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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NOTE: The "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" Department (directly below the monthly Criminal Justice Digest) includes items that are still relevant, including research studies still seeking participants, as well as upcoming webinars and conferences, and other items of continued interest. Don't miss it!
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Revised DSM to Be Rolled Out in March, the APA Announces
The American Psychiatric Association will release a revised edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) in March, Psychiatric News reports. Among its changes are "a comprehensive review of the impact of racism and discrimination on the diagnosis and manifestations of mental disorders," and updates to "gender dysphoria" that reflect current concepts, such as changing "cross-sex medical procedure" to "gender-affirming medical procedure." However, some revised wording may be misleading. For example, according to the article, "neuroleptic" is "an anachronistic term that emphasizes side effects (emphasis added). It will no longer be used except in the case of the widely used 'neuroleptic malignant syndrome.'...” Instead, the DSM-5-TR will apparently use terms that may downplay the risk of such side effects as tardive dyskinesia. For the Psychiatric News article, click here. (Courtesy of Indigo Daya)
Is Online Gaming "the New Therapist’s Office"? Evidence Points in That Direction
"[O]nline multiplayer and single-player gaming can be healing in the hands of mental health professionals," according to a recent article in Wired. "Some research suggests that video games can be as effective—and potentially more effective—as other mental health interventions, particularly for anxiety...And sometimes it’s within a game world’s digital boundaries that patients may feel more safety and freedom to work through intense emotions." In a related article in myfitnessexercises.net, the president of Geek Therapy (a nonprofit that advocates for video games to be used in therapy) says that Minecraft and Fortnite especially lend themselves to therapeutic purposes. And a 2010 article in Review of General Psychology notes that “[r]ecent experience suggests that video games may facilitate therapeutic relationships, complement the psychological assessment of youth by evaluating cognitive skills, and elaborate and clarify conflicts during the therapy process." For the Wired article, click here. For the myfitnessexercises.net article, click here. For the Review of General Psychology article, click here.
Medicating Normal Will Begin a Three-Year Run on Public Television Across the US on Jan. 2, 2022
Medicating Normal, "the untold story of what can happen when profit-driven medicine intersects with human beings in distress," will begin a three-year run on public television on January 2, 2022. “[The pharmaceutical industry] wants to disease-ify every single experience because they want to sell their pills to treat it,” said Anna Lembke, MD, of Stanford University Medical Center, who is quoted in the film. To find out when it airs in your part of the country, click here. (If you don’t see your local station listed, find your station and request via email that they air Medicating Normal.) For more information about the film, click here. (Courtesy of Berta Britz)
Free Webinar: "Discarded America: Rural America's Social Injustice and Mental Health Crisis"
On January 12, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR) is presenting a free, 90-minute webinar on "Discarded America: Rural America's Social Injustice and Mental Health Crisis." The webinar will take a look at "the racial and social injustice in rural America through the eyes of people with mental health concerns who have been affected by law enforcement; educators; and public policy through elected officials." The NCMHR plans to create a documentary on this subject and requests support through a tax-deductible contribution. To contribute, click here. To register for the webinar, click here.
Free Webinar: "Core Competencies for Peer Crisis Support: Values, Practices, and Skills"
On January 12, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET, NYAPRS and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership will present a free webinar on "Core Competencies for Peer Crisis Support: Values, Practices, and Skills." The webinar will be presented by Eduardo Vega, who will share details about the "Growing Through" model of advanced peer crisis support training and will engage in a discussion with webinar attendees about "the integration of this model from the lens of public mental health and suicide prevention fields," NYAPRS writes. In addition, you can review Eduardo's December 15th presentation, "Intensity, Lived Experience and Crisis: Activating Peer Support for a Transformed Mental Health Crisis Response System," at this link. To register for the January 12th webinar, click here.
"Many States Aren’t Ready for a 988 Crisis Line. The Deadline Is Looming"
A federal law has mandated that, by July 16, 2022, every state in the U.S. must have installed the new 988 system, an alternative to calling 911 that could be a game-changer by dispatching trained staff rather than law enforcement to respond to behavioral health calls. "Calling 911 for people having mental health breakdowns has led to deaths that were avoidable, especially among people of color. Between 2015 and 2020, 1 in 4 people who were shot and killed by police had a mental illness; 1 in 3 were people of color," a recent STAT article reports. However, the article notes, "many states aren't ready...more than half the states haven't made any progress at all...If some states aren’t prepared to roll out 988, or have weaker infrastructure or support for it, the country could end up with a system that perpetuates inequities in mental health access rather than reduces them." (According to a Federal Communications Commission fact sheet, "Under the new rules, calls to 988 will be directed to 1-800-273-TALK..." [the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline].) For the FCC fact sheet, click here. For the STAT article, which suggests solutions, click here.
TU Collaborative Publishes "Strategies and Recommendations to Strengthen the Next Generation of Behavioral Health Leadership"
"Young professional peer specialists are an important, and growing, part of the behavioral health workforce, but more needs to be done to maximize their contributions and engagement," the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. Young Professional Peer Support: Strategies and Recommendations to Strengthen the Next Generation of Behavioral Health Leadership "offers young professional peer specialist perspectives on their experiences in the behavioral health system and what individuals, agencies, and systems can do to promote their impact, career development, and long-term connections." To download the 17-page document, click here.
"Stigma" of Depression Decreases, but Increases for Other Psychiatric Diagnoses; Would It Help to Change Public Perceptions of the Causes?
For the first time since such data have been studied, the "stigma" associated with major depression has lessened--involving a "statistically significant drop" in social rejection--according to a recent Indiana University study. However, "stigma" levels for other mental health conditions remain unchanged, and "public perceptions attributing dangerousness to schizophrenia and lack of morality to alcohol dependence increased," the study found. But would changing people's ideas about the causes of mental health conditions decrease prejudice? In earlier research, psychologists Eleanor Longden and John Read explore the argument that “framing individuals as ‘people with problems’ as opposed to ‘patients with illnesses’ is a more promising and robustly evidence-based strategy for reducing stigma and prejudice.” Meanwhile, many advocates have made a case for eliminating the word "stigma" entirely. In "Let's Call Mental Health Stigma What It Really Is: Discrimination," originally published in 2016, the HuffPost quotes Kana Enomoto, then acting administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, as saying, “We [at SAMHSA] don’t use the word stigma...You look the word up in the dictionary and it refers to a mark of shame.” For the Indiana University press release, click here. For "Psychosocial Explanations of Psychosis Reduce Stigma, Study Finds," in Mad In America, click here. For the HuffPost article, click here.
NEC Offers (Virtual) eCPR Training for the Queer/LGBTQIA2S+ Community
The National Empowerment Center (NEC) is offering a virtual Emotional CPR (eCPR) training for the Queer/LGBTQIA2S+ community on three Saturdays in January 2022. NEC writes: "This training will take place via Zoom 1/15, 1/22, and 1/29 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. EST. The training is offered at a sliding scale [$0-$250]; please contact us if you need additional financial support OR IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE REGISTERING (original emphasis) at info@emotional-cpr.org. This training is geared towards members of the queer/LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two Spirited) community. The plus sign is an added welcome to anybody who feels this training might be appropriate for them but does not identify with any of the terms listed. The training is taught by trainers who themselves identify as queer/LGBTQIA2S+..." For information about eCPR, click here. For more information about the training and/or to register, click here.
PCORI Wants to Hear from You About Its Proposed Research Agenda
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is asking for public comment on its research agenda. The deadline to submit comments is January 31, 2022. "Meaningful stakeholder and broader public input are central to ensuring PCORI’s adopted National Priorities for Health and Research Agenda appropriately reflect(s) how PCORI can best meet the healthcare community’s needs in coming years and fulfill the organization’s mission as the nation's primary funder of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research," PCORI writes. For details and to submit comments, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)
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.
"Why 1,320 Therapists Are Worried About Mental Health in America Right Now"
"The New York Times asked 1,320 mental health professionals--[w]e heard from mental health providers in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico--to tell us how their patients were coping as pandemic restrictions eased. General anxiety and depression are the most common reasons patients seek support, but family and relationship issues also dominate therapy conversations. One in four providers said suicidal thoughts were among the top reasons clients were seeking therapy...And while the pandemic has been polarizing, our analysis found that the higher demands for therapy are happening in every region, and at similar rates in red and blue states." For more information, click here.
Family Café Seeks Presentation Proposals for Annual Conference: Deadline January 7, 2022
"The Family Café is currently seeking presentation proposals for The 24th Annual Family Café, which will be held on May 27-29, 2022 in Orlando. The deadline to submit your proposal is Friday January 7, 2022. The Annual Family Café brings together thousands of people with disabilities and their family members for three days of education, training, and networking each year. The more than 200 breakout sessions on the agenda form the backbone of the event, and we rely on the knowledge and expertise of our presenters to make the event a success.” For the Presentation Proposal Form, click here.
CSGJC Issues "Expanding First Response: A Toolkit for Community Responder Programs"
"Communities across the country are reimagining their approach to public safety," the Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSGJC) writes. "As a result, many jurisdictions have invested in community responder programs that position health professionals and staff trained in crisis response as first responders. Community responder programs, when implemented as part of a larger network of crisis responses and social services, can help jurisdictions improve health outcomes, strengthen connections to services, and reduce unnecessary police involvement. Just released, ‘Expanding First Response: A Toolkit for Community Responder Programs’ serves as a central hub for local communities and states looking to establish or strengthen these programs." For the toolkit, click here.
NAMI Issues Call for Proposals for Its 2022 Hybrid Conference; Deadline: January 31
NAMI's 2022 hybrid conference, to be held June 15-18--with the in-person meeting at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis--is seeking "proposals that encourage mental health education and innovation and are well-versed in theory, research and practice." January 31, 2022, is the deadline to submit a proposal; you will be notified about its status by March 1, 2022. For details about NAMI’s goals, visit its 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. For information about the session tracks and how to submit a proposal, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)
Two Studies Report on Young People's Experiences of Police Involvement During Involuntary Psychiatric Holds and Transports
Two recent studies of the experiences of youths during involuntary psychiatric hospitalization have found that police involvement "contributed to the youths' feelings of being criminalized, stigmatized, and marginalized," and that "peer support during the inpatient treatment was seen by the youth as the most empowering aspect of their treatment experience," according to the abstract of "In their voices: Experiences of adolescents during involuntary psychiatric hospitalization." The authors of another study, "Youths’ and Young Adults’ Experiences of Police Involvement During Initiation of Involuntary Psychiatric Holds and Transport," conducted in-depth interviews with "40 participants (ages 16–27) who had experienced an involuntary hold; the 28 participants who reported police involvement are the focus of this analysis....A majority of participants reported negative experiences...The authors also characterized the positive experiences of officer involvement reported by a minority of participants, and youths’ perspectives on the degree of control officers could exert over initiation and transport decisions..." For the abstract of "Youths’ and Young Adults’ Experiences of Police Involvement During Initiation of Involuntary Psychiatric Holds and Transport," click here. For the abstract of "In their voices: Experiences of adolescents during involuntary psychiatric hospitalization," click here.
Café TA Center Publishes "Tips for Employers on Hiring Individuals with Mental Health Conditions"
"Finding sustainable, quality employment is central to self-sufficiency, thriving in the community, and supporting recovery," the Café TA Center writes. "Our new tip-sheet for employers, Tips for Employers on Hiring Individuals with Mental Health Conditions, explains the benefits of hiring people with lived mental health experience, common myths and misperceptions, and inclusive recruiting and hiring practices. Whether you are an employer of people in the mental health recovery community, or an advocate looking to make the case for your own employment, this will be a great resource for you!" For "Tips for Employers on Hiring Individuals with Mental Health Conditions," click here. For a short, anonymous survey to help the Café TA Center "better understand how people in the mental health peer community feel about employment...and what you wish employers understood about hiring, supervising, and supporting workers with mental health conditions," click here.
Doors to Wellbeing to Present the Next Free Webinar in Its Monthly Series on January 25, 2022
On January 25, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a free 60-minute webinar as part of its monthly series. The topic, additional information, and a link to register will be posted on its website: click here.
Autumn Saw the Passing of Two Who Made Great Contributions in the Mental Health Arena
The peer movement is mourning two movement leaders: Darby Penney, who died on October 11, 2021, and Steve Harrington, who died on November 29, 2021. The headline on Darby's obituary in The New York Times read: "Darby Penney, Who Crusaded for Better Psychiatric Care, Dies at 68: She shed light on marginalized people’s lives by examining the contents of suitcases left in the attic of a psychiatric hospital. She went on to become a prominent activist." “The history of mental health is almost always told by psychiatrists and hardly ever by patients or through patients’ lives,” Darby said in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. “A lot of these folks happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and said the wrong thing to the wrong person.” Steve Harrington, who founded the National Association of Peer Specialists, was memorialized by friend and colleague Rita Cronise in a blog that invited others to comment. Andy Bernstein, a clinical psychologist and ally, wrote that Steve "was hugely instrumental in the evolution of the peer support movement as it coalesced into a professional discipline in its own right... Steve’s warmth, intelligence, humor, courage, and familiarity with writings from widely ranging fields of thought established him as a beacon of hope and growth for anyone who sought to use their own lived experience to help others on their journeys of recovery and actualization." For Darby's obituary, click here. For Rita's blog about Steve, click here.
The January 2022 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice
For "Procrastinate This, Not That: Putting things off can improve your performance—if you do it right," click here. For "4 Ways to Cultivate Resilience in 2022: Pandemic life doesn’t have to be just about survival. You can become stronger and ready for the next challenge," click here. For "Our Favorite Healthy Habits of 2021: From labeling your feelings to exercise snacks, here’s a roundup of some of Well’s best advice for better living," click here. For "An Overlooked Cure for Loneliness: Science tells us the solution may lie in what we do for others, not ourselves," click here. For "The Health Toll of Poor Sleep: Finding that slumber sweet spot can be helpful for fending off a range of mental and bodily ills," click here.
The January 2022 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 "From Prison Cells to PhD is seeking scholars for the 2022 Virtual 24th Prison to Professionals Cohort (P2P-24). Applications are now open, and will close January 10," click here. For " ‘Blood Money’: How Profit Shapes U.S. Incarceration, click here. For "Prison Phone Companies Are Recording Attorney-Client Calls Across the US: Lawyers say their conversations with incarcerated people are being recorded and analyzed by private companies in at least nine US states," click here. For "Illinois courts seek compassion and hope for mentally ill," click here. For "Brooklyn Man Shot by the Police Was Mentally Ill, Family Says: The killing of Eudes Pierre, 26, underscores the need for alternatives to having the police respond to mental health episodes, activists say," click here. For "Mental health teams that respond to emergencies in lieu of police will soon be available countywide," click here. For "Man who died after being tased by Pittsburgh police pleaded for medical help but got none, report says," click here. For "Disciplinary action initiated against 9 Pittsburgh police officers in tasing, death of man in Bloomfield," click here. For "Norway’s Humane Approach to Prisons Can Work Here Too: The Scandinavian nation strives to rehabilitate instead of punish. UCSF’s Amend program is showing that this model can help solve the public health crisis plaguing the American correctional system," click here. For "The Prisoner-Run Radio Station That’s Reaching Men on Death Row: They can’t go to classes or prison jobs, and they don’t have tablets or televisions. But they do have radios," click here. For "How Can You Destroy a Person’s Life and Only Get a Slap on the Wrist?" click here. For "The Population Prevalence of Solitary Confinement," click here. For "The ‘21-Foot Rule’: How a Controversial Training for Police is Used to Justify Shootings," click here. For "Springfield police detective Gregg Bigda found not guilty of brutality, abusive interrogation," click here. For "Court Excellence and Therapeutic Jurisprudence: In this blog David B. Wexler, Honorary President of International Society for Therapeutic Jurisprudence, discusses how the 3rd Edition of the International Framework for Court Excellence is a major advance for therapeutic jurisprudence," click here. For "Opinion: Thousands of incarcerated people deserve to come home. Here’s how prosecutors can help," click here. For "Men headed for prison given a second chance with new rehabilitation program training dogs: A program director said they pull dogs unlikely to be adopted from local shelters and then pair them up with men who would have been facing serious jail time," click here. For "New report hits DOJ over lack of police shooting data," click here. For "Law Enforcement: DOJ Can Improve Publication of Use of Force Data and Oversight of Excessive Force Allegations," click here. For Missed by a Mile: How hard is it to count deaths by police?" click here. For "FBI may shut down police use-of-force database due to lack of police participation: Police data must cover 60 percent of all local and federal officers, but has not reached that level in the first two years of the program," click here. For "Police Hurt Thousands of Teens Every Year. A Striking Number Are Black Girls," click here. For "How—and Why—America Criminalizes Poverty," click here. For "New Data Suggests a Connection Between Pandemic Gun Sales and Increased Violence: 'Time-to-crime' figures published by the ATF show that guns sold in 2020 were more likely to wind up at crime scenes within a year than in any previous period," click here. For "Illinois inmates' performances explore domestic violence, as public gets rare chance to see behind prison walls," click here. For "It’s Never Too Late to Go to College and Rewrite Your Story: Devon Simmons served 15 years in prison for crimes he committed as a teenager. Since then, he’s been on a mission to remake not just his own life, but the legal system itself," click here. For "College-in-prison program found to reduce recidivism significantly," click here. College-in-prison program leads to reduction in recidivism rates across racial groups," click here.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!
NIH to Host a Variety of Listening Sessions, Each Geared Toward Specific Audiences
At 6 p.m. on January 18, 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host a 90-minute listening session geared to nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, and advocacy organizations. The session (the second of two geared to the same audience) is part of NIH's UNITE initiative, which was "established to identify and address structural racism within the NIH-supported community and the greater scientific community...The insights that you share will provide valuable information on the full range of issues and challenges facing diverse talent within the scientific and administrative workforce and will help develop priorities and an action plan...Twenty-four hours prior to the scheduled session, registered participants will receive an email from UNITEInitiative@nih.gov with login information (Zoom link)." For the complete schedule and to register for specific sessions, click here. (Courtesy of NYAPRS E-News)
"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)
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.
Please Sign a Petition to Help Save a Public Mental Health Model in Italy
"Trieste is recognized by the World Health Organization as the model of global best practice in mental health care," according to a change.org petition highlighted in a recent NPR article. "It has inspired dozens of programs throughout the world to create an integrated network of community services focused upon the whole-person needs of its users; maintaining their dignity as citizens; and minimizing the coercive practices of old fashioned institutional settings...Trieste has shown us how community inclusion improves people’s lives. But this great achievement is now threatened by a new right-wing regional government that, on poorly informed and ideological grounds, is fast and impulsively dismantling Trieste's wonderful system of community care...As a Friend of Trieste and all that it stands for, please sign this petition and distribute it widely. For updates on this situation, please consult www.accoglienza.us." For the NPR article, "A public mental health model in Italy earns global praise. Now it faces its demise," click here. For the petition, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Van Tosh)
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.
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.
Lancet Offers Stakeholders New Opportunities Re: Psychosis & Participatory Research
Check out these opportunities for stakeholder involvement! (1) The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Psychoses is accepting applications for an academic advisory board (click here) and a lived experience advisory board (click here). (2) The Lancet Psychiatry Commission's "Lived Experience Hub" invites stakeholders to contribute blogposts to convey criticisms, concerns and/or ideas relevant to the work of the Commission. For details, click here. To submit a blog, email lancetcommissionpsychosis@gmail.com. (3) The Lancet Psychiatry Commission's "lived experience research group" is a new listserv focused on lived experience advocacy and activism on participatory psychosis research and related policy and practice. In part, this will serve as a sounding board for Lancet Commission work and a place to engage in dialogue about what needs to change. To join, email lancetcommissionpsychosis@gmail.com.
(Courtesy of Dr. Nev Jones)
“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.
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 on 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.
"Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests" leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," a Psychiatric Times Series
Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.
CNN Offers “A Guide to Helping and Getting Help During the Coronavirus Crisis”
CNN writes: “The coronavirus pandemic is overwhelming, and one of the most excruciating parts for many people is the feeling of utter helplessness in the face of widespread suffering and hardship. CNN’s Impact Your World has compiled a list of donation opportunities and tips to help those affected by the crisis. Click on a category or scroll down to browse a list of organizations, resources and ideas. Need help? Most categories also include resources for financial, emotional or social support.” For the free guide, click here.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
ISEPP Circulates Petition to Support Human Rights in Psychiatric Treatment
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.
“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)
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)
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. 7, January 2022. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH