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Text Box: The Initiative

Text Box: Inside This Issue Circle of Support Campaign…………………………………………..2 Local Voices—Message from our New President…………………..3 DBSA at the End of the Tunnel……………………………………….3 Stigma in the Military…………………………………………………..4 NMH Anti Stigma Campaign………………………………………….5 Medicare Part D………………………………………………………..6 WRAP for Vets & People in the Military……………………………..6 Wacky World News…………………………………………………… 7 Brrrrrrrrr...It’s Cold Outside!…………………………………………...8 Poems and Such……………………………………………………9,10 DBSA Support Group Meeting Schedule…………………………..11

Text Box: “Pathways to Recovery” and “Living Successfully” Two New DBSA Programs Make Colorado Springs Debut in 2007 By Julia Nelson DBSA, the leading patient directed national organization focusing on the most prevalent mental illnesses – depression and bipolar disorder, is now making it possible for local chapters to offer classes on managing mood disorders to their communities. It is becoming more apparent that much of recovery is in the hands of those suffering from mood disorders and that the tools to do this should be given directly to them. In response to the need, DBSA National selected leaders from chapters across the country to attend intensive training as facilitators for two new unique programs: one that focuses on educating people about mood disorders, and a second course designed to help people discover their strengths and use those strengths to manage their life and work towards goals. Our chapter was honored by the selection of not just one, but four of its chapter leaders to receive specialized training as course facilitators. Julia Nelson, Ralph Lundgren, Deborah Cordero, and Cindy Ucker underwent the training with DBSA National to bring these programs to Colorado Springs. Continued on Page 5

Text Box: Changes Coming to DBSA Colorado Springs! By Julia Nelson Change can mean for good or for bad, but for our chapter in 2007, good things are expected. A number of changes in the leadership of the chapter will take place at the beginning of the year as well as exciting new programs being offered. Many will be sad to see Executive Director, Karen Fallahi retire from her position. Around here, it seems that her name is synonymous with DBSA Colorado Springs. She started this award-winning chapter and has been Executive Director for many of the 12 years. It would not feel right to call the Resource Center and not hear her voice, or walk into the Center and not be able to visit with her. However, DBSA is not losing her. She still plans to continue overseeing the Inpatient Hospitalization and Awareness Program. With the loss of our executive director, we were unable to fill the shoes that Karen left behind. Therefore, this past fall, the board held several strategic planning sessions, working hard to come up with a new structure for our organization that will take us well into 2007 and beyond. The duties Karen performed in the Consumer Resource Center will in time be taken over by a Resource Center Director. Other executive director duties have been assigned to specific board members. The Board is confident that with the current plan already in place, the changes to the organization will effectively bring about more opportunities for growth and development. Of course the new structure would not be possible without the Board of Directors elected for 2007. This will be the largest Board that we have seen in our chapter to date. We have 8 new members this year; Peaches Bell, Pat Burnard, Deborah Cordero, Javier Elizalde, Theresa Kreger, Kia Williams-Maynard, George Pollard, and Jan Rondeau. They all bring with them a variety of knowledge, backgrounds and fresh, new ideas to DBSA Colorado Springs. Continued on Page 2