In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a NAMI program,
designed to train individuals with serious mental illnesses,
such as major depression, bipolar-affective disorder, schizophrenia,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, and related conditions, to
give presentations about their illness and recovery. The
program is a powerful tool for community education and reducing
stigma by putting a human face on an often misunderstood
area of human suffering.
The program is intended to help reduce the discrimination
often faced by people who suffer with these disorders (mental
health consumers) , those who care about them, and those
who care for them. One or two program speakers go to a location,
and present their first-hand lived experience, backed by
other consumers appearing on a videotape. The live and taped
presenters speak about their dark days, acceptance, treatment,
coping skills, and successes, hopes, and dreams. With questions
and answers, which the presenters are trained to deal with,
the program takes approximately one hour.
In Our Own Voice has been successful for NAMI
NEW JERSEY since it was first presented in the state in
October, 2002. To date, nearly 900 presentations have reached
over 21,000 audience members. Presentations have taken place
in all twenty-one counties of the state. Audiences have
included:
* mental health treatment programs (psychiatric hospitals/units
and day treatment)
* mental health self-help groups
* social work and psychosocial rehabilitation conferences
* staff in general hospitals
* churches, temples, and clergy in-service trainings
* public employees in social servies, housing, law enforcement,
child welfare, corrections, and air traffic
control
* college and high school classes (including psychology,
nursing, education, and special education)
* college and high school clubs (including service clubs,
psychology clubs, and the neuropsychiatry
club at the NJ School of Osteopathic Medicine)
* in-service trainings for health and special educators
* community and service clubs
* disability awareness programs at private companies
Currently, a team of four coordinators and
forty active presenters are available to make the free presentations
day or night, at any location in the state. We encourage
all advocates to contact Jill Zwick, Regional Coordinator,
at 732-571-2136 or jdz035@aol.com,
to discuss scheduling an In Our Own Voice presentation or
other program about mental health consumer and family advocacy.
Click
here to download the IOOV Brochure.
NAMI NEW JERSEY "In Our Own Voice"
Hall of Fame
Following is a list of "In Our Own Voice:
Living with Mental Illness" Program Presenters who
have provided at least nine "In Our Own Voice"
presentations. All were inducted into the newly created
NAMI NJ "In Our Own Voice" Hall of Fame
at the NAMII NJ Leadership Recognition Event held on Saturday,
November 10, 2007. We especially recognized Kate, Jill,
Milo, Susan, and Victor, for each having made more than
60 presentations.
Eric Arauz, Libby Bartholomew, Audrey Boccabella,
Ellen Cottone, Robin Cunningham, Tom Curry, Victor DeSanti,
Walter Dudzinski, Paula Galant, Sara Haight, Christina Hampton,
Attilla Hetenyi, Stacy Hollingsworth, Noreen Kelsey, Carol
Kivler, Kate McGinnity, Todd Randall, Bonnie Rosenthal,
Marc Stolzer, Sekhar Subramani, Gwen Tomkins, Milo Turk,
Diane Venus, Elise Wilmot, Jay Yudof, Jill Zwick.
NAMI NJ "In Our Own Voice" Hall of Fame inductees,
other presenters, and program coordinating staff.
Jay
Yudof, Program Coordinator & Statewide Consumer
Outreach Liaison
1-866-464-3267,
jyudof@hotmail.com
Jill
Zwick, Regional Coordinator (North Jersey)
732-571-2136,
jdz035@aol.com
Gail
Dembin, Regional Coordinator (South Jersey)
609-927-0215,
dembing@msn.com
