​Each​ ​year,​ ​the​ ​first​ ​full​ ​week of​ ​October​ ​provides​ ​an​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​fight​ ​stigma,​ ​provide​ ​support,​ ​educate​ ​the public​ ​and​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​equal​ ​care.

One​ ​in​ ​five​ ​adults​ ​experiences​ ​mental​ ​illness​ ​problems​ ​every​ ​year,​ ​and​ ​50%​ ​of chronic​ ​mental​ ​illness​ ​begins​ ​by​ ​age​ ​14.​ ​Although​ ​many​ ​people​ ​today​ ​understand that​ ​mental​ ​illness​ ​is​ ​a​ ​medical​ ​condition,​ ​individuals​ ​and​ ​families​ ​affected​ ​by mental​ ​illness​ ​are​ ​still​ ​often​ ​subjected​ ​to​ ​stigma​ ​and​ ​discrimination.

This​ ​year,​ ​the​ ​National​ ​Alliance​ ​on​ ​Mental​ ​Illness​ ​(NAMI)​ ​is​ ​calling​ ​on​ ​everyone to​ ​get​ ​​“Into​ ​Mental​ ​Health”​​ ​and​ ​replace​ ​stigma​ ​with​ ​hope.

NAMI​ ​Green​ ​County​ ​-​ ​“Trevor’s​ ​Team”​​ ​will​ ​be​ ​walking​ ​for​ ​the​ ​9th​ ​consecutive year​ ​in​ ​Madison​, ​WI,​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Dane​ ​County​ ​NAMI​ ​walk​ ​on​ ​October​ ​1,​ ​2017.​ ​​ ​The​ ​5K walk​ ​begins​ ​at​ ​Olin​ ​Turville​ ​Park,​ ​at​ ​Noon.​ ​ Juggling,​ ​face​ ​painting​ ​and​ ​a performance​ ​by​ ​the​ ​UW​ ​Wisconsin​ ​marching​ ​band​ ​begins​ ​at​ ​10:30​ ​a.m.​ ​​ ​If​ ​you​ ​are interested​ ​in​ ​joining​ ​​“Trevor’s​ ​Team”​​ ​or​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a​ ​donation,​ ​please contact​ ​​clbigler@gmail.com​​ ​or​ ​call​ ​(608) 558-9169.​ ​​ ​Donations​ ​may​ ​be​ ​mailed​ ​to NAMI​ ​Green​ ​County,​ ​PO​ ​Box​ ​343,​ ​New​ ​Glarus, ​WI​​​ ​53574.

“Trevor’s​ ​Team”​​ ​was​ ​formed​ ​in​ ​memory​ ​of​ ​Trevor​ ​Moen,​ ​son​ ​of​ ​NAMI​ ​Green County​ ​board​ ​member ​Conni​ ​Bigler.​ ​​ ​Trevor’s​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​relatives​ ​joined​ ​the team​ ​that​ ​has​ ​now​ ​brought​ ​in​ ​over​ ​$40,000​ ​in​ ​donations.​ ​​ ​The​ ​team​ ​walks​ ​in memory​ ​of​ ​those​ ​who​ ​have​ ​lost​ ​their​ ​lives​ ​to​ ​depression​ ​issues​ ​associated​ ​with many​ ​mental​ ​illnesses.​ ​​ ​They​ ​also​ ​walk​ ​to​ ​“stomp​ ​out​ ​the​ ​stigma”​ ​involved​ ​with mental​ ​illness​ ​and​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​in​ ​funds​ ​that​ ​will​ ​help​ ​NAMI​ ​advocate​ ​and​ ​educate.

NAMI​ ​Green​ ​County​, ​along​ ​with​ ​NAMI​ ​Wisconsin,​ ​hope​ ​to​ ​pilot​ ​a​ ​new​ ​program​ ​in the​ ​New​ ​Glarus​ ​High​ ​School​ ​soon....​”Raise​ ​Your​ ​Voice.”

In​ ​addition,​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​Mental​ ​Illness​ ​Awareness​ ​Week,​ ​National​ ​Depression Screening​ ​Day​ ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​on​ ​Thursday,​ ​October​ ​5.​ ​ You​ ​can​ ​access​ ​the​ ​website, HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org.

“We​ ​are​ ​calling​ ​on​ ​everyone​ ​to​ ​join​ ​NAMI​ ​and​ ​replace​ ​stigma​ ​with​ ​hope​ ​by pledging​ ​to​ ​be​ ​#StigmaFree,”​ ​said Bigler​, ​of​ ​NAMI​ ​Green​ ​County.

To​ ​take​ ​the​ ​#StigmaFree​ ​pledge,​ ​visit​ ​www.nami.org/stigmafree.​ ​NAMI​ ​offers information​ ​about​ ​mental​ ​illness​ ​conditions,​ ​symptoms​ ​and​ ​treatment​ ​at http://www.nami.org​ ​or​ ​through​ ​its​ ​HelpLine​ ​at​ ​800-950-NAMI​ ​(6264).​ ​​ ​We​ ​welcome you​ ​to​ ​visit​ ​www.namigreencounty.org​, ​which​ ​also​ ​provides​ ​a​ ​link​ ​to​ ​our​ ​Facebook​ ​page.

Learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​Mental​ ​Illness​ ​Awareness​ ​Week​ ​at​ ​​www.nami.org/miaw.