Meetings

Monthly Meetings: 2009

All meetings are held at the Livermore Public Library on the first Monday of each month except for September (Labor Day) and December. The meetings run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and a guest speaker is invited to present in his/her area of expertise.

Livermore Public Library,
1188 So. Livermore Ave., Livermore
Contact: Marsha McInnis,
(925) 980-5331
e-mail: marsha@nami-trivalley.org

AGENDA
7:00 - 7:15 = Doors open
7:15 - 7:30 = Updates and handouts by Board President
7:30 - 8:30 = Guest speaker's presentation
8:30 - 9:00 = Q&A and networking opportunities

Refreshments provided

Presenters Scheduled for 2009

January 5, 2009
Family Perspectives: A Candid Talk with Rosa Warder, MFA, BHCS Family Relations Manager
Rosa will give an informal presentation focused on the family role and mental illness. There will be a brief overview of the Office of Family Relations, her personal story, talk about how mental illness affects the entire family including challenges with co-occurring disorders. Other areas that will be covered including defining what "evidence-based" practices is, wellness integration as well as mental illness/SED in children and juvenile and adult justice systems.

February 2, 2009
TBA

March 2, 2009
Family/Caregiver & Patients' Rights Advocacy
Beverly Bergman,
Family/Caregiver Advocate,
Mental Health Association, Alameda County

Beverly Bergman is a 14-year staff member of the Mental Health Association in Alameda County. Her expertise as benefits advocate for 11 years successfully helped over 500 people receive SSI/SSDI. The past 2 years, Beverly has advocated for family/caregivers by providing support, advice, education, advocacy, information and referrals. Beverly guides families through dispute resolutions and assists with filing complaints. Other services include help with completing forms, explanation how the Alameda County mental health system works and strategies when the system doesn’t work. Beverly has a family member with a mental illness and understands first hand the challenges in obtaining help for a loved one while maintaining the health of the family/caregiver.

Francesca Tenenbaum,
Director, Patients' Rights Advocates of Alameda County
Mental Health Association, Alameda County

Francesca Tenenbaum is Director of Patients' Rights Advocates Programs for
Alameda County and San Mateo County. She has 18 years of experience in
advocacy and has been a Patients' Rights Advocate for over 11 years.
Currently there are 10 advocates in Alameda County and 3 advocates in San
Mateo.

April 6, 2009
In Our Own Voice

NAMI Tri-Valley presents In Our Own Voice. The presentation is given by two trained speakers, consumers of mental health services, that share their personal stories along with a 7-part video:
• Introduction
• Dark Days
• Acceptance
• Treatment
• Coping Strategies
• Successes, Hopes and Dreams
• Questions and Discussion

In Our Own Voice is a one-and-a-half hour interactive, multimedia presentation that offers hope and provides insight into the recovery now possible for people with mental illness.

May 4, 2009
Ask The Doc
Daniel Kostalnick, M.D.
Psychiatrist

NAMI Tri-Valley is pleased to present Daniel Kostalnick, M.D. Dr. Kostalnick will field questions from the audience on a variety of topics such as the brain, medication and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Kostalnick is a board-certified psychiatrist with a private practice in Pleasanton.

Please note that Dr. Kostalnick’s information is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended to diagnose.

June 1, 2009
TBA

July 6, 2009
TBA

August 3, 2009
TBA

September, 7,2009
TBA

October 5, 2009
TBA

November 2, 2009
TBA

December, 2009
NO MEETING HELD THIS MONTH