Small Town News

First week of October is National Mental Illness Awareness Week

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Aurora Network

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness in 1990, the U.S. Congress established the first week of October as "Mental Illness Awareness Week" in recognition of NAMI's efforts to raise mental illness awareness. Since 1990, mental health advocates across the country have joined together during the first week of October to celebrate.

MIAW is NAMI's premiere public awareness and public education campaign and link NAMI's more than 1,100 local affiliates across the country.

MIAW has become a tradition in NAMI. It presents an opportunity for all three levels of NAMI -- national, state and local -- to work together in communities across the country to achieve the NAMI mission through outreach, education and advocacy.

Real recovery from mental illness requires community action, understanding and teamwork. Recovery is possible because of improved science, better community supports and reduced stigma. But significant barriers still exist. Services are at risk, insurance can be insufficient and stigma, though less today than when MIAW was founded, is still prevalent.

The Lassen Aurora Network recognizes NAMI's efforts and has set up a calendar of special events and workshops at all of our One Stop sites and in Susanville to launch efforts of our own to improve education and community supports.

In Susanville, "Friday

Gatherings" are held weekly, from 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and are being offered by Lassen Aurora Network at 557 Hospital Lane, Susanville. The day begins with a free introductory Yoga Class at 8 a.m., followed by refreshments. Additional groups offered on Friday are the Check-in group from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., the Wellness Workshop from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., which consists of training, support, recovery techniques, self management skills and strategies in order to manage symptoms, promote resiliency, recovery and hope and free lunch at noon.

All groups operate on a traditional peer support model where trained facilitators guide rather than direct the process. For the next five weeks a Facilitator Training is being offered to all who are interested in the group recovery process.

A special series of Wellness and Recovery Workshops are being offered for MIAW at the 815 Cottage St. office in Susanville. On Monday, Oct. 5 the group will be about Stigma Awareness. On Tuesday, Oct. 6 the focus will be on Mental Health Recovery Facts. Thursday, Oct. 8 the group will participate in a Collage Project.

Following lunch, at 1 p.m., a Women's Support Group is offered at 555 Hospital Lane in the classroom. This group provides a forum for women to discuss with peers how depression, anxiety, past trauma and other issues affect their lives.

The group helps women discover strength, encouragement and shared coping techniques.

Every first and third Tuesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aurora offers a Chronic Pain Support Group at 557 Hospital Lane and every Tuesday at The Eatery on Joaquin St. at the Susanville Indian Rancheria from 4 to 5:30 p.m., where participants offer one another hope and support in dealing with the emotional stressors of living with chronic pain.

In Bieber, Lassen Aurora Network has Check-in and Wellness group services and lunch available at the North County One Stop every Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., located in the Bieber Library at Bridge and Veterans St, Bieber, Calif.

Beginning on this Saturday the Big Valley Aurora offers an Art Workshop and will be mask making in October. For more information regarding these programs call 530-294-5752.

In South Lassen County, Aurora offers drop-in referral services and peer-to-peer support services Monday and Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday 12 p.m. - 4 p.m and on Thursday from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Ft. Sage One Stop, 17 D.S. Hall Ave., Herlong, CA.

For more information regarding Wellness Workshops,

Chronic Pain Support Groups and Self Esteem Workshops in Herlong call 530-827-2401.

The Aurora chapter in Westwood presents a new program called Movies with Meaning shown on Saturday at 1 p.m. Call for a movie schedule for October. They also offer a Wellness Workshop every Monday 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., a Women's Support Group on Friday from 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. and a Senior Citizen's Support Group on Thursday from 6 p.m. - 8 pm. You can find Lassen Aurora Network at the Westwood One Stop, 462-975 Birch St., West-wood, CA. To find out more, call 530-256-3704.

For information regarding other Aurora services including information on current legislation and advocacy please come by our Administrative office at 815 Cottage St., Susanville or call 530-257-3864.



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© 2010 Westwood PinePress Westwood, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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