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.
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NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL legal system 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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July Is Mad Pride Month and Disability Pride Month
“The month of July has many connections to the movement for mental health consumers/psychiatric survivors,” David Oaks, founder of MindFreedom International, writes. They include the choice of Bastille Day by New York State mental health activists to hold an annual protest of the mental health system, and that “one of the first known psychiatric survivor groups”—the Alleged Lunatics’ Friend Society—was founded on July 7, 1845. At the same time, he adds, because the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990, July was chosen as Disability Pride Month. “ ‘Disability pride’ has been defined as accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.” For more about Disability Pride Month, click here. For David’s blog about Mad Pride Month and Disability Pride Month, click here.
“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”
“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters), and Laura Van Tosh (convener of Washington Legislative and Policy Advocates) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.
Free Webinar: “Implementing the SAMHSA/NASMHPD 988 Convening Playbooks”
On July 6, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET, the TA Coalition will present a free, 90-minute webinar on “Implementing the SAMHSA/NASMHPD 988 Convening Playbooks,” presented on behalf of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “These playbooks are designed to help programs and providers prepare for and implement 988-related services.” This webinar will “share strategies for implementation, case studies and other resources, and outline SAMHSA’s five-year plan for the continued implementation and enhancement of 988 and other services across the crisis continuum.” For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
MFI and I Love You, Lead On Will Co-Host Judi's Room on the Controversy Surrounding Assisted Suicide
On July 6, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT, MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will co-host a Judi’s Room discussion on “the danger of allowing people with depression, ineffective health care, disability, and undiagnosed medical problems the right to use suicide as health care,” said Susan Fitzmaurice of I Love You, Lead On. “Our freedoms are being eroded by recent actions of the U.S. Supreme Court; we are no longer thought capable of making our own decisions around reproduction,” Fitzmaurice said. “When will we be determined incompetent to choose to refuse assisted suicide when offered by doctors as a health care option? And might someone who is entangled in a guardianship have that decision made for them?” She continued: “Know what changes in law are being proposed. Know how to protect yourself. We are in a fight for our very lives.” The speakers will be disability rights activists Anita Cameron, director of minority outreach of Not Dead Yet, and John B. Kelly, director of Second Thoughts MA: Disability Rights Advocates Against Assisted Suicide. To register for free, click here.
Do You Work in Substance Use Recovery and Have Outstanding Student Loans?
To find out if you’re eligible for the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP), and for more information, click here. The deadline to apply is July 7, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The program offers up to $250,000 in loan repayment. “If you receive an award, you must work full-time for six years in a STAR LRP-approved facility.”
Rutgers Releases W-TLC Virtual Toolbox and Training/Learning Collaborative Series
“The Rutgers Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies has announced the release of the Wellness Training Learning Collaborative (W-TLC) virtual toolbox and Training/Learning Collaborative series…This toolkit provides peer support, individual, and organizational approaches to support the wellbeing of the critical health care workforce.” For descriptions of the 12 upcoming sessions—including two in July (July 7 and July 28), with the remaining sessions to be held August 2022 through January 2023—and to register for them, click here and scroll down. For the “Journey to Wellness Guide,” click here. (Note: Information about the Journey to Wellness Guide was included in the April 2022 Key Update.)
NYAPRS 2022 Annual Conference Call for Presentations Deadline is July 8
NYAPRS will host its 2022 Annual Conference–”A New Alliance: It Takes a Community”--at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, New York, from September 21 to 23. (Covid protections will be in place.) The deadline for submission of proposals is July 8. For the application, click here.
Psychiatric Advance Directives Facilitated by Peer Supporters Help Prevent Involuntary Commitment, Researchers Say
A recent article in JAMA Psychiatry—“Effect of Psychiatric Advance Directives [PADs] Facilitated by Peer Workers on Compulsory Admission Among People With Mental Illness: A Randomized Clinical Trial”—found that “Peer worker-facilitated PADs are effective in decreasing compulsory hospital admissions and increasing some mental health outcomes (self-perceived symptoms, empowerment, and recovery). Involving peer workers in the completion of PADs supports the current shift of mental health care from substitute decision-making to supported decision-making.” To download a PDF of the article, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) In addition, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion offers two documents to help people who want to create a PAD: “Advance Self-Advocacy Plan: A Guidebook for Creating a Mental Health Advance Plan or Psychiatric Advance Directive” (click here), and “Advance Self-Advocacy Plan: An easy-to-use, customizable plan for people who want to create a Psychiatric Advance Directive or Mental Health Crisis Plan” (click here.) And the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (click here) is also helpful!
“Would You Like to Share Your Experiences to Help Others Who Are Trying to Find Freedom, Healing & Hope Beyond Psychiatry?”
“I am currently working on a book about life beyond psychiatric services and would love to include the wisdom and expertise of as many survivors as possible!,” Jacqui Dillon, a person with lived experience in the UK, posted on Facebook. “I am looking for submissions between 500 and 2,000 words. I am aiming to cover a range of issues and experiences which many of us have had to engage with, which will be useful for people currently trying to navigate their way out of the system. Please feel free to focus on whichever areas interest you most. You are free to use your own name, or a pseudonym, whichever feels most comfortable to you. Please contact me here for further information, or send your submissions here: beyondthemadhouse@gmail.com. Submissions are required by mid-September.” For the Facebook post, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin via Jacek Haciak)
Dealing with “Core Emotions,” Such as Disgust, May Be Key to Processing Trauma
A recent article in Slate reports on a trauma therapy, developed in 2000, called Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), which “combines affective neuroscience, trauma theory, attachment theory, and rapid transformation theories. This type of emotion-focused therapy gets to the root problem, using the catalytic power of ‘core emotions’ like disgust, sadness, anger, and joy to turbocharge brain change, also known as neuroplasticity. This stands in stark contrast with medicating symptoms of mood disorders or using behavioral tools to change thinking and behaviors,” according to Slate. For the article, click here.
The AAPP Annual Meeting Includes a Focus on “the New Activism in Psychiatry”
A highlight of the 2022 meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry (AAPP), in New Orleans May 21-22, was “the new activism in psychiatry and the scientific turn evident in fields such as neurodiversity and mad studies,” writes Awais Aftab, MD, in Psychiatric Times. “Utilizing Harding’s notion of “strong objectivity,” the hosts of a popular philosophy of psychiatry webinar series (currently on hiatus) “argued that psychiatric activism can be understood as a legitimate form of scientific criticism, and that [the] neurodiversity movement and Mad Pride are beginning to pursue scientific goals that may ultimately transform psychiatric science or establish scientific alternatives to psychiatry.” To learn more, click here.
June MHTTC Newsletter Offers Resources and Opportunities
The June edition of the Northeast and Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network newsletter offers a variety of resources and opportunities. For LGBTQ+ Pride Month, in June, there are links to several websites that provide information and support to the LGBTQ+ community, which are useful year-round. The newsletter also contains links to “a self-paced, online, three-part HealtheKnowledge (sic) course,” an episode of its “Toward Wellness and Recovery” podcast, a new toolkit from SAMHSA’s National Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery, and more. For the newsletter, click here.
“Mass Violence Takes Toll on Americans’ Psyches,” Washington Post Reports
“Repeated shootings in schools, churches, and stores erode [Americans’] sense of safety,” according to a recent Washington Post article. “When the American Psychological Association surveyed more than 2,000 people about their stress levels just days after back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, in 2019, the findings laid out the toll of seemingly ceaseless, random violence. A third of the respondents said they would no longer go to certain public places for fear of becoming a casualty of a mass shooting. Almost as many said they could not go anywhere without worrying about being shot. Twenty-four percent said they had made changes in their lives due to their fear of a mass shooting. Sixty-two percent of parents said they lived in fear of their children becoming victims of a mass shooting, and 71 percent said the possibility of mass violence was adding stress to their lives. The poll used an online survey with non-random methods so the results may not be nationally representative.” For the article, click here.
Free Webinar: “Workplace Burnout: How We Get There; How We Recover”
On July 14, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, NYAPRS will host a free webinar on “Workplace Burnout: How We Get There; How We Recover.” NYAPRS writes: “Doing something from time to time to support our own mental health is good, but incorporating self-care into our routines is a more effective strategy. In the NYAPRS July webinar, ‘Workplace Burnout: How We Get There; How We Recover,’ Glenn Courounis will explore what leads to burnout and, more importantly, what we can do to recover from it! CEs are approved for this offering for LMSW, LCSW, CPRP and LMHCs.” To register, click here.
U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health
The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offer additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.
Free Webinar: “Deflection, Diversion and Mental Health Recovery: A Systems Approach and DEI Practice Perspective”
On July 15, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. ET, SAMHSA will sponsor a 90-minute webinar on “Deflection, Diversion and Mental Health Recovery: A Systems Approach and DEI Practice Perspective.” “U.S. prisons and jails incarcerate a disproportionate amount of people with current or past mental health challenges, especially those with serious mental illness, but often fail to properly support the individuals’ recovery or community reintegration after release. In Illinois, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) is at the forefront of justice system interventions and recovery supports, specializing where behavioral health and criminal justice intersect.” Following the webinar, participants may register for Part Two of this table talk discussion with Jac Charlier, executive director, TASC Center for Health and Justice, and Joel K. Johnson, president and CEO, TASC, to be held July 20, 2022, at 1:00 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. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
You’re Invited to a White House and HHS Call on Reports Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
On July 15, 2022, at 4 p.m. ET, the White House Office of Public Engagement invites you to a briefing on the status of two reports addressing the long-term effects of COVID-19. Included will be “nongovernmental experts, organizations, and interested parties, including individuals affected directly by the long-term effects of COVID-19. Featured speakers include Admiral Rachel L. Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health and Rear Admiral Michael F. Iademarco, MD, MPH, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Medicine (OASH), and other members of the Long COVID Reports team. Questions submitted in advance will be given priority; live questions will be accepted if time allows. This call is closed press, open registration, and free to share widely with your networks! ASL and CART will be provided.” To register, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)
Free Webinar: “Finding Our Voice,” Presented by the National Empowerment Center on July 19
On July 19, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center (NEC) will present a free, 90-minute webinar on “Finding Our Voice.” NEC writes: “Would you like to participate in advocacy but don't know where to begin? Experiences of trauma and treatment often stifle our voice. Join this webinar to learn how we can transform our anger to our passionate voice!” The presenters are Joana Arcangel, Dan Fisher, Shira Collings, and Richard Krzyzanowski. To register, click here.
PsychU Will Host Two Free Webinars in July: “The Effects of Racism on the Mental Healthcare Community” and “Digital Health Tools: Combating Stigma and Healthcare Disparities”
On July 21, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, PsychU will host a one-hour webinar on “The Effects of Racism on the Mental Healthcare Community: How Marginalized Patients & Providers Are Impacted.” And on July 28, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, PsychU will present a one-hour webinar on “Digital Health Tools: Combating Stigma & Healthcare Disparities.” For more information and to register for one or both of these webinars, click here.
Free Webinar: “Peer Support Is In Demand” on July 26, Presented by Doors to Wellbeing
The next webinar in the monthly series sponsored by Doors to Wellbeing will take place on July 26. The topic is “Peer Support Is In Demand,” and the presenter will be Amey Dettmer, the program manager of Doors to Wellbeing. For more information and to register, click here.
National Association for Rural Mental Health Conference to Be Held November 2-4, 2022
The 47th Annual National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) conference will be held at the Embassy Suites in Boulder, Colorado, November 2-4, 2022. The theme is “Beyond the Pandemic—Building on Rural Resiliency.” The early-bird registration fee is $500; for people who are retired or students, it’s $250. For more information as it becomes available, click here.
Do You Want to Be More Humble? More Forgiving? More Patient? More Positive? Try This.
“In the Positive Psychology Research Group, we have created a number workbooks that people can work through on their own to build their virtues or character strengths,” writes Everett Worthington, Commonwealth Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. Seven workbooks—all evidence-based, Worthington explains—are currently available on his website. “Thus far, we have investigated the following: forgiveness (secular), forgiveness of Christians who have offended other people in their church, humility, patience, self-forgiveness, self-control, and positivity.” To download the free workbooks, click here and scroll down. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)
“Why Do People Hear Voices?”
A three-page infographic from the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community answers “Why do people hear voices?” with “I don’t know why any one person hears voices, but here are just a handful of reasons why some people believe that they do...” and then offers details on some of the possible reasons. For this 2016 infographic, click here.
The July 2022 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “And How Do These Books Make You Feel? These seven books analyze what really happens between therapist and patient,” click here. For “How to Stop Dating People Who Are Wrong for You: Focus on the long term. Don’t try to replace your ex. Plus three more cures for unhealthy romantic habits,” click here.
The July 2022 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)
For “Sheriffs Want to Turn Transport of Psych Patients Over to Mental Health Workers: Patients under involuntary commitment orders describe being traumatized by law enforcement involvement in mental health care, which often comes with handcuffs and added stigma,” click here. For “When the Death Penalty and Serious Mental Illness Collide,” click here. For “Cops and Counselors: Mental health professionals call the police, work with the police, and act like the police. But even in our ranks, an abolitionist future is possible,” click here. For “The Shadowy World of Jailhouse Informants: Explained,” click here. For “Does the death penalty target people who are mentally ill? We checked,” click here. For “LGBT Individuals Overrepresented in Prisons: Study,” click here. For “Courting Judicial Excellence in Juvenile Justice: A 50-State Study,” click here. For “Inventing Solitary: In 1790, Philadelphia opened the first American penitentiary, with the nation’s first solitary cells. Black people were disproportionately punished from the start,” click here. For “When Innocence Isn’t Enough: Christopher Dunn has spent more than 30 years in prison for a murder he and others say he didn’t commit. The state of Missouri says he must stay there—because he wasn’t sentenced to death,” click here. For “A new attorney helped clear an innocent man of a murder sentence after 32 years in prison: Natlie Figgers logged 2,000 hours working for free to exonerate Thomas Raynard James after misidentification and suspect police work sent him to prison in Florida,” click here. For “Denver Deployed Mental Health Workers Instead of Police—and Some Crimes Went Down,” click here. For “Solitary Confinement: A Curated Collection of Links,” click here. For “A Texas Court Brazenly Defied SCOTUS. The Conservative Justices Just Rewarded It. Republican judges in Texas figured out how to nullify the Sixth Amendment—and get away with it,” click here. For “Denial of death-row challenge stirs pushback on overlooked orders. Justice Sonia Sotomayor signed a lengthy dissent that says the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals thumbed its nose at findings from a 2020 high court majority,” click here. For “Incarcerated LGBTQ+ Adults and Youth: This brief examines the criminalization and over-incarceration of LGBTQ+ people in the United States, highlighting the drivers of overrepresentation and presenting recommendations for reform,” click here. For “Turning Prisons into Haunted Houses: Giving strange new life to old penitentiaries,” click here. For “Commentary: Provide Tools to Prove Innocence: We spent decades in prison for crimes we didn’t commit and it’s time the Legislature did something to fix it,” click here. For “In some states, your 6-year-old child can be arrested. Advocates want that changed,” click here. For “SCOTUS ruling in Concepcion, while addressing crack cases, should also resolve circuit split on compassionate release factors,” click here. For “The Supreme Court Let The Death Penalty Flourish. Now Americans Are Ending It Themselves. As Roe v. Wade ends, a look back at how the court reversed itself on capital punishment— spurring an anti-death penalty movement,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
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)
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.
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.
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
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
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)
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.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
Lancet Offers Stakeholders New 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)
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
“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 19, No. 1, July 2022. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH