September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month which helps promote resources and awareness around the issues of suicide prevention, how you can help others and how to talk about suicide without increasing the risk of harm. For additional information and awareness resources from NAMI National, click here.
Suicide Prevention Resources:
If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency:
- Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 to be referred to the closest crisis center or call 911.
- or call your local crisis line; in Southeastern PA see https://namimainlinepa.
org/crisis-numbers/. These crisis lines provide access to staff who are specifically trained for dealing with mental health crises and may provide better help and reduced risk of arrest. Someone is available 24/7 to assess the situation, arrange for an evaluation, and/or make referrals as needed. - NAMI Main Line has compiled resources for Coping with and Preparing for a Crisis at https://
namimainlinepa.org/resources- for-coping-with-preparing-for- and-preventing-a- crisis/. - Warm Lines offered by counties provide one-on-one support (in Southeastern PA, see https://namimainlinepa.
org/services-in-sepa-2/intro- to-services/help-lines-and- warm- lines/). - NAMI National has helpful information about the risk of suicide and preventing suicide at https://nami.org/About-
Mental-Illness/Common-with- Mental-Illness/Risk-of-Suicide . - SAMHSA has prepared Helping Your Loved One Who is Suicidal: A Guide for Family and Friends which provides information on understanding suicide, warning signs and action steps to take, and ways to prevent future attempts and keep your loved one safe.
- Additional advice is available at https://namimainlinepa.org/
suicide-prevention-coping- with-the-aftermath/. - Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein has created a video on Suicide Prevention at https://tinyurl.com/
yanemdyo.
NAMI Main Line Upcoming Events
Our next Main Line NAMI Workshop, “Living with Mental Health Challenges: Maintaining a Positive Approach Even When Times Are Hard,” will be on Sunday, October 2, from 2-4 p.m. on Zoom. Our panelists will describe the challenges they have experienced while dealing with chronic mental illness personally or in their families. They will also discuss what has helped them to maintain a positive approach during difficult times. Our panelists will respond to your questions and comments. During the second half of this workshop, each attendee will participate in a small group discussion. Each person will be invited to describe their successes and challenges in maintaining a positive approach and consider how they can overcome their challenges. Register for this event at https://tinyurl.com/
NAMIWalks Your Way Main Line PA will be here before you know it, so register today! Let’s open up doors for everyone from every walk of life to have access to the mental health resources and community they deserve.
Our next Main Line NAMI Forum, “Improving Mental Health Crisis Services: Changes & Challenges in Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware & Montgomery Counties,” will be on Sunday, November 13, from 2-4 p.m. on Zoom. In preparation for the recently launched 988 Suicide & Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, counties in southeastern PA have been working hard to improve mental health crisis services and resources. In this webinar, a panel of officials from Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties will present the changes they have been making and any successes so far. They will also discuss the challenges they are facing, along with suggestions for anyone who wants to advocate with their local legislators to help improve mental health crisis services in the counties that affect them or their loved ones. There will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions of each official, as well as sharing of ideas across counties. Register for this event at https://tinyurl.com/
NAMI Main Line Support Groups
Our NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group for adults living with mental illness on meets on Tuesday evenings on Zoom. Please contact Danielle Sulpizio at (484) 880-0660 or Ed Kane at (484) 744-0860 for more information.
Our Parent Peer Support Group for parents with a middle school through young adult child meets weekly on Wednesday evenings via Zoom. If you are interested in joining this support group, please email Nancy.
Our Bryn Mawr Family Member Support Group meets the first Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. If you have a family member or loved one with mental illness and are interested in this support group, please contact Diane at dmkotrl@gmail.com for more information.
Our Havertown NAMI Family Support Group will meet in-person on the third Tuesday of the month from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Llanerch Presbyterian Church, 211 Lansdowne Road, Havertown. If you are new to the group and interested in attending a meeting or have questions, please contact Nora at nora@huntjohnson.org.
Our Wellness Chat for Family-to-Family Graduates meets once a month at 7 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 21. Please contact Judy at F2FMainLine@aol.com for the upcoming meeting information.
Other Upcoming Events
NAMI’s Ask the Expert: Suicide Prevention Webinar Series will include three events in September. NAMI welcomes colleagues at AFSP and The JED Foundation, as well as contributors to NAMI’s first-ever book “You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health,” to share their work and experience in a variety of suicide prevention efforts.
- The Making Meaning of Loss webinar will be on Thursday, September 15, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Click here to register.
- The Creative Approaches to Prevention webinar will take place on Thursday, September 22, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Click here to register.
Mental Health America will host a webinar, “Follow Me and Like My Beautiful Selfies: Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health” on Tuesday, September 13, at 2:00 p.m. More teenagers are using social media, and more adolescents are suffering from poor mental health. Universally, social media use became more common during the pandemic because of social distancing and COVID-caused isolation. Social media can provide platforms for bullying and exclusion, unrealistic expectations about body image and sources of popularity, and normalizing risk-taking behaviors, and can be harmful to mental health. However, if adolescents use social media in a purposeful and positive way, it can enhance their self-esteem and help create meaningful social connections. This webinar will focus on helping school and community leaders understand the association between social media use and adolescents’ mental health and explore what actionable steps are being taken across the country to help address these challenges. Click here for more information and to register.
NAMIWalks will hold a special virtual event called, “NAMIWalks Your Way – You Are Not Alone” on Friday, September 16, at noon on Zoom. Join others from across the nation as NAMIWalks celebrates all that is made possible by you – a NAMIWalks Participant. We will be joined by Dr. Ken Duckworth, author of NAMI’s first ever book “You Are Not Alone,” for a special sneak-peek of the book. You will hear firsthand from two of the personal stories highlighted in the book. They will share the impact that NAMI has had on their lives – an impact made possible through the fundraising efforts of amazing participants like yourself. Together, we will celebrate the movement that is NAMIWalks and how every step we take brings us closer to mental health for all. Click here to reserve your spot.
Mental Health America will host a webinar, “Where Do I Fit In? Creating Spaces Where Youth Feel Connected” on Tuesday, September 20, at 3:00 p.m. For youth, feeling like they don’t fit in, aren’t like others, have different interests, or just haven’t found a space they feel comfortable in can be extremely challenging and have an impact on their mental health. The discussion of this panel-style webinar will be led by young leaders, who will share their experiences in finding a sense of belonging and how to create intentional and inclusive spaces for youth to feel connected and seen. For more information and to register, click here.
