NAMIWalks Silicon Valley 2025
Join NAMI Walks Silicon Valley, 2025. Saturday October 4. History Park San Jose
635 Phelan Avenue,
San Jose, CA. 95112
Event Route Length: 5K & 1 Mile (2 route option)
News — February 2025
In this issue: NAMI-SCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Joe Simitian Became a Mental Health Champion, Upcoming February 11 General Meeting, Election of Board Officers for 2025-2026, Directing Change Film Contest, Thank You to Our Donors, NAMI Walks Silicon Valley 2025, Staff Spotlight: Marcie Lynn Cerezo, Recap: NAMI-SCC’s Holiday Drive
NAMI-SCC 50th Year Anniversary
As we step into our 50th year anniversary…
We are grateful for your support in helping us provide mental health resources, education, and advocacy.
Together, let’s continue building a compassionate and stigma-free community.
Join our NAMI-SCC community for a luncheon in spring.
General Meeting, February 11, NAMI Education Programs
NAMI-Santa Clara County offers FREE education programs designed to empower individuals living with mental illness and their families. These classes are led by NAMI-trained teachers who have their own life experience with mental illness. Our programs are offered throughout the year.
Joe Simitian Became a Mental Health Champion
Joe Simitian grew up with the notion that if “you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”
For the more than 40 years he served in government, he has lived by that tenet, whether it was as councilman in Palo Alto, California State senator or assemblyman, or Santa Clara County supervisor. During his 12 years as a county supervisor, he took that mantra and applied it to the mental health sector where he was chair of the Health and Hospital Committee.
Santa Clara County Implements CARE Act
It’s been more than two years since Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Community Assistance Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act. The legislation is designed to provide better treatment access for those with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Stanford Clinical Research Study for Schizophrenia
People may experience schizophrenia in different ways based on their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and background. Having a diverse group of people in the study will help to see how the potential new drug works for different people.
General Meeting, November 12, CARE Act Implementation in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County is implementing Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act on December 1, 2024. CARE Act is a new civil court process to access existing community-based services for those with untreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Healthy Lifestyles for Bipolar Disorder
This is a clinical trial for adults with bipolar disorder who experience issues with sleep or daily routines. The trial will test whether two forms of healthy eating – Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) and the Mediterranean diet – can help reduce mood symptoms and improve quality of life.
ECT: An Option for Depression
The situation was dire. Mark had been hospitalized seven times for acute psychiatric care. Several times were due to severe reactions to medication, one time for trying to take his life, others for suicidal ideation. He tried Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), for depression. It failed. He went to multiple psychiatrists who ran the gamut of medications. Nothing worked.