Welcome to NAMI Santa Clara County

NAMI Santa Clara County is one of the largest Bay Area NAMI affiliates of the the NAMI California and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We offer practical experience, support, education, comfort and understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses (primarily schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression and OCD) and their treatment of services in Santa Clara County.

In addition, we work with public organizations, private businesses and the media to increase organizational and personal knowledge of effective ways to deal with the illnesses while advocating for increased research and improved services for individuals with mental illness.

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General Meeting

There are no general meetings during the Summer.

Next meeting Tuesday September 14th, 2010 at Good Samaritan Hospital Auditorium.

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NAMI Celebrates Opening of its Community Resource and Support Center

On Nov. 5, 2009, NAMI SCC hosted a well-attended Open House to celebrate the opening of our Community Resource and Support Center at 2010 N. First Street, Suite 530, San Jose.

The Center is committed to providing resources, referrals, support, and education to people with mental illness, their families and friends, as well as to mental health professionals. The Center operates a 24-hour warm line to assist families and individuals in crisis. It provides library resources and an information kiosk on all aspects of mental illness in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. It holds and sponsors free support groups at the Center and throughout Santa Clara County for families and mental health clients in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

The Center also provides extensive education programs for families, mental health clients, mental health providers, and teachers. These courses are available free to the participants on an ongoing basis.

The Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 2 pm. Drop-ins are welcome, and trained volunteers are available to answer questions and assist in locating information. There is no income restriction, and the Center serves individuals from all walks of life. For further information contact the Center at 408 453-0400 or info@namisantaclara.org

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Weight Problem? Buy Minute Method and Help NAMI

Minute Method is an iPhone app available on iTunes. The application is priced at .99 cents. All proceeds earned from downloads from iTunes will be divided 50/50 with NAMI SCC until April 1st, 2010. We are doing this to get the word out about Minute Method and to support NAMI. You can also visit www.minutemethod.com.

Minute Method iPhone app is based on an eating method invented a few years ago which enables one to slow down eating. Minute Method is the first "automated system" to help break the cycle of eating too quickly and thus, overeating. Minute Method is the simplest way to slow down eating and help you eat less. On your iPhone, Minute Method is always with you, therefore, you can have high-tech help when you need it.

Minute Method is implemented on the iPhone using a unique timer that divides your meal into cycles. Use Minute Method the way YOU want: watch the built-in color timer, set it to play a sound, or use vibrate mode. Whatever way you choose, you can confidently go out and enjoy meals without getting carried away and eating too much!* Please note, if you are eating substantially less food, you may need a snack to keep your energy up. That's fine, just remember to use Minute Method for those snack bites too!

Are there better alternatives to Minute Method? It's possible, but so far, the majority involve lifestyle changes including a lot of planning ahead, measuring, counting or buying special foods only found on the program. Minute Method is a totally different approach to eating and losing weight. Minute method doesn't have you count calories, watch what, when and where you eat. This method uses a unique, phase timer which automates and slows your eating cycle. Instead of struggling with the complexities and lifestyle changes of other diets, you simply set the timer and apply the eating method. Minute Method is a Slow-Down-Your-Intake method. It's that simple. Eat what you like, when you like.

Minute Method is the perfect tool for helping you to slow down the process of food intake, and to help get you on track to losing weight. Also, when you eat slower, you tend to enjoy your food more—and crave better foods! Of course, no plan is foolproof or guaranteed, and Minute Method requires you to use the method consistently to obtain results*. But as you will see, Minute Method is easy to use and follow, and could help get you on the road to a more healthy lifestyle.

To manually purchase and download Minute Method, open iTunes (you must install on Mac or Windows if you don't have it) on Mac or PC, choose iTunes Store, and do a search on Minute Method or click here.

*Results may vary. Minute Method, Silicon Valley Software, LLC and all agents/representatives make no guarantees, legal or otherwise, to the effectiveness of this eating plan/method. The statements above are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your doctor before starting any eating method or diet plan.

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MY FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN ARRESTED—WHAT DO I DO?

Despite the good efforts of CIT trained police officers, sometimes our family member's illness causes behavior that leads to arrest. NAMI SCC has an up-to-date guide to assist families when a loved one who suffers from a biological brain disorder is in the Santa Clara County criminal justice system.

Read the guide.

Inmate medication form.

Public Defender.
(Note: Our public defender is now Gilda Valeros (408) 299-7918 email: GValeros@pdo.sscgov.org though often it is more efficient to contact her paralegal, Mary Davis-Lauth, 408 299 7790, mdavis@pdo.sccgov.org)

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NAMI national has released a new report, Grading the States 2009, assessing the nation's public mental health care system for adults and finding that the national average grade is a D.

Fourteen states improved their grades since NAMI's last report card three years ago. Twelve states fell backwards. Read all about it.