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.
DEADLINE ALERT! Please note that, under CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS, there are two events TODAY, August 19, both at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT). And there are two WEBINARS tomorrow (August 20), another on August 21, and one on August 22! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!
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!
NEWS
“What’s Driving the Youth Mental Health Crisis? We Asked 1,400 Clinicians.”
“Many clinicians who work with young patients with mental health issues agree they lack enough resources to treat kids and that patients are worse off now than before the pandemic — but they don’t exactly agree on why that is. Politico surveyed 1,400 clinicians to better understand the reasons behind the national youth mental health crisis that continues to perplex government, health and community leaders — who are scrambling to find solutions to slow the rise of kids in need of mental health services.” For the article, click here. For “Prioritising Young People” in The Lancet Psychiatry (September 2024), click here; for Lancet’s Executive Summary, click here. For “Stress in America 2023,” by the American Psychological Association, click here.
“California Sent a Mentally Ill Man to a State Hospital. Then It Charged Him $760,000.”
“California State Hospitals can bill patients for the care they receive during confinement. The charges often run in the tens of thousands of dollars, putting vulnerable people in debt for years,” according to a recent report by Cal Matters. Although a new Financial Assistance Program may result in the Department of State Hospitals forgiving some or all of a person’s debt, “public defenders say many of their clients do not have the wherewithal to complete the paperwork required to apply for the program in a timely manner.” For the article, click here.
“Older People Who Use Psychedelics Show Fascinating Brain Functions”
“Drugs with psychedelic effects, like psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and cannabis, may help protect the brain from some aspects of aging,” according to a Science Alert article. “A recent survey of 3,294 US adults, aged between 42 and 92, has found that those who reported using a hallucinogen of any kind in the past year show fewer depressive symptoms and more favorable changes to their higher-order brain functions.” However, the findings can’t determine cause and effect. In addition, “[b]ecause some hallucinogens can impact the cardiovascular system, cause distressing 'bad trips,' or pose risks for those with personality disorders, there is good reason to proceed with caution.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
“The Dying of the Light: Norway’s ‘Medication-Free’ Services for Psychotic Patients Are Fading Away”
“In 2015, when Norway’s Minister of Health, Brent Høie, ordered the country’s four health districts to set aside beds for ‘medication-free’ treatment, it served as a clarion call for wholesale change in psychiatry, both within Norway and internationally…And now the ‘door to a revolution’ is swinging shut.” For the article, by Robert Whitaker in Mad In America, click here.
CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS
City Voices’ Peer Workers United to Present Inspiring Stories on August 19 at 6 p.m. ET
City Voices writes: “Join Peer Workers United on August 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET for the launch of our Heroes in Peer Support speaker series!...Our first guest is Charisse Rupert, a peer specialist and executive director of Wings Across Alabama. Don’t miss the chance to hear about her remarkable journey and join the lively discussion.” For the Zoom link, click here. Meeting ID: 815 9980 6311. Passcode: 024673. One tap mobile: +16469313860,,81599806311#,,,,*024673# US
On August 19 at 6 p.m. ET, a Panel Discussion Will Introduce IDHA’s “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”; and See a Special Enrollment Opportunity until August 30!
On August 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET, The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) will present a two-hour panel discussion — “Radical Hope & Experiments in Care” — to introduce its “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum. To register (cost: $0-$20), click here. IDHA offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content, with “accessible pricing.” Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work….Until August 30, you can enroll in the curriculum’s Learning Experience format, which is only offered twice each year. “This format provides the opportunity to move through the otherwise self-guided curriculum with a group. It includes 12 additional hours of live facilitated discussion space — great for those who prefer to learn in community and with a set timeline…September-December 2024.” For details and to register, click here. For the Promo Kit, click here. (Courtesy of Rita Cronise)
Join SAMHSA for Its September 5 Walk for Recovery
SAMHSA writes: “Come join us as we celebrate Recovery Month and raise awareness that recovery is possible. Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon will lead SAMHSA and other Federal Agencies, Recovery Communities and Organizations in a ‘Walk for Recovery’ here in Washington, DC, on September 5, 2024, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. ET,” from Freedom Plaza to the Washington Monument. For the online announcement and a brief survey, click here.
SAMHSA to Host STAR Awards Ceremony on September 24, 2024
On September 24, 2024, (1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET), SAMHSA will host a virtual STAR Awards Ceremony to celebrate those who have significantly contributed to raising awareness about mental health and/or substance use recovery and wellness. "The SAMHSA Trailblazers in Advancing Recovery (STAR) Awards honor leaders in recovery with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use conditions including youth and family members whose lives have also been affected. In addition, the STAR Awards recognize organizations for exceptional efforts to promote recovery and elevate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.” For more information, click here. Questions, including about the Zoom link? Call SPARK at 781-247-1724 or email spark@c4innovates.com
Alliance Announces Exciting Keynote Speakers for Its 2024 Annual Conference!
The 2024 Alliance for Rights and Recovery annual conference, to be held September 25-27 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York, has announced its keynote speakers: Kelly Davis and Vesper Moore on “Youth Mental Health”; Dr. Ashley Stewart; a New York State Office of Mental Health Forum, featuring Commissioner Ann Sullivan, MD; Chacku Mathai and Luis Lopez on “Healing through Hip Hop”; and wellness and peer support pioneers Mary Ellen Copeland, Shery Mead, and Peggy Swarbrick! For more information and to register, click here.
The Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute Is Coming to Philadelphia
The 2024 Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute will take place at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on November 12-14. To download the e-brochure, click here.
APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series
“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.”
WEBINARS
(Webinars are free unless otherwise specified.)
“Let’s Talk About Healing!” MHEP Sponsors Two Webinars in August
On August 20, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) will present “The Importance of Play for Trauma Survivors.” And on August 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Mindful Healing.” To register, email Jen at jhastings@mhepinc.org. For the Zoom link, click here.
“Hidden Struggles: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Rural Areas”
On August 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a one-hour webinar on “Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Rural Areas.” MHA writes: “[T]he misconceptions, myths, and stigma associated with mental health conditions are significant barriers that keep people in rural areas from seeking and receiving treatment. This session will explore stigma in rural communities and provide resources to support mental health in rural areas.” For details and to register, click here.
“Supporting Young Adults and Ourselves: Understanding and Supporting Adult Children in Transition”
On August 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Cafe TA Center will present a 90-minute webinar that will “offer insights, emotional support, and strategies to help…parents, family members, or caregivers of a young person with a mental health challenge navigate the exciting yet challenging phase of transition to independence.” For more information and to register, click here.
“Examining Bias: The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”
On August 22, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center will host a 90-minute webinar that is “designed to increase awareness about implicit bias by examining our own behaviors and motivations. We will discuss what implicit bias is, why it matters, the consequences of implicit bias, how it can negatively impact those that you serve and what we can do to disrupt and reduce it. In addition, we will discuss and examine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” For more information and to register, click here.
“Giving Effective Feedback” — and Check Out the MHTTC Calendar
On August 26, 2024, 2:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. CT), Great Lakes MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) will present “Giving Effective Feedback.” They write: “Most people dread feedback and automatically think it will be negative. However, given effectively, feedback can help people grow, which is a key part of the supervisory function. This webinar addresses some practical tools to give effective feedback to your direct reports.” For details and to register, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.
“Recovery Friendly Workplace: Program, Process and Benefits”
On August 27, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour webinar that “will introduce to you the Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) Initiative, how to get involved, and the positive outcomes it creates. RFW's exist in 30 states across the country and also have national representation through the RFW National Institute…This presentation will also give peer support specialists insight to what it takes to operate this programming in addition to and/or in collaboration with the great work they are already doing as a peer.” For details and to register, click here.
“Raising Our Voices: Voting and Civic Engagement in the Mental Health Community”
On August 28, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET, an ad hoc coalition of New York State advocacy organizations will host a one-hour webinar on the critical role of voting and civic engagement for individuals within the mental health community. “Participants will gain valuable insights into their voting rights, learn about accessible resources to help them understand the voting process, and discover tools to navigate any challenges they may face.” The webinar is sponsored by the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, Families Together in New York State, Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS), Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP), and NAMI New York State.” To register, click here.
Judi’s Room: “When Calling for Help Gets You Killed — Part 2”
On September 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), Judi’s Room will continue the conversation that started in May about the increasing number of tragedies resulting from law enforcement’s response to welfare checks on people with disabilities. Led by Luke Sikinyi, the panelists — advocacy and policy leaders as well as public interest legal experts who have been involved in the promotion of Daniel’s Law — will “explore the intersection of disability/mental health diagnoses, race, legal response, and alternative responses that minimize/eliminate calls ending in death or physical harm.” For the Zoom link, click here.
“Framework for Understanding Structural Ableism in Health Care”
On September 9, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity of the National Institute of Mental Health will present a 90-minute webinar as part of its Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series. “In this webinar, Dielle Lundberg, M.P.H. and Jessica Chen, Ph.D. will introduce a conceptual framework outlining pathways through which structural ableism in public health and health care may contribute to health inequities for ‘people who are disabled, neurodivergent, chronically ill, mad, and/or living with mental illness’ (Lundberg & Chen, 2023).” For more information and to register, click here.
“The Fundamentals of Community Inclusion: What is required for Making Community Inclusion a Reality for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness?”
On September 10, 2024, 1 p.m. ET, the VA National Mental Health Recovery & Wellness Webinar Series will continue with a one-hour webinar on “The Fundamentals of Community Inclusion: What is required for Making Community Inclusion a Reality for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness?” The presenter will be Mark Salzer, PhD. For more information about the webinar series, including how to register for upcoming webinars and view past webinars, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
DSIR Wants Your Opinion on Strategies to Advance the Relevance and Impact of Mental Health Services Research
“The Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is seeking input on the impact of research supported by DSIR on mental health practice and mental health policy. NIMH seeks input from a broad array of interested parties, including (but not limited to)…advocates, and people with lived experience of a mental illness.” For more information, click here. The deadline to submit responses is September 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends” Will End on September 30
September 30, 2024, is the deadline to respond to the survey of people who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. The researchers write: “If questions about ECT or about the experiences that led you to having ECT might be distressing for you, please seriously consider not taking the survey. If you have any general inquiries about the study, please contact the lead researcher, Professor John Read: john@uel.ac.uk”
RESOURCES AND ARTICLES
MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes
“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.
New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet
“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.”
TU Collaborative Newsletter Highlights the Collaborative’s New Website and Many Other Resources!
“Check out our new website!” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Same URL…better functioning! For the new website, click here. The newsletter also includes “Enriching Environments Using Mainstream Apps,” a 28-page manual with information about resources people can use on digital devices in order to support increased community participation; a support opportunity for rural communities; a 35-page manual on “How People with Psychiatric Disabilities Can Make the Most of Their College Experience”; and more! For the TU Collaborative newsletter, click here.
Mad In America Newsletter Includes Important News and Resources
The August 12, 2024, edition of the Mad In America newsletter includes “Our Medical System Protects Wrongdoers and Punishes Whistleblowers: An Interview with Carl Elliott,” “I Am Carmen and I Have PSSD,” “How to Know If You Have an Abusive Therapist,” and “Part 4: Neurodiversity: New Paradigm, or Trojan Horse?” (with a link to the first three parts). It also includes research news. For the newsletter, click here.
“Fighting Stigma by Mental Health Providers Toward Patients”
“Using person-first, nonstigmatizing language is crucial to overcoming biases and providing better treatment,” according to a recent article published by the American Psychological Association. For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Mike Skinner)
“The Community Effect: How Clubhouses for People with Serious Mental Illness Reduce Loneliness”
“Research shows that clubhouses are associated with improved mental health, other positive life outcomes such as employment and education completion rates, and significant cost savings that flow from those outcomes, estimated to currently save the U.S . almost $700 million annually. Now, there is compelling evidence that clubhouses can impact one of the most critical health mediators: loneliness.” For “The Community Effect: How Clubhouses for People with Serious Mental Illness Reduce Loneliness,” by Fountain House, click here.
“Do grant proposal texts matter for funding decisions? A field experiment”
“We report on a field experiment conducted by The Dutch Research Council (NWO) in collaboration with the authors in an early-career competition for awards of 800,000 euros of research funding. A random half of panelists were shown a CV and only a one-paragraph summary of the proposed research, while the other half were shown a CV and a full proposal. We find that withholding proposal texts from panelists did not detectably impact their proposal rankings. This result suggests that the resources devoted to writing and evaluating grant proposals may not have their intended effect of facilitating the selection of the most promising science.” For the complete, open access paper (Springer, May 19, 2024), click here.
“Lived Experience, Research Leadership, and the Transformation of Mental Health Services: Building a Researcher Pipeline”
“This Open Forum calls for investment in building a pipeline of researchers with significant psychiatric disabilities and intersecting lived experiences frequently studied in public sector services research, including homelessness, incarceration, comorbid health problems, structural racism, and poverty. A series of concrete steps are described that faculty and research leadership can take now.” For the article (Psychiatric Services, March 11, 2021), click here.
“Strengthening Review and Publication of Participatory Mental Health Research to Promote Empowerment and Prevent Co-optation”
“The authors of this article have found that, in their experience, editors or other reviewers often appear to give authors extensive leeway on claims of participatory methods that more accurately reflect tokenism or superficial involvement. The problem of co-optation is described, examples from the authors’ experiences are given, the potential harms arising from co-optation are articulated, and a series of concrete actions that journal editors, reviewers, and authors can take to preserve the core intent of participatory approaches are offered.” For the article (Psychiatric Services, August 19, 2022), click here.
“Barriers to Meaningful Participatory Mental Health Services Research and Priority Next Steps: Findings From a National Survey”
“To identify barriers to and the extent of stakeholder involvement in participatory research, the authors undertook a mixed-methods study of researchers and community members who reported participation in such research.” For the Abstract (Psychiatric Services, March 20, 2023), click here. For “Institutional Barriers and Tokenism in Participatory Mental Health Research” (Mad In America, April 21, 2023) click here.
SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources
For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)
LAST WORDS
“Instead of Depression,” a Poem by Andrea Gibson
“Instead of Depression” is excerpted from Andrea Gibson’s book, “You Better Be Lightning,” “a queer, political, and feminist collection guided by self-reflection,” the publisher writes. “The poems range from close examination of the deeply personal to the vastness of the world, exploring the expansiveness of the human experience from love to illness, from space to climate change, and so much more in between.” For “Instead of Depression,” click here.
The August-September 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “How Exercise Can Improve Your Mental Health,” click here. For “A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA,” click here. For “Scientists Found Heavy Metals Like Lead In Many Chocolate Bars. Should Consumers Be Worried?” click here. For “Forget 10,000 Steps. Here’s How Much Science Says You Actually Need to Walk,” click here. For “Don’t Believe the Fitness Myths,” click here. For “Are You Satisfied with Your Friendships? Do You Ever Feel Lonely?” click here. For “9 Ways to Handle Nosy People..and why they ask in the first place,” click here. For “How a device for diabetics became a wellness accessory,” click here. For “12 Mindful Ways to Manage Your Stress,” click here. For “5 Of The Most Hated But Beneficial Exercises,” click here. For “A Comprehensive Guide to Engaging Your Core,” click here. For “How to Bounce Back from Vacation,” click here. For “Reduce Your Risk of Dementia,” click here. For “How to Work Out Out on Vacation: 10 Ways to Exercise Away From Home: Wondering how to work out on vacation — or whether you even should in the first place? Here are 10 tips for squeezing in a workout while away from home,” click here.
The August-September 2024 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 “This Company Promised to Improve Health Care in Jails. Dozens of Its Patients Have Died. Turn Key Health Clinics has quickly expanded to jails in 10 states. Our investigation found that some of the company’s policies and practices have endangered patients in jails, especially those with mental illness,” click here. For “Meet the New Generation of Unarmed Responders in this New Podcast Series: The Fifth Branch, a podcast from Tradeoffs and The Marshall Project, examines new, alternative ways to respond to 911 crisis calls,” click here. For “Sending Unarmed Responders Instead of Police: What We’ve Learned – There are more than 100 response teams nationwide, but experts say more research on their impact is needed,” click here. For “1,165 people have been shot and killed by police in the past 12 months. The Post has tracked 9,980 fatal police shootings since 2015,” click here. For “Suicide by cop among officer-involved shooting cases,” click here. For “The Marshall Project Launches ‘Investigate This’! Our toolkits will offer data, storytelling and engagement resources to empower more criminal justice reporting in local communities,” click here. For “Should We Abolish Prisons? Our carceral system is characterized by frequent brutality and ingrained indifference. Finding a better way requires that we freely imagine alternatives,” click here. For “Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2024 Update,” click here. For “Facts about the FBOP’s [Federal Bureau of Prisons’] Staffing and Facilities Crisis,” click here. For “Ferguson at Ten: How the Police Killing of Michael Brown Propelled a Decarceral Movement,” click here. For “Bodycam video reveals chaotic scene of deputy fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help,” click here. For “Records show deputy charged in Sonya Massey’s fatal shooting worked for 6 agencies in 4 years,” click here. For “Ex-Philadelphia police officer sentenced to 8 to 20 years for shooting 12-year-old in the back: Prosecutors said Thomas ‘TJ’ Siderio had stopped running and was unarmed and on his hands and knees when he was killed in 2022,” click here. For “‘Torturous’: Judge places solitary confinement and mental health care at David Wade prison under federal oversight. The north Louisiana prison was using solitary confinement as a ‘depository for the mentally ill,’ judge had ruled,” click here. For “A Judge Ruled a Louisiana Prison’s Health Care System Has Failed Inmates for Decades. A Federal Law Could Block Reforms. The Prison Litigation Reform Act was passed to curtail the number of lawsuits filed by inmates over conditions behind bars. It has kept courts from forcing Louisiana to overhaul the medical system in its largest prison,” click here. For “Prisoners fight against working in heat on former slave plantation, raising hope for change in South,” click here. For “The Fight for Eric Garner Isn’t Over: On police misconduct, City Hall and the NYPD have gone back to business as usual,” click here. For “Federal Court Says Warrant Required for Device Searches at the Border: Cites concerns about chilling effects of warrantless searches on free speech & press freedom,” click here. For “Facing Rollbacks, Criminal Justice Reformers Argue Policies Make People Safer. Advocates are refining their rebuttal to ‘tough on crime’ messaging: Don’t focus on punishment, but on reforms that improve public safety” click here. For “The Big Prison Myth That Hurts Reform,” click here. For “Jailer agrees to plead guilty in case of inmate who froze to death at jail. Tony Mitchell, 33, died after being brought from the jail to a hospital emergency room with a body temperature of 72 degrees, according to a lawsuit,” click here. For “They Exposed Police Misconduct. Now They’re Paying a Steep Price. Whistleblower laws have advanced in public and private sectors, but protections for police who report illegal or unethical behavior lag far behind,” click here. For “Health, Access to Care, and Financial Barriers to Care Among People Incarcerated in US Prisons” (Abstract only), click here. For “I studied ShotSpotter in Chicago and Kansas City – here’s what people in Detroit and the more than 167 other cities and towns using this technology should know,” click here. For “Still Cruel and Unusual: Extreme Sentences for Youth and Emerging Adults,” click here. For “‘Deliberate Indifference’: Court Rulings Challenge Extreme Heat Conditions in Prisons: ‘If it’s 103 outside, it may be 107 to -8 inside of your cell,’ said a man who worked in the fields while imprisoned in Texas,” click here. For “Rikers Inmates Are Routinely Denied Medical Care, Court Filing Says: The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services asked a judge to hold New York City’s Department of Correction in contempt of court,” click here. For “They’ve been convicted of violent crimes. Now they’re learning about forgiveness,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
CONFERENCES AND OTHER EVENTS
NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!
The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7! They include Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD, director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; a panel presentation on “Twilight of Liberty II: The Hidden Foundations of Psychiatric Coercion and Oppression, and What Can Be Done”; “Recent Developments in Mental Health Law”; and “Combatting Institutionalization in California in the Face of the CARE Act and other Recent Legislation.” There will be a Pre-Conference Institute for PAIMI Council Members: “PAIMI Councils as Leaders for Systemic Reform,” 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT, on September 4. For more information, click here.
Mental Health America Gears Up for Its 2024 Conference
The 2024 Mental Health America conference, whose theme is “Disrupt, Reform, Transform,” will be held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Policy Institute is on September 17; Affiliate Day is September 18; and the main conference is September 19-21. For more about the conference (including highlights from 2023) and to register, click here.
NAADAC Invites Sponsors, Exhibitors, and/or Advertisers for Its 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day
The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. For details of available exhibit, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities, click here.
ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27
The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com
APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30
The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.
ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024
The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)
National Federation of Families Conference to Be Held in Orlando, Florida
Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
City Voices’ Programs Forge Bonds Among Peers Who Share Interests
City Voices, a New York City-based peer-run nonprofit with a national profile, offers programs for people with lived experience that can be accessed by phone and/or Zoom. These include the Friendship Squad, which promotes peer-to-peer friendships; the Spirituality Group, which “offers a safe haven of emotional support and stimulating discussions surrounding various spiritual subjects”; and Peer Workers United, which helps peer supporters expand their peer networks and “take their peer support work to the next level.” For more about City Voices, click here.
ISEPP Calls for Nominations for Awards, to Be Presented at Its Annual Conference
Nominations for the ISEPP Awards are open until August 31, 2024. The awards will be presented at ISEPP’s annual conference, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on October 26, 2024. The awards are the ISEPP Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded for a lifetime pursuing the goals and principles espoused by ISEPP and who has made a significant contribution toward that end; the ISEPP Special Achievement Award, awarded for a particular accomplishment in support of ISEPP goals and principles; and the Mary Karon Memorial Award for Humanitarian Concerns, awarded to someone who is not a mental health professional who has made significant contributions to ISEPP goals and principles. Please email docruby@me.com with your nominees' names, positions, and narratives explaining their accomplishments and why they are deserving of the particular award.
SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?
“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.
ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI
ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.
PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers
“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org
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.
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.
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.
TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, 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.
RESEARCH NEWS
“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”
“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.
“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants
A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.
“Study Shows Listening to Mental Health Podcasts Reduces Stigma”
“Listening to mental health podcasts reduces stigma, supports the development of mental health literacy and increases help-seeking,” a new study, led by researchers at University College Cork, has found. “The study shows that mental health podcasts helped listeners to learn coping strategies, deepen their sense of self-compassion and effectively directed them to other services and resources. Researchers found that podcasts are a driving force in shifting perspectives from stigma to shared experiences. For the Medical Xpress article, click here. For the research, published in the journal Rural and Remote Health, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants
“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)
Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research
A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)
Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought
University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”
“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”
“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”
The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.
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 215.204.9021.
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? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu.
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
“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”
This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.
“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”
“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.
“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”
The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)
“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”
“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.
“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”
The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.
“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”
Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.
“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.)
Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off
Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.
“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”
“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.
MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit
Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.”
“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”
The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.
“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”
NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.
NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning
The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.
STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”
“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.
SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”
SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”
The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”
“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)
“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago
This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)
The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”
A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.
CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)
“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)
A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”
MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.
“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic
Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.
Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”
The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.
“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”
“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)
WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity
The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.
IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry
Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here.
SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit
“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here.
“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”
“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.
“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”
A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”
“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”
At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”
“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.
“The State of Mental Health in America”
“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.
World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All
“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.
“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”
The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here.
Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue
The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources
“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.
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.)
“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)
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)
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.
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.
“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.
“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.
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.
“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)
“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.
“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.
Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services
The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)
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 21, No. 3, August-September 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH
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KEY UPDATE, JULY-AUGUST 2024, VOLUME 21, NUMBER 2
JULY 21, 2024
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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, under WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS, there is a webinar TODAY, July 22, at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT), four webinars tomorrow (July 23), two webinars on July 24, and one webinar on July 25. And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!
NEWS
Action Alert: Demand Official Recognition of Peer Support Specialists
The National Association of Peer Supporters writes: “The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, vital for workforce data and policy decisions, lacks a specific category for Peer Support Specialists. This oversight affects recognition and resources for the entire peer support profession. The Office of Management and Budget is inviting public comments for the 2028 SOC updates. This is our once-in-a-decade chance to advocate for a dedicated classification. Accurate data could lead to better policies, funding, and training programs.” For information about how to submit a comment before the August 12, 2024, deadline, click here. See also “Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health,” a new SAMHSA Issue Brief, under RESOURCES, below.
“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”
“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.
“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants
A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.
“Mental Health Experts Decry Supreme Court Decision Upholding the Criminalization of Homelessness and Highlight Proven Solutions”
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Rural Mental Health, and National Association of Social Workers have criticized the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision in Johnson v. Grants Pass, which held that laws that criminalize sleeping in public when no safe and accessible shelter options are available are not cruel and unusual punishment. This will have devastating consequences on the large and growing number of Americans experiencing homelessness, including people with mental health disabilities. For the press release, click here.
“Study Shows Listening to Mental Health Podcasts Reduces Stigma”
“Listening to mental health podcasts reduces stigma, supports the development of mental health literacy and increases help-seeking,” a new study, led by researchers at University College Cork, has found. “The study shows that mental health podcasts helped listeners to learn coping strategies, deepen their sense of self-compassion and effectively directed them to other services and resources. Researchers found that podcasts are a driving force in shifting perspectives from stigma to shared experiences. For the Medical Xpress article, click here. For the research, published in the journal Rural and Remote Health, click here.
WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS
(Webinars are free unless otherwise specified.)
“Making the Leap: Leadership Transition During Uncertainty”
On July 22 and July 25, 2024 (12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT), The Copeland Center will present a six-hour Continuing Education (CE) course “designed to provide participants with tactics and strategies that will allow them to more fully understand how to navigate through uncertainty while also providing team members and other stakeholders with a sense of stability as we go about executing our roles and responsibilities.” Tuition is $180. For more information and to register, click here.
A “Lunch and Learn” about “Peers in the Crisis Care Continuum” on July 23, and a New Peer Respite Will Open on August 5
On July 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), the California Health and Human Services Agency Behavioral Health Task Force will host a 90-minute “Lunch and Learn” about “Peers in the Crisis Care Continuum.” To register, click here. Resources include the recording of “Building Hope; A Journey Through Crisis Residential Services,” a webinar focused on Peer Respites by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (click here); and a 17-page SAMHSA Advisory on “Peer Support Services in Crisis Care (click here). Meanwhile, a new peer respite is scheduled to open on August 5, 2024! The Ferns Peer-Run Respite, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is sponsored by Hopeworx, Inc. Its mission: “To offer a welcoming environment for people experiencing distress in their lives that recognizes each individual as the expert on themself while also providing time, space, and connections that support their self-determination, healing, and growth.” Questions? Please contact Director Olivia Kripak: okripak@theferns.org, 610.733.0179.
“Transforming Trauma: Healing Justice for Mental Health”
On July 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a one-hour webinar on “the transformative power of healing justice in addressing mental health challenges in communities of color. We will explore how collective care strategies can serve as powerful interventions to break the generational trauma cycle.” For more information and to register, click here
“Fostering Trust & Employee Wellbeing Through Reflective & Relational-Based Supervision”
On July 23 and July 25, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), the Pacific Southwest MHTTC will present a two-part training on “how to provide supervision through a trauma-informed lens.” Each session is 90 minutes long. For more information and to register for one or both sessions, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.
“Next Steps in Peer Support Credentialing: What Else is Needed Now That We Have National Model Standards from SAMHSA”
The date for this SAMHSA-sponsosred webinar, presented by NAMI, is July 24 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET. For more information and to register for this 90-minute webinar, click here. Questions? Please contact kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org or paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org
“Mental Health Policy Roundtable: Navigating Deinstitutionalization–Past, Present, and Future Perspectives”
On July 24, 2024, at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), a distinguished panel “will begin a dialogue surrounding deinstitutionalization, mental health policy, and how we can learn from the past.” The panelists include Howard H. Goldman, Sydney Brownstone, Matthew L. Goldman, and reporter Will James, host of the Lost Patients podcast. The moderator will be David M. Wertheimer. To register for this virtual event, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Van Tosh)
“Young People in Advocacy: How We Can Help Elevate Youth Voices in Mental Health Advocacy”
On July 25, 2024, at 12 p.m., SAMHSA will sponsor a free webinar about “Young People in Advocacy”: “Join us to dive deep into how best to support youth in finding their voice in community, state, or even national advocacy, and how to keep youth voices in the spotlight. Learn to define the difference between helpful and harmful ways to engage with our young people.” For details and to register, click here. Questions? Please contact kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org or paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org
“Navigating Concerns on Youth Crime, Violence, and Behavioral Health: What Does the Data Say?”
On July 29, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center will present a one-hour webinar to discuss their analysis of “the most recent behavioral health, arrest, and juvenile justice system data available so that policymakers can use this data to achieve two important goals: 1. Refocus the juvenile justice system on youth who are high-risk or commit serious and violent offenses, and ensure limited resources are invested in what works to improve public safety and youth outcomes; and 2. Develop a comprehensive state plan that addresses the systemic reasons for youth’s behaviors and ensures that the most vulnerable adolescents receive the services and supports they need to transition to a safe and healthy adulthood.” The webinar will also review new products that address these issues and areas. For more information and to register, click here.
“Voices From the Field: Centering Lived and Living Experience in Overdose Prevention”
On July 29, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will sponsor a webinar that, the National Council writes, will “include insights and strategies on successfully centering PWLLE [People With Lived and Living Experience] in overdose prevention work through health department and community collaborations.” For more information and to register, click here. And, they add: “Interested in learning more about how health departments can meaningfully include PWLLE in overdose surveillance and prevention efforts? Keep an eye on our webpage for our new tools to be released at the end of July!” (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
“Informal and Formal Family Peer Support: The Impact and Evidence”
On July 30, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the National Federation of Families and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will present a 90-minute SAMHSA-sponsored TA Coalition webinar on “Informal and Formal Family Peer Support: The Impact and Evidence.” “[P]resenters will use their lived and professional expertise to discuss how the inclusion of person-centered, family-driven approaches to behavioral health support, such as family peer support, lead us towards a more equitable society where all families have access to high quality, holistic mental health support.” For details and to register, click here.
“Integrative Wellness Pop-Up Barber Shop”
On July 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour workshop that “will highlight a peer-led campus project that aimed to cultivate a culturally significant and wellness-informed environment for BIPOC male-identifying individuals on the campus of a Predominately White Institution (PWI).” For more information and to register, click here.
“Early Psychosis: To Medicate or Not?”
On July 31, 2024, at 6 a.m. ET, 5 a.m. CT, 4 a.m. MT, 3 a.m. PT, ISPS-Australia will host a two-hour presentation on “Early Psychosis: To Medicate or Not?” The speakers will be Oryx Cohen, CEO of the National Empowerment Center; Dr. Amit Banerjee, a psychiatrist and ISPS-Australia board director; and Tara Coppins, a senior clinical psychologist and secretary of the ISPS-Australia board. People in the U.S. will receive a 50 percent discount on tickets if they use the code USFRIENDS50. For more information and to register, click here. Everyone who purchases a ticket will receive a copy of the recording.
“Best Practices to Promote Scene Safety During Mental Health Crises”
On July 31, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and 21st Century Policing Solutions will host a 90-minute webinar “on best practices to promote scene safety and a follow-up ask-the-expert hour with our presenters. Our discussion will explore crucial considerations in promoting best practices to ensure scene safety in a co-response to a mental health crisis.” For details and to register, click here.
Next Judi’s Room: “If Assisted Suicide Is Legal, What Will Our Healthcare Be Like?”
On August 7 at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a discussion on the ramifications for healthcare if assisted suicide is considered a healthcare choice, and actions you can take when proposals are made. “State assisted suicide law proposals are expanding to include people with non-terminal illnesses. Some proposed laws have included anorexia, depression, schizophrenia, and/or dementia.” Among the laws that will be discussed critically are the proposed law in Michigan. The speakers will be John Kelly, director of Second Thoughts Massachusetts; Anita Cameron, director of minority outreach, Not Dead Yet; and Ian McIntosh, director of disability outreach, Patients’ Rights Action Fund. To join the call, click here. (Videos of many past Judi’s Rooms are on MindFreedom’s YouTube channel, here.)
“Transforming Mental Health Disability Research Through Lived Experience Leadership and Co-Production”
On August 8, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. ET), the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity of the National Institute of Mental Health will present a 90-minute webinar as part of its Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series. The webinar “will introduce a range of approaches to meaningfully integrate individuals with lived experiences of psychiatric disabilities into mental health research.” The presenter will be Nev Jones, Ph.D. For details and to register, click here.
Wildflower Alliance to Present “When Conversation Turns to Suicide”
In August, the Wildflower Alliance will host “a 16-hour training for people wanting to learn about and use the Alternatives to Suicide approach in their work and beyond.” The trainings will be on August 19, 20, 26, and 27, always from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, and held on Zoom. For more information and to register, click here.
“Communication: Healthy Boundaries”
On August 21 and August 22, 2024 (12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT), the Copeland Center will present a six-hour interactive Continuing Education (CE) course that “will explore the dynamics of establishing healthy personal and professional boundaries through communication skills. The course will cover strategies and tools to maintain healthy boundaries between peer specialists and service providers and peers receiving services. It will include role plays of difficult conversations, managing differing perspectives, and maintaining wellness through action planning.” Tuition is $180. For more information and to register, click here.
SAMHSA’s Second Annual Walk for Recovery Will Take Place on September 5
SAMHSA writes: “Come join us as we celebrate Recovery Month and raise awareness that recovery is possible. Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon will lead SAMHSA and other Federal Agencies, Recovery Communities and Organizations in a ‘Walk for Recovery’ here in Washington, DC, on September 5, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET, at Freedom Plaza.” For more information, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
City Voices’ Programs Forge Bonds Among Peers Who Share Interests
City Voices, a New York City-based peer-run nonprofit with a national profile, offers programs for people with lived experience that can be accessed by phone and/or Zoom. These include the Friendship Squad, which promotes peer-to-peer friendships; the Spirituality Group, which “offers a safe haven of emotional support and stimulating discussions surrounding various spiritual subjects”; and Peer Workers United, which helps peer supporters expand their peer networks and “take their peer support work to the next level.” For more about City Voices, click here.
CONFERENCES
“Alliance Announces Annual Conference Scholarship Opportunities! Apply Today!”
August 1 at close of business is the deadline to apply for one of the limited number of scholarships to attend the 2024 Alliance for Rights and Recovery annual conference, to be held September 25-27 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York. “We will be awarding scholarships on a first-come first-served basis," so please complete the Google form at the link below as soon as possible. For more information and the application, click here.
ISEPP Calls for Nominations for Awards, to Be Presented at Its Annual Conference
Nominations for the ISEPP Awards are open until August 31, 2024. The awards will be presented at ISEPP’s annual conference, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on October 26, 2024. The awards are the ISEPP Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded for a lifetime pursuing the goals and principles espoused by ISEPP and who has made a significant contribution toward that end; the ISEPP Special Achievement Award, awarded for a particular accomplishment in support of ISEPP goals and principles; and the Mary Karon Memorial Award for Humanitarian Concerns, awarded to someone who is not a mental health professional who has made significant contributions to ISEPP goals and principles. Please email docruby@me.com with your nominees' names, positions, and narratives explaining their accomplishments and why they are deserving of the particular award.
NAADAC Invites Sponsors, Exhibitors, and/or Advertisers for Its 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day
The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. For details of available exhibit, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities, click here.
APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30
The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.
RESOURCES AND ARTICLES
July Is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network is offering an array of products and resources related to minority mental health. In addition, the MHTTC has included products and resources from other organizations, such as the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the American Indian and Alaska Native Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, Mental Health America, and others. For this information, click here. For the recent MHTTC newsletter, which includes links to additional information, click here.
“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”
This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.
“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”
“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.
“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”
The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)
“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”
“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.
“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”
The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.
“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”
Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.
The July-August 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “How Walking Improves Back Health,” click here. For “Yes, heat can affect your brain and mood. Here's why,” click here. For “Hot Weather Hydration Hacks,” click here. For “I’m a dentist. Here are 5 things I never do to my teeth,” click here. For “How Can I Manage Loneliness,” click here. For “How to Make New Friends,” click here. For “Walking can help people with lower back pain. Here's how,” click here. For “Simple Fitness Tests You Can Complete at Home,” click here. For “Your brain needs rest. Here are five ways to get some,” click here. For “How to Check a Sketchy Link Without Clicking It,” click here. “Is Forgiveness Overrated? Why I Believe ‘Forgiveness’ is Not Necessary for Healing,” click here. For “The Best Clothing for Humidity and Hot Weather,” click here. For “Too tired for physical activity? Here are the top 12 ways to get more energy,” click here. For “Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep,” click here. For “9 Exercises to Increase Strength and Mobility in Your Feet: You need flexibility and stability to train effectively. That starts in your toes,” click here.
The July-August 2024 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 “Meet the New Generation of Unarmed First Responders in This New Podcast Series: ‘The Fifth Branch,’ a podcast from The Marshall Project and Tradeoffs, examines new, alternative ways to respond to 911 crisis calls,” click here. For “Remedying Wrongs: The administrative remedy process is a roadblock to challenging inhumane prison conditions. With the help of advocates, people in prison are fighting back,” click here. For “‘Bringing a gun to a knife fight’: LAPD continues to shoot people holding ‘edged weapon’ during mental crisis, analysis shows,” click here. For “Missouri woman’s murder conviction tossed after 43 years. Her lawyers say a police officer did it: Sandra Hemme was being treated at a psychiatric hospital when she incriminated herself decades ago,” click here. For “Appeals court orders release of woman whose murder conviction was reversed after 43 years in prison,” click here. For “Big Screen Abolition: Films That Imagine Decarceral Futures Are a Cultural Antidote for the Carceral Messages and Aesthetics So Prevalent in Popular Media,” click here. For “Unsettled People: Prison transfers are routinely used to punish, disorient, and isolate incarcerated people, disconnecting them from family, friends, community, and all sense of place,” click here. For “New Yorkers Were Choked, Beaten and Tased by NYPD Officers. The Commissioner Buried Their Cases. New York City’s Police Commissioner Edward Caban has repeatedly used a little-known authority called “retention” to prevent officers accused of misconduct from facing public disciplinary trials. Victims are never told their cases have been buried,” click here. For “Two years after the end of Roe v. Wade, most women on probation and parole have to ask permission to travel for abortion care,” click here. For “The New Battle Over an Old Institution: Forced Prison Labor: Inside the latest legal and legislative efforts to close state constitutional loopholes that allow slavery as punishment for a crime,” click here. For “A judge committed these Maine patients to a hospital. Some say they’re being sent to prison: Maine has been quietly sending people found not criminally responsible for their crimes to a controversial, for-profit facility in South Carolina where they say they are not getting mental health treatment,” click here. For “All of the Above: Prosecutors alone won’t end mass incarceration. But their interventions can mean the world to people staring down the many harms of criminalization,” click here. For “Across Maine, judges are deciding when the lack of an attorney becomes a constitutional violation,” click here. For “Vending machines selling bullets at grocery stores,” click here. For “Community Is a Verb: Defund gives us a platform and pathway to reimagine a society with less police, more care, and services that meet the needs of all,” click here. For “Media Guide: 10 Crime Coverage Dos and Don’ts—The Sentencing Project’s new media guide can help media outlets develop coverage that will better inform the public and policymakers on how to pursue the most effective and humane public safety policies,” click here. For “Prison Reform’s Shell Game: Hard-won legislation meant to limit or end solitary confinement has run up against the power of correctional systems to neutralize change,” click here. For “Milwaukee man's death captured on video exposes same flaws as George Floyd case | Opinion: There are parallels between D'Vontaye Mitchell's death and that of George Floyd Jr.,” click here. For “There’s a Junk Science Crisis in Criminal Convictions. Sonia Sotomayor Calls It Out in Alabama Bite-Mark Case. While the court refused to review the 1985 case of Charles McCrory, Sotomayor urged states to pass laws to help exonerate people imprisoned on debunked forensic evidence,” click here. For “Congress Set To Have New Oversight Over The Federal Bureau Of Prisons,” click here. For “I Watched My Neighbor Die a Preventable Death Due to Scorching Heat in Prison: Breathing was hard for all of us in the heat. I screamed for help when he collapsed but it didn’t come soon enough,” click here. For “Texas’ Plantation Prisons: Inside a 200-Year History of Forced Labor Shrouded in Secrecy…Punishments, injuries, and deaths—including from heat—on TDCJ farms are more hidden than they were in the years following convict leasing,” click here. For “Women don’t have equal access to college in prison. Here’s why,” click here. For “On His Way Out, North Carolina Governor Expands Support for People Leaving Prison: An executive order directs state agencies to improve reentry services and fix a broken system that failed me and thousands of others released from prison into homelessness each year,” click here. For “Squinting in the Sunlight: Most reentry programs assume a person who is able to work and live on their own. Those of us who are older don’t have that kind of freedom,” click here. For “A County Jail Near a Colorado Resort Town Uses Suicide Smocks and ‘WRAPs’ to Restrain Agitated Prisoners: These restraints can be dangerous if used incorrectly, leading critics to call for a different approach,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS
NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!
The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7! They include Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD, director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; a panel presentation on “Twilight of Liberty II: The Hidden Foundations of Psychiatric Coercion and Oppression, and What Can Be Done”; “Recent Developments in Mental Health Law”; and “Combatting Institutionalization in California in the Face of the CARE Act and other Recent Legislation.” There will be a Pre-Conference Institute for PAIMI Council Members: “PAIMI Councils as Leaders for Systemic Reform,” 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT, on September 4. For more information, click here.
Mental Health America Announces the Tentative Schedule for Its 2024 Conference
The 2024 Mental Health America conference, whose theme is “Disrupt, Reform, Transform,” will be held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Policy Institute is on September 17; Affiliate Day is September 18; and the main conference is September 19-21. For the tentative agenda, click here. Early bird rates close on June 21; to register, click here.
MHEP to Host Two Upcoming Virtual Trainings in July
On July 23, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., MHEP will present “Language Matters, with Jen.” And on July 25, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Building Better Boundaries, with Kate.” The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84791633281 . Questions? Contact Jennifer at jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393
NTTAC Promotes Its Community Wellness and Peer Support Training Academy
The National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health offers its Community Wellness and Peer Support (CWAPS) Training Academy, which it describes as “a diverse collection of presentations, trainings, and resources that together share a commitment to fostering resilience, promoting empathy, and cultivating collaborative relationships within communities.” Their offerings include a training on July 24, 2024. “No-cost continuing education hours are available for mental health providers and peer support specialists!” For more information and to register, click here.
ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27
The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com
ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024
The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)
Registration Opens for National Federation of Families Conference
Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.
OPPORTUNITIES
MacArthur Foundation Announces Competition for a Single $100 Million Grant
“We are launching a new round of 100&Change, our competition for a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world's most critical social challenges,” the MacArthur Foundation writes. “100&Change remains open to organizations and collaborations working in any field, anywhere in the world. Competitive proposals will address a significant problem and provide a solution that is impactful, evidence-based, feasible, durable, and just. Are you ready to solve a problem?” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Saenger)
SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?
“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.
ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI
ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.
PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers
“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org
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.
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.
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.
TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, 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
“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”
The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.
“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants
“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)
Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research
A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)
“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”
Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here.
Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought
University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
Researchers Launch National Online Survey Study of Black Women’s Health
Researchers at the University of Oregon, with others at UNC-Charlotte and Drexel University, “are working with Black female scholars, clinicians, and community members on a national online survey study investigating negative (e.g., discrimination) and positive (e.g., community ties, embodied joy) experiences and health behaviors among Black women. The goal of this project is to examine the links between systemic injustice, resilience, and mental and physical health…Participation will consist of a 20- to 30-minute online survey; participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.” For a link to the survey, email therenewlab@uoregon.edu. For questions, email the research intern, ohosh@uoregon.edu, or the PI, mosa@uoregon.edu. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”
“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”
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 215.204.9021.
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? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu.
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
Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off
Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.
“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”
“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.
MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit
Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.”
“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”
The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.
“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”
NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.
STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”
“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.
NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning
The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.
SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”
SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”
The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)
“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”
“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)
“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago
This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)
The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”
A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.
CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)
“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)
A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”
MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.
“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic
Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.
IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”
The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)
Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”
The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.
“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”
“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)
WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity
The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.
IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry
Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here.
SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit
“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here.
“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”
“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.
“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”
A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”
“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”
At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”
“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.
“The State of Mental Health in America”
“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.
World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All
“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.
“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”
The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here.
Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue
The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources
“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.
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.)
“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)
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)
“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
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.
“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)
“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.
“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.
Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services
The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)
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 21, No. 2, July-August 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH