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.
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Chatbots: Do They Help or Might They Harm?
Chatbots—which use software to have an online conversation through text or synthesized speech, and are designed to make it seem as though you’re talking to another human being—are promoted as effective in providing mental health support. But in the brave new world of Artificial Intelligence, they may veer badly off course—like the android in “Alien,” who was responsible for the deaths of nearly the entire crew of his spaceship. That is the gist of a recent article in The New Yorker—“The Chatbot Problem”—which begins by reporting that a chatbot called Replika advised one journalist to commit murder, and another to commit suicide. Yet Replika calls itself “the AI bot that wants to be your best friend.” Another chatbot is Wysa, an award-winning “AI-enabled Life Coach,” whose website says it is “clinically safe.” But the New Yorker article concludes, “We are being forced to confront fundamental mysteries of humanity as technical issues: how little we know about the darkness in our hearts, and how faint our control over that darkness is…” Microsoft’s erstwhile chatbot—Tay—is a cautionary tale: For “Twitter taught Microsoft’s AI chatbot to be a racist a**hole in less than a day,” click here. For the New Yorker article, click here. (The Wysa information is courtesy of Fran Hazam.)
"5 Disability Bills in Congress to Watch," Reported by Forbes
"No list of disability legislation can ever be complete," according to an August 24, 2021, article in Forbes. "And the disability community almost never agrees on which issues at any given time are most important, or which bills have the best chance of passing. Still, it can help to at least try drafting a list, or series of lists, of disability bills in Congress. Here are five to start with as we move into the Fall of 2021." The five--the title of each of which links to the text of the bill, respectively--are 1. Better Care Better Jobs Act (S. 2210 / H. 4131) 2. Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373) 3. Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act (S. 2065 / H.R. 3763) 4. Disabled Access Credit Expansion Act of 2021 (S. 2481 H.R. 4049) and 5. Disability Employment Incentive Act (S. 630 / H.R. 3765). For the article, which includes a summary of each bill, click here.
Free Webinar: “The Peer Profession Progression”
“Join NYAPRS on September 14, 2021, at 12 p.m. ET for a lively conversation with leaders in the field of Peer Services as we discuss education and training opportunities that lead to work in the field of delivering peer support services. Our panel of experts will talk about their own experiences in delivering and supporting peer services as well as why peer support is a critical component of someone's recovery process. 1.5 CEs will be offered for this webinar.” To register, click here.
2021 (Virtual) Disability Vote Summit to Be Held September 14
"The National Disability Rights Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities will be hosting the 2021 Disability Vote Summit on September 14, 2021, from 12 p.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET. At the virtual Summit, we will explore the power of the disability vote, lessons learned from 2020 turnout, and how to use data to mobilize the disability vote. Confirmed presenters include representatives from the National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, SABE Go Voter Project, and more! Join national disability advocates, state and local organizers, policymakers, and others who are working to get out the disability vote." Questions? Contact Lilian Aluri at laluri@aapd.com or Jack Rosen at jack.rosen@ndrn.org. ASL and CART will be provided during the Summit. To register, 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)
AAS Announces 2021 Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) has announced the opening of the 2021 Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition. AAS writes: "We invite attempt survivors and those with lived experience to share their written stories to highlight the importance of these experiences. Writing must be: A personal essay describing the author’s experience with suicidal ideation and/or attempt(s). The writing describes the impact on the writer, and tells the story in a way that is accessible and understandable to the greater community. Poetry, creative fiction, and biography are not accepted...We prioritize the perspectives viewed through the lens of intersectionality...Cash prizes are awarded to the top three winning written submissions." Deadline: September 30, 2021, 11:59 p.m. ET. Word limit: 2,500 words. For more information and to submit an essay, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone) Dr. Paul G. Quinnett is a clinical psychologist and the director of the QPR Institute, an educational organization dedicated to preventing suicide. Among his writings is "Suicide: The Forever Decision." For the free 104-page document, click here.
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.
Many Research Studies Are Seeking Participants, Mad In America Reports
Mad in America recently posted an assortment of research studies that are looking for participants. The studies include International Online Survey of Members of Peer Support Groups About Their Experiences of Withdrawing From Antidepressants; Study on Psychosocial Disability Advocacy and Global Mental Health; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine study: Experiences of inpatient psychiatric care among former patients; Dissertation research study: Spiritual/religious experience misdiagnosed as “mental disorder”; Have you had a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and decided to stop taking medication?; and others. For details and to participate, click here.
"Researchers Reveal New Suicide Prevention Tools from Survivors," and AAS Suicide Attempt Survivors Web Page Offers Many Such Tools
"Strategies to Stay Alive: Adaptive Toolboxes for Living Well with Suicidal Behavior" was published July 29, 2021, in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. "In the study, the authors present a series of interviews with suicidal individuals that opens new avenues of research into suicide prevention and offers a rare window into the minds of those who have considered or attempted suicide." Meanwhile, the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) Suicide Attempt Survivors webpage offers links to many suicide prevention resources. For "Strategies to Stay Alive," which includes a link to the study, click here. For the AAS Suicide Attempt Survivors web page, click here.
NYAPRS Announces Schedule for Its Free, Virtual Annual Conference
The New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) has announced the schedule for its free, virtual 2021 conference, to be held on September 21, 23, 28 and 30th. Its theme is “United in Hope, Together for Justice and Wellness for All.” The conference will feature the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon (Sept. 21, 11:30 a.m. ET); NYS Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan (Sept. 21, 4 p.m. ET); WRAP creator Mary Ellen Copeland (Sept. 30, 1:15 p.m. ET); NYS Senate Mental Health Committee Chair Samra Brouk (Sept. 23, 11:30 a.m. ET); Helen 'Skip' Skipper of the New York City Criminal Justice Agency (Sept. 28, 11:30 a.m. ET); CAHOOTS Director Tim Black (Sept. 28, 1:15 p.m. ET); Mental Health America's award-winning youth peer leader Kelly Davis (Sept. 28, 1:15 p.m. ET); Keris Myrick, a JED Foundation director and former Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs at the Center for Mental Health Services (Sept. 21, 2:45 p.m. ET); and Stand Up for Mental Health's founder, David Granirer (Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. ET). For the complete schedule, click here, and to register, click here.
Free Webinar: “Communication at Work that Promotes Growth and Wellness” on September 28
The next webinar from Doors to Wellbeing, on September 28, 2021, at 2 p.m.ET, will cover “Communication at Work That Promotes Growth and Wellness.” Doors to Wellbeing writes: “As peer specialists, how we communicate and the language we use at work is important and is connected to our own wellness. We tend to compromise our overall well-being while in conversations with others, and sometimes with ourselves, because: it is (a) easier, (b) based on fear and discomfort, or (c) what we are taught is the ‘right’ thing to do. We will explore how we can implement healthy boundaries at work, how and when to speak up, and to shift our thinking from doubt to confidence.” The learning objectives are “exploring other options to say ‘no’ without saying ‘no’; learning to shift our mindset to keep us open to creativity, possibility, and productivity; and identifying passive language and transform it to active language.” To register, click here.
International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit to Be Held Every Sunday in October 2021
Rethinking Psychiatry and MindFreedom International are sponsoring the International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit, to be held on October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, from 12 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET. The theme is "Creating Compassionate Alternatives to Systemic Interventions for People in Crisis and Distress." "This free international, online, participatory conference will give people the inspiration, tools, resources, networks and ongoing support to bring Peer Respite or Soteria House to their communities," the organizers write. The Day 1 moderator will be Robert Whitaker, author of "Anatomy of an Epidemic" and "Mad in America." For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
23rd Annual ISEPP Conference to Be Held October 9, 2021; and ISEPP Circulates Petition to Support Human Rights in Psychiatric Treatment
The 23rd annual ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) conference--whose theme is "The Destructive Propaganda of the Mental Health Industry: How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Going?”--will be held October 9, 2021. "This year's [virtual] conference will address the question: 'How did we allow biological psychiatry take a strangle hold of the struggles and diversity of humanity?' The presentations of our conference will explore how the so-called 'medical model' has insinuated itself through privilege and power into virtually all aspects of our culture, from defining what is 'normal' to pushing a diseased brain model of all behavior. Our schools, our courts, our healthcare, our everyday life have felt the impact of psychiatry's prejudices. Join us as we critically examine how Big Pharma and Psychiatry influence our lives and our thinking." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Jim Gottstein) At the same time, ISEPP seeks signatures on a petition to "[m]ake a strong statement that any psychiatric or psychotherapeutic interventions without full and honest informed consent are unethical and inhumane." For the petition, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)
ISPS-US Offers an Array of Archived Webinars--Free but Donations Are Welcomed
The ISPS-US (The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis-US Chapter) is offering a whole raft of archived webinars, which are free (although donations are welcomed). Among the webinars are "Cognitive Behavioral & Related Therapies for Psychosis: Diverse Approaches to Supporting Recovery," "How Can the Uncontainable Be Contained? Paradoxes of Madness & Philosophy," "Robert Whitaker: The Rising Non-Pharmaceutical Paradigm for 'Psychosis,'“ "Life with Voices: A Guide for Harmony," "COPE Project: Non-Pharmaceutical Research on Influencing Voices and Visions," "What Hurts and What Helps In Treatment For 'Psychosis': Insider Perspectives," and many others. For more information and to access the webinars, click here.
WHO's "Guidance on Community Mental Health Services: Promoting Person-centered and Rights-based Approaches"
"...[T]his [WHO] 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....This guidance is intended to bring urgency and clarity to policy makers around the globe and to encourage investment in community-based mental health services in alignment with international human rights standards. It provides a vision of mental health care with the highest standards of respect for human rights and gives hope for a better life to millions of people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, and their families, worldwide." For the 296-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) Note: The July 2021 Key Update included "New WHO Guidance Seeks to Put an End to Human Rights Violations in Mental Health Care," a WHO press release without a link to the document. For the WHO press release, click here.
Seven Ways to Keep a Digital Copy of Your Vaccination Card on Your Smartphone
“You'll need proof of vaccination to go back to work or enter many restaurants, gyms and event venues, so keep your COVID-19 card handy.” This is the advice of CNET.com, a tech support website. Besides the obvious—taking a photo of the card to store on your phone—there are six other suggestions. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Yvonne Smith)
Free Webinar: "New Frontiers for Activism: Youth Involvement & Leadership in Research"
On October 12, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center (NEC) will sponsor a free, 90-minute webinar on "New Frontiers for Activism: Youth Involvement & Leadership in Research." NEC writes: "This webinar will showcase different ways in which youth leaders are influencing research and using research in order to challenge existing ideas and practices and to further advocacy for systems change. Projects conducted both within and outside traditional academic settings will be featured. Although a still under-developed area in other communities, youth activist research and scholarship have played a powerful role in systems transformation. We hope that this webinar will help inspire more discussion and interest in the strategic use of research within the youth and adult peer communities, and among academic allies." To register, click here.
Conference on Stigma Calls for Abstracts
The 12th Annual International Conference on Stigma, to be held November 15-19, 2021, at Howard University, has issued a call for abstracts. "The goals of this hybrid conference are to increase awareness of the stigma of HIV and other health conditions and to explore interventions to eradicate this stigma. The conference also serves to educate healthcare providers and the general public about stigma as both a human rights violation and a major barrier to prevention and treatment of illnesses. We are looking for original research that addresses HIV or other mental [emphasis added] or physical health-related stigma to be presented as a VIRTUAL POSTER during the conference virtual poster session. Abstracts that focus on this year’s theme of 'Trauma…Recovery…Healing' are particularly encouraged." Deadline: October 1, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET. For more information and to submit an abstract, click here. (Courtesy of Sharon Wise)
Should Fusion Be the Goal of People with Dissociative Identity Disorder? That Depends on Whom You Ask
Somewhat controversially, people with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) have been vlogging about their "multiplicity" on YouTube. Their vlogs have been hailed as inspirational by others with the condition, while some professional DID specialists have concerns. One DID researcher and therapist said that the YouTube videos have "many positives" while adding, "I certainly wonder if that will keep [their parts] from moving toward integration." Another DID specialist called the videos "completely anti-therapeutic." Of course, that depends on what the goal of therapy is: "Instead of fusion, some people in the DID community, even those who said they were in treatment, said they preferred a term like healthy multiplicity or functional multiplicity to describe their treatment goals," New York Magazine reports in "Meet My Multiple Mes: People with dissociative identity disorder have started presenting their selves on YouTube to rapturous fans." Although Wyn--the main focus of the article--said she "felt good," she also "now thinks that 'being on YouTube was massively detrimental to our mental health.'” But, she added, “I might have pressured my system into fusing against their will if I hadn’t been online.” At the same time, the Rings System, also quoted in the article, said "they thought focusing on whether they would fuse was beside the point. 'What I need is not to become the perfect epitome of health. It’s for society to be accessible to me even if I’m not.'” For the New York Magazine story, click here. For a recording of "Building Plural Safe Spaces: One Body, Many Activists - The Rings System, The Alexandrite System," a workshop presented at Alternatives 2021, click here.
Lived Experience Leadership Features 12 Years of Research Studies...
"Lived Experience Leadership features 12 years of research studies focused on this workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better of understanding and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers. Lived Experience Leadership provides clear and simple to read research summaries to allow community members and people employed within various industries the opportunity to easily understand and apply strategies within their own workplace. This website also includes easy to download definitions, audio/visual resources, and key work by other Australian and International sources. The website will continue to grow to include larger collections of our research as well as other key work. For the Lived Experience Leadership website, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)
"Teens Are Advocating for Mental Health Days Off School"; and "...Students with Mental Health Disabilities Must Be Given Equal Access to Higher Education"
A recent New York Times article--"Teens Are Advocating for Mental Health Days Off School: The decline in the mental health of children and adolescents has led to new laws allowing kids to attend to their own self-care”--reported: "Faced with high stress levels among adolescents and a mental health crisis that includes worsening suicide rates, some states are now allowing students to declare a mental health day. In the last two years alone, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia have passed bills permitting children to be absent from school for mental or behavioral health reasons, efforts that were often aided or spearheaded by students..." For the NY Times article, click here. And Inside Higher Ed recently reported that the "U.S. Justice Department reached a settlement with Brown University after students who took medical leaves for mental health reasons were refused readmission, even after their doctors cleared them to return...The department claims Brown violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act..." For "Protecting Students Who Seek Mental Health Treatment: In a settlement with Brown, the Justice Department affirms that students with mental health disabilities must be given equal access to higher education," click here. (The Inside Higher Ed article is courtesy of Nev Jones.)
“45 Honest Comics About Mental Health Illustrated with Dinosaurs”
“Is this series happy? Sad? I don't know. But it's definitely melancholic and realistic. Which, given the fact that we're talking about dinosaurs using social media, is one heck of a compliment.” To read it, click here.
The September 2021 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For “How Exercise May Help Keep Our Memory Sharp: Irisin, a hormone produced by muscles during exercise, can enter the brain and improve cognition, a mouse study suggests,” click here. For “How to deal with regret and forgive yourself for making imperfect decisions,” click here. For "Studies Show: We Need to Understand the Difference Between Isolation and Loneliness: Both can pose distinct dangers to our mental and physical health," click here.
The September 2021 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)
For "Dealing with Mental Health Crisis One Zoom Call at a Time," click here. For “Harris County will send mental health professionals to some 911 calls under new initiative to reduce violence,” click here. For “How a Liberal Michigan Town Is Putting Mental Illness at the Center of Police Reform: Improving the way law enforcement deals with mental illness is emerging as one of the most important and challenging aspects of the national police reform movement,” click here. For "Feds expand Pell Grant program for prisoners working on college degrees," click here. For “Four Ways The Pandemic Made Us Rethink Our Criminal Legal System,” click here. For “From police traffic stops to qualified immunity for officers, 5 ways to reform policing,” click here. For “Mass. defense attorneys say drug test falsely flags client mail,” click here. For “Manslaughter charges filed against LAPD officer who killed disabled man at Costco,” click here. For “Intersection of mental health, police and race takes the life of another young Black man: Fatal shooting in drive-thru shows need to go beyond well-worn crisis intervention to understanding Black fears, negotiating without police,” click here. For “How Atrocious Prisons (sic) Conditions Make Us All Less Safe: The American prison system seems designed to ensure that people return to incarceration instead of successfully reentering society,” click here. For “Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States: African Americans are only 13% of the American population but a majority of innocent defendants wrongfully convicted of crimes and later exonerated. They constitute 47% of the 1,900 exonerations listed in the National Registry of Exonerations (as of October 2016), and the great majority of more than 1,800 additional innocent defendants who were framed and convicted of crimes in 15 large-scale police scandals and later cleared in ‘group exonerations,’ ” click here. For “Restorative Justice Won’t Work Without This Crucial Piece: Illinois is one of the first states to try it,” click here. For “A Fight to Expose the Hidden Human Costs of Incarceration: The law professor Andrea Armstrong is documenting the loss of life inside jails and prisons in Louisiana, the state with the highest in-custody mortality rate,” click here. For “Where Reform Goes to Die: The Justice Department has never been, and will never be, an ally in ending mass incarceration,” click here. For “New State Funding Boosts Prosecutor-led Resentencing Efforts in California,” click here. For “The Lines of Connection: States make millions off phone-call fees from incarcerated people, but the cost can be even higher for their families,” click here. For “What Does California Owe Its Incarcerated Firefighters? Those risking their life on the front lines of the state’s wildfires earn a fraction of minimum wage,” click here. For “Cities That Reduced Arrests For Minor Offenses Also Saw Fewer Police Shootings. And crime in those cities wasn’t worse,” click here. For “NY Prison Arts and Reentry Programs Persist Throughout Pandemic,” click here. For “The Fascinating Experiment Captured in ‘Philly D.A.’: Could a longtime defense attorney reform the criminal-justice system as an insider?” click here. For “Opinion: How the language of criminal justice inflicts lasting harm,” click here. For “ ‘They Should Have Been Watching’: Suicides Rise in Texas Prisons During Pandemic: Prison suicides have been rising for years. Experts fear the pandemic has made it worse,” click here. For “ ‘Shooting First and Asking Questions Later’: In rural communities, fatal police shootings have occurred at high rates, without the attention (and protests) that urban shootings have drawn,” click here. For “A Most Carceral Friend: The Justice Department’s top Supreme Court lawyer is far more committed to helping prosecutors win convictions and keep people locked up than to ‘doing justice,’ " click here. For “Desperate to escape solitary confinement, a Maine man’s plight deepens: Zachary Swain is a rare example of a Maine prisoner who has spent most of his time behind bars in solitary confinement, even as the state works to reduce use of the controversial practice,” click here. For “Saugus woman who police shot and killed was mother of two ‘in need of help’: GoFundMe page: She was brandishing a knife, police said,” click here. For “Federal Loophole Thwarts State Curbs on Police Seizures of Property,” click here. For “Georgetown University launches national project certifying correctional officials in practices designed to limit solitary confinement of juveniles,” click here. For "Opinion: Virginia can do better than keeping innocent people in prison," click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
“Should I Mask? Can I Travel? What About Hugs? How Delta Is Changing Advice for the Vaccinated.” “The rise of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has raised new questions about how the vaccinated can stay safe and avoid breakthrough infections. We asked the experts for advice,” The New York Times writes. Under “New Guidance for the Vaccinated,” the Times answers these questions: “If I’m vaccinated, why do I need to worry about Delta? What’s the real risk of a breakthrough infection after vaccination? When should I wear a mask? Should I upgrade my mask? What’s the risk of hanging out with my vaccinated friends and family? Can I still dine at restaurants? Is it safe to travel? Should I skip the peanuts and water and keep my mask on? How safe are buses, subways and trains for vaccinated people? Can I hug and visit older relatives? What about unvaccinated children? How do I know if I have the Delta variant?” For the article, click here.
California Memorial Project to Hold 19th Annual Remembrance Ceremony on September 20
The California Memorial Project, a project of Disability Rights California’s Peer Self-Advocacy Program, will hold its 19th annual Remembrance ceremony on September 20, 2021, at 1 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. ET, “to honor the more than 45,000 people with mental health and developmental disabilities who lived and died at California state institutions and were buried anonymously in mass or unmarked graves. Join us as we share some history, stories, poems, songs, artwork, cultural perspectives, and a moment of silence to celebrate their lives and give them the recognition they deserved. Together we can break the cycle of disrespect and create hope and change for the future of the 6,000 peers who currently live in California state hospitals." Closed captioning and Spanish and ASL interpreters will be provided. For more about this webinar and to register, click here.
Yale Study of COVID-19’s Mental Health Impact Seeks Focus Group Participants with Physical and/or Mental Health Challenges
A study at Yale University led by people with lived experience is recruiting individuals who live with physical and/or mental health challenges to talk about how their lives have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic started. “The Wisdom project: exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of persons who experience adverse living conditions” is led by Larry Davidson, PhD, and Ana Florence, PhD. Ana is a Brazilian psychologist, activist, and postdoctoral associate, and Larry is Director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health. If you live with mental and/or physical health challenges and would like to participate, you can email wisdomprojectyale@gmail.com or call 475-355-5393. “All focus groups will be held virtually, and a $50 e-gift card will be provided to each participant,” the researchers say.
NARPA’s 2021 (Virtual) Annual Rights Conference Will Present Five Free Webinars
The 2021 annual Rights Conference of the National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) will consist of five free webinars, in September and October 2021. The five webinars—all of which are 90 minutes long and begin at 2 p.m. ET—are "Advocating for Institutionalized People During COVID: The Massachusetts Experience" (September 13); "The Promise and the Pitfalls of 988: Survivor Advocacy Perspectives" (September 27); "Advocating for Equitable Health Care in a Public Health Emergency" (October 4); "How to Create Change in Police Services: Transparency, Accountability, and Reform" (October 13); and "The Unacceptable Institutionalization of People with Psychiatric Disabilities in Nursing Homes" (October 19). For details and to register, click here.
“Mental Health System: Open Letter to the Media” Seeks Signatures
“Everyone who believes that the problematic aspects of the mental health system are not adequately represented in the media is invited to sign this letter,” writes Yulia Mikhailova, who launched this initiative to educate the media. The letter begins: “We, a group of people with first-hand experience of the mental health system, write to express our concern about what we see as one-sided coverage of this system in the media and to draw the attention of civil rights organizations to the systemic discrimination that we witnessed and experienced. We, our loved ones, or inmates in the facilities where we worked, were exploited for monetary gain and victimized in various other ways. We saw how abuse, corruption, and exploitation were covered up, while victims and critics of the system were silenced and marginalized.” For a short version of the letter, which includes a link to a longer version, click here. Questions? Contact Yulia Mikhailova at yuliamikh@gmail.com.
Virtual Peer-A-Palooza Will Take Place on September 24-25
Helping to Unite by Generating Mental Empowerment (HUG ME) Ink will host the 1st Annual Peer-A-Palooza on September 24 and September 25, 2021, eight hours each day, via Whova. The theme of the conference is “Creating a Zest for Life Through Growth, Resilience, Recovery and Community.” The goals are to empower peers with the necessary tools to grow in their own recovery, to leave the past as the past and move forward with dreams, and to be the change agent they can be in their community.” To register, click here.
Alternatives 2021 Is Over, but You Can View Many of the Presentations—and the Work Continues!
If you missed Alternatives 2021—the oldest national conference organized by and for individuals with lived experience of a mental health condition—you can see many of the presentations on the Alternatives conference website! The conference—whose theme was “Connecting, Organizing, Activating!”—was held July 8, 10, 15, and 17, and was organized by the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery. This year the conference was virtual—and free! One highlight was the three Action Groups—on Promoting Racial and Social Justice, National and Statewide Advocacy, and Crisis Prevention and Alternatives to Institutionalization—which met on all four days. Reports from each of the groups are posted on the Alternatives conference website, and it is hoped that people will continue to work together to make progress on the goals that were determined by participants during the conference. For information about the Action Groups, click here. Recordings of many of the workshops, keynotes, and special activities are available the Alternatives conference website (click here).
Disability Rights California Invites You to Its Past, Present, and Future (Free) Webinars
Disability Rights California (DRC) writes: “You are cordially invited to join us in our virtual disability rights trainings. Our webinars are twice a week, on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) in English and Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) in Spanish. Our free trainings provide information and resources on different topics related to mental health, self-advocacy, our legal rights (based on California law) and access to services that are informative and empowering. We welcome all peers (people with lived experience), service providers, family members and people in the community.” To view the webinars, click here.
(Virtual) 2021 Disability & Intersectionality Summit (DIS) Conference Info
The theme of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit (DIS)—"a biennial national conference that centers the multiple oppressions that shape the lived experiences of disabled individuals, as told by disabled people, in a setting organized by disabled activists”—is “Disabled Community Care and Survival: Strategies and Brilliance.” The organizers write: “This year’s DIS 2021 will have presentations scheduled from June - December.” For more about the Summit, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher)
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Covid-19 Vaccinations But Were Afraid to Ask; and See How the U.S. Is Doing Compared to the Rest of the World
On January 27, 2021, The New York Times published “Answers to All Your Questions about Getting Vaccinated for Covid-19.” Among the important facts: “You shouldn’t try to stave off discomfort [by taking painkillers] before getting the [Covid-19] shot”; side effects after the second shot are worse than after the first shot; there is no risk of developing Covid-19 from the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; and “Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reach about 50 percent efficacy 10 to 14 days after the first shot. You’ll get peak protection…about a week after you get the second dose.” To read the interactive article, click here. One rare side effect the Times doesn’t mention is a “Covid arm” rash several days after the Moderna vaccine. For a USA Today story about it, click here. To track the vaccinations in the U.S., by state, and worldwide, click here.
CNN Offers “A Guide to Helping and Getting Help During the Coronavirus Crisis”
CNN writes: “The coronavirus pandemic is overwhelming, and one of the most excruciating parts for many people is the feeling of utter helplessness in the face of widespread suffering and hardship. CNN’s Impact Your World has compiled a list of donation opportunities and tips to help those affected by the crisis. Click on a category or scroll down to browse a list of organizations, resources and ideas. Need help? Most categories also include resources for financial, emotional or social support.” For the free guide, click here.
RMIT Mad Studies Network, based in Melbourne, Australia, Hosts Monthly Virtual Reading Group
“The RMIT Mad Studies Network brings together anyone interested in Mad Studies, mad ideas, critical thinking about mental distress, the politics of ‘mental health,’ the mental health consumer/survivor/ex-patient movement and alternatives to the contemporary mental health paradigm/system,” according to the RMIT website’s home page. Currently, the RMIT’s main activity is a monthly reading group, now held virtually. The 90-minute groups take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time), which is 14 hours later than Eastern Daylight Time (5 a.m. EDT on the third Monday of the month). The time difference grows as you move west: 4 a.m. CT, 3 a.m. MT, 2 a.m. PT. For more information, click here. (Note: The next group has been switched from Tuesday to Wednesday, September 22, 2021.)
International Conference on Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal Scheduled for May 2022
The first conference of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal is tentatively scheduled for May 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland; the dates will be confirmed this month (June 2021). “The three themes underpinning the conference are safe withdrawal from psychiatric medication, alternatives to psychiatric medication, and the need to question the dominance of medication in mental health care.” Confirmed speakers include Robert Whitaker (journalist and founder of Mad in America), Professor Joanna Moncrieff (psychiatrist and researcher), Laura Delano (co-founder of the Inner Compass Initiative and a person with lived experience), Dr. Carina Håkansson (founder of Family Care Foundation and The Extended Therapy Room Foundation), and Dr. Magnus Hald (Psychiatrist at the Drug-Free Treatment Unit, Norway). For more information, click here.
NARPA Free Webinar Series Is Available Online
“In lieu of a face-to-face conference in 2020, NARPA presented a series of webinars related to current events. The last presentation in this series took place in December, with ‘Mental Health Courts and Specialized Courts in Canada: Access to Justice from the Perspective of people with psychiatric histories.’ All of the webinars are free and are available for streaming on NARPA's YouTube Channel. For more information, click here.
National Survey Seeks Input from Certified Peer Specialists
“Routine peer support has shown to increase individuals’ hope, sense of personal control, ability to make positive changes, and decreased psychiatric symptoms,” writes Dr. Karen Fortuna of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. “Despite these benefits, the organizational structure of peer support is not known. Dartmouth College is initiating a national survey of trained Certified Peer Specialists to help us understand the organizational structure of peer support services.” For more information and/or to participate in the 15-minute survey, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)
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.
Have You Ever Smoked, Drunk, Vaped, or Used Other Drugs? Or Do You Now? New Zealand COVID-19 Study Is Now Open to US Residents
“We want to find out how people are coping [during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown],” writes the New Zealand-based Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking. “We are especially interested in adults aged 18 and over who, before lockdown, regularly drank alcohol, smoked or used other tobacco products, or other drugs. We also want to hear from people who have taken up smoking or drinking or other drugs during this frightening time.” The study has been approved by the US-based independent review board SolutionsIRB and is now open to US residents. “The study website includes helpful Coping in Lockdown tips, tips on Dealing with Cravings, and information on alternatives to smoking tobacco.” To participate or for more information, 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)
“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 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.
Registration Is Open for Peerpocalypse, to Be Held March 14-17, 2022!
The Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) has announced registration for Peerpocalypse 2022, to be held March 14-17, 2022! “MHAAO is pleased to present its first hybrid conference! In-person attendance allows access to pre-conference events, keynote speeches, all workshops, evening events, and the job fair and exhibit hall. Virtual attendance includes access to keynote speeches and all workshops. In-person early registration—[deadline unspecified]—is $300; regular registration is $375. Virtual registration is $200. Lunch meals (sic), CEUs, a T-shirt, a printed program, and a badge are included for both in-person and virtual attendees. Registration must be received no later than February 14, 2022, to receive a T-shirt.” To register, 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.
PsychAlive Offers a Variety of Webinars on Mental Health Topics, Many Free, Others $15
PsychAlive is a free, nonprofit resource created by the Glendon Association, whose mission is “to save lives and enhance mental health by addressing the social problems of suicide, violence, child abuse and troubled interpersonal relationships.” Psychalive.org offers a variety of upcoming and archived webinars, many of which are free, while others are available for $15. Among the myriad topics are “From Anxiety to Action: How to Stay Sane While Fighting Climate Change,” “How to Overcome Insecurity,” “Powerful Tools to Fight Depression,” and “Understanding and Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences.” To check out the webinars, click here.
Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”
Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.
Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.
About The Key Update
The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is now affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion!
The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 18, No. 3, September 2021. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH