Key Update, April 2023, Volume 19, Number 10

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@GteMAIL.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: See “Webinars, Conferences, and Other Events” below for several events happening this week (the last week of March) and “Other Opportunities” for a March 31 deadline!

NEWS

SAMHSA Invites Public Comment on Its National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification. Deadline: April 10

“...SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery (OR) has developed a set of National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification, inclusive of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Family/Youth Peer Support.” The deadline for comments is April 10, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. For more information, click here. To comment, click here.

The New Yorker Asks: “Can A.I. Treat Mental Illness?”

"The treatment of mental illness requires imagination, insight, and empathy—traits that A.I. can only pretend to have…” To read the article, click here. See also “ ‘Out Of Control’: Dozens of Telehealth Startups Sent Sensitive Health Information to Big Tech Companies,” in the February 2023 Key Update. ICYMI, click here. And see “The Imminent Danger of A.I. Is One We’re Not Talking About,” originally published in The New York Times (click here).

HHS Announces the Theme for National Minority Health Month (April 2023)

The theme for National Minority Health Month 2023 is “Better Health Through Better Understanding.” For details, click here. For the announcement in Spanish, click here.

“Psychedelics are a Promising Therapy, but They Can Be Dangerous for Some”

The recent popularity of psychedelics “is partly attributed to clinical trials showing that the drugs, most notably psilocybin and ketamine, hold real promise in treating some mental health disorders, particularly depression,” according to an article originally in The New York Times. But “experts’ primary worry about [some of these drugs] is that they can trigger a psychotic or manic episode” as well as other dangerous side effects. For the article, click here.

“SAMHSA Seeks $10.8 Billion in FY 2024 to Bolster Mental Health and Substance Use Services”

“The President’s Budget for FY 2024 includes $10.8 billion for SAMHSA, $3.3 billion over the agency’s FY 2023 enacted budget,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “Investments will fund critical needs in key priority programs that address crisis care, youth mental health, and overdose prevention.” For the press release, click here. For SAMHSA’s FY 2024 Congressional Budget Justification, click here. (Courtesy of Anthony Fox)

Is Psychoanalysis Worth a Second Look?

In “Therapy Wars: the Revenge of Freud,” The Guardian writes: “Cheap and effective, CBT became the dominant form of therapy, consigning Freud to psychology’s dingy basement. But new studies have cast doubt on its supremacy – and shown dramatic results for psychoanalysis. Is it time to get back on the couch?” For the article, click here.

“3 Skills from Psychotherapy That Can Change Your Brain” Draws Some Criticism

“Choose reflection over reflex; bring softness, not hostility; and be curious, not judgmental,” psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Christopher W.T. Miller writes in The Washington Post. “The benefits of psychotherapy, exercise, mindfulness, yoga and meditation for mental health have been backed by encouraging scientific data,” Miller adds. But Chuck Ruby, PhD, executive director of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP), responded to the article on Twitter as follows: “A token nod to exploring meaning through a relationship, yet still desperately clinging to the brain defect idea...” For the Post article, click here. For Chuck Ruby on Twitter, search @ISEPPDirector.

Exercise Found to Be 53% More Effective, on Average, Than Medication or Psychotherapy

After a “comprehensive synthesis” involving “97 reviews of 1,039 published randomized controlled trials that included 128,000 adult participants,” British researchers recommended that exercise “should be integrated as a standard component of treatment for mental health conditions.” This is a departure from U.S. clinical guidelines, which “only mention exercise and diet as second-line approaches when therapy or medications are ‘ineffective or unacceptable,’” the article, in MindSiteNews, notes. For the article, which includes a link to the article in BMJ’s British Journal of Sports Medicine, click here.

“The World Mourns the Passing of Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist” 

On March 4, 2023, powerful disability rights activist Judy Heumann died in Washington, D.C., at age 75. To read about her many important achievements, click here and on Heumann’s website, which includes the recording of her funeral and memorial service. “Some people say that what I did changed the world,” Heumann wrote. “But really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to make a fuss about it.”

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

“Empowering the Peer Workforce by Taking Charge Together”

On March 28, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a free webinar exploring how Project Return Peer Support Network has empowered the peer workforce through the utilization of trainings from a values-based peer perspective, modeling, and sharing of lived experience. For more information and to register, click here.

“Engaging Students in Building Emotional Self-Awareness”

On March 28 at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America, Child Trends, and NACDD will present a 60-minute webinar panel discussion to discuss “the importance of emotional self-awareness for youth, the different factors that impact how youth identify and manage their emotions, and strategies educators can use to support students in developing self-awareness and emotional regulation.” For details and to register, click here.

14th Annual Pat Risser RSVP Conference on March 29, 2023

This hybrid conference, livestreamed for $15 with CEUs, $10 without CEUs, “brings together a distinguished group of presenters, discussing critical and cutting-edge topics that impact behavioral health.” For details and to register, click here

You’re Invited to SAMHSA’s Recovery Exchange Meeting on March 29

On March 29, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration invites you to participate in a stakeholder meeting for an update on the goals and activities of SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery (OR), to meet the OR team, and to talk with recovery leaders from across the U.S. To register, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“The Growth Equation: Improving Financials to Achieve Your Goals”

On March 29, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, Netsmart will present a free webinar aimed at human services provider organizations. “...Efficient and simplified financial operations play a significant role in sustainability and ability to seize new opportunities…[S]uccess means preparing for growth through focused attention to financial and administrative operational practices, staffing shortages and the ever-changing funding landscape.” For details and to register, click here.

“Using Mainstream ‘Apps’ in Mental Health Services”

On March 30, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion will present an interactive webinar on “Using Mainstream ‘Apps’ in Mental Health Services.” It will include strategies that “practitioners” can employ to identify, evaluate, and use mainstream applications–either cell phone apps or internet apps–to increase the community participation of service recipients. To register, click here.

CMS Innovation Center Invites You to a Virtual Listening Session on March 31

On March 31, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. ET, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center invites you to join a one-hour virtual listening session on “The Approach to Person-Centered Care: Commitment to Patient Partnership Across the Model Lifecycle.” Attendees may submit written comments or questions before the webinar via the registration page or during the session in the Question & Answer window. To register, click here. For more information, click here.

In April, Judi’s Room Will Celebrate Sally Zinman, a Fierce Warrior for Social Justice

On April 5, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), I Love You, Lead On and MindFreedom International will present a free Judi’s Room event, via Zoom, celebrating the life of Sally Zinman (1937-2022), one of the founders of the consumer/survivor movement for social justice. To register, click here.

“Soteria: The Power of Human Connection” on April 5 and May 3

On April 5, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, and again on May 3, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Pathways Vermont Training Institute will present “Soteria: The Power of Human Condition,” an interactive online workshop. Among topics covered will be the history of Soteria, modern updates to the original Soteria, and the power of human connection in non-coercive settings. For more information and to register for the April 5 workshop, click here. To register for the May 3 workshop, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

PENTAC’s National Peer Entrepreneur Speaker Series Continues on April 6

On April 6, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, PENTAC will feature Jennifer Randal-Thorpe, president and CEO of Meaningful Minds United, the statewide peer-run organization in Louisiana. For details and to register, click here.

“Exploring the Role of Employers and Systems in Workforce Retention”

The Peer Recovery Center of Excellence has opened applications for a six-month training and technical assistance series designed to support employers in implementing changes in policies and procedures, hiring practices, and systemic relationships in order to improve the retention of peer staff. The series will serve 10 to 15 employers from across the country. The deadline for programs or organizations to apply is April 7, 2023. For details and the application, click here.

NCMHR Invites You to Its Next Advocacy Call, on April 10 at 2 p.m. ET

The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR) invites you to participate in a series of advocacy calls on the second Monday of each month through December 2023. (The times will alternate between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET: On May 8, the time will be 5 p.m. ET. ) You do not need to have attended Alternatives 2022 in order to participate. (Mark your calendars: Unless these plans change, this will be your last reminder.) For details and the Zoom link (which is always the same), click here

“Your ADA Rights at Work”’

On April 11, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), Disability Rights California will present a free webinar on “Your ADA Rights at Work. “Join us as we discuss the ADA and ways to find information on the types of accommodations you can ask for, as well as how to file a complaint if it comes to that, and much more…This training is presented from a peer perspective…” For details and to register, click here.

NARPA Announces Call for Papers. Deadline: April 12, 2023

The 2023 conference of the National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) will be held in New Orleans September 6-9. The deadline to submit a workshop proposal is April 12, 2023. For the Request for Proposals (RFP) and links to additional information, click here.

Early Psychosis Care (Free, Hybrid) Conference, April 12-13

Missouri’s first free, hybrid Early Psychosis Care conference will be held April 12-13, 2023. “The goals of our conference are to provide early psychosis care education, reduce stigma associated with psychosis, explain evidence-based models of care, and show there is hope through engaging voices of lived experience.” For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

PeerTAC to Present a Peer Support Supervision Webinar and Consultation Call in April

On April 13, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, PeerTAC will host a 75-minute presentation on “Supervision,” with a follow-up 75-minute “Supervision Consultation Call” on April 20, at 12 p.m. ET. For more information and to register for these events, scroll down at this link.

ISPS-US Launches Trans-theoretical Peer Supervision Group

“Join ISPS-US as a member to access our new Trans-theoretical Peer Supervision Group! This group will provide an opportunity for ISPS-US members from various orientations...to come together to discuss clinical work with individuals experiencing psychosis and extreme states.” The first session is April 14 at 12 p.m. ET. To join ISPS-US, click here. Members can register for the event by clicking here.

“A Guide to Psychiatric Service and Emotional Support Animals”

On April 27, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT),  Disability Rights California will present a free webinar on psychiatric service and emotional support animals. “Many people with mental health disabilities find that having a psychiatric service or emotional support animal improves their daily lives and their mental health and wellness. Learn the difference between these assistance animals and your rights regarding public access and reasonable accommodations.” For details and to register, click here.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

MHA Invites Applications for the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health

“In 2019, Mental Health America launched the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health to recognize and support corporate leaders and advocates committed to worker mental health and well-being. Submission deadline: March 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET. To find out if your workplace qualifies, take this two-minute quiz here. For the recording of a one-hour webinar about the Bell Seal, click here. For details and to apply, click here. Questions? Contact Taylor Adams at tadams@mhanational.org.

National Survey of Peer Supporters’ Experiences Using Spirituality and Religion in Their Work

The Copeland Center on Wellness and Recovery and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion invite peer supporters to participate in a brief survey whose goal is “to better understand whether and how they use religion and spirituality in their work. Perceived barriers and facilitators of using religion/spirituality will also be explored.” Participants become eligible for a raffle with cash prizes. Questions? Contact PI Elizabeth Thomas, PhD.: elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu or 215.204.1699. For details and for the Research Subject Consent Form, click here

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.

Are You a SUD Certified Peer Recovery Specialist? Then You’re Invited to Participate in a Study

You are invited to participate in a research study of “Stress and Coping Among SUD Certified Peer Recovery Specialists” if you are at least 18 years old and are employed or volunteering as a certified peer recovery specialist. (The job title in your state may be different.) The results of this study will be used to increase knowledge of job-related stress and coping among SUD Certified Peer Recovery Specialists. It involves two online surveys that take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All responses will be kept anonymous. You will not be asked to provide your name or contact information. To participate, click here. Questions? cynthia.thomas@waldenu.edu, 612.312.1210. 

RESOURCES

NCAPPS Launches a Culture and Person-Centered Practices Video Series 

In a new series of short videos, community members of the National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems “share their thoughts on how their racial and cultural identities shape their expectations and views of support systems…[K]ey topics include cultural norms, language barriers, ageism, sexuality, spirituality, and disability.” For details and to access the videos and a companion guide, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

The Cafe TA Center Is Offering Two Free Employment Guides

Although these two new employment guides are primarily targeted toward employers, the Cafe TA Center writes that First Seek to Understand and Dealing with Disclosure have broad applicability: “Whether you are an employer looking to improve your workplace culture, an employee seeking resources to explain mental health to your employer, or an advocate in need of tools to talk about workplace mental health, these two guides can be helpful for you!” For more information and to download the free guides, click here.

“Designing Withdrawal Support Services for Antidepressant Users”

In an article subtitled “Patients’ views on existing services and what they really need,” prominent British researchers concluded, in part: “Our findings indicate, in keeping with previous studies, that clinicians require upskilling in safe tapering of antidepressants, and that patients need specialized services to help them stop safely.” For the abstract, click here. For the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

Mad in Ireland Presents a Podcast About Domestic and Sexual Violence Peer Support

Some peer supporters “are using their own lived experience of sexual violence and mental health to support others,” Mad In Ireland reports. “In this podcast facilitated by Martha Griffin of Mad in Ireland, Leona O’Callaghan from Haven Hub, Limerick, and Karol Mac Gairbheith from Peer Practice, Donegal speak about sexual violence, peer support working, trauma, safeguarding and personal boundaries.” For the podcast, click here.

The April 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How to Feel Alive Again,” click here. For “How to Meditate When You Can’t Sit Still,” click here. For “5 Exercises to Keep an Aging Body Strong and Fit,” click here. For “How to Reset Your Happiness Set Point: The surprising truth about what science says makes us happier in the long term,” click here. For “An illustrated guide to feeling happier, every day,” click here

The April 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 “​​In Florida, showing mental health struggles could get a child detained: Advocates say the Baker Act, designed as a measure of last resort, is not used that way. The result: Kindergarteners can be forcibly committed to psych centers for exams,” click here. For “How ‘Cruel and Not Unusual’ Conditions Persist in Many Lockups: Insight from a discussion with journalists, formerly incarcerated people and experts,” click here. For “What Can Federal Courts Do About Extreme, Outdated Sentences? The scattered aftermath of a recent Supreme Court ruling shows the need for new solutions.” click here. For “State Prison Sentences in the U.S. Are Getting Longer—But Not Necessarily Keeping Us Safer,” click here. For “Study Shows Low Safety Risk of Reducing Long Sentences: Recent Council on Criminal Justice research suggests that reducing sentences of 10 years or longer by modest margins could significantly reduce prison populations without damaging public safety,” click here. For “It took almost 30 years for Pell Grants to return to prison. But, for many, college is still out of reach,” click here. For  “U.S. Justice Department urges panel not to limit 'acquitted conduct' sentencings: Despite White House promises of sentencing reform, Justice Department lawyers told the U.S. Sentencing Commission last week that trial judges should be allowed to impose longer sentences on defendants based on conduct for which they were acquitted at trial. The Commission announced a proposal to eliminate such “acquitted conduct” sentences last month. The Commission has until May 1 to submit its final proposal to Congress for approval,” click here. For “Supporting Improved Responses to People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,” click here. For “California faces hefty court fines for lagging efforts to prevent prisoner suicides,” click here. For “Police Pleaded for Hours With a N.J. Man in Crisis. Then They Shot Him,” click here. For “Are guns, tasers and shields the best response to a mental health crisis? Paterson police killing again forces question of how officers handle people in distress,” click here. For “The Books Banned in Your State’s Prisons,” click here. For “5 Things We Learned About Prison Book Ban Policies,” click here. For “Qualified Immunity Is Burning a Hole in the Constitution: Police officers’ go-to defense against civil suits allows them to violate the Constitution with impunity,” click here. For “Texas death row inmate Andre Thomas’ attorneys apply for clemency, citing mental illness: At issue is whether Thomas, who gouged out his eyes after confessing to the 2004 murders of his estranged wife, their son and her daughter, is competent to be executed in April,” click here. For “Prison Deaths Rose Almost 50% When Pandemic Hit, Report Shows,” click here. For “Justice Dept. touts new focus on local violence intervention programs: Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke to the first grantees of a federal program focused on investing in community anti-violence efforts,” click here. For “Shooting First and Asking Questions Later: In rural communities, fatal police shootings have occurred at high rates, without the attention (and protests) that urban shootings have drawn,” click here. For “Sexual harassment of corrections staff plagues Bureau of Prisons,” click here. For “No Cop City Anywhere: Chicago’s #NoCopAcademy campaign and #StopCopCity in Atlanta are part of the same movement: to end violent policing, protect the environment and defend Black and brown lives,” click here. For “What the Panic Over Shoplifting Reveals About American Crime Policy: Lawmakers consider bills to crack down on people ripping off retailers, even as some stores walk back claims about a growing theft problem,” click here. For “How the State Sanctions Police Violence: In a new book, civil rights lawyer Joanna Schwartz explores how myths about public safety have been used to roll back civil rights and protect police,” click here. For “Understanding Firearm Deaths by State—and How to Reduce Them,” click here. For “Overdose Prevention Centers: A Successful Strategy for Preventing Death and Disease: Strong evidence indicates that overdose prevention centers (OPCs) reduce the transmission of HIV and hepatitis, prevent overdose deaths, reduce public injections, reduce the volume of shared or discarded syringes, and increase the number of drug users entering treatment programs,” click here. “Guest: I am one of many domestic violence victims incarcerated in Oklahoma, but there's hope: In almost every state, including Oklahoma, it is unusual for courts to consider the abuse a survivor has suffered in sentencing. What does it say about a society that it treats some of its most victimized and vulnerable citizens with so little compassion and mercy?” click here. “As crime-solving goes hi-tech, public defenders scramble to keep up,” click here. For “A state-funded reentry program stops the revolving door for Colorado’s formerly incarcerated,” click here For “The Mercy Workers: For three decades, a little-known group of “mitigation specialists” has helped save death-penalty defendants by documenting their childhood traumas. A rare look inside one case, click here. For “Women’s Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2023,” click here. “Don't Just Hire 'Better Cops.' Punish the Bad Ones: Convincing law enforcement officers that those who do wrong will suffer consequences is by far the most powerful tool for changing police behavior in the long run,” click here. For “Biggest racial gap in prison is among violent offenders – focusing on intervention instead of incarceration could change the numbers,” click here. For “Jail Before Trial Should Be the Exception, Not the Norm: Lawmakers in some states are pushing to make it harder for defendants to avoid pretrial detention. There are better ways to protect public safety that don’t conflict with the presumption of innocence,” click here. For “Choice of Counsel: People assigned a public defender are the only ones deprived of the right to choose their lawyer. This often intersects disastrously with racial bias,” click here. For “Elizabeth Holmes Has Two Young Children. Should That Keep Her Out of Prison? Sending new moms to prison has devastating consequences. Some states are starting to rethink the practice,” click here. For “The State of the Nation on Gideon’s 60th Anniversary,” click here. For “The Prison Newspaper Directory finds that the number of prison-based papers is growing: There are at least 24 known prison newspapers in 12 states, and four of them were launched in 2022,” click here. For “The Rise of Life-Without-Parole Sentences: We explore sentences that imprison people for life without parole, and comedian Ali Siddiq unpacks his behind-bars beginning in comedy,” click here. For “A New Idea on Justice Reform: An innovative proposal would channel money to states with the goal of reducing prison populations while preserving public safety,” click here. For 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND TRAININGS

APS Learning Community Hosts a Weekly Networking Meeting. Check Out Its Website for Upcoming Events.

The Academy of Peer Services (APS) Virtual Learning Community Networking Meeting for Peer Specialists is every Tuesday from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. Its purpose is to share ideas, experiences, and opportunities with others in the field of peer support, as well as to give and receive support to each other. To register, click here. For the Virtual Learning Community website, which includes a calendar of upcoming events, resources, and more, click here.

SHARE!’s Free, Virtual Peer Workforce Conference Will Take Place on April 26; Deadline to Submit Proposals Is April 5

SHARE! will host its free, virtual 2023 Peer Workforce Conference–”Bridging Research and Practice”–on April 26. For more information and to register, click here. To submit a proposal by April 5, click here.

ISSTD to Host 40th Annual Conference in Louisville April 13-17, 2023

The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) will host its 40th annual conference in Louisville; the pre-conference will be held April 13-14 and the conference April 15-17. The theme is “Shifting the Societal Denial of Dissociation.” A virtual option (details of which are explained at the conference link, here) will also be available. 

NAADAC Hosts Free “Peer Recovery Support” Webinar Series

The National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)—now known as the Association for Addiction Professionals—will continue its free, 10-part “Peer Recovery Support” webinar series on April 27, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Jessi Davis)

Peerpocalypse is Coming! Are You Ready?

Peerpocalypse, organized by the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, will take place May 8-11, 2023, in Seaside Oregon, and virtually! For details, click here. To register, click here.

“Too Mad to Be True II—The Promises and Perils of the First-Person Perspective,” May 26-28, 2023

“Too mad to be true II—The promises and perils of the first-person perspective” (May 26-28, 2023) will be hosted by the University of Ghent and the Foundation for Psychiatry and Philosophy. For details, click here. Meanwhile, Dr. Nev Jones, a researcher and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who has lived experience of psychosis, and who was a keynote speaker at the first conference, discusses some of the events at the conference and responses to her keynote in a second presentation. In that presentation, Mad In America (MIA) reports, she takes issue with the individualizing, pathologizing focus of the “phenomenology of psychosis” literature, “argu[ing] that psychosis ‘could never be divorced from the structural vectors of poverty, incarceration and various neoliberal welfare schemes, but has always been intimately bound up with them.’” For the MIA article, click here. To see "To Do Justice to Madness: Orienting to the Politics of Phenomenological Psychopathology," click here.

Active Minds Mental Health Conference July 7-8, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

Calling its conference “the nation’s leading mental health conference for young adults,” Active Minds will host its 2023 conference in Washington, D.C., July 7-8. Early bird registration is available until May 15 at 5:30 p.m. ET ($110 for students, $175 for general). For more information and to register, click here.

MHTTC Publishes Calendar of Events from Now Until September 19, 2023

The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC) has published a calendar of its events from now through September 19. The calendar covers the 10 U.S.-based regional MHTTCs as well as the two national MHTTCs. The MHTTC is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For the calendar, click here. (Courtesy of NYAPRS E-News)

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)

MHTTC Offers Free Online Behavioral Health Courses

The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC) “currently offers 20 online courses available through Healtheknowledge.org. HealtheKnowledge.org offers high-quality, on-demand, and instructor-led courses that are open to the public. Courses are free for a certificate of completion, and yearly membership options are available for purchase to gain access to other HealtheKnowledge resources and earn unlimited CE credits. View our course listings here. View our how-to guide to set up your HealtheKnowledge account.” MHTTC is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Book Chapter Proposals for “Beyond Accommodations: ‘Cripping’ Possibilities in Higher Education”

“What would it look like to re-imagine academia as a place of acceptance, belonging, and flourishing of disabled faculty, staff, and students?...[T]his edited book invites contributions from disabled, chronically ill, mad, and neurodivergent people across the globe to (desire and) share how they are ‘cripping’ and transforming the classroom, the university, and academia more broadly.” “Please submit a 250-word abstract with tentative chapter title and short bio to Dr. Alan Martino, alan.martino@ucalgary.ca. Deadline for abstracts: March 31, 2023.” (Courtesy of Konstantina [Dina] Poursanidou)

Request for Information (RFI): Gaps and Opportunities in Global Mental Health Research

“Respond to NIMH’s request for information (RFI) to identify research gaps and opportunities that will advance our understanding and role in supporting basic, translational, and services-oriented global mental health research. All responses must be submitted electronically by May 5, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please use this submission web form or email NIMHGlobalMentalHealthRFI@nih.gov. Please use the subject line GMH RFI Response.” 

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

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 $15 Amazon gift card (to a maximum of $45) 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

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

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES

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.

Call for Papers: “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)...”In this special issue of Community Mental Health Journal,” 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 September 1, 2023. For more information, 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 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.

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)

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 19, No. 10, April 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH