Author: Jason Hopcus, CLC, MSLC

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Julie A. Corbett has joined the NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties Board of Directors. Our board unanimously agreed on this decision after she attended our August meeting and agreed to a nomination. Julie is a seasoned marketing professional who currently works within the mental health field and along with her professional pursuits she brings a personal passion for mental health. Her first involvement with NAMI was after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Since then her involvement has expanded. In addition to her new board role, she also is actively involved with NAMI Walks, servingRead More

Last Saturday, August 29th, seventeen parents attended an informative workshop presented by NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties on the educational rights of students with disabilities, presented by Denver lawyer Jack Robinson. Mr. Robinson discussed: Individual Educational Plans (IEPs), what they need to include and how to advocate to make sure certain services are included He also talked about mediation and due process proceedings when a conflict with the school hasn’t been sufficiently resolved He familiarized everyone with the federal law governing educational rights of students with disabilities and how that legal framework is applied at the individual level One of the majorRead More

August is generally a busy time for most of us. Summer starts coming to an end, kids go back to school and each of us gets back into a routine that tends to lighten up during the warmer months. Our efforts at NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties aren’t much different. There are many important things happening. Let me share a bit below about our upcoming programming. As always, it is FREE of charge. The last week of August was especially busy for us. We began a new 12-week Family to Family Class on August 27th. It required advance registration, but the firstRead More

Last week, I had the great honor to speak to the Parker Rotary. http://www.parkerrotary.org In preparation, I intended to share my own personal story, as well as further build awareness about the classes, support, and outreach NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties offers. I was fortunate to join in the regular meeting before speaking and learned much about the diverse service works the Parker Rotary is involved in, locally and abroad. One project of particular interest, was their Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.) Two participants, both local high school students, shared their experiences from the leadership training camp. Each, enthusiastically made aRead More

Last December, an Arapahoe county family lost their son and brother to suicide. He was only 14 years old. He was mentally ill but, as his mother said, “He was so much more than that.” The boy’s parents had come to our NAMI affiliate for help just a few weeks before his death, having attended a parent workshop in November. At the workshop they found, for the first time, other parents who understood and knew what they were going through because they were dealing with the same problems. They also gained some knowledge and ideas to help them help theirRead More

For all of you who enjoy the educational topics offered in our Speaker Series, we want to remind you that we take the summer off. There will not be a program in July or August. Our dedicated volunteers appreciate this time to recharge and enjoy their own families before we get geared up for some great speakers this fall. Please feel free to look at a complete list of the scheduled Speaker Series dates for the remainder of 2015/2016 http://www.namiadco.org/mental-illness-help/speaker-series/ For those of you who haven’t joined us for a Speaker Series event, please consider doing so. We aim toRead More

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties proudly supports the NAMI Colorado Community Diversity Creatively Celebrating Diversity Friday, July 31 @ 7 p.m. Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center 721 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO 80204 Local artists who have with experience mental health conditions will share their talents and stories. Tickets are $12 at the door or for advance purchase https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nami-colorado-art-show-creatively-celebrating-diversity-tickets-17227974335 Light refreshments included

On June 10, 2015, NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties held its Annual Meeting, along with a regular board meeting. While convened, new officers were elected, others moved into new roles and previous officers stepped down. We are excited with the outcome and feel like as a collective, NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties is well poised to continue offering excellent programming, education and outreach to our community. Your new 2015/16 Board Members are as follows: 2015-2016 NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties Board Members Jason Hopcus – President John Vellos – Vice President- Douglas County Donna Parisi – Vice President- Arapahoe County Cherri Tuson – Treasurer Linda MartinRead More

As my term as president of our affiliate comes to a close, I want, foremost, to thank all of our wonderful and dedicated volunteers and fellow board members for their service the last three years. An organization like NAMI does not function without people willing to give their time, talents and energy to our important work. We are truly helping people who live with mental illness, and their loved ones, to live better lives. I have been privileged, as president, to see that happening every day. Thank you so much, everyone! I also want to welcome our new president, Jason Hopcus. I feel confident thatRead More

IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME… The 2015 NAMI National Convention begins July 6th in beautiful San Francisco. This will be my first time attending the National Convention and I could not be more excited. As the incoming President of NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties, I seek greater knowledge and insight about what is happening for the advancement of Mental Health Awareness and Programming on the National level. I believe such invaluable information helps keep our affiliate on track as we continue to offer top quality programming and education. More importantly, I am excited to help promote the great State of Colorado, as DenverRead More