On Thursday, November 15th, approximately 50 people met at the Recreational Department on Civic Drive to discuss the need for community mental health services in Murray, Whitfield, and Gordon Counties. Panelists included Kathy Kyle from Highland Rivers, Charles Fetner from the North Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases (MHDDAD), Michael Stein from the Westcott Center, Jim Moore from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and Dr. Victor Wolski from Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital. Students from the Division of Social Work at Dalton State College organized the event.
Audience members asked panelists about the future of mental health services, particularly for low-income families and adolescents with moderate-to-severe mental illnesses. “[Local mental health] services exist on paper, but in reality, these services are not available to the people who need them,” noted Tammy Rice-Rodriguez.
Charles Fetner responded that funding for mental health services is typically not a priority for the state legislature during an election year. Michael Stein and Jim Moore urged everyone to take steps towards advocating on behalf of people with mental illnesses, such as forming a NAMI chapter in Dalton. NAMI is a support and advocacy group led by individuals with mental illnesses and their family members.
For more information about NAMI, please contact Jim Moore, at (706) 232-4607, or visit the NAMI website, www.nami.org.