Blog articles from NAMI Santa Clara County
By Moryt Milo When Eastern Connecticut State University Assistant Professor Dr. Isabel Logan teamed up with Willimantic Police Lt. Matthew Solak to create a police social work model, neither imagined the project would spread beyond the city’s 4.5- mile borders to become a national model. Timing and circumstances were on their side. In the aftermath…
Ellen Cookman is an attorney whose practice specializes in Estate Planning and helping families set up Special Needs Trusts. Five years ago, Cookman’s profession touched her directly when her older son, now nine, was diagnosed with autism. “I went from being an advocate to a parent,” said Cookman, who gravitated toward the field of special…
In a world bombarded by wars, pandemics and civil unrest, how do individuals dealing with traumatic experiences make it through? How do they overcome the pain? There is a way through because people are resilient, and it starts with the right strategies, one called Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), where a positive change can occur in people…
“I think it will grow,” retired State Sen. Beall said optimistically. “My perception is throughout the mental health community we will have boots on the ground for mental health services, and an army of peer support that is trained.” For the first time in the state’s history, parents, peers, caregivers, and family members are being…
By Moryt Milo Sixteen years ago, Beth Am, a synagogue in Los Altos Hills, pioneered a mental health support group after one of its leaders, Jane Marcus, told her story about suffering from debilitating depression. Her admission shocked the congregation. On the surface, Marcus had a successful career. She had earned a Ph.D. and was…
By Moryt Milo Simple gestures of financial kindness can end up costing someone who relies solely on government subsidies for their benefits. The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) program is a way for those with a qualifying disability to achieve financial independence without worrying about breaching the $2,000 asset threshold. The program is…
By Moryt Milo When Dr. Manpreet Singh, associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, talks about the future for those with bipolar disorder, she is optimistic that early intervention and prevention can change the outcome for at-risk youth. Evidence from her clinical studies shows that family-focused psychotherapy can reduce…
The holiday season is supposed to be a time full of joy, parties and gatherings with friends and families. But the holidays can be a difficult time for many persons dealing with: Personal Grief, Loneliness, Illnesses of all Kinds, Economic Concerns, Separation From Family Members and Relationship Issues Like Separation or Divorce. We talk…
By Moryt Milo Life has a funny way of testing one’s mettle. Marjorie Baldwin, then professor at East Carolina University, never imagined her years of research in employment discrimination toward those with disabilities would turn personal. Yet that’s exactly what happened fourteen years into her career when her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Baldwin’s work…
By Moryt Milo After thirteen years as the National Institute of Mental Health Director, Tom Insel left his government job. Some might say he turned into a renegade, when Insel acknowledged that limited progress had been made to improve the lives of those with severe mental illness. “We decided, in some odd way, that the…