To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.
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!
DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!
ACTION ALERT!
Help End Health Care Discrimination! Submit Comments by November 13 on Proposed Updates to Disability Rights Legislation!
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has invited comments on proposed updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; the deadline is November 13, 2024. The proposed rule, Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities, updates and improves regulations for this landmark national law that protects qualified individuals in federally funded programs from discrimination based on their disability. Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) has provided helpful information for individuals nationally to show support for the new rule and offer suggestions “to make it even stronger.” For more information, click here. For suggested language proposed by DRO and a link to submit comments, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
NEWS
WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)
“NIH Designates People with Disabilities as a Population with Health Disparities”
“Access to quality health care is a basic human right. It is unacceptable that in 2023, every person in the United States of America does not have that access,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Research to understand the barriers and unmet needs faced by people with disabilities, and to develop effective interventions to address them, is needed. This designation will help to improve access to healthcare and health outcomes for all people.” However, individuals with mental health conditions do not appear to be specified as part of the designated population. For the NIH press release, click here.
“Brain Changes from ECT Linked to Worse Outcomes”
“New research questions the assumption that brain changes after ECT are beneficial to service users,” Mad In America reports. “To the contrary, this study found that a post-ECT rise in grey matter volume corresponded with worsening depressive symptoms in the short run. This initial increase in grey matter volume was then succeeded by significant decreases over the subsequent two years. These reductions were correlated with deteriorating long-term outcomes.” For the article, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
Certified Peer Specialists Are Sought for a Survey to Assess the Changes in, and Growth of, the Peer Specialist Position
Doors to Wellbeing is working with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion to produce a document that captures the current voices of peer supporters working in various roles and settings as peer specialists. The goal is to update the results of a 2009 survey by the TU Collaborative, available at this link. “Our hope is that these documents, when referenced together, can be used to recognize how peer specialists’ jobs, tasks and duties have changed throughout the years,” Doors to Wellbeing writes. The 15-minute survey will remain open until November 1, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. For the survey, click here.
“Trinity Study Aims to Develop Research Questions about Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Drugs”
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin are seeking people to take part in two anonymous online surveys as part of the Priorities for Future Research on Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Medicines (PROTECT) study “to help shape the research agenda about reducing and stopping psychiatric medicines.” For the Mad In Ireland article about the study, click here. For more information and a link to the survey, click here.
Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230.
CONFERENCES
Suicide Research Symposium Announces Call for Proposals. Deadline: November 3
The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT (November 4, 2023, at 2:59 a.m. ET). For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)
Youth Peer Support Action Summit on November 10-11
On November 10-11, 2023, Doors to Wellbeing and Mental Health America will present a national, free, virtual, “youth-led summit to unite and inspire youth and young adult leaders in peer support, including peer specialists, program leaders, and advocates.” For more information and to register, click here.
Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!
On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here!
WEBINARS
“Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF): An Approach to Understanding Mental Distress”
On October 25, 2023, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET, the New England MHTTC will host a webinar about PTMF, “an alternative, non-diagnostic conceptualization of distress created by providers and service users, published by the British Psychological Society and attracting international attention.” For more information and to register, click here.
“Your Community, Your Vote! A Case Example of Promoting Voting from the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute”
On October 25, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative for Community Inclusion is hosting a one-hour webinar focused on promoting voting, a vital area of community participation! The TU Collaborative writes: “During this webinar, we will discuss reasons why folks who experience mental health challenges are less likely to vote, why voting is important,” and how to promote voting in both inpatient and outpatient settings. For more information and to register, click here.
“Fighting for Recovery”
On October 31, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present “Fighting for Recovery,” a one-hour webinar. “Author Phyllis Vine will discuss the sweeping history of activist movements in grossly underserved and misunderstood mental health communities. Hear stories of former psychiatric patients, families, and courageous activists within government and psychiatry who rebelled against inhumane and outdated treatments and policies and created the path that we are on today.” For more information and to register, click here.
“Human Rights Approaches to Mental Health”
On November 1, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET, the CAFÉ TA Center invites you to attend “Human Rights Approaches to Mental Health,” a conversation about what it means to take a human rights approach to mental health advocacy, and how looking at support, recovery, treatment, and policy through a human rights lens can shift perspectives for peers and the public alike. Register here!
November Judi’s Room Will Feature Dr. William Bronston, Who Helped Close Willowbrook State School
On November 1, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will host Dr. William Bronston, author of Public Hostage Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America, about the infamous Willowbrook State School. Back by popular demand after his initial appearance on Judi’s Room, Dr. Bronston–who was the catalyst for a federal class action lawsuit to close Willowbrook–will also speak about “Tower of Youth”--21st Century Digital Media, Arts & Technology: Engaging, Educating & Empowering the Next Generation!--of which he is the president and founder. To register, click here.
“Ethical Psychedelic Therapy And Process Work: Challenges and Dilemmas”
On November 3, 2023, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m.-1 p.m. PT), Will Hall, MA, DiplPW, assisted by Michal Lasocik of the Polish Psychedelic Society, will present on “Ethical Psychedelic Therapy and Process Work: Challenges and Dilemmas.” There is a $45 fee; scholarships are available. Will Hall writes: “If you are thinking about training in using psychedelics, or already use them yourself or with your clients, this is a class you won't want to miss!” For more information and/or to register, click here.
“Holding on for Others: Caregiving, Chronic Illness, and Self-care”
On November 9, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will host a one-hour panel discussion of “the mental health impacts of chronic health conditions on individuals and their caregivers, the unique challenges caregivers face that strain their mental health, and ways that caregivers can prioritize their mental health.” For more information and to register, click here.
“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”
From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET on November 15, November 29, and December 6, 2023, the New England MHTTC will host the “Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness as Work” webinar series, which “will provide guidance and support for the use and implementation of the accompanying workbook, which is intended to be used as a guide for deeper levels of processing and to support healthier conversations in the workplace around identity and wellness.” For more information and to register, click here. A link to the workbook will be available soon; for more information, write to newengland@mhttcnetwork.org.
RESOURCES
“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”
"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)
“The Little Known Threat of Extreme Heat”
“In this issue, CAFE TAC discussed the unique threat that extreme heat poses to people with serious mental health conditions due to a number of factors, including the effects of psychiatric medications. We also share updates on supported education research and federal action on mental health parity, and ask for your input on the direction of our ongoing innovative recovery practices webinar series.” For more information and a link to the newsletter, click here.
Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community
This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
LAST WORDS
Two Extraordinary Movement Leaders Are Mourned
The c/s/x movement for social justice mourns Linda Andre, author of Doctors of Deception, What They Don’t Want You To Know About Shock Treatment, and director of the Committee for Truth in Psychiatry, who devoted decades of her life to fighting for truly informed consent on ECT; and Yvette Sangster, an award-winning advocate, founder of Advocacy Unlimited in Connecticut and its executive director until 2002, and later Georgia’s PAIMI (Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) program director. For “Remembrances of Linda Andre, Leader in the Fight Against ECT,” click here. For Yvette Sangster’s obituary, click here.
The October 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “Here’s Exactly How to Break Up with Your Therapist,” click here. For “This Full-Body Workout Fits in a Backpack,” click here. For “What Is Paxlovid Rebound? 9 Things to Know,” click here. For “Am I Still Contagious? Here’s how to navigate eight of the most insidious and infectious illnesses,” click here. For “What Does It Really Mean to Dissociate?” click here. For “Healthy lifestyle can help prevent depression -- and new research may explain why,” click here. For “Don’t Let Rain Cancel Your Workout,” click here. For “Peace Corps lawsuit says some offers rescinded over mental health,” click here. For “Want to Believe in Yourself? ‘Mattering’ Is Key,” click here.
The October 2023 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 “US prisons rife with human rights abuses, especially against Black people, UN says,” click here. For “A Chaotic Moment For The Death Penalty: Political and legal opinions are shifting on mental illness and capital punishment, but those on death row may be left behind,” click here. For “Many Prisons Restrict Books to Stop Drug Smuggling. Critics Say It Doesn’t Work. Battling an overdose crisis, more prisons are blocking books based on the sender or packaging. Free speech advocates call it a de facto book ban,” click here. For “The Books Banned in Your State’s Prisons,” click here. For “Probation and parole do not make us safer. It’s time to rethink them,” click here. For “Reform in Action: Findings and Recommendations from a 3-Year Process Evaluation of New York's 2020 Criminal Legal Reforms,” click here. For “One in Five: Ending Racial Inequity in Incarceration. The number of Black people imprisoned in the U.S. has decreased 39% since its peak two decades ago, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project…but there are still significant racial and gender disparities in sentencing and incarceration rates across the U.S.,” click here. For “Will the Supreme Court Make Life Worse for America’s Homeless? What few constitutional rights the homeless enjoy may soon be on the line at the high court,” click here. For “California Bans Controversial ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis,” click here. For “Federal Prison Censors Reason Issue About How Federal Prison Employed Serial Rapists: The issue was rejected because it ‘jeopardizes the good order and security of the institution,’" click here. For “New California law aims to force people with mental illness or addiction to get help,” click here. For “Prisoners Say New Jersey’s Alternative To Solitary Confinement Is Pretty Much The Same: Progressives celebrated a 2019 law meant to reform solitary confinement. But the state’s Department of Corrections doesn’t seem to be following it,” click here. For “Police Diversion Programs Work. Here’s Why: Officers offer drug treatment programs instead of arresting some suspects they believe are abusing drugs,” click here. For “The ‘Miserable Spectacle’ of Executing People With Serious Mental Illness: André Thomas gouged out both his eyes. Can he still be given the death penalty?” click here. For “He Pocketed His Victims’ Organs. Was His Death Penalty Trial Fair? As Andre Thomas faces execution for three gory murders, a court questions jury bias and his competency,” click here. For “The Gun Industry’s Trade Group Is Using Flimsy Data in Big Court Cases: The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s unsupported evidence about the number of high-capacity magazines in the U.S. has been introduced in cases that could have major implications for gun restrictions nationwide,” click here. For “How a former prison cook became one of the country’s top pizza chefs: ‘The kitchen was always the place where I could survive in,’ said Mike Carter, executive chef at Down North Pizza in Philadelphia,” click here. For “How a New Approach to Public Defense Is Overcoming Mass Incarceration: Public defenders represent eighty per cent of all people charged with a crime in this country, and they typically work in offices that are underfunded and understaffed,” click here. For “The Musical Legacy of a Mississippi Prison Farm: The new album ‘Some Mississippi Sunday Morning’ collects gospel songs recorded inside a notorious penitentiary,” click here. For “Redemption Songs: The Forgotten History of American Prison Music. From blues to gospel, country to rap, people have been making music behind bars for decades. Here’s why we should all tune in,” click here. For “‘Hysterical’ Women Out for Revenge: Family Court’s Misogynistic Tropes Traumatize Women and Children,” click here. For “The Case for Child Welfare Abolition,” click here. For “A Death Row Opera Goes to Sing Sing, With Inmates Onstage: Metropolitan Opera stars joined prisoners for a one-night-only performance of ‘Dead Man Walking,’” click here. For “Reform plan still has Paterson police responding to mental health crises: Some changes made, but not yet addressed is what many see as main problem — armed officers intervening instead of mental health experts,” click here. For “Pennsylvania Solitary Unit Pushes People to Suicide, Lawsuit Alleges,” 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 “Montana inmates with mental illnesses languish in jail awaiting treatment before trial,” click here. For “Predictive Policing Software Terrible At Predicting Crimes: A software company sold a New Jersey police department an algorithm that was right less than 1% of the time,” click here. For “The Prisoner and the Pen: Writing from a cell at Sullivan Correctional Facility, I’m part of a renaissance of prison journalism. If prison authorities had their way, no one would be writing from the inside at all,” click here. For “Should Money Decide Who is Kept in Jail? More Locations Are Saying No. Los Angeles and Illinois are the latest jurisdictions to change their cash bail system,” click here. For “D.C. settles suit over failure to provide special ed to jailed students: The plaintiffs claimed the city ‘effectively abandoned efforts to teach’ them during the pandemic,” click here. For “Washington State Prison System Sued for Using Unreliable Drug Tests To Put Inmates in Solitary: Reason reported in 2021 how prisons use cheap field kits to test mail for contraband—and use the faulty, unconfirmed results to severely punish inmates,” click here. “Study Points to Gentrification as Trigger for Gun Violence: Disruption and displacement may fuel increased firearm injuries in neighborhoods experiencing gentrification, according to a new analysis,” click here. For “NC’s move toward alternate crisis response will allow police to focus on crime,” click here. For “You’re Sexually Assaulted. You Report. And Police Make You the Suspect. Police unleash a slew of interrogation techniques meant for criminal suspects on vulnerable people,” click here. For “Georgia Prisoners Can Be Denied Vital Halfway House Placement Due to Medical Conditions,” click here. For “Exceptional Punishments: No one should be made to give up their rights in exchange for being spared from prison,” click here. “For Incarcerated Women and Their Families, Equal Access to Education Transforms Lives: How providers and corrections departments are working to address the unique challenges system-impacted women face to get an education,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
CONFERENCES
NIMH to Host Global Mental Health Conference: “Research Without Borders”
From October 30 to November 1, 2023, the National Institute of Mental Health and partners will present the 12th Global Mental Health Research Without Borders Conference. The first of the six listed objectives of the conference is to provide a “space for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and those with lived experience to meet and share innovative developments in the field of global mental health.” The conference will be held at the Natcher Conference Center at the NIH Main Campus, 45 Center Drive, Building 45, Bethesda, Maryland. For more information and to register (for free), click here. Questions? GMHConference@bizzellus.com
“The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity”
The Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a four-part training on “The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity.” Participants will gain “a deeper understanding of both the drivers and impact of health inequities on people of color.” The 90-minute sessions will meet on the following Thursdays: October 12, October 26, November 9, and November 16, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET. To register, click here. Questions? Sherry Warner, sherry@peersupportfl.org
ISEPP’s 25th Annual Conference Will Be Held October 28-29
ISEPP’s 25th annual conference will be virtual (click here). (Please note that the conference dates have been changed from the original dates of October 20-22.)
ABCT 2023 Conference Is November 16-19 in Seattle
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 2023 conference will be held November 16-19 in Seattle. Its theme is “Cultivating Joy with CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy].” For more information about the conference, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)
An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18
An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.
WEBINARS
The MHTTC Calendar of Events Offers Many Webinars in Late September, October, and Beyond
To consult the MHTTC Calendar of Events for upcoming webinars (which are too numerous to include here), click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
CMHJ Extends Call for Papers Deadline to December 1
The Community Mental Health Journal (CMHJ) has extended its call for papers for a special issue on “Recovery at 30: Emancipation, cooptation, or the end of an era?” “The year 2023 marks exactly three decades since the publication of Bill Anthony’s seminal “Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s" (click here)...The editors write: ”We are soliciting both concept pieces (commentaries, critical reviews) and empirical work (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or mixed methods) that explore the question of whether recovery policy remains relevant and emancipatory today or whether the psy-fields are instead in need of fresh thinking and new, more diverse values-based frameworks.” The submission deadline is now December 1, 2023. For more information, click here.
International Mad Studies Journal Invites Submissions
For a special issue of the International Mad Studies Journal, the deadline for abstract submissions is December 15, 2023, via email to mkrazins@syr.edu. For details, click here.
“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research
If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699.
Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters
The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.
EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids
Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.
Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu.
South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey
“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.
Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.
Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, 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) 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.
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
RESOURCES
“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published
The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)
MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"
For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.
Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits
The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.
“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”
“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.
Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters
Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of 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.” For the website, click here.
International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources
For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.
“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”
“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.
Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan
BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.
“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience.”
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.
“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”
“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.
“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”
This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.
“Open Dialogue Around the World—Implementation, Outcomes, Experiences, and Perspectives”
Frontiers in Psychology offers 16 articles about Open Dialogue. These include “Introducing Peer-supported Open Dialogue in Changing Mental Health Care,” “Using Open Dialogue-inspired Dialogism in Non-Psychiatric Medical Practice: A 10-Year Experience,” “Development of the Peer-supported Open Dialogue Attitude and Competence Inventory for Practitioners: A Delphi Study,” and 13 more. For links to all 16 articles, click here.
“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”
“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.
“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”
The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)
“What Is Mental Illness?”
“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”
“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.
TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!
“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.
Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness
Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.
“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.
“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.
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)
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 Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; 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.
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.
“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)
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 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 20, No. 5, November 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH
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