Welcome Heather Strachan!
June 18, 2018We are excited to welcome a new Program Manager and Director of the OCA, following Judy Davis’ retirement. Welcome to Heather Strachan, who will be starting on July 1st!
Heather Strachan is a native of Humboldt, Iowa, and attended Iowa State University, majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication. Heather’s professional background includes campaign organization as well as public policy and program development, notably helping found the state and national Urban-Ag Academy initiatives in 2011-2012.
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Beautiful Minds 2018: Bringing History to Life
NAMI Iowa’s 2nd annual Beautiful Minds was another roaring success with attendees enjoying a night of entertainment and learning about mental health. As a review, Beautiful Minds showcases famous artists, actors and thinkers who lived with a mental illness. Beginning with a reception at Des Moines University, guests were able to interact with all actors and actresses playing these famous artists. From Doris Day to Lady Gaga, celebrities were brought to life! After the reception concluded, guests went to individual Read More
Managing SAD in Iowa’s uncertain weather
With record-breaking temperatures dropping to below 30 with snow on the ground, much of central and northern Iowa has become a dismal place to spend the month of April—especially for people with seasonal affective disorder.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recurring type of depression where a person experiences the same symptoms as major depressive disorder during a specific season, most typically during winter. These symptoms include having low energy, feeling depressed or hopeless, problems with sleeping, difficulty concentrating Read More
How student groups at Iowa colleges are combatting mental health stigma
As state lawmakers have been busy passing landmark mental health reform legislation,
a growing number of college students around Iowa have also been hard at work advocating for mental health on their campuses.
Mental illness roughly one out of four teens and college-aged young adults, so it should come as no surprise that young people are bringing more and more attention to mental health issues.
Across Iowa, student-led organizations such as NAMI On Campus and Active Minds Read More
What Iowa law enforcement is doing to better respond to mental illness
It’s impossible to talk about changes to the mental health system without discussing the role of law enforcement.
NAMI Iowa has previously written about how a shortage of adequate mental health resources and facilities affects not only people in need of treatment, but also local police departments who are often called to intervene instead.
When a department is called to respond to someone experiencing a severe mental health or behavioral crisis, a person may be arrested and incarcerated Read More
Provider Education with Des Moines University
NAMI Provider Education is a staff development program specifically for health care professionals who work directly with individuals living with mental illness. A panel of three, a mental health professional with personal experience, a family member of a person with serious emotional illness, and an individual living in recovery with mental illness, lead the 15 hour session. An abbreviated four hour program is also available. NAMI Iowa trained panels from NAMI Greater Des Moines, NAMIs Linn and Johnson County, and Read More