The Behavioral Health Committee of Jewish Family Service Presents a Free Community Conversation on Mental Illness: Living with Love, Despair and Hope

Jewish Family Service will present a Behavioral Health Panel: A Community conversation on Mental Illness: Living with Love, Despair and Hope on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Centre Dr., San Diego, CA 92122.  The free event, which begins at 5:45 p.m. with a resource fair and light appetizers, and continues a panel discussion from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., features Liza Long.  Ms. Long is the author of the nationally-recognized blogpost “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother.”  Following the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Ms. Long sparked a viral online conversation when she revealed her agonizing struggle with caring for and finding support for her mentally ill, sometimes violent child.

Ms. Long will be joined on the panel by Alfredo Aguirre, LCSW, MSW, Director of Behavioral Health Services County of San Diego. Mr. Aguirre will discuss San Diego County programs, services and policies that aim to help the severely mentally ill, even those who may resist treatment or whose families are concerned about potential violent behavior.

“We are often afraid or ashamed to admit feelings of frustration, despair, or guilt over caring for a child, even an adult child, with mental illness” said Linda Janon, founder of the Behavioral Health Committee. “But only when we speak out do we find we are not alone. Together we find support and hope.”
Space for this free event is limited.  To register online, please visit www.jfssd.org/community.  For more information, please contact Carole Yellen at (858) 637-3395 or caroley@jfssd.org.

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ABOUT JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE

Since 1918, Jewish Family Service of San Diego has been a trusted community resource for people in times of need. Our 50+ programs offer a wide range of help and care to Empower Families, Respond to Crisis, and Care for Seniors throughout San Diego County and the Coachella Valley. Many people turn to Jewish Family Service with a specific need, such as hunger. But what begins with one JFS program often leads to providing a much larger scope of assistance, including counseling, education, job coaching, transportation, and more. Our message to the more than 35,000 individuals and families in our community who we help each year is: WE’RE WITH YOU. To learn why JFS is One Source for a Lifetime of Help, visit www.jfssd.org.

ABOUT THE BEHAVORIAL HEALTH COMMITTEE OF JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE

Founded by Linda Janon, the Behavioral Health Committee (BHC) provides resources and services for coping and living with mental illness and seeks to eliminate the stigma by increasing community awareness. Each spring, the BHC holds an annual Behavioral Health Luncheon in support of mental health awareness. The committee is also responsible for other educational events throughout the year. The BHC's vision ultimately led to the creation of our Intensive Psychiatric Case Management Program, which maximizes the ability of chronically mentally ill individuals to live independent lives.