The latest at NAMI Wisconsin...

May. 8, 2013

Sign petition to your legislator

Governor Walker wants to reject billions of dollars in federal health care reform funds to fill the holes in BadgerCare. This decision, which can be overturned by the Legislature, endangers lives and denies needed funds to Wisconsin communities.

The Medicaid expansion ruling is important to people living with mental illness because it allows states to expand their Medicaid programs with substantial federal funding and the Medicaid expansion must cover mental health and substance abuse care. The Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin would provide health insurance coverage to hundreds of residents, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured and live with mental illness.

Take Action: Sign the petition to your state legislators at: http://www.gothealthcarewi.com/badgercare_petition

See the Jan/Feb Iris for more information about the ACA and its implications for people living with mental illness.

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May. 8, 2013

Presidential Proclamation

President Obama calls upon citizens, government agencies, organizations, health care providers, and research institutions to raise mental health awareness and continue helping Americans live longer, healthier lives. For many of the tens of millions of Americans who are living with a mental health issue, getting help starts with a conversation; talking about it with someone they trust and consulting with a health care provider.

Prejudice and discrimination often create a barrier to people seeking help. The President highlights that we as a nation need to make sure people know that "asking for help is not a sign of weakness—it is a sign of strength." Additionally, with the Affordable Care Act, insurers may not deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions and will expand behavioral health issue benefits for 62 million Americans. The Administration has made unprecedented commitments to improve mental health care in America, and resources are available to those who need them.

You can find nearby treatment through SAMHSA's Treatment Referral line at 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This toll-free service provides round-the-clock information confidentially on where to go for help on prevention, treatment, and recovery issues related to mental illness or substance use disorders (assistance available in English and Spanish). Similarly, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) provides free, confidential, immediate round-the-clock assistance to people in crisis. Both lines are open to all Americans—including service members, veterans, and their families—365 days a year.

Heed the President's call and use the month of May to raise mental health awareness.

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Apr. 12, 2013

NAMI video contest needs your vote

As part of Mental Illness Awareness Week in October, NAMI Wisconsin is sponsoring a video contest. High school and college students from across the state have submitted short videos that aim to breakdown the stigma associated with mental illness. We would like your help in choosing the top 3 videos from among the 11 finalists.

You can view the finalists' videos on the NAMI Wisconsin YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/namiwisconsin/videos

Once you've looked over all the submissions, use this link to vote for your favorite:

http://tolu.na/16I4mhy

(The videos are also embedded on the voting page, in case you need a final look.)

Voting will be open until midnight on Sunday, April 21. The top three videos will then be screened at the NAMI Wisconsin annual statewide conference in Madison on April 26-27. The grand prize winner chosen at the conference will receive an 8GB Flip Mino HD video camera.

The top 11 videos will be featured on the NAMI Wisconsin website as an Info Fair for the months of September and October 2013. The grand prize video will be used as part of the statewide publicity campaign aroun Mental Illness Awareness Week 2013.

Thanks for your vote!

 

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