What is the PAIMI Council?
The Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Council advises the Disability Law Center (DLC) on the priorities and policies which guide its work to protect and advocate for the rights of Utahns with mental illness. The Council is composed of consumers of mental health services, family members, providers, attorneys, and other interested persons from the community. The Council Chair also serves as a liaison to the DLC’s Board of Trustees.
Current PAIMI Council
Kenneth Gourdin
Council Chair
Ben Picklesimer
Council Vice Chair
Alicia Scotter
Harold J. Fricke
Matthew Caleb Fagen
Michelle Aimone
Tricia Jones-Parkin
Whitney Geertsen
Yaschica Konopka
How To Participate
Anyone interested in serving on the PAIMI Council, please review the information available at disabilitylawcenter.org/paimi-recruitment/.
The PAIMI Council meets the first Wednesday of each month at the DLC Office, excluding July and December. Under DLC’s current COVID-19 protocol, monthly PAIMI Council meetings are held virtually via Zoom. Anyone interested in attending a meeting, please contact Sherri Wittwer, PAIMI Program Liaison, at (801) 363-1347, or email PAIMI@disabilitylawcenter.org.
Resources for People with Mental Illness during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Click here to go to the Live On Utah website. Live On is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing our culture around suicide and mental health.
- Click Here for the CDC’s Guidelines on Stress and Coping
- Click here for the National Alliance on Mental Ilness’s Guide and Resources for COVID-19
- myStrength App
- myStrength has recently added resources and supports surrounding COVID-19 and the behavioral health needs that you may have during this time. myStrength also has existing resources for balancing intense emotions, anxiety, depression, pregnancy and parenting, opiates, mindfulness, alcohol, reducing stress, improving sleep, managing chronic pain, and PTSD/trauma. The resources available through myStrenth are evidenced based and provide a holistic approach to overall well-being.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on Mental Health and COVID-19
- Click here to go to the Resource Hub
- “A coalition of the nation’s leading mental health advocacy groups, the largest healthcare insurance companies, and the Department of Veterans Affairs announces the launch of the COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub, a package of free digital resources to help individuals and providers address mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- Click here for tips on navigating Coronavirus anxiety from a mental health expert.
- NAMI Utah is now offering free online support groups and mental health education seminars to anyone in Utah impacted by mental illness. You can pick a group and register at this link: https://namiut.org/our-programs
Phone Numbers
- Utah Statewide Crisis Line in association with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
- There is a Utah Warmline available at 801-587-1055 for Salt Lake County residents not in crisis, but seeking support, engagement, or encouragement.
- Utah Coronavirus Information Hotline, 1-800-456-7707, a resource for all of your COVID-19 related questions. You can also find answers on their website, coronavirus.utah.gov
- Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, A 24/7 national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people seeking emotional help in the aftermath of a disaster, you can also text TalkWithUs to 66746.
- SafeUT, 833-372-3388, is a crisis chat and school safety tip app. Crisis counselors are available 24/7 for chats, tips, and calls. They provide supportive or crisis counseling, suicide prevention, and referral services.
