A Letter from New NAMI Western Carolina Board President, Bill Kinschner

Imagine my surprise a few weeks ago when Florence Rowe asked me to consider serving as President or our Affiliate Board.  It wasn’t a request I had anticipated, but the more I thought about it, the more I could see a fit with my gifts and passion for serving the mentally ill and those who love and care for them.

In February 2000, my wife Bonnie and I were presented with the news that our daughter Janet, then age 28 and already married for four years, had “broken down” and would be unable to continue in school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland in her doctoral nursing program.  Janet was preparing herself for a career a Nurse Mid-wife.  Little did any of us know at that time that her life would be changed forever by her manifesting mental illness.  The doctors diagnose Janet as Bi-Polar II (rapid cycling) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but as we all know,  illness and care needs are unique.

In 2000, I was in the 30^th year of a management career with Owens-Illinois (16 years in glass packaging) and HCR Manor Care (14 years with nursing homes).  I didn’t know anything about mental illness or NAMI.  Bonnie and I traveled frequently to Cleveland to visit, but her husband Doug helped Janet manage her illness day to day.

Little did I know that the experience I was getting as a Trustee of the Ohio Health Care Association (advocates for nursing home care and MR/DD care) and with the American Health Care Association in Washington DC (advocates for nursing home and MR/DD care nationally) would be preparing me for a role in leadership at NAMI.

As a good leader should, I will spend considerable time listening to the thoughts and perceptions of NAMI Western Carolina members.  I will work with your Board to advocate for the care needs of the mentally ill.  I will encourage the expansion of NAMI membership and involvement of members and I will work to increase participation in NAMI’s signature programs for those living with a mental illness and their loved ones.

 Please join me in deepening your involvement in stigma-busting, education, support, and advocacy of NAMI Western Carolina.

Board of Directors 2011

Officers:

Bob Carey, Vice President – Bob was born in Milton, Delaware. He has a forestry degree from Penn State University and retired in Yancey County after thirty-one years with the U.S. Forest Service. He is a member of the Yancey County Mental Health Association, Western Highlands Consumer and Family Advisory Council and of the Burnsville Lions Club.

Audrey Mercer, Secretary – Audrey joined the board as secretary in January 2010 and has served in that capacity since last April. Audrey is a graduate of NAMI’s Family to Family class and In Our Own Voice training. A professional organizer whose interests include lifelong learning, gardening and interior decorating, she has enjoyed living in the WNC mountains since 2004.

Karen Hoffman, MBA, Treasurer – Karen has served as treasurer since March 2010. She previously served as treasurer for a mental health nonprofit in Boston. She has worked ten years as an internal auditor in Boston, and as a physician’s assistant in Atlanta before moving to Asheville in 2001.

Members-at-Large:

Toni Delaney -Toni is a new resident to NC from South Florida where she resided over 30 years. A graduate of Barry University in North Miami, she holds a Master of Social Work degree and is licensed in the state of Florida.  Toni is married with three adult children. She brings to the table a professional background in mental health and social services, and especially, the personal experience of living with a loved one diagnosed with a mental illness.

Tracey Turner – Tracey Turner has been involved with the mental health community as a patient and advocate for 45 years. Since her diagnosis with manic/depression seven years ago, she has increased and targeted her advocacy work through greater involvement with NAMI WC and with her project, The Emotion Project, www.theemotionproject.org. Her focus, as with NAMI, is to push to the forefront the commonality of MI/DD/SA individuals with the general public.

Jim Pitts PhD – Ex-Officio – Emeritus Professor of Sociology and former Dean of Faculty of several colleges and universities 1968 – 2008. Expert in Urban Affairs, Social Inequalities of race, social class He has served two terms as president of NAMI WC and as president of NAMI North Carolina. He and his wife, Sharon, are long-time teachers of Family-to-Family.

We NAMI members well know that the number of people with untreated mental illness is staggering. Over one million people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder go untreated on any given day. Add to that the other diagnoses.  Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training equips officers to be part of the effort to reduce those numbers and re-direct people with mental illness from jail to treatment.

The CIT program began in Memphis, TN, in 1988, as collaboration between the University of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department, in partnership with NAMI and other community stakeholders.  Its purpose is to de-escalate and safely resolve encounters between law enforcement and people with mental illnesses when they come together in crisis.

Four years ago, individuals from Buncombe County, the Sheriff’s Department, Asheville Police Department, AB Tech, Copestone Psychiatric Unit, City of Asheville Homeless Initiative, and NAMI went to Memphis for CIT training. They returned eager to implement it and within six months, along with many other stakeholders, were able to put together the Memphis model  of 40-hour, week-long training, tailored to our community.

So far in 2011, CIT classes were held for Buncombe County Detention Facility officers (their third class)  and another for 25 Asheville Police Department officers.  Another APD class is scheduled in May. To date, over 200 have been trained in CIT. This includes all 911 dispatchers and officers from five other counties.

The training is thorough.

On Monday, Western Highlands Network staff  instructs the officers in diagnoses, covering schizophrenia and thought disorders; mood disorders and anxiety; substance abuse, childhood and elderly disorders; developmental disabilities; traumatic brain injury; PTSD and personality disorders.

Tuesday is devoted to site visits that have been arranged by Tracey Turner, NAMI WC’S liaison with CIT.  In March, officers divided into smaller groups to visit programs at A Hope, Copestone Psychiatric Unit, Liberty Corners Enterprises,  Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center (ADATC), Davidson Homes, FIRST at Blue Ridge, Randolph Learning Center, Mountainhouse West, CooperRiis and the VAMC.

When debriefing  these site visits on Wednesday morning,  attitudes begin to change.  A shift in the officers’ views becomes evident. The officers have informal exchanges with consumers at each of the stops.  The words “awesome,” “eye-opening,” “made me feel they are more human and we are more human, ”are among their reactions.

After the debriefing, consumers relate their stories and  experiences with mental illness. Tracy Mixson, Christine Smith, Neal Cornwell, Jason Epperson and Tracey Turner have been presenters.  “Hearing Voices,” a simulation of schizophrenic episodes, completes the morning. While wearing headphones with disturbing voices going on the whole time, the officers are asked to play a board game. This is a powerful training tool.

On Wednesday afternoon and through Thursday, officers have de-escalation training through role-playing, PowerPoint and videos. If Tuesday and then Wednesday morning are the heart of the training, the meat of the training is when they learn how to recognize an individual in crisis and how best to lower the threat to the individual and/or the officers. When the individual is compliant, he will be taken  for evaluation.

Friday morning  begins with the family members’ perspective, explaining the circumstances and their own reactions to the mental illnesses of their loved ones. They also portray the stigma of mental illness played against the acceptance of and empathy for physical illness. Mona Cornwell, Toni Delaney, Florence Rowe, Judy and Jim Slautich have been family presenters.  The remainder of the day is given to suicide by cop, medication, community resources and department policies and procedures. Graduation is mid-afternoon. The public is welcome. It is a proud moment when officers receive their certification pins.

Our community is fortunate to have CIT officers.  If you or a loved one is in crisis, call 911 and ask for a CIT officer.  They will know how to respond.