The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.
TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM
The Key Update is compiled, written, and edited by Susan Rogers, Director, National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse.
NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!
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“False Diagnoses and Bad Drug Recommendations Are Now Just a Few Hashtags Away, New Research Warns”
“[R]esearchers are examining how pharmaceutical companies partner with patients who are willing to share their experiences with their followers and help give the drugs more credibility,” according to a recent article in Mel Magazine. ‘This is a growing phenomenon, but there is virtually no research on it and very little regulation,’ Erin Willis, an associate professor at the University of Colorado, said in a press release…Willis and Marjorie Delbaere, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, reviewed 88 articles on current industry regulations and practices, and…concluded that influencers are ‘the next frontier in direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical marketing.’…Willis and Delbaere’s paper argues that this, along with the rise of internet-aided self-diagnosis, has created a culture of patients who tell their doctors what is wrong with them and what drugs they need, as opposed to the other way around. And amazingly, up to 44 percent of doctors oblige these medication requests. ‘It’s a lot like what we used to see with doctors and pharmaceutical companies,’ Willis explained. ‘Only now it’s patients using social media to advocate for disease awareness, and in some cases, pharmaceutical medications.” For the article, click here.
MFI to Present “Viewing the Suicide Prevention Industry Through a Critical Lens”
On June 1, 2022, social activist authors Robert Whitaker and Rob Wipond will discuss the suicide prevention industry on Mind Freedom International’s Judi’s Room at 6:00 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT. Their presentations will be followed by a discussion arising from audience questions. To register for free, click here. (Note: Rob Wipond will be one of the keynote speakers at NARPA’s 2022 conference. See “NARPA Announces Exciting Keynoters to Speak at Its 2022 Annual Rights Conference, October 26-29,” below.)
NY Times Reports: “Doctors Gave Her Antipsychotics. She Decided to Live With Her Voices.”
A recent article in the New York Times Magazine does some justice to the peer movement and to the fact of recovery from serious mental health conditions. Featured in the article are several movement activists talking about the Hearing Voices Network, as well as peer-run crisis respites such as Soteria Houses (in Israel) and Afiyah Peer Respite, run by the Wildflower Alliance in Massachusetts. The Times reporter, Daniel Bergner, cites the World Health Organization’s “guidance [that] seeks to put an end to human rights violations in mental health care” (included in the July 2021 Key Update). He also quotes Thomas R. Insel, who led NIMH from 2002 to 2015, saying that, although $20 billion may have been spent, “I don’t think we moved the needle in reducing suicide, reducing hospitalizations, improving recovery for the tens of millions of people who have mental illness.” Bergner continues: “Better outcomes, the W.H.O. predicts, ‘will depend on a re-evaluation of many of the assumptions, norms and practices that currently operate, including a different perspective on what ‘expertise’ means when it comes to mental health.” He quotes Michelle Funk, the primary author of the W.H.O. report: “Practitioners cannot put their expertise above the expertise and experience of those they’re trying to support.” For the New York Times Magazine article, click here. For “The Medical Model Doesn't Work for Mental Health," an interview with Thomas Insel, click here. (Note: Journalist Daniel Bergner will be a panelist in the June 9th webinar presented by NYAPRS. Please see “NYAPRS to Host Three Free Webinars in June,” below, for details.)
TU Collaborative’s Parenting Through Leisure Series Continues on June 2
On June 2, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion will continue its Parenting Through Leisure webinar series with its third free, one-hour webinar, which will focus on using leisure to talk about mental health conditions. The TU Collaborative writes: “We will go over the benefits of disclosing mental illnesses to children, as well as strategies to talk about mental illnesses while engaging in fun activities with children…This webinar series features strategies parents who experience mental health issues can use to spend quality time with their children, and ways to use family leisure to improve connection and communications.” For more information and to register, click here.
June 3 Is Gun Violence Awareness Day. Wear Orange! More Americans Died of Gun-Related Injuries in 2020 Than in Any Other Year on Record. And NCMHR Decries Texas Governor Abbott’s Call for “ ‘Mental Health’ Instead of Background Checks”! And “March for Our Lives” to End Gun Violence on June 11!
In 2022, the 8th National Gun Violence Awareness Day will fall on June 3, the first Friday of the month. That will kick off Wear Orange Weekend on June 4-5, which will feature virtual and in-person events across the nation. For more information, click here. “More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, according to recently published statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That included a record number of gun murders, as well as a near-record number of gun suicides.” For “What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.,” click here. (On May 14, 10 people were shot and killed in a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, N.Y., in a racially motivated hate crime. And on May 24, 19 children and two teachers were murdered in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. For the response of the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery to the tragedy in Uvalde—“National Advocacy Organization of People Labeled Mentally Ill Decries Gov. Abbott’s Call for “Mental Health” Instead of Background Checks”—click here.) And “March for Our Lives” to end gun violence on June 11 in DC and around the US! For more information and to find a march near you, click here.
“Courageous Conversations: Cultivating Cultural Humility and Managing Biases with Families Facing Serious Mental Illnesses and Serious Emotional Disturbances”—Session One of Three
On June 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will sponsor Session One of “Courageous Conversations: Cultivating Cultural Humility and Managing Biases with Families Facing Serious Mental Illnesses and Serious Emotional Disturbances.” “Participants will…learn practical strategies for working compassionately and authentically with diverse families facing severe emotional disturbances based on the cultural humility core pillars of establishing a commitment to self-evaluation, fixing power imbalances, and committing to institutional accountability, and explore implicit and explicit biases and managing biases in advancing behavioral health equity.” For more information and to register for this free webinar, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
MHTTC Announces Three Upcoming Webinars June 7, 8, and 9
The Northwest MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) has announced three webinars taking place on three consecutive days: June 7, 8, and 9. These are “Supervising Peer Specialists, with Pat Deegan” (June 7, 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. PT), “Incorporating Strategies to Effectively Engage Hispanic and Latinx Clients” (June 8, 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m. ET, 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m. PT), and Co-Occurring Disorders: Compassionate Care for Healing and Recovery” (June 9, 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m. ET, 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m. PT). For information about the three webinars and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
NYAPRS to Host Three Free Webinars in June
“This month's webinars offer a theme of shared experience, space for conversation and community building,” NYAPRS writes. “Career Chat 2.0: Exploring Change through Education, Credentialing, and Professional Development,” an interactive chat, will take place on June 8 at 12 p.m. ET. “Career Chat 2.0 is a space where we share our experience and perspective and explore change…Join Gita Enders, NYC Health + Hospitals; Jonathan P. Edwards, NYC DOHMH; and EM Vaianella, HALI; and other peer supporters and colleagues for this interactive chat.” To register, click here. On June 9, NYAPRS is partnering with Community Access and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership to present a free, one-hour webinar on “Soteria New York” at 1 p.m. ET. The presenters are Pesach Lichtenberg, founder of Soteria Israel; Voyce Hendrix, director of Soteria San Jose (1976-1978); Yana Jacobs, a counselor at Soteria San Jose; and Daniel Bergner, contributing writer, New York Times Magazine, and author of the upcoming book “The Mind and the Moon—My Brother, the Science of Our Brains and the Search for Our Psyches.” To register, click here. And on June 15 at 12 p.m. ET, NYAPRS will present “Wellness and Recovery Story Circles—Build Relationships across Cultural Differences.” Story Circles “grant opportunities for peers who are service recipients the freedom to share their living and lived experiences in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment. Story Circles also engage participants in collective learning, leadership development and storytelling experiences that can reshape their lives, support personal wellness and recovery goals and improve the quality of personal and community life.” To register, click here.
Reclaiming Employment™ Platform Offers Self-Employment Support
Live and Learn, Inc., is recruiting users for its Reclaiming Employment platform, launching in June 2022. Reclaiming Employment offers support for people with mental health challenges around work to start and run small businesses. “At this time, Reclaiming Employment is only available to use through a pilot research study, where users will have access to all the website’s features and participate in a few surveys. If you or someone you know is interested in or currently engaged in self-employment and would like to use Reclaiming Employment, let us know by filling out the interest form (below). The deadline for enrollment is June 3. Join us in building a community where personal, economic, and collective empowerment are achieved through self-employment. Earn up to $80 for participating!” For more information and to get involved, click here.
Latest N.A.P.S. Newsletter Offers Opportunities for Peer Supporters!
The May 25th edition of the National Association of Peer Supporters (N.A.P.S.) newsletter invites applications for sponsors and exhibitors at the N.A.P.S. annual conference, October 19-21, 2022. (The deadline for workshop applications is June 17!) The hybrid conference will be held at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport and online! In addition, N.A.P.S. members can apply to serve on its board of directors. And a new “Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporter Community Space” is open! Also, through a partnership with the online, nonprofit, institutionally accredited Western Governors University, N.A.P.S. members can apply for a $5,000 scholarship to earn a bachelor’s or master’s in business, IT, education, or health care! For the N.A.P.S. newsletter, click here.
AHRQ Invites Public Comment on a Potential Service-Recipient Survey to Assess Inpatient Mental Health Care
“AHRQ invites public comment on its Request for Information (RFI) about a potential Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey to assess patient care experiences in inpatient mental healthcare settings. Specifically, this RFI seeks comment regarding methodologically sound survey and data collection approaches of care experiences of those receiving inpatient mental healthcare. In addition, this RFI seeks comments about any unique considerations or concerns associated with collection of such patient care experience information. There currently is no CAHPS instrument designed to measure care from the patient perspective in this setting. This request for information will help inform the development of a scientifically sound survey to measure the experience of patients receiving inpatient mental healthcare.” The comment period ends July 1, 2022. For more information and/or to submit a comment, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)
HHS Announces Its First-Ever Behavioral Health Recovery Innovation Challenge
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has announced its first-ever behavioral health Recovery Innovation Challenge. Its goal is to identify innovations that advance recovery and that were developed by peer-run or community-based organizations and their partners, such as local or state governments, health systems, hospitals, or health plans. The application deadline is July 15, 2022; finalists will be announced on August 6. The purse prize (for up to 10 awards) is up to $400,000. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of NYAPRS E-News)
Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly & Moral March on Washington June 18
“The Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly & Moral March on Washington and to the Polls” on June 18, 2022, will be a generationally transformative declaration of the power of poor and low-wealth people and our moral allies to say that this system is killing ALL of us and we refuse to be silent anymore!...Did you know that there are fewer voting rights in 2018 than there were 50 years ago when the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were passed? Since 2010, 23 states have passed racist voter suppression laws, including racist gerrymandering and redistricting, laws that make it harder to register, reduced early voting days and hours, purging voter rolls, and more restrictive voter ID laws.” The marchers will gather at 9 a.m. on June 18 and the march will start at 10 a.m. For more information, click here. (Note: For details about the gathering place, it may be necessary to RSVP using the form provided at the link above, or to contact the organizers.)
NARPA Announces Exciting Keynoters to Speak at Its 2022 Annual Rights Conference, October 26-29
The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) will hold its 2022 Annual Rights Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newark Airport October 26-29. The four inspiring keynote speakers will be Rob Wipond, an activist, investigative journalist, and author of the upcoming “Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Forced Detentions, Forced Treatment, And Abusive Guardianships”; Ruth Lowenkron, Director, Disability Justice Program, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, who has filed lawsuits against the New York Police Department about their responses to mental health crisis calls; Vesper Moore, an indigenous political activist, leader, author, trainer and educator in the psychiatric survivor and disability rights movements; Deborah Dorfman, Executive Director, Disability Rights Connecticut, who is active in individual, class action, and systemic reform litigation for disability rights around the nation; and Robert Dinerstein, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law, who will speak about recent developments in mental health law. Visit www.narpa.org for registration form and updates.
Free Webinar: “Integrating Faith & Spirituality into Trauma Recovery”
On June 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET, SAMHSA will sponsor a free, 90-minute webinar about “Integrating Faith & Spirituality into Trauma Recovery.” The presenters will discuss “what trauma recovery consists of and the value of a faith- or spirituality-based approach; best practices for inquiring about a trauma survivor’s relationship with spirituality and integrating their beliefs into treatment and healing; and incorporating Islamic faith and spirituality into trauma work with the Black Muslim American population.” Following the webinar, participants will be able to register for Part Two of this discussion with the presenters on June 30, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. ET. “Part Two is a 60-minute intimate dialogue with the presenters and a smaller number of registered webinar participants who will be able to ask more detailed questions and engage with the presenters more comprehensively.” For more information and to register, click here.
Doors to Wellbeing Will Host the Next Free Webinar in its Monthly Series on June 28
The Doors to Wellbeing website will include details closer to the date, here. To register, click here.
TU Collaborative Offers a Free Publication on “Why Mattering Matters”
“Why Mattering Matters: The importance of mattering for people with serious mental illness” is a new publication from the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The TU Collaborative writes: “For many individuals who experience serious mental illnesses, social isolation and loneliness are part of their experience of everyday life. However, social connection is not simply being in the presence of others. Do people notice when someone is there or when they are absent? Does their presence contribute to the social environment or to the activity? In short, does it feel like they matter? So, while it may seem like simply spending more time with other people might combat loneliness, it appears that reducing loneliness and isolation likely involves more than increasing one’s social connections. Mattering may be a key component to effectively reducing loneliness among individuals who experience mental illnesses. This document presents the importance of social connections and mattering for all people, and why these issues are especially important for people living with mental illnesses.” To download the free, nine-page pamphlet, click here.
Save the Date: National Latino Behavioral Health Conference
On September 15-16, the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA), with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, will sponsor the 2022 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The theme will be "Latino Behavioral Health Equity: Juntos Podemos! (Together we can!)” For more information, write to nlhconference@nlbha.org.
National Safety Council Offers a Free Webinar Series Focusing on Mental Health in the Workplace
"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will affect employees well beyond the initial crisis," the National Safety Council writes. "Employers have a unique ability and responsibility to address the mental health and wellbeing of their workers, which is a true organization-wide effort. This free Mental Health Webinar Series led by the National Safety Council, and first presented in August 2020, speaks to a variety of positions within an organization and how each one can address stress and mental health." Four of the five webinars are titled: "Supporting Employee Mental Health" and respectively subtitled "Resources for Employees," "Actions for Leadership," "Actions for Supervisors," and "Actions for HR Professionals." To view the free, archived webinars, click here.
“25 IG Cartoonists Who Totally Get Your Anxiety”
“…sometimes, a good anxiety cartoon is just what you need to interrupt all the perfection for an acknowledgment of the messier side of life. These cartoonists? They got you—insecurity, anxety, imposter syndrome and all. Here are our absolute favorite anxiety cartoons on Instagram.” For the comics, click here.
The June 2022 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “The Power of Kindness in Improving Brain Health,” click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak.) For “Mindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works. Facing the painful parts of life head-on is the only way to feel at home with yourself,” click here. For “Getting Back Into Running Is Easier Than You Think: Whether you’re lacing up your running shoes after a few months or a few years, follow these tips to avoid injury and frustration,” click here. For “AA Agnostica is meant to be a helping hand for the alcoholic who reaches out to Alcoholics Anonymous for help and finds that she or he is disturbed by the religious content of many AA meetings,” click here. For “Make Swimming Your Summer Workout: With just 30 minutes and a few useful tricks, a trip to the pool can become serious exercise,” click here.
The June 2022 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Justice System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)
For “Va. Gov. Youngkin restores voting rights to thousands of ex-felons,” click here. For “Millions of People With Felonies Can Now Vote. Most Don’t Know It. In a handful of key states, no more than 1 in 4 formerly incarcerated people registered in time for the 2020 election, a Marshall Project analysis found,” click here. (The preceding article was included in the Key Update’s Criminal Justice Digest in July 2021.) For “Supreme Court makes it more difficult for prisoners to argue they had ineffective counsel,” click here. For “Supreme Court Limits Inmates’ Challenges Based on Bad Legal Help: Splitting 6 to 3, the justices ruled that federal courts may not hold evidentiary hearings in suits from state prisoners claiming ineffective assistance of counsel,” click here. For “The Supreme Court Just Gutted Another Constitutional Right,” click here. For “Counties Pledge to Break the Cycle Between Jail and Homelessness: With $20 million in MacArthur Foundation funding, four U.S. jurisdictions are exploring ways to make sure that brushes with the law don’t end up putting people on the street,” click here. For “LGBTQ people are disproportionately incarcerated. Here’s why. More than a century of homophobia and transphobia have shaped the policing and incarceration of women and trans men,” click here. For “This Prison Won't Let Me Read ‘Game of Thrones’: Navigating the sometimes weird, arcane rules about inmate contraband, click here. For “The America That Killed George Floyd: In a new biography of the man whose murder sparked massive protests, two reporters tell a longer story of institutional racism,” click here. For “Op-Ed: The mentally ill defendants in my courtroom need treatment, not jail,” click here. For “The Island: A History of Rikers,” click here. For “New Justice Dept. policy says agents must intervene if they see abuse: Memo from Attorney General Merrick Garland is the first such policy update in 18 years,” click here. For “Given a chance to avoid jail and criminal charges, mentally ill, addicted and homeless people in L.A. pass,” click here. For “The Center for Justice Paves a Path to Reentry for Formerly Incarcerated Students: This year, seven formerly incarcerated students affiliated with Columbia's Center for Justice will graduate from the university,” click here. For “Daniel Taylor Was Innocent. He Spent Decades in Prison Trying to Fix the State’s Mistake. He was in police custody at the time of the murders, but a dubious confession led to his wrongful conviction while Chicago police and prosecutors turned a blind eye to inconvenient facts that eventually exonerated him,” click here. For “The Superpredator Myth Did a Lot of Damage. Courts Are Beginning to See the Light,” click here. For “Justice Dept. Inquiry Finds ‘Systemic Failures’ at Mississippi Prison: A report singled out solitary confinement and enforced segregation as particularly harmful practices that contributed to the poor mental and physical health of prisoners,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH STUDIES AND AN “EXPERIENCES WITH HOSPITALIZATION” SURVEY
Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses
Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu
Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents
“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here.
BU Seeks Peer Support Specialists for a Research Study
The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University is developing and testing the effectiveness of a coaching service called Coaching and Advancement for Peer Providers (CAPP) “to increase organizational commitment and job satisfaction and decrease turnover among mental health peer providers.” BU CPR writes: “We need Peer Support Specialists (PSS) to participate in our study. Who can participate? People who are in a paid job as a Peer Support Specialist providing support to other people with mental health challenges, who are employed at least 10 hours per week, who have worked for the past six months in a mental health program, and who are experiencing stress because of challenges in the workplace. The study involves 16 one-hour sessions of coaching over a four-month period designed to help you with your job, meeting online (through Zoom, for example) with your coach, and filling out surveys one time before coaching starts and three additional times. You will have a 50/50 chance of getting a coach or having a one-time meeting to give you information about challenges at work. Benefits? You may learn strategies to help make work less stressful.” For more information, click here. For questions, contact Principal Investigator E. Sally Rogers, Sc.D., at erogers@bu.edu or 617-353-3549.
Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help
Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.
National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents
"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.
If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...
"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.
"Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?"
"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)
TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.
Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field
If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)
“Experiences with Hospitalization” Survey Seeks Participants
“The purpose of this survey is to help us understand people's lived experience with voluntary and involuntary treatment because of suicidal thoughts. It was created by people with lived experience…We are planning to use this information to facilitate discussions with suicidologists and the suicide prevention community about the impact of the use of these interventions, particularly within marginalized populations. We feel the voice of people with lived experience with these interventions has not had adequate opportunity to be heard, and hope that by completing this survey anonymously, people who have been most impacted can find a safe way to share their experiences. Please note that this is not a research project.” For more information and/or to participate, click here. (Courtesy of Leah Harris)
International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents
“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.” For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com
CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS
South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Conference on June 1-3, 2022
"We invite those with a commitment to transforming FEP care, including those with lived experience, family members, providers, and researchers, to join us for the South Southwest MHTTC First Episode Psychosis Conference 2022 to celebrate successes and imagine a future of continued growth and accountability on June 1-3, 2022, either in person in Austin, TX ($75) or virtually (free). This event[—whose theme is Re-envisioning FEP Services with Youth and Young Adults—]will include keynotes, panels, informal networking, and collaborative dialogue groups. We place particular emphasis on developments related to diversity of perspective, including incorporating lived experiences, marginalized or minoritized groups, and other positionalities (culture, class, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, childhood lived experiences, contexts, worldview, perspectives, etc.). We hope to see you there!" For registration and more information, click here.
These Four National Mental Health Conferences (Among Others) Are Coming Up in 2022
The annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association, Mental Health America, and the International Conference on Trauma and Mental Health will take place in 2022. The American Psychiatric Association 2002 annual meeting, to be held both in-person in New Orleans May 21-25 and online June 7-10, will focus on the theme of "Social Determinants of Mental Health." For more information, click here. The theme of Mental Health America's 2022 annual conference, to be held June 9-11 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill and live-streamed, is "Forward Together: Recovery, Healing, Hope." For more information, click here. NAMI’s virtual conference, “NAMIcon,” will be held June 14-16. For the full schedule and to register, click here. The International Conference on Trauma and Mental Health will take place November 3-4, 2022, in San Francisco. For more information, click here.
ISPS-US (Hybrid) 2022 Conference to Be Held November 4-6
The 2022 ISPS-US (International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis—U.S. Chapter) conference will be held November 4-6 in Sacramento, California, as well as online. The conference theme is Opportunity Through Experience: Psychosis, Extreme States, and Possibilities for Transformation. ISPS-US writes: “People with lived experience, family members, clinicians, and researchers are all invited to propose presentations that promote mutual collaboration and respect, and can allow us to offer each other both greater understanding and more light. We especially welcome proposals from members of marginalized groups whose experiences have included systemic as well as relational traumas and challengesFor more information, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
Alternatives 2021 Is Over, but You Can View Many of the Presentations—and the Work Continues!
If you missed Alternatives 2021—the oldest national conference organized by and for individuals with lived experience of a mental health condition—you can see many of the presentations on the Alternatives conference website! The conference—whose theme was “Connecting, Organizing, Activating!”—was held July 8, 10, 15, and 17, and was organized by the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery. This year the conference was virtual—and free! One highlight was the three Action Groups—on Promoting Racial and Social Justice, National and Statewide Advocacy, and Crisis Prevention and Alternatives to Institutionalization—which met on all four days. Reports from each of the groups are posted on the Alternatives conference website, and it is hoped that people will continue to work together to make progress on the goals that were determined by participants during the conference. For information about the Action Groups, click here. Recordings of many of the workshops, keynotes, and special activities are available on the Alternatives conference website (click here).
Peer Advocates Over 50 Years Old Are Invited to a Weekly Empowering Support Group
"People over 50 who are mental health lived-experience advocates, change makers, visionaries, and current status quo challengers" are invited to join "a weekly, open, upbeat, peer-support empowering environment for seasoned peers with lived experience who are active, and were active, as advocates for positive change," the WiseCrackers write. The goal of the recently launched group is "to support mental health advocates over 50 years of age with pure peer support practices based on natural curiosity, acceptance, humor, and positive networking." The free, 90-minute Zoom meetings are held on Mondays at 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT, 5 p.m. MT, and 4 p.m. PT. The meetings are currently co-facilitated by "East and West Coast Peers" and sponsored by the Community for Positive Aging. To register and to review the WiseCracker Principles of support, click here. Questions? Contact info@choiceheals.com or 503.208.0065.
Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups
“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.
ISPS-US Offers an Array of Archived Webinars--Free but Donations Are Welcomed
The ISPS-US (The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis-US Chapter) is offering a whole raft of archived webinars, which are free (although donations are welcomed). Among the webinars are "Cognitive Behavioral & Related Therapies for Psychosis: Diverse Approaches to Supporting Recovery," "How Can the Uncontainable Be Contained? Paradoxes of Madness & Philosophy," "Robert Whitaker: The Rising Non-Pharmaceutical Paradigm for 'Psychosis,'" "Life with Voices: A Guide for Harmony," "COPE Project: Non-Pharmaceutical Research on Influencing Voices and Visions," "What Hurts and What Helps In Treatment For 'Psychosis': Insider Perspectives," and many others. For more information and to access the webinars, click here.
PETITIONS AND OPEN LETTERS
ISEPP Invites Mental Health Practitioners and Academicians to Sign Its Open Letter to the Major U.S. Mental Health Professional Organizations
The Coalition Against Medicalized Psychology & Psychiatry (CAMPP)—the action committee of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP)—asks mental health practitioners and academicians worldwide “to join us in signing an open letter to the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Counseling Association, National Association of Social Workers, and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy to provide evidence for framing emotional distress and troublesome behaviors as illnesses or defects in a person’s biology—and, if they can't, to publicly reject the medical model of mental disorder. With this we hope to raise awareness of the harmful effects of that model. Send me your name, credentials, profession, position, city, state, and country to be appended to the letter. Pass this email on to others in your network and ask them to sign too. Our plan is to share the above organizations' responses (or lack of responses) with The Washington Post and The New York Times science and/or health editors.” For the letter, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone) (For another ISEPP petition, see below.)
ISEPP Circulates Petition to Support Human Rights in Psychiatric Treatment
ISEPP seeks signatures on a petition to "[m]ake a strong statement that any psychiatric or psychotherapeutic interventions without full and honest informed consent are unethical and inhumane." For the petition, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)
Please Sign a Petition to Help Save a Public Mental Health Model in Italy
"Trieste is recognized by the World Health Organization as the model of global best practice in mental health care," according to a change.org petition highlighted in a recent NPR article. "It has inspired dozens of programs throughout the world to create an integrated network of community services focused upon the whole-person needs of its users; maintaining their dignity as citizens; and minimizing the coercive practices of old fashioned institutional settings...Trieste has shown us how community inclusion improves people’s lives. But this great achievement is now threatened by a new right-wing regional government that, on poorly informed and ideological grounds, is fast and impulsively dismantling Trieste's wonderful system of community care...As a Friend of Trieste and all that it stands for, please sign this petition and distribute it widely. For updates on this situation, please consult www.accoglienza.us." For the NPR article, "A public mental health model in Italy earns global praise. Now it faces its demise," click here. For the petition, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Van Tosh)
“Mental Health System: Open Letter to the Media” Seeks Signatures
“Everyone who believes that the problematic aspects of the mental health system are not adequately represented in the media is invited to sign this letter,” writes Yulia Mikhailova, who launched this initiative to educate the media. The letter begins: “We, a group of people with first-hand experience of the mental health system, write to express our concern about what we see as one-sided coverage of this system in the media and to draw the attention of civil rights organizations to the systemic discrimination that we witnessed and experienced. We, our loved ones, or inmates in the facilities where we worked, were exploited for monetary gain and victimized in various other ways. We saw how abuse, corruption, and exploitation were covered up, while victims and critics of the system were silenced and marginalized.” For a short version of the letter, which includes a link to a longer version, click here. Questions? Contact Yulia Mikhailova at yuliamikh@gmail.com.
COVID-19
CNN Offers “A Guide to Helping and Getting Help During the Coronavirus Crisis”
CNN writes: “The coronavirus pandemic is overwhelming, and one of the most excruciating parts for many people is the feeling of utter helplessness in the face of widespread suffering and hardship. CNN’s Impact Your World has compiled a list of donation opportunities and tips to help those affected by the crisis. Click on a category or scroll down to browse a list of organizations, resources and ideas. Need help? Most categories also include resources for financial, emotional or social support.” For the free guide, click here.
Seven Ways to Keep a Digital Copy of Your Vaccination Card on Your Smartphone
“You'll need proof of vaccination to go back to work or enter many restaurants, gyms and event venues, so keep your COVID-19 card handy.” This is the advice of CNET.com, a tech support website. Besides the obvious—taking a photo of the card to store on your phone—there are six other suggestions. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Yvonne Smith)
U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation
"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
Lancet Offers Stakeholders Opportunities
Check out these opportunities for stakeholder involvement! (1) The Lancet Psychiatry Commission's "Lived Experience Hub" invites stakeholders to contribute blogposts to convey criticisms, concerns and/or ideas relevant to the work of the Commission. For details, click here. To submit a blog, email lancetcommissionpsychosis@gmail.com. (2) The Lancet Psychiatry Commission's "lived experience research group" is a new listserv focused on lived experience advocacy and activism on participatory psychosis research and related policy and practice. In part, this will serve as a sounding board for Lancet Commission work and a place to engage in dialogue about what needs to change. To join, email lancetcommissionpsychosis@gmail.com. (Courtesy of Dr. Nev Jones)
The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools
"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)
Poetry Coalition to Launch "Poetry & Disability Justice" Initiative
"This year, the 25+ organizations nationwide that comprise the Poetry Coalition will launch 'The future lives in our bodies: Poetry & Disability Justice,' the coalition’s sixth annual programming initiative...Poetry Coalition members aim to demonstrate how poetry can inspire questions in their communities about disability justice and spark increased engagement with this important theme. Member organizations are committed to offering programming that is accessible and that includes disabled, neurodivergent, and d/Deaf poets and those of diverse racial, ethnic, and gender identities, backgrounds, and communities. All organizations and others interested are invited to create programs on this theme in 2022 and share their efforts using the hashtags #DisabilityJustice and #PoetryCoalition. For some additional resources to assist with programming, particularly in creating accessible programming, click here.
"Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests" leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," a Psychiatric Times Series
Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.
Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement
Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.
Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)
Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.
PsychAlive Offers a Variety of Webinars on Mental Health Topics, Many Free, Others $15
PsychAlive is a free, nonprofit resource created by the Glendon Association, whose mission is “to save lives and enhance mental health by addressing the social problems of suicide, violence, child abuse and troubled interpersonal relationships.” Psychalive.org offers a variety of upcoming and archived webinars, many of which are free, while others are available for $15. Among the myriad topics are “From Anxiety to Action: How to Stay Sane While Fighting Climate Change,” “How to Overcome Insecurity,” “Powerful Tools to Fight Depression,” and “Understanding and Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences.” To check out the webinars, click here.
“Where DNA and Medications Meet”
Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)
Lived Experience Leadership Features 12 Years of Research Studies...
"Lived Experience Leadership features 12 years of research studies focused on this workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better of understanding and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers. Lived Experience Leadership provides clear and simple to read research summaries to allow community members and people employed within various industries the opportunity to easily understand and apply strategies within their own workplace. This website also includes easy to download definitions, audio/visual resources, and key work by other Australian and International sources. The website will continue to grow to include larger collections of our research as well as other key work. For the Lived Experience Leadership website, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”
Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.
Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.
About The Key Update
The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is now affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.
The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 18, No. 12, June 2022. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH