NAMI CENTRAL MIDDLESEX, MA
December 2014
Vol. 31 / No. 4
Becky Hadden, Editor
Please Come to Our Annual Holiday Party!
See directions on page 7.
Inside This Issue:
Local Support Groups
2
President’s Message
3
Solitary Confinement
3
Public Policy/Legislation 4
Nominees for 2015 Board 4
Education Events in Dec. 4
Bridgewater Panel Review 5
Links w/Emerson Hospital 6
Annual Meeting Reminder 6
NAMI Mass Informs Baker on
Mental Health
6
NAMI CMSX Board OPEN 6
Managing Depression
6
Hospital Beds Needed
7
Marylou Sudders Appointed
by Baker
7
Edinburg Center Directions 7
Calendar/Membership
8
Helpful Ideas from the University of Michigan Depression Website:
...when it comes to self care, you are in the driver’s seat. The steps you take and the decisions you make in
every aspect of your daily life – nutrition, sleep, exercise, relaxation, even a hobby or a friendship – will help
determine how well your depression responds to treatment.
See page 6 of this newsletter for more or go to : http://www.depressiontoolkit.org/takecare/
Local Support Groups
NAMI Connections: recovery support group for individuals in recovery facilitated by NAMI-trained peers
Marlboro: 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month, 7-9 p.m., meets same time as family/friends support group, Employment Options, 82 Brigham St. Call Tina at
(508)272-9061, website http://www.employmentoptions.org.
*Littleton:1st & 3rd Thursday each month, 10-11:30 a.m., Reuben Hoar Library, 41 Shattuck St. Contact Rosemarie at [email protected].
*West Concord: 2nd & 4th Thursday each month, 10-11:30 a.m., Fowler Branch Library, 1322 Main St. Cancellation policy is if the town school district is
closed then group will be cancelled. Contact Eliza at [email protected] or (617)733-7627.
NAMI Family/Friends: support groups for family/friends facilitated by NAMI-trained peers
*Acton/Littleton: 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month, 7-9 p.m., St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Acton, 435 Central Street, Acton MA 01740. Contact Susan McDougall at [email protected] or phone (978)263-8830, or Clare Cooper at [email protected] or phone (978)692-8994.
*Bedford: Last Tuesday each month, 7:30-9:30 p.m., First Church of Christ, 25 Great Rd. With questions or for more info, call the NAMI Central
Middlesex helpline (781)982-3318.
Fitchburg: 1st & 3rd Thursday each month, 7-8:30 p.m., Messiah Lutheran Church, 750 Rindge Rd. Contact Maryann Fairbanks at (978)342-0988 or
[email protected].
*Lexington: 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month, 6:30-8 p.m., Edinburg Center, 1st floor training room, 1040 Waltham St. Call Janet at (617)816-5856.
Marlboro: 1st Tuesday each month, 7-9 p.m., meets same time as recovery support group, Employment Options, 82 Brigham St. Call Tina at (508)2729061, website http://www.employmentoptions.org.
Newton: 2nd Tuesday each month, 7 p.m., Newton-Wellesley Hospital, 2nd floor, room #2, 2014 Washington St. Contact Tricia Silverman at (617)2325694 or [email protected].
*Stow: 3rd Saturday each month, 10 a.m., Fellowship Hall, First Parish Church, near the intersection of Rt. 117 and Rt. 62. Call Trish at (978)897-2962.
NAMI Caring & Sharing: support groups for family/friends facilitated by NAMI volunteers
Cambridge: 1st & 3rd Monday each month, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge St, 3rd floor of main building, Learning Center/
Conference Room A. Call Elizabeth at (781)646-0397 for more information.
Lowell: 3rd Wednesday each month, 7 p.m., Solomon Mental Health Center, 391 Varnum Ave. Phone (978)677-0618 or email [email protected].
*Wakefield: 2nd Monday each month for the winter, 1-2:30 p.m., Beebe Memorial Library, 345 Main St, for the winter. If Wakefield schools are closed,
meeting cancelled. Contact Kay at (781)438-1851 or Diane at (978)658-3567 or [email protected].
DBSA Support Groups: sponsored by Depression Bipolar Support Alliance for individuals in recovery or family/friends
Belmont: Every Wednesday, 7-9 p.m., McLean Hospital, Demarneffe building cafeteria, 115 Mill St, Belmont. 2nd & 4th Wednesdays include lecture 7-8
p.m. followed by support groups. Additionally there are drop-in groups on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1:30-3:30 p.m.in room 132.
Phone (617)855-2795, email [email protected], website http://www.dbsaboston.org.
Lowell: Every Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m., Lowell First Church of the Nazarene, 1195 Varnum Ave. Email [email protected].
Wayside Parent Groups: support groups for parents of children/adolescents with mental health challenges,
sponsored by Wayside Youth and Family Support Network
Framingham: 2nd & 4th Monday each month, 2 meetings: at 10-11:30 a.m. and 7-8:30 p.m., 88 Lincoln St. For more info contact Ann Killion at
[email protected].
Waltham: 1st & 3rd Monday each month, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, and 3rd Wednesday each month 7-8:30 p.m., 118 Central St. For more information contact
Kelley Daron at [email protected] or call (781)891-0555 Ext. 58.
Peer Support Groups: support groups for individuals in recovery facilitated by peers
Wakefield: Contact Mary Jo Fortes at (781)606-2042 before coming to any of the following groups.
“Peer Friendship Group”– Fridays, 11 a.m.-12 noon. DMH Site Office, 27 Water St., 3rd Fl, Suite 301.
“Striving for Happiness” – Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m., Horizon House, 78 Water St.
“Art & Music Appreciation” – Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m., Horizon House, 78 Water St.
“Come Together” - Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m., Horizon House, 78 Water St.
Somerville: Every Wednesday & Friday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, Cambridge-Somerville Recovery Learning Center, 35 Medford St, a big red brick building,
first floor, suite 111 behind the elevator. For info and further directions, contact Janel at (617)863-5388 or [email protected].
*Indicates sponsored by NAMI Central Middlesex
Other Support
Peer Warm Line: Friendly phone lines run by peers for peers, (877)733-7563, hours of operation: Tuesday thru Sunday, 4-8 p.m., and (800)243-5836, a
peer-run call-in service, hours of operation: 5-10 p.m. weekdays and 4-9 p.m. weekends
Psychiatric Emergency: Instead of calling 911 or using the local hospital emergency rooms, call the Emergency Service Provider (ESP) at (877)382-1609
and enter your zip code. This is a 24/7/365 toll-free line.
NAMI Central Middlesex Helpline: (781)982-3318 is covered by trained volunteers. Leave a message and someone will return your call within 24
hours.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page 2
NAMI Central Middlesex President’s Message by Judy McKendry
Where has the Fall
gone? We are entering the holiday season. I hope you take
good care of yourselves. We all know
how important good
self-care can be. The
holidays can be wonderful but they can
also be stressful and
even bring on sadness for some. We
need to be mindful of
the expectations we
put on ourselves and we need to give ourselves a break
and be OK with that.
What was happening for our affiliate this past month? In
addition to our ongoing support groups and three Family-to-Family classes meeting each week, we had a couple of exciting events.
Jennie Payne made a connection with staff at Emerson
Hospital’s psychiatric unit and arranged two informal
presentations for the staff on what we can offer their
patients and patients’ families upon discharge. We were
very well-received and the meetings were productive.
See page 6 for more information.
The other really big event was the panel discussion on
Bridgewater State Hospital and the status of changes
there. It was an excellent panel and attracted an audi-
ence of 100, which included several VIP’s. Thanks to
Ruthann Minkin, Pam Andrews, Francine Stieglitz,
Jennie Payne, and Ellen Pigott for all the work they did
on the various tasks that came together to make an outstanding, well-organized evening. See page 5 for more
details.
Heads up on an important special mailing coming your
way at the end of this month. Please watch for it. At the
annual meeting on January 26, we will be voting on a
revision of our bylaws. Why are we doing this, you may
ask? It is because NAMI national is trying to bring the
local affiliates into compliance with new Standards of
Excellence. They are requesting all state NAMI’s and all
local affiliates go through a process called
“reaffiliation”, which we feel will be a good thing.
NAMI Central Middlesex started the process a year ago.
It will take some time, but we are making steady progress. The proposed revisions we have made to our bylaws, following the NAMI template, have been reviewed
and approved by NAMI and our Board. We now need
our members to review and accept the revised bylaws.
As we head into December, we are going to scale back a
bit on affiliate activities – no big programs this month.
Instead, we are having a low-key pot luck holiday party
at the Edinburg Center in Lexington. We are scheduling
it for a Sunday afternoon, so night driving won’t be a
problem for anyone. Parking is plentiful. Information is
on page 1. I hope you will come. Join us for a relaxing
time with food, soft background music, and an opportunity to get to know some new faces or to reconnect with
some familiar ones.
Solitary Confinement in MA Prisons; Resulting Mental Health Issues
Join Amnesty International Group 15, NAMI Central Middlesex, the ACLU of Massachusetts, and the
Social Action Community of First Parish in Concord
for the forum "Solitary but Not Forgotten: Working to
Reform the Use of Solitary Confinement in MA Prisons." The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday,
Dec. 7th at First Parish located at 20 Lexington Road
in Concord, MA. The three panelists include State
Senator James Eldridge, who sponsored bill S. 1133, An
Act on the Appropriate Use of Solitary Confinement and
will be re-introducing a revised bill in January; Dr. Stuart Grassian, a nationally recognized expert on the psychological effects of prolonged isolation; and Leslie
Walker, the Executive Director of Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts.
Topics to be discussed include:
 the psychological impact of prolonged solitary
confinement,
 why solitary confinement is so prevalent in U.S.
prisons,




why it is used disproportionately on the mentally ill,
whether or not it is effective as a disciplinary
measure,
what the risks are to society from the use of
prolonged solitary in prisons,
and what can be done to reform its use.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page 3
Public Policy and Legislation by Rita Sagalyn
NAMI Executive Director Mary Giliberti has
made important presentations to Congressional
Committees on the need for additional funding
for programs and new initiatives addressing
important mental health needs.
She addressed the Labor, Health and Human
Services Education Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. Senate, which is drafting 2015 funding allocations for the National Institute of Mental Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration
(SAMHSA). Giliberti pointed out that an estimated 11.5 million
American adults live with serious mental illnesses, costing society over $300 billion annually and resulting in lost productivity,
broken families, and lives lost to suicide. Her recommendations
included increasing funding for the National Institute of Mental
Health to more than $1.44 billion. And she explained that NAMI
supports the President's plan to boost funding for the multiagency BRAIN initiative, by $40 million to $100 million.
Giliberti described the importance of work at NIMH which
seeks to accelerate the pace of drug discovery through an
“experimental medicine” approach to assess novel interventions
for mental illnesses. Other NIMH-funded research is demonstrating progress in advancing the health of people with these
illnesses. NIMH needs to advance this research to large-scale
Nominees for NAMI CMSX 2015 Board
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Assistant Treasurer:
Auditor:
Membership Committee:
Program Committee:
Walk Chair:
Veterans:
Legislation:
The Bridge Editor:
Outreach Coordinator:
Members At Large:
Judy McKendry
Jennifer Payne
Lynda McCumber
Liz Watson
Janet Hodges
Lynda McCumber
Ivy Pompei
Dee Febba
Janet Hodges
Pamela Andrews
Francine Stieglitz
Tom Scurfield
Tom Raposa
Rita Sagalyn
Becky Hadden
Susan McDougall
Melissa Talal
Maureen Reyling
Mark Your Calendar NOW for the NAMI Central Middlesex Annual Meeting on Monday, January 26 at Edinburg Center, 1040 Waltham St. in
Lexington. There will be a short educational program, a buffet dinner prepared by 2014 Board of
Directors, and a short meeting with the election of
the 2015 NAMI CMSX Board of Directors.
clinical trials aimed at reducing premature mortality for people living with serious mental illness.
NIMH is working to translate basic brain research findings
into multifaceted diagnoses and treatments for mental disorders. NIMH’s Research Domain Criteria program shows
promise of leading to diagnoses based more on biological
and basic behavioral mechanisms than on symptoms, which
should improve precision in diagnosing mental disorders.
Giliberti urged expanded support for SAMHSA programs
addressing the needs of homeless individuals with serious
mental illness.
Separately, the NAMI Executive Director responded to the
House Energy and Commerce Committee’s solicitation for
input on its 21st Century Cures proposal. The solicitation
posed many questions. Of them, she answered the following.
What is the state of discovery of cures and treatment? Are
there cures and treatments on the horizon? What programs or
policies support and foster research? How can Congress incentivize, coordinate and accelerate basic research? How can
we work together to translate scientific advances into safe,
effective new therapies? What is the role of public and private funding in finding new cures and treatments? How can
Congress
help?
See
her
answers
at
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nv4c24q.
December Events of Interest
See more events and more details
http://www.namimass.org/events/upcoming.
at:
THE CRIME OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Why are the mentally ill in jail?
December 2 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Macht Auditorium, Cambridge Hospital
1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141
Free and open to the public.
Three very knowledgeable speakers will bring us up to date on incarceration of the mentally ill, prison deaths and suicides, and use of restraints and
solitary confinement.
• Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe reporter Michael
Rezendes, author of the series on Bridgewater State Hospital
• James Pingeon of Prisoners Legal Services
• June Binney, project director of the Criminal Justice Diversion Project at NAMI Mass
MEDICATIONS FOR OCD
December 11 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., UMass Medical Center,
Worcester
SURVIVING PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS
Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention, Webinar
December 16 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page 4
Panel on Bridgewater State Hospital Truly Informative
From L to R: Chris Griffin, Will Brownsberger, Eric MacLeish, Danna Mauch, Francine Stieglitz (NAMI Central Middlesex Board member), and Sue Tafler (Temple Isaiah Mental Health Committee member). Note: The name cards were out of order at the time of this photo.
On November 17th, approximately 100 people gathered
at Temple Isaiah in Lexington to listen to a panel discussion on the status of Bridgewater State Hospital, a medium-security correctional facility housing men with issues relative to mental illness. The event was cosponsored by NAMI Central Middlesex and the Mental
Health Committee and the Social Action Committee of
Temple Isaiah.
The panelists were Eric MacLeish, Attorney at Law with
Clark, Hunt, Ahern & Embry; State Sen. Will Brownsberger, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary; and Christine Griffin, Executive Director of the
Disability Law Center. Danna Mauch, Ph.D, Senior Fellow/Principal Associate at Abt Associates and current
Board President of the Massachusetts Association for
Mental Health, served as moderator.
Attorney MacLeish, who represents multiple families in a
class-action lawsuit against Bridgewater State Hospital,
spoke first. He said that Bridgewater has a reputation for
housing the criminally insane but that less than 1/3 of the
current inmates are actually serving criminal sentences.
The rest of the men housed there are being evaluated for
mental competency to stand trial or have been identified
as needing enhanced security while they are awaiting
trial. Many of the inmates are spending needless hours in
seclusion and/or restraint because of the staff's lack of
training on how to deal effectively with those with mental
illness. Michael Rezendes, an investigative reporter with
The Boston Globe whose series on Bridgewater State has
helped keep the issues there in the spotlight, won a large
round of applause when Attorney MacLeish introduced
him.
Senator Brownsberger talked about Governor Patrick's
proposal to reform Bridgewater State Hospital by increasing staffing and creating a new enhanced security
facility to be run by the Department of Mental Health.
He said that it was too late in the legislative session for
Governor Patrick to achieve much in terms of reforms
and that the responsibility lies with the new executive
branch administration to work with the legislature to
come up with concrete reforms.
Ms. Griffin said that the Disability Law Center had done
a review of Bridgewater this year and had recommended
numerous changes. She said that this is a good time to
push for changes at Bridgewater, as the negative publicity and reviews of the institution have prompted the staff
to reduce restraints and seclusion and to come up with
an environment that is more conducive to mental health.
After the audience had an opportunity to ask questions
of the panel, NAMI member Ruthann Minkin asked the
audience to sign a petition asking Governor-elect Charlie Baker to work with the legislature, the Department of
Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections to
identify the problems at Bridgewater and to find solutions. Over 50 people signed the petition that night.
Special thanks to Pamela Andrews, Ruthann Minkin,
and Francine Stieglitz for their leadership in putting this
evening together and writing this report.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page 5
Forging Links with Emerson Hospital
On two days in November, Board members Jennie Payne
and Tom Scurfield represented NAMI Central Middlesex
at Emerson Hospital’s psychiatric unit. They were invited to share how NAMI could be of help to discharged
patients and their families. Their presentation focused
primarily on family and peer recovery support groups, the
Family-to-Family and Basics courses, and the helplines at
both the state and affiliate level. Jennie and Tom shared
their personal experiences of connecting with NAMI and
how helpful that connection was for them.
The information was well-received. Attending staff were
provided with well-organized folders of flyers about
NAMI support groups and courses, thanks to the efforts
of our outreach coordinator Susan McDougall. A mix of
staff including three psychiatrists, social workers, and
nurses attended the first presentation. At the second
meeting, Jennie and Tom spoke one-on-one with nurses,
social workers, and counselors who gave up some of their
own time before their shift began.
The visits, with both formal and informal moments,
allowed for frank exchange. The first meeting concluded with the staff planning to include NAMI contact
information as a resource on patient discharge plans!
Buoyant enthusiasm from one counselor capped the
second visit. This counselor makes recommendations
for self-care upon discharge and thought that adding
NAMI Connections to her list of resources filled a gap
that had long troubled her.
NAMI Central Middlesex will continue to provide Emerson Hospital’s psychiatric unit with up-to-date
printed materials about NAMI programs and services.
This way the staff will remain current and be able to
share NAMI information with patients and their families.
DON’T FORGET
Go to http://www.namimass.org/survey-2/survey
to see the latest news about NAMI’s communication to Governor-elect Baker about mental health
needs in Massachusetts.
NAMI Central Middlesex Board meetings are OPEN for ALL
affiliate members. You are invited to attend and add your ideas to
the discussions. If you would like to receive minutes of the meetings, let Judy McKendry know.
RENEW YOUR NAMI MEMBERSHIP and
Come to the
NAMI Central Middlesex Annual Dinner Meeting
Monday, January 26, 2015
Edinburg Center, Lexington
Dinner, Education, and Business Meeting
with Election of new Board of Directors
How to Manage Your Depression
This is continued from page 1 of this newsletter, taken
from the University of Michigan Depression website.
Educating yourself – Learn the facts about your diagnosis and your treatment plan.
Sleep – Take steps to develop healthier sleep habits.
Exercise - Physical activity is a critical component to
emotional wellness. Learn how to develop an exercise
program that’s right for you.
Nutrition – Learn more about good nutrition, and develop your own healthy eating plan.
Sticking with your plan – Do what it takes to follow
your treatment plan.
Managing stress – Learn to identify the signs of stress,
and find out about the many different techniques you
can try to manage it.
Positive self talk – Learn how to recognize negative or
unproductive thought patterns and turn them around.
Journaling – Learn the benefits of writing down your
thoughts and feelings, and how to get started keeping a
journal.
Spirituality – Find out what’s involved in developing
your own spiritual practice, and why many people find
it helpful.
Support systems – Think about the role other people
play in your recovery, and what you can do to build a
strong support system.
Coping at work – Develop strategies for staying
healthy and productive on the job.
Setting Goals – Understand the importance of setting
goals, and learn how to make goal-setting work for
you.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page 6
Advocacy Opportunities about Hospital Beds for Young People
Here are excerpts from a posting on November 11, 2014
by Lisa Lambert, Director of PPAL, a statewide, familyrun, grassroots nonprofit organization based in Boston.
For the complete text go to: http://ppal.net/2014/11/blogposts/4741 .
Is acute mental health care for kids a mirage in Massachusetts? It’s that time of year again. Oh wait, it’s actually several months too early. The “seasonal crisis”
around psychiatric beds for children and teens has shown
up far earlier this year and with a vengeance. According
to the calendar, there should be at least a few beds available for the children and teens that need them. A logjam
like this is supposed to take place in the spring.
At my office, the phone and emails are nonstop. Often,
they spill over to the weekend. A few days ago, we heard
from a mom whose 14-year-old son had swallowed a bottle of Tylenol. This was his third suicide attempt. She
rushed him to the emergency room and got medical treatment right away. But once that was completed, he needed
inpatient mental health care. “You have to wait,” his
mother was told twice a day. “There are no beds.” She’s a
smart and proactive parent and was trying every avenue
to budge a system that told her there was nowhere to admit her son for treatment. When she called us he’d been
waiting for four days and counting. We are not the only
state grappling with this issue. Last summer, the Sacramento Bee reported that hospitalizations for California
children and teens had spiked 38% between 2007 and
2012. Nationally, hospitalizations have also increased
but at a slower pace than California. Connecticut also
reports an increase in children and teens coming to
emergency rooms in psychiatric crisis. Data from the
state’s behavioral health partnership shows that the
number of children and teens stuck in emergency
rooms rose by 20 percent from 2012 to 2013.
Spending days in an emergency room can make some
young people’s problems worse. They see other kids
leave and wonder why they are still stuck there. Some
have parents who stay the whole time, while others
don’t. Often the behavioral health rooms are stark and
isolated, not intended for long stays.
Whatever the reasons, the impact on families is enormous. They often weigh two terrible options. If they
wait for days with their child, their other children suffer
or they put their job at risk. If they bring their child
home, they might not be able to manage things and
someone could be hurt. No one seems to be responsible.
At my office, we are recommending that parents call
their insurers directly and ask them for help. We tell
them to call their legislator and let them know we can’t
fix this alone. So far, the best we can do is support
each other and advocate like there is no tomorrow.
NAMI Mass Congratulates Marylou Sudders
NAMI Mass is pleased that Governor Elect Charlie Baker
has appointed Marylou Sudders as the next Secretary of
the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Marylou is a tremendous leader in the field of mental
health. Besides being the Commissioner of Mental
Health for 7 years, Marylou headed the Mass. Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for 10 years and
most recently was an Associate Professor and Chair of
Directions to the Edinburg Center:
1040 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA
the Mental Health Concentration at Boston College's
Graduate School of Social Work. Marylou has also
served on the NAMI Mass Board of Directors for 7.5
years.
Congratulations Marylou! This is a well-deserved
honor. NAMI Mass looks forward to working with
you.
Take a slight right onto Concord Ave.
Take a right onto Spring St.
Take the first right onto Hayden St.
Turn Right onto Waltham St.
1040 Waltham St. will be on the left.
Via route 128:
Take exit 28 for Trapelo Rd., heading east, toward Belmont.
Follow Trapelo Rd. to Lexington St.
Turn left onto Lexington St. which soon changes into Via route 2 west:
Waltham St.
Take exit 54A toward Waltham St./Waltham
1040 Waltham St. will be on the right.
At the end of the ramp, merge right onto Hayden Ave.
At Waltham St., turn right.
Via route 2 east:
1040 Waltham St will be on the left.
Take exit 53 toward Spring St./Lexington/Waltham
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
Page7
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Monday, December 1: NAMI Central Middlesex Board of Directors meeting, 7 p.m., Edinburg Center, Lexington
Tuesday, December 2: Family support group, Lexington (see page 2)
Tuesday, December 2: The Crime of Mental Illness, Cambridge Hospital, 6:30—8:30 p.m. (see page 4)
Thursday, December 4: Connections Group, 10-11:30 a.m., Littleton (see page 2)
Sunday, December 7: Solitary Confinement in MA Prisons, 20 Lexington Road in Concord, 11:30 a.m. (see page 3)
Tuesday, December 9: Family support group, Acton/Littleton (see page 2)
Thursday, December 11: Connections Group, 10-11:30 a.m., West Concord (see page 2)
Sunday, December 14: NAMI Central Middlesex Holiday Party, 2-4 p.m., Edinburg Center, Lexington (see page 1 & 7)
Tuesday, December 16: Family support group, Lexington (see page 2)
Thursday, December 18: Connections Group, 10-11:30 a.m., Littleton (see page 2)
Saturday, December 20: Family support group, Stow (see page 2)
Tuesday, December 23: Family support group, Acton/Littleton (see page 2)
Tuesday, December 30: Family support group, Bedford (see page 2)
Monday, January 5: NAMI Central Middlesex Board of Directors meeting, 7 p.m., Edinburg Center, Lexington
Board of Directors
NAMI Central Middlesex
Monday, January 26: NAMI Central Middlesex Annual Dinner Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Edinburg Center, Lexington

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Auditor
Newsletter Editor
Community Outreach Coordinator
Legislative Coordinator
Membership Co-Coordinator
Membership Co-Coordinator
Programs Committee
Programs Committee
Programs Committee
Walk Coordinator
Walk Assistant
Veterans Outreach Coordinator
Board Member At-Large
Board Member At-Large
Judy McKendry
Jennie Payne
Lynda McCumber
Liz Watson
Janet Hodges
Lynda McCumber
Becky Hadden
Susan McDougall
Rita Sagalyn
Dee Febba
Ivy Pompei
Billie Drew
Francine Stieglitz
Janet Hodges
Tom Scurfield
Billie Drew
Tom Raposa
Francine Stieglitz
Helene Semchenko
(978)897-9541
na
(978)250-1509
na
(617)816-5856
(978)250-1509
(978)886-5666
(978)263-8830
(781)538-5102
(978)697-3441
(978)667-4543
(781)799-4744
(781)862-9171
(617)816-5856
(978)618-7521
(781)799-4744
(508)326-3220
(781)862-9171
na
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
NAMI of Central Middlesex Annual Membership Form
NAMI Annual Membership: Obtaining a NAMI membership gives you membership in our local NAMI affiliate, the NAMI Mass organization,
and the NAMI National organization. Please join by completing and mailing this form.
Name:____________________________________________________ Phone: (_____)_____-_______ Email:__________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________Town:_____________________________Zip Code:_____________
New members, please tell us how you learned about NAMI: ___________________________________________________________________
I prefer to receive the affiliate newsletter, The Bridge, via
□ Post Mail
□ Email (preferred due to cost savings)
Check only one membership choice below:
Individual/Family membership:
□New □Renewal
$35.00
Open door membership for people of limited
means:
□New □Renewal
$3.00
Individuals with lived experience:
□New □Renewal
FREE
Check below only if you wish to receive our
affiliate newsletter but do not wish to have a
membership:
The Bridge only:
□New □Renewal
Please make check payable to:
NAMI of Central Middlesex
$10.00
Extra donation (Thank you!):
$________________
Mail to:
NAMI of Central Middlesex
PO Box 6243
Lincoln, MA 01773
Total enclosed: $________________
Special thanks to Joe McKendry for the bridge graphic on page 1 of this newsletter.
Connect to NAMI Central Middlesex: [email protected] or www.nami.org/sites/NAMICentralMiddlesex
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