JANUARY 2009 events

Many thanks to Neal Owens, founder of the SunBox company in Gaithersburg, for his donation of a SunLight Jr. for our Center! :)

NOTE: In case of inclement weather, please call us to verify if we're open - 301. 589.2303 X 108 or X 111. We have started closing when Montgomery County public schools do. But check with us to be sure!

Thursday Jan. 1: CLOSED for the NEW YEAR - Happy New Year!

Saturday Jan. 3: Open 12 - 5 p Movie: 27 Dresses, 2 p; Playstation video games, afterwards

Monday Jan. 5: Open 3-8 p Monthly staff meeting, 12 noon. WRAP crafts/get together with Miriam, 6 - 8 pm.

Tuesday Jan. 6: Open 3 - 7 p Resources & Referrals, 4-5:30 p

Wednesday Jan. 7: Open 3-7 p Offsite: hear JoAnne Growney and several other authors do poetry readings. This poetry reading is sponsored by SIGMAA-ARTS and organized by
Douglas Norton, Villanova University and JoAnne Growney, Silver Spring , MD
2009 Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, DC January 7, 2009 Poetry of Love and Mathematics A Reading 2009 Joint Mathematics Meetings at 7:00 PM Washington Room 1, Lower Level Marriott Park Wardman Hotel Washington, DC

Thursday Jan. 8 : Offsite, 2nd Thursday of the month: monthly phone call to MHA for Wellness n' Recovery Centers, 11 a - 12 p. Open 3 - 7 p Light box from SunBox Company available for in Center use! If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, 30 minutes of 10,000 lux from a light box made by a reputable company, such as Gaithersburg's SunBox company, on a regular basis, can help. Ideally, the exposure to the light box should be in the morning, so try to get outdoors for some natural light before we open!

Saturday Jan. 10: Open 12-5 p NAMI Connection support group, 3-4:30p For more info on NAMI Connection and other support groups in the county, visit http://www.namimc.org/support.asp and click on Consumers for all of the support groups for the month (or All, Families, Spouses, or En Espanol , as well)

Monday Jan. 12: Open 3-7 p - We host an Action Annapolis presentation at 4:30 p by On Our Own of Maryland and MD Disability Law Center (MDLC), with Elaine Carroll and Kay Bhagat. Action Annapolis Day, in Annapolis, is Wednesday January 21, from 9 am to around 2 pm. Offers a breakfast, legislative debriefing, and more info about the Patients' Rights Bill. For more info and RSVP, call Elaine Carroll at 1 800 704 0262 X 21 or email elaine AT onourownmd DOT org

- Almost Free Haircuts, first-come, first-served, from 3:30 t0 6:30 pm with Karreem. These are dry haircuts. A dollar donation requested to help Karreem on his path to professional barbering.
- WRAP crafts/get together with WRAP graduates with Daphne, 6 - 8 pm.

Tuesday Jan. 13: Open 3 -7 p Resources and Referrals, 4 to 6 p

Wednesday Jan. 14: Open 3 - 7 p NEW: OCD Support Group with Sherry, 5 - 6:30 p

OFFSITE: Workplace Accommodations and Disclosure at Bethesda Davis Library, 7:30 to 9 p.m. - if anyone wants to travel w/ Miriam, she can fit 3 others in her car. Leaving 6:30 pm from SSDIC. But, you MUST REGISTER first! Info below:

Learn how the new ADA law of 2009 can help adults with ADHD and Learning Disabilities at work. Accommodations, ways to cope, available services will explained by panel of lawyer, disability manager, and county health expert. Special handouts will be provided. Ask your questions, find answers. FREE, LIMITED SEATING, at Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. Please register by contacting 301-933-1076 or email ldamc AT ldamc DOT org or call 301-251-8722 (Mr. August Spector). Sponsored by CHADD Workplace Group and Learning Disability Association of Montgomery County

Thursday Jan. 15: Open 3 - 7 p Director out at WRAP training at On Our Own of Carroll County Game Day

Friday Jan. 16: Offsite: Carl Freeman Foundation Meet Your Funders - MANO Standards of Excellence event, 9 a to 12 p Last day to RSVP for Intro to WRAP training for Feb 4 - 6, 2009 Go down the page for the notice on WRAP!

Saturday Jan. 17: Open 12-5 p Movie Day: Vote for your movie in advance so we can rent it if we don't have it

Monday Jan. 19 : Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday CLOSED

Tuesday Jan. 20: Inauguration for President Barack Obama! Open 3-7 p Wii Fit and Wild Divine software available. Suggest an activity too!

Wednesday Jan. 21: OFFSITE: Action Annapolis Day, in Annapolis, is from 9 am to around 2 pm. Offers a breakfast, legislative debriefing, and more info about the Patients' Rights Bill. For more info and RSVP, call Elaine Carroll at 1 - 800 704 0262 X 21 or email elaine AT onourownmd DOT org Director out all day Open 3-7 p Wild Divine biofeedback, software and assistance available

Thursday Jan. 22: Open 3 - 7 p Poetry w/ Joanne, 4:30-6:30 p Bring your favorite poem/s; we will be working on sestinas, as a structured poem.

Friday Jan. 23: Offsite: Director at Recovery Committee at MHA, 9:30 - 11:30 a Last day to RSVP for the 3 day Intro to WRAP training Feb 10 - 12, 2009. Go down the page for the notice on WRAP!

Saturday Jan. 24: Open 12-5 p NAMI Connection support group, 3-4:30p (For more info on NAMI Connection and other support groups in the county, visit http://www.namimc.org/support.asp and click on Consumers (or All, Families, Spouses, or En Espanol , as well)

Monday Jan. 26: Open 3-7 p January Birthdays, 4p

Tuesday Jan. 27: CLOSED due to snow! Open 3-7 p Membership meeting & pizza, 4:30p, a dollar or two contribution welcome for pizza! Wii Games & Wii Fit

Wednesday Jan. 28: CLOSED due to ice! we WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW for the party! Open 3-7 p NEW: OCD Support Group with Sherry, 5 - 6:30 p

Thursday Jan. 29: 10 am - 12 pm offsite wellness & recovery subcommittee at CBH Open 3-7 p Post-Holiday Party 4:30 - 6:30 p

Saturday Jan. 31: Open 12-5 p Light box from SunBox Company available for in Center use! If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, 30 minutes of 10,000 lux from a light box made by a reputable company, such as Gaithersburg's SunBox company, on a regular basis, can help. Ideally, the exposure to the light box should be in the morning, so try to get outdoors for some natural light before we open!

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) NOTICE:

This is prompted by an email from Cheryl Sharp, the WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) coordinator for the state of Maryland; she works out of On Our Own of Maryland.

These are FREE opportunities to learn more about WRAP and also potentially becoming a certified Wellness and Recovery Educator, including WRAP .

If you took the 16 hr. WRAP class with me at SSDIC and have your own WRAP ready, you are eligible to be interviewed for the 5 day WRAP facilitator course to be held in Marriottsville, MD, at Bon Secours Spiritual Center. (there are two training dates, Feb 23 - 27, Mon - Th, and March 23 - 27, same deal, 2009).

Or, if you took the three-day training in the last year through OOO MD, you also would be eligible for interview for potential facilitator training. (or have some other, Copeland Center certified, 16 hr. training under your belt). The training (and possibly room and board) would be free for those selected. In exchange:

1. My requirement, if you go through SSDIC: One year minimum commitment to be available to teach WRAP at Silver Spring Drop-In Center (the classes will mostly be 2 hr. times 8 weeks classes, and not sure yet how many I would have per year - 2 at least a year I would imagine). They may be in the evenings or possibly Saturdays. Scheduling can be discussed.

2. On Our Own of MD has additional requirements: Availability to teach WRAP at ANY On Our Own or peer operated program (like SSDIC) in MD, depending on variables such as location, transportation, etc. I don't know if they've put a number of times per year to co-facilitate a 16 hr. course yet. I recommend asking Cheryl what OOO has in mind.

- Availability for two (2) two-day annual refresher trainings for continuing education on WRAP.

If you have NOT yet had 16 hrs. of WRAP, then you can apply for the three day training that is a precursor to the five day facilitator training. They will also be held at Bon Secours, and the dates are early Feb (see Cheryl's email below, snip):

3-Day "Intro to WRAP" Trainings:

- February 4-6, 2009 at Bon Secours – cutoff registration date is January 16th.
- February 10-12, 2009 at Bon Secours – cutoff registration date is January 23rd.

5-Day Facilitator Trainings (for those who've had Intro to WRAP):

- February 23-27, 2009 – cutoff registration date is February 16th.
- March 23 – 27, 2009 – cutoff registration date is March 16th.

Being a certified Recovery Educator in WRAP (after attending the 5 day training and completing your own personal WRAP) is great on resumes, esp. if you are interested in the mental health/peer support industry. There is also the possibility of being paid as a WRAP facilitator, depending on OOO MD funding and independent center funding.

If you are interested in either of the two trainings, please email AND call Cheryl at cheryls AT onourownmd DOT org (1 - 800 - 704-0262 X 26 ) and say you were referred by me and SSDIC. Please also let me know if you decide to be interviewed by Cheryl etc. (visit also www.mentalhealthrecovery.com and www.onourownmd.org)

Happy Holidays, Miriam

NOTE: If there are activities, classes, or speakers that you would like us to feature, please contact Miriam at 301.589.2303 X 108. We can help arrange new programming due to member requests. We especially encourage members to lead new groups themselves or find speakers!