For far too long, we have had a weird take on mental illness in this country.
We either joked about it or pretended it didn’t exist, and if we ran across someone suffering from mental illness, we hid them from view.
Despite what some politicians say, we have evolved. Over the years, we’ve learned to treat mental illness and those who suffer from it with respect. We’ve learned that mental illness is real, that it’s not a stigma, that it’s not something to be mocked or ignored. We’ve realized that mental illness can strike anyone at any time.
We’ve also learned that mental illness often doesn’t affect just its victims. It also hits the families and friends of those suffering. So now, when we treat mental illness, we don’t just treat the victims, we treat their families.
To be sure, we’re not perfect. For a number of reasons, too many people who need help still aren’t getting that help. But we’re doing better. And there are a lot of folks out there working every day to see to it that we continue to get better at treating mental illness. That includes the folks at the Joplin chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The goal of NAMI Joplin is to continue breaking down the stigma associated with mental illness by providing education, support, encouragement and information to those affected and to the community. It’s not enough to just treat mental illness; it’s also important to see to it that the community understands and reaches out to those dealing with brain disorders.
It’s not an easy job, but it’s a vital job.
I don’t know this for a fact, but I’m guessing that a lot of people in the Joplin area have a different take on mental illness today than they might have had before May 22, 2011. I’m guessing that a lot of people experienced a lot of things during and after the tornado that still bother them. What I’m hoping is that they were able to find someone to help them. I’m also hoping that they were not made to feel as if something was wrong with them. I’m hoping that they felt comfortable talking about what was bothering them, and if they did, I’m thinking the dedicated folks at NAMI Joplin can take some credit for that.
Like a lot of organizations that do good work, NAMI Joplin is a not-for-profit agency.
I’ve always wondered how this country can raise $1 billion to elect a president, but we never seem to have enough money to share with not-for-profit agencies. Most of the time, the phrase “not-for-profit” is a fancy way of saying “just barely getting by.”
But wondering about things like that doesn’t do any good.
What does some good is helping out these agencies whenever we can. And if you play golf, you have a chance to help out NAMI Joplin by signing up to play in the group’s 10th annual charity golf scramble.
The scramble gets under way at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, at Joplin’s Schifferdecker Golf Course. The cost for individual golfers is $60, and that includes green fees and lunch. To enter, people may call 417-781-2519. Several sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Cash prizes and numerous other prizes will be awarded during the tournament
For more information, people may visit www.namijoplin.org
May 2011 Joplin tornado
Mike Pound: We’ve come a long way in understanding mental illness
- May 2011 Joplin tornado
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FACES OF RECOVERY: 176,869 volunteers help put Joplin together again
They initially came in droves, pouring into Joplin by the thousands during the months following the May 2011 tornado to clear debris, clean up damaged homes and businesses and distribute donations of food, water, clothing and other necessities.
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SLIDESHOW: One year later, One day of unity, updated
Photos from a day of events commemorating the May 22, 2011 tornado anniversary
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Therapy dogs
Any question that Louie was bred to put people as ease is put to rest when the golden retriever trots over to where a visitor sits and puts his head on their knee, the dog’s eyes filled with a gentle affection.
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Nova Kluseman and Jeanne Morrow
Nova Kluseman has staked her claim on Wednesdays at the Mercy medical office clinics where she volunteers. The staff at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri will know it’s Thursday when they see Jeanne Morrow walk through the door.
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Greentree Community Church
Every two months, Joplin plays host to some now-familiar faces. They’re members of Greentree Community Church in St. Louis, and they have “adopted” the city as one of their mission projects since the tornado.
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Virginia Laas
Virginia Laas isn’t an accountant or bookkeeper by trade. But when the tornado caused significant damage to Joplin Schools, and subsequently spurred a massive landslide of donations to the district, Laas voluntarily stepped into those roles to fill a need that administrators were too busy to handle.
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Rebecca Williams
Two years after the tornado, Rebecca Williams remains committed to helping people around the world keep up with the progress that has been made in Joplin.
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Community Outreach Team
While it didn’t yet have a formal name, the seeds of Freeman Health System’s Community Outreach Team were planted in the hours following the tornado.
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Jewish Disaster Response Corps
“Tikkun olam” is Hebrew for “repairing the world,” and the concept — of service to others, of helping those in need — is prevalent in Judaism.
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Dorothy Maples
Dorothy Maples always felt a calling to volunteer, whether it was participating in a fundraiser or giving a hand to help someone in need.
- More May 2011 Joplin tornado Headlines
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