Group aims to raise funds, awareness for mental illness

By SHELBY SCHROEDER

The fundraiser will help close the gap in mental health programs.

CANFIELD — Valley chapters of a national mental illness advocacy organization will be taking to the pavement to raise both awareness and dollars.

The Trumbull County and Mahoning Valley chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will come together Oct. 18 for NAMIWalks, an annual 3-mile walk intended to help fund the organization’s programs and bring understanding to the issues of mental health.

NAMI is a grass-roots nonprofit group that advocates for those inflicted with mental illnesses. In more than 1,000 communities across the nation, NAMI provides a help line, comprehensive Web resources, support groups and government advocacy of the issues.

Mary Jo Henkle, president of the Mahoning Valley chapter, said funding for NAMI is vital at a time when local and state mental health programs are being cut. Participating in the walk will help NAMI fill in gaps in those programs, she said. “Our county mental-health board has their hands tied,” she said. “We’re promoting a moratorium on the cutting of funding to state mental-health programs.”

Henkle and her husband, Jim, who is co-manager of this years’ walk, know from experience the difficulty of finding answers and treatment for mental illness. Ten years ago, when their 14-year-old son was diagnosed with multiple mental disorders, the two struggled to locate resources.

“We moved here six years ago [and] had such difficulty finding help,” Henkle said.

They contacted NAMI at a time when their son, who was diagnosed as having bipolar, schizoaffective and borderline personality disorders, was refusing to take his medication. The couple found comfort with the organization’s focus on both the diagnosed individuals, called “consumers,” and the families, who can face their own problems because of the consumers.

After attempting suicide and later trying to kill the Henkles, their son was placed in a group home with the support of NAMI.

Around that time, Henkle said they realized what a positive impact the organization had on their family, and how needed NAMI was in the Valley. The two, along with the support of numerous others inside and outside of NAMI, spearheaded the growth of the Mahoning Valley chapter.

To increase its visibility and its affect on the under-served mentally ill population, the second annual NAMIWalks will take place at the Canfield Fairgrounds.

Both the Mahoning County and Trumbull County health boards are supporting the 3-mile walk, adding employees to the teams of walkers who will solicit donations and spread the word.

Henkle said this year’s goal is to raise $50,000, but more importantly raise awareness of the widespread problem of untreated mental illness.

“Most times families reach out to us in crisis,” she said. “We’d like to start reaching families before it gets to that point.”

She said the money raised would help staff NAMI’s drop-in center near downtown Youngstown, as well as jump-start a “connection support group” for those affected by mental illness in their family.

The Henkles noted that their son’s case was severe, and is stereotyped as the only kind of mental illness, in part due to misconceptions and forms of media entertainment. But Jim Henkle said that one in five people seek treatment for mental health problems; one in every four people, he said, know someone with a mental illness.

Last year, the NAMIWalks in Canfield raised $25,000. Other walks across the nation have helped raise money to build homes for the chronically mentally ill, hold conferences on mental health, collect and publish data and form education programs for families.

For more information on participating in NAMIWalks, call Jim Henkle at (330) 584-9213.

sschroeder@vindy.com