The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is now affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion!
TO CONTACT THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM
TO CONTACT SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM
TO CONTACT JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM
“How to Stay Mentally Healthy During the Coronavirus Pandemic”
“There’s a lot of advice being offered right now about how to keep yourself physically healthy during the coronavirus pandemic, such as washing your hands and practicing social distancing. But managing mental health during this time is just as vital to your overall well-being…Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve your mental health right now even if you’re social distancing,” writes VeryWellMind.com. “Despite [the] ongoing uncertainty of the situation, take small steps every day to address your emotional needs.” For the article, medically reviewed on March 20, 2020, which includes many links to additional information, click here. And for a related article, “10 Ways to Ease Your Coronavirus Anxiety,” click here. (Please see below for two webinars on this topic, offered by Mental Health America [on March 25] and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion [on March 26], respectively.)
252 Advocacy Organizations Pressure FCC to Expand Help for Lifeline Program Users to Assist Low-Income Americans During Pandemic! And It’s Not Too Late to Add Your Name to Another Advocacy Campaign!
The advocacy community is urging the FCC to expand upon its recent changes to the Lifeline program to help participants potentially affected by the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (Lifeline provides monthly discounts on broadband and voice services to qualifying consumers.) A letter signed by 252 national, statewide, and local organizations has urged the FCC to “immediately prohibit disconnections of Lifeline consumers; within no more than one week, require Lifeline providers to offer unlimited voice minutes and unlimited texting and commensurate voice-only financial support; and within no more than 21 days, create an emergency Lifeline broadband benefit.” The current changes announced by the FCC involve only waiving the Lifeline program’s recertification and reverification requirements for participating low-income Americans for 60 days, and waiving for 60 days the requirement that participating carriers’ enrollment representatives register with the Lifeline program administrator. The advocacy community believes it is imperative to expand on these initial changes. To download the letter, including the list of signers, click here. At the same time, you can join a campaign by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago to instantly send an email directly to FCC chairman Ajit Pai and other Lifeline stakeholders, calling on them to “immediately expand all Lifeline services to provide unlimited minutes for talk, unlimited texting/SMS, and unlimited data during these difficult times.” To add your name, click here. And to demand prison phone justice for people who are incarcerated and their families, click here. Courtesy of AJ French and Keris Myrick)
Peerpocalypse 2020 Has Been Postponed
The Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon has postponed Peerpocalypse 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The conference, which will incorporate elements of the Alternatives conference, is currently scheduled for July 20-23. The conference will still be held in Seaside, Oregon. Peerpocalypse organizers will be updating the website with new dates, hotel rates, and information. They write: “We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and wish everyone the best during this uncertain time.” For more, and to stay current with any additional changes, click here.
Next Free Webinar in Peer-Run Organization Learning Collaborative Series to Be on March 24
“Staying in Your Lane: Managing Roles and Responsibilities as Your Peer-Run Organization Grows” is the topic of the next free webinar in the series by the Peer-Run Organization Learning Collaborative, comprising the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer/consumer supporter technical assistance centers. “How can you make sure that everyone in your organization understands their role and works cooperatively in support of a shared mission and vision as your organization grows? Join this webinar to find out!” To register for the 90-minute webinar, on March 24 at 2 p.m. ET, click here.
“Mental Health Researchers Ask, What is ‘Recovery’?”
“There are many ways to measure mental distress. But it’s far harder to predict, or even describe, the improvement that often follows,” according to a recent article in The New York Times. The article covers research that reflects the difficulty of creating metrics to accurately measure recovery, and includes interviews with Claire Bien, author of “Hearing Voices, Living Fully”; Larry Davidson, a psychiatric researcher at Yale; and Gail Hornstein, a professor emerita of psychology at Mount Holyoke College. For the article, click here.
MHA to Host Free Webinar on Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic on Mental Health on March 25
This webinar, on March 25 at 12 p.m. ET, will cover the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. “Our speakers will discuss the effects that social distancing, isolation, and stress of this crisis have on overall health and mental health,” MHA writes. The conversation will include self-care tips for providers, the use of digital technology to engage service participants, the effects of this crisis on individuals with underlying mental health conditions, and some tips for family engagement during this period of isolation. For more information and to register, click here.
New Film Addresses the Pharmaceutical Industry’s Role in “Medicating Normal”
A new film shines a spotlight on the pharmaceutical industry, which, in the words of one respondent in the film, “now wants to ‘disease-ify’ every single experience because they want to sell their pills to treat it.” “Anatomy of an Epidemic,” by award-winning journalist Robert Whitaker, “became our call to action,” the directors say. “In 1980,” Whitaker says in the trailer, “the American Psychiatric Association adopted a disease model and began to tell that story to the American public. You know who was so happy with that story? The pharmaceutical industry.” The Directors’ Statement notes: “The film acknowledges that psychiatric drugs do help alleviate suffering for a segment of those who take them. However, it is estimated that of the 1 in 5 Americans taking such meds, 30% to 35% are gravely harmed by the very treatment meant to help them. ‘Medicating Normal’ focuses on the predicament of this group—individuals facing trauma and stress who are drugged needlessly and made sicker as a result. Interviews with experts in the film reveal that significant numbers of these people will get better over time without medication.” For more information and to watch the trailer, click here.
A National Conversation: Community Participation in a Time of Physical Distancing
On March 26, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion will hold a “National Conversation” on “Community Participation in a Time of Physical Distancing.” The TU Collaborative writes: “We love encouraging individuals to find resources in their community and participate in meaningful activities. In fact, we believe it's a medical necessity. Recent events have made community participation exceptionally challenging! This webinar is designed to create a conversation about strategies to support community participation and social connectedness while following the CDC guidelines for physical distancing.” To register, click here.
BRSS TACS Offers Free “Conversation” on “Treatment and Recovery Supports for Older Adults” on March 26
On March 26, 2020, at 2 p.m. ET, SAMHSA’s BRSS TACS (Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy) will offer a free, one-hour virtual conversation on “Treatment and Recovery Supports for Older Adults.” “Presenters will describe the changing landscape of treatment and recovery services for older adults, highlight emerging best practices, and explain how recovery support services, such as peer services, can improve client outreach and engagement.” For more information and to register, click here.
Free Online Course on “The History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches”
The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) describes its free, online, introductory course on “The History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” as follows: “We review the political and social landscape that bolstered the dominant biopsychiatry model from the 1980s until now. We discuss the widespread impacts of big pharma, the marketing of psychotropic medication, and subsequent cultural reforms that shifted us into an age of more ‘sickness’ than ever before. We provide a brief history of the mad movement and human rights reform in mental health. We uplift the power of lived experience, amplify the voices of survivors of trauma and adversity, discuss the rise of the peer specialist role, and reform the system with the power of our stories. We introduce innovative and transformative alternative frameworks for understanding mental health and well-being.” For more information about the course and to enroll, click here. (Information about IDHA-NYC courtesy of Leah Harris)
PRA Launches “Mentally Healthy Workplaces” Podcast Series
Policy Research Associates, in collaboration with the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), has launched “a four-part series on mentally healthy workplaces. In ‘Social Determinants of Health Part 1: Can the Workplace Stand in the Gap?’ PRA’s Dr. Crystal L. Brandow interviews WELCOA president Ryan Picarella on topics related to the roles organizations can occupy to support health and wellness for employees, particularly in light of what we know about research on social determinants of health. This is the first of two podcasts on this topic.” To listen to the podcast or read the transcript, click here.
“Transforming Lives Through the Arts,” an Online Course Presented by Gayle Bluebird, Is an APS Offering
Gayle Bluebird, a co-founder of Altered States of the Arts, has partnered with the Academy of Peer Services to develop the online course “Transforming Lives Through the Arts.” “It demonstrates using the arts as a major source of recovery for persons who have experienced mental health challenges. The course honors artists who have contributed to the history of the consumer/survivor movement. To learn more about this and 50 other free online courses designed for the peer workforce, enroll in the Academy of Peer Services (click here).” After you log in, click “Register for Course” and select “Transforming Lives Through the Arts” in the dashboard. APS courses are self-paced and available 24/7 while the Academy is in session. Current plans call for the winter term to continue until 5 p.m. ET on April 6. For more information about enrolling and accessing courses, visit the online user guide (available here). (Courtesy of Rita Cronise)
“Online Tool Eyes Youth Mental Health Experience”
Launched in February 2020, Shared Humanity is an online module whose goal is to help youth “learn about the mental health system and be better prepared to build a trusting relationship with their health-care provider,” according to a recent Medical Xpress article. “Using true-to-life scenarios, the module emphasizes the importance of trust and how that trust can be fostered or broken. It also…offers youth ways to reconcile the power differential they may feel. Shared Humanity takes about 30 minutes to complete…Among its features, the module provides an entire section that helps youth to see their health-care provider as a human being with feelings, worries and flaws.” Youth with lived experience helped design the project, a joint venture between Western researcher Dr. Javeed Sukhera and mindyourmind, a London-based nonprofit mental health organization. For the article, click here.
Courtesy of Elizabeth Stone
APS Offers Its Next Free Webinar—Supporting Older Adults—on March 30
On March 30, 2020, at 3 p.m. ET, the Academy of Peer Services (APS) will offer a free, 90-minute webinar, as part of its Faces and Places of Peer Support series. The topic is “Supporting Older Adults: Building on Strengths,” presented by Clinton Green, Liz Breier, Michelle Zechner, and Gayle Bluebird. To register, click here. For a running list of upcoming APS webinars and online events, click here. (Courtesy of Rita Cronise)
“A Simple Guide to Avoid Receiving a Diagnosis of Personality Disorder”
Recovery in the Bin, a user-led group for mental health survivors and supporters, has published an ostensibly tongue-in-cheek guide to avoid being diagnosed with a personality disorder. For the eight-page leaflet—published in Clinical Psychology Forum (March 2016), by the British Psychology Society, click here.
Next Up in the MHTTC Webinar Series Is How Peer Providers Use Their Lived Experience to Help Others
The next free, 90-minute webinar in the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC) series is on March 31, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET. The topic is “Peer Services: Peer Providers Offer Understanding, Respect, Mutual Empowerment, and Support to Others Through Use of Their Personal Experiences.” To register, and for information about upcoming webinars—to be held on April 7 (“Supervision of Peer Providers: Effective Supervision of Peers by Non-Peer Supervisors”), April 23 (“Role of Health and Wellness in Recovery: Interventions to Reduce the High Rates of Morbidity and Mortality Among People with Serious Mental Illnesses”), May 7 (“Role of Religion and Spirituality in Recovery: Benefits and Challenges of Religion and Spirituality in Recovery and Strategies for Navigating this Topic”), and May 21 (“Recovery in the Hispanic and Latinx Community: What is the Understanding of Recovery in the Hispanic and Latinx Community and How Can We Support It”), click here.
Free Webinar on “National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)”
The next free one-hour webinar in Doors to Wellbeing’s series, on March 31, 2020, at 2 p.m. ET, will cover the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health. “This webinar will introduce the concept of culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), provide an overview of the National CLAS Standards, share key findings from organizations that have implemented the National CLAS Standards, and provide actionable recommendations for successful implementation of the National CLAS Standards,” Doors to Wellbeing writes. For more information and to register, click here.
“16 Powerful Songs About Mental Health to Make You Feel Less Alone”
“If you’ve experienced issues like anxiety, depression, or grief, you’ll certainly relate to these lyrics,” promises a recent HuffPost article. The songs include iconic hits, such as the Beatles’ “Help!”—about whose composer Paul McCartney said, “I think John's whole life was a cry for help"—and newer songs, like “1-800-273-8255” (the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline), by Logic. Also included are songs by Haim, Florence + the Machine, Demi Lovato, Jay-Z, Matchbox Twenty, and others. For more, click here.
On the Importance of Laughter
“Did you know that you're 30 times more likely to laugh if you're with somebody else than if you're alone? Cognitive neuroscientist Sophie Scott shares this and other surprising facts about laughter in this fast-paced, action-packed and, yes, hilarious dash through the science of cracking up.” For Sophie Scott’s TED talk, click here.
The March 2020 Digest of Articles about Alternatives to Traditional Mental Health Treatment and Resources, and Healthy Lifestyle Advice (Elizabeth Stone and Kevin Fitts contributed to this digest.)
For “For outcomes and cost, study supports holistic approach to mental healthcare,” click here. For “Can magic mushrooms and LSD treat depression and anxiety? Scientists are optimistic,” click here. For “Psychedelic Therapy Has a Sexual Abuse Problem,” click here. For “Acupressure,” click here.
The March 2020 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Justice System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)
Here is the March wrap-up of stories about the criminal justice system. (Note: Some of the titles and other language are not politically correct but are reproduced as written.) For “4 ways to protect our jails and prisons from coronavirus,” click here. For “Coronavirus Transforming Jails Across the Country,” click here. For “A prison pandemic? Steps to avoid the worst,” click here. For “What Do We Really Know About the Politics of People Behind Bars? More than 8,000 people responded to a first-of-its-kind political survey. Here is what they said,” click here. For “Rehabilitation vs Retribution: Which better serves justice?” click here. For “Covering America’s Corrections Systems: A Media ‘Handbook,’” click here. For “Why Shouldn’t Prisoners Be Voters? Americans take for granted that they have a right to vote. The situation of people in prison suggests otherwise,” click here. For “A ‘Record’ 152 Laws Reducing Reentry Barriers Passed in 2019,” click here. For “The New juvenile justice center: Come together to support youth in King County,” click here. For “Replace Pennsylvania’s costly probation system with real second chances,” click here. For “People Serving Life Exceeds Entire Prison Population of 1970,” click here. For “Smart Money Steps to Take Before You Go to Prison,” click here. For “Column: A Los Angeles prosecutor tries to keep addicts out of court and jail,” click here. For “Who Should Decide What Books Are Allowed in Prison?” click here. For “Deadly encounters: Why do deaths at the hands of police keep rising in Vermont?” click here. For “Pennsylvania prison suicides are at an all-time high. Families blame ‘reprehensible’ mental-health care,” click here. For “Federal Report Says Women in Prison Receive Harsher Punishments Than Men,” click here. For “Women in Prison: Seeking Justice Behind Bars,” click here. For “The Zo: Where prison guards’ favorite tactic is messing with your head,” click here. For “A Precarious Time for the Insanity Defense,” click here. For “Take Your Freedom: A play about slavery pushes boundaries in a New York Prison,” click here. For “For Returning Citizens, Success Begins with a Ride Home: A California-based program provides newly released long-term prisoners with a chance at a new life,” click here. For “Businesses and offenders looking for redemption: It's a match. Early mentoring—and a job prospect—can help offenders re-enter society,” click here. For “Short Prison Sentences Fail Vulnerable Women. It’s Time for Reform: Eight women died in prison last year, five of them by suicide. We need a rethink on sentencing to prevent more of these tragedies,” click here. For “Program Explores Criminal Justice Through Plays,” click here. For “Suicide in Prison: A new study on risk factors in the prison environment,” click here. For a recent newsletter of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here. For “Legislators, formerly incarcerated activists speak on reentry after prison,” click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
To Support iNAPS’s “One Classification Counts” Campaign, Take Its Survey
The International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) is calling on all peer workers—regardless of job title, population served, or workplace setting—to complete a one-minute survey indicating their job title (and providing a little more information), to help with its “One Classification Counts” campaign. iNAPS writes: “What is this campaign and why is one classification important to peer support specialists? Currently, the Department of Labor (DOL) does not recognize peer support work as a unique occupation. Because there are hundreds of different job titles, peer support ends up classified under a number of different helping professions, many of which do not require (and sometimes actively prohibit) having and sharing lived experience as a defining feature.” For more about the background and goal of the campaign, click here. To take the survey, 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)
Free Resources for Peer Worker Supervisors Are Posted on the iNAPS Website
The International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) has posted an array of resources for supervisors of peer support staff. The sources of the 18 disparate resources include the Transformation Center, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), the Café TA Center, the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), the Carter Center, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, SAMHSA-HRSA and the Center for Integrated Health Solutions, and other organizations and individual experts. For the peer support supervision resources, click here.
If You Have Experienced Psychosis, “Psychosis Beyond the Box” Wants to Hear From You.
“Psychosis Beyond the Box” seeks to gather anonymous descriptions of “aspects of psychosis that are often neglected, such as felt presences, visual or quasi-visual experiences, and alterations of space, time or distance,” as well as strategies to help with any distressing or challenging aspects of the experiences. The narratives will be compiled and shared in early psychosis programs and other service settings across the U.S. A major aim of the project—which is not a research project—is “to validate the diverse range of things people with psychosis experience, and help people, especially young adults experiencing psychosis for the first time, feel less alone and isolated (in these experiences).” For more information about the project, based at the University of South Florida, or to share your story, click here. Questions? Write to Nev Jones (genevra@usf.edu) or ShannonPagdon@gmail.com.
“Experiences with Hospitalization” Survey Seeks Participants
“The purpose of this survey is to help us understand people's lived experience with voluntary and involuntary treatment because of suicidal thoughts. It was created by people with lived experience…We are planning to use this information to facilitate discussions with suicidologists and the suicide prevention community about the impact of the use of these interventions, particularly within marginalized populations. We feel the voice of people with lived experience with these interventions has not had adequate opportunity to be heard, and hope that by completing this survey anonymously, people who have been most impacted can find a safe way to share their experiences. Please note that this is not a research project.” For more information and/or to participate, click here. (Courtesy of Leah Harris)
International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents
“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.” For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com
Virtual Group Advances Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement
Nev Jones, Ph.D., and Emily Cutler, a doctoral candidate, have launched a listserv dedicated to building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users. Dr. Jones, assistant professor, Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, University of South Florida, 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.
Do You Supervise Peer Support Workers? Then Researchers Have Some Questions for You
Researchers in the University of South Florida’s Department of Psychiatry and at Magellan Health are investigating the backgrounds, training, and experiences of individuals who currently supervise at least one peer support worker in a behavioral health setting or agency. “To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first comprehensive research study of the landscape of peer support supervision practices in the United States,” writes Dr. Nev Jones, the primary investigator of the study (Protocol Number 00040223). Participants must be at least 18 years old and work in the United States or U.S. territories. An online survey lasting approximately 10 minutes will ask about respondents’ backgrounds, training and preparation for supervision, perspectives and practices, and views on barriers and facilitators to high-quality supervision. There is no monetary compensation. Questions? Contact Dr. Nev Jones (genevra@health.usf.edu) or the co-primary investigator, Dana Foglesong (dfoglesong@magellanhealth.com). To access the survey, click here.
What Happens to People after Discharge from First Episode Psychosis/Early Intervention Programs? New Study Seeks Answers—and Participants
A study led by Dr. Nev Jones at the University of South Florida seeks current and former clients as well as family members of clients previously enrolled in early intervention in psychosis (EIP)/coordinated specialty care (CSC) services. The study aims to better understand what happens after discharge from EIP/CSC programs, including in the areas of school or work and access to/use of other mental health services. Eligible participants must be at least 18 years old and must be “current clients within one month of discharge from an EIP/CSC program, former clients discharged at least six months (at the time of the scheduled interview), and the family members of former clients.” In exchange for a phone interview of approximately 1.5 hours, each participant in the study (Protocol Number 00035193) will receive a $75 money order. Questions? Contact Dr. Jones at 813.415.5532 or by email at genevra@health.usf.edu.
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.
Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.
About The Key Update
The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is now affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion!
The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 16, No. 9, March 2020. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH