2 minute read
NAMI Central Mississippi
Greetings from the NAMI Central Mississippi Affiliate! We look forward to 2021 with anticipation that our affiliate will grow in membership and enthusiasm. NAMI Mississippi has such great leaders and members throughout the state, but we would welcome your help and participation. At the Central Mississippi Affiliate, we feel blessed and challenged by being situated at the geographical and political center of Mississippi.
The Central Mississippi Affiliate holds meetings on the first Tuesday of each month from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. All of our meetings are open to the public. During the COVID emergency, we have been meeting virtually. We expect that when the emergency subsides, we will resume in-person gatherings, but hope to enable those who wish to join us remotely to continue to do so.
Advertisement
In our September 2020 Affiliate meeting, Dr. Tiffany Anderson-Washington spoke to us about her leadership of Crisis Intervention Team training (CIT) and the Mobile Crisis Response Team being part of her responsibilities at Hinds Behavioral Health Services. COVID has increased the need for effective crisis resolutions, and we are appreciative of the great work Dr. Anderson-Washington does for the Jackson metro area.
In our October affiliate meeting, we featured an In Our Own Voice Presentation with Latasha Willis and Auvergne Williams as the presenters. Latasha and Auvergne shared their personal stories of struggle, survival, and success in dealing with their mental illnesses.
Our November meeting conflicted with the presidential election, so we did not convene. In December, we presented a program entitled “Holiday Stress and Depression in the COVID Era.” Different strategies were discussed, and we borrowed heavily from a published article featuring the ideas of Dr. JaNae Taylor and Incia A. Rashid, a psychotherapist and professional counselor, respectively.
On January 5, NAMI Central Mississippi kicked off 2021 by featuring a Family & Friends seminar with Jenny Drake and Deloris McGee as the presenters. We had a great turnout for this virtual event and welcomed State Senator Hillman Frazier as our special guest.
Our Central Mississippi Connection peer support group continues to meet virtually during the pandemic. These meetings are held every Thursday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Th is is a confidential peer-led support group for anyone who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Because we are meeting virtually, we welcome any peers who wish to join us from other parts of the state.
We’d like to hear from you about your needs or questions. You can contact Auvergne Williams at 601-259-7176 or centralms@namims.org for more information regarding any matters concerning Central Mississippi. Also, stay up to date with us through our NAMI Central Mississippi Facebook account and e-newsletter.
Stay safe and we hope to gather with you soon!
- Submitted by Auvergne Williams, NAMI Central Mississippi Affiliate President
State Sen. Hillman Frazier
Image from Mississippi State Senate Website
