There will be a great deal going on Tuesday, Oct. 6 on the MSU Meridian campus and the Kahlmus Auditorium in regards to mental health and health screenings as the “Mind Matters Health Fair and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) hold their first banquet in Meridian.

Pace Cooke Emmons of Weems Mental Health in Meridian said these events are a big deal and will raise awareness of mental illness like never before.

“We will have a speaker on depression and suicide who will talk about her brother-in-law’s recent suicide,” said Emmons. “But for the NAMI Meridian Awards Banquet we will have a nationally recognized speaker, Sam Cochran, who is a great speaker.”

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Kahlmus Auditorium It’s the opening program for the Mind Matters Health Fair, which includes the Department of Mental Health launch of its new “Think Again” campaign. The theme of the 4th Annual Mind Matters is Men, Depression and Suicide. According to Emmons, men complete suicide four times more often than women.

The health fair will follow from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. also in the Kahlmus Auditorium. A variety of health screenings, including vision, blood pressure, Body-Mass Index (BMI), mood disorders, posture and stress are planned. Information on a variety of topics, including depression, suicide awareness and other mental health disorders, stress, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease and more will be available. Admission is free.

The flagship event will be the NAMI Meridian Awards Banquet.

“The banquet is really a separate event, sponsored by NAMI Meridian,” said Emmons.

The tickets to the NAMI event, which begins at 6 p.m., are $25 and include dinner. Order by calling Pace Cooke Emmons at (601) 917-7020 or (601) 483-4821. Checks payable to NAMI Meridian.

Cochran, a Meridian native, is retired from the Memphis Police Department where he helped develop the Crisis Intervention Team training to improve the interaction between law enforcement and the mentally ill, especially on calls in the field. It’s a 40-hour training for the police officers. Cochran recently retired from the Memphis Police Department after 33-years; with the last 20 years of service as Coordinator of the Memphis Crisis Intervention Team. Other services also included supervision of Critical Incident Services, and the Hostage Negotiation Team.

Emmons said local law enforcement agencies are very supportive of implementing this locally, especially the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department but some laws have to be changed at the state level first.

NAMI has started a local group to address community issues for those with mental illness. The group chose as its first emphasis reducing the criminalization of the mentally ill, and CIT is one important step.

The group is the Community Partnership on Mental Health. It has been meeting monthly. A wide variety of criminal justice, mental health, physical health, social service agencies and individuals from the community have been coming regularly. The group is now finalizing its mission and strategic plan.

NAMI is the country’s largest organization focused on provided support, education and advocacy for individuals with mental illness and their families. Visit the Web site: www.nami.org.

Emmons said at the end of the banquet at 9 p.m. a candlelight vigil honoring and remembering those with mental illness will be held outside the Kahlmus Auditorium.