THE VOICE
Quarterly News from NAMI Colorado
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1
WINTER 2013
NAMI Walks 2013 is Coming!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
NAMI Walks 2013
1
New Website
1
Message from the E.D. 1
Tax Write-Off
Opportunity
2-3
Build It Together
Initiative
2
NAMI Colorado Annual
Conference Review
3
Affiliate News
3
Help NAMI Grow
4
Board Member Profile
4
Volunteer Spotlight
4
MISSION STATEMENT
NAMI Colorado
is a grassroots organization
that provides education,
support, and advocacy for
people affected by a mental
illness and their families.
BOARD
 Scott Glaser, Executive Director
 Greg C. Coleman, President
 Nita Brown, Vice-President
 Vicki Hook, Secretary
 Phoebe Norton, Treasurer
 David Dye
 Larry Pottorff
 Tricia Rae
 Jason Sapsin
It’s Time to Walk the Walk - Because
Mental Health is Physical Health.
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Central Park at Stapleton
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
Walk Begins at 10:00 a.m.
Join Us For The NAMIWalks Kick-Off Event:
 Come have some fun and become a
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 We have a few spots left on the walk
Thursday, March 14, 2013
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Dazzle Jazz, 930 Lincoln Street
walk team captain. RSVP to:
[email protected].
planning committee. To join, contact:
[email protected].
NAMI Colorado launched a new website! Please visit us at www.namicolorado.org.
Message from the Executive Director
Someone told me they were afraid of the year 2013. “The number 13
is an unlucky number,” they told me. My response is that this would
be a tough way to go through a whole year, always looking over your
shoulder waiting for the “unlucky” to hit. In my actual experience, I’ve
often found days like “Friday the 13th” to be good days. Maybe it is
because they are Fridays, but more likely because our good days are
Scott Glaser
often what we make them out to be. That’s how I’m going to
approach 2013 – it will be a lucky year because we are going to make our own luck
by working together to support each other even when we’re not feeling all that lucky.
Over the next few months, expect to see some work being done that will improve our
“luck.” We will be working to expand NAMI into new communities in Colorado. We will
be working hard through the legislative session to advocate on behalf of members,
families and the mental health community. We will be preparing for our annual NAMI
Walk on May 18. And we will be working with all of our affiliates to support all of the
classes and support groups that take place in Colorado. I look forward to partnering
with all of you to make 2013 a “lucky” year for NAMI.
Page 2
THE VOICE
NAMI Colorado Participates In
Build It Together Initiative
Tax Check-Off
Opportunity
Families in Action is
a coalition of
mental health
advocates: NAMI
Colorado, Colorado
Federation of Families for Children’s
Mental Health,
Mental Health
America of Colorado, and WE CAN! of
Colorado.
Legislation passed
last year that
allowed FIA to
become one of the
agencies that could
be listed as a tax
check-off for
donations on the
Colorado state
income tax form.
This provides the
opportunity for taxpayers to contribute
to vital mental
health programs
through the
check-off program
on state tax forms.
NAMI is working on strengthening its organization, reenergizing leaders, expanding its
reach, and increasing its impact. To succeed in the midst of challenging times, NAMI
State Organizations are seeking answers to important questions:

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NAMI Colorado, along with NAMI of five other
states, was chosen by NAMI National to participate in a year-long initiative called Build It Together that will help our state focus on ensuring access to culturally competent services
and support for people of diverse backgrounds
who are affected by serious mental illness.
Build It Together is designed to provide indepth technical assistance and skill building
initiative to help NAMI Colorado become more
diverse and inclusive.
The NAMI Colorado delegation includes Scott Glaser, Executive Director — NAMI Colorado; Tawney Bass — Board President, NAMI Aurora; Elena Davis — Arapahoe/Douglas
Mental Health Network; Jason DeaBueno — Vice President, NAMI Colorado Springs,
and Elicia Goodsoldier — Board Chair, NAMI Boulder/Broomfield Counties.
The delegation traveled to Arlington, Virginia in December to work on the state plan
alongside the other state delegations and the NAMI Multicultural Action Center.
NAMI Colorado identified three main priorities:
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(Continued on page 3)
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Winter, 2013
How can we meaningfully engage younger and more diverse individuals?
How do we attract and retain the right leaders to get the work done in different
communities?
How can we move our organization to a new and improved level of performance?
Create an inclusive environment by engaging in diversity trainings. We hope to
build relationships with community organizations who traditionally serve minority
populations and who might already offer diversity trainings. Our goal is to conduct
a minimum of three diversity related trainings in the next year.
Increase diversity on the NAMI Colorado Board of Directors and the Affiliate Board
of Directors.
Create a “Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee” for the Board of Directors
and make the Caminantes program replicable for state affiliates.
These goals will be ongoing within the next year and affiliates will be continuously
updated as goals are reached.
THE VOICE
Page 3
NAMI Colorado Holds Annual Conference
NAMI Colorado held its annual conference in October 2012, showcasing its volunteers
and programs. Facilitators and leaders from NAMI’s educational programs were
honored as well as current and past board members.
Cheri Bishop, Director of Programs, was given special recognition for her years of dedication to NAMI Colorado. “Events of this past year have put the spotlight on Cheri and
her unwavering devotion our organization statewide. While we were in transition and
Cheri agreed to step in as Interim ED, many of us on the board had the opportunity to
work with Cheri one on one and this gave us the opportunity to observe the incredible
work that Cheri does. We now recognize what a truly valuable asset and ambassador
she is for our organization,” said Nita Brown, Vice-President.
Affiliates were also given the opportunity to share their successes and challenges over
the past year.
During the annual business meeting portion of the conference all proposed amendment to the by-laws were approved. The following board candidates were voted in:
Greg Coleman, Nita Brown, Ann Weiher, Larry Pottorff, Vicki Hook, Tricia Rae, and
Jason Sapsin. The Board elected officers: Greg: President, Nita: Vice-President; Phoebe
Norton: Treasurer; Vicki: Secretary; Pottorff, Vicki Hook, Tricia Rae, and Jason Sapsin.
Affiliate News
NAMI Western Slope Provides Education For the Faith Community
NAMI Western Slope held their conference in October entitled “Changing Attitudes,
Changing Lives.” This conference was geared to clergy, pastors, and leaders in the faith
community to help educate and inform them about mental illness.
The impressive lineup of speakers was represented by CO West Mental Hospital, QPR
Training speakers, the VA Hospital, and CIT officers. IOOV presenters and a pastor who
has experienced mental illness shared their stories. NAMI Western Slope’s own president, Leslie Kent, spoke as well.
The conference was well attended and NAMI received positive and encouraging
feedback. “We know that those who attended have a better understanding of mental
illness and will be better equipped to meet the needs of individuals and their families in
their congregations. They know more about NAMI and the wonderful resources available
to them,” said Sandy Richmond, Support Group Coordinator for NAMI Western Slope.
Tax Check-Off
Opportunity
(Continued from page 2)
Contributions
collected from the tax
check-off will go
directly to the four
mental health
partners that provide
education, advocacy,
and support
programs across Colorado.
Our NAMI members’
participation in the
check-off program
can make a
difference by
increasing access to
appropriate mental
health services,
which will strengthen
and enhance Colorado’s mental health
safety net. Families in
Action for Mental
Health was created to
provide local support
for local families. In
order to remain on
the check-off,
a minimum of
$75,000 a year
must be raised.
Winter, 2013
Page 4
THE VOICE
Help NAMI Grow!
DID YOU KNOW?
We’re developing a
Speaker’s Bureau and
a series of short video
clips. If you have
experienced NAMI’s
programs and would
like to tell your story,
please contact
volunteer@
namicolorado.org
There are many opportunities for you to get involved in NAMI Colorado. If you’re
interested contact us at [email protected].

Volunteer Coordinator Needed
Needed—
— We are looking for a
volunteer to coordinate the many new faces involved in NAMI.
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NAMI newsletter - Compile articles and noteworthy information for The Voice.
Social Media Manager - If you’re addicted to Facebook, then we want you!
NAMI Walks Committee - Help us make this year’s walk the best ever!
Publicity and Media Committee - Help get the word out about NAMI’s mission.
Board Member Profile
DID YOU KNOW?
NAMI Colorado is
thrilled to announce
that it received a
$22,000 donation
from the Pajwell
Foundation. This
foundation has
supported
NAMIWalks in the
past but has raised
their gift amount to
support our Family to
Family programs and
training directly.
These funds will
allow us to
implement two
Family to Family
Teacher trainings
and allow us to assist
our newest affiliates
with setting up
their classes.
Winter, 2013
Tricia Rae was appointed to the NAMI Colorado Board in October 2012. She has worked in the areas of Corrections, Parole, Reentry and Probation. She currently works at Mental
Health Partners in Boulder at an acute inpatient facility. Tricia collaborates with community, government and faith
based organizations in the planning, development and implementation of programs designed to serve high needs populations.
She first got involved with the NAMI Denver affiliate raising funds for NAMIWalks for
the last two years. She also gave presentations for the Denver affiliate and a Family
to Family class regarding mental health and navigating the criminal justice system.
Her specific goal for NAMI this year is to participate on the public policy committee.
She is also assisting with the publicity committee in the area of social media to
broaden the outreach in the Colorado community.
Volunteer Spotlight
Gail Kirkegaard publishes NAMI VOICE, the quarterly newsletter for
Colorado NAMI. This is the third issue. She has worked on print and
digital newsletters for a number of organizations since the early
nineties, and eagerly offered to do one for Colorado NAMI.
Gail and her husband, Bob, found out how resourceful NAMI is for those struggling
with mental illness and their families. They have loved ones who have learned to
deal pretty successfully with mental illness. Gail says she and Bob learned a great
deal, and found support when they took the Family-to-Family class in 2011.