Momentum for Health

"Emotionsincluding anxiety, fear, and other negative mood statesare not something to smother with shame." https://www.wellandgood.com/what-is-anxiety-crying/

"When you recognize and understand the symptoms of schizophrenia, your loved one’s behavior may seem less confusing or frightening. There’s a lot of stigma around schizophrenia, much of which relates to key symptoms of psychosis" https://www.healthline.com//how-to-help-someone-with-schiz

"This week, PEOPLE and the non-profit organization Bring Change to Mind, which was started by actress Glenn Close, is hosting a four-part virtual panel series on mental health and young people, called Conversations with Bring Change to Mind in Partnership with PEOPLE. The series kicks off today with a panel called Men and Mental Health, led by Jane the Virgin's Baldoni with panelists Porter, Orange is the New Black's Matt McGorry, Outer Banks star Stokes and Las Vegas Raiders' defensive tackle Solomon Thomas." https://people.com//billy-porter-chase-stokes-justin-bald/

Two weeks ago, Santa Clara County's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of enacting Laura's Law which would create "an assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) program that legally requires individuals struggling with severe mental illness to comply with treatment." https://sanjosespotlight.com/santa-clara-county-supervisor/

Just over a week to go with our Tweeter Campaign in partnership with Cisco Systems for Mental Health Awareness Month. Go to @CiscoCX and for every retweet Cisco will donate $5 to @MomentumforH. You can also win an annual Calm membership #sweeptakes and who doesn’t need that? #mentalhealthmatters #sweepstakes cs.co/6011HCH7D

"I am writing this while I search for whatever comes next. My daughter is not an addict or an alcoholic or a criminal. She isn’t homeless now, but if she comes home, I am sure she will land back on the streets, and the cycle will begin again. Why do we make it so hard to find a place for those who are mid-fall, who need more than once a week with a therapist, less than an intervention on the street? Why do we wait for them to hit rock bottom?" https://www.latimes.com//2021/mental-health-system-failure

"'Information is food for our brain. But when there is continuous uncertainty that we can’t resolve, that leaves people feeling anxious. They can feel overwhelmed because there’s not a resolution; the brain is not able to solve the problem. That leaves them feeling frazzled, tired and exhausted.'" -- Dr. Brewer, author of the new book Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind. https://www.nytimes.com//06/01/well/mind/anxiety-brain.html

Registration is FREE, FRIDAY, May 21, 11 AM: Momentum's President & CEO David Mineta joins with other panelists @cccbha for, Stop the Hate: A Conversation About Anti-Asian Racism & Behavioral Health on 5/21 from 11am-1pm, to engage in dialogue about standing with the AAPI community! Register now at cccbha.org #stopaapihate

"'Painting is now the primary way that I express myself. It's just so grounding for me, and it's just given a lot of freedom to my creative voice,' Nieves told CNN." https://www.cnn.com//human-factor-adriane-nieve/index.html

Momentum for Health CEO David Mineta will moderate a virtual event with the Silicon Valley Business Journal on May 18 at 10 a.m. on the importance of addressing mental health in the workplace. The panelists include Sheila Krueger, the Head of Global Benefits at Zoom Communications Video, Chip Huggins, CEO of Hope Services and Lenny Mendonca, former Chief Economic and Business Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and Senior Partner Emeritus of McKinsey & Company. You will also hear a fireside chat with 49er Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. Help destigmatize mental illness in the workplace and in every facet of our lives. #mentalhealthawareness. Register today at bit.ly/3tztAOJ

"According to professor Yoshi Iwasaki, chair of Public Health and Recreation at San Jose State University, when we bring meaning to our leisure time, like we can through hobbies, it helps improve our mental health. Other benefits include strengthening our sense of connection, identity, and our autonomy." https://www.npr.org//a-knitter-a-rock-climber-and-a-mixolo

We're proud to join @cccbha for, Stop The Hate: A Conversation About Anti-Asian Racism & Behavioral Health on 5/21 from 11am-1pm, to engage in dialogue about standing with the AAPI community! Register now at cccbha.org #stopaapihate In a moving account, Momentum CEO David Mineta recounts his life growing up as an Asian-American in Santa Clara County. Standing up to Anti-Asian Hate...Continue reading

"A documentary series on mental health and emotional well-being co-created by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, will air on AppleTV+ later this month. The Me You Can’t See, which will feature both celebrities and non-celebrities alongside mental health professionals and experts, will premiere on May 21, Apple announced Monday. Winfrey and Prince Harry will host the conversations "while opening up about their mental health journeys and struggles." The pair co-created and executive produced the series." https://www.nbcnews.com//oprah-prince-harry-team-series-me

"Taken together, the trifecta of being a parent while managing bipolar disorder during a pandemic has created a uniquely stressful situation. SELF spoke to five moms who have bipolar disorder about the toughest part of parenting during the pandemic and how they’re coping. Hopefully, some of their stories will offer reassurance that you’re not alone and help you navigate this still unsettling time." https://www.self.com/story/bipolar-mothers-pandemic-stress

Recently, Momentum was awarded funding by Los Altos Community Foundation to improve an outdoor space at our new Grant Road site! Thank you LACF for this amazing contribution that will enable our agency to continue providing essential behavioral health services in a warm and welcoming environment. Together, we are making recovery possible for our community members!

"'During times of crisis, self-care is often difficult to maintain. Because many of us are busy keeping the fires in our lives from spreading, we’re usually too fatigued to practice mindful eating, exercise or other refueling activities,' said Serani." https://www.healthline.com//managing-depression-and-anxiet

"A program that replaces police officers with health care workers on mental health and substance abuse calls in Denver, Colorado, is showing signs of success, according to a six-month progress report. Despite responding to hundreds of calls, the workers made no arrests, the report said and the city's police chief told CBS News on Friday that he believes the program "saves lives." https://www.cbsnews.com//denver-health-professionals-repl/

Don't miss this great event from our friends at NAMI Santa Clara County on February 15th at 3PM! Plus, stick around after the screening to hear Momentum's President & CEO, David Mineta, discuss housing and behavioral health with Dr. Rosenberg, Sen. Jim Beall and NAMI-SCC Peer Mentor, Allison Murray. "See" you there!

"The San Jose Police Department is making a big change in the way it deals with some of the most controversial calls they get. The department now has a dedicated team, exclusively for situations involving mental health issues and they've already got their first high profile case -- the arrest of a man who broke into a preschool school and drove a spike through it's 70-year-old pet tortoise. NBC Bay Area first reported on this new Mobile Crisis Response Team as a pilot program in the fall of 2020, and on Thursday, police say that program, with more staffing, is now permanent and led to a peaceful arrest in that tortoise attack." https://www.nbcbayarea.com//sjpd-assigns-new-ment/2459789/

"The pandemic has tested all of us. Those with some mental illnesses, especially forms of anxiety, have contended with perhaps our largest fear: uncertainty. Early on, we heard about new symptoms, new theories about how the coronavirus was transmitted, and the startling way it affected some children and even some of those with no underlying health conditions." https://www.washingtonpost.com//d84b9cd0-5f54-11eb-9430-e7

The SCC Public Health Department says: If you have symptoms or are sick, assume it’s COVID until proven otherwise. Too many people tell us they thought it was just allergies, the weather, or the time of year. Then their loved ones fall sick and test positive, and they realize it was COVID all along. There are many places to get tested for COVID-19. It's quick and easy to book an appointment: https://www.sccgov.org/s/covid19/Pages/covid19-testing.aspx

As we look back at 2020, it's clear that your commitment to our mission made it possible for us to do what we do best: provide high-quality behavioral health services to our community! Thanks to your selflessness, individuals within our community, like Lisa and Adrian, who experience behavioral health crises were able to receive uninterrupted treatment through our COVID-safe in-person and/or virtual wellness services. This essential pivot to a hybrid version of services incre...ased, and continues to increase, our ability to reach and address the needs of the most vulnerable populations in our community during this difficult time. Despite this good news and the work we've done together to get the ball rolling on recovery, we now face a potential budget cut due to a lack in funding available from the county. Now, we need your help to ensure Momentum continues to provide the same level of high-quality, essential services throughout 2021. Get the ball rolling on recovery for thousands of our community members by making a gift today: momentumforhealth.org/rolltheball

"The idea, Tyler says, was to use technology to imitate something service dogs were already doing recognizing a traumatic nightmare and then nudging or licking the person to disrupt the bad dream. He thought the smartwatch could do this with a gentle vibration." https://www.npr.org//he-designed-a-smartwatch-app-to-help-

BAYMEC Foundation Executive Director Ken Yeager (who is also a prior recipient of the Shining Stars Award of Excellence) "unveiled Queer Silicon Valley, a website that chronicles the history of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community in the county going back 50 years and draws on the experiences of Yeager and dozens of others in the valley. Yeager says he was motivated by two big factors: Many of the people who lived through the movement’s early days are still around, but we’re starting to lose them; and Silicon Valley’s younger generation is less aware of that history." https://www.mercurynews.com//new-site-charts-the-history-/ Check it out here: https://www.queersiliconvalley.org/

When a person seeks care for a behavioral health issue, it can often take months or years to find the right treatment team. As you may remember from Lisa's story, she originally sought help through both school resources and professional services. But, Lisa had yet to find a treatment team that met her where she was until she was referred to Momentum. Similarly, Adrian first sought care through his university's on-campus behavioral health services, but did not meet a treatment... team that suited his needs until he was referred to Momentum. Once Lisa and Adrian were accepted into their respective Momentum programs, they each found a community that enabled them to feel safe and accelerate their recovery journeys. At Momentum, we strive to be a community and a network of support that offers individuals the genuine care and compassion needed as they discover how to manage their symptoms and cope with their diagnosis. Become a part of the Momentum community today by making a gift that will positively impact the lives of the 4,000+ individuals who participate in our agency’s services on a yearly basis. Together, we can get the ball rolling on recovery!

"Mandated in most states, facial coverings have become part of the daily wardrobe and an essential tool, supported by scientific evidence, in slowing the spread of Covid-19. But for some people with social anxiety, face masks can also be a veil of anonymity, offering a temporary reprieve from the unease of interacting with others." https://elemental.medium.com/face-masks-are-alleviating-soc

Here are some tips on how to navigate difficult but necessary conversations with friends or family this holiday season. (Thank you County of Santa Clara Public Health Department for these great graphics and spreading awareness!).

"In July, a majority of U.S. adults 18 and older (53%) said that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, up from 39% in May, according to a recent KFF tracking poll. Similarly, among older adults (ages 65 and older), close to half (46%) in July said that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, up from 31% in May." https://www.kff.org//one-in-four-older-adults-report-anxi/

"Research at companies like Google, Aetna and Intel have shown that increasing mindfulness in the workplace can decrease stress levels while improving focus, thoughtfulness, decision-making abilities and overall well-being. Mindfulness gives employees permission and space to think to be present leading to mental agility, resilience and self-awareness. In addition, mindfulness can reduce emotional exhaustion, increase openness to new ideas and develop compassion and empathy." https://www.forbes.com//increasing-mindfulness-in-the-wo/

"'There’s a difference between being alone and feeling alone,' said John Draper, executive director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 'Feeling alone is feeling like nobody cares about you, nobody values you, so it’s really important now for us to let people who we care about or we’re worried about know how much we care about them and value them.' Here are some ways experts say you can be there for loved ones, even if you can’t be there." https://www.washingtonpost.com//af45a7a6-2e88-11eb-96c2-aa

"Families shouldn’t have to deplete their savings, take out second mortgages, or go bankrupt paying for mental health or addiction treatment because their insurers managed to find loopholes in a federal law. California’s leadership on this critical issue will not only save lives, it will prevent insurers from shifting costs to Medicaid and other public programs associated with untreated mental health and substance use disorders, which can often lead to homelessness or disability." https://www.statnews.com//new-california-law-should-serve/

As you may have heard, Momentum's La Selva Group (LSG) received funding to launch a new program, COVID Support, through the La Selva Community Clinic! This new program provides a range of FREE mental health services to english and spanish speaking individuals who are either underinsured or uninsured and who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Services are also available to healthcare workers who are uninsured. Check out the flyers below for more information!

"The new original series will have the Golden Globe-winning actress and Jenkins dive into pertinent mental health issues, specifically those that affect the Black community. Through interviews with celebrities, experts and everyday people, the series will show how to provide support, bring awareness and help eliminate the stigmas of mental health issues." https://deadline.com//taraji-p-henson-facebook-mental-hea/

"Together, they created a performance vehicle the Me2/Orchestra he instructs and conducts that provides unstinting support and a new lease on life for mentally ill young men and women who play instruments. Several participants have been able to move on to more conventional careers in music." https://www.nytimes.com//we/mind/music-mental-illness.html

We did it! Together, we surpassed our $50,000 Shining Stars goal which means we will be receiving the full match from our anonymous matching donor! Thank you to everyone who helped us reach this goal -- your generosity will enable us to renovate a new Momentum client residence starting in early 2021. We look forward to sharing our progress with you! Additional gifts are welcome through 10/9: https://shiningstars20.givesmart.com

Momentum's youth behavioral health stigma reduction campaign, To Be Honest, is currently accepting submissions for its second mental health-focused art contest of the year! The contest, open to youth aged 14-25 who are currently located in Santa Clara County, is encouraging 2D, 3D and 4D art submissions through the prompt "My mental health in 2020." Submissions will be accepted until November 27, 2020. For more information and to learn about the To Be Honest campaign, visit: https://www.tobehonest.today/art-contest

Thanks to your generosity, Momentum raised $48,780 and counting on friday during our Shining Stars event! If you missed the event, you can stream the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm8ASz22dlA We are so extremely grateful for your support and look forward to sharing how your contributions have a tremendous impact on our new client residence. There's still time to double your impact -- our anonymous matching donor has generously agreed that we can continue to accept donations eligible for a match up until 10/9! Click here to make a contribution today: https://shiningstars20.givesmart.com

Dr. Sara Cody was awarded for her courageous work in developing shelter-in place orders in Santa Clara County. Dr. Cody spoke at the fundraiser of our client, M...omentum for Health and discussed how she personally has been coping during the pandemic. The benefit fundraiser raised over $44,000 for Momentum for Health's mental health and substance use services. If you would like to donate, please visit https://momentumforhealth.org/donate See more

Join us NOW for Momentum's 23rd Annual Shining Stars Event! The program begins at 12pm -- we look forward to seeing you there :) Join the livestream here: https://shiningstars20.givesmart.com