President’s Message for May 2023
Our NAMI Central Middlesex president spoke at the Emerson Hope Garden Celebration on April 13, 2023. It was a beautiful day and she gave an inspiring speech. We are grateful for all that Lori and the Board have done to partner with the behavioral health arm of Emerson Health and Acton-Boxborough United Way (ABUW). The Yellow Tulip Project is a national initiative to help reduce behavioral health stigma. Feel free to visit next time you are passing by—it’s a lovely, tranquil courtyard often visited by patients from the behavioral health unit of Emerson Hospital. Standing at the main doorway of Emerson Hospital, just walk to the left down a walkway into the garden.
I’m Lori Krinsky, I serve as the volunteer president for NAMI Central Middlesex, a local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI helps build better lives for people living with mental health conditions and their family members as well. We do this through support, education, and advocacy.
What gives those of us in a mental health support organization hope?
The millions of dollars and hours spent to establish the new crisis response systems gives us hope because big commitments are vital.
The increase in mental health awareness that rose up out of the pandemic and served to help ease stigma gives us hope because an understanding and supportive community is a helpful structure to lean on.
The rising recognition and efforts to address cultural differences in treating specific populations gives us hope because backgrounds and personal experience matter.
The growth in the role of Certified Peer Specialists in the behavioral health care system gives us hope because true empathy sometimes makes all the difference.
The recognition in the State of Massachusetts that incarcerated individuals have a right to quality mental health care gives us hope because it is long overdue.
The Department of Mental Health/NAMI committee developed to create a process for gathering individual comments about services received at the new crisis response programs gives us hope because it is good that the Department of Mental Health is listening.
Emerson’s formal community assessment program that recognized that mental health was a key concern and led to the Mental Health Working Group partnership gives us hope because local actions and personal touch make an impact.
All the people who seek connection and support from NAMI give us hope because then we know we are not alone.
Lori Krinsky, President of NAMI CMSX; and Christine Schuster, Emerson Health President and CEO
Listening were staff and patients from Emerson, NAMI members, and other community members.