Dear NAMI Members,

“Living beyond the Blues” is the theme of the 2008 NAMI Tennessee convention to be held September 25 th – 27 th at the beautiful Hilton Hotel in Memphis. Learn about cutting edge treatment and policy issues. Cruise the exhibit hall to learn about products and services. Vote for the candidates who will represent you on the NAMI TN board of directors. See your NAMI friends from across the state. Hear the noted Memphis blues singer, Joyce Cobb perform a “History of the Blues” concert at the annual banquet. After the convention go downtown and take in some blues on Beale Street or visit Graceland, home of Elvis.

Workshops will focus on three topics:

Integrated Health and Behavioral Health Care: Mental health is essential to overall health. Primary health care is also essential for mental health care consumers, especially since diabetes, hypertension and other serious physical conditions are much more common in people with major mental illness.

Do you, or your family member, avoid going to the doctor because you don’t want to hear the lecture about diet, exercise, blah, blah, blah? Then, when you do get up the nerve to go, do you get the feeling that you, or your family member, is not taken seriously because of the psychiatric diagnosis?

This convention is for you! Dr. Karl Wilson from the Crider Center in Missouri will discuss integrated health and mental health care. Tennessee integrated care providers will help you learn out how to get beyond the stern lecture and the guilty conscience to living a healthful life. Managed care experts will help us tool up to advocate in the new integrated TennCare system where health and behavioral health services are under the same umbrella.

Evidence Based and Promising Mental Health Practice: What do the following programs have in common: PACT, supported employment, integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment, illness management and recovery, family psycho-education and the Tennessee medication algorithm program (TNMAP)? All are evidence-based mental health practices.

How do these programs work? What difference do they make? Where in Tennessee do these programs exist? Dr. Judith Cook from the University of Illinois has a lively talk on evidence based practice and why we should care. Tennessee providers who do evidence-based practice will present follow up workshops.

Mental Health Needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

If you think mental illness is challenging, try coping with mental illness and deafness. This year, mental health care consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing will be invited to the convention. The plenary speaker Dr. Steve Hamerdinger, from the Alabama Department of Mental Health, is a nationally recognized expert on deafness and mental health services. Break out sessions will explore deaf culture and exemplary mental health services (drastically needed in Tennessee). Sign language interpreters will be available.

The convention registration form is included in this newsletter. Register today by mail, or online (CLICK HERE). Limited scholarships are still available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Sita Diehl

Executive Director