President’s Message for October 2025

World Mental Health Day

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) established World Mental Health Day, October 10th, in 1992. This year’s theme is “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies."

The WFMH press release notes:
“Natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics, and humanitarian crises continue to disrupt lives across the globe. Yet amid the rubble, trauma, and displacement, mental health care remains one of the most overlooked and underfunded components of emergency response. This year, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) calls attention to the urgent need for accessible, culturally sensitive, and sustained mental health support in the wake of catastrophes and emergencies. The 2025 campaign urges governments, NGOs, and health systems to prioritize mental health as a core element of disaster preparedness and recovery. . .

WFMH advocates for:
• Integration of mental health into emergency response frameworks
• Training of frontline workers in psychological first aid
• Community-based approaches that respect local cultures and resilience
• Investment in long-term recovery and trauma-informed care”

NAMI MA Annual Meeting

The NAMI Massachusetts Annual Meeting will take place via Zoom on Monday, November 17th from 7-8pm. NAMI MA will send a formal email announcement to individual NAMI members with registration and information about the board candidates in mid-October.

As required by their bylaws, you must be a current member of NAMI Mass in good standing with dues paid up as of October 3, 2025, to vote in the election of NAMI MA board candidates. There will not be any paper ballots as voting will be virtual.

Watch your email for more info and pencil in the date to learn what NAMI MA has planned for next year!

Community Info Tables

Thank you to the volunteers who signed up to greet the public at our community information tables this fall. See the event in Bedford below. Lois Pulliam, a founding member of the affiliate, stopped at the booth and liked our crisis card. We also attended the “Suicide Prevention & Awareness 5K Glow Run, Walk or Ruck” at Hanscom Airforce base for the second year. Plenty of military families and lots and lots of glow sticks, light up cat ears, neon bracelets, etc! Unfortunately, we did not have enough volunteers to cover two of the community events we were invited to so withdrew our participation. We will be in Maynard and Melrose in October!

Bedford Day 9/20

Hanscom Airforce Base 9/26