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 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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New Report Reveals Big Pharma’s Threats to Medical Whistleblowers
New research published in the Journal of Scientific Practice and Integrity provides details of publicly documented threats to, and harassment of, clinicians and scientists after they communicated “safety, efficacy, or data integrity findings contrary to corporate interests.” Two of the many drugs covered in the report—entitled “Davids versus Goliaths: Pharma and academia threats to individual scientists and clinicians”—are antidepressants: paroxetine (brand names Paxil, Aropax, Pexeva, Seroxat, Sereupin and Brisdelle) and fluoxetine (Prozac). For “Davids versus Goliaths,” click here. In addition, attorney Jim Gottstein blew the whistle on atypical antipsychotic olanzapine (Zyprexa). He tells this story in his masterly book, The Zyprexa Papers (click here). (Courtesy of Elizabeth Saenger)
“Psychiatric Advance Directives—What They Can Do for You”
On August 31, at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT, Disability Rights California will present “Psychiatric Advance Directives—What They Can Do for You.” The speakers will discuss “what Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs) are, why they are important, how they can protect rights, PAD section options, and advocacy opportunities for PADs.” For details and to register, click here. (The link skips to the registration field; scroll up for details of the webinar.)
Save the Date! NCMHR to Host Alternatives 2022, a Virtual Conference, on Nov. 2, 3, and 4
The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery will host Alternatives 2022, a virtual conference, on November 2 and November 3, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET; and November 4, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The conference will be FREE—although donations are welcome! “Alternatives 2022 will be a ‘working conference’ where we will return to our roots of advocacy and social justice,” NCMHR writes. “In addition to speakers and panels, conference participants will be able to join work groups to develop action steps in key priority areas. We need to make the voice of persons with lived experience more prominent nationally. We want to fire up our movement and remind everyone of our roots and the need for advocacy.” As more information becomes available, it will be posted on the Alternatives conference website (click here). To register, click here.
Stakeholders with Lived Experience Work to Prevent Co-optation and Tokenism in Research
“As reviewers, editors, and researchers with lived experience of mental health challenges, addiction, and/or psychosocial distress/disability, the authors have struggled to find an adequate way to address inappropriate or misleading use of the term ‘participatory methods’ to describe research that involves people with lived experience in only a superficial or tokenistic manner….” To read their entire article—“Strengthening Review and Publication of Participatory Mental Health Research to Promote Empowerment and Prevent Co-optation”—published online by Psychiatric Services—click here. (For more on this topic, see below.)
Two Recent Articles Explain: People with Lived Experience Can Play a Vital Role in Research
In “They’re Able to See Things That I Don’t” and “The lived experience of psychosis,” the authors, respectively, explain the important contributions that individuals with lived experience can make in research. “People with disorders are no longer simply subjects to be studied but ‘experts by experience,’ who can play key roles in the research process itself,” write the authors in “They’re able to see things that I don’t,” published in August 2022 by the British Psychological Society (BPS). And in “The lived experience of psychosis: a bottom-up review co-written by experts by experience and academics,” published in May 2022 in World Psychiatry, “experts by experience played a major role in picking the themes for the study and in screening and discussing first-person accounts.” For the BPS article, click here. For the World Psychiatry article, click here. (Courtesy of Janet Paleo)
Researchers Develop New Scale to Measure Patients’ Psychological Safety
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow have devised a measure to assess an individual’s feelings of safety. According to a recent Science Daily piece, the Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale (NPSS)—called “the first of its kind”—has the potential to be used in a variety of settings, “such as tracking progress in psychological therapy or assessing whether a sense of psychological safety enhances learning or improves hospital outcomes.” Using statistical methods to assess participants’ responses to a questionnaire, the researchers established which statements were most associated with feeling safe, leading to the 29-item scale. The study has been published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. For the Science Daily report, click here.
MHA Will Present Three Youth-Focused Webinars in September
Mental Health America will present three webinars in September that highlight youth mental health: “Reducing the Risk of Youth Suicide: A Discussion on Education, Prevention, and Early Intervention” (September 6, 1 p.m. ET); “ ‘Follow Me and Like My Beautiful Selfies’: Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health” (September 13, 2 p.m. ET); and “Where do I fit in?” (September 20, 3 p.m. ET). For details and to register, click here.
“‘The Best Tool We Have’ for Self-Harming and Suicidal Teens” and “This Teen was Prescribed 10 Psychiatric Drugs. She’s Not Alone.”
“Studies indicate that dialectical behavior therapy offers greater benefits than more generalized therapy” for teens with mental health challenges, according to a recent article in The New York Times. “A 2018 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association…found that DBT led to sharper drops in suicidal attempts and self-harm among adolescents than a more generalized therapy did. A 2014 study by researchers in Norway found a similar effect, noting that the therapy also has a relatively low dropout rate, and concluded that ‘it is indeed possible for adolescents to be engaged, retained, and treated’ using DBT.” This article was a sidebar to a Page 1 New York Times story: “This Teen was Prescribed 10 Psychiatric Drugs. She’s Not Alone.” For the main story on the New York Times website, click here. If you’re stuck behind the New York Times paywall, here’s a different link (courtesy of Kevin Fitts): (click here). For “‘The Best Tool We Have’ for Self-Harming and Suicidal Teens” on the New York Times website, click here.
MindFreedom International’s Next Judi's Room to Be Held on September 7
On September 7, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT, MindFreedom International will host its next monthly Judi’s Room. For more information stay tuned here! To register for free, click here.
Guide Offers Best Practices for Peer Support and Leadership in EIP Services
A 106-page guide— Peer Involvement and Leadership in Early Intervention in Psychosis Services: From Planning to Peer Support and Evaluation—aims “to provide a range of different stakeholders with information and best practices for peer support and leadership in early intervention for psychosis (EIP) services…Unlike many other U.S. peer support manuals, the aim of this guide is to provide coverage of a broad range of domains in which peers might assume leadership or advisory roles. These include program development and planning, direct service delivery (including peer support), public outreach and engagement, clinician education, and quality improvement and evaluation.” The author is Nev Jones, Ph.D., a “community engaged mental health services researcher” who has lived experience. For the guide, click here.
Seven Years of Stepping Up Will Highlight Efforts to Reduce Criminal Legal System Involvement of Individuals with Mental Health Conditions
On September 8, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSG JC) will host Seven Years of Stepping Up. CSG JC writes: “Communities across the country are reducing over-incarceration of people with mental illnesses as part of the national Stepping Up initiative…The virtual event will highlight counties’ achievements over the past seven years, explore emerging trends in the field, and chart a path forward for the movement. It is free and open to the public. The latest CSG JC newsletter also includes “How to Use an Integrated Approach to Address the Mental Health Needs of Youth in the Justice System” and a lot of other information. For the newsletter, click here. For another CSG JC newsletter (State of Justice, August 19, 2022), click here. (For more about the criminal legal system, in which many individuals with mental health conditions find themselves, scroll down.)
Suicide Hotlines: What the Research Says; “New 988 Hotline Doesn’t Currently Use Geolocation Services,” AP Reports; NBC News: “New 988 hotline draws criticism that it could lead to a police response, but advocates say it’s misguided”; NPR: “Social Media Posts Warn People Not to Call 988. Here’s What You Need to Know”; and SAMHSA’S “988 Frequently Asked Questions”
Now that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has launched, “it helps [journalists] to be familiar with the research on suicide prevention lifelines," writes Naseem Miller, senior health editor of The Journalist’s Resource, a project of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. For the research roundup, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone) In addition, AP reports, the claims that using the new 988 mental health hotline “will automatically route your geolocation information to local authorities,” are false. For the AP article, click here. However, the headline of “New 988 hotline draws criticism that it could led to a police response…” is misleading in claiming that “advocates say it’s misguided,” because some advocates disagree. For the NBC News article, click here. And a recent segment on NPR attempts to answer the question, “So should I use 988 or not?” Their answer? “It depends.” For the NPR article, click here. Meanwhile, SAMHSA reports that “the FCC held a 988 Geolocation Forum in May 2022 and the agency is actively analyzing the information gathered during that forum,” For more, click here. (For more about 988, see below.)
Free Webinar: “988: What’s the Scoop?”
On September 13, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, PsychU will host a free, one-hour “discussion with experts in suicide prevention and mental health: ‘988: What’s the Scoop?’ ” PsychU writes: “…Our experts will share insights on nationwide and state-specific efforts and gaps with respect to 988, and what this means for health care providers and individuals in crisis. Finally, we will highlight how 988 could evolve over time to shape our mental health care environment and the role health care providers can play to make positive changes at their local and regional levels.” Certificates of Completion can be downloaded. For details and to register, click here.
“Mental Health Activists Hold Diverse and Varied Perspectives on Psychiatry”
“An article published in the journal Psychiatric Services looks at the variety of perspectives in the world of mental health activists and advocates (MHAAs),” Mad in America writes. For their review (including a link to the abstract of the article: “Beyond binary narratives of mental health advocacy: Latent profiles of mental health activists and advocates with lived experience”), click here.
September 14 Is World Hearing Voices Day; (Hybrid) World Hearing Voices Congress 2022 to Be Held in Brazil; Study Highlights Positive Outcomes of Voice-Hearing Group Members in Brazil
1. “World Hearing Voices Day recognizes and values the diversity of those of us who hear voices, see visions, or have related sensory experiences,” writes Intervoice. “It is a day to promote our right to define our experiences in our own way.” 2. This year’s International Hearing Voices Congress will be hosted in Porto Alegre, Brazil, November 3-5, by Hearing Voices Brazil. The Congress will also be running online in partnership with Online Events. “We will share more details on themes and topics when we have them,” Intervoice writes (click here). 3. Mad In America reports on new research in Brazil demonstrating “how voice hearing groups can be a strategy for the care and recovery of individuals who hear voices.” For the article, click here.
Mental Health Book Fair Will Celebrate Students Who Combat Prejudice and Discrimination
On September 16, 2022, three college students who have disclosed their mental health status in ways that help combat prejudice and discrimination will each receive a $500 Disclosure Scholarship at the Prevention, Wellness & Recovery Book Fair sponsored by Gift of Voice, a mental health training and technical assistance center based in Edwardsville, Illinois. The Fair will feature published authors who themselves are in mental health and addiction recovery. “With so many negative consequences for mental health disclosure, it’s no wonder people don’t seek out support when they’re struggling,” said Gift of Voice founder AJ French. “The only way I know how to change these life-altering outcomes is by developing positive consequences for disclosure.” For more about the Fair, including the location and the hours, click here.
NYAPRS Opens Registration for Its 2022 Annual Conference
NYAPRS has launched registration for its 2022 Annual Conference (September 21-23, Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center, Callicoon, New York). Conference fees will appear as you proceed through the registration process. For more information, visit the NYAPRS website. Program details will be released soon via the NYAPRS E-News and website. For more about registration (including Covid precautions), click here.
NARPA Rights Conference Offers Scholarships for Persons with Lived Experience
The deadline is September 20 to apply for a scholarship to attend the NARPA Rights Conference, to be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey, October 26-29, 2022. For details and to apply, click here.
Doors to Wellbeing Will Host Its Next Free Webinar on September 27
On September 27, 2022, at 2 pm. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will host the latest in its monthly one-hour webinar series. For more information as it becomes available, and to register, click here.
Protest Planned at AOT Conference in San Antonio, October 13-14
Texas mental health advocates are planning a protest at the Treatment Advocacy Center’s National AOT [Assisted Outpatient Treatment] Symposium and Learning Collaborative, to be held at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, October 13-14, 2022. For information about the conference, click here. For the Treatment Advocacy Center’s 74-page “2022 Texas AOT Practitioner’s Guide,” click here. “Attendance for this event is FREE. However, there will be a charge of $150 for any cancellations after October 6, 2022 or for no shows.” As information about the protest becomes available, it will be posted on the Prosumers International website (click here).
“Start Your Own Friendship Project with This Easy-to-Follow Guide”
“The Friendship Squad is a mutual aid project for social support,” writes Dan Frey, director of City Voices. “Basically, my purpose was to connect people who were secure in their recovery from mental health and/or addiction challenges and who have a solid support system, with people who may be struggling, lacking support, lonely and/or isolated,” he said. If you want to start your own Friendship Project, “I will help you every step of the way free of charge.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Surviving Spirit Newsletter)
Invitation to Contribute to a Celebration of Steve Harrington
We are holding a celebration of the life of Steve Harrington at the upcoming N.A.P.S. Annual Conference. Steve was the founder of the National Association of Peer Specialists, and touched many lives in his quest for growing the peer support workforce. He died in November 2021. Rita Cronise is collecting items to include in a slideshow of Steve’s life that will be shared at the conference. If you knew Steve and have a brief memory or photo to share, please contact Rita at rita.cronise@rutgers.edu.
The Movement Mourns Sally Zinman, Fierce Warrior for Social Justice, Who Died on August 25, 2022
Sally Zinman, who struggled with cancer for many years, died on August 25, 2022. Announcing Sally’s death, Harvey Rosenthal wrote: "Rest in peace & power, Sally, & know that your legacy of self-empowerment, community organizing & activism...& transformational change & courage, determination & love will go on forever." Addressing her community of mental health activists in her acceptance speech at the SAMHSA Voice Awards ceremony in 2016, Sally said: “We, all of us, have been soldiers in a march towards transformation, from a system based on chronicity to one of recovery, from a system that decided everything about us without us, to one in which nothing is about us without us. From a system that considered people with lived experience as not able to run their own lives, to one that values consumer-run programs and peer support. From a system based on force to one based on choice and self-determination and freedom. And from a world that dehumanized and isolated people with lived experience to one that embraces us as neighbors, friends, family members, business colleagues, and every kind of professional.” For the entirety of Sally’s speech, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)
The September 2022 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “Wellness in Eight Dimensions,” click here. For “How to Make Friends as an Adult,” click here. For “Can You Pass the 10-Second Balance Test? This simple, often neglected skill can pay huge dividends later in life,” click here.
The September 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 “After Another Mentally Ill Person Dies in Police Custody, Experts Call for Widespread Training, Health Resources,” click here. For “Mental Health Professionals Really Can Assume Some Police Duties: In Denver, it’s proving cheaper and maybe more effective—in limited circumstances. Here’s how,” click here. For “How Qualified Immunity Fails People at Risk of Suicide,” click here. For “A BFD for Criminal Justice Reform: The fight to reduce mass incarceration just got a big boost,” click here. For “Bringing Balance and Fairness to Reporting on Safety and Justice: A New Resource for Reporters Who Cover Complex Issues Involving Crime & the Legal System,” click here. For “Voting in Jails: Advocacy Strategies to #UnlockTheVote,” click here. For “How Policing Has—and Hasn’t—Changed Since George Floyd: More than two years after millions took to the streets to protest police violence, the problem persists. That doesn’t mean nothing has changed,” click here. For “Jail Guitar Doors goes into the prisons, jails, and juvenile detention facilities all around this nation bringing with us the undeniable, UNIVERSAL POWER OF MUSIC to help our fellow imprisoned human beings onto the right track toward successful reentry,” click here. (Courtesy of Surviving Spirit newsletter) For “Restraints and involuntary medication are widespread at corrections facility for people with mental illness, report alleges,” click here. For “ ‘When People Fear Me Based on My Jail Tats and Scars, They Miss the Real Me’: A recent ride to a public clinic gave Jose Armendariz a quick break from jail. But he couldn’t escape the fear and judgment of the other patients,” click here. For “The Arizona Prison System Is Censoring The Nation. We’re Doing Something About It. Arizona prison authorities are stopping incarcerated people from reading The Nation. We’re working with the ACLU’s National Prison Project to assert their First Amendment rights,” click here. For “How Electronic Monitoring Incentivizes Prolonged Punishment: An innovative method to help reduce mass incarceration is often derailed by outrageous fees and onerous rules that can send people back to prison,” click here. For “ ‘It’s Crushing’: The Lasting Trauma of the Exonerated. Proving your innocence is only part of the battle to put your life back together,” click here. For “For wrongfully convicted Black men, exoneration can be just as traumatizing as prison: Black people are wrongfully convicted at a higher rate—and pay a high price even after being exonerated,” click here. For “Via multiple rulings, Michigan Supreme Court places new restrictions on when juveniles can receive life sentences,” click here. For “Hundreds of Thousands of Incarcerated People Are in Danger Amid Scorching Heat,” click here. For “ ‘Cooking Them to Death’: The Lethal Toll of Hot Prisons,” click here. For “Prison Money Diaries: What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars: We asked people in prison to track their earning and spending — and bartering and side hustles — for 30 days. Their accounts reveal a thriving underground economy behind bars,” click here. For “We Spent a Year Following a Troubled Police Force. Listen to the Entire Podcast Series: ‘Changing the Police,’ a podcast from The Marshall Project and NPR’s Embedded, examines what one community wants from its cops,” click here. “Some [cities] have launched crisis-response programs that offer alternatives to the police for some non-violent mental health emergencies. But in Yonkers, for now, the police still handle these calls.” See Episode 4, which covers this issue, at this link (click here). For ”Albert Woodfox, Angola 3 member and prison reformer, dies at 75. He served 43 years in solitary confinement, perhaps longest in U.S. history,” click here. For “US Sentencing Commission Restocked After Senate Confirmations,” click here. For “I spent 14 years in solitary confinement. Here’s why we should end the practice. Solitary confinement took away a piece of me that I will never get back. It's also more expensive and hurts prisoners' mental health,” click here. For “Seattle's Crackdown on Low-Level Crime Targets the Poor, Mentally Ill. The City’s Quest for ‘Accountability’ Also Reinforces Systemic Racism,” click here. For “How funding mental health services could reduce incarceration in Oklahoma,” click here. For “Staffing shortages and deficient training leave First Step Act floundering, federal prison employees say: ‘This is the biggest failure I've seen of something that's a law. It's pathetic,’ one prison counselor said,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
“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) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) 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.
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)
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
National Latino Behavioral Health Conference to Be Held in Las Vegas September 15-16, 2022
“The National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center (NHL-ATTC) and the National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center (NHL-PTTC) invite you to join us for the 2022 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference: Latino Behavioral Health Equity ¡Juntos Podemos! [Together We Can!] on September 15-16, 2022 at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The purpose of the 2022 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference is to highlight the latest and most relevant data around Prevention, Treatment, Recovery, Policy, and Research focusing on the Hispanic and Latino communities.” For more information and to register, click here.
AD4E 2022 Virtual Conference to Take Place September 16
The 3rd annual A Disorder for Everyone (AD4E) festival, to take place on September 16, 2022, “will bring you a whole day of change-making talks, presentations, conversations, poetry from far and wide,” the organizers write. The conference will begin at 9:00 BST (British Summer Time). For a time conversion table, click here. For more information and to buy a ticket, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
APA to Host Mental Health Services Conference October 13-14 in Washington, DC
The American Psychiatric Association writes: “The 2022 Mental Health Services Conference will bring psychiatrists and other mental health professionals together to collaborate on practical advice to influence systems-level change for their patients. Join us in-person in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton Hotel, October 13-14, as we work together to develop practical solutions to solve real-world issues.” Sessions include “988 and Crisis Care: What Happens After the Call?”; “Mental Health Professionals’ Role in Reclaiming Community Members from the Justice System”; and “The Overturning of Roe vs Wade: Implications for Women’s Health and the Practice of Medicine.” For more information, click here.
2022 N.A.P.S. (Hybrid) Conference to Be Held 10/19-21
The 2022 conference of the National Association of Peer Supporters will be held October 19-21, 2022, at the Sheraton DFW (at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport), and virtually. The conference theme is The Value and Values of Peer Support. "The 2022 N.A.P.S. conference will be the first time we gather in person since 2019. I can't wait to see you there! Join us for networking, education, and celebration of each other," said Jessi Davis, N.A.P.S. board president. To register, click here.
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.
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.
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)
ISEPP’s 2021 Conference Is Available to View Online
The 2021 conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry can be viewed online. The theme of the conference, convened October 9-10, 2021, was “The Destructive Propaganda of the Mental Health Industry: How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Going?” It was dedicated to the life and memory of Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D. To buy a ticket to watch the full conference recording for $22.85, 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)
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”
The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
South Southwest MHTTC Publishes “Hotline Peer Specialist Integration: Preliminary Considerations for Equity and Sustainability”
“Authors Kirill Staklo (he/him) and Nze Okoronta (they/them) provide an overview of the necessary information for the integration of peer specialists in hotline programming for equity and sustainability. Topics include Intro to the Peer Role; Medical trauma and minority stress; Hotline work: How is it different?; Informed consent and harm reduction; Best practices in service establishment and training; and further resources.” For the 26-page document, published by the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, click here. (Courtesy of Jessi Davis)
“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers
Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.
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. For the “Journey to Wellness Guide,” click here. (Note: Information about the Journey to Wellness Guide was included in the April 2022 Key Update.)
“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)
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.
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) offers 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.
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.
Learning Collaborative Webinar Series Offers Several Archived Presentations
The Doors to Wellbeing website offers a number of webinars that you may find of interest: “The Importance of Policies and Procedures in Peer-run Organizations”; “Building Partnerships to Enhance the Peer Workforce,” by Kyneta Lee, Tim Saubers, and Todd Noack; “Handing Over the Keys: Leadership Succession Planning in Non-Profit Organizations,” by Elise Padilla and Maxine Henry; “How to Embed Strategic Planning into the Culture of Your Organization,” by Oryx Cohen; “Fundraising and Sustainability: Building your Organization by Telling the Right Story to the Right Audience”; “Developing a Board of Directors for Mental Health Organizations,” by Amey Dettmer and Matthew Federici; and “Conflict Management in Peer-Run Organizations: Tools for Effective Conversations.” Certificates of attendance are not available for any of these presentations. For more information and to register for any or all of them, click here.
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.
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. 3, September 2022. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH