County Launches Massive Campaign to Fight Stigma and Discrimination Against Mental Illness

/

More than 750,000 San Diegans suffer from a mental illness. That’s enough people to fill Qualcomm Stadium 10 times! One in four adults and one in five children suffer from mental illness in San Diego County. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with mental illness keeps many people from seeking treatment and from beginning the road to recovery.

The five-year, $8.4 million prevention and education campaign called “It’s Up to Us,” launched September 13 by the HHSA Behavioral Health Services division, aims to encourage San Diegans to get help, whether they have postpartum depression after having child, post traumatic stress disorder from combat, general anxiety or more serious disorders. The campaign’s goal is to get people to talk openly about mental illness and to seek help because recovery is possible.

You may have already seem campaign messages that have begun to appear on television, radio, newspapers, Internet, billboards, movie theaters, bus shelters and buses. Messages are produced in both English and Spanish, and geared to change the way people with a mental illness are viewed or view themselves. The campaign is funded by the Mental Health Services Act—Proposition 63, a millionaire’s tax which was approved by voters in 2004. The Act directs funding toward six components to help bolster mental health care in California, including prevention, training, and innovations.

To learn more, visit The “It’s Up to Us” Web site at www.Up2SD.org or www.Up2SD.org/nosotros is available in Spanish. The site provides information, resources, and referral to the County’s 24/7 Access and Crisis Line: (800) 479-3339.

A specialized segment of the campaign addresses educating physical health doctors, to help them help their patients with mental illness, and includes an ambassador program. Behavioral Health Services’ Clinical Director, Dr. Marshall Lewis, published an article to support the campaign in the August, 2010 issue of San Diego Physician (p46), which also runs a full-page ad. For more information: www.MDHelpSD.org.

Retirement and Investment Symposium

/

San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister is pleased to announce the next Investment & Retirement Symposium presented by the Deferred Compensation Division.  This evening symposium will be held on Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at the Doubletree Hotel, Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108.

Every penny you save for your retirement is important! On January 26th, the Deferred Compensation program will bring together the very people who select the investments in the mutual funds you choose for your portfolio.  These two speakers represent two of the most popular investments in the Deferred Compensation line up.

From Janus, Portfolio Manager Mr. Nick Thompson,  will talk about what is happening in the stock market and how he selects the investments for the Janus 20 mutual fund.  Focusing on the bond markets will be Mr. Karl Tourville, Managing Partner at Galliard from our Stable Value Fund. Both will speak to how current events in the world impact investments in your deferred compensation plan.

The cost is $15.00 per person or $25.00 per couple prior to January 15th. $20.00 per person or $30.00 per person after January 15th.  Dinner and parking are included with your paid registration.  Great giveaways and prizes too!  Seating is limited and pre-registration by January 20th is required.

For registration and information, please log on to www.myDCplan.com (under the Important Information Box) or call the Deferred Compensation Department at (619) 531-5840.



Palomar Airport Disaster Drill

/

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires disaster exercises to be held every three years to ensure emergency personnel can act quickly and effectively. County airport officials used this exercise to focus on testing communications, aircraft and victim rescue, firefighting capability, aircraft operations during an disaster, security and the ability of the different agencies to work together. The exercise took place on October 1st, 2010. 

Dog Missing Since March Reunited with Owner

/

Thanks to a Good Samaritan and a microchip, a thankful family was reunited with their best friend “Bandit.” The happy reunion between the Garcia family and their beloved beagle took place this week at the County Animal Shelter in Carlsbad.

 

Bandit had vanished from the Garcia’s home in the Paradise Hills area in March of this year. In September, a Good Samaritan contacted the Department of Animal Services after finding Bandit running loose in North County’s Santa Ysabel area. How the dog ended up so far from his Paradise Hills home is a mystery.

 

As is the normal procedure, Animal Services staff scanned the dog for a microchip and one was detected. Staff then contacted the microchip company to obtain the owner’s information. Gil Garcia, the dog owner, was immediately notified and arrangements were made for the family to pick up the dog at the County Animal Shelter in Carlsbad.  Bandit and the Garcia family are happy to be together again after a 6 months separation.     

 

Bandit’s reunion with his family is a perfect example as to why the Department of Animal Services strongly encourages all pet owners to have their animals’ microchipped.