We hope you are having a great summer! In this newsletter, you will find information about what's going on at NAMI of Washington County this summer, including a new grief support group and a film screening! Plus, some details about the new national Suicide Prevention Lifeline number that just launched! |
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Grief Support Group This group is a welcoming place for anyone who is grieving. We know grief can feel different for each of us. If you are grieving the loss of a family member, a friend, a coworker, pet, or anyone else, this will be a safe space to share your feelings and talk with others. This group will be led by our Executive Director, Dave Mowry. This group will meet Tuesdays from 12-1pm, on these dates: August 2nd August 9th August 16th August 23rd Click the button below to join this group. | | |
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The LGBTQ+ Art Space is back! Are you looking to hangout with other members of the LGBTQ+ community, in a relaxed, creative atmosphere? At the new LGBTQ+ Art Space, you can work on some crafts, like knitting, crocheting, coloring, or painting, while also gaining support and making connections. Please come enjoy yourself and create something with a supportive community. And you don't have to make any art - you can just come hangout! This group meets in person the last Saturday of each month (which means this Saturday, July 30!) at 4pm at NAMI of Washington County. |
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Interested in joining another one of our peer support groups? Click the button below to see our full calendar. |
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We're hosting a movie night! Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness This documentary from PBS and filmmaker Ken Burns follows more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life, who have struggled with mental illness (watch the trailer below). We want to watch it as a community, and then have a discussion about youth mental health. So join us! When: Sunday, August 28th 4-6pm at NAMI of Washington County 18680 SW Shaw St., Aloha, OR |
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Our friends at NAMI Clackamas are offering two new classes starting in September. Both classes are taking place virtually, so you can join from wherever you are! |
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Family-to-Family NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people living with mental illness. When: Saturdays, September 10th - October 29th
9am - 11:30am |
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Peer-to-Peer NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session educational program for adults with mental illness who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery. When: Tuesdays, September 13th - November 1st
4-6pm |
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Have you heard about 988? It's the new number to call (or text!) when you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health, substance abuse, or suicide crisis. 988 officially launched on July 16th. The number links to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, but instead of having to remember a whole 1-800 number, all you have to type in is three digits. Having this number also helps break down the stigma around mental illness, since it treats a mental health emergency the same as any other type of emergency. |
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If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, you can call or text 988 to connect with trained crisis counselors that can provide de-escalation and mental health intervention services by phone. 988 is available across the US, and as you might expect, the way it works depends on where you're located. In Oregon, most of the calls will route to Portland-based nonprofit Lines for Life. In Marion and Polk counties, Northwest Human Services will be in charge. According to Lines for Life, over 95% of the calls they receive are de-escalated over the phone. But for some, having a mobile crisis team to actually go and meet people in-person can make a huge difference. Every county in Oregon currently has at least one of these mobile crisis teams made up of mental health emergency responders ready to help those in need. And in January 2023, Oregon is launching a service specifically to help children and youth experiencing a crisis. Having this 3-digit number is a huge step, but it is only a first step. NAMI is passionate about taking this opportunity to reimagine our crisis response system into something truly equitable, accessible and effective for all. You can read more about how NAMI is working to reimagine crisis by clicking the button below. |
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Other local mental health news: |
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Washington County secures Beaverton site for addiction center We'll start with the bad news: Did you know, Oregon currently ranks last in the country for access to substance abuse treatment? In Washington County, there are currently only 32 residential treatment beds for people seeking help. But there is good news! The county has finally secured a site in Beaverton to open a new comprehensive addiction treatment center. The new building will add 44 residential treatment beds, plus another 42 beds for sobering, detox, and stabilization. The center, which will be located at 17911 NW Evergreen Place, is expected to open by the end of 2024. |
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We've been working on adding more resources to our website, to make it easier to figure out where you can get help that's near you. But we want to add more - and would love your input! If you have a resource we should add to the list, click here and fill out the quick form. |
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We are looking for more volunteers at NAMI of Washington County! Here are the things we would love your help on: Front desk/taking messages Working in our library Yard work in our front yard/back garden Leading peer support groups Sharing your personal story to raise awareness Appearing in social media/promotional materials Cleaning crew for our office building If you'd like to help out, click here to fill out the sign up form and let us know which role(s) you're interested in!
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We hope you're somehow managing to stay cool during this hot weather... Reminder: We have air conditioning at our building in Aloha! Come for a support group, some crafting time, or just to hangout and talk to other humans. We're open from 10am-4pm Monday-Friday. See you soon! |
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