI on Campus also aims to promote overall mental health wellness. Our first project was to create a display board in our student center called “What Lifts You UP?” inspired by the Pixar movie “UP!” We asked students what lifts them up when they’re feeling down, and they wrote their responses on colored paper balloons. We received a

myriad of answers, all unique and enlightening. On the sides of our board were suggestions: “Ways to Lift Yourself Up” and “Ways to Lift Up Others.” The results were incredible; over 100 students stopped by the table and were engaged in our activity. The NAMI display board turned out beautifully, and we couldn’t be happier with the turnout!

The Emmanuel College community has been tremendously supportive of NAMI and has given our organization the optimism that change is truly possible. We hope that we can be leaders not only on our campus, but throughout the many colleges of Boston as well. n

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Diversity and Inclusion Matters by Florette Willis, Director of Diversity, Outreach and Inclusion

After taking on my role as Director of Diversity, Outreach and Inclusion in September 2014, I’ve been asked hundreds of times: Why does NAMI Mass need a diversity plan? Whether its race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual-orientation, age, etc., my answer is always the same: Diversity Matters for the following reasons: • Diversity Helps Us Innovate – Although a diverse workplace or group can create conflicts of opinion, ideas and perspectives, these very challenges lead to innovation. To quote, a professor and senior vice dean at Columbia Business School “people work harder, are more creative and diligent when they work with or around a diverse group of people.” • Diverse Teams Have Greater Impact On All Industries – As for ethnic diversity, research suggests that the work product of an ethnically diverse workforce is of higher impact than those of a more homogenous nature. The study also found that companies had 19 percent higher average net profit than those that were less diverse. For example, Intel is investing $300 million to diversify its team for one key reason: diversity adds value to organizations. Diversity isn’t just good for business, it’s good for society as well to help people and our communities heal, grow and recover. Since we at NAMI Mass are

Criminal Justice Diversion Project by June S. Binney, Project Director and Annabel Lane, CJ Assistant Sergeant Frederick Cabral of the Cambridge Police Department slowly entered the room, and saw a man nervously gripping a saw blade. The Sergeant and his team were responding to a call for service at a residential home for people with mental illness. In the past, this interaction might have ended in injury, arrest, or even death. However, Sgt. Cabral has received intensive training on mental health and de-escalation skills, through a partnership between NAMI Mass and the Cambridge and Somerville Police Departments. He understood that mental illness and paranoia were involved in this man’s behavior, and realized that the typical police “command presence” would not be effective here. He remembered one of the trainers, a psychiatrist, encouraging officers to “make yourself small” and nonthreatening when engaging with someone experiencing paranoia. Using a soft, controlled tone of voice, Sgt. Cabral asked the man to sit down on the couch, and then joined him. The two began a discussion of the man’s symptoms and medication. Slowly, the tension dissipated and the man eventually agreed to go to the hospital voluntarily. The disproportionate arrest and incarceration of individuals with mental illness is an urgent social justice issue. As many

focused on education, support and advocacy for people with mental illness and their families, we have an even greater responsibility than most to value and leverage the differences and similarities of all people for the common good. Therefore, we’re embracing multiculturalism by rolling out an internal plan to work with our staff and affiliates to engage and include underserved groups in our programs and services. n

of us know from our own experience or that of a loved one, it is all too easy for someone with a mental health condition to be drawn into the criminal justice system – often as the result of an offense that stems from symptoms rather than criminal behavior. The NAMI Mass Criminal Justice Diversion Project has been working to address this issue by helping law enforcement gain the necessary skills to recognize mental illness and divert people to appropriate treatment. The reality is that police officers are often the first responders to incidents involving people with mental illness. As more police departments in Massachusetts take the initiative to obtain quality training for their officers, the benefits for both individuals and officers alike are rapidly becoming apparent. “As a result of this training, I have a greater understanding and empathy for people exhibiting mental illness,” said Sgt. Cabral. “It is even more apparent now how de-escalation plays an integral factor in an interaction with a person with mental illness. Rather than going into a tense situation 100 mph, I am more cognizant of the variables facing a person with mental illness. At the end of the day, it’s all about preventing tragedies.” n

The first Sharing Hope event sponsored by the Dorchester/ Mattapan/Roxbury group kicks off on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the Codman Square branch of the Boston Public Library, 690 Washington Street, Dorchester from 6:30 to 8:30 pm For additional information, please email [email protected] or call 617-5808541. We hope to see you all there!

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NAMI Affiliate News NAMI Berkshire County

NAMI Cambridge/Middlesex

by Garnet L. Williams NAMI Berkshire County hosted the “first of its kind” Cupcake Wars fundraiser in Berkshire County on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at the ITAM Lodge in Pittsfield. The event began with a delicious Italian dinner prepared by UNICO of Pittsfield, which really hit the spot. We had 125 attendees on the subzero evening. Following dinner, three judges were picked at random from the audience to sample the unique confections prepared by the following six bakers and bakeries vying for the best cupcake in various categories: Karen Auge, Gimme Some Sugar, Linda’s Pastries, Mary’s Carrot Cake, Mikey T’s and Sarah’s Cheesecakes & Café. The winners were:

by Mary Pat Prado Cambridge/Middlesex will present a program on recovery on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at Macht Auditorium, Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, starting with coffee at 6:30 pm. Michelle from Gimme Some Sugar and Deb.

Hear from Peer Mentors who exemplify that recovery is real. Panelists include: • Anne Whitman, vice president NAMI Mass Board of Directors, chair of the Metro Boston/Southeast Recovery Learning Communities and president emeritus of the Cole Center • Bary Bromley, jail diversion specialist and a long-term support coordinator for One Care Support

• Best All Around – Gimme Some Sugar • Most Artistic – Karen Auge & Sarah’s Cheesecakes and Café (tie)

Michael Taylor from Mikey T’s.

• Most Over-the-Top – Mikey T’s

Save the Date

Gimme Some Sugar won in the People’s Choice category, which was voted on by event attendees. Capping off the evening was an auction of a dozen cupcakes from each baker. A variety of raffles were also held throughout the evening. Approximately $7,400 was raised through the event, with all funds supporting individuals and families impacted by mental illness throughout Berkshire County, Mass.

Thursday, May 21 is the Minds Matter Walk for Mental Health Awareness! Start organizing your teams and raising funds! All funds support individuals living with mental illnesses and their families throughout Berkshire County. For more info, call 413-443-1666 or email [email protected].

• Megan Wiechnik, NAMI Mass Compass Resource Helpline Coordinator Cambridge/Middlesex is also planning a program for fathers in June and a visit from Pete Earley in the fall. Stay tuned.

NAMI Cape Cod and the Islands by Arlene Hoxie, Program Coordinator NAMI Cape Cod & the Islands received three grants in December for technology upgrades including donor software, a new telephone system and website design. We are grateful to these foundations: continued on page 10

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Affiliate News… continued from page 9

$1,000 from the Cape Cod Foundation through the Ruckert Family Fund, $1,000 from the Community Foundation for Nantucket and $4,323 from the Edward Bangs Kelley and Eliza Kelley Foundation. We were also pleased to receive $750 from the Episcopal Church Women of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Barnstable for help with a Family-to-Family course there. We opened the New Year co-sponsoring a New Year’s Day party at the Recovery Connection Center in Hyannis which had about 50 people and was filled with good music, good food, karaoke, games and a great spirit of camaraderie. For 2015 we have a Family-to-Family course for the first time in Provincetown, filling a need in that area, as well as courses currently on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Upcoming are courses in Mashpee and Barnstable. A teacher training course was held in January, and five new teachers are ready to teach. In addition we, along with NAMI Plymouth, are part of a pilot program for implementing Educating the Educators via a presentation to be held in March in conjunction with Barnstable Schools. We are looking forward to our annual meeting in March featuring keynote speaker Cheryl Bartlett, former MA DPH Commissioner and currently Cape Cod Healthcare leader of a major initiative to address the opiate addiction epidemic in our area. We are eager to hear her unique perspective and to see how NAMI’s education programs might fit into her plans for the initiative. NAMI CC&I recently introduced a new brochure to help spread the word about NAMI throughout our large and diverse geographic area.

NAMI Central Middlesex by Dee Febba The fall was quite busy for the NAMI Central Middlesex affiliate. The highlights have been in expanding our support group offerings and sponsoring educational programs centered on the seclusion and restraint concerns at Bridgewater State Hospital and other correctional facilities. We had the opportunity to offer two new Connection recovery support groups this fall. We are most grateful for this chance as NAMI Mass has assisted in providing training for our facilitators, Rosemarie DiGianvittorio and Eliza Williamson. These recovery focused groups are held weekly, alternating between Littleton and West Concord. We are busy spreading the word through our affiliate towns and going forward, we will focus on growing Connection groups in additional towns. Our November educational program, entitled Bridgewater State Hospital: Keeping a Commitment to Much Needed Change was in the format of a panel discussion. It was co-sponsored by and held at Temple Isaiah in Lexington with a turn-out of over 100 people. The panel consisted of State Senator Will Brownsberger, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary; Eric MacLeish, an attorney representing patients and families in a class action suit regarding abuses at Bridgewater due to excessive use of restraints and segregation; Chris Griffin, Executive Director of the Disability Law Center, appointed by Governor Patrick to provide an investigative review of practices at Bridgewater; and, the facilitator was Danna Mauch, Board President of MA Association for Mental Health. The audience, eager to hear from the panel,

gave a round of applause when the investigative reporter Michael Rezendes of the Boston Globe was recognized by Eric MacLeish. Mr. Rezendes’ extensive series on the abuses at Bridgewater has aided tremendously in raising public awareness and creating focus on the need for change. A second important talk: Solitary but Not Forgotten – Working to Reform the Use of Solitary Confinement in MA Prisons was held at The First Parish Church in Concord, sponsored by Social Action Committee of the First Parish Church, Amnesty International, ACLU of Mass, and NAMI Central Middlesex. The presenters included: • State Senator Jamie Eldridge, sponsor of Bill S1133 “An Act on the Appropriate Use of Solitary Confinement in Prisons,” being reintroduced this session on Beacon Hill; • Dr. Stuart Grassian, an expert on the psychological effects of prolonged isolation • Leslie Walker, Director of Prisoner Legal Services of Massachusetts Together they created a vivid but sad picture of the situation in our prisons throughout our Commonwealth and accentuated the need for everyone to take steps and connect to our state representatives and senators demanding change to how we treat individuals confined in our correctional facilities. NAMI Central Middlesex will continue its involvement and support in working with other organizations looking to see change come to prisons across Massachusetts.

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Affiliate News… continued from page 10

NAMI GB CAN (NAMI Greater Boston Consumer Affiliate/Advocacy Network)

by Jon Gottlieb and Ewa Pytowska The Boston area is well known for its hospitals, schools, and sports teams. Its history is also second to none. Its mental health industry, however, remains by-andlarge unknown unless you find yourself in the unenviable position of needing help. And yet, those who face mental health challenges have a championship caliber advocacy network to turn to. NAMI GBCAN, otherwise known as the Greater Boston Consumer Advocacy Network, offers multiple supports to its members and is a member of a consortium of peerrun organizations known as the Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community. NAMI GBCAN is doing such important tasks as teaching, empowering and energizing the mind into a healthier working order and becoming clearer thinking members of society. NAMI GBCAN is more than just a place to go. It’s a place to grow. Located in the heart of Downtown Boston at the Lindeman Center complex, this multipurpose advocacy organization all started with an idea of assisting people with mental “hurts” by one erstwhile Howard Trachtman, otherwise also known as an advocate and community organizer. GBCAN brings together those who know and who want to assist peers in their own recovery. GBCAN’s diversity of philosophies and purposes, provide a foundation from which to serve those in various stages of mental illness. An important aspect of GBCAN’s credo is outreach, a system where we take your public relations acumen and talents, as well as writing efforts using social media, anywhere there is a business that may or may not know what we offer. Our voices are strong, but we constantly need

more individuals to keep these pursuits meaningful and working correctly. This means we will always need everyone’s participation. All positions at GBCAN are volunteer but often lead to jobs which offer a stipend in other peer-led recovery-oriented communities. The GBCAN leadership team and members, however, are full of enthusiasm, because they are getting rich in so many more ways than just earning a salary. The perks of lending a hand in the process of stimulating peers back to health is one thing…what you get back in return is so much more. For instance, the monthly TWO HATS dinners in Central Square, Cambridge, at Bertucci’s is a great, fun way to conduct business while enjoying meeting one’s associates on the second Thursday of each month. Also, peers who love the arts, have the luxury of receiving free theater and concert tickets through the Opening Doors to the Arts Program. Opportunities to do important things for the cause are many, from Advocacy Days at the State House to visits with our local, state and federal representatives. These give us a chance to voice our viewpoints on how they should vote on Mental Health issues. We want everyone to be excited about the possibilities of what NAMI GBCAN has to offer, because these strategies are tried, true, doable, and with a little patience, prove they work. It’s up to you to take the first step and try the NAMI GBCAN path. Thank you for your persistence and patience towards your goals. We know it is never easy. That’s why we’re here…to help you with a light, human touch that won’t let you fall by the wayside! Reach us at www.namigbcan.org or [email protected]; phone 617-6268691. Now on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/GONAMIGBCAN

NAMI MetroWest and Employment Options by Larry DeAngelo, President NAMI MetroWest “Where would I be without the support of Christine and Steve?” John asks me this question each month right before the NAMI MetroWest Connection recovery support group at Employment Options in Marlborough. NAMI MetroWest has partnered with Employment Options, Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services, and NAMI Mass Compass: your guide to mental health resources to provide support, education and information about finding services to MetroWest families and individuals dealing with mental health issues. Twice a month, the NAMI Connection recovery support group and NAMI Family Support Groups meet at the same time in different rooms at Employment Options in Marlborough. Employment Options is a Massachusetts Club House focused on returning persons in recovery to the workplace. NAMI MetroWest encourages families to come together for support. Christine Rigopoulos and Steve Shea are the lead NAMI Connection facilitators and Margie and Walter Linehan are the lead Family Support Group facilitators. Rachael, a family caregiver with an adult daughter dealing with schizophrenia, has struggled for over a year trying to help her daughter qualify for SSDI and then the benefit was denied. At the NAMI MetroWest Family Support Group, Rachael learned about a Social Security Fast Track appeals process that could qualify her daughter for SSDI within 90 days. The information about this program came from NAMI Mass Compass.

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Affiliate News NAMI MetroWest continued from page 11

Lucy, a client at Employment Options was to be evicted from her apartment within 30 days because of hoarding issues. She had nowhere to go except to a shelter or to the streets. Employment Options marshaled local hoarding task force resources, clinical support from Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services, and worked with landlord and tenant to reduce the items stored on the premise. These efforts managed to convince the landlord to cancel the court ordered eviction notice. Both individuals from Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services and Employment Options are directors on the NAMI MetroWest Board of Directors.

NAMI Northeast Essex by Joyce Cejka, Affiliate President NAMI Northeast Essex is working on revising our bylaws as well as increasing membership and board participation. We continue to provide three support group meetings per month—Family and Friends and Connection. A public In Our Own Voice presentation is scheduled for March 24 in Newburyport with the particular focus of reaching out to older high school students and their parents.

in NAMIWalks and Advocacy Day; made individual presentations before classes of interns; enjoyed a summer picnic and a December holiday party; and, along the way, found time to revise our bylaws. We distribute a newsletter every other month and offer a weekly Connection recovery support group in Fitchburg, with Family Support Groups meeting twice a month in Fitchburg and in Clinton.

NAMI Plymouth by Jean Childers, Affiliate President We joined with the NAMI Cape Cod and the Islands affiliate on November 7, 2014 at the Heritage Museums for a tribute to honor then Senate President Therese Murray who spoke on The State of Mental Health Care in the Commonwealth. Several Plymouth members attended her session and shared a link to her presentation with our members on our Facebook page. Kathleen Considine has been working with presenters and identifying potential teaching faculties to bring the Educating the Educators program to initial groups

around the Commonwealth. The program will be presented to the Barnstable Public School staff members on March 24, 2015. Kathleen Considine, Jean Childers and Oonagh Jacobsen have attended the initial meetings of the Plymouth County Coalition to Prevent Suicide being brought to the area by the state group. Police, healthcare workers, teachers, parents, and members of the public have been represented at these meetings. NAMI Plymouth collected and shared Holiday Gifts again in December. We are pleased to be able to bring contributions to Pembroke Hospital and High Point’s residents. n

NAMI Cape Cod & the Islands member Ron Holmes, Kathleen Considine of NAMI Plymouth and Jean Childers Plymouth affiliate President.

NAMI North Central Massachusetts by Guy Beales, Affiliate President During 2014, NAMI NCM participated in nearly a dozen health fairs; hosted two well-received programs (one on specialneeds estate planning; the other featuring Bob Larsted, author of Witness to the Dark: My Daughter’s Troubled Times; A Comedy of Emotions); offered the Familyto-Family education program; participated

Senate President Murray addressing the crowd at the Cape Cod event.

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Spring Fundraising Event… continued from page 1

CEOs Against Stigma… continued from page 2

He served four tours in the Iraq War from 2003 to 2008. Between those tours, he earned his Master’s degrees in business and public administration in a dual program at Harvard University. He won election over incumbent John Tierney in the Democratic primary and Republican Richard Tisei in the general election. We will also be giving Pulitzer Prize winning Boston Globe reporter Michael Rezendes a special Journalism Award for his chronicling of the tragic treatment of people with mental illness at Bridgewater State Hospital which is really

a medium security prison. From Mr. Rezendes’ Boston Globe biography: “An investigative reporter and political writer, Rezendes was a member of the Boston Globe Spotlight Team for nearly a decade and shared a Pulitzer Prize for investigating the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. He has probed a wide array of additional topics, including the September 11 attacks, prison suicides, healthcare costs, and the role of money in presidential politics.” To read his reporting on Bridgewater State Hospital go to: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/specials/ bridgewater. n

Save the Date! NAMI’s Advocacy Day

At the Massachusetts State House

 

Invited Speakers

Senate President Stanley Rosenberg And others to be announced.

Monday April 13, 2015 11am – 3pm Great Hall

Registration Starts at 11:00 Speakers: Noon to 1:00 Lunch provided: 1 to 1:45pm Visit your Legislators: 1:45 to 3pm

Make Your Voice Heard! Program  Subject  to  Change  

So, we decided to focus our antistigma campaign on business leaders, the people who can create long-lasting change. CEOs Against Stigma targets chief executives with at least 50 employees in various business sectors, including healthcare, insurance, government, restaurant and hospitality, banking and academia. By the end of this year, we’ve committed to signing up 100 CEOs. We are aiming for 250 by the end of 2016. Right now, we are off to a great start—with several CEOs already on board. CEOs who make the commitment to the campaign take a pledge to help eliminate stigma in their own workplace culture. They commit to personal leadership, promote productivity by encouraging open dialogue, examine employee benefits and the availability of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). And, all workplaces that participate in the campaign will host an In Our Own Voice (IOOV) presentation. IOOV has been cited by renowned stigma researcher Patrick W. Corrigan as one of the most effective anti-stigma programs in America. With the help of Heads Up.org, an Australian initiative to create mentally healthy workplaces, NAMI Mass is producing a series of guides and fact sheets to help inform employees and managers in companies participating in the CEOs Against Stigma campaign. We look forward to working with the CEOs Against Stigma—and with our entire NAMI community, including our hardworking Affiliates all across the state—to eliminate stigma in the workplace and truly improve lives. Stay tuned for updates and exciting news surrounding this campaign. n

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Public Policy… continued from page 4

mental health services-including crisis intervention and jail diversion training for police and first responders, mobile crisis services, assertive community treatment and peer supports and supportive housing. Additionally, a review of delaying hospital discharges which result in mental health crises that could otherwise be prevented must be conducted. We are convinced that universal access to a stronger system of community mental health programs provides a strong safety net and proactively helps to avert crisis. 2015 Budget and Legislative Priorities • Restore Funding to the Department of Mental Health Over the past decade, the Commonwealth has made significant cuts in excess of $55 Million to the DMH budget. Despite increases we have fought for and won over the past two budget years, Massachusetts still ranks among the lowest New England states in terms of mental health funding. Without a significant and sustained commitment to increased funding, thousands of families in Massachusetts will lose access to appropriate services. For FY2016, NAMI will be requesting a significant increase over FY2015 levels to ensure access is available to all. • House Docket #789 An Act Requiring Mental Health Parity for Disability Policies Sponsored by Representative Ruth Balser This legislation eliminates the discriminatory practice that allows insurance companies to end long-term disability benefits for people with mental illness after two years, even as policies for those with a physical illness provide coverage while a person is under the care of a doctor and until age 65. • Senate Docket # 682 An Act Relative to Police Training Sponsored by Senator Jason Lewis

This bill dramatically increases funding for training of police officers and requires that all future training include enhanced mental health components and specific Crisis Intervention Training (CIT). It creates an automobile insurance surcharge costing consumers less than 25 cents a month that will generate enough revenue to sustain consistent and adequate training through the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) and the State Police. • Senate Docket # 894 & House Docket #804 - An Act to Require Health Care Coverage or the Emergency Psychiatric Services Sponsored by Senator Kenneth Donnelly and Representative Ruth Balser These two bills are identical and each requires commercial insurance companies to pay for behavioral health emergency services provided by emergency services providers (ESPs) across the state. Presently, children and adults who receive MassHealth benefits are covered by ESP providers but unfortunately,

most children and adults with private health insurance are not. This must change. • Senate Docket # 963 An Act Relative to Mental Health Certified Peer Specialists Sponsored by Senator James Eldridge This legislation requires MassHealth to cover certified peer specialist services, provided that said certified peer specialist has completed training that teaches participating peers specific skills relevant to providing peer support to other peers. • Increase Reimbursement Rates for Behavioral Health Care Providers Behavioral health services have been chronically under-reimbursed by MassHealth. As a result, low income and disabled MassHealth members needing these services suffer badly because many psychiatric hospital beds have closed as well as mental health clinics. Behavioral health professionals continued on page 15

Astronomy, a biography by Al Tee, Bay Cove Human Services Client …and as I laid in the grass, the stars and moon seemed to disappear. It was the two to three day astronomers’ almanac. “Some of my friends joined me on the rooftop.” Last year we were in the mountains, but barely saw the sky from trees surrounding us. But, just as suspected, the visual eye to sky Big Dipper and all the other constellations. Most of us looked for the golden special. Whereupon the Dipper and Orion, and of course Little Dipper to make a sketch of as long ago somewhere is the book predicting precisely Leo the Lion, Pegasis, and of course, Pisces. “I missed Gemini, the planetarium recorded it.” Will it ever happen again?—the golden moment to everyone (maybe Sahibe, maybe…) n

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Public Policy… continued from page 14

should not have to choose between dropping out of MassHealth or working on the financial margins. NAMI Mass members and constituents are dependent on having adequate, high quality services. Therefore, increasing behavioral health reimbursement is a top NAMI Mass priority. NAMI will seek comprehensive remedies to these problems in the FY2016 budget that increases MassHealth funding and incentivizes providers to ensure adequate access to these critical services throughout the Commonwealth. n

Support Groups… continued from page 16

NAMI Connection Peer Recovery Support Groups Agawam • Sue: 413-786-9139 Boston • Robyn: 781-333-9825 or Jessica: [email protected] Brockton • Janet Ransom: 508-857-0316, [email protected] Concord • 781-982-3318, [email protected] Easthampton • Trish: 413-297-6411 Fall River • Terri: [email protected] Fitchburg • Caryl: 508-574-0603 Gloucester • Elizabeth: 978-281-1557, [email protected] or Yvonne: [email protected] Haverhill • Susan: crystalenergycreeations@hotmail. com or Elizabeth: 978-372-7024, [email protected] Hyannis • Victoria Hadley: [email protected] Littleton • Rosemarie: [email protected] Marlborough • Carolyn: 508-485-8700 Martha’s Vineyard • Mati: [email protected] Orleans • Carolyn: [email protected] Plymouth • Victoria Hadley: [email protected] Somerville • Janel: 617-863-5388 Programs subject to change

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Bernice Drumheller, President NAMI Western Massachusetts by Larry DeAngelo When I first met Bernice Drumheller, she told me about her experience with mental illness: I called my family members and told each of them, “I cannot take this anymore. If I cannot get any relief shortly, I will kill myself. Immediately after my fourth child was born, I fell into severe postpartum psychosis. I became catatonic and had to be hospitalized. My psychic pain was unbearable. After 14 electric convulsive therapy sessions, my psychotic depression lifted and never returned. But I never forgot what mental illness is. My next encounter with mental illness is when my youngest son was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 19 years old. Our entire family was at a loss as to what to do for our son and how to cope with his illness. A social worker suggested I contact NAMI. NAMI introduced me to Familyto-Family (F2F). And like so many of my F2F students have said since then, F2F saved my life. Since joining NAMI, Bernice has taught 13 F2F classes and has been recognized in the NAMI F2F Hall of Fame. Bernice is a Family Support Group Facilitator and the NAMI Western Massachusetts Board President. For 13 years she received the Massachusetts Mutual Volunteer in Action Award and received the Massachusetts Mutual Volunteer of the year award in 2004. Each award resulted in a cash grant to NAMI Western Mass. In 2011, Bernice received the NAMI Mass Volunteer of the Year Award. NAMI Western Massachusetts has the largest chapter membership of our 21 NAMI Mass affiliates. The NAMI Western Massachusetts office has two paid

staff and several office volunteers and college interns. The office staff has developed a comprehensive membership development program and provides daily support to people calling into the office looking for resources and services. Bernice has developed NAMI programs throughout Hamden and Hampshire counties. She introduced NAMI Basics and NAMI Connection to NAMI Western Mass. Under Bernice’s leadership NAMI Western Massachusetts has received four Community Foundation Grants, and a NAMI Massachusetts Diversity Grant. Much of the grant money has been used to support Spanish language programs. For two years, Western Massachusetts, in partnership with NAMI Mass, has been conducting Crisis Intervention Training, for area police. Each month Bernice speaks at local colleges and universities and inpatient psychiatric units introducing NAMI and NAMI programs. She speaks of hope, recovery, and NAMI. Her wisdom and insight come from her lived experience. Thank you for all you do, Bernice. n

NAMI Mass Family Support Groups Acton • Susan: 978-263-8830 Agawam • Jean: 413-374-9185 (for parents of a child with a mental illness) Arlington • MaryBeth: 617-699-0364 (for parents of a child with a mental illness) Barnstable • Judd: 508-364-9035, [email protected] Bedford • 781-982-3318 Beverly • Christine: 781-513-9441 Boston (in Spanish) • Quién contactar: Carmen Rivera: 857-234-9688, [email protected] Brockton • Mike Kennedy: 508-823-4187 or 508-269-4788 Cambridge • Elizabeth: 781-646-0397 Clinton • Edie: 978-345-2214, [email protected] Dorchester • Mark: 617-522-7439, [email protected] Or Monica: 857-342-2796, [email protected] East Harwich • Kristin: 774-722-0248 Fall River • Brenda Venice: 508-678-2584, [email protected] Falmouth • Bill: 508-428-4351 Fitchburg • Maryann: 978-342-0988, [email protected]

Florence • Carol: 413-527-0532 Gloucester (3 different groups) • namicapeann@ comcast.net Greenfield • For more info, please contact 413786-9139 or 800-295-2121 Haverhill • Bernie: 603-583-9252, [email protected] Or Michael: 978-337-6214, [email protected] Lexington • Janet: 781-761-5287, jhodges@ edinburgcenter.org Littleton • Susan: 978-263-8830 Lowell • 978-677-0618, [email protected] Marlborough • Carolyn: 508-485-8700, [email protected] Martha’s Vineyard • Fenton & Peggy: 508-693-5872 Martha’s Vineyard (second group) • Daryl: 508-627-5249, [email protected] Middleton • Sheila: 978-304-0146, [email protected] Nantucket • Ruth: 508-221-3437

Newton • Sid: 617-320-3048, [email protected] Northampton • Carol: 413-527-0532 Orange • Jen or Rich: 978-544-1859 Pittsfield • 413-443-1666, [email protected] Plymouth • Kathleen: [email protected] Or Nancy: [email protected] Revere (in Spanish) • Quién contactar: Jacqueline: 857-615-3036, jmartinez1970@ ymail.com o Norma: 617-912-7886, [email protected] Revere (in English) • Sid: 617-320-3048, [email protected] Sandwich • Nancy: 508-330-0305 Springfield • Bernice: 413-596-5059, [email protected] Stow • Trish: 978-897-2962 Uxbridge • Terri: 508-917-8381 Wakefield • Kay: 781-438-1851 Wellesley • Vivian: 781-235-5546 Weymouth • 781-749-1541, [email protected] Worcester • 508-368-3562

Or Bernie: 603-382-9511, [email protected]

Williamstown • Donna: 413-822-2862

Newburyport • Ruth: 978-834-6469

Or Michael: 978-337-6214, [email protected]

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800-370-9085 · www.namimass.org The Schrafft’s Center, 529 Main Street, Suite 1M17, Boston, MA 02129

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