NAMI Bucks County, PA | National Alliance on Mental Illness

THANK YOU!

May 23, 2019

Thank you to every Stride participant, volunteer, donor, speaker, sponsor and vendor for making the 2019 NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental Health Awareness the most successful and best-attended to date with over 500 participants. We also achieved 114% of our fundraising goal. Words can’t express how much we love and appreciate each and every more »

Drop-In Centers Are A Key Mental Health Resource, But Some PA Counties Lack Them

May 16, 2019

By Brett Sholtis/Transforming Health | May 1, 2019 WSKG https://wskg.org/news/drop-in-centers-are-a-key-mental-health-resource-but-some-pa-counties-lack-them/ TRANSFORMING HEALTH – On the Monday afternoon before Easter, about 35 people gathered in the basement of Bethany Lutheran Church in Altoona–some decorating eggs, others sitting quietly at long tables. They sat in small groups, sharing their stories over a meal. It’s a scene familiar to many who more »

STRIDE Walker Donation Match

May 6, 2019

Kathleen and Rich Campbell have generously agreed to match all walker donations for the 2019 NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental Health Awareness! Every dollar you work hard to raise will be matched, dollar for dollar, to help us build better lives for all those affected by mental illness. Much love and many thanks to more »

QPR Gatekeeper Training

May 25, 2019

Last month, we talked about suicide. In June, we learn how to save lives. Join us as we welcome Wendy Flanigan, a chair of the Bucks County Suicide Prevention Task Force, to the NAMI Forum. She will teach us the three simple steps of QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer. These three simple steps may save a more »

NAMI Bucks County is #MakingStrides!

May 18, 2019

Register — Donate — Sponsorship — Volunteer Our 5th Annual Stride for Mental Health Awareness is right around the corner! This years event will be held May 18, 2019 from 1pm – 4pm at Warminster Community Park in Warminster, PA. We walk to raise awareness, to end the stigma that surrounds mental health, and to more »

Trenton Makes Bridge Goes Green for Mental Health Awareness Month

May 4, 2019

#LightItUpGreen! NAMI MAN joined NAMI Mercer this evening to light the Trenton Makes Bridge green for Mental Health Awareness Month!

NAMI Forum: QPR Gatekeeper Training

May 1, 2019

You’re Invited: NAMI Open House

April 28, 2019

Join us as we open the doors of our new office and celebrate the start of Mental Health Awareness Month! All are welcome to tour the office, meet the team, learn about NAMI programs, audition for speaking programs, and help craft Peyton Hearts while enjoying light refreshments. Our doors are open from 10am to 12 more »

Easter Support Group

April 20, 2019

Holidays, whether or not you celebrate them, can be challenging. We will be holding our NAMI Connection Support Group – Perkasie, PA on Sunday, April 21st from 6:30-8pm just for you. As always, this group is free and open to all. Location: Saint Peter’s Tohickon UCC, an Open and Affirming congregation – 1071 Old Bethlehem more »

NAMI Joins 16 Patient Groups to Protect Access to Health Care

April 8, 2019

4/2/2019 Arlington, VA — NAMI and 16 national organizations representing millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions filed an amicus curiae (“friend-of-the-court”) brief on April 1 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case Texas v. United States. This is the appeal of a District Court’s ruling to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the appeals court more »

New! Fundraiser Appreciation Program

April 5, 2019

Without your fundraising efforts, the NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental Health Awareness would not be a success. To thank you for your hard work, we are launching our Stride Fundraiser Appreciation Program for this year’s walk! The top fundraiser of 2019 will receive a FitBit Charge 3! We appreciate you! Click here to download more »

NAMI Forum: Let’s Talk About Suicide

March 29, 2019

Let’s Talk About Suicide Thursday, April 18, 2019 Join us as we welcome Mary Ann Murtha, President of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) of Greater Philadelphia as our guest speaker for the April 2019 NAMI Forum. – Mary Ann is a suicide loss survivor and will speak on her lived experience, deliver the more »

Customizable Walk Merchandise

March 23, 2019

It PAYS to FUNDRAISE for the NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental Health Awareness! Any individual fundraiser raising $100 or more receives a STRIDE t-shirt, and if you raise $1,000 or more, you get your choice of a black or green full zip STRIDE hoodie! You only get one, but for a limited time, these more »

Join us at the Philly Fleadh

Will you be at The Philadelphia Fleadh on May 11th? NAMI Bucks County, PA will be! Let’s have some authentic Irish fun while we talk about mental health! 🍀 Why would we be here? Because we all have mental health, and mental health awareness can be fun! “Voted one of five most authentic Irish destinations more »

Ending the Silence in Riegelsville, PA

March 8, 2019

NAMI Bucks County, PA is “Ending the Silence” at Riegelsville Library on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 1pm. Join us, and let’s talk about mental health and suicide prevention. This event is free, open to everyone, and there’s no registration required. You will learn about the warning signs and symptoms of mental illness and how more »

NAMI Connection Yardley Moves to Congregation Beth El

March 4, 2019

Our NAMI Connection Peer Recovery Support Group that once met at the Makefield Executive Quarters will now meet at Congregation Beth El of Bucks County – 375 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, PA 19067 beginning with our next meeting on Monday, March 4, 2019. The time will also change, and we will meet from 2-3:30pm on more »

Winter Weather Delays Start of Perkasie Support Group

March 3, 2019

Due to the anticipated arrival of a winter storm this evening, we must, with your safety in mind, postpone the launch of our NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group in Perkasie. We apologize for any inconvenience, and ask that you join us next Sunday, March 10, 2019 from 6:30-8pm for an evening of no-cost mutual support more »

Family Support Group Facilitator Training

February 27, 2019

The NAMI Family Support Group Program is a peer-led support group for family and friends of people experiencing mental health conditions, and gives participants an opportunity to learn from their common experience. All groups are confidential and participants may share as much or as little personal information as they want. NAMI Family Support Group uses a more »

NAMI Connection Yardley Time & Location Change

February 26, 2019

Cast Your Vote for Advocate of the Year

February 20, 2019

To honor outstanding mental health advocates in Bucks County, we are highlighting 4 members of our community as “Advocates of the Year.” We need your help in doing this, so cast your vote using the form below. Please note: paid NAMI employees and their families are not eligible to be nominated for an “Advocate of more »

How My Depression Made Me A Better State Representative

February 19, 2019

By Michael Schlossberg | Dec. 17, 2018 When I first told the world I suffered from a major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, I miscalculated. I was angry at the time, and I didn’t realize it would actually have a positive impact on me and the people I represent. I’m a full-time elected official. I have the more »

Hold On You Matter Walk

February 18, 2019

Walk Date: Sunday, April 28, 2019 Where: Bucks County Technical High School 610 Wistar Road, Fairless Hills Download Flyer Check In/Registration Time: 9:00 am Walk Begins: 10:00 am Rain or Shine To register, go to: http://www.lenapevf.org/bcsptf-walk For more information, please contact: Name: Dawn Seader Phone: 267-904-7655 Email: holdonyoumatter@buckscounty.org

Savage Tri Team Virtual Challenge to Benefit NAMI

February 16, 2019

Savage Tri Team is excited to announce its first virtual challenge! Join us for the month of March dedicating your swim, bike, or running miles to Stomp the Stigma of Mental Health. Savage Tri Team wants to encourage you to not only be your best physical self, but also mentally! Use those miles as a more »

February Forum: Mike Schlossberg

February 14, 2019

Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 7pm Abington Memorial Health Center – Warminster Campus 225 Newtown Rd, Warminster, PA 18974 This is a FREE event and ALL are welcome! For the month of February, NAMI Bucks County, PA welcomes Mike Schlossberg, who has been a writer since he wrote his first short story in eighth grade, more »

Discussing Mental Illness with the Person You’re Dating

February 11, 2019

By Freddie Tubbs | Feb. 08, 2019 | NAMI Blog – Mental illness is not something a person should feel they have to hide, just like any other medical condition. It is a part of you that requires care and time, and would be very difficult to keep from a significant other. Telling a new more »

Vote NAMI for Bucks County’s Most Happening Charity!

February 10, 2019

NAMI Bucks County has been nominated for the most happening charity in Bucks County on Bucks Happening! Vote for us (National Alliance on Mental Illness) here: https://bit.ly/2sDLRNX. There are dozens of amazing charities to vote for on the Bucks Happening List this year, and they are all worth your vote – we admire each and more »

A Funny Fundraiser: Comedy Show

February 8, 2019

TEAM GARBO, our top fundraising team for 2018, is having their first fundraiser, A Funny Fundraiser, at the Comedy Cabaret Comedy Club Bucks County in Doylestown. Doors open at 8:15pm, and the comedy show begins at 9pm on Friday, February 8, 2019. All proceeds raised will go towards the NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental more »

CMS Encourages Provision of Peer Support Specialist Services

February 7, 2019

This past week yielded a quiet but profound win for peers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services encouraged Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare plans offered by private health insurers) to provide peer support specialist services. At NAMI, we believe strongly in the power of peer support in recovery. Read the document from CMS here.

Code Blue Shelters in Bucks County

February 1, 2019

Bucks County has activated a CODE BLUE Effective at 7 P.M. on Friday February 1, 2019 until 7 A.M. Sunday February 3, 2019 in the following locations: Lower Bucks Shelter Calvary Baptist Church 250 Green Lane Bristol, PA 19007 Hotline at 215-550-3868 x 100 Central Bucks Shelter Doylestown Presbyterian Church 127 East Court Street Doylestown, more »

Connection Support Group Cancelled Tonight

January 29, 2019

Your safety is most important to us, so we’ve decided to cancel this evening’s NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group in Warrington. We apologize for any inconvenience. We are still available by calling the NAMI Helpline: 1-866-399-6264. Stay safe tonight, and we hope to see you all next week! 💚NAMI

SNAP Benefits During the Government Shutdown

January 27, 2019

A note from CSP Coordinator, Nancy Scheible on SNAP Benefits: “Some rumors have been circulating that the February SNAP benefits that recipients got early last week because of the partial government shutdown have to be spent by Jan 31st – THIS IS FALSE! “Recipients DO NOT need to be spent by January 31st, and in more »

Art Heals: Group Art Show

January 21, 2019

#ArtHeals Group Art Show Friday, January 25th 6-10pm Tattooed Mom 530 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 Presented and curated by Kyle Confehr, Tattooed Mom, NAMI Bucks County, PA, and NAMI Philadelphia. “#ArtHeals” is an exhibition of local Philadelphia artists and artwork hosted in a stigma free environment. This show shines a light on mental health more »

Register for NAMI Family-to-Family Beginning in February

January 20, 2019

NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people living with mental illness. It is a designated evidenced-based program. Research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to an individual living with a mental health condition. Family-to-Family is taught by more »

Register for NAMI Peer-to-Peer beginning in March

– 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. Taught by a trained team of people who’ve been there, the program includes presentations, discussion and interactive exercises. Everything is confidential, and NAMI never recommends a specific medical therapy more »

Martin Luther King: Depressed and Creatively Maladjusted

January 19, 2019

Why Martin Luther King was creatively maladjusted By Nassir Ghaemi M.D., M.P.H. for Psychology Today Every year, around the MLK holiday, Americans celebrate his dream of racial equality. And each year, some wonder about those aspects of his life’s work that have remained unfulfilled. Racial equality was only the first of King’s three major social goals: the more »

The Government Shutdown and You

January 17, 2019

As the partial government shutdown continues, NAMI has put together the following overview of services that impact people with mental illness and whether these services are impacted by the shutdown. The US Capitol is seen from Air Force One on January 14, 2019, as the government enters its fourth week of the partial shutdown. Mandel more »

We Support You, Perkasie! New Support Group Added!

January 13, 2019

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group location: Perkasie, PA! Our first meeting will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at 6:30pm at St. Peters Tohickon United Church of Christ. This FREE peer support group will meet regularly on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays of more »

Congratulations to the 20th Graduating CIT Class!

January 11, 2019

We’d like to congratulate all of the graduates of Bucks County’s 20th Crisis Intervention Team Training! First responders from Bucks County and the Slate Belt Regional Police Department received 40 hours of training on recognizing psychiatric distress and other conditions, and how to de-escalate a crisis. Mental health is health, and it matters in Bucks more »

NAMI Receives Foundations Community Partnership Grant

January 10, 2019

We would like to express our gratitude to Foundations Community Partnership for their continued support of NAMI Bucks County, PA. This year, we recieved a grant to work with the Catalyst Center For Nonprofit Management for strategic planning. This support is crucial to our development and continued success in fulfilling our mission. Thank you to more »

Stigma Won’t Stop Me From My Recovery

January 6, 2019

by Danielle Cooper THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS HIT ME HARD THIS WEEK. Last week I went to the pharmacy to pick up my meds, and was asked to sign a document titled ‘Narcotics Monitoring Program’. The med in question was my lorazepam. It was the first time I’ve ever had to do such a more »

Your Donation Makes an IMPACT

November 11, 2018

Thank you for your generous tax deductible donation. You are helping us provide support, education and advocacy to thousands of of people living with mental illness in Bucks County and across the state of Pennsylvania. Click here to read a letter from our Executive Director, Debbie Moritz, on how your donation is making an impact. more »

Healthcare.gov is OPEN: How to Buy Safely

November 10, 2018

On Nov. 1, HealthCare.gov started its annual enrollment period for health insurance. If you don’t have health care coverage or you just need to renew your plan, make time to review your health plan options before open enrollment ends on December 15. Some health plans may deny coverage for pre-existing conditions or don’t cover mental more »

#Vote4MentalHealth On November 6th!

November 4, 2018

Elected officials make decisions that affect how, when and where my family and I can get the mental health services and supports we need. ✓ PLEDGE TO VOTE Learn the Issues For decades, mental health advocates have shaped laws, increased funding and promoted research to address the inequities and injustices facing people with mental illness more »

In response to suicides at Penn, a new mental health bill may soon become law

October 30, 2018

By Max Cohen and Bebe Hodges 10/25/18 1:53am In light of the recent suicides at Penn, a new Pennsylvania bill aiming to improve suicide prevention services and mental health resources at Pennsylvania universities is close to being signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf (D-Pa.). The legislation defines a new set of standards that four-year more »

Infinite Reasons to Live Event at Doylestown Hospital

October 28, 2018

NAMI joins Peyton Heart Project Ambassador, Patti Dille, and the Bucks County Suicide Prevention Taskforce to present an evening of crafting, kindness, and storytelling. We will share our stories of lived experience with mental health and surviving suicide while you tag Peyton Hearts to be left around our community to give hope to anyone who more »

See Nick TONIGHT in This Is My Brave!

October 18, 2018

This Is My Brave is a show about what it’s like to live through mental illness and come out on the other side. The emotions from having experienced mental illness first-hand are raw, excruciating, thrilling, inspiring and so much more. Join us at Gratz College in Elkins Park, PA for this live presentation of touching more »

Ask Your PA State Senator to VOTE NO to HB 2138

October 17, 2018

The Pennsylvania Senate could vote as early as today on a bill targeting individuals and families who rely on Medicaid. If it passes, people could lose coverage. House Bill 2138 calls for work requirements, lockout periods, eligibility determinations, and eligibility bans. Our partners at the Pennsylvania Health Access Network put together this graphic showing how more »

Why are so many Pa. prison inmates committing suicide?

October 10, 2018

DAVID SWANSON / FILE PHOTOGRAPH Stephen Leonardo is no mental-health expert; he’s just an inmate who was assigned to janitorial duty on the unit of Graterford prison where the psychiatric observation cells were located. Still, even he could tell Christopher Gilchrist — a 28-year-old inmate with diagnosed serious mental illness — was on the precipice. It wasn’t hard, more »

Thomas Dunning: The Mental Health Runner

October 4, 2018

Thomas first began to struggle processing his emotions when he lost his brother to cancer. It had serious and long-lasting effects on his mental well-being, to the point where he developed auditory hallucinations. Since being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, he has been able to access the right medications, and now feels more in control of his symptoms. I’ve more »

Vote4MentalHealth

Volunteer & Member Appreciation Picnic

September 19, 2018

Team NAMI Bucks County, PA upholds our mission of building better lives for those affected by mental illness in Bucks County through the help of our dedicated volunteers and loyal members. We would like you to know just how much we appreciate you, so if you have volunteered for us or are a current member, more »

NAMI and Others File Lawsuit Against the Short-Term, Limited Duration Plan Final Rule

September 14, 2018

9/14/2018 In partnership with the Association for Community Affiliated Plans and other organizations, NAMI filed suit today to invalidate the federal short-term, limited duration (STLD) insurance plan rule issued last month by three federal agencies. The legal challenge seeks a temporary injunction against the recently issued STLD rule, which would expand the availability of plans more »

Peer-to-Peer Class Delayed One Week

September 12, 2018

ANNOUNCEMENT! Our Peer-to-Peer class, scheduled to begin tonight in Warminster, has been postponed until next week as we await the arrival of the materials you’ll need to learn more about your diagnosis and living in recovery. We apologize for any inconvenience and will see you on the first day of class, Wednesday, September 19, 2018! more »

A hidden crisis for the severely sick and mentally ill: Pa. has no facilities left for them

May 16, 2019

By Samantha Melamed Updated: April 24, 2019 The Inquirer https://www.philly.com/news/bucks-county-norristown-hospital-mental-illness-prison-20190424.html Dennis Deska was agitated last July 4. The day had started off badly, at a diner in Feasterville, when a confrontation with a stranger left Deska sprawled on the floor, with a bloody gash in his head. He left, but later came back — yelling something more »

Panera Fundraiser for NAMI

May 9, 2019

Support the NAMI Bucks County Stride for Mental Health Awareness by eating at Panera Bread in Warrington (Valley Square) on Friday, May 10th from 4 – 8 PM! Panera will donate 20% of your meal when you show our flyer. Download Flyer Date: Friday, May 10, 2019 Time: 4pm – 8pm Where: Panera Bread – more »

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