Key Update, April-May 2025, Vol. 21, Number 11

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The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

Deadline Alert! Please note upcoming deadlines, including (under WEBINARS, EVENTS, AND CONFERENCES) the “Hands Off!” rally tomorrow, April 5, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, in sync with the protests in DC and around the US! And don’t miss the April 7 deadline to book your room at the Marriott Albany at the conference rate for the Alliance’s Executive Seminar, which has reduced its registration fee to $99! And there are several other events happening this coming week too!

NEWS

SAMHSA, to Be Absorbed into AHA, “Will Effectively Cease to Exist.”

“On March 27, 2025, RFK Jr., Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services for the Trump Administration, announced that SAMHSA will effectively cease to exist. The remaining staff at SAMHSA will now be absorbed into a new agency, called the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).” For the March 28th article on the website of Behave Health, “a software platform for behavioral health providers and other affiliated organizations,” click here. For “Layoffs start at federal health agencies that deal with drugs, food, insurance and more” (CBS News, 4/1/25), click here. For “Trump team revokes $11 billion in funding for addiction, mental health care (NPR, 3/27/25),” click here. For “Trump administration says it wants to fight fentanyl, but it’s slashing budget to fight opioid overdoses: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration needs more funding, not less (STAT, 3/27/25),” click here. For “‘Deliberate trauma’: SAMHSA employees detail a federal agency in shambles: The impact on people in mental health crises could be ‘cataclysmic,’ insiders warn (STAT, 3/12/25),” click here. For “'You lose all hope': Federal workers gripped by mental health distress amid Trump cuts: In interviews with NBC News, many federal workers shared stories of overwhelming stress, personal crises, rapid weight loss, panic attacks and more (NBC News, 3/9/25),” click here. And for “DOGE Moves to Gut CDC Work on Gun Injuries, Sexual Assault, Opioid Overdose Data, and More: ‘It’s a blood bath this morning’” (Mother Jones, 4/1/25), click here.

“Don’t Believe Trump’s Promises About Protecting the Social Safety Net”

“The Social Security Administration is shuttering offices, and the Republicans’ own math suggests that they are planning big cuts to Medicaid and SNAP,” according to a New Yorker article published on March 24, 2025. “About 72 million people receive health coverage through Medicaid,” according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “Cutting Medicaid would harm enrollees — including the millions of children, people with disabilities, and elderly people with low incomes who are covered by Medicaid — and increase health inequities,” the Center writes in “Medicaid Threats in the Upcoming Congress” (12/13/24), (click here). For the New Yorker article, click here. For “FACT SHEET: Five Ways Republicans Are Planning To Gut Medicaid,” click here. For National Health Law Program “Protect Medicaid Funding Issue #10: Substance and Opioid Use Disorders” (updated September 2024), click here. For information about how to fight back, see the two items directly below. 

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is a Great Resource for Advocates

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report — by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers — click here.

LAC Coalition for Whole Health “Protect Medicaid” Report Provides One-Pagers; and National Health Law Program offers “Medicaid Defense”

“Proposed funding cuts and other changes to Medicaid would be devastating for the millions of Americans with mental and/or substance use disorders who depend on the program for access to critical health services,” the Legal Action Center Coalition for Whole Health writes. For its report highlighting “the direct and critical benefits of Medicaid — particularly for individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders — through data and beneficiary testimonials, making the case for Congress to oppose all funding cuts and other changes that would reduce access to this lifeline program,” click here. For one-pagers “developed by the Coalition for Whole Health to document the essential role that Medicaid plays in each state,” click here. For the National Health Law Program’s “Medicaid Defense – Resources and Analysis,” click here. (Courtesy of Ron Manderscheid via Alliance Enews)

“Social Security Could Soon Take 100% of Your Benefit Check If You're Overpaid.”

“Getting overpaid by Social Security will soon come at a high cost, with the agency saying it's reinstating a plan to take 100% of a beneficiary's monthly check to claw back the money, up from the current 10% rate. The policy change highlights an issue that had caused financial hardship for some beneficiaries in years past, prompting the Social Security Administration under the Biden administration to limit clawbacks to 10% of a person's monthly benefit check. But the Trump administration's reversal could lead to deep financial strain for some senior citizens who find themselves caught up in the overpayment issue. While overpayments are rare, they are often the result of Social Security's own miscalculations — and can come as a surprise to beneficiaries, given that it can be difficult to know if you have been overpaid.” For the article by CBS News, click here. (Courtesy of Lee Goldberg)

“Some Americans Have Already Been Caught in Trump’s Immigration Dragnet. More Will Be.”

ProPublica writes: “Federal immigration authorities have a history of wrongfully detaining U.S. citizens. Advocates warn that the Trump administration’s immigration policies mean that more citizens will get caught up in raids and sweeps.” For the March 18th article, click here. For “Trump’s mass deportation plans hit riskier phase with legal immigrants, court fights: The new strategy, especially involving immigrants with green cards or American spouses, poses a political test (Politico, 3/18/25),” click here. And for “Inside ICE Air: Flight Attendants on Deportation Planes Say Disaster Is ‘Only a Matter of Time,’” click here.

“First-of-Its-Kind Youth Mental Health Corps Trains Young People to Help Their Peers”

“The Youth Mental Health Corps is a collaborative initiative that supports youth mental health in schools and communities while giving over 500 young adults on-ramps into behavioral health careers,” according to its home page. “Young people receive training to work in the community, get a stipend and credentials, and help tackle the youth mental health crisis, the ‘defining public health issue of our time,’” NBC News reports. “The public/private partnership is backed by AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service,” along with other funding sources. According to a Youth Mental Health Corps web page, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas are current state participants; California, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Utah, and Virginia are planning for a Fall 2025 launch. (While the NBC article calls the initiative the “first of its kind,” half of all Youth MOVE chapters offer informal youth peer support programs (click here); Active Minds has a “near peer mentoring program (click here); and there are many other organizations that sponsor youth peer support. For example, click here and click here.)

OPPORTUNITIES

NCMHR’s Annual Hill Days, June 9-12, Is a Chance to Educate Your Legislators! 

The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR) is organizing an opportunity to meet with our U.S. senators and representatives (or their staffs) in Washington, D.C.! To learn more – including about the extremely limited number of available scholarships (application deadline: April 9!) – click here. To prepare for the trip, you can attend weekly Zoom meetings of the NCMHR Advocacy & Policy Committee: Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. ET (3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. PT); the next meeting is April 8. "These meetings are a key opportunity to discuss current policy challenges at the federal level impacting mental health recovery; shape our advocacy agenda for Hill Days; and strategize how to use our additional time in D.C. and the rest of the year to advance voluntary, recovery-oriented policies.” To sign up for an NCMHR committee, click here. To register for the Tuesday meeting series and receive a calendar invitation, click here. And, again, for more information, click here.

The PERCH Extends Deadline for Submissions for Its New Issue, Whose Theme Is “Social”

April 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET, is the extended deadline to submit “poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction, artwork, virtual [visual] art, and scholarly pieces that illustrate the many aspects of social support and its relationship to wellness and recovery” for the Fall 2025 edition of The PERCH, a creative arts journal with mental health themes focused on original voices. For details, to read prior issues, and to send a submission, click here. 

Planning to Start a Business or Side Hustle? Participate in a Research Project!

Live & Learn Inc. writes: “Reclaiming Employment offers self-employment support for people with mental health challenges around work. Our goal is to help you prepare for the logistics and emotional ups and downs of business ownership. If you live in the U.S., have a reliable internet connection, and are planning to start a business, you may be eligible for a study to test the benefits of peer business coaching.” A new group of participants will begin in June. To be eligible, you must attend one of the six live information sessions; the first session is on June 9 at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT. All study participants will be compensated up to $75. To learn more and register for one of the sessions, click here.

May Is Mental Health Month, and MHA Offers Free Tools and Ideas to Celebrate It

Mental Health America (MHA) has published its free 2025 “Action Guide”. MHA writes: “Designed for community organizations, workplaces, educators, and advocacy groups, this guide equips you with the tools to make a meaningful impact on mental wellness. Inside, you’ll find innovative outreach ideas to spark engagement, ready-to-use communication templates to save time, activity examples to inspire your planning, and partnership opportunities to amplify your reach.” For the “Action Guide” and other tools and ideas, click here.

UMass Researchers Seek “Young Adults with Mental Health Conditions, Especially Those Who Have Been Marginalized” 

Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research at UMass Chan Medical School is recruiting for its “How Do YOU Do Community?” research study “to better understand how young adults [18-30] with mental health conditions, especially those who have been marginalized, define and experience community participation since COVID-19.” Eligible subjects will “participate in a one-time Zoom interview (up to 90 minutes) with a young adult interviewer, receive a $30 Visa e-gift card, and contribute to research on the needs of young adults who have been marginalized and whose voices are underrepresented in research.” For more information and to take an eligibility survey, click here.  

WEBINARS, EVENTS, AND CONFERENCES

“Hands Off!” Online Rally in Sync with the April 5th Protests in DC and Around the Country!

On April 5, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, there will be an online rally at the same time that people are protesting in the streets! “We have the power! The fight is taking to the streets, but some of us cannot go. We live home-based, are medically fragile, have no transportation, or fear for our safety. Disabled people are helping to mobilize the opposition. We are fighting for our lives! Hands off Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and more! Join us online to share your voice and show your protest sign! Zoom link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83295417586?pwd=EaPTY9q8LZLn5JRvaHnmrIUaQ5az2o.1

Meeting ID: 832 9541 7586; Passcode: HandsOff (Courtesy of I Love You, Lead On)

Alliance Executive Seminar Is Reducing Its Registration Rate More than 50% to $99! 

The Alliance for Rights and Recovery writes: “As we face the ripple effects of new and anticipated federal budget cuts and the extremely challenging impact of these and other pending federal and state policy changes, the Alliance has decided to cut our Executive Seminar registration rates by over 50%: from $219 to $99! Our program features an array of very timely policy and programmatic presentations, most notably expert panels that are aimed at exploring and making recommendations to help address some of the challenges we face. For more information and to register for the conference, click here, and to book your room at the Marriott Albany Hotel (by April 7!), click here. (Note: The Executive Seminar was included in the March-April edition of the Key Update.)

“Community-driven approach: Clinicians, Healers, and Healing Hubs”

On April 7, 2025, at 4 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a free, one-hour, SAMHSA-sponsored webinar where you will “learn how Milwaukee has taken an innovative approach to supporting the mental health of survivors of violence; explore how clinicians, healers, and healing hubs are providing mental health supports; and hear from the Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety about the framework implementation and how it could be modeled in your community.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Understanding Intergenerational Trauma”

On April 8, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, Mindspring Mental Health Alliance will present a free webinar entitled “Understanding Intergenerational Trauma.” Mindspring writes: “Trauma can be passed down through families, affecting individuals and communities across generations. Explore how trauma moves through generations, its consequences, the link to complex PTSD, and how to recover in this one-hour seminar sponsored by United Way of Central Iowa.” For more information and to register, click here. For more Mindspring webinars, click here.

“Critical Perspectives on Coercive Practices in Mental Health”

On April 9, 2025, at 4 p.m. ET,  York University’s Mad Studies Hub will host a free 90-minute presentation and conversation on “Critical Perspectives on Coercive Practices in Mental Health.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Involuntary Commitment and its Potential Impacts: A Multidisciplinary Dialogue Spanning Research, Ethics and Methodology”

On April 10, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, ISPS-US will present a 90-minute webinar that will include “important new research” indicating that “[f]or individuals whom some physicians would hospitalize but others would not, the team has found that hospitalization nearly doubles the probability of being charged with a violent crime or dying by suicide or overdose in the three months after evaluation.” The sliding fee scale is $0-40. For details and to register, click here. 

“Building and Paying for a Stronger Mental Health Workforce”

On April 10, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a free, hour-long webinar that will feature “national experts who will explore challenges and opportunities to develop and sustain the mental health workforce. Topics include barriers to licensure, a web tool to review Medicaid billing, and supporting the wellness of peer workers.” The speakers will include Mark Salzer, Principal Investigator and Director of the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, and Jake Bowling, Chief Executive Officer at Bowling Business Strategies. For more information and to register, click here.

“Trans and Queer Advocacy: A Workshop with the ACLU of Massachusetts”

On April 10, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET, “join Wildflower Alliance and the ACLU to learn more about trans and queer advocacy. We'll review the state of LGBTQ issues at home and nationwide, how you can resist anti-trans policies, and build community so that we all have the freedom to be ourselves.” To register for the free workshop, click here. For other Wildflower Alliance opportunities, including virtual support groups, click here. 

The Alliance Invites You to Its Peer Workforce National Virtual Listening Session

On April 11, 2025, 9:30-11:00 a.m. ET, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery invites you to the last of its four Peer Workforce National Virtual Listening Sessions. “We need your voice! Be part of the national conversation on Workforce Development, with a special focus on peer support models. These [free] virtual listening sessions are designed to gather insights, identify key trends, and shape the future of workforce strategies for peer support roles.” To register, click here.

“The Hope of Harm Reduction: Exploring New Dialogue Models Developed by Non-Clinical Support Communities”

On April 15, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT), Mad In America will present a free 90-minute webinar in which “Caroline Mazel-Carlton from the Wildflower Alliance will explore alternative harm reduction dialogue philosophies and how to use them in real-life, whether we are supporting someone who uses drugs, hears voices, is thinking of suicide, etc….” The event will be hosted by Ron Unger. “Attendees can pay what they wish, with a recommended donation of $10-40. Funds will support Mad in America’s work as a non-profit organization.” To submit a question, please email it to zcunniffe@madinamerica.com at least 48 hours prior to the event…There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during the discussion. For more information and to register, click here.

Mad Camp Tickets and Scholarship Applications Are Due by April 15! 

April 15, 2025, is the deadline to apply for a ticket – space is limited – and a (partial) scholarship for both Mad Camp Europe (July 3-7) and US Mad Camp (July 31-August 4)! “Mad Camp Europe 2025 brings creativity, learning, and community together at the exclusive Blue Whale Education Center in Tauchen, Austria. Inspired by the US Mad Camp, this event is designed for individuals who embrace creativity and seek a transformative experience through workshops, art, and connection.” US Mad Camp will be held “at the beautiful Four Springs Retreat Center in Middletown, California!” For details on US Mad Camp in Northern California, and to apply for a ticket, click here. For details about Mad Camp Europe and to apply for a ticket, click here. And make sure to include whether you need a (partial) scholarship!

“Community-driven Approaches: Effective Programming to Support Those Affected by a Death by Suicide”

On April 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a free SAMHSA-sponsored webinar that will “discuss death by suicide, the aftermath of a death, and the experiences of those bereaved by suicide…This session will highlight the impactful work of LOSS Teams (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors), which provide immediate support to those impacted by a death by suicide within hours or days after the event. LOSS Teams are composed of trained individuals who have experienced a similar loss and offer emotional care, practical help, and strategies for navigating the complex grief process.” (Note: Because the information at the registration link mentions 988, it’s important to note that 988 is controversial because of the danger of police showing up at someone's door and forcing them into a psychiatric institution. For a report – “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People” – click here.) For more information about the webinar and to register, click here.

“Supervision of Peer-Based Recovery Support Services”

On April 22 and 23, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a training and capacity-building workshop for supervisors of Peer Specialists and for organizations that currently employ or are considering employing Peer Specialists. The tuition is $290. For more information and to register, click here.

April 29th Is the Next Doors to Wellbeing Webinar

On April 29, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present the next one-hour webinar in its free monthly series. For more information and to register, click here. (Note: At this writing, details of the April 29th webinar are not available.)

May 7th Is the Date of the Next Judi’s Room!

On May 7, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International will present the next Judi’s Room, “a free monthly public event for facilitating intersectional dialogue on the subjects of disabilities and mental illness.” Each event “typically begins with an educational presentation by one or more expert panelists followed by an open discussion in which any attendees may take part.” For more about Judi’s Room, click here. For the monthly link to the Zoom Room, click here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189 (More information about the May 7th Judi’s Room will be posted in this space in the Key Update when it is available.)

7th Annual Plural Positivity World Conference (PPWC) 2025 Will Be Held May 24-25

“PPWC is a live, peer-led community conference by and for Plurals, DID and OSDD systems, allies, and clinicians. Our goal is to empower one another by providing education, support, and community connections.” This year’s conference theme is "Resilience as Resistance." PPWC sessions will be available for free on YouTube, and there will be an “enhanced, paid community experience on Airmeet,” which will include “live Q&A sessions, virtual meetups, booths, and exclusive live sessions.” For more information, including previous conference sessions, click here.

ISPS-US Issues Call for Proposals for Its 2025 Conference

June 1, 2025, is the deadline to submit a proposal for the 2025 ISPS-US annual conference, to be held in Chicago and hybrid via Zoom November 7-9, 2025. The conference theme is “Bridging the Divides: From Fragmentation to Connection in Psychosis and Society.” For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.

Registration Opens for MHA’s Annual Conference

For information about MHA’s Annual Conference, October 16-17, 2025, at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, DC, and to register, click here. 

RESOURCES

Free Manual Suggests How to Withdraw from Benzodiazepines After Long-Term Use, and “Do Benzodiazepines Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?” 

The Ashton Manual is a 96-page manual available for free download or via Kindle from the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, whose mission is “Educating about the potential adverse effects of benzodiazepines taken as prescribed.” According to an obituary of the author, Chrystal Heather Ashton, DM, FRCP (1929-2019), “[s]he developed an approach to withdrawal that supported the patient to control the rate at which the dose was tapered, often taking months or even longer,” and she encouraged people “to adjust the withdrawal schedules to suit their individual needs.” In 1999 “she distilled her experience into a manual.…There was such demand that the book, known worldwide as the “Ashton Manual,” has since appeared in 11 languages and several updated editions, all available to download for free.” It was revised in 2002, and includes a supplement published in 2011. For the free manual, click here. And for the free, 54-page “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” published by the Icarus Project and Freedom Center, click here. And “Do Benzodiazepines Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?” Short answer: More research is needed. “Until then, we must assume that appropriate use of benzodiazepines will not lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.” For the American Journal of Psychiatry editorial (2020), click here. 

“WHO Guidance on Mental Health Policy and Strategic Action Plans”

“This publication provides a clear framework for strengthening leadership, governance, service delivery, and workforce capacity. It highlights mental health’s connection to social and structural determinants — such as poverty, housing, education, and employment — offering actionable strategies to address these, combat stigma and discrimination, and expand access to care. It emphasizes the crucial role of people with lived experience in shaping inclusive, responsive systems and advocates for cross-sector collaboration to deliver holistic support, integrating lifestyle, and physical health, psychological, social, and economic interventions while promoting well-being and prevention.” To download the free, 44-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Janet Paleo)

April Is Stress Awareness Month

The American Institute of Stress offers suggestions for coping with stress, including learning “to overcome issues you can’t change.” For more, click here. 

“Cooking Up Youth Engagement” and Latest Edition of the Focus 2.0 Newsletter

The Café TA Center writes: “This document offers a ‘how-to’ for a group of youth, or an organization, to empower young people to plan and implement an engagement in which youth come together for a common purpose, whether it be training, advocacy around a specific issue, relationship-building, fun, entertainment, and connection, activity planning and delivery, or other youth-related activities. By following the right recipe, youth (and those who support youth) will understand how to plan and implement programming in a youth-driven manner that genuinely empowers the youth voice.” For the free 19-page guide, published by the Cafe TA Center and the Family Cafe, click here. And for the latest Focus newsletter, which includes many additional resources, click here.

NY Times Recommends “Five Books on Healing from Trauma” and Two More

A recent New York Times article suggested five “books that explore trauma” and “that can help us make sense of negative experiences.” For those blocked by the Times paywall, the books are “What Happened to You?” by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey, “No Bad Parts” by Richard C. Schwartz, “Trauma and Recovery” by Judith L. Herman, “Waking the Tiger” by Peter A. Levine with Ann Frederick, and “It Didn’t Start With You” by Mark Wolynn. Two additional books are “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents,” by Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson; and “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.

“Capacity-Building Strategy for Next-Generation Mental Health Research: Embedding a National Network Infrastructure to Grow Mental Health Researcher Capabilities and Mental Health Lived-Experience Research Leaders”

“This perspective article describes a networked infrastructure for a capacity building strategy of the Australian-based ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation…In 2022, the Centre established the first national, cross-disciplinary mental health Next Generation Researcher Network, including a tailored Lived-Experience Research Collective with the aim to grow future research leaders and establish career pathways embedded within the research activities of the Centre.” For the article, published in BMJ Mental Health on March 24, 2025, click here.

The April-May 2025 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Get an identity protection PIN (IP PIN),” click here. For “IRS identity theft victim assistance: How it works,” click here. For “How cognitive shuffling can quiet racing thoughts at bedtime,” click here. For “How To Stop Trying To Shop Your Way To Happiness,” click here. For “Ultra-processed foods may be as addictive as smoking, study says,” click here. For “Probiotics ‘Not as Beneficial for Gut Health as Previously Thought’: Research finds probiotics caused ‘very severe disturbance’ in gut when taken in conjunction with antibiotics,” click here. For “How to Live Your Best Life as You Age,” click here. For “The power of the placebo effect: Treating yourself with your mind is possible, but there is more to the placebo effect than positive thinking,” click here. For “Don’t wait to have everything to enjoy life, you already have life that allows you enjoy everything,” click here. For “Explosive Strength Training: Techniques and Benefits,” click here. For “Plyometrics,” click here. For “Living the ex-pat life: 3 tips on retiring overseas: Thinking of retiring in a more exotic location? From choosing a location to healthcare, here's what you need to consider,” click here. For “OK, So Multitasking Is Impossible — What Should We Do Instead? An Expert Weighs In,” click here. For “The Playful Advantage: How Playfulness Enhances Coping with Stress,” click here. For “What Happens to Your Brain When You Retire? It’s challenging to stay mentally sharp and healthy through the major transition. Careful planning is key,” click here. For “Retirement and cognitive decline. A longitudinal analysis using SHARE data,” click here. For “Effect of retirement on cognitive function: the Whitehall II cohort study,” click here. For “Spotlight on the Challenges of Depression following Retirement and Opportunities for Interventions,” click here. For “6 simple steps to keep your mind sharp at any age,” click here. For “Feeling scatterbrained? 5 ways to focus your attention,” click here. For “The art of well-being: Group activities shown to ease depression and anxiety in older adults,” click here.

The April-May 2025 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Sandra Hemme’s 43-Year Fight for Innocence Reflects Pitfalls in Missouri’s Justice System: Even after a judge declared her innocent and ordered her freed, the Missouri attorney general tried to send her back…Psychiatrist Judith Edersheim concluded in an evaluation that Hemme was at high risk for falsely confessing due to her serious mental illness and the antipsychotic medication she had been put on, which likely disrupted her cognitive thinking,” click here. For “Jan. 6 defendant arrested at Obama's home is hit with new felony charges,” click here. For “The never-ending sentence: How parole and probation fuel mass incarceration,” click here. For “Front-end criminal justice reforms are key to addressing systemic inequities,” click here. For “Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025,” click here. For “The Big Business of Bad Prison Food: A market analysis said the food service industry in U.S. prisons and jails is worth billions — and is forecasted to grow,” click here. For “The Food on Your Table, Brought to You By Prison Labor: Incarcerated workers help produce some of America’s most popular food brands, but get few of the benefits and protections afforded to others,” click here. For “The Past and Present of Prison Labor: Your Questions Answered. A historian answers Bolts readers’ questions on the deep roots of forced labor in U.S. prisons, how it operates today, and efforts to challenge it,” click here. For “Strength Behind Bars: News Inside Issue 19 honors women navigating the correctional system,” click here. For “The Feminist Law Professor Who Wants to Stop Arresting People for Domestic Violence: For years, Leigh Goodmark was convinced that the way to keep women safe was through arrests and prosecutions. Now she’s pushing for the opposite,” click here. For “No Exit: Death and Despair in Texas’s ‘Double-Cell’ Solitary Units,” click here. For “Serving City Time: A new book doubles as a detailed chronicle of, and guidebook to, surviving incarceration on New York’s Rikers Island,” click here. For “How Many Immigrants Will Die in U.S. Custody? More detentions will lead to more deaths, but the Trump Administration has options to conceal the losses,” click here. For “Three Justices and a Fatal Mistake: Lewis Powell, Harry Blackmun, and John Paul Stevens allowed the death penalty to return. Then they disavowed it,” click here. For “The Just Security Podcast: Politicization and Weaponization of the Justice Department in the Second Trump Administration,” click here. For “What Was the NY Wildcat Strike Like for Incarcerated People? Three writers from three state prisons on the view from inside,” click here. For “Mounting Problems At Bureau Of Prisons Facilities,” click here. For “AI-Generated Voice Evidence Poses Dangers in Court,” click here. For “Federal prosecutors are destroying my family,” click here. For “He was convicted based on allegedly fabricated bite mark analysis. Louisiana wants to execute him anyway. Nine prisoners have walked free after evidence presented by members of a forensics team turned out to be wrong — yet one man still awaits execution based on their testimony,” click here. For “Could a Bite Mark Catch a Killer? Or is it junk science?” (2015), click here. For “Socorro County settles solitary confinement case for $2 million,” click here. For “With 10 Deaths in 2025, LA Jails Continue Deadly Trend: 85 people have died in LA County jails since the start of 2023,” click here. For “On Aging and Dying in Captivity: This year I passed a grim milestone: I’ve now been in captivity longer than I’d been alive when I was arrested,” click here. For “Gideon is important . . . just not for the reason you think!” click here. For “For Many, a Lawyer Is a Luxury Out of Reach: Sixty years after a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the promise of legal representation for everyone is largely unrealized” (2023), click here. For “Thousands are suing states over sexual abuse in juvenile detention facilities: Even as more states try to take responsibility, lawmakers weigh the financial liability,” click here. The Situation: How to Get Away With Violating Court Orders: A guide for the lawless,” click here. For “Several Law Enforcement Agencies Have Stopped Reselling Guns: The shift comes after an investigation by The Trace, CBS News, and Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting linked former police guns to crimes,” click here. For “US Judge Names Receiver To Take Over California Prisons’ Mental Health Program,” click here. For “Weekslong lockups of European tourists at US borders spark fears of traveling to America,” click here. For “ ‘This Town Has Nothing’: Rural Texas’ Mental Healthcare Crisis: Against long odds, Sweetwater’s public hospital recruited counselors to help address a wave of mental health crises in rural Texas—yet struggles continue,” click here. For “Federal judge rules prison heat conditions are unconstitutional, but doesn’t require air conditioning: About two-thirds of Texas prisons are not fully air conditioned, and dozens of inmates have died in the sweltering heat,” click here. For “Bureau Of Prisons Is ‘Rudderless’ Operation, Says Former Director,” click here. 

For “Bondi’s Dismantling of the Kleptocracy Team Threatens National Security: Disbanding the team will cause long-term damage to the government’s capacity to prosecute grand corruption and money laundering crimes,” click here. For “When Treatment First Met the Prison: During the mid-twentieth century, the Bureau of Prisons ran two “narcotic farms” that muddled medical care with incarceration, part of a growing trend that criminalized addiction,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND TRAININGS

“Making the Leap – Leadership Transition During Uncertainty”

On April 22 and April 24, 2025 (1 p.m.-4 p.m. ET, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PT), the Copeland Center will present a training “designed to provide participants with tactics and strategies that will allow them to more fully understand how to navigate through uncertainty while also providing team members and other stakeholders with a sense of stability as we go about executing our roles and responsibilities.” The presenter will be Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR. The fee is $180. For more information and to register, click here.

National Council to Present NatCon25 from May 5 to 7 in Philadelphia

On May 5-7, 2025, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will host NatCon25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City Philadelphia. The keynote speakers will be Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen Fried. For hotel and travel information, click here. For pre-conference events, click here. For the “schedule at a glance,” click here. For registration information, including the conference fee schedule, click here.

Copeland Center Offers Upcoming Membership Events

For a $35 annual membership fee, the Copeland Center offers the following webinars: “From Coping to Thriving with Wellness Tools” (April 10, 2025, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET). To register, click here; and “The Resistance Toolbox,” (May 16, 2025, 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET). To register, click here. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com. 

Fifth Annual DC Hope Walk to Be Held April 26, 2025

Now Hope 2 Reality LLC has announced “the fifth annual DC Walk 4 ReCovery: HOPE WALK 2025, on April 26, 2025, at 14th & 15th Madison and Jefferson Drive, Washington, DC 20004, on the National Mall. This year’s theme is ‘No One Walks Alone!’...“The goal of DC Walk 4 ReCovery is to raise awareness for co-occurring disorders and advocate for the recognition of a National Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness Day, Week, or Month at the federal level. With this initiative, we aim to bring attention to how co-occurring disorders impact the ongoing opioid/fentanyl crisis and the trauma in our communities.” To contact the organizer for more information, click here.

“Helping Teens Manage Depression: Practical Skills That Work”

On April 29, 2025, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET, Families for Depression Awareness will present a webinar to provide “concrete tools and techniques to help your teen manage depression effectively. Our presenter, Amy Mezuliz, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of, ‘Reversing the Spiral of Depression for Teens: Simple Actions to Improve Mood, Boost Motivation, and Build the Life You Want.’ Dr. Mezulis will focus on powerful approaches grounded in evidence-based practices.” To register (or watch on demand later), click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Will Be Held in Washington, DC

The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference will be held May 4-6, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC. For more information, click here.

“Dangers of Contacting 988 (Update 2025 – It's Worse!)”

“In this episode of PsychForce Report TV, hosts Rob Wipond and Jesse Mangan welcome special guests Nemu and Olka from Safe Hotlines to discuss the latest research on how often 988 callers get unexpected and unwanted visits from law enforcement, the lack of privacy protections for all of the recorded calls and text exchanges, and other risks people should know about before calling 988.” For the recording, click here. (Courtesy of Wildflower Alliance)

XV WAPR 25 Extends Deadline for Abstract Submissions to March 31

The World Congress of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) and the Canadian PSR Recovery Conference will be held September 27-30, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada. For more information, click here.

“Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation”

“The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusions has just released a new microtraining called the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation!...Microtrainings are short, interactive online trainings, focused on a specific topic. Our microtrainings use audio, images, quizzes, and reflection prompts to help you learn about and adopt community participation practices. At the end of each microtraining, you have the option to receive a certificate of completion.” For more information and to access the microtraining, click here.

“Guardianship Abuse: Bad Apples or Tip of the Iceberg?”

A podcast by the National Institute of Justice explores “how the guardianship system is working in the U.S. How many individuals suffer abuse under guardianship? To what extent does guardianship, when properly executed, improve the lives of those it’s intended to serve? We explore those questions and more in the latest episode of the Justice Today podcast.” For more information and to listen to the podcast, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

IDHA Offers a Self-Paced Course Library

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) writes: “This library offers a range of self-paced courses covering a wide range of essential topics in transformative mental health. Courses are designed to integrate tools and knowledge into your practice and daily life. Most courses were adapted from former live, virtual offerings.” The courses include “Re-Thinking Mental Health: History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” and “Our Struggles Are Intertwined: Intersection of Mental Health and Oppression.” For more information and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

OPPORTUNITIES

Editors Issue Call for Abstracts for an “International Handbook of Lived Experience”

The editors of a forthcoming volume that “will critically examine how and why Lived Experience practices and forms of knowledge operate across everyday, clinical, political, and academic contexts, as well as the challenges, tensions, and dialogues that arise from these intersections” are seeking “abstract submissions of up to 250 words from a diverse range of contributors, including activists, experts by experience, practitioners, and academics from across the globe.” Please submit your abstract to Jacqui (jacquidillon333@aol.com) and Paula (reaveyp@lsbu.ac.uk) by May 5, 2025….“If we accept your abstract, the first version of the full chapter (5,000 words) will be due on February 1, 2026.” For more information, click here.

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“Since 988 Launch, Mental Health Crisis Services Have Faltered”; and 988 “Fails the People” in Other Ways

“While calls to the national hotline have continued to increase, fewer psychiatric facilities are offering emergency psychiatric walk-in services, mobile crisis response units, and suicide prevention services,” according to JAMA Psychiatry, STAT has reported. Of the four services monitored, peer support is the only one that has become more available. For the STAT article, click here. See also “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People,” a 108-page report that covers how “many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” For the free report, click here.

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Researchers Seek to Understand Experiences with Crisis Intervention Services for Psychological and/or Emotional Distress

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis write: “These services can range from police and 911, 988, and other crisis lines [to] emergency departments, inpatient psychiatric facilities, mobile crisis units, and peer respites. We are recruiting people who have direct lived experience as patients/recipients or providers/clinicians of these types of interventions and those with indirect experience as loved ones to participate in a brief survey and, if eligible and able, an online focus group. Participants will be eligible to receive a $50 gift card if they complete a 1.5-hour focus group. For a 5-minute screening survey, click here. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you are interested in participating in a 90-minute focus group and will be asked for contact information to facilitate scheduling.” 

You Are Invited to Complete a Survey About Helpful and Harmful Mental Health Services 

Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery (SAFE 4 Recovery), “a coalition of psychiatry survivors, families, and mental health professionals who believe in the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit,” invites psychiatric survivors, family members, service providers, researchers, and others to respond to a survey about their “past experiences with mental health services. What was helpful? What was harmful?” SAFE 4 Recovery writes: “We launch this website to challenge a mental health service system that too often does more harm than good with its absolute reliance on models of care and treatment based on faulty archaic principles.” The website also includes information about “common myths about mental illness that interfere with mental and emotional healing,” and articles including “Confessions of a Noncompliant Patient,” by movement pioneer Judi Chamberlin, and “Never Give Up,” by Ron Bassman, a SAFE 4 Recovery founder. For the website and to respond to the survey, click here.

Hey, Parents/Caregivers & Youth/Young Adults: “Lifting Voices” Needs Your Voice!

Lifting Voices – a coalition of youth, young adult, and family voices – is seeking parents/caregivers and youth/young adults (ages 12-25) to respond, respectively, to two targeted surveys. The goal is “to learn more from those with lived experience about mental health and substance use disorder recovery needs, barriers, what has worked, and what actionable change is needed now, in order to improve the quality of care, advance innovation, and promote equitable access for all,” the organizers write. For the Lifting Voices home page and links to the two surveys, click here. For key principles, goals, and objectives, click here. For a media kit, click here.

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/ accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

“Framework for an Ideal Behavioral Health System” and “Moving Toward a Human Rights Approach to Mental Health”

“This paper outlines HSRI’s framework for an ideal behavioral health system. The framework details associated system values, expectations, and practices.” For the Human Services Research Institute’s free 16-page paper, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) And “[i]n the wake of current health, economic, and social justice crises, as experiences of trauma and loss multiply, mental health professionals have a crucial opportunity to recognize the human experience and rights of those suffering mental distress,” Jim Probert writes. For “Moving Toward a Human Rights Approach to Mental Health (2021),” click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is a Great Resource

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report — by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers — click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons”

The Marshall Project has created a toolkit for journalists who report on deaths in jails and prisons. They write: “When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating.” (If you are not a journalist but are in contact with journalists, you can share the toolkit with them.) For the toolkit, click here. And for “How to Investigate Prison Staffing Trends in Your State: Our toolkit helps you report on how the widespread, long-term trend of declining prison staff affects both safety behind bars and state budgets,” click here.

PeerTAC Newsletter Offers Resources and Other Information

PeerTAC writes: “Welcome to the PeerTAC Newsletter! We will be featuring upcoming PeerTAC events and resources about the inclusion of Peer Support Services in MHOTRS (Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Service) programs. For questions or a request for technical assistance related to Peer Support Services, send us a message using the Ask PeerTAC feature on our website: https://peertac.org.” For the newsletter, click here.

SAMHSA Launches New Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS)

“The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Office of Recovery, in partnership with One World Recovery Network (OWRN), is excited to announce the launch of the new Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS). CARS is ready to provide essential training and technical assistance (TTA) to help organizations better support individuals facing substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges.” For details, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

Café TA Center Issues Focus 2.0, Number 16

The latest edition of the Café TA Center newsletter, Focus 2.0, includes a link to a 20-page Resource Kit that “features a diverse collection of trainings, workshops, webinars, and other valuable key deliverables developed by statewide consumer network grantees and national Technical Assistance (TA) centers.” It also includes a “National Overview of the U.S. Certified Peer Specialist Workforce,” as well as other useful information. For Focus 2.0, click here.

“Tools and Tips for Navigating Conflict”

Spring Up writes: “...we often discuss how conflict can be a source of growth, transformation, and a critical site for putting our liberatory values into practice. We’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the core tools and frameworks we use to understand the root causes of conflicts and perceive more choices for how to respond. We know that being able to identify more choices and options is instrumental in living into freedom and de-escalation.” For the article, posted on Medium, click here.

“Forensic Peer Supervision: Supporting Peer Workers in Criminal Justice Settings”

PARfessionals writes: “This comprehensive reference textbook is specifically designed to equip Forensic Peer Supervisors with the requisite tools, knowledge, and best practices for effectively supervising Peer Recovery Support Workers (PSWs) within criminal justice settings. The primary objective is to ensure that supervision is not only effective but also supports the delivery of ethical, trauma-informed, and person-centered peer services across diverse environments, including halfway houses, drug courts, jails and prisons, and social service agencies. The textbook will be available for complimentary download on our official website starting March 13, 2025.” For the PARfessionals website, click here.

“Can Hearing About Someone Else’s Problems Fix Your Own?”

Fello is “a new app that pays people to tell their life stories to others going through the same stuff,” TIME magazine writes. “Fello and other platforms like it are selling something that humans have long gotten for free: peer support. ‘It’s something that people naturally do,’ says Kelly Davis, vice president of peer and youth advocacy at the nonprofit Mental Health America. ‘If you’re having a hard time, you often seek out someone else who went through something similar.’” For the TIME article, click here. For the Fello app, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“Making a Difference in Your Community”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “This weekly calendar and journal celebrates the stories of individuals with serious mental illness who have made a difference in their communities. These stories highlight the power of community participation to foster connection and a feeling of mattering. We’re inviting you to explore these stories and reflect on what inspires you to make a difference in your own community.” For the 191-page calendar, click here.

“Developing Community Participation Stories: Storytelling for StorySlams”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has a new storytelling manual, “Developing Community Participation Stories,” which is “your guide to crafting stories of community participation…Included in the manual is a brief background on storytelling research, key elements of community participation stories, and strategies for crafting stories. The manual has strategies to support individuals as well as for facilitating storytelling groups. The overarching aim is to support people to move beyond illness-focused narratives to highlight (and celebrate!) the diverse roles individuals occupy within their communities.” For more information and to download the manual, click here.

NCAPPS Begins 2025 by Offering a Multitude of Resources

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is ringing in the new year by offering many resources. For the NCAPPS offerings, click here.

“How Do I Find a Good Therapist?”

The American Psychological Association offers some questions to consider if you are looking to find a good therapist. For example, Is the therapist licensed? If you have health insurance, will it cover the therapy from this provider? Are there limits to the number of sessions covered by your insurance? For more information, click here.

“Peer Support and Resistance: Becky Brasfield’s Vision for Mental Health Justice”

Writer, policy researcher, advocate, and peer specialist Becky Brasfield is interviewed in a recent issue of Mad In America: “...Ms. Brasfield has dedicated her career to elevating the voices of service users and dismantling systemic inequities. Her lived experience with psychosis, combined with her leadership in peer support, has made her a powerful critic of traditional psychiatric models that often marginalize those they aim to help.” For the MIA article, click here. Also see “Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field.” This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

“We aimed to systematically synthesize studies to estimate life expectancy and Years-of-Potential-Life-Lost (YPLL) in people with any and specific mental disorders across a broad spectrum of diagnoses,” the authors write. The interpretation of the results was that “[m]ental disorders are associated with substantially reduced life expectancy, which is transdiagnostic in nature, encompassing a wide range of diagnoses. Implementation of comprehensive and multilevel intervention approaches is urgently needed to rectify lifespan inequalities for people with mental disorders.” For the article, click here.

“A Reduction in Health Care Expenditures Linked to Mental Health Service Use Among Adults With Chronic Physical Conditions”

“The aim was to examine the impact of receipt of mental health services on health care expenditures for U.S. adults with major chronic physical conditions,” the authors write. The conclusions were that “[r]eceipt of mental health services was associated with a reduction in overall health care costs, particularly for office-based visits and prescribed medication, among adults with chronic physical conditions.” For the article click here.

“10 Tips for Incorporating Humor into Your Life”

“Incorporating humor into your daily life has many potential benefits,” Mental Health America (MHA) writes. For the potential benefits of humor and 10 tips for incorporating humor into your life, click here. 

Materials from SAMHSA Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the U.S.” Are Now Available

The free report, webinar recording, and webinar slides from SAMHSA’s Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States” are now available online. To download the report and slides and view the webinar, click here. For many additional SAMHSA resources, click here. These resources are a product of the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation (CFRI), “a SAMHSA contract that seeks to understand financing mechanisms of behavioral health care to identify opportunities, innovations, and challenges to service delivery and access.”

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“The Lived-Experience Research Collective Is a Research Capacity Building Initiative… 

…of the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation [in Australia]. The collective’s purpose is to provide tailored training, mentoring for mental health researchers with lived-experience (both individuals who identify as experiencing mental-ill health and carer/family, kinship group researchers), and lived-experience and carer/family kinship researchers located in community, government or non-government organisations. This includes a place to grow expertise and develop important career pathways in research settings. We do not ascribe to one definition of lived-experience and are inclusive for people who self-identify as having lived-experience.” For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-being”

“Mental Health America’s latest report…dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people every step of the way…This report brings together insights from over 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with our youth co-researchers…” For more information, click here. And to download the free 21-page report, click here.
SAMHSA Launches RecoverMe to Help Young Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Issues

“SAMHSA is kicking off RecoverMe, a campaign that connects young adults (ages 18-25) to practical and affirming resources to help them navigate their unique challenges with substance use and mental health. RecoverMe provides tools, resources, and a supportive recovery community to help young adults on their personal recovery journey and highlights that recovery is not one size fits all…The RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit page contains resources for partner organizations, including customizable social graphics, logos, a shareable badge and social media content, campaign one-pager, sample newsletter content, and more. For the RecoverMe website, click here. For the RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit, click here. (Courtesy of Edie Mannion)

“Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study”

“This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of [mental health] disorders….The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.” For the open-access study, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Recovery in the USA: From Politics to Peer Support”

“Efforts to transform the mental health service delivery system to a more consumer-driven and recovery-orientated approach has its roots in a somewhat radical anti-psychiatry and civil-rights movement dating back to the 1970s,” the authors write. “The recovery movement has evolved from a more radical view in the early days, to participatory involvement in systems, to returning to alternative models of care that are more independent. Now as more peer specialists work in systems, there is an increased emphasis on non-medical alternatives and the cycle continues. Regardless, recovery, self-determination, choice, etc. are always at the centre. This paper notes the interesting cycles of recovery-orientation and how they spin around the values/tenets of the movement’s early roots.” For the open-access paper, published in 2012, click here.

“Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair”

In May 2022, the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia, commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. This became the State acknowledgement of harm project. For the free, 87-page report, “Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair,” subtitled “Advice to the Minister for Mental Health on Acknowledging Harm in the Mental Health System,” click here. For information on the context of the report, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” – click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

DISCLAIMER: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 11, April-May 2025. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, March-April 2025, Vol. 21, Number 10

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

Deadline Alert! Under OPPORTUNITIES, March 12 is the deadline to comment on the framework for the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30! (This was also included in the Key Update in February-March.) And check out WEBINARS, under CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS, for a webinar on March 12! 

NEWS

“Donald Trump’s Next Diversity Target: People With Disabilities” and News About the Resistance!

“One month into his presidency, Trump has unleashed a government-wide attack on people with disabilities, from anti-diversity executive orders to proposed special-education rollbacks to threats to slash programs like Medicaid that are lifelines for disabled people across the country,” The Nation reports. “If successful, these actions could have catastrophic consequences for millions of Americans, according to disability rights experts.” For the article, published on February 18, 2025, click here. For “The Overlooked Target: Accessibility in the Crosshairs of the Trump Administration’s Backlash Against DEI Programs,” click here. And the Coalition for Disability Rights & Justice (CDRJ) writes: “Respectfully, we are asking colleagues and allies to remember to put the ‘A’ for accessibility in any mention of DEIA. The White House executive orders specifically call it DEIA and we really should as well.” For the ADAWatch newsletter, click here.

“Therapists Warn AI Mental Health Help Could Harm People”; and “Increasing Access to Safe, Effective, and Secure Digital Mental Health Technology Should Be a Federal Priority”

The chief executive of the American Psychological Association (APA) has warned a Federal Trade Commission panel that AI systems are now so sophisticated that they can almost pass as real therapists — and that their growing chat capabilities could cause harm to vulnerable people. The APA CEO, psychologist Arthur C. Evans Jr., cited court cases brought against chatbot app Character.ai. “In one case, a 14-year-old boy died by suicide after interacting with a Chacter.AI chatbot claiming to be a licensed psychologist,” according to an article in Becker’s Behavioral Health (click here). For “American Psychological Association sounds alarm over certain AI chatbots,” click here. And for “Increasing Access to Safe, Effective, and Secure Digital Mental Health Technology Should Be a Federal Priority” (Courtesy of Fran Hazam), click here.

“Are Antidepressants Weakening Women’s Bones?”

“A study spanning two decades finds that antidepressant use is associated with a 44% increase in osteoporosis risk and a 62% higher chance of fractures,” Mad In America reports. “The longer a woman took antidepressants and the more antidepressants she used simultaneously, the greater the risk…The findings challenge the assumption that these drugs are benign and highlight how biological risks — such as osteoporosis and fractures — are overlooked in favor of symptom management. It raises pressing questions about the ethics of overprescription, the neglect of non-medical interventions, and the broader consequences of a system that prioritizes pharmacological solutions over holistic, person-centered care.” For the article, which includes a link to the study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, click here.

“Nursing Homes [Are] Overprescribing Drugs to Silence and Subdue Patients”

“More than one in five nursing home residents in the United States is given powerful and mind-altering antipsychotic drugs. That’s more than 10 times the rate of the general population – despite the fact that the conditions antipsychotics treat do not become more common with age,” according to an Associated Press (AP) article. “Multiple studies have shown that nursing homes frequently administer antipsychotic medications to residents even when they do not have a medically valid psychiatric diagnosis warranting such drugs,” according to an article on the website of The Brown Firm, a personal injury law firm. “A recent government report found that 80% of seniors on Medicare were prescribed antipsychotic medication, despite only around 5% of the senior population having a diagnosis of psychosis. That’s roughly a million patients a year.” For the AP article, click here. For the Brown Firm article (Courtesy of the Surviving Spirit newsletter), click here.

“RFK Jr. Moves to Eliminate Public Comment on HHS Decisions”

On February 28, 2025, “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a document proposing to strip public participation from much of the business his department conducts,” STAT reports. “The move comes during a time of major upheaval across federal health agencies, and as the public waits to see how Kennedy will enact his pledge of ‘radical transparency’ at the department. The statement, placed in the Federal Register, said HHS would rescind its longtime practice of giving members of the public a chance to comment on the agency’s plans..” Meanwhile, as Professor Cary Coglianese of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School noted, ‘It’s often foolhardy to short-circuit public engagement. It’s not even good regulatory practice, quite frankly.’ ” For the STAT article, click here. 

“Study Illuminates the Genetic Architecture of Bipolar Disorder” and “Is Bipolar Disorder Overdiagnosed?”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reported that their study of people with diverse ancestries has revealed new genes involved in bipolar disorder. “The study included 158,036 people living with bipolar disorder and 2,796,499 people without the disorder across 79 clinical, community, and self-report cohorts — making it the largest such study to date…The findings suggest that genetics play a key role across a broad spectrum of conditions that fall under the umbrella of bipolar disorder…These insights could pave the way for new and more personalized treatments.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam) Meanwhile, “[t]he criteria for [bipolar disorder] have expanded since the 1980s, scooping up patients who say the diagnosis has steered them down the wrong path,” according to an article in Slate. For the article, click here. And an episode of “The Pulse” titled “(Mis)Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder,” which aired on WHYY radio on February 28, 2025, discussed “what contributed to an explosion of bipolar diagnoses, and why experts disagree about whether this disorder is over- or underdiagnosed.” For the episode, click here.

“Jailing the Homeless: New Data Shed Light on Unhoused People in Local Jails”

The Prison Policy Initiative writes: “Local jails, which hold one out of every three people behind bars, have become America’s misguided answer to problems faced by the most vulnerable people, like poverty and homelessness. Despite jails’ central role in mass incarceration, comprehensive national data about the 5.6 million people who cycle through them each year is collected infrequently, leaving even basic questions about jails unanswerable.  Fortunately for researchers, advocates, journalists and many others, the Jail Data Initiative is collecting present-day data from roughly 900 jails to provide a better understanding of those who are criminalized and locked up, including the approximately 205,000 unhoused people who are booked into jails each year.” For the article, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Please Comment on the Framework for the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30

March 12, 2025, by 11:59:59 p.m. ET, is the deadline to provide feedback on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30. NIH writes: “People with disabilities lead rich and full lives but may experience a range of medical conditions that affect their health and well-being. In addition, people with disabilities may face non-medical factors in their environments that lead to poorer health outcomes, such as discrimination and inaccessible facilities. Research that seeks to understand and address the effects of both medical conditions and environmental factors on the health and well-being of people with disabilities we term disability health research.” For details, including directions on how to submit a response, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Save the Dates! NCMHR Hill Days in Washington, DC, June 9-12, 2025

“This event will be an important opportunity for advocacy and connection,” the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery writes. “We hope to have as many people as possible join us in using our collective voices to educate our federal elected officials about mental health recovery. Further details will follow soon. Also, if you haven’t signed up for one of our NCMHR committees, there’s still time! For the volunteer form, click here.

MHA Applications for Speakers and Awardees for Its 2025 Conference Are Due March 21

March 21, 2025, is the deadline to nominate speakers and awardees for Mental Health America’s 2025 conference, to be held at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C., October 16-17. The conference theme is “Turn Awareness into Action.” For the Call for Speakers, click here. For the Call for Awardees, click here.

The PERCH Announces an Open Call for Submissions for Its New Issue, Whose Theme Is “Social”

March 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET, is the deadline to submit “poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction, artwork, virtual [visual] art, and scholarly pieces that illustrate the many aspects of social support and its relationship to wellness and recovery” for the Fall 2025 edition of The PERCH, a creative arts journal with mental health themes focused on original voices. For details, to read prior issues, and to send a submission, click here. 

Alliance 2025 Leadership Institute Is Still Accepting Registrations!

The Alliance for Rights and Recovery writes: “The Leadership Institute has been offering guidance to your organizational leaders for the past 6 years, providing strength and direction for effective leadership. This year’s Institute offers an experiential Leadership Masterclass led by expert coaches and inspired by John Maxwell’s ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,’ and 12 individualized coaching sessions with seasoned professionals. Led by accomplished coaches, this program is designed to transform your leadership mindset and capabilities.Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity for your emerging leaders to grow and help your organization to thrive.” For more information, click here. For details about the fee schedule, and to register, click here.

 Two Mad Camps in 2025: in California and in Europe!

Mad Camp Europe is on! From July 3 to July 7, 2025, “Mad Camp Europe 2025 brings creativity, learning, and community together at the exclusive Blue Whale Education Center in Tauchen, Austria. Inspired by the US Mad Camp, this event is designed for individuals who embrace creativity and seek a transformative experience through workshops, art, and connection.” All-inclusive tickets will probably be in the 300 to 500 Euro range (not including travel, and different lodging options). For more information and to apply (deadline: April 15, 2025 – space is limited), click here. And April 15 is also the deadline to apply for Mad Camp in California, July 31-August 4, “at the beautiful Four Springs Retreat Center in Middletown, California!” For the application and ticket prices, click here. And check out Frequently Asked Questions! (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

Editors Issue Call for Abstracts for an “International Handbook of Lived Experience”

The editors of a forthcoming volume that “will critically examine how and why Lived Experience practices and forms of knowledge operate across everyday, clinical, political, and academic contexts, as well as the challenges, tensions, and dialogues that arise from these intersections” are seeking “abstract submissions of up to 250 words from a diverse range of contributors, including activists, experts by experience, practitioners, and academics from across the globe.” Please submit your abstract to Jacqui (jacquidillon333@aol.com) and Paula (reaveyp@lsbu.ac.uk) by May 5, 2025….“If we accept your abstract, the first version of the full chapter (5,000 words) will be due on February 1, 2026.” For more information, click here.

CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS

Copeland Center to Present “Hopes, Dreams, and Goals” 

On March 18-19, 2025 (12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT), “Hopes, Dreams, and Goals” will be hosted by the Copeland Center, which writes: “Participants in this course will engage in a dynamic and supportive learning environment designed to help you identify, reflect on, and pursue your hopes, dreams, and goals. Together, we will explore strategies to overcome barriers, shift negative thinking into taking action in our own regard, and develop wellness tools to maintain balance and resilience.” Tuition is $180; limited scholarships are available for unemployed peer specialists. For more information and to register, click here. 

ISPS to Present a 3-Part Course in Social Recovery Therapy

On March 21, March 28, and April 4, 2025, from noon to 4 p.m., ISPS will present “our next interactive, in-depth training course,” on “Social Recovery Therapy, a CBT-informed intervention originating from the UK that aims to improve social and functional outcomes for people who have experienced psychosis…We ran a webinar on this approach last year, which you can view here. The course will cost $300 for professionals with CEUs, and $100 for students and people with low income…The event is capped at 25 participants.” For details and to register, click here.

Wildflower Alliance to Present Several Multi-Faceted Virtual Trainings in March-April

The Wildflower Alliance will present “Group Facilitation Training,” “When Conversation Turns to Suicide,” and “Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs” in March and April. “Tickets are available on a sliding scale. However, if the current prices are not accessible for you or if you are a Wildflower employee who should be registering for free, please e-mail us at info@wildfloweralliance.org so we can work with you to get registered.” For the dates, times, and details of the “Group Facilitation Training,” and to register, click here. For the dates, times, and details of the “When Conversation Turns to Suicide” training, and to register, click here. And for the dates, times, and details of “Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs,” and to register, click here.

Philosophy of Psychiatry & Lived Experience Conference 2025

On March 27-28, 2025, the Sowerby Project for Philosophy and Medicine will host the fifth Philosophy of Psychiatry and Lived Experience conference, hybrid online and in-person, at King’s College London. Registration is required but the conference is free. The organizers write: “The aim of this conference is to allow philosophers who have experienced mental illness / madness / neurodiversity to present philosophical work related to these phenomena.” Questions? philpsylivedexp@gmail.com. For more information and to register, click here.

“Now I See a Person” Virtual Conference on April 6, 2025

On April 6, 2025 (1 p.m. - 4 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. PT), the Now I See a Person Institute will host a conference on the theme of “Humanizing Ourselves for Others: Polyphonic Voices Exploring Contexts and Believing in Sustainable Opportunities and Solutions for Growth for Practitioners, Consultants, and Those We Serve.” The organizers write: “This conference will feature young adults and families, including those previously diagnosed with severe mental health conditions, who advocate for an understanding of emotional suffering that reflects their voices and needs. They challenge the view that emotional distress has a purely biological origin and call for de-medicalizing emotional responses to life events and trauma. They assert that labeling these responses as mental illness can lead to hopelessness and exacerbate distress.” For more information and to register, click here. The suggested fee is $40, but may be waived.

“Making the Leap – Leadership Transition During Uncertainty”

On April 22 and April 24, 2025 (1 p.m.-4 p.m. ET, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PT), the Copeland Center will present a training “designed to provide participants with tactics and strategies that will allow them to more fully understand how to navigate through uncertainty while also providing team members and other stakeholders with a sense of stability as we go about executing our roles and responsibilities.” The presenter will be Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR. The fee is $180. For more information and to register, click here.

Alliance for Rights and Recovery to Host 21st Annual Executive Seminar

On April 24-25, 2025, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS) will present its 21st Annual Executive Seminar at the Albany Marriott in Albany, New York. The theme is “Urgent Actions, Bold Solutions: Leadership in Unprecedented Times.” Highlights will be a keynote panel on the “national political landscape, transforming Medicaid, as well as presentations on building a thriving peer workforce, unlocking funding, crisis response solutions, and AI and behavioral health.” For details, including the fee schedule, and to register, click here. To make your hotel reservations at the Marriott Albany, click here before April 1, 2025. For sponsorship and vendor opportunities, please contact Shannon Higbee (shannonh@rightsandrecovery.org). 

National Council to Present NatCon25 from May 5 to 7 in Philadelphia

On May 5-7, 2025, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will host NatCon25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City Philadelphia. The keynote speakers will be Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen Fried. For hotel and travel information, click here. For pre-conference events, click here. For the “schedule at a glance,” click here. For registration information, including the conference fee schedule, click here.

WEBINARS – FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

“Ask the Expert: ‘Empathy in Data Visualization’ ”

On March 12, 2025, at 11 a.m. ET, the Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (CeKTER) and the KT Academy will present a one-hour session with Alice Feng entitled “Ask the Expert: ‘Empathy in Data Visualization.’ ’’ “This one hour session will offer participants an opportunity to ask questions as a follow up to Alice Feng's introductory webinar held on September 19th, 2024. Topics such as principles for creating data visualizations tailored to a variety of audiences; including ways to use language, order data, and choose color palettes and icons.” To view the introductory webinar, click here. To register for the March 12th session, click here.

Copeland Center Offers Upcoming Membership Events

For a $35 annual membership fee, the Copeland Center offers the following webinars: “Understanding Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem: The Foundation of Wellness” (March 17, 2025, 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET). To register, click here; “From Coping to Thriving with Wellness Tools” (April 10, 2025, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET). To register, click here; and “The Resistance Toolbox,” (May 16, 2025, 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET). To register, click here. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com. 

“A Rising Movement to Thrive Together” Is the Theme of a Rippel Foundation Webinar

On March 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, the Rippel Foundation will present a webinar to explore the “opportunities and obstacles” facing those who seek to “make great strides toward a future with all people and places thriving together.” “This moment requires that each of us see ourselves – and others – as interdependent stewards in an intergenerational movement for well-being and justice,” writes a Rippel Foundation staff member. The webinar will “hear inspiring stories from pioneering stewards Kellie Easton, Chuck Spong, and Adam Hill of Thriving Together Forsyth (Winston-Salem, NC), along with reflections from Ruth Thomas-Squance (Co-Executive Director, Build Healthy Places Network; Social Impact Fellow, UC Berkeley).” To register, click here. (Note: Although the Rippel Foundation focuses on physical health rather than mental health, “in 1954 the first director of the World Health Organization said, ‘Without mental health there can be no true physical health.’ ”) 

“Live Review: Innovating Peer Review Through Open Collaboration”

On March 19, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, “join JMIR Publications and PREreview for a discussion of Live Reviews — an innovative, community-driven approach to community peer review. This webinar will explore how Live Reviews bring authors, reviewers, and facilitators together in real time to enhance the transparency, rigor, and inclusivity of the peer review process.” For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Michelle Colder Carras)

Prison Policy Initiative to Host a Webinar on “Understanding Recidivism”

On March 19, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, Prison Policy Initiative will present a webinar that will “cover strategies from [its] recidivism toolkit, including an overview of recidivism statistics and what they really mean, how to combat the ‘Willie Horton’ effect, and ways that advocates can transform the narrative around reentry to make it less focused on negative outcomes and more focused on the ways that returning citizens contribute to their communities.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Explore and Financially Plan Your Future: Saving Money and Budgeting”

On March 20, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery will present a one-hour webinar about financial literacy. “Learn a quick and easy way to help yourself or your peers to identify and define financial goals and develop a spending plan to get there on time.” The presenter will be Laurie Shaller. To register, click here.

“Embracing a New Hope & Healing: a Peer-Designed and Peer-Directed Crisis Response”

On March 20, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. ET, Lauren Spiro, Sera Davidow, and Kristina Kapp will present a 90-minute webinar: Part 4 of the Wellness Initiative Network’s series on Reconnecting with the Earth for Personal and Global Healing. Spiro will speak about  eCPR (Emotional CPR), whose goal, she said, “is to teach anyone in the world how to support someone through an emotional crisis.” Davidow will cover the Wildflower Alliance “as an example of our vision in practice.” And Kapp will discuss SAFE 4 Recovery (Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery). To register, and receive the Zoom link, click here. 

“The Leader in You: Accountability, Responsibility, and Authority in Peer Support”

On March 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a webinar that “will explore essential leadership traits, the importance of personal branding, and how to create a culture of care in peer support roles. Participants will learn about leading with integrity, how to inspire others, and apply the principles of accountability and responsibility in daily interactions.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Peers Making an Impact in Crisis Care”

On March 26, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET, the TA Coalition will present “a webinar showcasing the transformative impact of peer-run services in promoting recovery and wellness. Participants will explore innovative programs such as peer respites, wellness respites, mobile outreach initiatives, warmlines, wellness centers, supported employment services, and recovery cafés. The session will highlight how these services support individuals, including those with serious mental illness, in recovering from crises, healing from trauma, and finding alternatives to hospitalization.” For more information and to register, click here.

"Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training"

On March 27, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation will present a webinar which will describe “an online certificate program in Behavioral Health and Aging offered by the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University School of Social Work in collaboration with the National Council on Aging to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. A total of 228 staff at Senior Centers in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed the online certificate program.” The presenter will be Bronwyn Keefe, MSW, MPH, PhD. For more information and to register, click here.

 “Happiest Outside: The Power of the Outdoors in Improving Mental Health”

On March 31, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET, you are invited to a conversation “about why time spent outdoors is so important for mental health along with what you can do to leverage the power of  nature in improving your own well-being.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam) 

April 2 Judi’s Room: “New Mental Health Information Technology (HIT) — What does it mean for us?”

On April 2, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International will present the next Judi’s Room! The topic will be “New Mental Health Information Technology (HIT) — What does it mean for us?” The presenters will be Susan Houck Clark and Ann Kasper. For more about Judi’s Room, click here. For the monthly link to the Zoom Room, click here:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189

“Helping Teens Manage Depression: Practical Skills That Work”

On April 29, 2025, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET, Families for Depression Awareness will present a webinar to provide “concrete tools and techniques to help your teen manage depression effectively. Our presenter, Amy Mezuliz, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of, ‘Reversing the Spiral of Depression for Teens: Simple Actions to Improve Mood, Boost Motivation, and Build the Life You Want.’ Dr. Mezulis will focus on powerful approaches grounded in evidence-based practices.” To register (or watch on demand later), click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

“Dangers of Contacting 988 (Update 2025 – It's Worse!)”

“In this episode of PsychForce Report TV, hosts Rob Wipond and Jesse Mangan welcome special guests Nemu and Olka from Safe Hotlines to discuss the latest research on how often 988 callers get unexpected and unwanted visits from law enforcement, the lack of privacy protections for all of the recorded calls and text exchanges, and other risks people should know about before calling 988.” For the recording, click here. (Courtesy of Wildflower Alliance)

RESOURCES

“Framework for an Ideal Behavioral Health System” and “Moving Toward a Human Rights Approach to Mental Health”

“This paper outlines HSRI’s framework for an ideal behavioral health system. The framework details associated system values, expectations, and practices.” For the Human Services Research Institute’s free 16-page paper, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) And “[i]n the wake of current health, economic, and social justice crises, as experiences of trauma and loss multiply, mental health professionals have a crucial opportunity to recognize the human experience and rights of those suffering mental distress,” Jim Probert writes. For “Moving Toward a Human Rights Approach to Mental Health (2021),” click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is a Great Resource

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report — by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers — click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons”

The Marshall Project has created a toolkit for journalists who report on deaths in jails and prisons. They write: “When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating.” (If you are not a journalist but are in contact with journalists, you can share the toolkit with them.) For the toolkit, click here. And for “How to Investigate Prison Staffing Trends in Your State: Our toolkit helps you report on how the widespread, long-term trend of declining prison staff affects both safety behind bars and state budgets,” click here.

PeerTAC Newsletter Offers Resources and Other Information

PeerTAC writes: “Welcome to the PeerTAC Newsletter! We will be featuring upcoming PeerTAC events and resources about the inclusion of Peer Support Services in MHOTRS (Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Service) programs. For questions or a request for technical assistance related to Peer Support Services, send us a message using the Ask PeerTAC feature on our website: https://peertac.org.” For the newsletter, click here.

The March-April 2025 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Psychotherapist: 10 phrases the most mentally strong people use every day,” click here. (Courtesy of Surviving Spirit newsletter) For “5 Ways Music Helps With Healing,” click here. (Courtesy of Surviving Spirit newsletter) For “Essential Tips for Staying Safe in Crowded Areas,” click here. For “6 Ways Alcohol Can Damage Your Gut,” click here. For “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): An Overview,” click here. For “Having Big Feelings? Here’s How to ‘Shift’ Them,” click here. For “Is it better to eat several small meals or fewer larger ones?” click here. For “When Your Moral Compass Is Compromised,” click here. For “Letting Go of Sentimental Items, click here. For “We Analyzed What TikTok Says About Medical Tests And Got a Nasty Shock,” click here. For “Swearing is linked with increased pain tolerance and strength,” click here. For “Secrets to Longevity: Lessons From the World’s Oldest People,” click here. For “How to Get out of a Rut: Psychological Strategies to Get Unstuck,” click here. For “Six normal activities you should definitely stop doing, according to ER doctors,” click here. For “Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder and Neural Correlates of Trauma-related Pathology: A Critical Review,” click here. (For “What Is Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder?” click here.) For “Researchers Find 13 Proteins in the Blood That Are Seemingly Linked to Brain Aging: Though experts say more work is needed to understand the findings, this line of study might offer a way to monitor age-related cognitive disorders and target treatment,” click here. 

The March-April 2025 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Law And Disorder: Police Oversight and Training Confront A Changing Landscape: The future of police accountability remains uncertain as misconduct persists and focus shifts from reforms,” click here. For “Trump’s Deleted Police Misconduct Database Was Full of Prison and Border Incidents: Data obtained by The Appeal shows that more than 75 percent of the misconduct incidents in NLEAD, the federal police misconduct database Trump deleted this month, were generated by prison and border guards,” click here. For “Cruel and Unjust How the Supreme Court turned the failed war on crime into a war on liberty,” click here. For “Sentenced to Life for an Accident Miles Away: A draconian legal doctrine called felony murder has put thousands of Americans—disproportionately young and Black—in prison” (2023),” click here. For “Becoming Decarceral Jurors: Serving in the Jury System, and Preserving It, Should Be a Goal for Anyone Committed to Ending the Scope and Scale of Mass Incarceration,” click here. For “Protecting Youth in the Criminal Justice System: A man sentenced to life in prison at 18 years old explains why state laws that funnel kids into the adult system are unjust and short-sighted,” click here. For “ ‘Friendly Signs’ Documentary Follows One Man’s Quest to Create Community for Deaf Prisoners: Director Rahsaan ‘New York’ Thomas explores the impact of Tommy Wickerd’s sign language class at San Quentin and the challenges of prison filmmaking,” click here. For “DAs Promised to Help Wrongfully Convicted New Yorkers. In Many Cases, They Made Things Worse. Our investigation identified dozens of cases in which a wrongful conviction unit denied someone’s application, only for a judge to later exonerate them,” click here. For “States debate prison spending as needs grow but budgets tighten. Some Republican leaders are feeling pressure to follow Trump’s lead on law and order,” click here. For “Surviving Abstinence: Abstinence-only drug treatment doesn’t work. For people in prison, where drugs flow freely, such programs place them at greater risk of relapse,” click here. For “Connecticut Could Ban Its Businesses from Helping Carry Out Executions Elsewhere: Connecticut lawmakers are considering legislation to make it illegal to participate in the death penalty, following news that a local company helped fuel a federal execution spree…[W]hile Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012, businesses in the state have been tied to executions elsewhere,” click here. For “Forgotten and waiting to die: How Georgia left intellectually challenged men on death row for decades: Two death row inmate cases languished years without IQ determinations,” click here. For “Georgia must stop executing the disabled,” click here. For the abstract of “Of Two Minds: The Supreme Court’s Divergent Approach to Constitutional Mens Rea,” click here. For “Jury finds former Clear Creek sheriff’s deputy guilty of criminally negligent homicide in Christian Glass’ death,” click here. For “Are the Courts Up to the Situation? The institutional challenges to pushback from the judiciary,” click here. For “Actual Innocence: Glynn Simmons was innocent. Read the story of his 48-year fight to prove it,” click here. For “Authoritarian Blitz: The Republican Party’s attempts to suspend the rule of law can only be stopped if Democratic leaders show the moral clarity and political courage of a normal party of opposition,” click here. For “Costly New Bail Bills Would Needlessly Jail More People: Texas politicians are wasting your money to punish the working class,” click here. For “A SWAT Team Raided This Innocent Family's Home. The Supreme Court Won't Hear Their Case. Whether or not a reasonable police officer violates clearly established law when he declines to check the features and address of his target house before raiding it is thus still up for debate,” click here. For “States that impose severe prison sentences accomplish the opposite of what they say they want,” click here. For “How ‘Bankruptcy’ Lets Private Prison Contractors Evade Accountability: Wellpath, one of the nation’s largest private correctional medical contractors, has conveniently filed for bankruptcy as it faces scores of lawsuits for alleged neglect and misconduct,” click here. For “Trump Administration Abolishes Rules Protecting Trans Prisoners: The Bureau of Prisons rescinded rules shielding trans women from being searched by male guards, The Intercept has learned,” click here. For “ ‘Fear for Their Lives’: Trans Women Federal Prisoners Told They Will Be Housed With Men: After a minor change in a judge’s order, the Trump administration arranged to move over a dozen transgender women to men’s facilities,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND TRAININGS

National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Early-Bird Registration Ends on March 14; Scholarships May Still Be Available

The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference will be held May 4-6, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC. Early bird rates will be valid from February 13 through March 14; the early bird rate for full conference registration is $519. Please fill out this survey if you are interested in applying for a scholarship. All awarded scholarships will include a free registration; additional travel support may be included pending availability. For more information, click here.

XV WAPR 25 Extends Deadline for Abstract Submissions to March 31

The World Congress of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) and the Canadian PSR Recovery Conference, to be held September 27-30, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada, has extended the abstract submission deadline to March 31, 2025. For more information and to submit an abstract, click here.  

Fifth Annual DC Hope Walk to Be Held April 26, 2025

Now Hope 2 Reality LLC has announced “the fifth annual DC Walk 4 ReCovery: HOPE WALK 2025, on April 26, 2025, at 14th & 15th Madison and Jefferson Drive, Washington, DC 20004, on the National Mall. This year’s theme is ‘No One Walks Alone!’...“The goal of DC Walk 4 ReCovery is to raise awareness for co-occurring disorders and advocate for the recognition of a National Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness Day, Week, or Month at the federal level. With this initiative, we aim to bring attention to how co-occurring disorders impact the ongoing opioid/fentanyl crisis and the trauma in our communities.” To contact the organizer for more information, click here.

“Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation”

“The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusions has just released a new microtraining called the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation!...Microtrainings are short, interactive online trainings, focused on a specific topic. Our microtrainings use audio, images, quizzes, and reflection prompts to help you learn about and adopt community participation practices. At the end of each microtraining, you have the option to receive a certificate of completion.” For more information and to access the microtraining, click here.

“Guardianship Abuse: Bad Apples or Tip of the Iceberg?”

A podcast by the National Institute of Justice explores “how the guardianship system is working in the U.S. How many individuals suffer abuse under guardianship? To what extent does guardianship, when properly executed, improve the lives of those it’s intended to serve? We explore those questions and more in the latest episode of the Justice Today podcast.” For more information and to listen to the podcast, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Youth MOVE National Offers “Trauma-Informed Youth Peer Support Training Module”

Youth MOVE National writes: “This training module will assist participants in understanding the foundations of trauma-informed care, including its principles and philosophy, demonstrate why this approach to care is important, and present strategies for incorporating trauma-informed practices throughout youth peer support services. It is critical for peer providers to understand how trauma may impact the youth and young adults they serve. For more information and to access the training, click here.

IDHA Offers a Self-Paced Course Library

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) writes: “This library offers a range of self-paced courses covering a wide range of essential topics in transformative mental health. Courses are designed to integrate tools and knowledge into your practice and daily life. Most courses were adapted from former live, virtual offerings.” The courses include “Re-Thinking Mental Health: History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” and “Our Struggles Are Intertwined: Intersection of Mental Health and Oppression.” For more information and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/ credentialing entity.” 

OPPORTUNITIES

How to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant

SAMHSA writes: “All applicants must register with NIH's eRA Commons in order to submit an application. The registration process takes up to six weeks. If your organization is not registered and you do not have an active eRA Commons PI account by the deadline, the application will not be accepted.” For more information about how to apply for a SAMHSA grant, click here. For SAMHSA’s Grants Dashboard, click here. (The deadline to apply for a Statewide Consumer Network Grant passed on April 8, 2024. To see which organizations in which states received awards, click here.) (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.  In addition, the Division of Grant Review (DGR) continues to search for people who meet the general reviewer qualifications found on SAMHSA’s How to Become a SAMHSA Reviewer webpage; this includes individuals with lived experience. And for more information about the recruiters with academic qualifications, click here.

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org  

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“Since 988 Launch, Mental Health Crisis Services Have Faltered”; and 988 “Fails the People” in Other Ways

“While calls to the national hotline have continued to increase, fewer psychiatric facilities are offering emergency psychiatric walk-in services, mobile crisis response units, and suicide prevention services,” according to JAMA Psychiatry, STAT has reported. Of the four services monitored, peer support is the only one that has become more available. For the STAT article, click here. See also “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People,” a 108-page report that covers how “many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” For the free report, click here.

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Researchers Seek to Understand Experiences with Crisis Intervention Services for Psychological and/or Emotional Distress

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis write: “These services can range from police and 911, 988, and other crisis lines [to] emergency departments, inpatient psychiatric facilities, mobile crisis units, and peer respites. We are recruiting people who have direct lived experience as patients/recipients or providers/clinicians of these types of interventions and those with indirect experience as loved ones to participate in a brief survey and, if eligible and able, an online focus group. Participants will be eligible to receive a $50 gift card if they complete a 1.5-hour focus group. For a 5-minute screening survey, click here. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you are interested in participating in a 90-minute focus group and will be asked for contact information to facilitate scheduling.” 

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Sundays from March 16 to April 13, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, or on Thursdays from March 20 through April 17, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For more information, including an eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu.  

You Are Invited to Complete a Survey About Helpful and Harmful Mental Health Services 

Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery (SAFE 4 Recovery), “a coalition of psychiatry survivors, families, and mental health professionals who believe in the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit,” invites psychiatric survivors, family members, service providers, researchers, and others to respond to a survey about their “past experiences with mental health services. What was helpful? What was harmful?” SAFE 4 Recovery writes: “We launch this website to challenge a mental health service system that too often does more harm than good with its absolute reliance on models of care and treatment based on faulty archaic principles.” The website also includes information about “common myths about mental illness that interfere with mental and emotional healing,” and articles including “Confessions of a Noncompliant Patient,” by movement pioneer Judi Chamberlin, and “Never Give Up,” by Ron Bassman, a SAFE 4 Recovery founder. For the website and to respond to the survey, click here.

Hey, Parents/Caregivers & Youth/Young Adults: “Lifting Voices” Needs Your Voice!

Lifting Voices – a coalition of youth, young adult, and family voices – is seeking parents/caregivers and youth/young adults (ages 12-25) to respond, respectively, to two targeted surveys. The goal is “to learn more from those with lived experience about mental health and substance use disorder recovery needs, barriers, what has worked, and what actionable change is needed now, in order to improve the quality of care, advance innovation, and promote equitable access for all,” the organizers write. For the Lifting Voices home page and links to the two surveys, click here. For key principles, goals, and objectives, click here. For a media kit, click here.

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/ accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

SAMHSA Launches New Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS)

“The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Office of Recovery, in partnership with One World Recovery Network (OWRN), is excited to announce the launch of the new Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS). CARS is ready to provide essential training and technical assistance (TTA) to help organizations better support individuals facing substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges.” For details, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

Café TA Center Issues Focus 2.0, Number 16

The latest edition of the Café TA Center newsletter, Focus 2.0, includes a link to a 20-page Resource Kit that “features a diverse collection of trainings, workshops, webinars, and other valuable key deliverables developed by statewide consumer network grantees and national Technical Assistance (TA) centers.” It also includes a “National Overview of the U.S. Certified Peer Specialist Workforce,” as well as other useful information. For Focus 2.0, click here.

“Tools and Tips for Navigating Conflict”

Spring Up writes: “...we often discuss how conflict can be a source of growth, transformation, and a critical site for putting our liberatory values into practice. We’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the core tools and frameworks we use to understand the root causes of conflicts and perceive more choices for how to respond. We know that being able to identify more choices and options is instrumental in living into freedom and de-escalation.” For the article, posted on Medium, click here.

“Forensic Peer Supervision: Supporting Peer Workers in Criminal Justice Settings”

PARfessionals writes: “This comprehensive reference textbook is specifically designed to equip Forensic Peer Supervisors with the requisite tools, knowledge, and best practices for effectively supervising Peer Recovery Support Workers (PSWs) within criminal justice settings. The primary objective is to ensure that supervision is not only effective but also supports the delivery of ethical, trauma-informed, and person-centered peer services across diverse environments, including halfway houses, drug courts, jails and prisons, and social service agencies. The textbook will be available for complimentary download on our official website starting March 13, 2025.” For the PARfessionals website, click here.

“Can Hearing About Someone Else’s Problems Fix Your Own?”

Fello is “a new app that pays people to tell their life stories to others going through the same stuff,” TIME magazine writes. “Fello and other platforms like it are selling something that humans have long gotten for free: peer support. ‘It’s something that people naturally do,’ says Kelly Davis, vice president of peer and youth advocacy at the nonprofit Mental Health America. ‘If you’re having a hard time, you often seek out someone else who went through something similar.’” For the TIME article, click here. For the Fello app, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“Making a Difference in Your Community”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “This weekly calendar and journal celebrates the stories of individuals with serious mental illness who have made a difference in their communities. These stories highlight the power of community participation to foster connection and a feeling of mattering. We’re inviting you to explore these stories and reflect on what inspires you to make a difference in your own community.” For the 191-page calendar, click here.

“Developing Community Participation Stories: Storytelling for StorySlams”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has a new storytelling manual, “Developing Community Participation Stories,” which is “your guide to crafting stories of community participation…Included in the manual is a brief background on storytelling research, key elements of community participation stories, and strategies for crafting stories. The manual has strategies to support individuals as well as for facilitating storytelling groups. The overarching aim is to support people to move beyond illness-focused narratives to highlight (and celebrate!) the diverse roles individuals occupy within their communities.” For more information and to download the manual, click here.

NCAPPS Begins 2025 by Offering a Multitude of Resources

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is ringing in the new year by offering many resources. For the NCAPPS offerings, click here.

“How Do I Find a Good Therapist?”

The American Psychological Association offers some questions to consider if you are looking to find a good therapist. For example, Is the therapist licensed? If you have health insurance, will it cover the therapy from this provider? Are there limits to the number of sessions covered by your insurance? For more information, click here.

“Peer Support and Resistance: Becky Brasfield’s Vision for Mental Health Justice”

Writer, policy researcher, advocate, and peer specialist Becky Brasfield is interviewed in a recent issue of Mad In America: “...Ms. Brasfield has dedicated her career to elevating the voices of service users and dismantling systemic inequities. Her lived experience with psychosis, combined with her leadership in peer support, has made her a powerful critic of traditional psychiatric models that often marginalize those they aim to help.” For the MIA article, click here. Also see “Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field.” This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

“We aimed to systematically synthesize studies to estimate life expectancy and Years-of-Potential-Life-Lost (YPLL) in people with any and specific mental disorders across a broad spectrum of diagnoses,” the authors write. The interpretation of the results was that “[m]ental disorders are associated with substantially reduced life expectancy, which is transdiagnostic in nature, encompassing a wide range of diagnoses. Implementation of comprehensive and multilevel intervention approaches is urgently needed to rectify lifespan inequalities for people with mental disorders.” For the article, click here.

“A Reduction in Health Care Expenditures Linked to Mental Health Service Use Among Adults With Chronic Physical Conditions”

“The aim was to examine the impact of receipt of mental health services on health care expenditures for U.S. adults with major chronic physical conditions,” the authors write. The conclusions were that “[r]eceipt of mental health services was associated with a reduction in overall health care costs, particularly for office-based visits and prescribed medication, among adults with chronic physical conditions.” For the article click here.

“10 Tips for Incorporating Humor into Your Life”

“Incorporating humor into your daily life has many potential benefits,” Mental Health America (MHA) writes. For the potential benefits of humor and 10 tips for incorporating humor into your life, click here. 

Materials from SAMHSA Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the U.S.” Are Now Available

The free report, webinar recording, and webinar slides from SAMHSA’s Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States” are now available online. To download the report and slides and view the webinar, click here. For many additional SAMHSA resources, click here. These resources are a product of the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation (CFRI), “a SAMHSA contract that seeks to understand financing mechanisms of behavioral health care to identify opportunities, innovations, and challenges to service delivery and access.”

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“The Lived-Experience Research Collective Is a Research Capacity Building Initiative… 

…of the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation [in Australia]. The collective’s purpose is to provide tailored training, mentoring for mental health researchers with lived-experience (both individuals who identify as experiencing mental-ill health and carer/family, kinship group researchers), and lived-experience and carer/family kinship researchers located in community, government or non-government organisations. This includes a place to grow expertise and develop important career pathways in research settings. We do not ascribe to one definition of lived-experience and are inclusive for people who self-identify as having lived-experience.” For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-being”

“Mental Health America’s latest report…dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people every step of the way…This report brings together insights from over 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with our youth co-researchers…” For more information, click here. And to download the free 21-page report, click here.
SAMHSA Launches RecoverMe to Help Young Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Issues

“SAMHSA is kicking off RecoverMe, a campaign that connects young adults (ages 18-25) to practical and affirming resources to help them navigate their unique challenges with substance use and mental health. RecoverMe provides tools, resources, and a supportive recovery community to help young adults on their personal recovery journey and highlights that recovery is not one size fits all…The RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit page contains resources for partner organizations, including customizable social graphics, logos, a shareable badge and social media content, campaign one-pager, sample newsletter content, and more. For the RecoverMe website, click here. For the RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit, click here. (Courtesy of Edie Mannion)

“Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study”

“This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of [mental health] disorders….The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.” For the open-access study, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Recovery in the USA: From Politics to Peer Support”

“Efforts to transform the mental health service delivery system to a more consumer-driven and recovery-orientated approach has its roots in a somewhat radical anti-psychiatry and civil-rights movement dating back to the 1970s,” the authors write. “The recovery movement has evolved from a more radical view in the early days, to participatory involvement in systems, to returning to alternative models of care that are more independent. Now as more peer specialists work in systems, there is an increased emphasis on non-medical alternatives and the cycle continues. Regardless, recovery, self-determination, choice, etc. are always at the centre. This paper notes the interesting cycles of recovery-orientation and how they spin around the values/tenets of the movement’s early roots.” For the open-access paper, published in 2012, click here.

“Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair”

In May 2022, the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia, commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. This became the State acknowledgement of harm project. For the free, 87-page report, “Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair,” subtitled “Advice to the Minister for Mental Health on Acknowledging Harm in the Mental Health System,” click here. For information on the context of the report, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” – click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.)

MHA Offers Caregiver Resources in Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and Mental Health America is offering a variety of caregiver resources. For the caregiver web page, click here. 

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

DISCLAIMER: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 10, March-April 2025. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, February-March 2025, Volume 21, Number 9

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

Deadline Alert! There are three exciting webinars on February 13! And February 13 is also when registration opens for the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, for which scholarships are available!

NEWS

“Since 988 Launch, Mental Health Crisis Services Have Faltered”; and 988 “Fails the People” in Other Ways

“While calls to the national hotline have continued to increase, fewer psychiatric facilities are offering emergency psychiatric walk-in services, mobile crisis response units, and suicide prevention services,” according to JAMA Psychiatry, STAT has reported. Of the four services monitored, peer support is the only one that has become more available. For the STAT article, click here. See also “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People,” a 108-page report that covers how “many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” For the free report, click here.

“The Labor Crisis Putting People With Disabilities at Risk”

“The workers who care for people with disabilities are underpaid, overwhelmed, and increasingly leaving the field. Advocates say action is desperately needed to stem the tide,” according to a recent article in The Nation. The “median hourly wage of a DSP (Direct Support Provider) is just $15.98 (and this is expected to decrease when funding from the American Rescue Plan Act expires in March 2025). As a result, the workforce is chronically understaffed and overworked, straining to provide round-the-clock care for people whose lives depend on it—and inevitably falling short…[I]n the past year, nearly three-quarters of respondents had to turn away new referrals. In 2024, over half a million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were on their state’s waiting list to receive services, with nowhere to go.” For the article, click here.

“Many More Cities Ban Sleeping Outside Despite a Lack of Shelter Space”

“Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s City of Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling allowing localities to ban outdoor camping even if there is no homeless shelter space available, roughly 150 cities in 32 states have passed or strengthened such ordinances,” according to a recent Stateline article. “Another 40 or so local bans are pending…” Prohibitions typically include “camping, sleeping or storing property on public land. Many also include buffer zones near schools, parks or businesses.” Advocates decry the bans. “ ‘Criminalizing homelessness…just punishes people, makes it harder for them to find housing or jobs, and keeps them stuck in a cycle of instability,’ ” said Samantha Batko of the Urban Institute. Jerome Ney, who publishes the American Inequality newsletter, said, “ ‘Housing alone is not enough. We also need employment, mental health, addiction and social service support systems that can ensure people stay in those homes.’ ” For the Stateline article, click here.

“Lead in Gasoline Tied to Over 150 Million Excess Cases of Mental Health Disorders, Study Suggests”

“Exposure to lead in gasoline during childhood resulted in many millions of excess cases of psychiatric disorders over the last 75 years, a new study estimates,” NBC News reports. “Lead was banned from automobile fuel in 1996. The study, in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, looked at its lasting impact in the U.S. by analyzing childhood blood lead levels from 1940 to 2015. According to the findings, the national population experienced an estimated 151 million excess mental health disorders attributable to exposure to lead from car exhaust during children’s early development. The exposure made generations of Americans more depressed, anxious, inattentive or hyperactive, the study says.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Surviving Spirit newsletter)

A New Study Confirms Racial and Sentencing Disparities in Capital Cases; Life-Without-Parole Sentences Are Also Racially Biased 

Researchers in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies write: “Controlling for defendant culpability and specific statutory aggravators, we show that Black and Latinx defendants and all defendants convicted of killing at least one white victim are substantially more likely to be sentenced to death.” For the 50-page article, “The influence of the race of defendant and the race of victim on capital charging and sentencing in California,” click here. And for “One in Five: Racial Disparity in Imprisonment — Causes and Remedies,” a 2023 report by the Sentencing Project, click here. Meanwhile, “[t]here are also glaring racial disparities in how [life-without-parole] sentences have been meted out; more than half of those now serving life-without-parole terms are Black.” according to a recent Marshall Project report. For “How the U.S. Turned Away From the Death Penalty and Toward ‘Death by Incarceration,’ ” click here. For “New Hope for People Who Claim Racism Tainted Their Death Sentence: The North Carolina state Supreme Court has upheld the controversial Racial Justice Act, which opponents repealed in 2013” (2020), click here.

“Ruminating About Being Lonely Is More Closely Linked to Depression than Actual Loneliness”

According to a new study by the University of Hong Kong, “loneliness is more likely to cause depression if one keeps ruminating on how lonely they are.” According to a Science Daily article, this finding “has therapeutic implications for treating isolated individuals or populations.” For the article, click here.

“Spying on Student Devices, Schools Aim to Intercept Self-Harm Before It Happens”

“New technology alerts schools when students type words related to suicide. But do the timely interventions balance out the false alarms?...Millions of American schoolchildren — close to one-half, according to some industry estimates — are now subject to [self-harm monitoring],” according to a recent report. The alerts have saved lives. “However, the alerts have unintended consequences, some of them harmful. Rights organizations have warned of privacy and equity risks, especially when schools monitor the online activity of LGBT students. Civil rights groups charge that surveillance technologies unnecessarily put students into contact with police.” For the New York Times article, linked to a more accessible news outlet, click here.

Some People Languish in Jail Waiting for Court-Ordered Mental Health Care; Lawsuits in Other States Have Succeeded in Getting People Treatment

People in Missouri wait for an average of 14 months before receiving the mental health care that could allow them to stand trial; sometimes the maximum sentence would be less than the wait time. New Yorkers wait for an average of 80 days. At the same time, “[i]n states including Oklahoma, Kansas, and Washington, lawsuits filed by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union over similar wait times have succeeded, arguing the practice violates individuals’ rights to due process and the Americans with Disabilities Act.” And New Mexico has created a pilot program to divert individuals from prosecution who have mental health conditions and have been charged with misdemeanors and connect them with helpful programs. For “Missourians waiting in jail for court-ordered mental health care reaches all-time high,” click here. For “Scores of People Deemed Unfit to Stand Trial Are Stuck on Rikers Island,” click here. And for “Inside New Mexico’s first diversion program for people who aren’t competent to stand trial,” click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

Researchers Seek to Understand Experiences with Crisis Intervention Services for Psychological and/or Emotional Distress

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis write: “These services can range from police and 911, 988, and other crisis lines [to] emergency departments, inpatient psychiatric facilities, mobile crisis units, and peer respites. We are recruiting people who have direct lived experience as patients/recipients or providers/clinicians of these types of interventions and those with indirect experience as loved ones to participate in a brief survey and, if eligible and able, an online focus group. Participants will be eligible to receive a $50 gift card if they complete a 1.5-hour focus group. For a 5-minute screening survey, click here. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you are interested in participating in a 90-minute focus group and will be asked for contact information to facilitate scheduling.” 

MHA Issues 2025 Youth Policy Accelerator Applications!

February 23, 2025, is the deadline for young adults to apply for Mental Health America’s Youth Policy Accelerator program, “a youth leadership program that equips 10 outstanding young adults (18-25) with the skills, relationships, and experience to advance federal youth peer support policy…The all-virtual YPA will take place from April - December 2025. In addition to receiving a $3,000 stipend, YPA members will learn and apply skills, influence federal policy and advance youth peer support, and grow their network.” For details and to apply, click here.

Last Chance for Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses to Participate in a Study on Community Participation and Potentially Earn $90!

February 28, 2025, is the deadline to sign up for ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities! Eligibility for this study by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is limited to young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND CONFERENCES–FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

MHEP Offers Several Virtual Trainings in February

The Mental Health Empowerment Project invites you to join them in the virtual training room for webinars from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on February 13, 2025 (“Mindful Healing”), February 20 (“Your Personal Value Statement”), February 25 (“Language Matters”), and February 28 (“Attributes of Emotional Awareness”). Two previous webinars were on February 5 (“Principles of Recovery”) and February 7 (“Assertiveness Basics”). For the Zoom link, click here.

“Breathing Black History: A Breathwork Meditation Celebrating Black Trailblazers”

On February 13, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, “join Mental Health America and Radiance Basden for a [one-hour] breathwork meditation experience honoring the strength, resilience, and wisdom of Black leaders and icons. Through intentional breathwork, guided meditation, and reflective quotes, we'll draw inspiration from the incredible legacies of Black trailblazers. This session provides a restorative space for stillness and healing, inviting you to connect with the wisdom of the past while celebrating the joy of the present.” To register, click here.

“FaceOut Project Webinar in Honor of Sandy Goodwick”

On February 13, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center (NEC) will present a 90-minute webinar on “Facial difference (FD), an underrepresented disability, [which] is mostly left out of the DEI conversation…[P]articipants will take away practical tips on our bias reduction, preferred language usage, and how to best support FD peers…We at The FaceOut Project hope this webinar helps participants become culturally competent in FD and use these lessons to ultimately better serve everyone, visibly different or not.” NEC writes: “This webinar was catalyzed into existence by the late Sandy Goodwick, who was a FIERCE advocate and proud member of the Peer and Facial Difference movements, amongst many others.” For more about Sandy Goodwick, written before her death on September 20, 2024, click here. For details about the webinar and to register, click here. 

National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Registration Opens on February 13; Scholarships Are Available

The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference will be held May 4-6, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC. Early bird rates will be valid from February 13 through March 14; the early bird rate for full conference registration is $519. Please fill out this survey if you are interested in applying for a scholarship. All awarded scholarships will include a free registration; additional travel support may be included pending availability. For more information, click here.

“Creating Environments Where Everyone Matters: Resources for Peer Support (Online Course)”

The Copeland Center writes: On February 19 and 21, 2025, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET, “join us for an interactive live workshop designed for peer professionals, community leaders, and support staff to explore the transformative concept of ‘mattering.’ Using insights from the Mattering Toolkit [created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion], participants will learn practical strategies to foster environments where individuals struggling with mental health or social challenges feel valued, appreciated, and connected. This hands-on workshop will guide you through real-world applications of the toolkit, offering opportunities to practice communication techniques, build inclusive spaces, and enhance your peer support skills.” To download the 24-page Mattering Toolkit, click here. For more information about the workshop (registration fee: $180), click here.

“Discovering Your Work Ethic: The First Step in Shaping Your Career Path”

On February 20, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery will present the next installment of its Career Quest Series: a one-hour webinar on “Discovering Your Work Ethic: The First Step in Shaping Your Career Path. The presentation will feature Lisa Brown, New York Employment Services System (NYESS) assistant director, New York State Office of Mental Health. To register, click here.

“RPC Governors Award Meeting: Mental Health Care Can't Be Denied”

On February 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, Mental Health America’s Regional Policy Council will present its 2025 Governor’s Leadership Award to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker as part of its winter policy meeting, “Mental Health Care Can't be Denied.” “Following the award presentation, national experts will offer insights into mental health access challenges and advocacy opportunities. Featured presentation topics include expanding the mental health workforce, the future of Medicaid, parity laws, and crisis services.” For details and to register, click here.

“Power-Mapping as a Tool for Peer Specialists”

On February 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour webinar using Spring Up’s power mapping tool to discuss the intersectional power dynamics at play in many mental health, recovery, and peer support spaces. Doors to Wellbeing writes: “We will also explore how social norms of coercion and control show up in everyday communication and decision-making in relationships. Participants will collaboratively uncover how we internalize social scripts that shape our communication and expectations within support relationships.” For more about Spring Up and its offerings, click here. For more information about the February 25th webinar and to register, click here. 

"Thriving in Recovery: Promoting Health Equity & Vibrant Aging for Older Adults with a Psychiatric Disability"

On February 26, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation invites you to this discussion with an expert – Dr. Pierluigi Mancini – about this topic related to “Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery” (S.I.L.V.E.R.). “This free event is not a presentation, but rather an opportunity for you to have an interactive questions & answer session.” To submit questions ahead of time, or to request any accessibility accommodations, please send an email to: lisakaye@bu.edu at least 72 hours prior to the event. For more information and to register, click here.

6th Annual Black History Month (Virtual) Mental Health Conference 2025

On February 27-28, 2025, Transformation Training Institute Inc. will host its 6th Annual Black History Month (Virtual) Mental Health Conference, whose theme is “Black Mental Health: Moving Beyond the Mind.” For more information (including the fee schedule) and to register, click here.

“Talking with Voices: AVATAR Therapy for Auditory Verbal Hallucinations”

On March 5, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, ISPS-US will present a 90-minute webinar, including a 25-minute Q&A period, on “AVATAR Therapy for Auditory Verbal Hallucinations.” The session will “explain the basic principles of AVATAR therapy and how it is used to support individuals experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations; summarize key findings from clinical trials on AVATAR therapy, including its effectiveness in reducing the distress and frequency of voices; and identify potential applications and challenges of AVATAR therapy in clinical practice and future directions for its implementation.” General admission is $10 (without CE credits). For more information and to register, click here. (Note: AVATAR therapy was covered in the December 2024-January 2025 Key Update and in the February 2018 Key Update.)

“Fight for Your Rights” Is the Topic of the March 2025 Judi’s Room!

MindFreedom International writes: “Is your state considering legislation that could erode disability rights? Join Judi's Room on March 5, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT)  to learn how to fight back against harmful bills like those proposed in Oregon and other states, including those expanding involuntary psychiatric interventions and lowering standards for forced treatment. This crucial teach-in will equip you with the knowledge and skills to oppose these measures, track legislation, and advocate for humane alternatives. Learn about the dangers of forced medication, ECT, and "Care Courts," and discover effective strategies for public awareness campaigns, lobbying, and coalition building. Hear personal stories and expert insights. Don't let your rights be taken away: Empower yourself to make a difference!” For the monthly Judi’s Room link to the Zoom Room, click here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189 

Peer Support Coalition of Florida to Present a (Virtual) 2-Day eCPR Training; and Check Out the Free Spring Training and Events Showcase!

On March 11-12, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida Inc. will present a (virtual) two-day Emotional CPR training. Tuition is $250. For details and to register, click here. And on March 13, you are invited to a free, one-hour presentation on other Peer Support Coalition of Florida trainings and events. For details and to register, click here. Questions? events@peersupportfl.org 

“Understanding Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem: The Foundation of Wellness”

On March 17, 2025, 12 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET, the Copeland Center will “explore the vital connection between self-compassion and self-esteem. By understanding how these two qualities work together, we’ll learn why they are essential for personal growth, emotional resilience, and overall wellness. We will also explore actionable tools for building both self-compassion and self-esteem in everyday life.” Tuition: “$35.00 for non-members. Free for members!” To register, click here. For information about Copeland Center membership, click here.

“Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation”

“The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusions has just released a new microtraining called the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Community Participation!...Microtrainings are short, interactive online trainings, focused on a specific topic. Our microtrainings use audio, images, quizzes, and reflection prompts to help you learn about and adopt community participation practices. At the end of each microtraining, you have the option to receive a certificate of completion.” For more information and to access the microtraining, click here.

“Guardianship Abuse: Bad Apples or Tip of the Iceberg?”

A podcast by the National Institute of Justice explores “how the guardianship system is working in the U.S. How many individuals suffer abuse under guardianship? To what extent does guardianship, when properly executed, improve the lives of those it’s intended to serve? We explore those questions and more in the latest episode of the Justice Today podcast.” For more information and to listen to the podcast, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Self-Awareness: Understanding Yourself, Your Thoughts, and Your Feelings”

“If you are interested in growing your self-awareness, this course is for you,” the Peer Support Coalition of Florida Inc. writes. “If you have thought about how others perceive you and how that might be affecting you personally and professionally, this course is for you. Learn how to apply self-awareness concepts, learn more about yourself and how to improve your communication and relationships.” Tuition is $29.99. To register, click here.

RESOURCES

SAMHSA Launches New Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS)

“The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Office of Recovery, in partnership with One World Recovery Network (OWRN), is excited to announce the launch of the new Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS). CARS is ready to provide essential training and technical assistance (TTA) to help organizations better support individuals facing substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges.” For details, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

Involuntary Commitment Is Harmful; There Are Alternatives

In a recent article in the Seattle Times, republished by Mad In America, longtime mental health advocate Laura Van Tosh makes the case “that voluntary, engaging, effective, and accountable services promote wellness, recovery, and community success for people with even the most daunting behavioral health challenges.” The article links to “successful service models, including peer-led engagement teams, crisis respite centers, and crisis stabilization alternatives to the avoidable use of emergency and inpatient care and contacts with the criminal legal system.” For the article, “Don’t Include Involuntary Commitment as a Treatment Tool in Seattle,” which also covers the trauma that results from involuntary mental health treatment, click here.

Café TA Center Issues Focus 2.0, Number 16

The latest edition of the Café TA Center newsletter, Focus 2.0, includes a link to a 20-page Resource Kit that “features a diverse collection of trainings, workshops, webinars, and other valuable key deliverables developed by statewide consumer network grantees and national Technical Assistance (TA) centers.” It also includes a “National Overview of the U.S. Certified Peer Specialist Workforce,” as well as other useful information. For Focus 2.0, click here.

“Conceptualizing Peer Support to Mitigate the Urban-Rural Divide”

“The ‘urban-rural’ divide is often used in research to analyze political, social, cultural, economic, and other differences between urban and rural areas in the United States. There is also an urban-rural divide within criminological research. Most existing research on reentry experiences centers on individuals and programs located in urban areas. Thus, there is a knowledge gap regarding how reentry experiences are impacted by an individual residing in a rural community…The article examines the conceptualization of peer support as a means of mitigating the urban-rural divide's effects on individuals battling intersectionality disparities, co-occurring disorders, trauma, and criminal justice system impacts.” For the article, by Helen Skipper and Jennifer M. Ortiz, click here.

“Tools and Tips for Navigating Conflict”

Spring Up writes: “...we often discuss how conflict can be a source of growth, transformation, and a critical site for putting our liberatory values into practice. We’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the core tools and frameworks we use to understand the root causes of conflicts and perceive more choices for how to respond. We know that being able to identify more choices and options is instrumental in living into freedom and de-escalation.” For the article, posted on Medium, click here.

“Forensic Peer Supervision: Supporting Peer Workers in Criminal Justice Settings”

PARfessionals writes: “This comprehensive reference textbook is specifically designed to equip Forensic Peer Supervisors with the requisite tools, knowledge, and best practices for effectively supervising Peer Recovery Support Workers (PSWs) within criminal justice settings. The primary objective is to ensure that supervision is not only effective but also supports the delivery of ethical, trauma-informed, and person-centered peer services across diverse environments, including halfway houses, drug courts, jails and prisons, and social service agencies. The textbook will be available for complimentary download on our official website starting March 13, 2025.” For the PARfessionals website, click here.

The February-March 2025 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “4 Things Therapists Want You to Know Before You Start Therapy,” click here. For “It’s Time to Finally Declutter: Make This the Year You Create More Space in Your Home (and Mind), click here. For “Your diet could be disrupting your sleep. Here’s what to eat instead,” click here. For “The pros and cons of heated workouts: Heat makes the body more limber, but it also makes it easier to push yourself too hard,” click here. For “5 Pieces of Advice for Dealing with Mental Health,” click here. For “11 Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene,” click here. For “Want to improve your sleep in 2025? These new science-based tips may help,” click here. For “50 Best Self-Care Ideas for Mental and Physical Wellbeing: Learn easy ways to take care of yourself, destress, and have less anxiety,” click here. For “14 Powerful Tips To Reduce Your Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s,” click here. For “Best Sleeping Positions,” click here. For “Ultraprocessed Foods: Are They Bad for You? One review links ultraprocessed foods to 32 health conditions,” click here. For “Good genes are nice, but joy is better: Harvard study, almost 80 years old, has proved that embracing community helps us live longer, and be happier,” click here. For “Keep Your Heart Healthy,” click here. For “9 Common Scams and The Tactics to Watch Out For: No one is immune to this type of cybercrime,” click here. For “There's a Reason Even The Smartest People Fall For Scams: You're not dumb, the psychology of manipulation is very real,” click here. For “Online Scams Can Have Serious Mental Fallout. Here’s How to Deal (And Heal!): It’s crucial to take the emotional aftermath as seriously as the financial loss,” click here. For “13 Ways to Say 'I Don't Know' Without Looking Clueless,” click here. For “Napping: Do's and don'ts for healthy adults: Not sure whether napping is good for you? Understand the pros and cons, along with tips for getting a good nap,” click here. For “Can eating more processed red meat increase your dementia risk?” click here. For “The well-made bed: an unappreciated public health risk,” click here. For “Plastic Tea Bags: Shocking News or Nothing to Worry About?” click here. For “The 9 Best Foods and Drinks to Have Before Bed,” click here. For “3 Lessons for Living Well, From the Dying,” click here. For “15 Simple Ways To Become A Better Friend,” click here. For “Don't Break the Chain: A foolproof way to build habits. The name says it all,” click here. For “13 Ways to Beat the Afternoon Slump,” click here.

The February-March 2025 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons: When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating,” click here. For “A Matter of Life: The Scope and Impact of Life and Long Term Imprisonment in the United States,” a 38-page report by the Sentencing Project, click here. For “Prison abuse, deaths and escapes prompt calls for more oversight: Jails and prisons are less safe because of overcrowding, understaffing,” click here. For “Many more older people are leaving prison and face unmet needs for housing and health care − as well as a tangle of groups trying to help,” click here. For “A vanishingly small number of violent sex crimes end in conviction, NBC News investigation shows. Data from eight major cities shows that less than 4% of sex crimes result in convictions,” click here. For “A Lethal Upbringing: A decade of victimization landed a Harlem kid in prison. More than three decades later, he has not allowed prison to define his life story,” click here. For “In wrongful conviction cases, witnesses must be free to set the record straight: The criminal justice system has already made too many mistakes. Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke would be making more if her office will consider charging witnesses who recant their testimonies in post-conviction cases tied to police abuse allegations,” click here. For “Anchorage Police Say They Witnessed a Sexual Assault in Public. It Took Seven Years for the Case to Go to Trial,” click here. For “Why Firing the Prison Guards Involved in Robert Brooks’ Death Is Neither Quick Nor Easy: Our investigation in 2023 exposed how New York’s discipline system failed to hold abusive guards to account,” click here. For “Guards ‘systematically and casually’ beat New York inmate to death, lawsuit says,” click here. For “‘Essential’: nearly 800 incarcerated firefighters deployed as LA battles wildfires: The firefighters earn $5.80-$10.24 per day plus $1 an hour when responding to active emergencies, according to CDCR,” click here. For “Why Fighting California Wildfires Was the Best Prison Job I Ever Had: On the fire line, David Desmond found that racial segregation and gang affiliation could not withstand the unifying power of extinguishing a blaze,” click here. For “Even the much lauded Nordic prisons are facing overcrowding and understaffing,” click here. For “Motherhood Made Me Even More of a Prison and Police Abolitionist,” click here. For “Federal prosecutors won't charge Louisiana troopers in motorist Ronald Greene's death,” click here. For “Federal prosecutors won’t seek charges in deadly arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene,” click here. For “Two Families Sue After 11-Year-Old and 13-Year-Old Students Were Arrested Under Tennessee’s School Threat Law: The lawsuits, filed in federal court this month, argue East Tennessee school officials violated students’ rights by calling the police on them under Tennessee’s threats of mass violence law,” click here. For “The Feds Found Sexual Abuse of Kids in Texas’ Juvenile Justice Department. Will the Legislature Act? Advocates were hopeful that an August report, which found sexual abuse and excessive force being used on children in the state’s long-critiqued juvenile justice division, would spur reforms. Then the election happened. Will lawmakers do anything?” click here. For “Afraid of Jail? Buy an Upgrade: How California’s pay-to-stay jails create a two-tiered justice system,” click here. For “No More Pretrial Punishment: In my many years as a public defender, I accepted the legal rationales for pretrial detention. But I can’t anymore,” click here. For “Stripped of Dignity: The routinized violence of prison strip searches robs incarcerated men of their health, sexuality, and so much more,” click here. For “Amy Fettig: Prosecutors must be allowed to admit they were wrong,” click here. For “While Youth Detention Numbers Rise, States Begin to Roll Back Reforms: Los Angeles County is one of many places that have struggled to maintain safe conditions for youth and seen reform efforts stall or be abandoned,” click here. For “The 1990s Law That Keeps People in Prison on Technicalities: How the Supreme Court expanded the most important law you’ve never heard of,” click here. For “Andrew Jarecki Is Back with Jaw-Dropping Prison Exposé ‘The Alabama Solution’ Out of Sundance: Charlotte Kaufman co-directs the harrowing Alabama prison doc headed for HBO and an Oscar campaign. ‘You say democracy dies in darkness. People die in darkness,’ Jarecki tells IndieWire,” click here. For “Incarcerated firefighters risk their lives in LA wildfires for slave wages: Californians voted against banning slave labor in prisons. A few months later, over 1,000 incarcerated firefighters were deployed to save the very state that upheld their exploitation,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND TRAININGS

PENTAC to Present a Five-Part National Peer Supervision Series

On February 27, March 6, March 27, April 3, and April 24, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, PENTAC will present a (virtual) Peer Supervision Series, facilitated by Achara Consulting. “Supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as a peer supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills in these workshops.” To register, click here. (You must be signed in to register; for details, click here.) Questions? Sherry Warner: sherry@peersupportfl.org.

XV WAPR 25 Extends Deadline for Abstract Submissions to March 31

The World Congress of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) and the Canadian PSR Recovery Conference, to be held September 27-30, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada, has extended the abstract submission deadline to March 31, 2025. For more information and to submit an abstract, click here.  

Fifth Annual DC Hope Walk to Be Held April 26, 2025

Now Hope 2 Reality LLC has announced “the fifth annual DC Walk 4 ReCovery: HOPE WALK 2025, on April 26, 2025, at 14th & 15th Madison and Jefferson Drive, Washington, DC 20004, on the National Mall. This year’s theme is ‘No One Walks Alone!’...“The goal of DC Walk 4 ReCovery is to raise awareness for co-occurring disorders and advocate for the recognition of a National Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness Day, Week, or Month at the federal level. With this initiative, we aim to bring attention to how co-occurring disorders impact the ongoing opioid/fentanyl crisis and the trauma in our communities.” To contact the organizer for more information, click here.

Mad Camp 2025 is ON from July 31 to August 4!

The Mad Camp crew writes, “We hereby invite planet earth’s survivors/evaders/transformers of psychiatry who are living with altered/visionary/extreme states of consciousness: Join us for a five-day summer camp slumber party at the beautiful Four Springs Retreat Center in Middletown, California, July 31-August 4!!! The retreat is two hours north of San Francisco (on public transit from the San Francisco/Oakland airport and accessible from the Bay Area transit line, though it takes a while… we try to organize ridesharing…) For details, check our Frequent Questions page!

Youth MOVE National Offers “Trauma-Informed Youth Peer Support Training Module”

Youth MOVE National writes: “This training module will assist participants in understanding the foundations of trauma-informed care, including its principles and philosophy, demonstrate why this approach to care is important, and present strategies for incorporating trauma-informed practices throughout youth peer support services. It is critical for peer providers to understand how trauma may impact the youth and young adults they serve. For more information and to access the training, click here.

IDHA Offers a Self-Paced Course Library

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) writes: “This library offers a range of self-paced courses covering a wide range of essential topics in transformative mental health. Courses are designed to integrate tools and knowledge into your practice and daily life. Most courses were adapted from former live, virtual offerings.” The courses include “Re-Thinking Mental Health: History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” and “Our Struggles Are Intertwined: Intersection of Mental Health and Oppression.” For more information and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

OPPORTUNITIES

Please Comment on the Framework for the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30

March 12, 2025, by 11:59:59 p.m. ET, is the deadline to provide feedback on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30. NIH writes: “People with disabilities lead rich and full lives but may experience a range of medical conditions that affect their health and well-being. In addition, people with disabilities may face non-medical factors in their environments that lead to poorer health outcomes, such as discrimination and inaccessible facilities. Research that seeks to understand and address the effects of both medical conditions and environmental factors on the health and well-being of people with disabilities we term disability health research.” For details, including directions on how to submit a response, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

How to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant

SAMHSA writes: “All applicants must register with NIH's eRA Commons in order to submit an application. The registration process takes up to six weeks. If your organization is not registered and you do not have an active eRA Commons PI account by the deadline, the application will not be accepted.” For more information about how to apply for a SAMHSA grant, click here. For SAMHSA’s Grants Dashboard, click here. (The deadline to apply for a Statewide Consumer Network Grant passed on April 8, 2024. To see which organizations in which states received awards, click here.) (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.  In addition, the Division of Grant Review (DGR) continues to search for people who meet the general reviewer qualifications found on SAMHSA’s How to Become a SAMHSA Reviewer webpage; this includes individuals with lived experience. And for more information about the recruiters with academic qualifications, click here.

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org  

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Sundays from March 16 to April 13, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, or on Thursdays from March 20 through April 17, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For more information, including an eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu.  

You Are Invited to Complete a Survey About Helpful and Harmful Mental Health Services 

Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery (SAFE 4 Recovery), “a coalition of psychiatry survivors, families, and mental health professionals who believe in the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit,” invites psychiatric survivors, family members, service providers, researchers, and others to respond to a survey about their “past experiences with mental health services. What was helpful? What was harmful?” SAFE 4 Recovery writes: “We launch this website to challenge a mental health service system that too often does more harm than good with its absolute reliance on models of care and treatment based on faulty archaic principles.” The website also includes information about “common myths about mental illness that interfere with mental and emotional healing,” and articles including “Confessions of a Noncompliant Patient,” by movement pioneer Judi Chamberlin, and “Never Give Up,” by Ron Bassman, a SAFE 4 Recovery founder. For the website and to respond to the survey, click here.

Hey, Parents/Caregivers & Youth/Young Adults: “Lifting Voices” Needs Your Voice!

Lifting Voices – a coalition of youth, young adult, and family voices – is seeking parents/caregivers and youth/young adults (ages 12-25) to respond, respectively, to two targeted surveys. The goal is “to learn more from those with lived experience about mental health and substance use disorder recovery needs, barriers, what has worked, and what actionable change is needed now, in order to improve the quality of care, advance innovation, and promote equitable access for all,” the organizers write. For the Lifting Voices home page and links to the two surveys, click here. For key principles, goals, and objectives, click here. For a media kit, click here.

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?” (NOTE: THIS IS A DIFFERENT STUDY FROM THE ONE ABOVE)

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

“Can Hearing About Someone Else’s Problems Fix Your Own?”

Fello is “a new app that pays people to tell their life stories to others going through the same stuff,” TIME magazine writes. “Fello and other platforms like it are selling something that humans have long gotten for free: peer support. ‘It’s something that people naturally do,’ says Kelly Davis, vice president of peer and youth advocacy at the nonprofit Mental Health America. ‘If you’re having a hard time, you often seek out someone else who went through something similar.’” For the TIME article, click here. For the Fello app, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“Making a Difference in Your Community”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “This weekly calendar and journal celebrates the stories of individuals with serious mental illness who have made a difference in their communities. These stories highlight the power of community participation to foster connection and a feeling of mattering. We’re inviting you to explore these stories and reflect on what inspires you to make a difference in your own community.” For the 191-page calendar, click here.

“Developing Community Participation Stories: Storytelling for StorySlams”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has a new storytelling manual, “Developing Community Participation Stories,” which is “your guide to crafting stories of community participation…Included in the manual is a brief background on storytelling research, key elements of community participation stories, and strategies for crafting stories. The manual has strategies to support individuals as well as for facilitating storytelling groups. The overarching aim is to support people to move beyond illness-focused narratives to highlight (and celebrate!) the diverse roles individuals occupy within their communities.” For more information and to download the manual, click here.

NCAPPS Begins 2025 by Offering a Multitude of Resources

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is ringing in the new year by offering many resources. For the NCAPPS offerings, click here.

“How Do I Find a Good Therapist?”

The American Psychological Association offers some questions to consider if you are looking to find a good therapist. For example, Is the therapist licensed? If you have health insurance, will it cover the therapy from this provider? Are there limits to the number of sessions covered by your insurance? For more information, click here.

“Peer Support and Resistance: Becky Brasfield’s Vision for Mental Health Justice”

Writer, policy researcher, advocate, and peer specialist Becky Brasfield is interviewed in a recent issue of Mad In America: “...Ms. Brasfield has dedicated her career to elevating the voices of service users and dismantling systemic inequities. Her lived experience with psychosis, combined with her leadership in peer support, has made her a powerful critic of traditional psychiatric models that often marginalize those they aim to help.” For the MIA article, click here. Also see “Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field.” This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

“We aimed to systematically synthesize studies to estimate life expectancy and Years-of-Potential-Life-Lost (YPLL) in people with any and specific mental disorders across a broad spectrum of diagnoses,” the authors write. The interpretation of the results was that “[m]ental disorders are associated with substantially reduced life expectancy, which is transdiagnostic in nature, encompassing a wide range of diagnoses. Implementation of comprehensive and multilevel intervention approaches is urgently needed to rectify lifespan inequalities for people with mental disorders.” For the article, click here.

“A Reduction in Health Care Expenditures Linked to Mental Health Service Use Among Adults With Chronic Physical Conditions”

“The aim was to examine the impact of receipt of mental health services on health care expenditures for U.S. adults with major chronic physical conditions,” the authors write. The conclusions were that “[r]eceipt of mental health services was associated with a reduction in overall health care costs, particularly for office-based visits and prescribed medication, among adults with chronic physical conditions.” For the article click here.

“10 Tips for Incorporating Humor into Your Life”

“Incorporating humor into your daily life has many potential benefits,” Mental Health America (MHA) writes. For the potential benefits of humor and 10 tips for incorporating humor into your life, click here. 

Materials from SAMHSA Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the U.S.” Are Now Available

The free report, webinar recording, and webinar slides from SAMHSA’s Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States” are now available online. To download the report and slides and view the webinar, click here. For many additional SAMHSA resources, click here. These resources are a product of the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation (CFRI), “a SAMHSA contract that seeks to understand financing mechanisms of behavioral health care to identify opportunities, innovations, and challenges to service delivery and access.”

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“The Lived-Experience Research Collective Is a Research Capacity Building Initiative… 

…of the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation [in Australia]. The collective’s purpose is to provide tailored training, mentoring for mental health researchers with lived-experience (both individuals who identify as experiencing mental-ill health and carer/family, kinship group researchers), and lived-experience and carer/family kinship researchers located in community, government or non-government organisations. This includes a place to grow expertise and develop important career pathways in research settings. We do not ascribe to one definition of lived-experience and are inclusive for people who self-identify as having lived-experience.” For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-being”

“Mental Health America’s latest report…dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people every step of the way…This report brings together insights from over 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with our youth co-researchers…” For more information, click here. And to download the free 21-page report, click here.
SAMHSA Launches RecoverMe to Help Young Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Issues

“SAMHSA is kicking off RecoverMe, a campaign that connects young adults (ages 18-25) to practical and affirming resources to help them navigate their unique challenges with substance use and mental health. RecoverMe provides tools, resources, and a supportive recovery community to help young adults on their personal recovery journey and highlights that recovery is not one size fits all…The RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit page contains resources for partner organizations, including customizable social graphics, logos, a shareable badge and social media content, campaign one-pager, sample newsletter content, and more. For the RecoverMe website, click here. For the RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit, click here. (Courtesy of Edie Mannion)

“Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study”

“This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of [mental health] disorders….The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.” For the open-access study, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Recovery in the USA: From Politics to Peer Support”

“Efforts to transform the mental health service delivery system to a more consumer-driven and recovery-orientated approach has its roots in a somewhat radical anti-psychiatry and civil-rights movement dating back to the 1970s,” the authors write. “The recovery movement has evolved from a more radical view in the early days, to participatory involvement in systems, to returning to alternative models of care that are more independent. Now as more peer specialists work in systems, there is an increased emphasis on non-medical alternatives and the cycle continues. Regardless, recovery, self-determination, choice, etc. are always at the centre. This paper notes the interesting cycles of recovery-orientation and how they spin around the values/tenets of the movement’s early roots.” For the open-access paper, published in 2012, click here.

“Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair”

In May 2022, the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia, commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. This became the State acknowledgement of harm project. For the free, 87-page report, “Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair,” subtitled “Advice to the Minister for Mental Health on Acknowledging Harm in the Mental Health System,” click here. For information on the context of the report, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” – click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.)

MHA Offers Caregiver Resources in Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and Mental Health America is offering a variety of caregiver resources. For the caregiver web page, click here. 

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

DISCLAIMER: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 9, February-March 2025. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, January-February 2025, Volume 21, Number 8

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT! January 20 Is the deadline for state or local disability advocacy coalitions to apply for funding from the Grassroots Project. (See the first item under OPPORTUNITIES.) And January 15, 2025, is the extended deadline to apply for the Wildflower Alliance’s Hearing Voices Group Facilitator Training. And there are three webinars on January 16!)

NEWS

100,000+ Certified Peer Specialists and Counting! 

The behavioral health peer support workforce is growing rapidly, currently numbering over 100,000 certified peer specialists! As of 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia have established statewide programs to train and certify peer specialists with lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges. The University of Illinois Chicago Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy has published a map showing the number, type, and Medicaid reimbursement status of behavioral health certified peer specialists in 2023-2024. For the “National Overview of the United States Certified Peer Specialist Workforce,” click here.

“Florida Made It Easier to Involuntarily Commit People. A New Lawsuit Says It’s Violating the Law.”

According to available data, “children with alleged mental health issues in Florida are involuntarily committed at higher rates than children in other states under similar laws,” Mother Jones reports. “From 2020 to 2021, around one in five people involuntarily committed under Florida’s Baker Act was 18 or younger.” On December 11, 2024, Disability Rights Florida “sued the Florida Department of Children and Families, claiming that the state agency failed to collect data and compile comprehensive annual reports on the people it’s involuntarily committing.” For the article, click here.

“Hospitals Gave Patients Meds During Childbirth, Then Reported Them For Positive Drug Tests”

“Across the country, hospitals are dispensing medications to patients in labor, only to report them to child welfare authorities when they or their newborns test positive for those very same substances on subsequent drug tests, an investigation by The Marshall Project and Reveal has found…Mothers were reported after they were given medications used routinely for pain or in epidurals, to reduce anxiety or to manage blood pressure during cesarean sections.” For the article, click here.

“Homelessness Surged 18% to a New Record in 2024 amid a Lack of Affordable Housing Across the U.S.”

“Homelessness in the U.S. jumped 18.1% [in 2024], hitting a record level, with the dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in some regions of the country,” the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has reported. “More than 770,000 people were counted as homeless in federally required tallies taken across the country during a single night in January 2024, HUD said in its new report. The estimate likely undercounts the number of unhoused people given that it doesn't include people staying with friends or family because they don't have a place of their own.” For the article, reported by CBS News, click here.

“Beyond Excessive Force: How Police Abuse Women, the Poor, the Homeless”

“Justice Dept. investigations, often launched after controversial police killings, show how other forms of abusive policing can harm communities,” the Washington Post recently reported. For the article, which includes links to Justice Department investigations of several cities, click here. For those blocked by the Washington Post paywall, here are links to the Justice Department investigations referenced in the article in Minneapolis; Phoenix; Memphis; Lexington, Mississippi; Louisville; Worcester, Massachusetts; Trenton, New Jersey; and Mount Vernon, New York. For a related story, “Special prosecutor appointed in death of man beaten by New York corrections officers,” click here. For “Officials Knew About Violence in Prison Where Robert Brooks Was Fatally Beaten,” click here. For “Deaths at Scandal-Plagued Atlanta-Area Jail Doubled in 2024: The spike in deaths coincides with multiple federal probes into prisons and jails across Georgia,” click here. And for “‘Crime Suppression’ Policing and Excessive Force at the Memphis Police Department: Recent Justice Department reports on police abuses in Memphis, Louisville, and other cities suggest eschewing crime suppression policing entirely, rather than tinkering with its machinery,” click here.

“Punitive Psychiatry: An Increasingly Common Tool in Russia’s Crackdown on Activists”

“An increasing number of Russian political activists have been placed in forced psychiatric treatment — a practice dating back to the Soviet era that involves confinement in mental hospitals,” according to a recent article in The Moscow Times. “The Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights watchdog Memorial says at least 49 people in Russia have been sent to forced psychiatric treatment in politically motivated punishment….According to rights activists, some political prisoners who have undergone this treatment report being subjected to humiliation, beatings and being injected with powerful antipsychotic drugs.” For the Moscow Times article, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) 

“Loneliness Could Be Making You Sick” and What to Do About It

“It’s no surprise that isolation and loneliness affect our overall mental health. In fact, research suggests that an individual’s sense of community can reduce distressing mental and emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression,” VICE magazine reports. “Now, a new study has also found that loneliness is linked to poor physical health—specifically affecting a person’s protein levels.” For the VICE article, click here. For “Coping with Loneliness and Isolation,” click here. And for “15 Things to Do if You’re Feeling Lonely,” click here.

“The Forever Cure: Is Civil Commitment Rehabilitating Sex Offenders—Or Punishing Them?”

“As a wave of civil-commitment laws passed in the Nineties and Aughts, many critics questioned how effective they would be at curtailing sexual abuse,” Harper’s Magazine reports. “More recently, a growing body of research has borne out their concerns: as a 2013 Brooklyn Law Review article put it, ‘SVP laws have had no discernible deterrent or incapacitation effects’…[T]he American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force on Sexually Dangerous Offenders urges psychiatrists to oppose SVP laws, viewing civil commitment as a violation of civil rights and a misuse of psychiatric methods. A 2020 report by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law found that Black sex offenders were twice as likely as their white counterparts to be civilly committed.” For the article, click here. 

OPPORTUNITIES

January 20 Is the Deadline for State or Local Disability Advocacy Coalitions to Apply for Funding from the Grassroots Project

January 20, 2025, is the deadline for state or local disability advocacy coalitions to apply for funding from the Grassroots Project, administered by the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) on behalf of the Administration for Community Living. HSRI writes: “The Grassroots Project has an open call for submissions from state or local grassroots disability advocacy coalitions in the USA! You can apply directly at this link: State and Local Advocacy & Action Coalitions Survey. More information about this call for submissions and what the application process is like can be found here: The Grassroots Project - Human Services Research Institute. Please contact grassroots@hsri.org if you have any questions about the application process.”

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Sundays from March 16 to April 13, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, or on Thursdays from March 20 through April 17, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For more information, including an eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu.  

Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program Opens the Door to Educational Opportunities

“The goal of the Baer Reintegration Scholarship is to help people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder acquire the educational and vocational skills necessary to reintegrate into society, secure jobs, and regain their lives.” The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025. For eligibility requirements and other details, including the judges’ criteria and the application process, click here.

“Can Hearing About Someone Else’s Problems Fix Your Own?”

Fello is “a new app that pays people to tell their life stories to others going through the same stuff,” TIME magazine writes. “Fello and other platforms like it are selling something that humans have long gotten for free: peer support. ‘It’s something that people naturally do,’ says Kelly Davis, vice president of peer and youth advocacy at the nonprofit Mental Health America. ‘If you’re having a hard time, you often seek out someone else who went through something similar.’” For the TIME article, click here. For the Fello app, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“Making a Difference in Your Community”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “This weekly calendar and journal celebrates the stories of individuals with serious mental illness who have made a difference in their communities. These stories highlight the power of community participation to foster connection and a feeling of mattering. We’re inviting you to explore these stories and reflect on what inspires you to make a difference in your own community.” For the 191-page calendar, click here.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND EVENTS – FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.

Wildflower Alliance to Offer Numerous Online Trainings in January and February

January 15, 2025, is the extended deadline to apply for the Wildflower Alliance’s Hearing Voices Group Facilitator Training. The six-session training will begin on February 4. (Tickets are available on a sliding scale.) Other trainings include an Intentional Peer Support Overview, When Conversation Turns to Suicide, and Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs. The Wildflower Alliance writes: “In order for us to be able to continue to offer these kinds of trainings, we're asking for everyone to pay what is truly possible for them…If you would like to take a training and cannot afford the low income tier on the sliding scale, please reach out to us at info@wildfloweralliance.org.” For the Wildflower Alliance newsletter, which includes information about all the upcoming trainings, including dates and the fee scale, click here.

“Mindful Momentum: Breathing Through Transitions”

On January 16, 2025, at 1 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a one-hour webinar that “will explore mindfulness practices, grounding techniques, and tools like alternate nostril breathing to help you recharge, refocus, and keep moving forward through seasons of change.” The presenter will be Radiance Basden. To register, click here.

“Trauma, Psychosis, and Recovery Through Psychological Therapy”

On January 16, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, ISPS-US will host a 90-minute webinar, presented by Professor David van den Berg, PhD, who will discuss “the role of trauma in the development of psychosis, mechanisms in the association between trauma and psychosis, effects of trauma-focused therapies in psychosis, the transdiagnostic conceptualization of trauma, psychosis and PTSD spectrum problems, and the development of phase-based transdiagnostic interventions for traumatized individuals with psychosis that combine CBT with trauma-focused interventions.” For more information, the fee scale, and to register, click here.

Introducing the Community Living Equity Data Dashboard

On January 16, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET, the Community Living Equity Center (CLEC) will launch its new data dashboard that examines who needs and receives Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) across the United States. For more information and to register, click here. To access the dashboard, click here.

“Power of Personal Medicine”

On January 21, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida Inc. will present a one-hour webinar that “will give an overview and introduction into the Power of Personal Medicine. Learn the basics of the Personal Medicine approach and how to use one of the many Personal Medicine tools…Personal Medicine can help in areas such as Anger, Oppression, Effective Communication, Concentration, Negative Thinking, Sleep, Self-Harm, Anxious Feelings, Distressing Voices, Trauma, Worry, and Troublesome Beliefs. You and your clients will discover your own power to feel better and connect with things that bring joy and meaning to your life!” To register, click here.

MHEP to Present a Two-Hour Training on “Wellness Tools and Techniques”

On January 22, 2025, from 10 a.m. to noon ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project will present a virtual training on “Wellness Tools and Techniques.” For the Zoom link, click here. Questions? Write to bpugh@mhepinc.org

“Info Session For Employers: MHA’s 2025 Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health Recognition”

On January 23, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a webinar “designed to support business leaders, HR pros, and those responsible for leading or supporting workplace wellness efforts in your organization. The Bell Seal is open to organizations of every size and industry.” For more information and to register, click here.

“A Breath of Fresh Air: Guidance for Relieving Stress”

On January 28, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), Disability Rights California will present a webinar to “help you understand stress and how it affects us both mentally and physically. You will learn various ways to notice things that signal stress in your life and tools to use to refocus yourself into a more calming place, especially when facing various circumstances related to our wellness journey. This training is presented from a peer perspective by people who have lived experience with mental health disabilities.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Embracing the Unknown: Finding Inner Strength Through Grief”

On January 28, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a webinar that “delves into the journey of coping with loss and the emotions that accompany grief and how to support others as a peer support specialist…The webinar emphasizes practical strategies and resources to help individuals navigate their emotions, build resilience, and find hope.” For details and to register, click here. 

“Higher Ed Retention for Students with Mental Health Conditions”

On January 29, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, “join CAFÉ TAC for a 90-minute conversation on how colleges and universities can help students with mental health conditions remain in school and thrive in their educational journeys.” For more information and to register, click here.

Introducing New Resources to Elevate Family Caregiver Programs

On January 30, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET, “join the Administration for Community Living to learn more about the National Caregiver Support Collaborative (NCSC), an innovative new initiative offering resources and technical assistance to aging, tribal, and kinship caregiver support networks. Network participants and partners will have the opportunity to connect with and hear from featured presenters, including six ACL awardees of grants aligned with the goals and cross-cutting principles of the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. Participants will also learn about available resources and actionable tools to support service providers’ operational and programmatic needs.” To register, click here. 

Mental Health Policy Roundtable to Address “No Research About Us Without Us?”

On February 3, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT), the Mental Health Policy Roundtable will discuss “No research about us without us?” Laura Van Tosh, who founded the Roundtable in 1998 with a grant from the MacArthur Foundation, encourages you “to read the inspiring article ‘No research about us without us?’ written by panelist Rod McCullom. It sets the foundation for our discussion.” The moderator will be David M. Wertheimer. Besides Rod McCullom, the other panelists will be (alphabetically) Dr. Jonathan P. Edwards; Howard H. Goldman, MD, PhD; Nev Jones, PhD; and Morgan C. Shields, PhD. To read the article, click here. To register for the Roundtable, click here.

DBT Skills for Distress Tolerance Training Series

On Mondays February 3, 10, 24, and March 3, 10, and 17, 2025, (4 p.m. - 6 p.m. ET), the Peer Support Coalition of Florida Inc. will present a new non-clinical Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) training, in which participants “will learn to incorporate these DBT Skills into their wellness and recovery journey. It is also suitable for those who wish to use the knowledge, skills, and course materials to assist their clients one-on-one.” The fee is $250. For more information and to register, click here.

Judi’s Room Will Be Back on February 5 at 6 p.m. ET

Judi’s Room — presented by MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On — will return on February 5, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) with Dr. William Bronston. He will share what inspired him to write “Public Hostage, Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America” and to co-author “A History and Sociology of the Willowbrook State School”; and he will speak about his successful efforts to close the facility and to found California Life Time Care Act (Caltcha). To receive invitations to Judi's Room, email office@mindfreedom.org with ‘Add Me to Judi's Room’ in the subject line. The Zoom link for the February 5th meeting is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189

Yoga and Its Value in Peer Support Work – Training Series

The Peer Support Coalition of Florida Inc. will present six 90-minute, interactive, virtual sessions on “the many facets of Yoga,” which will include “Yoga Practice, Pertinent Discussion, Quizzes & Peer Presentations.” The sessions will be on Thursdays from February 6 through March 13, 2025. The fee is $250. For more information and to register, click here.

XV WAPR 25 Extends Deadline for Abstract Submissions to March 31

The World Congress of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) and the Canadian PSR Recovery Conference, to be held September 27-30, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada, has extended the abstract submission deadline to March 31, 2025. For more information and to submit an abstract, click here.  

Fifth Annual DC Hope Walk to Be Held April 26, 2025

Now Hope 2 Reality LLC has announced “the fifth annual DC Walk 4 ReCovery: HOPE WALK 2025, on April 26, 2025, at 14th & 15th Madison and Jefferson Drive, Washington, DC 20004, on the National Mall. This year’s theme is ‘No One Walks Alone!’...“The goal of DC Walk 4 ReCovery is to raise awareness for co-occurring disorders and advocate for the recognition of a National Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness Day, Week, or Month at the federal level. With this initiative, we aim to bring attention to how co-occurring disorders impact the ongoing opioid/fentanyl crisis and the trauma in our communities.” To contact the organizer for more information, click here.

Mad Camp 2025 is ON from July 31 to August 4!

The Mad Camp crew writes, “We hereby invite planet earth’s survivors/evaders/transformers of psychiatry who are living with altered/visionary/extreme states of consciousness: Join us for a five-day summer camp slumber party at the beautiful Four Springs Retreat Center in Middletown, California, July 31-August 4!!! The retreat is two hours north of San Francisco (on public transit from the San Francisco/Oakland airport and accessible from the Bay Area transit line, though it takes a while… we try to organize ridesharing…) For details (including the cost), check our Frequent Questions page!

Youth MOVE National Offers “Trauma-Informed Youth Peer Support Training Module”

Youth MOVE National writes: “This training module will assist participants in understanding the foundations of trauma-informed care, including its principles and philosophy, demonstrate why this approach to care is important, and present strategies for incorporating trauma-informed practices throughout youth peer support services. It is critical for peer providers to understand how trauma may impact the youth and young adults they serve. For more information and to access the training, click here.

RESOURCES

“Developing Community Participation Stories: Storytelling for StorySlams”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has a new storytelling manual, “Developing Community Participation Stories,” which is “your guide to crafting stories of community participation…Included in the manual is a brief background on storytelling research, key elements of community participation stories, and strategies for crafting stories. The manual has strategies to support individuals as well as for facilitating storytelling groups. The overarching aim is to support people to move beyond illness-focused narratives to highlight (and celebrate!) the diverse roles individuals occupy within their communities.” For more information and to download the manual, click here.

NCAPPS Begins 2025 by Offering a Multitude of Resources

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is ringing in the new year by offering many resources. For the NCAPPS offerings, click here.

“How Do I Find a Good Therapist?”

The American Psychological Association offers some questions to consider if you are looking to find a good therapist. For example, Is the therapist licensed? If you have health insurance, will it cover the therapy from this provider? Are there limits to the number of sessions covered by your insurance? For more information, click here.

“Peer Support and Resistance: Becky Brasfield’s Vision for Mental Health Justice”

Writer, policy researcher, advocate, and peer specialist Becky Brasfield is interviewed in a recent issue of Mad In America: “...Ms. Brasfield has dedicated her career to elevating the voices of service users and dismantling systemic inequities. Her lived experience with psychosis, combined with her leadership in peer support, has made her a powerful critic of traditional psychiatric models that often marginalize those they aim to help.” For the MIA article, click here. Also see “Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field.” This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

“We aimed to systematically synthesize studies to estimate life expectancy and Years-of-Potential-Life-Lost (YPLL) in people with any and specific mental disorders across a broad spectrum of diagnoses,” the authors write. The interpretation of the results was that “[m]ental disorders are associated with substantially reduced life expectancy, which is transdiagnostic in nature, encompassing a wide range of diagnoses. Implementation of comprehensive and multilevel intervention approaches is urgently needed to rectify lifespan inequalities for people with mental disorders.” For the article, click here.

“A Reduction in Health Care Expenditures Linked to Mental Health Service Use Among Adults With Chronic Physical Conditions”

“The aim was to examine the impact of receipt of mental health services on health care expenditures for U.S. adults with major chronic physical conditions,” the authors write. The conclusions were that “[r]eceipt of mental health services was associated with a reduction in overall health care costs, particularly for office-based visits and prescribed medication, among adults with chronic physical conditions.” For the article click here.

“10 Tips for Incorporating Humor into Your Life”

“Incorporating humor into your daily life has many potential benefits,” Mental Health America (MHA) writes. For the potential benefits of humor and 10 tips for incorporating humor into your life, click here. 

The January-February 2025 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Why Can’t You Just Deal with It? Often, it’s our most obviously necessary tasks that feel the most impossible,” click here. For “Alcohol Use: Conversation Starters. It takes courage to talk to a family member or friend about their alcohol use. These tips can help you start the conversation,” click here. For “Top 3 Health Resolutions for 2025: Brain, Sleep, Diet,” click here. For “10 Things to Give Up for a Happier New Year,” click here. For “7 Strategies to Strengthen Your Relationships in 2025,” click here. For “5 Easy Fitness Goals That Have Nothing to Do With Losing Weight,” click here. For “Enhance a Healthy Mind in 2025,” click here. For “The Likability Factor: 10 Habits of Highly Likeable People (that most people find attractive),” click here. For “Purging Old Clothes? Here’s How to Responsibly Donate and Repurpose Your Castoffs,” click here. For “Journaling Will Transform Your Mental Health. This is HOW. How Journaling for 10 Minutes a Day Can Transform Your Mental Health,” click here. For “The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Functioning: Increased risks for comorbid psychiatric diagnosis, fibromyalgia, and more,” click here. For “What’s the Difference Between Processed and Ultra-Processed Food?” click here.

The January-February 2025 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “The Scandal of America’s Prisons: An Interview with John J. Lennon. ‘People who suffer from mental illness are generally ignored in prison until they become psychotic, and then they are isolated and sedated, and, sadly, sometimes beaten. It’s pretty much the same thing in society,’” click here. For “They needed psychiatric care. Instead, they died after confrontations with NH corrections officers,” click here. For “How Inhumane Prison and Jail Conditions Prompt Calls for Federal Takeovers: Some state and local lockups are facing federal intervention due to problems ranging from filthy cells to violent abuse,” click here. For “2 Indianapolis police officers acquitted in death of man who was restrained: Herman Whitfield III died in April 2022 after his family called police and said he was having psychosis. Police used a stun gun on him and restrained him,” click here. For “US whistleblower program generates hundreds of tips, DOJ official says,” click here. For “The Enduring Use of Solitary, and New Proposed Limits That Will Likely Fail (Again): Isolation’s damaging effects are widely known. But many facilities confine people — even youth — virtually all day, sometimes in shower stalls” (4/20/24), click here. For “No Refuge: Many women escaping violence in their home countries find themselves trapped in the formal violence of the asylum system,” click here. For “Pregnant Women Living in States with Limited Access to Abortion Face Higher Levels of Intimate Partner Homicide: Study finds significant differences in homicide rates of pregnant women, particularly by firearms, between states based on policies regarding abortion access,” click here. For “Here’s where police are being investigated for excessive force, discrimination and other allegations,” click here. For “Lights, Camera, Action: News Inside Issue 18 provides a glimpse into the first-ever Sing Sing Film Festival.” There’s much more than that in this issue: click here. For “When Your Loved One’s Body Becomes ‘Evidence’: When someone is shot and killed, police keep their body as evidence in a homicide investigation. But some families long to say their final goodbyes,” click here. For “‘Sleep Don’t Come’: The Dangerous Problem of Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars: Moldy mattresses, 24/7 lights and constant noise contribute to a persistent health and safety crisis in prisons and jails,” click here. For “Facing Decades in Prison, a Mississippi Mother Defied a Prosecutor and a Hazy Legal Theory: A prosecutor had been threatening mothers who used drugs while pregnant with long sentences — until Brandy Moore fought the case against her,” click here. For “They Were Prosecuted for Using Drugs While Pregnant. But It May Not Have Been a Crime: Dozens of women in Mississippi have been charged with child abuse crimes that, based on existing state law, they may not have committed,” click here. For “The Questions the Death Penalty Cannot Answer: ‘I Am Ready, Warden,’ a new short documentary, exposes the unresolved pain on all sides of a Texas execution,” click here. For “Why the Fraudulent 'Broken Windows' Theory of Policing Refuses to Die: 'Broken windows' policing was based on the theory that neighborhood disorder led to more serious crimes. But that theory has been entirely debunked, as law professor Bernard Harcourt explains,” click here. For “A [Short] History of Prison Visitation: Family Separation & Punishment. “This holiday season, incarceration and detention keep millions of people from their families. I wanted to offer some background about prison visitation to underscore its importance,” click here. For “What I Learned From a Year of Reading Letters From Prisoners: The Marshall Project receives nearly 3,000 letters a year from people behind bars. Each one tells a different story about the system’s harms,” click here. For “How a Supreme Court Decision on Gun Rights Has Reverberated Through Federal Courts: The Trace has compiled data on more than 1,600 challenges to gun laws since the landmark Bruen ruling in 2022 reshaped the right to bear arms,” click here. For “Judges topple gun restrictions as courts chart an uncertain path forward: Challenges find success after the US Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling expanded gun rights,” click here. For “My Unexpected Healing at San Quentin: I first came to the prison as a journalist. After my son’s suicide, I returned,” click here. For “In ‘Run, Hide, Fight,’ student journalists report on how gun violence affects youth,” click here. For “What Killed Daniel Prude? The Cops and New York AG Said a Diagnosis That’s Since Been Debunked. A newly obtained document sheds light on how the disavowed “excited delirium” diagnosis infiltrated the Rochester Police Department before Prude’s death,” click here. For “More States Restricting ‘Excited Delirium’ as Cause of Death in Police Custody” Authorities use the term to describe the condition of some people who die. But some medical organizations say it’s useless or racist pseudoscience,” click here. For “Louisiana often holds inmates past their release date, DOJ lawsuit claims,” click here. For “Bureau Of Prisons: 2024 Year In Review And Outlook for 2025,” click here. For “Gun Violence by the Numbers in 2024: As firearm sales have fallen, so have deaths and mass shootings. Trace reporter Chip Brownlee breaks down this year’s gun violence trends,” click here. For “After a young woman was shot dead in Texas, a medical school harvested her body parts: Aurimar Iturriago Villegas left Venezuela hoping to lift her family out of poverty. When she was murdered, her corpse became a commodity in the U.S. body trade,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND TRAININGS

Leadership Transformation Academy to Take Place January 16 to May 8, 2025

On every Thursday from January 16 to May 8, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a Leadership Transformation Academy, “a multimodal learning program designed to help individuals become better leaders. Each year, a select group of participants explores their leadership skills, personal values, and strengths in facilitator-guided and self-guided sessions, culminating in a capstone project: the creation of a Personal Leadership Philosophy and Growth Plan.” The fee is $399. For details and to register, click here. 

National Training: Transformational Peer Support Series by Achara Consulting

On January 23, January 30, and February 6, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will host a three-part Transformational Peer Support Series, during which “Peer Support Workers will be challenged and equipped to provide higher level, transformative peer support services.” For more information and to register, click here.

Employer Learning Series to Be Held January 27 to February 24, 2025

On January 27, February 3, February 10, and February 24, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present “a learning series for organizations seeking to launch well-being initiatives within their organizations to increase mental health and well-being awareness. This evidence-based workshop gives organizations the tools to promote and support employees' well-being. When employees thrive, businesses do, too.” The fee is $595. For more information and to register, click here.

National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Issues Request for Proposals

January 27, 2025, at 11:59 a.m. (sic) PST is the deadline to submit a proposal for the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, to be held May 4-6, 2025. “Your proposal could help shape the conversation among hundreds of anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates; federal, state, and local government officials; child advocates; representatives of food banks and food rescue organizations; nutrition and health groups; and others committed to ending poverty-related hunger in America.” Registration will go live in February. For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.

PeerTAC Will Host a Free, Virtual Supervision Summit in January; Resources from Its 2024 Supervision Summit Are Available

On January 28 and January 30, 2025, the Peer Support Services Technical Assistance Center (PeerTAC) will host a free, virtual Supervision Summit. Its theme is “Creating a Shared Vision of Peer Support Supervision.” To join the PeerTAC listserv to get the latest updates on the event and other offerings, click here. For the program, recordings, and presentation slides of last year’s Supervision Summit, as well as additional information, click here. To join the PeerTAC listserv to get the latest updates on the event and other offerings, click here.

PENTAC to Present a Five-Part National Peer Supervision Series

On February 27, March 6, March 27, April 3, and April 24, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, PENTAC will present a (virtual) Peer Supervision Series, facilitated by Achara Consulting. “Supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as a peer supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills in these workshops.” To register, click here. (You must be signed in to register; for details, click here.) Questions? Sherry Warner: sherry@peersupportfl.org.

IDHA Offers a Self-Paced Course Library

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) writes: “This library offers a range of self-paced courses covering a wide range of essential topics in transformative mental health. Courses are designed to integrate tools and knowledge into your practice and daily life. Most courses were adapted from former live, virtual offerings.” The courses include “Re-Thinking Mental Health: History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” and “Our Struggles Are Intertwined: Intersection of Mental Health and Oppression.” For more information and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

OPPORTUNITIES

Applications Are Open for the APA’s Disability Mentoring Program

January 15, 2025, is the deadline to apply for the American Psychological Association’s Disability Mentoring Program (DMP). Eligible mentors are a psychologist with a disability or neurodivergent identity; a psychologist deeply involved in disability or neurodiversity research, practice or education; or a psychology doctoral student with a disability or neurodivergent identity. Eligible mentees are graduate psychology students, psychologists entering the field, and practicing psychologists with disabilities and/or neurodivergent identity. For more information and to apply, click here. 

Please Comment on the Framework for the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30

March 12, 2025, by 11:59:59 p.m. ET, is the deadline to provide feedback on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30. NIH writes: “People with disabilities lead rich and full lives but may experience a range of medical conditions that affect their health and well-being. In addition, people with disabilities may face non-medical factors in their environments that lead to poorer health outcomes, such as discrimination and inaccessible facilities. Research that seeks to understand and address the effects of both medical conditions and environmental factors on the health and well-being of people with disabilities we term disability health research.” For details, including directions on how to submit a response, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

How to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant

SAMHSA writes: “All applicants must register with NIH's eRA Commons in order to submit an application. The registration process takes up to six weeks. If your organization is not registered and you do not have an active eRA Commons PI account by the deadline, the application will not be accepted.” For more information about how to apply for a SAMHSA grant, click here. For SAMHSA’s Grants Dashboard, click here. (The deadline to apply for a Statewide Consumer Network Grant passed on April 8, 2024. To see which organizations in which states received awards, click here.) (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Grant Reviewers Who Have Academic Qualifications; Peer Reviewers Are Also Sought

The Division of Grant Review (DGR) is recruiting reviewers who have academic qualifications and meet the requirements of the 21st Century CURES Act. Preferred CURES Act experience includes a medical degree, a doctoral degree in psychology, or an advanced degree in nursing or social work; and an active license and experience in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery from mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder. In addition, DGR continues to search for people who meet the general reviewer qualifications found on SAMHSA’s How to Become a SAMHSA Reviewer webpage; this includes individuals with lived experience. And for more information about the recruiters with academic qualifications, click here.

Copeland Center Is Offering Memberships for $35/Year

The Copeland Center’s annual membership fee entitles members to participate in wellness events. Two such upcoming events are “Identifying Wellness Tools for Empowerment and Recovery,” on November 13, 2024, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET, and “Vision Boards for Personal Growth and Recovery,” December 6 and December 27, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

You Are Invited to Complete a Survey About Helpful and Harmful Mental Health Services 

Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery (SAFE 4 Recovery), “a coalition of psychiatry survivors, families, and mental health professionals who believe in the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit,” invites psychiatric survivors, family members, service providers, researchers, and others to respond to a survey about their “past experiences with mental health services. What was helpful? What was harmful?” SAFE 4 Recovery writes: “We launch this website to challenge a mental health service system that too often does more harm than good with its absolute reliance on models of care and treatment based on faulty archaic principles.” The website also includes information about “common myths about mental illness that interfere with mental and emotional healing,” and articles including “Confessions of a Noncompliant Patient,” by movement pioneer Judi Chamberlin, and “Never Give Up,” by Ron Bassman, a SAFE 4 Recovery founder. For the website and to respond to the survey, click here.

Hey, Parents/Caregivers & Youth/Young Adults: “Lifting Voices” Needs Your Voice!

Lifting Voices – a coalition of youth, young adult, and family voices – is seeking parents/caregivers and youth/young adults (ages 12-25) to respond, respectively, to two targeted surveys. The goal is “to learn more from those with lived experience about mental health and substance use disorder recovery needs, barriers, what has worked, and what actionable change is needed now, in order to improve the quality of care, advance innovation, and promote equitable access for all,” the organizers write. For the Lifting Voices home page and links to the two surveys, click here. For key principles, goals, and objectives, click here. For a media kit, click here.

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?” (NOTE: THIS IS A DIFFERENT STUDY FROM THE ONE ABOVE)

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

Materials from SAMHSA Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the U.S.” Are Now Available

The free report, webinar recording, and webinar slides from SAMHSA’s Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States” are now available online. To download the report and slides and view the webinar, click here. For many additional SAMHSA resources, click here. These resources are a product of the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation (CFRI), “a SAMHSA contract that seeks to understand financing mechanisms of behavioral health care to identify opportunities, innovations, and challenges to service delivery and access.”

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“The Lived-Experience Research Collective Is a Research Capacity Building Initiative… 

…of the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation [in Australia]. The collective’s purpose is to provide tailored training, mentoring for mental health researchers with lived-experience (both individuals who identify as experiencing mental-ill health and carer/family, kinship group researchers), and lived-experience and carer/family kinship researchers located in community, government or non-government organisations. This includes a place to grow expertise and develop important career pathways in research settings. We do not ascribe to one definition of lived-experience and are inclusive for people who self-identify as having lived-experience.” For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-being”

“Mental Health America’s latest report…dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people every step of the way…This report brings together insights from over 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with our youth co-researchers…” For more information, click here. And to download the free 21-page report, click here.
SAMHSA Launches RecoverMe to Help Young Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Issues

“SAMHSA is kicking off RecoverMe, a campaign that connects young adults (ages 18-25) to practical and affirming resources to help them navigate their unique challenges with substance use and mental health. RecoverMe provides tools, resources, and a supportive recovery community to help young adults on their personal recovery journey and highlights that recovery is not one size fits all…The RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit page contains resources for partner organizations, including customizable social graphics, logos, a shareable badge and social media content, campaign one-pager, sample newsletter content, and more. For the RecoverMe website, click here. For the RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit, click here. (Courtesy of Edie Mannion)

“Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study”

“This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of [mental health] disorders….The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.” For the open-access study, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Recovery in the USA: From Politics to Peer Support”

“Efforts to transform the mental health service delivery system to a more consumer-driven and recovery-orientated approach has its roots in a somewhat radical anti-psychiatry and civil-rights movement dating back to the 1970s,” the authors write. “The recovery movement has evolved from a more radical view in the early days, to participatory involvement in systems, to returning to alternative models of care that are more independent. Now as more peer specialists work in systems, there is an increased emphasis on non-medical alternatives and the cycle continues. Regardless, recovery, self-determination, choice, etc. are always at the centre. This paper notes the interesting cycles of recovery-orientation and how they spin around the values/tenets of the movement’s early roots.” For the open-access paper, published in 2012, click here.

“Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair”

In May 2022, the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia, commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. This became the State acknowledgement of harm project. For the free, 87-page report, “Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair,” subtitled “Advice to the Minister for Mental Health on Acknowledging Harm in the Mental Health System,” click here. For information on the context of the report, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” – click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.)

MHA Offers Caregiver Resources in Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and Mental Health America is offering a variety of caregiver resources. For the caregiver web page, click here. 

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

DISCLAIMER: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 8, January-February 2025. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, December 2024-January 2025, Volume 21, Number 7

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

NEWS

Avatar Therapy Helps People with Auditory Hallucinations Control Their Voices; Another Successful Study Involves an MRI Scanner and a Computerized Rocket Game

“A novel intervention known as AVATAR therapy that enables people with psychosis who hear distressing voices to engage with a digital embodiment of the voice they hear may lead to short-term improvements in voice-related distress. The findings, which are based on a randomised controlled trial of 345 participants, are published in Nature Medicine.” For the press release, click here. For the open-access article (October 2024), click here. For “‘You tried to tell yourself I wasn’t real’: what happens when people with acute psychosis meet the voices in their heads? In avatar therapy, a clinician gives voice to their patients’ inner demons. For some of the participants in a new trial, the results have been astounding,” click here. (Courtesy of Mike Skinner) For “People with schizophrenia 'can learn to control voices': A study finds that using an MRI scanner to train people with the disorder can help those who don't respond to medication (2018),” click here. (Note: An item about Avatar therapy was included in the February 2018 edition of the Key Update, at the end of the item about the above study, involving an MRI scanner and a computerized rocket game.)

“[Some] Researchers Critique Psychiatry’s Flimsy Evidence for Psychedelic Drugs”; Other Researchers Disagree

“In a new article in The BMJ, researchers expose how regulatory bodies approve psychedelic drugs for psychiatric use despite poor quality evidence riddled with biases,” Mad in America (MIA) reports. “The researchers ‘highlight weaknesses in the evidence on efficacy and safety of hallucinogens and question the use of expedited regulatory pathways.’...Psychedelic-assisted therapy (2023) — using drugs like ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin — is touted as a “miracle cure” (2017) these days, but researchers have raised concerns (2022) about the use of these substances, including increased suicidal thoughts and abuse by therapists (2023). For instance, researchers have argued that the use of ketamine poses a “significant risk to the public” (2022) due to poor evidence of efficacy (2022) and many safety concerns (2016).” For the MIA article, “Researchers Critique Psychiatry’s Flimsy Evidence for Psychedelic Drugs” (2024), click here. (Note: The information above, including the link to the entire BMJ article and the articles at the other links, is available to everyone. But to read the entirety of the above MIA article, you must be a subscriber.) However, an article published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – ”How Psychedelic Drugs May Help with Depression” – begins, “Some types of psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and MDMA (ecstasy), have shown promise as therapies for treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.” For the NIH article, published in 2023, click here. And for “Facing Death Without Fear: Psychedelics for End-of-Life Care,” click here.

“Justice Department Announces Sweeping Reforms to Curb Suicides in Federal Prisons and Jails.” At the Same Time, a New Medicare Rule Covers People 65+ on Probation or Parole.

“Federal officials have instructed the Bureau of Prisons to improve mental health care for incarcerated people, update suicide prevention protocols and adopt ‘best practices’ that also apply to detention facilities controlled by the U.S. Marshals Service (click here). Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has announced more than 50 actions to reduce suicide risk (click here). For the 15-page “Report on Actions to Reduce the Risk of Suicide by Adults in Federal Custody and Advance a Culture of Safety,” click here. For more about the mental health crisis in federal prisons (2018), click here. And to read about how federal prisons are getting worse, click here. For a related story, “New rule means people on community supervision now qualify for Medicare: Under this new rule, more than 340,000 people over the age of 65 who are on probation or parole will have access to healthcare coverage,” click here.

Lots of Mental Health News and a Webinar in a CSG Justice Center Newsletter

A recent newsletter from the Council of State Governments Justice Center includes three articles about strengthening the community crisis responder workforce: “San Antonio Redefines Public Safety by Integrating Crisis Response” (click here), “Crisis Teams Trade Uniforms for Trust in Bexar County” (click here), and “Partnering with Community Colleges to Grow and Strengthen the Community Responder Workforce” (click here). It also includes information on criminal legal system reform: “Transforming Corrections: How Research and Analytics Can Improve Prison Safety” (click here), a webinar: “Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents: Addressing School-Based Bias and Stigma (January 8, 2025, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. ET) (click here) (see also below); and “Zero Returns to Homelessness: A Collaborative Vision for Criminal Justice and Housing Leaders and Their Partners” (click here), in which “Six Teams Selected to Tackle Reentry Housing Challenges” are announced. For the December 4, 2024, Council of State Governments Justice Center Justice Briefing, click here.

“Character.AI Is Worse Than You Could Have Imagined.”

“After Teen's Suicide, Character.AI Is Still Hosting Dozens of Suicide-Themed Chatbots” is the headline of an article on Futurism, which continues: “After a tragic death, the billion-dollar AI companion company Character.AI claims to have strengthened its guardrails around content that depicts or promotes self-harm and suicide. So why is it still hosting dozens of suicide-themed chatbots inviting users to discuss and roleplay their suicidal thoughts?...Kelly Green, a senior research investigator at the Penn Center for the Prevention of Suicide at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, reviewed the Character.AI bots [Futurism] identified and [its] interactions with them, raising concerns about the chatbots' inappropriate reactions to suicidal language and the harm potential posed by an unregulated space in which users can roleplay suicide ideation scenarios.” For the Futurism article, click here. For “An AI chatbot pushed a teen to kill himself, a lawsuit against its creator alleges,” click here.

“DOT Announces New Protections for Air Travelers with Disabilities”

“The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a new rule requiring airlines to follow more rigorous standards when it comes to airline passengers with disabilities. The new rule will require airlines to meet standards for ‘safe and dignified’ assistance to people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. It also mandates annual training, including hands-on training for employees and contractors who physically assist passengers and handle wheelchairs. That training must be received by June 17, 2026. ‘Every passenger deserves safe, dignified travel when they fly — and we’ve taken unprecedented actions to hold airlines accountable when they do not provide fair treatment to passengers with disabilities,’ said Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in a release” on December 16, 2024. For the CNN article, click here. (Courtesy of Lee Goldberg)

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND TRAININGS

“Mindful Eating: How Nutrition Impacts Mental Health and Holiday Stress”

On December 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, Sportztars will present a webinar that, the organizers write, will “provide you with the tools and knowledge to navigate holiday eating mindfully and healthily.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents: Addressing School-Based Bias and Stigma”

On January 8, 2025, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. ET, “this webinar will explore how schools and correctional facilities can better support children of incarcerated parents. We’ll discuss how educators can recognize and address their own implicit biases; create affirming spaces for children of incarcerated parents; and provide educational support for children, caregivers, and families of incarcerated parents.” For more information and to register, click here.

Peer Support Coalition of Florida to Host a Winter Training & Events Showcase

On January 9, 2025, at 4 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will host a two-hour session to provide information on, they write, “our new Certified Personal Medicine Coach course, our DBT Skills Training Modules, our 16-hour Wellness Recovery Action Plan Course and brand new YOGA certification for Peer Specialists!” For more information and to register for the Showcase, click here.

Leadership Transformation Academy to Take Place January 16 to May 8, 2025

On every Thursday from January 16 to May 8, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a Leadership Transformation Academy, “a multimodal learning program designed to help individuals become better leaders. Each year, a select group of participants explores their leadership skills, personal values, and strengths in facilitator-guided and self-guided sessions, culminating in a capstone project: the creation of a Personal Leadership Philosophy and Growth Plan.” The fee is $399. For details and to register, click here. 

National Training: Transformational Peer Support Series by Achara Consulting

On January 23, January 30, and February 6, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will host a three-part Transformational Peer Support Series, during which “Peer Support Workers will be challenged and equipped to provide higher level, transformative peer support services.” For more information and to register, click here.

Employer Learning Series to Be Held January 27 to February 24, 2025

On January 27, February 3, February 10, and February 24, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present “a learning series for organizations seeking to launch well-being initiatives within their organizations to increase mental health and well-being awareness. This evidence-based workshop gives organizations the tools to promote and support employees' well-being. When employees thrive, businesses do, too.” The fee is $595. For more information and to register, click here.

National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Issues Request for Proposals

January 27, 2025, at 11:59 a.m. (sic) PST is the deadline to submit a proposal for the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, to be held May 4-6, 2025. “Your proposal could help shape the conversation among hundreds of anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates; federal, state, and local government officials; child advocates; representatives of food banks and food rescue organizations; nutrition and health groups; and others committed to ending poverty-related hunger in America.” Registration will go live in February. For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.

Doors to Wellbeing's Webinar Series Will Continue in January 2025!

Doors to Wellbeing wishes everyone a happy holiday season! In the meantime, click here to view the recording of last January’s webinar, “Navigating Authentic Advocacy: Uplifting Black and Queer Communities,” which explored “tangible strategies for how to engage in authentic advocacy that promotes equity, inclusion, justice, and diversity and the pivotal role of peer support”! 

PeerTAC Will Host a Free, Virtual Supervision Summit in January; Resources from Its 2024 Supervision Summit Are Available

On January 28 and January 30, 2025, the Peer Support Services Technical Assistance Center (PeerTAC) will host a free, virtual Supervision Summit. Its theme is “Creating a Shared Vision of Peer Support Supervision.” To join the PeerTAC listserv to get the latest updates on the event and other offerings, click here. For the program, recordings, and presentation slides of last year’s Supervision Summit, as well as additional information, click here. To join the PeerTAC listserv to get the latest updates on the event and other offerings, click here.

Judi’s Room Will Be Back on February 5 at 6 p.m. ET

Because the first Wednesday of the month in 2025 is New Year’s Day, MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On wish everyone a Happy New Year and are taking a break until February! For more information about Judi’s Room, click here.

PENTAC to Present a Five-Part National Peer Supervision Series

On February 27, March 6, March 27, April 3, and April 24, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, PENTAC will present a (virtual) Peer Supervision Series, facilitated by Achara Consulting. “Supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as a peer supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills in these workshops.” To register, click here. (You must be signed in to register; for details, click here.) Questions? Sherry Warner: sherry@peersupportfl.org.

IDHA Offers a Self-Paced Course Library

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) writes: “This library offers a range of self-paced courses covering a wide range of essential topics in transformative mental health. Courses are designed to integrate tools and knowledge into your practice and daily life. Most courses were adapted from former live, virtual offerings.” The courses include “Re-Thinking Mental Health: History of the Mad Movement and Alternatives to Biomedical Approaches” and “Our Struggles Are Intertwined: Intersection of Mental Health and Oppression.” For more information and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

OPPORTUNITIES

Please Comment on the Framework for the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30

March 12, 2025, by 11:59:59 p.m. ET, is the deadline to provide feedback on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30. NIH writes: “People with disabilities lead rich and full lives but may experience a range of medical conditions that affect their health and well-being. In addition, people with disabilities may face non-medical factors in their environments that lead to poorer health outcomes, such as discrimination and inaccessible facilities. Research that seeks to understand and address the effects of both medical conditions and environmental factors on the health and well-being of people with disabilities we term disability health research.” For details, including directions on how to submit a response, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

You Are Invited to Complete a Survey About Helpful and Harmful Mental Health Services 

Survivors And Families Empowered for Recovery (SAFE 4 Recovery), “a coalition of psychiatry survivors, families, and mental health professionals who believe in the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit,” invites psychiatric survivors, family members, service providers, researchers, and others to respond to a survey about their “past experiences with mental health services. What was helpful? What was harmful?” SAFE 4 Recovery writes: “We launch this website to challenge a mental health service system that too often does more harm than good with its absolute reliance on models of care and treatment based on faulty archaic principles.” The website also includes information about “common myths about mental illness that interfere with mental and emotional healing,” and articles including “Confessions of a Noncompliant Patient,” by movement pioneer Judi Chamberlin, and “Never Give Up,” by Ron Bassman, a SAFE 4 Recovery founder. For the website and to respond to the survey, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Grant Reviewers Who Have Academic Qualifications; Peer Reviewers Are Also Sought

The Division of Grant Review (DGR) is recruiting reviewers who have academic qualifications and meet the requirements of the 21st Century CURES Act. Preferred CURES Act experience includes a medical degree, a doctoral degree in psychology, or an advanced degree in nursing or social work; and an active license and experience in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery from mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder. In addition, DGR continues to search for people who meet the general reviewer qualifications found on SAMHSA’s How to Become a SAMHSA Reviewer webpage; this includes individuals with lived experience. And for more information about the recruiters with academic qualifications, click here.

Hey, Parents/Caregivers & Youth/Young Adults: “Lifting Voices” Needs Your Voice!

Lifting Voices – a coalition of youth, young adult, and family voices – is seeking parents/caregivers and youth/young adults (ages 12-25) to respond, respectively, to two targeted surveys. The goal is “to learn more from those with lived experience about mental health and substance use disorder recovery needs, barriers, what has worked, and what actionable change is needed now, in order to improve the quality of care, advance innovation, and promote equitable access for all,” the organizers write. For the Lifting Voices home page and links to the two surveys, click here. For key principles, goals, and objectives, click here. For a media kit, click here.

Applications Are Open for the APA’s Disability Mentoring Program

January 15, 2025, is the deadline to apply for the American Psychological Association’s Disability Mentoring Program (DMP). Eligible mentors are a psychologist with a disability or neurodivergent identity; a psychologist deeply involved in disability or neurodiversity research, practice or education; or a psychology doctoral student with a disability or neurodivergent identity. Eligible mentees are graduate psychology students, psychologists entering the field, and practicing psychologists with disabilities and/or neurodivergent identity. For more information and to apply, click here. 

RESOURCES

Materials from SAMHSA Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the U.S.” Are Now Available

The free report, webinar recording, and webinar slides from SAMHSA’s Webinar on “Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States” are now available online. To download the report and slides and view the webinar, click here. For many additional SAMHSA resources, click here. These resources are a product of the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation (CFRI), “a SAMHSA contract that seeks to understand financing mechanisms of behavioral health care to identify opportunities, innovations, and challenges to service delivery and access.”

“The Lived-Experience Research Collective Is a Research Capacity Building Initiative… 

…of the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation [in Australia]. The collective’s purpose is to provide tailored training, mentoring for mental health researchers with lived-experience (both individuals who identify as experiencing mental-ill health and carer/family, kinship group researchers), and lived-experience and carer/family kinship researchers located in community, government or non-government organisations. This includes a place to grow expertise and develop important career pathways in research settings. We do not ascribe to one definition of lived-experience and are inclusive for people who self-identify as having lived-experience.” For the website, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Breaking the Algorithm: Redesigning Social Media for Youth Well-being”

“Mental Health America’s latest report…dives deep into how social media is impacting young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Born from the Breaking the Algorithm summit and research project, this initiative was led and co-created by young people every step of the way…This report brings together insights from over 900 survey respondents, focus groups with young people, and conversations with our youth co-researchers…” For more information, click here. And to download the free 21-page report, click here.
SAMHSA Launches RecoverMe to Help Young Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Issues

“SAMHSA is kicking off RecoverMe, a campaign that connects young adults (ages 18-25) to practical and affirming resources to help them navigate their unique challenges with substance use and mental health. RecoverMe provides tools, resources, and a supportive recovery community to help young adults on their personal recovery journey and highlights that recovery is not one size fits all…The RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit page contains resources for partner organizations, including customizable social graphics, logos, a shareable badge and social media content, campaign one-pager, sample newsletter content, and more. For the RecoverMe website, click here. For the RecoverMe Campaign Partner Toolkit, click here. (Courtesy of Edie Mannion)

“Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study”

“This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of [mental health] disorders….The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.” For the open-access study, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Recovery in the USA: From Politics to Peer Support”

“Efforts to transform the mental health service delivery system to a more consumer-driven and recovery-orientated approach has its roots in a somewhat radical anti-psychiatry and civil-rights movement dating back to the 1970s,” the authors write. “The recovery movement has evolved from a more radical view in the early days, to participatory involvement in systems, to returning to alternative models of care that are more independent. Now as more peer specialists work in systems, there is an increased emphasis on non-medical alternatives and the cycle continues. Regardless, recovery, self-determination, choice, etc. are always at the centre. This paper notes the interesting cycles of recovery-orientation and how they spin around the values/tenets of the movement’s early roots.” For the open-access paper, published in 2012, click here.

“Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair”

In May 2022, the Department of Health in Victoria, Australia, commissioned advice to the Minister for Mental Health on how their government could formally acknowledge harms in the mental health system. This became the State acknowledgement of harm project. For the free, 87-page report, “Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair,” subtitled “Advice to the Minister for Mental Health on Acknowledging Harm in the Mental Health System,” click here. For information on the context of the report, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

The December 2024-January 2025 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Irrational Polypharmacy: How Integrated Mental Health Treatment Can Help,” click here. For “How to become a truly excellent gift giver: A great present should have at least one of these three qualities. Here’s what they are,” click here. For “Ultraprocessed foods are everywhere. How bad are they?” click here. For “How to Find a Good Personal Trainer or Coach: 5 Mistakes to Avoid!” click here. For “How To Stay Healthy While Flying: A Pilot & An ER Doctor Weigh In,” click here. For “10 Reasons Why Sweet Potato Is a Superfood,” click here. For “Improving Your Mobility,” click here. For “The Best Mobility Exercises To Improve Your Range Of Motion And Help Nix Aches And Pains: Try them as a warm-up or a cooldown,” click here. For “6 Tips to Help You Overcome Your Fear of Flying,” click here. For “10 Valuable Mental Health Lessons We Can Learn From Formula 1 Drivers,” click here. For “Should you exercise on a hangover?” click here. For “You Can Increase Your Emotional Intelligence in 3 Simple Steps—Here's How,” click here. For “Questions to Ask When You're Forced to Talk to People: Use these questions to break the ice and ditch the awkwardness,” click here. For “How to Recognize and Cope With Verbal Abuse: It's never easy to deal with abuse from someone close to you,” click here. For “Ask Yourself These 20 Questions for the Emotional Boost We Crave This Time of Year: Pause, reflect, and reframe your mindset,” click here. For “The Best Exercises for Sleep,” click here. For “Exercise for sleep: 8 best exercises to improve your sleep,” click here. For “6 Times You Shouldn’t Shower,” click here.

The December 2024-January 2025 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “What I Learned From a Year of Reading Letters From Prisoners: The Marshall Project receives nearly 3,000 letters a year from people behind bars. Each one tells a different story about the system’s harms,” click here. For “Florida Made It Easier to Involuntarily Commit People. A New Lawsuit Says It’s Violating the Law: It’s committing children at higher rates than other states,” click here. For “No Time to Waste: Clemency Now for Forgotten ‘Old Law’ Prisoners,” click here, and for the petition, “Tell President Biden and State Governors: Grant Clemency Now!” click here. For “After Jail Deaths and No Justice, This Kentucky Lawyer Tried to Make a Difference: A tough legal precedent had kept his clients from their day in court, so Greg Belzley decided there was only one thing to do — try to change the law,” click here. For “Unhoused People Have Property Rights Too: A recent Supreme Court decision spurred a crackdown on people experiencing homelessness. Here’s how some are still fighting back,” click here. For “The Mental Health Crisis In Hawaii’s Prisons: ‘The Suicides Keep Coming’: The latest deaths would make the number of suicides the highest in a single year since 2020,” click here. For “Treatment Denied: The Mental Health Crisis in Federal Prisons–The Bureau of Prisons set higher standards for psychiatric care. But instead of helping more inmates, the agency dropped thousands from its caseload, data shows” (2018), click here. For “DP3 Study: After 1,600 Executions, the Public and Police are Safer in States with No Death Penalty,” click here. For “Talking turkey about the death penalty: outgoing governors and the president must use their clemency power now: President Biden and three governors should use their clemency powers before they leave office to save the lives of people facing the death penalty, our nation’s cruelest punishment,” click here. For “DOJ opens civil rights investigation of Illinois sheriff’s office after shooting of Sonya Massey…the Justice Department said the shooting ‘raises serious concerns about [Sangamon County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office’s] interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities,’” click here. For “10 Stories That Defined The Marshall Project’s First 10 Years: For a decade, our journalism has driven change and delivered information to millions, including people behind bars. We’re just getting started,” click here. For “A Growing Number of State Courts Are Confronting Unconscious Racism In Jury Selection: ‘A judge who deals with prosecutors every day is not going to say, “You intentionally discriminated on the basis of race, and you lied about it with pretextual reasons,” click here. For “The Real Problem With Banning Masks at Protests: Privacy advocates worry banning masks at protests will encourage harassment, while cops’ high-tech tools render the rules unnecessary,” click here. For “The High-Tech Tools Police Can Use to Surveil Protesters: When Americans take to the streets to make their voices heard, they’re inevitably dragging their digital trails right along behind them,” click here. For “This Motivational Speaker Faced Down a Tough Crowd: Fellow Lifers: Over 27 years behind bars, Bobby Bostic learned to inspire people in dark places. It all started with the “complete failure” of his first big speech,” click here. For “Justice Department finds ‘abhorrent, unconstitutional’ conditions at Fulton County [Georgia] jail,” click here. For “A New Rallying Cry for the Irony-Poisoned Right: It took less than twenty-four hours after Trump’s reëlection for young men to take up a slogan that could define the coming era of gendered regression: ‘Your body, my choice,’” click here. For “How One Man Got the DOJ to Investigate His Arizona Prison: Larry Dunlap wanted to help get people with vision impairments proper modifications and services. So he wrote a letter to the office of the U.S. attorney general,” click here. For “Reducing recidivism, increasing literacy and more: The Pima County Transition Center opened 15 months ago and primarily serves people arrested on non-violent, non-dangerous misdemeanor charges. Courtesy of Pima County. New approach to jail reentry results in fewer rearrests, lower crime,” click here. For “The Separation: Introducing ‘Tutwiler,’ a new Marshall Project/Frontline documentary about women in an Alabama prison who support each other through pregnancy, labor and saying goodbye to their newborns,” click here For “On Solitary Confinement, California Officials Side With the Prison System—Again: Organizers wanted to ban the use of solitary confinement against pregnant Californians. They got something else entirely,” click here. For “Inside Angola’s Prison Newspaper, the ‘Angolite,’” click here. For “Handshakes, murals and ministry: A reopened Texas prison focuses on rehabilitation. The Bartlett Unit in Williamson County will house 1,049 male inmates who will participate in educational programs aimed to help them secure a job after they’ve served their time,” click here. For “Memphis police use excessive force and discriminate against Black people, Justice Department finds,” click here. For “Aggressive Policing in Memphis Goes Far Beyond the Scorpion Unit: Data shows Memphis police arrested more people – mostly Black men – than other Tennessee cities,” click here. For “Defined and Diminished by Gun Violence: Centuries of inequitable social policy have kept Black Philadelphians dying at disproportionately high rates,” click here. “State prisons turn to extended lockdowns amid staffing shortages, overcrowding. Lockdowns lasting weeks or months have intensified tensions among inmates and staff,” click here. For “Dispatches From Mississippi’s Parchman Prison: Incarcerated writers in their own words,” click here. For “I Found My Faith Community in Prison. Then My Facility Closed. Rashon Venable spent three productive years at New York’s Sullivan Correctional Facility. A surprise shutdown sent the Muslim poet and writer into a tailspin,” click here. For “A Prison Rape Survivor Demands Smart, Safe and Humane Transfers. ‘I know how a relocation can exacerbate violence,’ writes Johanna Mills. ‘Even when the place you’re leaving is so toxic that you can’t stay there,’ ” click here. For “Testing forgotten rape kids could free the innocent. Here’s why it isn’t always done. After nine years and nearly $350 million, USA Today confirmed just one exoneration resulting from a grant program to address untested rape kits,” click here. For “Pasco County Sheriff Will End Predictive Policing Program to Settle Lawsuit Over Harassment. Body camera footage shows Pasco County deputies harassing families and threatening them with code violations because one of them was placed on a ‘prolific offender’ list,” click here. For “Hunter Biden and the Future of Clemency: Biden knows there is a better way to use it—other people’s children also deserve mercy,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND MEETINGS 

10-Session Intentional Peer Support Core Training Will Begin on January 7, 2025

“Intentional Peer Support [IPS] provides a powerful framework for creating relationships where both people learn and grow together. We offer a range of trainings to examine and practice what is necessary to build mutual support…The following online IPS Core training will run for 10 sessions with a 4-hour session timeblock set for each training date. There will be at least 2 scheduled breaks. The sessions will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as follows: January 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30, and February 4 and 6, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET.” For more information, including the fee schedule, and to buy tickets, click here. (Courtesy of APS-News)

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

How to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant

SAMHSA writes: “All applicants must register with NIH's eRA Commons in order to submit an application. The registration process takes up to six weeks. If your organization is not registered and you do not have an active eRA Commons PI account by the deadline, the application will not be accepted.” For more information about how to apply for a SAMHSA grant, click here. For SAMHSA’s Grants Dashboard, click here. (The deadline to apply for a Statewide Consumer Network Grant passed on April 8, 2024. To see which organizations in which states received awards, click here.) (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Mondays from October 28 to November 25, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For the eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu 

Copeland Center Is Offering Memberships for $35/Year

The Copeland Center’s annual membership fee entitles members to participate in wellness events. Two such upcoming events are “Identifying Wellness Tools for Empowerment and Recovery,” on November 13, 2024, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET, and “Vision Boards for Personal Growth and Recovery,” December 6 and December 27, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?” (NOTE: THIS IS A DIFFERENT STUDY FROM THE ONE ABOVE)

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” – click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.)

MHA Offers Caregiver Resources in Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and Mental Health America is offering a variety of caregiver resources. For the caregiver web page, click here. 

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

“Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field”

This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

DISCLAIMER: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 7, December 2024-January 2025. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, November-December 2024, Volume 21, Number 6

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

DEADLINE ALERT! Please note that, under WEBINARS AND MEETINGS (the third category below, under NEWS and OPPORTUNITIES), there are three webinars tomorrow (Tuesday, November 19); a webinar, a CMS Listening Session and a PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project meeting on Wednesday (November 20); and a webinar on Thursday (November 21)! And there are opportunities, resources, and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

NEWS

“49% of Americans Live in a Mental Health Workforce Shortage Area”

According to the National Institute for Healthcare Management (NIHCM), “two-thirds of [mental health workforce] shortage areas are in rural or partially rural parts of the country…The Health Resources and Services Administration primarily relies on the availability of psychiatrists to define areas experiencing mental health workforce shortages. Additionally, shortages have been projected for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists.” Compounding the problem, “the behavioral health care workforce suffers from a lack of diversity.” Among the solutions offered in the NIHCM infographic is to “expand the paraprofessional [sic] workforce,” which NIHCM defines as “community health workers, peer supports, and recovery specialists.” For the 2023 infographic, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews) (See under WEBINARS AND MEETINGS for “CMS’s Person-Centered Listening Sessions on Improving Health in Rural Communities on November 20.”)

“Finland Has Shown the World That Homelessness Is a Solvable Problem.”

“By focusing on prevention, early intervention, and a comprehensive support system through wraparound services, Finland has shown the world that homelessness is a solvable problem,” according to “Eradicating Homelessness in Finland,” in PD&R Edge, published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development & Research (PD&R). “As part of Finland's commitment to the Housing First approach, the government converted homeless shelters into housing units to create new housing stock with supportive services,” the article continues. The authors also discuss other factors that have led to Finland’s success in reducing homelessness. For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Alan Feinberg)

New Study Confirms That Watchful Waiting Is the Best Treatment for Depression

In a recent study, “Watchful waiting for depression using depathologization, advice and shared decision making,” the authors write that “watchful waiting was shown to be an effective first line of treatment for non-suicidal patients with depressive symptoms.” For the article, in Elsevier’s Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, click here. And for “Study Finds Over 25% of Antidepressant Prescriptions Given to High-Risk, Long-Term Users: A recent study published in BMC Medicine reveals a 27% increase in antidepressant prescriptions in two Scottish regions from 2012 to 2019 and finds 1 in 4 antidepressant users have potential deprescribing indicators,” click here.

“Chronic Inflammation Linked to Depression”

“For patients with treatment-resistant depression or those exposed to chronic stress, inflammation-targeted treatments offer a hopeful new direction,” according to a recent report in NeuroscienceNews.com. “The research underscores the potential of addressing immune dysfunctions to manage depression effectively.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam) And for “So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from?” (2013), click here.

“Group Pitches Plan That Would Have Community Responders, not Police, Handle Some Non-Emergency Calls in Buffalo”

“A coalition of community policy and advocacy groups is launching a pilot program to bring community responders to nonviolent, non-emergency public safety calls that otherwise would be handled by police,” the Buffalo News recently reported. “ ‘Sending police where they’re not needed is costly, inefficient and dangerous, as police training and skills are mismatched with the response most needed in many situations,’ said Colleen Kirstich” of Partnership for the Public Good and the author of “Bringing Community Responders to Erie County,” a 78-page report. For the free report, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

“How an Alberta Man Spent 12 Years Detained in a Psychiatric Hospital Despite Not Being Mentally Ill”

“An Alberta man who spent nearly 12 years detained in a psychiatric hospital has been freed after a court heard new evidence he does not have a mental illness,” the Edmonton [Alberta, Canada] Journal reported. The man had been found “not criminally responsible (NCR) due to a mental disorder for a 2012 break-in and assault in eastern Alberta. A doctor diagnosed him with schizophrenia, and a judge ordered him detained in hospital indefinitely…[Chando] Jackson was confined to hospital longer than many people convicted of crimes, including manslaughter, spend in prison,” his lawyer said. For the article, (click here). (Courtesy of Berta Britz) For “When ‘Not Guilty’ Is a Life Sentence: What happens after a defendant is found not guilty by reason of insanity? Often the answer is involuntary confinement in a state psychiatric hospital — with no end in sight” (2017), click here.

“More Than a Dozen States Sue TikTok, Alleging It Harms Kids and Is Designed to Addict Them”

“More than a dozen states, led by California and New York, are suing TikTok for allegedly duping the public about the safety of the popular video app, claiming it was deliberately designed to keep young people hooked on the service,” NPR reports. “The lawsuits, filed separately on [October 8, 2024] in 13 states and the District of Columbia, argue TikTok has violated consumer protection laws and contributed to a teen mental health crisis.” For the article, click here. In addition, “internal TikTok communications have been made public that show a company unconcerned with the harms the app poses for American teenagers. This is despite its own research validating many child safety concerns,” according to a second NPR article, available here. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Behavioral Health News Solicits Articles for Its Winter 2025 Issue

December 10, 2024, is the deadline for articles and ads for the Winter edition of Behavioral Health News, focused on “Understanding Suicide and Its Impact on Family and Friends.” BHN writes: “If you plan to write an article, please contact us first to get approval for your proposed topic to avoid duplicate submissions” and for information about advertising. For details, including suggested article topics for the Winter issue, and information about future BHN issues, click here. 

TU Collaborative Launches Peer Decision Coaching Research Study

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Are you a young adult 18-30 living with a mental health condition? Are you interested in receiving support with making decisions about things you want to do in the community, such as working, going to school, and doing things for fun? We are looking for participants for our Peer Decision Coaching research study!” Peer Decision Coaching is provided by a peer specialist who will talk with you via videoconference about a decision related to your community participation and what could be done to help you with decision-making. Participants will participate in 2 research interviews and participate in the study intervention for 1-3 months. Participants will be compensated with electronic gift cards: $25 for the baseline interview and $30 for the post-intervention interview. Interested? Call 215.204.1699, text 215.664.2870, or email pdc@temple.edu

Lived Experience in Clinical Mental Health Education Survey Project Is Recruiting

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a study to understand students’ experiences of postsecondary courses on “mental illness/psychiatric disorders.” “We are interested in experiences at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), including fields such as psychology, counseling, and social work.” If you are 18+, a current or former student who has taken at least one class in a U.S. college or university pertaining to the understanding, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental health conditions, and have at least one diagnosed mental health condition that has been covered in a course you took, you are eligible to participate. (There is no monetary compensation.) Questions? Callie Bennet, MSW (CJC204@pitt.edu or 412.525.7375, or Nev Jones, PhD (nevjones@pitt.edu). For the survey, click here.

UIC Is Recruiting for a Research Study on Enhancing Immune Health

Do you want to work on habits to enhance your immune health? University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is testing a program where you work with a personal virtual instructor to learn about immune health and how it can be strengthened. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text 312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

How to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant

SAMHSA writes: “All applicants must register with NIH's eRA Commons in order to submit an application. The registration process takes up to six weeks. If your organization is not registered and you do not have an active eRA Commons PI account by the deadline, the application will not be accepted.” For more information about how to apply for a SAMHSA grant, click here. For SAMHSA’s Grants Dashboard, click here. (The deadline to apply for a Statewide Consumer Network Grant passed on April 8, 2024. To see which organizations in which states received awards, click here.) (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

WEBINARS AND MEETINGS (FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED)

“Peering: The Art of Using Our Stories”

On November 19, 2024, at 9 a.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project will host a three-hour training presented by Jeff Zitofsky of the Westchester County Office for People with Disabilities. For the Zoom link, click here: https://zoom.us/j/99396110267 To register, email jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393.

“Nervous System Informed Yoga for Holistic Healing”

On November 19, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center will present a 90-minute webinar in which the presenter, Joann Lutz, “will describe the major discoveries she made about yoga as a tool for self-healing and recovery from psychological distress, and give the viewers a sample of its power.” For details and to register, click here.

“Family Mental Health: Navigating the Holidays”

On November 19, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, the Café TA Center will present “a transformative 90-minute webinar designed to help you navigate the season with a bit more preparedness and a bit less stress. Learn strategies to make this time more manageable and enjoyable for you and your family.” For more information and to register, click here. (Program Director Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars [after the webinars air] are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

“Youth in Crisis: The Misdiagnosis and Labeling of Marginalized Youths in Schools”

On November 20, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. ET, SAMHSA will sponsor a 90-minute TA Coalition webinar on behalf of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) titled “Youth in Crisis: The Misdiagnosis and Labeling of Marginalized Youths in Schools.” They write: “In this presentation, we will 1) discuss factors that contribute to the mental health crisis in youths, 2) explore the differences between a trauma response and serious emotional disturbance in marginalized youths, and 3) discuss what schools can do to mitigate the misdiagnosis and labeling of marginalized youth.” For more information and to register, click here. Questions? Contact Kelle Masten (kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org) or Paige Thomas (paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org). 

Registration Open for CMS’s Person-Centered Listening Sessions on Improving Health in Rural Communities on November 20

On November 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center will host a one-hour Person-Centered Listening Session on Improving Care Experience, Outcomes, & Equity in Rural Communities. “This listening session will focus on access and delivery in rural health care, and key takeaways from CMS Innovation Center Rural Health Hackathons and a listener Q&A. Attendees may submit written comments or questions before the webinar via the registration page or during the Q&A session. “Please indicate if you would prefer not to have your comments read or wish to remain anonymous.” To register, click here.

PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project to Meet on November 20

On November 20, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT), the PsychRights PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project will host a meeting to strategize about empowering PAIMI Advisory Councils (PACs) to use their statutory authority under the federal Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Act to jointly determine their respective Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agencies’ priorities. The highest priority should be deploying the P&A system’s army of lawyers to combat “the massive and pervasive violation of people's rights and infliction of great harm through psychiatric incarceration and forced drugging,” PsychRights writes. For more information, click here. To register (which is required), click here. The Zoom link will be shared with registrants. (This item was also included in the October-November 2024 Key Update.)

“Financing Peer Crisis Respites in the United States”

On November 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, SAMHSA and the Center for Financing Reform and Innovation will sponsor a webinar presenting “findings from 26 peer respites across 16 states that contributed to a new SAMHSA report. The report explores the characteristics, services offered, and funding streams used by peer crisis respites. It will feature a panel discussion and Q&A session with national leaders of peer crisis respites who will discuss the report findings and opportunities for expanding the availability of these programs.” For more information and to register, click here. 

Hearing Voices & Alternative Realities Group Facilitation Training (3 Days)

On November 25, 26, and 27, the London Hearing Voices Network, in collaboration with Voices Unlocked, will present a three-day online training course, “open to people who would like to develop or sustain a Hearing Voices Peer Support Group. It is suitable both for professionals and for those with lived experience of voices, visions or beliefs. The training caters to those working across a number of settings, including community settings and secure or forensic settings, and to those working with diverse populations, including young people.” On each of the three days, the training will run from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. CT, 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. MT, and 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. PT. (For those in the GMT time zone, the training will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Registration entails a commitment to attend all three sessions. For more information, including the fee schedule, and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Mental Health America to Present Two Upcoming Webinars

On November 26, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, Mental Health America (MHA) will present “I don’t know how to care for myself in stressful times.” “There are so many factors impacting a parent's mental health during stressful times. Knowing how to take care of yourself and prioritizing that can be difficult,” MHA writes. “Learn simple ways to manage stress and feel more confident as a parent.” And on December 3, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, MHA will present “Coping during times of crisis: Creating stability when life is unstable.” during which the presenters “will explore strategies for managing mental health during a time of crisis.” Each webinar is one hour in duration. For more information and to register, click here.

“Creating Cultures of Wellness for Peer Professionals”

On November 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, this webinar, presented by Doors to Wellbeing, will “center the experiences of [Transition-Age Youth peer supporters] while providing guidance for colleagues on how to help them build and maintain wellness habits that can support them throughout their entire careers. Though the research that informs this webinar focuses on the transitional age group, the skills and strategies discussed can be used at any age or career stage. All are welcome to join for this session that emphasizes personal wellness as a necessary component of community care.” For details and to register, click here.

The December Judi’s Room Will Explore Global Questions of How to Foster Resilience and Healing in Each Other and the Earth

On December 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International will present a Judi’s Room panel to discuss exploring ecology – how human beings relate to one another and the Earth – and to collectively understand how we can develop resilience from crisis, and how we can heal. The presenters write, “We will propose some solutions to some of the most complex problems we face in our world today, from the individual to the planetary.” The panelists are Rev. Luke A. Shootingstar Walters, the founder and Chief Architect of Global Community Designs (GCD); Rangi Ahipene, a Māori cultural consultant and the Cultural Advisor for the New Zealand forest ecosystem restoration project, Recloaking Papatuanuku; and Nina Cherry, a Certified Hakomi Therapist. Immediately following the presentation, I Love You, Lead On will host an “after hours” Judi’s Room support group dialogue. The Zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189. 

“Inclusion in Action: Building a Network of Advocates to Promote Community Participation” 

On December 12, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is hosting a free, virtual conversation with Joseph Rogers, Kelechi Ubozoh, and BeaJae North. It is the first in “a new series of conversations intended to support the development of advocacy skills and build connections among those engaged in promoting community inclusion of individuals with mental health issues.” For more information and to register, click here.

CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS

“Now I See a Person” Virtual Conference on December 1

On December 1, 2024 (1 p.m. - 4 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. PT), the Now I See a Person Institute will host a conference on the theme of Normalizing Ourselves for the Other: Polyphonic Dialogues Among Clinicians and Clients on Themes of Coercion, Confinement, and Inviting the Context.” The organizers write: “We’d like to invite you to join Dr. Susan Swim, founder of Now I See a Person Institute, and a panel of medical doctors, psychologists, master clinicians, recovery consultants, and coaches as they share their experiences and how a more humanized approach radically changed their lives and led them all towards finding freedom.” The suggested fee is $40. For details and to register, click here.

Mad Studies Symposium: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health

On December 8, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, the Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) will present a virtual (and recorded) event to celebrate “publication of the “Mad Studies Reader,” a book that brings together writing and artwork from service users, daring activists, critical scholars, concerned clinicians, and innovative artists!” For more information, including the schedule-at-a-glance, the (very reasonable) fee structure, and the registration link, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

10-Session Intentional Peer Support Core Training Will Begin on January 7, 2025

“Intentional Peer Support [IPS] provides a powerful framework for creating relationships where both people learn and grow together. We offer a range of trainings to examine and practice what is necessary to build mutual support…The following online IPS Core training will run for 10 sessions with a 4-hour session timeblock set for each training date. There will be at least 2 scheduled breaks. The sessions will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as follows: January 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30, and February 4 and 6, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET.” For more information, including the fee schedule, and to buy tickets, click here. (Courtesy of APS-News)

Save the Date! PeerTAC Will Host a Free, Virtual Supervision Summit in January

On January 28 and January 30, 2025, the Peer Support Services Technical Assistance Center (PeerTAC) will host a free, virtual Supervision Summit. Its theme is “Creating a Shared Vision of Peer Support Supervision.” The deadline to submit a proposal has passed, but more information about the event will be available soon. To join the PeerTAC listserv to get the latest updates on the event and other offerings, click here.

RESOURCES

The Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series Offers Its Books at Discounted Prices

“The Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series presents solicited chapters from international experts on a wide variety of underexplored subjects…The series recognizes and appreciates those who have contributed to the abundance of literature critiquing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the biomedical model of mental health, and the practice of psychiatric diagnosing.” For more information and to order any of the books – “Critiquing the Psychiatric Model,” “Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model,” “Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling,” and “Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness” –click here. (Ordering via EIP is less expensive than ordering via Amazon.)

MHA Offers Caregiver Resources in Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and Mental Health America is offering a variety of caregiver resources. For the caregiver web page, click here. 

The November-December 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “CDC Recommends Second Dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for People 65 Years and Older and for People Who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised,” click here. For “Friendship breakups and how to recover from them,” click here. For “‘Forever chemicals’: Top 3 ways to lower your exposure,” click here. For “8 Expert Tips to Stop Being a People Pleaser,” click here. For “Tip Sheet: Ten Things Physicians and [Older] Patients Should Question,” click here. For “I Have Hard Time Setting Boundaries; Where Do I Begin?” click here. For “A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of an Oral Supplement in Women with Self-perceived Thinning Hair,” click here. For “8 Ways to Enjoy Your Commute!” click here. For “COVID Tests Might Not Be Your Best Option This Winter—Here's What You Could Use Instead,” click here. For “Should You Eat Before or After Working Out?” click here. For “Why Is It A Bad Idea To Stay In Bed For Too Long?” click here. For “What You Should Eat During and After Antibiotics,” click here. For “Mucus: It’s Snot What You Think,” click here. For “To Achieve Big Goals, Start with Small Habits,” click here. For “Signs You Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep,” click here. For “Full Body Workouts: These time-efficient routines will work your upper and lower body,” click here. For “Grounding Guided Meditation For Anxiety | Stay Present: Connecting Your Body & Mind,” click here. For “The Dangers of Sitting: Why Sitting Is the New Smoking,” click here. For “Online yoga classes prove helpful for back pain in new study,” click here. For "Ten questions predict mental health risk after emergency hospitalizations: Some patients hospitalized for an emergency illness or injury will develop mental health problems months after the experience. A new screening tool can anticipate who’s most at risk,” click here.

The November-December 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Police Want the Password to Your Phone: Without a warrant and specific proof of incriminating evidence, police should never be allowed past your phone’s lock screen,” click here. For “A Gun Law the NRA Opposes Could Have Saved Its Employee’s Life: The National Rifle Association once supported red flag gun laws, which are meant to protect people like Dawn Williams-Stewart, a staffer who was shot and killed by her husband,” click here. For “Neil Gorsuch’s New Book Is an Embarrassment: The conservative Supreme Court justice produced a tendentious account of the legal system in service of a political narrative — and he won’t answer his critics,” click here. For “This Might Be the Worst Thing Happening in Texas Right Now,” click here. For “Why We Need Prison Journalism More Than Ever: If we lose incarcerated journalists, we lose a whole voice from the conversation,” click here. For “Wisconsinites who lost voting rights after felonies share what voting means to them: Some Wisconsin people with felony convictions say losing voting rights was among the most painful part of their punishment,” click here. For “A mentally ill man was restrained in a chair for 68 hours at Franklin County Jail, violating policies, report says: One man was restrained for 68 hours, another for 27 hours. Both were mentally ill. The jail’s own policies say restraint should never last more than 10 hours,” click here. For “They Went to Jail. Then They Say They Were Strapped to a Chair for Days. Allegations in a Missouri lawsuit shed light on how some jail officials use restraint chairs, which have been linked to dozens of deaths (2020),” click here. For “After 200th death row exoneration, it's time to end death penalty,” click here. For “They wrote a book while locked in solitary confinement. Texas won’t let them read it,” click here. For “Computer Book Bans and Other Insights From a Year Investigating Prison Censorship: Incomplete data. Inconsistent policies. How banned books in prison can strip away an incarcerated person’s vision of the outside world,” click here. For “‘Trump Remains Very Popular Here’: We Surveyed 54,000 People Behind Bars About the Election. Support for the former president is strong inside prisons and jails — even as his party tries to roll back voting rights for people with felony convictions,” click here. For “What People Behind Bars Really Think About the ‘Cop vs. Felon’ Election” People in prisons and jails weigh in on Harris’ qualifications for president, Trump’s potential sentence and more,” click here. For “A Prison Newspaper Hopes to Bridge ‘Inside’ and ‘Outside’ Worlds in Rural California: Rural prisons tend to have fewer programs for incarcerated residents than urban prisons do. A new media project at the Central California Women’s Facility is bucking that trend,” click here. For “Why Are We Still Sending People to Jail for Being Poor? It's Time to Truly Abolish Debtors' Prisons,” click here. For “This AI Tool Helped Convict People of Murder. Then Someone Took a Closer Look: Global Intelligence claims its Cybercheck technology can help cops find key evidence to nail a case. But a WIRED investigation reveals the smoking gun often appears far less solid,” click here. For “How Did It Get This Bad?” click here. For “ Former Rikers Worker Says DOC Locks Mentally Ill Detainees Inside Cells for Weeks,” click here. For “Should Political Violence Be Addressed Like a Threat to Public Health? Treating political violence as a contagion could help safeguard the future of American democracy,” click here. For “The strange case that the Supreme Court keeps refusing to decide: A mysterious Supreme Court case could change everything about criminal punishment,” click here. For “In Memoriam: Joe Giarratano: Joe Giarratano, a former death row prisoner in Virginia who spent nearly 40 years behind bars before being released on parole, died earlier this month. Before and after his release from prison, Giarratano helped other incarcerated people pursue their rights, click here. For “50 years after Philadelphia halted prison medical testing, families seek reparations,” click here. For “The Prison Telecom Free-For-All is Over: New rules from the Federal Communications Commission are putting the brakes on the prison telecom industry’s exploitative practices,” click here. For “Erin Moriarty on what we owe the wrongfully convicted,” click here. For “ ‘It’s Crushing’: The Lasting Trauma of the Exonerated: Proving your innocence is only part of the battle to put your life back together,” click here. For “Effort to Provide Low-Cost Health Care Behind Bars Stirs Controversy: Examining a company providing low-cost health care services at jails across the U.S., and a formerly incarcerated person shares how a mentor behind bars saved his life,” click here. For “Without Knowledge or Consent: For decades, gun makers secretly gave sensitive, personal information about gun buyers to political operatives to use in lobbying elected officials to oppose gun regulations. ‘The hypocrisy of warning about a governmental registry and at the same time establishing a private registry for political purposes is stunning,’ says a Democratic U.S. senator,” click here. For “Survival Art: ‘Art is not a leisure activity. Art is a redemptive, powerful, meditative, actionable force within a person—within a human being,’” click here. For “How a Book Club Helps Me Find Hope Behind Bars,” click here. For “Prison work assignments used to lure and rape female inmates. Guards sometimes walk free,” click here. For “Don’t Talk to the Cops: Your right against self-incrimination is not safe in a criminal system that cares more about coercing convictions than finding the truth,” click here. For “South Carolina inmates help retired race horses transition for adoption: For two decades, inmates in Sumter have found purpose, passion, and new beginnings through a unique program,” click here. For “The Prison They Let You See: The San Quentin Film Festival offered a feel-good image of prison life—one far removed from the reality faced by most incarcerated Californians,” click here. For “Assaulted by Her Cellmate, a Trans Woman Took the Federal Prisons to Court: When you are harmed in a place whose purpose is punishment, why is it so hard to get justice?” click here. For “3 Things to Know About Prison Violence Against Transgender People: Key takeaways from our story about one trans woman’s legal battle for accountability,” click here. For “Unhoused People Have Property Rights Too: A recent Supreme Court decision spurred a crackdown on people experiencing homelessness. Here’s how some are still fighting back,” click here. For “Does the First Amendment Protect Military Extremism? The Defense Department faces inherent First Amendment limitations in its efforts to counter extremism within its ranks,” click here. For “Joe Biden Can Preemptively Halt One Brutal Trump Policy,” click here. For “Jail and Prison Populations Have Decreased Since 2019—but Continued Progress Isn’t Promised: New Vera research raises the alarm about stalling progress and warns that recent gains can’t be taken for granted,” click here. For “It used to be a notoriously violent prison. Now it’s home to a first-of-its-kind higher education program: Cal Poly Humboldt’s bachelor’s program offers new opportunity to people incarcerated at maximum-security Pelican Bay State Prison,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

NEWS ABOUT RESEARCH STUDIES

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Mondays from October 28 to November 25, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For the eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu 

Copeland Center Is Offering Memberships for $35/Year

The Copeland Center’s annual membership fee entitles members to participate in wellness events. Two such upcoming events are “Identifying Wellness Tools for Empowerment and Recovery,” on November 13, 2024, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET, and “Vision Boards for Personal Growth and Recovery,” December 6 and December 27, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

BJA and CSG JC Offer Free TA on “National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment”

“The Bureau of Justice Assistance and The Council of State Governments Justice Center invite all state, local, and Tribal jurisdictions to request technical assistance to adopt the National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment. Participants in this opportunity will become leaders in improving accuracy, fairness, and transparency in post-conviction assessments with cutting-edge strategies that benefit criminal justice agencies and improve outcomes for individuals in the system and the broader community. Schedule a brief introductory meeting with our staff to learn more about how we can help your jurisdiction become a national leader. Learn more about the National Guidelines, take the Self-Assessment, watch previous webinars, and view resources tailored for a variety of audiences on our website!”

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?” (NOTE: THIS IS A DIFFERENT STUDY FROM THE ONE ABOVE)

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

“Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field”

This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, Highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 6, November-December 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, October-November 2024, Volume 21, Number 5

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

DEADLINE ALERT! Please note that, under WEBINARS AND MEETINGS, there are two webinars tomorrow (October 16)! And under NEWS there is a panel about voters’ rights on October 17! And there are opportunities, resources, and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

NEWS

“Voting Is For All, Yes!” And “Your Community, Your Vote” Help People with Mental Health Conditions Vote. The Café TA Center Explains Why “Your Vote Matters”! And Don’t Miss “From the ADA to the Ballot Box” on October 17 at 2 p.m. ET!

Kasper Connects has compiled an indispensable guide to voting for people with mental health disabilities! Choice Heals provides a list of websites to help people with mental health issues vote, whether they are inpatient or out in the community. It includes informative websites and videos, such as about disability voting rights. If you have other voting resources to add, please contact ann@kasperconnects.com. For the website, click here. At the same time, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has published a “two-part non-partisan document series [that] focuses on why voting is important and how practitioners can support individuals experiencing mental health challenges to vote.” To download the two documents, click here. And for CNN’s “Voter Handbook,” click here. In addition, the latest issue of the Café TA Center’s Focus 2.0 newsletter focuses on why “Your Vote Matters”! To read it, click here. And on October 17, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, “a distinguished panel of nationally recognized disability rights leaders will provide timely information on voting, voters’ rights and protections, and initiatives designed to increase awareness and voter participation”! To register, click here.

New Report Examines “The Problem with 988: How America’s Largest Hotline Violates Consent, Compromises Safety, and Fails the People”

“This report addresses critical issues related to suicide and crisis hotlines in the United States, particularly focusing on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Though originally intended as a safe and confidential support service, many crisis hotlines, including all crisis centers within the 988 network, have evolved to adopt policies and practices that compromise the safety, privacy, and autonomy of those seeking help.” To download the free 108-page report, click here. To view the recording of “The Problem with 988” virtual report launch event, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Why Did More Than 1,000 People Die After Police Subdued Them with Force That Isn’t Meant to Kill?”

“Over a decade, more than 1,000 people died after police subdued them through means not intended to be lethal, an investigation led by The Associated Press found. In hundreds of cases, officers weren’t taught or didn’t follow best safety practices for physical force and weapons, creating a recipe for death.” For the AP article, click here. See also “Two WA Men Were Arrested in Mental Health Crises. Only One Survived” (click here). (Courtesy of MindSite News Daily)

“You Have a Mental Health Disability. You Need Coverage and Time Off Work. Brace Yourself.”

“People diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness and trauma are more often denied disability coverage than those with physical impairments, according to the few insurance companies that choose to disclose annual reports on approved and denied claims rates. Such disclosures are not required by law.” For the article, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, click here. (Courtesy of MindSite News Daily)

“They Were in a Mental Health Crisis at a Hospital. This Is How They Landed in Jail.”

“Washington, like most states, has a law intended to protect health care workers. Instead, it’s led to prosecutions of people with severe mental illness,” the Marshall Project reports. “From 2018 through 2022, [King County, Washington] prosecutors filed 151 cases for felony assault on a health care worker. Court records show that 76% of these cases were filed against people with signs of serious mental illness.” For the article, click here. For “In South Carolina, mentally ill arrestees can wait months in jail for psych evaluations,” click here. 

“Is Bipolar Disorder Overdiagnosed?”

“The criteria for the condition have expanded since the 1980s, scooping up patients who say the diagnosis has steered them down the wrong path,” according to an article in Slate. “Today there are about 3.3 million Americans with a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Many experts think that this figure is an undercount of the true number of people living with the condition…But [r]esearch indicates that false positives for bipolar disorder may be alarmingly common. In a landmark study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry in 2008, more than half of bipolar patients who were reevaluated were determined to have been misdiagnosed.” For the Slate article, click here. 

“FDA Approves Drug with New Mechanism of Action for Treatment of Schizophrenia.” But Experts Urge Caution.

On September 26, 2024, “the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Cobenfy (xanomeline and trospium chloride) capsules for oral use for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. It is the first antipsychotic drug approved to treat schizophrenia that targets cholinergic receptors as opposed to dopamine receptors, which has long been the standard of care,” according to the FDA press release. However, The New York Times reported, “Only three controlled studies of the drug’s efficacy have been published, and all three lasted for only five weeks. So it is not clear how effective Cobenfy will be over longer periods, or whether it has long-term neurological side effects, like movement disorders, said Dr. David Rind, the chief medical officer of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, which reviews new drugs arriving on the market.” For the FDA press release, click here. For more about Cobenfy, click here.

WEBINARS AND MEETINGS

(Webinars and meetings are free unless otherwise specified.)

“Empowering Voices of Kids with Disabilities”

On October 16, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center will present a 90-minute webinar featuring “a young advocate who will share about empowering kids and how communities can be more supportive and inclusive. The webinar will discuss creating spaces to connect with others so that kids can learn more about their rights and feel safer and more confident in expressing themselves.” For more information and to register, click here.

Navigating the Workplace, a Four-Part “Case Scenario” Series, Concludes with Part 4

On October 16, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Café TA Center will present “First Seek to Understand,” which “will focus on the essential role of understanding in workplace mental health.” For more information and to register, click here. (Note: An item about this four-part series was included in the September-October 2024 edition of the Key Update, before the first session. For recordings of the first three sessions, click here.)

“The Power of Gratitude: How Does It Heal? When Is It Toxic Positivity?”

On October 23, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project is presenting a 2.5-hour training on “The Power of Gratitude.” To register, email Jen at jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393. For the Zoom link, click here.

“The History, Evolution, and Current Opportunity For Behavioral Health Providers In Addressing Population Health”

On October 23, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, Open Minds will offer a one-hour webinar “that will explore the evolution of population health care models and highlight the growing role of behavioral health in this critical landscape.” Open Minds writes: “As over 60% of healthcare payments will soon be tied to performance-based incentives, behavioral health providers are uniquely positioned to drive better health outcomes and reduce costs…Discover how you can collaborate within integrated care systems and position your organization for success in value-based care.” For details and to register, click here.

“Legal Basics: Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports”

On October 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Center on Law & Elder Rights (NCLER) will present a free one-hour webinar that “will cover the basics of Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) eligibility for nursing home residents and Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) enrollees. Attendees will better understand the different ways in which states cover HCBS and protections available to all LTSS beneficiaries.” For details, including additional NCLER resources, and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The Community Participation Hour: “Listening to the Peer Support Workforce”

On October 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion will host a one-hour webinar on “Listening to the Peer Workforce: What We Heard...and What You Can Do.” The presenters will be Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf, “who have developed an Action Agenda identifying ten critical peer support workforce priorities with specific recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce. During this webinar, they will share what they’ve learned so far.” To download the free, 46-page document, click here. To learn more and to register for the webinar, click here. 

“Supervision Within Peer Values”

On October 29, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour webinar “designed for current supervisors and or people looking to become supervisors. We will discuss successes and challenges within the role of a supervisor. Through mutual sharing among presenters, we will invite conversations around how peer values currently show up in this work and ways to enhance them in more intentional and tangible ways.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Expanding Inclusion to Embrace the Voices of People Without Children”

On November 6, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center will present a 90-minute webinar that “will dive into how non-parents can be part of broader diversity efforts, examining the effects of pronatalism and bias, particularly in the intersections between mental health and non-parenthood.” To register, click here.

“From Advocacy to Activation: Organization and Direct Action as Core Components of Disability Rights and Justice”

On November 6, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) — on the next Judi’s Room, presented by MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On — “Nicky Boyte from American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) will discuss the history of the disability rights and justice movement with a focus on the importance of organizing and taking action. Her presentation will include highlights from the highly successful National Action that she led in North Carolina in June this year.” The Zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189.

PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project to Meet on November 20

On November 20, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT), the PsychRights PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project will host a meeting to strategize about empowering PAIMI Advisory Councils (PACs) to use their statutory authority under the federal Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Act to jointly determine their respective Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agencies’ priorities. The highest priority should be deploying the P&A system’s army of lawyers to combat “the massive and pervasive violation of people's rights and infliction of great harm through psychiatric incarceration and forced drugging,” PsychRights writes. For more information, click here. To register (which is required), click here. The Zoom link will be shared with registrants.

NEC’s “Neurodiversity Gifts” Is a Multi-dimensional Encounter Workshop 

The National Empowerment Center’s three-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” course, which you can take at your own pace, “features two hours of immersive video exploration and group discussion, and an hour of exercises to bring the content home to your life,” NEC writes. For more about the presenter and the fee schedule for the individual workshop, as well as the “Train-the-Trainer curriculum and license that empowers you to run the full 12-hour “Neurodiversity Gifts” workshop in your community,” click here.

CONFERENCES

Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture Annual Conference Issues Call for Abstracts

October 25, 2024, is the deadline to submit an abstract for the 2025 conference of the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture (SSPC), to be held April 3-5 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “The Call for Abstracts, linked here, shares more information about this year's conference theme, Bridging Cultures in Mental Health: Local Insights, Global Implications. It also outlines the thematic domains, types of submissions, annual meeting learning objectives and submission guidelines. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Registration Is Open for the Alliance’s 15th Annual Recovery & Rehabilitation Academy

The Recovery & Rehabilitation Academy will be held November 14-15, 2024, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany, New York. Its theme is Narratives of Hope: The Power of Personal Stories in Recovery. The conference is organized and will be hosted by the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, along with its partners from InUnity Alliance and Center for Practice Innovation. For more information, including the keynote speaker, the Schedule-at-a-Glance, and registration and hotel booking information, click here. 

OPPORTUNITIES

“Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing” Research Study Is Recruiting College Students

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting college students for a paid research study on mental health challenges. “Taking Action is a peer-delivered group intervention that helps participants create a personalized system for improving and maintaining wellness and recovery. All participants will participate virtually in three research interviews. Then half the participants will be randomly assigned to five Taking Action group sessions, on Mondays from October 28 to November 25, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. The other half will be randomly assigned to receive information about how to be successful in college. Participants will be compensated with up to $105 in electronic gift cards. For the eligibility screener, click here. Questions? takingaction@temple.edu 

Last Chance to Join EPICC, a Research Study Supporting Parents

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting for their final group to participate in EPICC (Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children), a 10-week program created by the TU Collaborative that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Copeland Center Is Offering Memberships for $35/Year

The Copeland Center’s annual membership fee entitles members to participate in wellness events. Two such upcoming events are “Identifying Wellness Tools for Empowerment and Recovery,” on November 13, 2024, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET, and “Vision Boards for Personal Growth and Recovery,” December 6 and December 27, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Non-members pay $35 for each event. To become a member, click here. For questions about membership, contact Amethyst Lee at alee@copelandcenter.com

RESOURCES

SAMHSA Launches New Technical Assistance Center to Serve the Needs of Individuals with Serious Mental Health Conditions

On September 26, 2024, SAMHSA announced the launch of its new Serious Mental Illness Training & Technical Assistance Center (SMI TTAC), which “will build upon the work previously done through the SAMHSA-funded SMI Adviser,” according to a SAMHSA press release. “This project will be an invaluable source of information and resources for mental health clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and people living with SMI and early SMI,” the press release notes. For more information, click here.

“The Armory Project (TAP) Helps Prevent Firearm Suicides”

“The Armory Project (TAP) helps prevent firearm suicides by facilitating safe, voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage with trusted firearms dealers and other vetted partners in local communities. Firearm owners, including military members and veterans, now have more options whenever they need to get firearms out of the home, for any reason.” To learn more, click here.

“2023 Disability Equality Index Report” and “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce”

“The Disability Equality Index (DEI) has become the leading independent, third-party resource for benchmarking disability inclusion policies and programs inside corporate America, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.” For more information and to download the free 25-page report, click here. On a different note, for the free 23-page “Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce” (2021), click here. And for “Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American People” (2022 Annual Report), click here.

“Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness” and Results from a National Parenting Survey

“ ‘Stress Reduction: Emotional Health and Wellness’ discusses how you can reduce your stress by taking care of your mental and emotional health,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Working at staying healthy emotionally will reduce your stress; it might improve your mental health so you have fewer symptoms or less of a need for emergency interventions.” For the 23-page document, targeted to parents, click here. The TU Collaborative continues: “Through research, we hope to better understand the challenges parents face and what supports may be necessary for improving parenting efficacy and overall well-being of parents with mental illnesses. Research from Dr. Katy Kaplan highlights some of the challenges parents with mental illnesses face.” For the visual abstract of the article, click here. For the article, click here. For the U.S. Surgeon General’s 36-page Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents, “Parents Under Pressure,” click here. (Note: “Parents Under Pressure” was included in the September-October 2024 Key Update.)

“Trends in Behavioral Health: A Reference Guide on the U.S. Behavioral Health Financing and Delivery System”

Volume I of a free guide that “covers the national behavioral health landscape metrics, spotlighting crucial shifts” is available for free download. Two more volumes will follow. Open Minds writes: “This guide serves as a valuable resource for risk-sharing organizations and agencies pursuing value-based contracts, supplying key data and insights to support initiatives aiming to enhance both performance and costs.” (Note: To download the guide, there is a requirement to “certify that [you are] a formulary decision maker.”) For details and to download the guide, click here. 

“The Monsters We Create” Podcast Wins NPR College Podcast Challenge

Michael Vargas Arango, a college student from Colombia who was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder as a teenager, will receive a $5,000 scholarship as the grand prize winner of this year's NPR College Podcast Challenge. NPR quotes him as follows: “I'm not dangerous. I'm not crazy. And I'm not delusional. I'm just one more guy, with a mental health condition, living with it." To listen to the podcast, “The Monsters We Create,” click here. For the NPR article, “College student explores rare mental health condition in award-winning podcast,” click here.

MHA Offers Complete Set of 2024 “Supporting Young Minds” Guides in Spanish

MHA writes: “Mental Health America’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides provide tools for youth to help them feel empowered to address their mental health and support each other. The guides also offer tools for adults to support young people as they explore and navigate complex situations and emotions [where] they live, learn, and play.” For the free guides, click here. For MHA’s complete collection of Spanish resources, click here.

“7 Memoirs Therapists Think You Should Read”

This New York Times article is about suggestions from “mental health experts on the stories that helped them and their patients through tough times.” For those who are blocked by the New York Times paywall, the seven memoirs are “An Unquiet Mind,” “Just Kids,” “The Glass Castle,” “Born to Run,” “Strangers to Ourselves,” “The Noonday Demon,” and “Wave.” For the New York Times article, click here.

“Therapists Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives” and “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read”

TIME Magazine writes: “Being a therapist means listening to a lot of clients' problems. Between their schooling, reading, continuing-education requirements, workplace mentors, general curiosity, and learnings from patients, therapists are full of practical advice to improve mental health and well-being. But what’s the one mighty mental-health tip that stands out above all others? We tapped psychotherapists and psychologists for the single piece of advice that has changed their own lives for the better.” For the TIME article, click here. And for “The 7 Books Every Therapist Must Read,” click here.

The October-November 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Order Your 4 Free At-⁠Home COVID-⁠19 Tests,” click here. For “Four Ways to Turn a Bad Day Around,” click here. For “How Harmful Is Marijuana,” click here. For “Know the Risks of Marijuana,” click here. For “Foods that fight inflammation: Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator. By following an anti-inflammatory diet you can fight off inflammation for good,” click here.  For “DASH Eating Plan: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life,” click here. For “How to Strengthen Tendons and Ligaments With Strength Training: Runners and cyclists should pay close attention to tendon strengthening to increase power and minimize injury,” click here. For “10 Impressive Health Benefits of Apples,” click here. For “How Hard Was Your Workout, Really? There’s a Number for That,” click here. For “‘Can’t You Take a Joke?’: What to Do When Teasing Hurts: A couples therapist explores why humor can hurt and how to talk about it,” click here. For “Working Out While Sick: Good or Bad?” click here. For “Depression at Night: How to Cope with Nighttime Depression,” click here. For “How to Choose a Multivitamin,” click here. For “Eating and exercise: 5 tips to maximize your workouts,” click here. For “How to Let People Down and Be OK With It,” click here. For “Things You Should Never Say To Your Partner,” click here. “What Are the Symptoms of Too Much Vitamin D? Key Signs of Vitamin D Toxicity,” click here. For “How to Pick the Right Volunteer Abroad Program,” click here. For “That Message From Your Doctor? It May Have Been Drafted by A.I. Overwhelmed by queries, physicians are turning to artificial intelligence to correspond with patients. Many have no clue that the replies are software-generated,” click here. For “Scared of the Dentist? How to Cope,” click here.

The October-November 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Don’t ever hand your phone to the cops: Digital IDs make it tempting to leave your driver’s license at home — but that’s a dangerous risk,” click here. For “What to Know About Robert Roberson Facing Execution on Oct. 17 in Texas for a Crime That Never Occurred: Texas Set Robert Roberson’s execution for Oct. 17, despite new evidence that he is an innocent man wrongly convicted under the now-debunked shaken baby syndrome hypothesis,” click here. For “A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It’s rarely granted,” click here. For “How Prosecutors Fight Exonerations: As laws are passed to support the wrongfully convicted, some officials in the legal system push back,” click here. For “Contacts Between Police and the Public, 2022,” click here. For “The Future of Prisons? Inspired by Germany, South Carolina let prisoners design their own units, write house rules and settle their own disputes. Then came politics,” click here. For “In South Carolina, mentally ill arrestees can wait months in jail for psych evaluations,” click here. For “They Were in a Mental Health Crisis at a Hospital. This Is How They Landed in Jail. Washington, like most states, has a law intended to protect health care workers. Instead, it’s led to prosecutions of people with severe mental illness,” click here. For “Activists ‘fight against censorship’ in the largest US book bans: prisons. Tens of thousands of titles, from dictionaries to Leonardo, are restricted across prisons – and its impact is palpable,” click here. For “The Books Banned in Your State’s Prisons,” click here. For “Unhoused People Have Property Rights Too: A recent Supreme Court decision spurred a crackdown on people experiencing homelessness. Here’s how some are still fighting back,” click here. For “New DOJ recommendations for police and press bridge protest divide: The report proposes best practices for police-press interactions for before, during, and after a protest event,” click here. For “In Prison and Out, We Have Never Voted: Four writers reflect on a lifetime of exclusion from politics,” click here. For “‘A Life Sentence.’ How Mississippi’s Forever Voting Ban Keeps Thousands From the Polls. The state’s disenfranchisement law punishes people with nonviolent offenses, as reform fails in the Legislature and courts,” click here. For “We’re Witnessing the Worst Execution Spree in Three Decades,” click here. “Incarcerated workers are not considered ‘employees’ under federal or state law,” and they lack a formal right to organize under the National Labor Relations Act. Despite these hurdles, and many practical ones, there is a resilient prison labor movement in states where prisoners are threatened with punishment for refusing to work in dangerous, dirty conditions. Even tracking the scope of the problem can be a challenge for union workers. In Texas, for example, corrections officials aren’t required to specify whether an in-custody death was work-related. For “Solidarity from Solitary and Beyond: Texans are organizing inside and outside of prisons to empower incarcerated workers, who labor in dangerous conditions without pay,” click here. For “Breaking the Chains: Ending Prison Slavery and Giving Fair Wages to Incarcerated Workers Are Necessary Steps on the Pathway to Justice,” click here. For “Inside Story Season 2 to Premiere on Sept. 26: The video series, developed by formerly incarcerated people, about the criminal justice system returns for another season,” click here. For “Peer-led class at Vermont women's prison teaches restorative justice principles,” click here. For “How sheriffs define law and order for their counties depends a lot on their views − and most are white Republican men,” click here. For “What bail reform looks like across the U.S.,” click here. For “Election Violence Is Already in Full Swing: The two attempted assassinations targeting Trump are part of a much broader trend targeting candidates for office,” click here. For “The Supreme Court expanded gun rights. That could complicate the Trump assassination attempt case. Ryan Routh is charged with violating the federal ban on former felons possessing guns. But does that ban violate the Second Amendment?” click here. For “Prison Banned Books Week: Books give incarcerated people access to the world, but tablets are often used to wall them off: Instead of taking advantage of their possibilities, the companies that got rich off prison phone calls offer limited book selections on tablets, as part of their continued efforts to sap money from incarcerated people and their families,” click here. For “Bodycam video shows police fatally shooting New Jersey woman whose family told 911 she was having a mental health crisis,” click here. For “Measuring disparities in police use of force and injury among persons with serious mental illness (2021),” click here. For “Research finds ShotSpotter slows police responses to 911 calls: Chicago’s gunshot detection technology is scheduled to go offline Sunday. A new study finds the system has had unintended consequences,” click here. For “How Tech Like ShotSpotter Thrives Despite Public Pushback: Police around the country have invested in the gunshot-detection system using Covid relief dollars (2023),” click here. For “The stark reality of mass deportation: ‘Mass deportations of immigrants would divert law enforcement from critical tasks, cost billions of dollars, break up families, damage the economy, and compromise the nation's values,’” click here. For “The Tragic Inevitability of Overpolicing New York’s Subways: How an allegation of fare evasion escalated into a horrific police shooting,” click here. For “Best Investigative Journalism Award: 2024 Nonprofit News Awards,” click here. For “In New York Prisons, Guards Who Brutalize Prisoners Rarely Get Fired: Records obtained by The Marshall Project reveal a state discipline system that fails to hold many guards accountable,” click here.For “No Good Prison: An incarcerated writer and advocate in California implores, ‘Don’t waste my time trying to make it more comfortable for me in here,’” click here. For “WA prisons sent 100 staffers to Norway. The goal: A humane system,” click here. For “The Nordic distraction: We need prison closures, abolition, and care. California’s effort to reform prisons is a dead end. What we really need is to close prisons and protect incarcerated people,” click here. For “The Future of Prisons? Inspired by Germany, South Carolina let prisoners design their own units, write house rules and settle their own disputes. Then came politics,” click here. For “The complicated legacy of the 1994 crime bill: The crime bill brought about historic change with the Violence Against Women Act. But experts also told The 19th that it had seismic impacts on incarceration, policing and juvenile justice,” click here. For “Hundreds of NY judges allow evidence later deemed illegal, report finds,” click here. For “The Marshall Project to Host Inaugural Sing Sing Prison Film Festival. Incarcerated jury will choose best criminal justice documentary,” click here. For “Original Detective Wants to Free Man Facing Death for ‘Shaken Baby’: Texas is set to execute Robert Roberson on Oct. 17 for allegedly shaking his baby to death. But numerous experts now agree the theory used to convict Roberson isn’t real—including the detective who helped arrest him,” click here. For “Robert Roberson’s Death Penalty Case Shows How Justice System Fails People With Autism: He was convicted in his daughter’s death. Those who believe he’s innocent argue his diagnosis helps explain how he ended up facing execution,” click here. For “OPINION: Incarcerated women struggle against a system built around the needs of men: Their pathways into the system differ, and they face distinct parental, health and economic challenges that affect their rehabilitation. They need our help,” click here. For “Lawmen Above the Law: A new book takes aim at the seemingly unchecked power of America’s gun-toting sheriffs,” click here. For “Three Years After George Floyd’s Murder, Police Reforms Are Slow-Paced: There have been mostly modest changes following protests that galvanized the country in 2020,” click here (2023). For “Oklahoma Prosecutors May Pressure Domestic Violence Survivors To Waive Their Rights: The Tulsa County District Attorney’s office drafted a form for people entering plea deals that would require waiving their rights under the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act,” click here. For “The Domestic Abuse Survivor to Prison Pipeline: Researchers surveyed people who kill their abusers. They found several complicated reasons why survivors end up in prison because of abuse,” click here.  For “NC parole system blocks chance prisoners have of release for crimes committed as teens, suit says,” click here. For “Department of Justice says lack of accountability adds to pattern of Phoenix police violations,” click here. For “‘I got the right?’ CT law lets incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated vote but few know,” click here. For “Millions of People With Felonies Can Now Vote. Most Don’t Know It. In a handful of key states, no more than 1 in 4 formerly incarcerated people registered in time for the 2020 election, a Marshall Project analysis found” (2021), click here. For “What 120 Executions Tell Us About Criminal Justice in America: The Marshall Project tracked every execution in America for more than five years. For condemned people, the path to death grew longer, more winding and erratic” (2021), click here. For “How New York’s Maximum-Security Women’s Prison Has Failed to HALT Solitary Confinement: A landmark reform law was meant to overhaul carceral punishment in New York. Getting prisons to follow it has been an uphill battle,” click here. For “Column: What kind of country would kill Marcellus Williams despite the doubts about his conviction?” click here. For “Discredited Hair Analysis Is Fueling Efforts to Overturn Convictions: Rapper Common talks about his work bringing music into prisons, and incarcerated people fight their convictions from debunked forensic science,” click here. For “Lawyerless No More: Once a person is imprisoned, indigent defense stops. But the gravity of mass incarceration demands legal representation to the very end,” click here. For “In 2019, Congress Finally Funded Gun Violence Research. Here’s How It’s Changed the Field: A Trace analysis of federal data found that the amount of money going to gun violence studies has soared since lawmakers lifted a de facto federal funding ban,” click here. For “Police seldom disclose use of facial recognition despite false arrests: A Post investigation found that many defendants were unaware of the technology’s role in linking them to crimes, leading to questions of fairness,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS

“Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs”

From October 17 through October 25, 2024, the Wildflower Alliance will host a six-session, online training in which participants “will learn how to better understand and support people to make meaning of their experiences with voice hearing and/or unusual beliefs or what gets called ‘paranoia.’” The training will be led by Peter Bullimore. For more information, including the dates and times and the cost of tuition, click here. Registration is required and space is limited. 

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NAADAC 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day to Be Held October 18-23

The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. 

ISEPP Annual Conference Announces Featured Speakers

The 26th annual conference of ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry) – October 25-27, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort in Virginia Beach, Virginia – has announced its featured speakers. Learn more on the conference website (click here).

APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30

The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024

The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

National Federation of Families Conference to Be Held in Orlando, Florida

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

The Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute Is Coming to Philadelphia

The 2024 Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute will take place at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on November 12-14. To download the e-brochure, click here.

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

University of Illinois Chicago Is Recruiting for Two Research Studies

“Do you want to work on goals for a healthy restart in your life? We’re testing a program where you work with a personal virtual wellness coach to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. You choose what to work on at your own convenience on Zoom! Study participants have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $100 to complete 2 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, email HealthyReStart2021@gmail.com or text/call 1-312-725-2966. And a second study tests a program called Enhancing Your Immune Health. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of joining the program but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text/call: 1-312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

“Submit a Manuscript to the Journal Culture and Organization for a Special Issue”

For this special issue on Researching and Writing Differently about Dis/ability — Interdisciplinary Inclusion, Perspectives, and Approaches — “we invite scholars to engage in Researching and Writing Differently in relation to dis/ability to extend our understanding of organizations and more inclusive forms of organizing. As such, this special issue offers a space for critical and non-traditional perspectives on dis/ability from a Researching and Writing Differently approach — whether in terms of the focus of the study, the method or the style of writing.” November 11, 2024, is the Abstract deadline; February 17, 2025, is the Manuscript deadline. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

BJA and CSG JC Offer Free TA on “National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment”

“The Bureau of Justice Assistance and The Council of State Governments Justice Center invite all state, local, and Tribal jurisdictions to request technical assistance to adopt the National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment. Participants in this opportunity will become leaders in improving accuracy, fairness, and transparency in post-conviction assessments with cutting-edge strategies that benefit criminal justice agencies and improve outcomes for individuals in the system and the broader community. Schedule a brief introductory meeting with our staff to learn more about how we can help your jurisdiction become a national leader. Learn more about the National Guidelines, take the Self-Assessment, watch previous webinars, and view resources tailored for a variety of audiences on our website!”

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESEARCH STUDIES

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

RESOURCES

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

“Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field”

This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 5, October-November 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, September-October 2024, Volume 21, Number 4

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

DEADLINE ALERT! Please note that, under WEBINARS, there is a webinar tomorrow (September 19), and two webinars on September 20! And there are opportunities, resources, and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out! And don’t miss “Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda” under RESOURCES!

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

NEWS

“In Some States, Having a Guardian Means Not Having a Vote”

At least seven states deny the right to vote to anyone under a guardianship agreement unless a judge decides otherwise, The New York Times recently reported. This is despite the fact that the Justice Department has called such blanket policies illegal. And “more than two dozen other states have restrictions that vary by the type of guardianship or level of disability, and often require a judge to decide case by case on the right to vote.” “[T]he effect is to hold people with disabilities to a higher standard than other voters,” according to the National Disability Rights Network. The only other group that can routinely be denied voting rights are people convicted of felonies. For a Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law chart on “State Laws Affecting the Voting Rights of People with Mental Disabilities,” click here. For the New York Times article, click here.

“How a Leading Chain of Psychiatric Hospitals Traps Patients”

“Acadia Healthcare is holding people against their will to maximize insurance payouts, a New York Times investigation found…Acadia, which charges $2,200 a day for some patients, at times deploys an array of strategies to persuade insurers to cover longer stays, employees said. Acadia has exaggerated patients’ symptoms. It has tweaked medication dosages, then claimed patients needed to stay longer because of the adjustment. And it has argued that patients are not well enough to leave because they did not finish a meal.” None of the individuals met the standard of “ ‘danger to self or others’…according to records and interviews,” the Times article noted. For the New York Times article, click here. 

“Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury Issue Final Rules Strengthening Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits”

On September 9, 2024, the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued final rules to clarify and strengthen protections to expand equitable access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits as compared to medical and surgical benefits, and reduce barriers to accessing these services. “The final rules issued today make it easier for people living with mental health conditions and substance use disorders to get the life-saving care they often need,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. For the press release, click here.

American Scientist: “Is Drug Addiction a Brain Disease? This Popular Claim Lacks Evidence and Leads to Poor Policy”

“Rethinking Addiction as a Chronic Brain Disease” is the headline and “Some researchers argue that the roles of social environment and personal choice have to be considered in order to make progress in treating people addicted to drugs” is the subheading of a recent New York Times article. It was preceded by a 2018 article in American Scientist in which the authors wrote that “there are virtually no data in humans indicating that addiction is a disease of the brain…The existing paradigm is based on intuition and political necessity, not on data and useful clinical results. Yet the diseased-brain perspective has outsized influence on research funding and direction… In such a myopic approach, the socioeconomic and societal factors that contribute to drug addiction are considered a footnote in research, clinical practices, and policy, despite their apparent importance.” For the American Scientist article, click here. For the New York Times article, click here.

“Unhoused People are Being Killed at Alarming Rates”

“At least 88 unhoused people were killed in Maricopa County, Arizona, between 2021 and 2023. Experts say the deaths are a microcosm of a worrying national trend,” according to a recent article in The Appeal. “Advocates…agreed that the best way to prevent unhoused people from being killed on the streets is to provide more permanent housing, jobs with livable wages, and supportive services like mental health and substance use treatment.” “When communities start to criminalize people experiencing homelessness [as happened in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which held that people can be legally banned from sleeping outdoors], there’s a direct uptick in violence,” according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. For the Appeal article, click here. For “The Endless ‘Churn’ That Keeps People With Mental Health Issues on the Streets,” click here.

“Antidepressants Are Seeping Into Fish Everywhere — And It's Changing Them”

“In recent decades, antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine) have been detected in rivers, lakes and streams across the globe,” according to a recent article in Nature. “The effects of prolonged exposure to such pollutants demands further investigation. This will be crucial if we are to develop effective strategies for protecting and managing sensitive aquatic ecosystems, such as better wastewater treatment processes.” For the article (on ScienceAlert.com), click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

The Surgeon General Calls Parental Mental Health “an Urgent Public Health Issue”

“According to 2023 data: 33% of parents report high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults, [and] 48% of parents say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to 26% among other adults.” Stressors include “financial strain, children's health, social media and parental isolation.” To download the 36-page advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murphy, click here. For an interview with him, click here.

WEBINARS

(Webinars are free unless otherwise specified.)

“Promising Practices and Slippery Slopes: The Interface of Peer Support and Person-Centered Planning (PCP)” and SAMHSA’s New PCP Issue Brief

On September 19, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, The South Southwest MHTTC will present a one-hour webinar that is “a call to action for all behavioral health stakeholders to demand that we move beyond the ‘rhetoric’ of person-centered care to achieve a reality where services and planning are more fully accessible, authentically recovery-oriented, and truly, culturally centered around the individual. Emphasis will be placed on the critical role that people with lived experience, including peer professionals, should play at all stages of PCP implementation and systems change.” For more information and to register, click here. And to download SAMHSA’s new, 14-page “Issue Brief on Person-Centered Planning,” click here.

Using Organizational and Social Capital to Improve Outcomes

On September 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery will present a one-hour workshop that “will focus on the concept of social capital and its effectiveness in helping people gain employment. Learn how to deploy this powerful tool to help improve employment outcomes.” Space is limited. For questions and more information: Robert Statham, employment training & technical assistance facilitator at the Alliance, roberts@rightsandrecovery.org. To register, click here.

SAMHSA to Present a Follow-up Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives

On September 20, 2024, 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET, SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery will hold a second webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs). This is a continuation of the previous PAD webinar, held in June. “This webinar will discuss common details of PADs, how to complete one, as well as how peers and advocates can increase the availability and usage of the tool.” For more information and to register, click here. (And see “SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources” under RESOURCES.)

“Navigating the Workplace: A Four-Part “Case Scenario” Series”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “Join CAFÉ TAC and Rebel Leadership Group for our new series, “Navigating the Workplace: A Four-Part ‘Case Scenario’ Series.” The first session, on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, is available online. The following three sessions, all beginning at 2 p.m., will take place on the following Wednesdays: September 25, October 2, and October 9. People can join at any point during the series. For more information, including the topics of each session, the publications that will be referenced, the recordings (which will be posted the day after each session), and to register, click here. 

“Returning to Our Roots: What is the Purpose of Peer Support?”

On September 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present “a conversation about what it means to stay true to the values of peer support amongst so many different systemic interpretations,” including “bringing people into recovery, building recovery capital, and coaching people through navigating systems. But is that the true purpose of peer support, or is it something more?” For details and to register, click here.

“Navigating Authentic Advocacy: Uplifting Black and Queer Communities”

On September 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Advocacy in Action will present a 90-minute webinar during which participants “will gain a broader understanding of the stigmas, stereotypes and systemic barriers experienced by [Black and Queer communities]. Explore tangible strategies for how to engage in authentic advocacy that promotes equity, inclusion, justice, and diversity and the pivotal role of peer support. Join us in unraveling the complexities and fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“The 9 Elements of a Person-Centered System”

On September 25, 2024, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET, NCAPPS (National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems) will introduce attendees to the 9 Elements of a Person-Centered System framework developed by Support Development Associates. “Panelists will outline how attendees can leverage positive pressures for change, lead and influence change within their organizations and systems, and ultimately align systemic processes and practices to create a person-centered system.” For the NCAPPS newsletter, which includes more information about the webinar and other NCAPPS webinars and resources, and to register, click here.

MHA to Present Webinars in September and October

On September 25, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America (MHA) will present a one-hour webinar on “Supporting young minds: effective empowerment strategies.” When mental health programs for youth are created, the voices of youth “are often left out of the conversation,” MHA writes. “Teachers, parents, coaches, and other community leaders can foster a sense of agency and empowerment while providing the necessary support for youth to succeed.” For details and to register, click here. And on October 15, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, MHA will host “a live book discussion [led by Dr. Fredrica Brooks-Davis] about Bebe Moore Campbell’s ‘72 Hour Hold,’ a fictional story inspired by her relationship with a close family member.” To register, click here.

TU Collaborative Newsletter Highlights New Webinar Series on Community Participation and Much More!

On September 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Integration will present the first webinar in its new monthly series, the Community Participation Hour! The newsletter also includes a link to a 36-page manual on “Mental Health Disclosure,” along with information on faith-based communities, research opportunities, and more! For the newsletter, which includes links to the above-mentioned information, including a registration link for the webinar, click here.

“Navigating the Behavioral Health AI Journey from Concept to Reality”

On September 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, in association with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Core EHR Solutions will present a webinar “designed to demystify the intricate process of bringing AI from the drawing board to impactful implementation…[T]his webinar will provide attendees with invaluable insights, practical strategies, and real-world examples of how AI can revolutionize behavioral health and client care.” For more information and to register, click here.

Judi’s Room to Host the Author of Reign of Error: Psychiatry, Authority and Law

On October 2, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), I Love You, Lead On and MindFreedom International will present psychiatrist Lee Coleman, author of Reign of Error: Psychiatry, Authority and Law: A startling exposé of psychiatry’s misrule in the courts, mental hospitals, and prisons. Dr. Coleman now devotes himself to “public education that exposes the individual and public harms from today’s ‘mental health’ industry. He seeks to support a grassroots movement to abolish forced ‘treatment’ and provide tools to amplify the voices of those seeking change.” For more information, including the Zoom link, click here.

“Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs”

From October 17 through October 25, 2024, the Wildflower Alliance will host a six-session, online training in which participants “will learn how to better understand and support people to make meaning of their experiences with voice hearing and/or unusual beliefs or what gets called ‘paranoia.’” The training will be led by Peter Bullimore. For more information, including the dates and times and the cost of tuition, click here. Registration is required and space is limited. 

“The Promise of Litigation to Decriminalize Mental Illness” 

“The Sozosei Foundation held a virtual convening on August 1, 2024, considering the role of litigation in the work to decriminalize mental illness. We were honored to host panelists Sarah J. Gregory, Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights California; Kevin Martone, M.S.W., L.S.W., Executive Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative; Leslie Napper, Mental Health Consumer (Peer) and Senior Advocate for Disability Rights California; Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Luke Sikinyi, Director of Public Policy and Public Engagement, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The panel was moderated by New York Times best-selling author Robert Kolker and introduced by Sozosei Foundation Executive Director, Melissa Beck. To watch the recording, click here.” (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

CONFERENCES

The Alliance Announces the Complete Schedule for Its 2024 Annual Conference!

The 2024 Alliance for Rights and Recovery annual conference, to be held September 25-27 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York, has announced its full schedule, which includes many exciting presentations! For the schedule, click here. For more information and to register, click here.

Re-Imagining Behavioral Health: Race, Equity and Social Justice Conference 2024

This free virtual conference, beginning September 26, 2024, at 11 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. PT, and ending on September 27 at 6 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT — hosted by the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview and funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority — “is designed to empower individuals and teams in Washington State and beyond who want to advance health equity and support diversity and inclusion in behavioral health care.” For more information and to register, click here.

Accelerate 2024 Is a Free Virtual Conference on “the Future of Behavioral Health”

On October 8-10, 2024, Continuum Cloud will host Accelerate 2024, which will focus on “how innovative platforms and AI are transforming care and engagement.” For more information and to register, click here. 

ISEPP Annual Conference Announces Featured Speakers; and Group Hotel Rates Expire September 30

The 26th annual conference of ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry) – October 25-27, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort in Virginia Beach, Virginia – has announced its featured speakers, and you can take advantage of the group room rate until September 30. Learn more on the conference website (click here).

OPPORTUNITIES

SAMHSA Is Seeking Public Comments for New Data Collection “SAMHSA Unified Client-level Performance Reporting Tool (SUPRT)”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is seeking approval for the new SAMHSA Unified Client-level Performance Reporting Tool (SUPRT) to modify the existing Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Client-level Performance Instruments into a streamlined, multi-component SAMHSA Client-level Performance Tool. Public comments are due by October 15, 2024. For a brief summary, which includes a link to more information, click here. 

University of Illinois Chicago Is Recruiting for Two Research Studies

“Do you want to work on goals for a healthy restart in your life? We’re testing a program where you work with a personal virtual wellness coach to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. You choose what to work on at your own convenience on Zoom! Study participants have a 50/50 chance of entering the new program OR getting an incentive, but everyone will be paid $100 to complete 2 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, email HealthyReStart2021@gmail.com or text/call 1-312-725-2966. And a second study tests a program called Enhancing Your Immune Health. People in the study have a 50/50 chance of joining the program but everyone will be paid $135 for completing 3 study interviews. To find out if you are eligible, contact enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text/call: 1-312-725-2966. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

“How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community? We Would Love to Hear From You!”

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is “looking to highlight at least 12 people experiencing mental health challenges who would like to share their story of a time when they made a difference in their community.” First, you would answer questions on Zoom about why you got started, your biggest challenge and biggest success, what helped you, and your advice to others. (If your story is used in an online resource, you could choose to be anonymous or use your name/image.) To learn more or to volunteer to participate, email KTPLACE@temple.edu and someone will be in touch.

“Submit a Manuscript to the Journal Culture and Organization for a Special Issue”

For this special issue on Researching and Writing Differently about Dis/ability — Interdisciplinary Inclusion, Perspectives, and Approaches — “we invite scholars to engage in Researching and Writing Differently in relation to dis/ability to extend our understanding of organizations and more inclusive forms of organizing. As such, this special issue offers a space for critical and non-traditional perspectives on dis/ability from a Researching and Writing Differently approach — whether in terms of the focus of the study, the method or the style of writing.” November 11, 2024, is the Abstract deadline; February 17, 2025, is the Manuscript deadline. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

BJA and CSG JC Offer Free TA on “National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment”

“The Bureau of Justice Assistance and The Council of State Governments Justice Center invite all state, local, and Tribal jurisdictions to request technical assistance to adopt the National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment. Participants in this opportunity will become leaders in improving accuracy, fairness, and transparency in post-conviction assessments with cutting-edge strategies that benefit criminal justice agencies and improve outcomes for individuals in the system and the broader community. Schedule a brief introductory meeting with our staff to learn more about how we can help your jurisdiction become a national leader. Learn more about the National Guidelines, take the Self-Assessment, watch previous webinars, and view resources tailored for a variety of audiences on our website!”

Mad in America Invites You to Share Your “Song of the Week”!

“Mad in America wants to know what songs you listen to that relate to your experience of psychiatry, or your thoughts and opinions about it. Check out the Staff Recommendations that have been published over the last few months and add your own by submitting here. Your song may be featured in our Song of the Week highlight and shared on Mad in America’s social media!” For previous songs of the week and the reasons for submitting them, click here.

RESOURCES

“Listening to the Peer Support Workforce — Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda”

“Following more than six years of participatory action activities at peer support workforce conferences, three researchers and practitioners with lived experience — Jeremy Reuling, Rita Cronise, and Jessica Wolf — have developed this agenda identifying ten peer support workforce priorities with recommendations for action based on what they heard from members of the workforce,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. For more information, and for the link to download the free, 46-page document, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a National Recovery Month Toolkit

In honor of Recovery Month, an annual observance every September, SAMHSA is offering a Recovery Month Toolkit. For more information, click here. To access the toolkit, click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

MHTTC Network Is Closing Its Doors on September 29, 2024

The MHTTC Network, including the Regional Centers and Network Coordinating Office, will be ending at the close of its grant year, September 29, 2024. MHTTC writes: “We encourage you to download resources from our website before September 29, 2024, as they won’t be available past this date. In the upcoming months, SAMHSA will be archiving a small selection of our recorded trainings via their YouTube channel and of our written resources via the SAMHSA Store.” For details on how each Center will make some of their resources available, click here. “Check back regularly for updates and bookmark links to access information after September 29.”

“Why Lived Experience, Not Psychiatry, Is Now the New Authority in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Field”

This online publication, by Becky Brasfield, includes links to many additional resources. It is available here.

“The Soteria Project Recounted by Mosher and Its Clinical Resonances Today”

“[T]here is today growing and promising scientific evidence validating the principles of the Soteria project. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the pioneering work of [Loren] Mosher, who, imbued with the tenets of interpersonal phenomenology, shook the psychiatric establishment, leading others to follow the path that he had begun.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick and Jim Gottstein) For more about Soteria, click here.

“Integrating Evidence-Based Treatment and Patient-Centered Strategies for Optimizing Schizophrenia Care”

This “activity,” intended for “psychiatrists and their teams of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and pharmacists,” begins with an “Activity Pre-Survey” which opens with the question “Approximately how many patients with schizophrenia do you treat each month?” and follows with “What are your biggest challenges to managing (emphasis added) patients with schizophrenia? (Select up to 2].” It continues: “This program offers participants a comprehensive review of treatment strategies and cohesive patient-centered engagement via specialized facilitation and real-world patient insights. Also included is a downloadable resource that highlights approaches to motivational interviewing to help guide therapy selection and improve adherence for clinical practice.” To learn more, click here.

Here Are Four Articles That Debunk the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory

These four articles can be used to contradict the widespread but incorrect theory that mental health conditions are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. In "A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis," published by Mental Health Europe, it says: “Despite many, often misleading, reports in the media, scientists have yet to discover any genetic markers, chemical imbalances or other differences in brain function which reliably predict or identify mental illness. Clearly there are genetic differences which impact on the way we respond to life events, and distressing experiences can produce consequences in the chemistry of our brains, but this is not at all the same as suggesting that brain diseases ‘cause’ mental illnesses.” And here are three more articles that also debunk this “theory”: “Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature” (click here); “Psychiatry’s New Brain-Mind and the Legend of the “Chemical Imbalance” (click here); and “Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression,” click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Psychometric Adequacy of Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) Measure: CHIME Framework as a Theory Base for a Recovery Measure”

“The aim of this study was to assess to what extent the recovery elements of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) instrument measured the dimensions proposed by the CHIME framework, (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about future, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment dimensions), so as to evaluate personal recovery in people with severe mental illness.” For the study, click here. (See the next item, which refers to CHIME.)

“Personal Recovery: A Guide Towards Good Mental Health for Consumers”

“The aim of this workbook is to help you understand recovery oriented practice and what you can expect from your service provider. It will guide you through the C.H.I.M.E. framework providing a definition and understanding of personal recovery and addresses the working practices which will further strengthen your ability to engage in self-management.” For the free, 40-page workbook, click here.

The September-October 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Psychedelics May Lessen Fear of Death and Dying, Similar to Feelings Reported by Those Who’ve Had Near Death Experiences,” click here. For “The Working On Wellness Foundation provides FREE online seated exercise sessions,” click here. For “‘It’s okay to poo at work’: new health campaign highlights a common source of anxiety,” click here. For “DeepWell gets FDA clearance for games and interactive media to treat mental health issues,” click here. For “Why Am I So Lonely All The Time? Addressing chronic loneliness and what to do about it,” click here. For “10 Things to Do When You Feel Alone: When you're feeling alone, these ideas can help,” click here. For “High doses of Adderall linked to this rare mental health risk: What to know,” click here. For “10 Signs of a Toxic Friend (and How to Break Up With Them the Right Way),” click here. For “Legumes 101: A Complete Guide,” click here. 

The September-October 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Representing People with Mental Disabilities: A Practical Guide for Criminal Defense Lawyers, Second Edition,” click here. For “The Domestic Abuse Survivor to Prison Pipeline: Researchers surveyed people who kill their abusers. They found several complicated reasons why survivors end up in prison because of abuse,” click here. For “5 Things to Know About How Survivors Get Incarcerated for Their Abusers’ Crimes: Little-known laws allow people to be punished for crimes they didn’t directly commit. Survivors of domestic violence are especially vulnerable,” click here. For “Doing No Harm: Criminal charges against paramedics in Elijah McClain’s death raise questions about when emergency medical responders should be held accountable for fatalities in police custody,” click here. For “Judge frees Colorado paramedic convicted in death of Elijah McClain from prison,” click here. For “Guns remain leading cause of death for children and teens in the US, report says: More than 2,500 children and teens between the ages of one and 17 died by a firearm in 2022, according to a new report,” click here. For “This Company Promised to Improve Health Care in Jails. Dozens of Its Patients Have Died. Turn Key Health Clinics has quickly expanded to jails in 10 states. Some of its policies and practices have endangered patients,” click here. For “What Do We Owe a Prison Informant? A man in Georgia says he risked his life for years and was abandoned. But there are very few rules protecting those who provide law enforcement with information,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS

NAADAC Invites Sponsors, Exhibitors, and/or Advertisers for Its 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day 

The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. For details of available exhibit, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities, click here.

APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30

The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024

The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

National Federation of Families Conference to Be Held in Orlando, Florida

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

The Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute Is Coming to Philadelphia

The 2024 Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute will take place at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on November 12-14. To download the e-brochure, click here.

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

RESEARCH STUDY RESULTS AND ANALYSES

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends” Will End on September 30

September 30, 2024, is the deadline to respond to the survey of people who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. The researchers write: “If questions about ECT or about the experiences that led you to having ECT might be distressing for you, please seriously consider not taking the survey. If you have any general inquiries about the study, please contact the lead researcher, Professor John Read: john@uel.ac.uk”

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study. (The study below is a different study.)

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for a publication in Psychiatric Services about “Psychosis Outside the Box: A User-Led Project to Amplify the Diversity and Richness of Experiences Described as Psychosis,” click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

RESOURCES

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 4, September-October 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, August-September 2024, Volume 21, Number 3...Published August 19, 2024

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

DEADLINE ALERT! Please note that, under CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS, there are two events TODAY, August 19, both at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT). And there are two WEBINARS tomorrow (August 20), another on August 21, and one on August 22! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

NEWS

“What’s Driving the Youth Mental Health Crisis? We Asked 1,400 Clinicians.”

“Many clinicians who work with young patients with mental health issues agree they lack enough resources to treat kids and that patients are worse off now than before the pandemic — but they don’t exactly agree on why that is. Politico surveyed 1,400 clinicians to better understand the reasons behind the national youth mental health crisis that continues to perplex government, health and community leaders — who are scrambling to find solutions to slow the rise of kids in need of mental health services.” For the article, click here. For “Prioritising Young People” in The Lancet Psychiatry (September 2024), click here; for Lancet’s Executive Summary, click here. For “Stress in America 2023,” by the American Psychological Association, click here.

“California Sent a Mentally Ill Man to a State Hospital. Then It Charged Him $760,000.”

“California State Hospitals can bill patients for the care they receive during confinement. The charges often run in the tens of thousands of dollars, putting vulnerable people in debt for years,” according to a recent report by Cal Matters. Although a new Financial Assistance Program may result in the Department of State Hospitals forgiving some or all of a person’s debt, “public defenders say many of their clients do not have the wherewithal to complete the paperwork required to apply for the program in a timely manner.” For the article, click here.

“Older People Who Use Psychedelics Show Fascinating Brain Functions”

“Drugs with psychedelic effects, like psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and cannabis, may help protect the brain from some aspects of aging,” according to a Science Alert article. “A recent survey of 3,294 US adults, aged between 42 and 92, has found that those who reported using a hallucinogen of any kind in the past year show fewer depressive symptoms and more favorable changes to their higher-order brain functions.” However, the findings can’t determine cause and effect. In addition, “[b]ecause some hallucinogens can impact the cardiovascular system, cause distressing 'bad trips,' or pose risks for those with personality disorders, there is good reason to proceed with caution.” For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“The Dying of the Light: Norway’s ‘Medication-Free’ Services for Psychotic Patients Are Fading Away”

“In 2015, when Norway’s Minister of Health, Brent Høie, ordered the country’s four health districts to set aside beds for ‘medication-free’ treatment, it served as a clarion call for wholesale change in psychiatry, both within Norway and internationally…And now the ‘door to a revolution’ is swinging shut.” For the article, by Robert Whitaker in Mad In America, click here.

CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS

City Voices’ Peer Workers United to Present Inspiring Stories on August 19 at 6 p.m. ET

City Voices writes: “Join Peer Workers United on August 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET for the launch of our Heroes in Peer Support speaker series!...Our first guest is Charisse Rupert, a peer specialist and executive director of Wings Across Alabama. Don’t miss the chance to hear about her remarkable journey and join the lively discussion.” For the Zoom link, click here. Meeting ID: 815 9980 6311. Passcode: 024673. One tap mobile: +16469313860,,81599806311#,,,,*024673# US

On August 19 at 6 p.m. ET, a Panel Discussion Will Introduce IDHA’s “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”; and See a Special Enrollment Opportunity until August 30!

On August 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET, The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) will present a two-hour panel discussion — “Radical Hope & Experiments in Care” — to introduce its “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum. To register (cost: $0-$20), click here. IDHA offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content, with “accessible pricing.” Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work….Until August 30, you can enroll in the curriculum’s Learning Experience format, which is only offered twice each year. “This format provides the opportunity to move through the otherwise self-guided curriculum with a group. It includes 12 additional hours of live facilitated discussion space — great for those who prefer to learn in community and with a set timeline…September-December 2024.” For details and to register, click here. For the Promo Kit, click here. (Courtesy of Rita Cronise)

Join SAMHSA for Its September 5 Walk for Recovery

SAMHSA writes: “Come join us as we celebrate Recovery Month and raise awareness that recovery is possible. Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon will lead SAMHSA and other Federal Agencies, Recovery Communities and Organizations in a ‘Walk for Recovery’ here in Washington, DC, on September 5, 2024, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. ET,” from Freedom Plaza to the Washington Monument. For the online announcement and a brief survey, click here.

SAMHSA to Host STAR Awards Ceremony on September 24, 2024

On September 24, 2024, (1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET), SAMHSA will host a virtual STAR Awards Ceremony to celebrate those who have significantly contributed to raising awareness about mental health and/or substance use recovery and wellness. "The SAMHSA Trailblazers in Advancing Recovery (STAR) Awards honor leaders in recovery with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use conditions including youth and family members whose lives have also been affected. In addition, the STAR Awards recognize organizations for exceptional efforts to promote recovery and elevate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.” For more information, click here. Questions, including about the Zoom link? Call SPARK at 781-247-1724 or email spark@c4innovates.com

Alliance Announces Exciting Keynote Speakers for Its 2024 Annual Conference!

The 2024 Alliance for Rights and Recovery annual conference, to be held September 25-27 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York, has announced its keynote speakers: Kelly Davis and Vesper Moore on “Youth Mental Health”; Dr. Ashley Stewart; a New York State Office of Mental Health Forum, featuring Commissioner Ann Sullivan, MD; Chacku Mathai and Luis Lopez on “Healing through Hip Hop”; and wellness and peer support pioneers Mary Ellen Copeland, Shery Mead, and Peggy Swarbrick! For more information and to register, click here.

The Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute Is Coming to Philadelphia

The 2024 Open Minds Technology & Analytics Institute will take place at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on November 12-14. To download the e-brochure, click here.

APS Announces Open Enrollment for the New, 5-Part “Honest, Open Proud” Series

“The Academy of Peer Services (APS) is excited to announce open enrollment for the new, five-part, Continuing Education Series ‘Honest, Open, Proud’ (HOP)! Register for these online modules and complete the series at your convenience! For more information about HOP, click here. To enroll in the HOP Modules, you need to create an account on the APS website. To get started, click here. HOP Modules 1 through 4 are eligible for 5 hours of Continuing Education (CE) credit toward the maintenance of the NYS Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credential. To apply credits earned from these modules to another certification or credential, consult your certification/credentialing entity.” 

WEBINARS

(Webinars are free unless otherwise specified.)

“Let’s Talk About Healing!” MHEP Sponsors Two Webinars in August

On August 20, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) will present “The Importance of Play for Trauma Survivors.” And on August 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Mindful Healing.” To register, email Jen at jhastings@mhepinc.org. For the Zoom link, click here.

“Hidden Struggles: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Rural Areas”

On August 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a one-hour webinar on “Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Rural Areas.” MHA writes: “[T]he misconceptions, myths, and stigma associated with mental health conditions are significant barriers that keep people in rural areas from seeking and receiving treatment. This session will explore stigma in rural communities and provide resources to support mental health in rural areas.” For details and to register, click here.

“Supporting Young Adults and Ourselves: Understanding and Supporting Adult Children in Transition”

On August 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Cafe TA Center will present a 90-minute webinar that will  “offer insights, emotional support, and strategies to help…parents, family members, or caregivers of a young person with a mental health challenge navigate the exciting yet challenging phase of transition to independence.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Examining Bias: The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”

On August 22, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the National Empowerment Center will host a 90-minute webinar that is “designed to increase awareness about implicit bias by examining our own behaviors and motivations. We will discuss what implicit bias is, why it matters, the consequences of implicit bias, how it can negatively impact those that you serve and what we can do to disrupt and reduce it. In addition, we will discuss and examine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Giving Effective Feedback” — and Check Out the MHTTC Calendar

On August 26, 2024, 2:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. CT), Great Lakes MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) will present “Giving Effective Feedback.” They write: “Most people dread feedback and automatically think it will be negative. However, given effectively, feedback can help people grow, which is a key part of the supervisory function. This webinar addresses some practical tools to give effective feedback to your direct reports.” For details and to register, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

“Recovery Friendly Workplace: Program, Process and Benefits”

On August 27, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour webinar that “will introduce to you the Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) Initiative, how to get involved, and the positive outcomes it creates. RFW's exist in 30 states across the country and also have national representation through the RFW National Institute…This presentation will also give peer support specialists insight to what it takes to operate this programming in addition to and/or in collaboration with the great work they are already doing as a peer.” For details and to register, click here.

“Raising Our Voices: Voting and Civic Engagement in the Mental Health Community”

On August 28, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET, an ad hoc coalition of New York State advocacy organizations will host a one-hour webinar on the critical role of voting and civic engagement for individuals within the mental health community. “Participants will gain valuable insights into their voting rights, learn about accessible resources to help them understand the voting process, and discover tools to navigate any challenges they may face.” The webinar is sponsored by the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, Families Together in New York State, Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS), Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP), and NAMI New York State.” To register, click here.

Judi’s Room: “When Calling for Help Gets You Killed — Part 2”

On September 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), Judi’s Room will continue the conversation that started in May about the increasing number of tragedies resulting from law enforcement’s response to welfare checks on people with disabilities. Led by Luke Sikinyi, the panelists — advocacy and policy leaders as well as public interest legal experts who have been involved in the promotion of Daniel’s Law — will “explore the intersection of disability/mental health diagnoses, race, legal response, and alternative responses that minimize/eliminate calls ending in death or physical harm.” For the Zoom link, click here. 

“Framework for Understanding Structural Ableism in Health Care”

On September 9, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity of the National Institute of Mental Health will present a 90-minute webinar as part of its Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series. “In this webinar, Dielle Lundberg, M.P.H. and Jessica Chen, Ph.D. will introduce a conceptual framework outlining pathways through which structural ableism in public health and health care may contribute to health inequities for ‘people who are disabled, neurodivergent, chronically ill, mad, and/or living with mental illness’ (Lundberg & Chen, 2023).” For more information and to register, click here.

“The Fundamentals of Community Inclusion: What is required for Making Community Inclusion a Reality for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness?”

On September 10, 2024, 1 p.m. ET, the VA National Mental Health Recovery & Wellness Webinar Series will continue with a one-hour webinar on “The Fundamentals of Community Inclusion: What is required for Making Community Inclusion a Reality for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness?” The presenter will be Mark Salzer, PhD. For more information about the webinar series, including how to register for upcoming webinars and view past webinars, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

DSIR Wants Your Opinion on Strategies to Advance the Relevance and Impact of Mental Health Services Research

“The Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is seeking input on the impact of research supported by DSIR on mental health practice and mental health policy. NIMH seeks input from a broad array of interested parties, including (but not limited to)…advocates, and people with lived experience of a mental illness.” For more information, click here. The deadline to submit responses is September 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends” Will End on September 30

September 30, 2024, is the deadline to respond to the survey of people who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. The researchers write: “If questions about ECT or about the experiences that led you to having ECT might be distressing for you, please seriously consider not taking the survey. If you have any general inquiries about the study, please contact the lead researcher, Professor John Read: john@uel.ac.uk”

RESOURCES AND ARTICLES

MHA Issues Report on Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2024 Outcomes

“This year, Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates the 5th anniversary of its Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification recognizing U.S. employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Since 2019, MHA has received over 500 applications from employers, representing a combined workforce of 4.3 million employees. Sourced from all 2024 applications, the ‘Workplace Mental Health 2024 Report: Trends and Best Practices of Top Employers’ provides benchmarking and identifies emerging trends that can help support all employers' workplace wellness efforts.” For the free, 51-page report, which includes highlights on Page 2, click here.

New HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new HIPAA Administrative Simplification Fundamentals Fact Sheet (PDF), located on the HIPAA and Administrative Simplification webpage of the Administrative Simplification website. The new resource provides an overview of Administrative Simplification, its purpose, goals, and how the health care industry benefits from it. Administrative Simplification requirements, which were authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and subsequent legislation, govern how providers, health plans, and clearinghouses—otherwise known as HIPAA covered entities—handle electronic administrative transactions and set standards for transmitting health information.” 

TU Collaborative Newsletter Highlights the Collaborative’s New Website and Many Other Resources!

“Check out our new website!” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “Same URL…better functioning! For the new website, click here. The newsletter also includes “Enriching Environments Using Mainstream Apps,” a 28-page manual with information about resources people can use on digital devices in order to support increased community participation; a support opportunity for rural communities; a 35-page manual on “How People with Psychiatric Disabilities Can Make the Most of Their College Experience”; and more! For the TU Collaborative newsletter, click here.

Mad In America Newsletter Includes Important News and Resources

The August 12, 2024, edition of the Mad In America newsletter includes “Our Medical System Protects Wrongdoers and Punishes Whistleblowers: An Interview with Carl Elliott,” “I Am Carmen and I Have PSSD,” “How to Know If You Have an Abusive Therapist,” and “Part 4: Neurodiversity: New Paradigm, or Trojan Horse?” (with a link to the first three parts). It also includes research news. For the newsletter, click here.

“Fighting Stigma by Mental Health Providers Toward Patients”

“Using person-first, nonstigmatizing language is crucial to overcoming biases and providing better treatment,” according to a recent article published by the American Psychological Association. For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Mike Skinner)

“The Community Effect: How Clubhouses for People with Serious Mental Illness Reduce Loneliness”

“Research shows that clubhouses are associated with improved mental health, other positive life outcomes such as employment and education completion rates, and significant cost savings that flow from those outcomes, estimated to currently save the U.S . almost $700 million annually. Now, there is compelling evidence that clubhouses can impact one of the most critical health mediators: loneliness.” For “The Community Effect: How Clubhouses for People with Serious Mental Illness Reduce Loneliness,” by Fountain House, click here.

“Do grant proposal texts matter for funding decisions? A field experiment”

“We report on a field experiment conducted by The Dutch Research Council (NWO) in collaboration with the authors in an early-career competition for awards of 800,000 euros of research funding. A random half of panelists were shown a CV and only a one-paragraph summary of the proposed research, while the other half were shown a CV and a full proposal. We find that withholding proposal texts from panelists did not detectably impact their proposal rankings. This result suggests that the resources devoted to writing and evaluating grant proposals may not have their intended effect of facilitating the selection of the most promising science.” For the complete, open access paper (Springer, May 19, 2024), click here.

“Lived Experience, Research Leadership, and the Transformation of Mental Health Services: Building a Researcher Pipeline”

“This Open Forum calls for investment in building a pipeline of researchers with significant psychiatric disabilities and intersecting lived experiences frequently studied in public sector services research, including homelessness, incarceration, comorbid health problems, structural racism, and poverty. A series of concrete steps are described that faculty and research leadership can take now.” For the article (Psychiatric Services, March 11, 2021), click here. 

“Strengthening Review and Publication of Participatory Mental Health Research to Promote Empowerment and Prevent Co-optation”

“The authors of this article have found that, in their experience, editors or other reviewers often appear to give authors extensive leeway on claims of participatory methods that more accurately reflect tokenism or superficial involvement. The problem of co-optation is described, examples from the authors’ experiences are given, the potential harms arising from co-optation are articulated, and a series of concrete actions that journal editors, reviewers, and authors can take to preserve the core intent of participatory approaches are offered.” For the article (Psychiatric Services, August 19, 2022), click here. 

“Barriers to Meaningful Participatory Mental Health Services Research and Priority Next Steps: Findings From a National Survey”

“To identify barriers to and the extent of stakeholder involvement in participatory research, the authors undertook a mixed-methods study of researchers and community members who reported participation in such research.” For the Abstract (Psychiatric Services, March 20, 2023), click here. For “Institutional Barriers and Tokenism in Participatory Mental Health Research” (Mad In America, April 21, 2023) click here.

SAMHSA Offers a Recording of Its Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives, and Several Resources

For a link to SAMHSA’s webinar on “Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living,” click here. For accompanying resources, click on each title: National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD); A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives | SAMHSA; Psychiatric Advance Directives | Copeland Center; Olmstead v. L.C. Resources | SAMHSA; National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Early Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA; Doors to Wellbeing PADs Resources and Webinars; Peer Recovery Center of Excellence; SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK). (Courtesy of Mark Karmatz)

LAST WORDS

“Instead of Depression,” a Poem by Andrea Gibson

“Instead of Depression” is excerpted from Andrea Gibson’s book, “You Better Be Lightning,” “a queer, political, and feminist collection guided by self-reflection,” the publisher writes. “The poems range from close examination of the deeply personal to the vastness of the world, exploring the expansiveness of the human experience from love to illness, from space to climate change, and so much more in between.” For “Instead of Depression,” click here.

The August-September 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How Exercise Can Improve Your Mental Health,” click here. For “A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA,” click here. For “Scientists Found Heavy Metals Like Lead In Many Chocolate Bars. Should Consumers Be Worried?” click here. For “Forget 10,000 Steps. Here’s How Much Science Says You Actually Need to Walk,” click here. For “Don’t Believe the Fitness Myths,” click here. For “Are You Satisfied with Your Friendships? Do You Ever Feel Lonely?” click here. For “9 Ways to Handle Nosy People..and why they ask in the first place,” click here. For “How a device for diabetics became a wellness accessory,” click here. For “12 Mindful Ways to Manage Your Stress,” click here. For “5 Of The Most Hated But Beneficial Exercises,” click here. For “A Comprehensive Guide to Engaging Your Core,” click here. For “How to Bounce Back from Vacation,” click here. For “Reduce Your Risk of Dementia,” click here. For “How to Work Out Out on Vacation: 10 Ways to Exercise Away From Home: Wondering how to work out on vacation — or whether you even should in the first place? Here are 10 tips for squeezing in a workout while away from home,” click here.

The August-September 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “This Company Promised to Improve Health Care in Jails. Dozens of Its Patients Have Died. Turn Key Health Clinics has quickly expanded to jails in 10 states. Our investigation found that some of the company’s policies and practices have endangered patients in jails, especially those with mental illness,” click here. For “Meet the New Generation of Unarmed Responders in this New Podcast Series: The Fifth Branch, a podcast from Tradeoffs and The Marshall Project, examines new, alternative ways to respond to 911 crisis calls,” click here. For “Sending Unarmed Responders Instead of Police: What We’ve Learned – There are more than 100 response teams nationwide, but experts say more research on their impact is needed,” click here. For “1,165 people have been shot and killed by police in the past 12 months. The Post has tracked 9,980 fatal police shootings since 2015,” click here. For “Suicide by cop among officer-involved shooting cases,” click here. For “The Marshall Project Launches ‘Investigate This’! Our toolkits will offer data, storytelling and engagement resources to empower more criminal justice reporting in local communities,” click here. For “Should We Abolish Prisons? Our carceral system is characterized by frequent brutality and ingrained indifference. Finding a better way requires that we freely imagine alternatives,” click here. For “Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2024 Update,” click here. For “Facts about the FBOP’s [Federal Bureau of Prisons’] Staffing and Facilities Crisis,” click here. For “Ferguson at Ten: How the Police Killing of Michael Brown Propelled a Decarceral Movement,” click here. For “Bodycam video reveals chaotic scene of deputy fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help,” click here.  For “Records show deputy charged in Sonya Massey’s fatal shooting worked for 6 agencies in 4 years,” click here. For “Ex-Philadelphia police officer sentenced to 8 to 20 years for shooting 12-year-old in the back: Prosecutors said Thomas ‘TJ’ Siderio had stopped running and was unarmed and on his hands and knees when he was killed in 2022,” click here. For “‘Torturous’: Judge places solitary confinement and mental health care at David Wade prison under federal oversight. The north Louisiana prison was using solitary confinement as a ‘depository for the mentally ill,’ judge had ruled,” click here. For “A Judge Ruled a Louisiana Prison’s Health Care System Has Failed Inmates for Decades. A Federal Law Could Block Reforms. The Prison Litigation Reform Act was passed to curtail the number of lawsuits filed by inmates over conditions behind bars. It has kept courts from forcing Louisiana to overhaul the medical system in its largest prison,” click here. For “Prisoners fight against working in heat on former slave plantation, raising hope for change in South,” click here. For “The Fight for Eric Garner Isn’t Over: On police misconduct, City Hall and the NYPD have gone back to business as usual,” click here. For “Federal Court Says Warrant Required for Device Searches at the Border: Cites concerns about chilling effects of warrantless searches on free speech & press freedom,” click here. For “Facing Rollbacks, Criminal Justice Reformers Argue Policies Make People Safer. Advocates are refining their rebuttal to ‘tough on crime’ messaging: Don’t focus on punishment, but on reforms that improve public safety” click here. For “The Big Prison Myth That Hurts Reform,” click here. For “Jailer agrees to plead guilty in case of inmate who froze to death at jail. Tony Mitchell, 33, died after being brought from the jail to a hospital emergency room with a body temperature of 72 degrees, according to a lawsuit,” click here. For “They Exposed Police Misconduct. Now They’re Paying a Steep Price. Whistleblower laws have advanced in public and private sectors, but protections for police who report illegal or unethical behavior lag far behind,” click here. For “Health, Access to Care, and Financial Barriers to Care Among People Incarcerated in US Prisons” (Abstract only), click here. For “I studied ShotSpotter in Chicago and Kansas City – here’s what people in Detroit and the more than 167 other cities and towns using this technology should know,” click here. For “Still Cruel and Unusual: Extreme Sentences for Youth and Emerging Adults,” click here. For “‘Deliberate Indifference’: Court Rulings Challenge Extreme Heat Conditions in Prisons: ‘If it’s 103 outside, it may be 107 to -8 inside of your cell,’ said a man who worked in the fields while imprisoned in Texas,” click here. For “Rikers Inmates Are Routinely Denied Medical Care, Court Filing Says: The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services asked a judge to hold New York City’s Department of Correction in contempt of court,” click here. For “They’ve been convicted of violent crimes. Now they’re learning about forgiveness,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES AND OTHER EVENTS

NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!

The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7! They include Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD, director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; a panel presentation on “Twilight of Liberty II: The Hidden Foundations of Psychiatric Coercion and Oppression, and What Can Be Done”; “Recent Developments in Mental Health Law”; and “Combatting Institutionalization in California in the Face of the CARE Act and other Recent Legislation.” There will be a Pre-Conference Institute for PAIMI Council Members: “PAIMI Councils as Leaders for Systemic Reform,” 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT, on September 4. For more information, click here.

Mental Health America Gears Up for Its 2024 Conference

The 2024 Mental Health America conference, whose theme is “Disrupt, Reform, Transform,” will be held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Policy Institute is on September 17; Affiliate Day is September 18; and the main conference is September 19-21. For more about the conference (including highlights from 2023) and to register, click here. 

NAADAC Invites Sponsors, Exhibitors, and/or Advertisers for Its 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day 

The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. For details of available exhibit, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities, click here.

ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27

The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30

The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024

The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

National Federation of Families Conference to Be Held in Orlando, Florida

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

City Voices’ Programs Forge Bonds Among Peers Who Share Interests 

City Voices, a New York City-based peer-run nonprofit with a national profile, offers programs for people with lived experience that can be accessed by phone and/or Zoom. These include the Friendship Squad, which promotes peer-to-peer friendships; the Spirituality Group, which  “offers a safe haven of emotional support and stimulating discussions surrounding various spiritual subjects”; and Peer Workers United, which helps peer supporters expand their peer networks and “take their peer support work to the next level.” For more about City Voices, click here.

ISEPP Calls for Nominations for Awards, to Be Presented at Its Annual Conference 

Nominations for the ISEPP Awards are open until August 31, 2024. The awards will be presented at ISEPP’s annual conference, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on October 26, 2024. The awards are the ISEPP Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded for a lifetime pursuing the goals and principles espoused by ISEPP and who has made a significant contribution toward that end; the ISEPP Special Achievement Award, awarded for a particular accomplishment in support of ISEPP goals and principles; and the Mary Karon Memorial Award for Humanitarian Concerns, awarded to someone who is not a mental health professional who has made significant contributions to ISEPP goals and principles. Please email docruby@me.com with your nominees' names, positions, and narratives explaining their accomplishments and why they are deserving of the particular award.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

RESEARCH NEWS

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

“Study Shows Listening to Mental Health Podcasts Reduces Stigma”

“Listening to mental health podcasts reduces stigma, supports the development of mental health literacy and increases help-seeking,” a new study, led by researchers at University College Cork, has found. “The study shows that mental health podcasts helped listeners to learn coping strategies, deepen their sense of self-compassion and effectively directed them to other services and resources. Researchers found that podcasts are a driving force in shifting perspectives from stigma to shared experiences. For the Medical Xpress article, click here. For the research, published in the journal Rural and Remote Health, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 3, August-September 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

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KEY UPDATE, JULY-AUGUST 2024, VOLUME 21, NUMBER 2

JULY 21, 2024
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To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that, under WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS, there is a webinar TODAY, July 22, at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT), four webinars tomorrow (July 23), two webinars on July 24, and one webinar on July 25. And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

Action Alert: Demand Official Recognition of Peer Support Specialists

The National Association of Peer Supporters writes: “The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, vital for workforce data and policy decisions, lacks a specific category for Peer Support Specialists. This oversight affects recognition and resources for the entire peer support profession. The Office of Management and Budget is inviting public comments for the 2028 SOC updates. This is our once-in-a-decade chance to advocate for a dedicated classification. Accurate data could lead to better policies, funding, and training programs.” For information about how to submit a comment before the August 12, 2024, deadline, click here. See also “Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health,” a new SAMHSA Issue Brief, under RESOURCES, below.

“New Study Exposes the Trauma of Involuntary Psychiatric Detention”

“A recent study highlights the negative experiences of involuntary psychiatric hospital admissions, revealing deep-seated issues of racism, discrimination, and lack of support within the mental healthcare system,” Mad In America (MIA) reports. For the MIA article, which includes a link to the Open Access study published in BMC Psychiatry, click here. In addition, studies have shown that “in the week following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, people are at a dramatically high risk for suicide.” For “Suicide Risk in Relation to Psychiatric Hospitalization,” click here.

“Patients on These Antidepressants Were More Likely to Gain Weight, Study Says” and Other Information to Consider Before Taking Antidepressants

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed the data of 183,118 individuals across eight U.S. health systems from 2010 to 2019. It found that some antidepressants were associated with more weight gain than others. Although a correlation with weight gain doesn’t mean the drug directly caused the weight gain, there are still many reasons to be wary of taking antidepressants. Previous editions of the Key Update included “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”: click here; “Warning Over Antidepressants as Top Experts Say They May Raise Risk of Suicide”: click here; “Antidepressants associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts in healthy adults”; click here; “Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit”: click here; and “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression”; click here. And for  the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” click here.

“Mental Health Experts Decry Supreme Court Decision Upholding the Criminalization of Homelessness and Highlight Proven Solutions”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Rural Mental Health, and National Association of Social Workers have criticized the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision in Johnson v. Grants Pass, which held that laws that criminalize sleeping in public when no safe and accessible shelter options are available are not cruel and unusual punishment. This will have devastating consequences on the large and growing number of Americans experiencing homelessness, including people with mental health disabilities. For the press release, click here.

“Study Shows Listening to Mental Health Podcasts Reduces Stigma”

“Listening to mental health podcasts reduces stigma, supports the development of mental health literacy and increases help-seeking,” a new study, led by researchers at University College Cork, has found. “The study shows that mental health podcasts helped listeners to learn coping strategies, deepen their sense of self-compassion and effectively directed them to other services and resources. Researchers found that podcasts are a driving force in shifting perspectives from stigma to shared experiences. For the Medical Xpress article, click here. For the research, published in the journal Rural and Remote Health, click here.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS 

(Webinars are free unless otherwise specified.)

“Making the Leap: Leadership Transition During Uncertainty”

On July 22 and July 25, 2024 (12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT), The Copeland Center will present a six-hour Continuing Education (CE) course “designed to provide participants with tactics and strategies that will allow them to more fully understand how to navigate through uncertainty while also providing team members and other stakeholders with a sense of stability as we go about executing our roles and responsibilities.” Tuition is $180. For more information and to register, click here.

A “Lunch and Learn” about “Peers in the Crisis Care Continuum” on July 23, and a New Peer Respite Will Open on August 5

On July 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), the California Health and Human Services Agency Behavioral Health Task Force will host a 90-minute “Lunch and Learn” about “Peers in the Crisis Care Continuum.” To register, click here. Resources include the recording of “Building Hope; A Journey Through Crisis Residential Services,” a webinar focused on Peer Respites by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (click here); and a 17-page SAMHSA Advisory on “Peer Support Services in Crisis Care (click here). Meanwhile, a new peer respite is scheduled to open on August 5, 2024! The Ferns Peer-Run Respite, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is sponsored by Hopeworx, Inc. Its mission: “To offer a welcoming environment for people experiencing distress in their lives that recognizes each individual as the expert on themself while also providing time, space, and connections that support their self-determination, healing, and growth.” Questions? Please contact Director Olivia Kripak: okripak@theferns.org, 610.733.0179.

“Transforming Trauma: Healing Justice for Mental Health”

On July 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will present a one-hour webinar on “the transformative power of healing justice in addressing mental health challenges in communities of color. We will explore how collective care strategies can serve as powerful interventions to break the generational trauma cycle.” For more information and to register, click here

“Fostering Trust & Employee Wellbeing Through Reflective & Relational-Based Supervision”

On July 23 and July 25, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), the Pacific Southwest MHTTC will present a two-part training on “how to provide supervision through a trauma-informed lens.” Each session is 90 minutes long. For more information and to register for one or both sessions, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

“Next Steps in Peer Support Credentialing: What Else is Needed Now That We Have National Model Standards from SAMHSA”

The date for this SAMHSA-sponsosred webinar, presented by NAMI, is July 24 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET. For more information and to register for this 90-minute webinar, click here. Questions? Please contact kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org or paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org 

“Mental Health Policy Roundtable: Navigating Deinstitutionalization–Past, Present, and Future Perspectives”

On July 24, 2024, at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), a distinguished panel “will begin a dialogue surrounding deinstitutionalization, mental health policy, and how we can learn from the past.” The panelists include Howard H. Goldman, Sydney Brownstone, Matthew L. Goldman, and reporter Will James, host of the Lost Patients podcast. The moderator will be David M. Wertheimer. To register for this virtual event, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Van Tosh)

“Young People in Advocacy: How We Can Help Elevate Youth Voices in Mental Health Advocacy”

On July 25, 2024, at 12 p.m., SAMHSA will sponsor a free webinar about “Young People in Advocacy”: “Join us to dive deep into how best to support youth in finding their voice in community, state, or even national advocacy, and how to keep youth voices in the spotlight. Learn to define the difference between helpful and harmful ways to engage with our young people.” For details and to register, click here. Questions? Please contact kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org or paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org 

“Navigating Concerns on Youth Crime, Violence, and Behavioral Health: What Does the Data Say?”

On July 29, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center will present a one-hour webinar to discuss their analysis of “the most recent behavioral health, arrest, and juvenile justice system data available so that policymakers can use this data to achieve two important goals: 1. Refocus the juvenile justice system on youth who are high-risk or commit serious and violent offenses, and ensure limited resources are invested in what works to improve public safety and youth outcomes; and 2. Develop a comprehensive state plan that addresses the systemic reasons for youth’s behaviors and ensures that the most vulnerable adolescents receive the services and supports they need to transition to a safe and healthy adulthood.” The webinar will also review new products that address these issues and areas. For more information and to register, click here.

“Voices From the Field: Centering Lived and Living Experience in Overdose Prevention”

On July 29, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will sponsor a webinar that, the National Council writes, will “include insights and strategies on successfully centering PWLLE [People With Lived and Living Experience] in overdose prevention work through health department and community collaborations.” For more information and to register, click here. And, they add: “Interested in learning more about how health departments can meaningfully include PWLLE in overdose surveillance and prevention efforts? Keep an eye on our webpage for our new tools to be released at the end of July!” (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

“Informal and Formal Family Peer Support: The Impact and Evidence” 

On July 30, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the National Federation of Families and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will present a 90-minute SAMHSA-sponsored TA Coalition webinar on “Informal and Formal Family Peer Support: The Impact and Evidence.” “[P]resenters will use their lived and professional expertise to discuss how the inclusion of person-centered, family-driven approaches to behavioral health support, such as family peer support, lead us towards a more equitable society where all families have access to high quality, holistic mental health support.” For details and to register, click here.

“Integrative Wellness Pop-Up Barber Shop”

On July 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour workshop that “will highlight a peer-led campus project that aimed to cultivate a culturally significant and wellness-informed environment for BIPOC male-identifying individuals on the campus of a Predominately White Institution (PWI).” For more information and to register, click here. 

“Early Psychosis: To Medicate or Not?”

On July 31, 2024, at 6 a.m. ET, 5 a.m. CT, 4 a.m. MT, 3 a.m. PT, ISPS-Australia will host a two-hour presentation on “Early Psychosis: To Medicate or Not?” The speakers will be Oryx Cohen, CEO of the National Empowerment Center; Dr. Amit Banerjee, a psychiatrist and ISPS-Australia board director; and Tara Coppins, a senior clinical psychologist and secretary of the ISPS-Australia board. People in the U.S. will receive a 50 percent discount on tickets if they use the code USFRIENDS50. For more information and to register, click here. Everyone who purchases a ticket will receive a copy of the recording.

“Best Practices to Promote Scene Safety During Mental Health Crises”

On July 31, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and 21st Century Policing Solutions will host a 90-minute webinar “on best practices to promote scene safety and a follow-up ask-the-expert hour with our presenters. Our discussion will explore crucial considerations in promoting best practices to ensure scene safety in a co-response to a mental health crisis.” For details and to register, click here. 

Next Judi’s Room: “If Assisted Suicide Is Legal, What Will Our Healthcare Be Like?”

On August 7 at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a discussion on the ramifications for healthcare if assisted suicide is considered a healthcare choice, and actions you can take when proposals are made. “State assisted suicide law proposals are expanding to include people with non-terminal illnesses. Some proposed laws have included anorexia, depression, schizophrenia, and/or dementia.” Among the laws that will be discussed critically are the proposed law in Michigan. The speakers will be John Kelly, director of Second Thoughts Massachusetts; Anita Cameron, director of minority outreach, Not Dead Yet; and Ian McIntosh, director of disability outreach, Patients’ Rights Action Fund. To join the call, click here. (Videos of many past Judi’s Rooms are on MindFreedom’s YouTube channel, here.)

“Transforming Mental Health Disability Research Through Lived Experience Leadership and Co-Production”

On August 8, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. ET), the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity of the National Institute of Mental Health will present a 90-minute webinar as part of its Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series. The webinar “will introduce a range of approaches to meaningfully integrate individuals with lived experiences of psychiatric disabilities into mental health research.” The presenter will be Nev Jones, Ph.D. For details and to register, click here. 

Wildflower Alliance to Present “When Conversation Turns to Suicide” 

In August, the Wildflower Alliance will host “a 16-hour training for people wanting to learn about and use the Alternatives to Suicide approach in their work and beyond.” The trainings will be on August 19, 20, 26, and 27, always from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, and held on Zoom. For more information and to register, click here.

“Communication: Healthy Boundaries”

On August 21 and August 22, 2024 (12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. PT), the Copeland Center will present a six-hour interactive Continuing Education (CE) course that “will explore the dynamics of establishing healthy personal and professional boundaries through communication skills. The course will cover strategies and tools to maintain healthy boundaries between peer specialists and service providers and peers receiving services. It will include role plays of difficult conversations, managing differing perspectives, and maintaining wellness through action planning.” Tuition is $180. For more information and to register, click here.

SAMHSA’s Second Annual Walk for Recovery Will Take Place on September 5

SAMHSA writes: “Come join us as we celebrate Recovery Month and raise awareness that recovery is possible. Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon will lead SAMHSA and other Federal Agencies, Recovery Communities and Organizations in a ‘Walk for Recovery’ here in Washington, DC, on September 5, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET, at Freedom Plaza.” For more information, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

City Voices’ Programs Forge Bonds Among Peers Who Share Interests 

City Voices, a New York City-based peer-run nonprofit with a national profile, offers programs for people with lived experience that can be accessed by phone and/or Zoom. These include the Friendship Squad, which promotes peer-to-peer friendships; the Spirituality Group, which  “offers a safe haven of emotional support and stimulating discussions surrounding various spiritual subjects”; and Peer Workers United, which helps peer supporters expand their peer networks and “take their peer support work to the next level.” For more about City Voices, click here.

CONFERENCES

“Alliance Announces Annual Conference Scholarship Opportunities! Apply Today!”

August 1 at close of business is the deadline to apply for one of the limited number of scholarships to attend the 2024 Alliance for Rights and Recovery annual conference, to be held September 25-27 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, New York. “We will be awarding scholarships on a first-come first-served basis," so please complete the Google form at the link below as soon as possible. For more information and the application, click here.

ISEPP Calls for Nominations for Awards, to Be Presented at Its Annual Conference 

Nominations for the ISEPP Awards are open until August 31, 2024. The awards will be presented at ISEPP’s annual conference, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on October 26, 2024. The awards are the ISEPP Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded for a lifetime pursuing the goals and principles espoused by ISEPP and who has made a significant contribution toward that end; the ISEPP Special Achievement Award, awarded for a particular accomplishment in support of ISEPP goals and principles; and the Mary Karon Memorial Award for Humanitarian Concerns, awarded to someone who is not a mental health professional who has made significant contributions to ISEPP goals and principles. Please email docruby@me.com with your nominees' names, positions, and narratives explaining their accomplishments and why they are deserving of the particular award.

NAADAC Invites Sponsors, Exhibitors, and/or Advertisers for Its 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day 

The 2024 Annual Conference and Hill Day of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors will be held October 18-23 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Exhibit dates are October 18-20. For information about the conference, click here. For details of available exhibit, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities, click here.

APHA Annual Meeting and Expo October 27-30

The 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association will take place October 27-30 in Minneapolis. For more information and to register, click here.

RESOURCES AND ARTICLES

July Is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network is offering an array of products and resources related to minority mental health. In addition, the MHTTC has included products and resources from other organizations, such as the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the American Indian and Alaska Native Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, Mental Health America, and others. For this information, click here. For the recent MHTTC newsletter, which includes links to additional information, click here.

“Expanding Peer Support and Supporting the Peer Workforce in Mental Health”

This 20-page SAMHSA Issue Brief, published in June 2024, “summarizes the benefits of peer support and discusses how states can support inclusion of the peer workforce across the behavioral health continuum. Information in this issue brief will enhance states’ knowledge of peer support and assist in the inclusion and expansion of peer support throughout the behavioral health continuum.” To download the free report, click here.

“Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask”

“This new edition of ‘Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask’ advances the original Stepping Up framework, published in 2017, by embedding a racial equity lens and uplifting the voices of people with lived experience. It provides six guiding questions for county leaders, offers tips gleaned from counties across the country that answered the call to action, and addresses ongoing challenges.” For more information and a link to the 17-page document from the Council of State Governments Justice Center, click here.

“Unlocking Qualitative Data in Mental Health Research”

The researchers write: “This paper presents the results of a scoping review of qualitative diary methods (QDMs) in mental health research, aimed at clarifying how diary methods are used in mental health research, and outlining key decisions and considerations in planning and conducting a qualitative diary study. Forty-eight papers were reviewed, and the findings highlight different elements of QDMs.” For the website, click here. For the article, published in European Psychologist, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice”

“ ‘The Modern Psychiatrist’s Guide to Contemporary Practice: Discussion, Dissent, and Debate in Mental Health Care’ provides an overview of psychiatry, starting with the most fundamental question of all: why does psychiatry exist? Key topics are covered, such as diagnosing mental illness, controversial treatments, involuntary admission, human rights, suicide, and global inequality.” The author, Brendan Kelly, is a professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. For the Open Access version of this 272-page book, published on July 3, 2024, click here.

“Twenty-five Years of Olmstead: Life in the Community for All”

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This edition of Focus 2.0 looks back on twenty-five years of the Olmstead decision, which effectively ended legal institutionalization and the placement of people with mental health disabilities in segregated settings. How far have we come, and what remains to be done?” For the newsletter, click here.

“Schizophrenia, stigma and systems hold so many back, which made it tough to celebrate my hard-won tenure”

Nev Jones, Ph.D., writes: “17 years passed between enrollment in a graduate program that didn’t want me and receipt of tenure at Pitt. Along the way, I learned the hard way that the mental health system often doesn’t listen closely to its consumers.” For the article, click here.

The July-August 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How Walking Improves Back Health,” click here. For “Yes, heat can affect your brain and mood. Here's why,” click here. For “Hot Weather Hydration Hacks,” click here. For “I’m a dentist. Here are 5 things I never do to my teeth,” click here. For “How Can I Manage Loneliness,” click here. For “How to Make New Friends,” click here. For “Walking can help people with lower back pain. Here's how,” click here. For “Simple Fitness Tests You Can Complete at Home,” click here. For “Your brain needs rest. Here are five ways to get some,” click here. For “How to Check a Sketchy Link Without Clicking It,” click here. “Is Forgiveness Overrated? Why I Believe ‘Forgiveness’ is Not Necessary for Healing,” click here. For “The Best Clothing for Humidity and Hot Weather,” click here. For “Too tired for physical activity? Here are the top 12 ways to get more energy,” click here. For “Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep,” click here. For “9 Exercises to Increase Strength and Mobility in Your Feet: You need flexibility and stability to train effectively. That starts in your toes,” click here.

The July-August 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Meet the New Generation of Unarmed First Responders in This New Podcast Series: ‘The Fifth Branch,’ a podcast from The Marshall Project and Tradeoffs, examines new, alternative ways to respond to 911 crisis calls,” click here. For “Remedying Wrongs: The administrative remedy process is a roadblock to challenging inhumane prison conditions. With the help of advocates, people in prison are fighting back,” click here. For “‘Bringing a gun to a knife fight’: LAPD continues to shoot people holding ‘edged weapon’ during mental crisis, analysis shows,” click here. For “Missouri woman’s murder conviction tossed after 43 years. Her lawyers say a police officer did it: Sandra Hemme was being treated at a psychiatric hospital when she incriminated herself decades ago,” click here. For “Appeals court orders release of woman whose murder conviction was reversed after 43 years in prison,” click here. For “Big Screen Abolition: Films That Imagine Decarceral Futures Are a Cultural Antidote for the Carceral Messages and Aesthetics So Prevalent in Popular Media,” click here. For “Unsettled People: Prison transfers are routinely used to punish, disorient, and isolate incarcerated people, disconnecting them from family, friends, community, and all sense of place,” click here. For “New Yorkers Were Choked, Beaten and Tased by NYPD Officers. The Commissioner Buried Their Cases. New York City’s Police Commissioner Edward Caban has repeatedly used a little-known authority called “retention” to prevent officers accused of misconduct from facing public disciplinary trials. Victims are never told their cases have been buried,” click here. For “Two years after the end of Roe v. Wade, most women on probation and parole have to ask permission to travel for abortion care,” click here. For “The New Battle Over an Old Institution: Forced Prison Labor: Inside the latest legal and legislative efforts to close state constitutional loopholes that allow slavery as punishment for a crime,” click here. For “A judge committed these Maine patients to a hospital. Some say they’re being sent to prison: Maine has been quietly sending people found not criminally responsible for their crimes to a controversial, for-profit facility in South Carolina where they say they are not getting mental health treatment,” click here. For “All of the Above: Prosecutors alone won’t end mass incarceration. But their interventions can mean the world to people staring down the many harms of criminalization,” click here. For “Across Maine, judges are deciding when the lack of an attorney becomes a constitutional violation,” click here. For “Vending machines selling bullets at grocery stores,” click here. For “Community Is a Verb: Defund gives us a platform and pathway to reimagine a society with less police, more care, and services that meet the needs of all,” click here. For “Media Guide: 10 Crime Coverage Dos and Don’ts—The Sentencing Project’s new media guide can help media outlets develop coverage that will better inform the public and policymakers on how to pursue the most effective and humane public safety policies,” click here. For “Prison Reform’s Shell Game: Hard-won legislation meant to limit or end solitary confinement has run up against the power of correctional systems to neutralize change,” click here. For “Milwaukee man's death captured on video exposes same flaws as George Floyd case | Opinion: There are parallels between D'Vontaye Mitchell's death and that of George Floyd Jr.,” click here. For “There’s a Junk Science Crisis in Criminal Convictions. Sonia Sotomayor Calls It Out in Alabama Bite-Mark Case. While the court refused to review the 1985 case of Charles McCrory, Sotomayor urged states to pass laws to help exonerate people imprisoned on debunked forensic evidence,” click here. For “Congress Set To Have New Oversight Over The Federal Bureau Of Prisons,” click here. For “I Watched My Neighbor Die a Preventable Death Due to Scorching Heat in Prison: Breathing was hard for all of us in the heat. I screamed for help when he collapsed but it didn’t come soon enough,” click here. For “Texas’ Plantation Prisons: Inside a 200-Year History of Forced Labor Shrouded in Secrecy…Punishments, injuries, and deaths—including from heat—on TDCJ farms are more hidden than they were in the years following convict leasing,” click here. For “Women don’t have equal access to college in prison. Here’s why,” click here. For “On His Way Out, North Carolina Governor Expands Support for People Leaving Prison: An executive order directs state agencies to improve reentry services and fix a broken system that failed me and thousands of others released from prison into homelessness each year,” click here. For “Squinting in the Sunlight: Most reentry programs assume a person who is able to work and live on their own. Those of us who are older don’t have that kind of freedom,” click here. For “A County Jail Near a Colorado Resort Town Uses Suicide Smocks and ‘WRAPs’ to Restrain Agitated Prisoners: These restraints can be dangerous if used incorrectly, leading critics to call for a different approach,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!

The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7! They include Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD, director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; a panel presentation on “Twilight of Liberty II: The Hidden Foundations of Psychiatric Coercion and Oppression, and What Can Be Done”; “Recent Developments in Mental Health Law”; and “Combatting Institutionalization in California in the Face of the CARE Act and other Recent Legislation.” There will be a Pre-Conference Institute for PAIMI Council Members: “PAIMI Councils as Leaders for Systemic Reform,” 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT, on September 4. For more information, click here.

Mental Health America Announces the Tentative Schedule for Its 2024 Conference

The 2024 Mental Health America conference, whose theme is “Disrupt, Reform, Transform,” will be held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Policy Institute is on September 17; Affiliate Day is September 18; and the main conference is September 19-21. For the tentative agenda, click here. Early bird rates close on June 21; to register, click here.

MHEP to Host Two Upcoming Virtual Trainings in July

On July 23, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., MHEP will present “Language Matters, with Jen.” And on July 25, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Building Better Boundaries, with Kate.” The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84791633281 . Questions? Contact Jennifer at jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393

NTTAC Promotes Its Community Wellness and Peer Support Training Academy

The National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health offers its Community Wellness and Peer Support (CWAPS) Training Academy, which it describes as “a diverse collection of presentations, trainings, and resources that together share a commitment to fostering resilience, promoting empathy, and cultivating collaborative relationships within communities.” Their offerings include a training on July 24, 2024. “No-cost continuing education hours are available for mental health providers and peer support specialists!” For more information and to register, click here. 

ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27

The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024

The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

Registration Opens for National Federation of Families Conference 

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

MacArthur Foundation Announces Competition for a Single $100 Million Grant

“We are launching a new round of 100&Change, our competition for a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world's most critical social challenges,” the MacArthur Foundation writes. “100&Change remains open to organizations and collaborations working in any field, anywhere in the world. Competitive proposals will address a significant problem and provide a solution that is impactful, evidence-based, feasible, durable, and just. Are you ready to solve a problem?” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Saenger)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the SeriesI

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here.

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Launch National Online Survey Study of Black Women’s Health

Researchers at the University of Oregon, with others at UNC-Charlotte and Drexel University, “are working with Black female scholars, clinicians, and community members on a national online survey study investigating negative (e.g., discrimination) and positive (e.g., community ties, embodied joy) experiences and health behaviors among Black women. The goal of this project is to examine the links between systemic injustice, resilience, and mental and physical health…Participation will consist of a 20- to 30-minute online survey; participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.” For a link to the survey, email therenewlab@uoregon.edu. For questions, email the research intern, ohosh@uoregon.edu, or the PI, mosa@uoregon.edu. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA Has Published a Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit 

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit is available for download at mhanational.org/july and a Spanish translation is also available. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here.

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 2, July-August 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, June-July 2024, Volume 21, Number 1

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that, under WEBINARS AND TRAININGS, there are six webinars tomorrow (June 20): Three begin at 12 p.m. ET, two begin at 1 p.m. ET, and one begins at 4 p.m. ET. And, under CONFERENCES, the first conference is also tomorrow, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.! There are other upcoming deadlines in the CONFERENCES category! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

Action Alert: Stop David Russell From Being Forcibly Electroshocked! And Others Need Your Help Too!

MindFreedom International’s Shield Program has issued a Shield Alert on behalf of David Russell, who is being subjected to ECT against his will, despite the fact that, on May 8, 2024, he had been informed that they had decided against it. But the doctor changed her mind, and David was subjected to forced electroshock on June 13. For information about how to help David avoid additional forced ECT, click here. And for a Shield Alert to help Juba Mahiou, who has been detained for more than six months on a psychiatric ward in Canada, click here. And to stop Jeremy Cummings from being forcibly drugged, click here. For the Shield Alert Feed, which has information about others who need your help, click here. And for more about MindFreedom’s Shield Program, click here.

The Risks Involved with Calling 988 Are Highlighted by Mad In America; “National Strategy on Suicide Prevention” Includes 988

In one of two recent articles published by Mad In America–“ ‘Confidential’ 988 Conversation Records Shared with Corporations”–investigative journalist Rob Wipond reports on the danger that what individuals say when they call 988 may “be shared, without caller consent, with researchers, AI developers, and corporations for their own undisclosed purposes…” For the article, click here. And in “Dramatic Rise in Police Interventions on 988 Callers,” Wipond reports that “[n]ew data reveals that four times as many callers to 988 as previously publicly claimed are getting visited by police or emergency medical services.” For that article, click here. And for “Changing the Course on Suicide: The Launch of a New National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, which links to the “2024 National Strategy on Suicide Prevention,” which includes “Funding a mobile crisis locator for use by 988 crisis centers,” click here.

CMS Revises Its 2007 Guidance on Peer Supervision in Favor of Peers 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) strongly urges states to consider asking for approval for Medicaid-funded peer supporters to be supervised by “other peers with more experience and training in the provision of peer support services, even if the supervising peer support provider does not have formal behavioral health training or licensure,” according to their clarification dated June 5, 2024. For the revised guidance, which includes a link to the 2007 guidance, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

“Mental Health Disparities May Cost Trillions,” a New Report Predicts

“If left unaddressed, mental health inequities could lead to about $14 trillion in excess costs between now and 2040,” according to a recent analysis by the Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College. “The report states that “certain populations such as racial or ethnic minority groups, the justice-involved community…, people living with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, low-income individuals, and many others, have historically experienced challenges at a rate that is unsettlingly high”; and it offers recommendations to reduce these disparities. For the report–“The projected costs and economic impact of mental health inequities in the United States”–click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

LA County Is Illegally Holding Hundreds of People with Mental Health Conditions in Jail and Locked Facilities

People with mental health conditions who are in conservatorships are being held in Los Angeles County jails even after their criminal charges are dropped, according to “ ‘STUCK’: Los Angeles County’s Abuse and Neglect of People on Mental Health Conservatorships in Jail and Locked Psychiatric Facilities,” a recent report by Disability Rights California (DRC). For the report, which includes DRC’s recommendations, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

“Best States for Living with a Disability”

“To get a better sense of which states are more livable for people with disabilities, we analyzed state data across almost 30 metrics,” Policygenius writes. “We found that the best states for living with a disability are North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The worst are Mississippi, California, and Texas.” For the article, which ranks all the states, click here. (Courtesy of Lee Goldberg)

CONFERENCES

“Legal Strategies to Protect Your Freedom in the Mental Health System”

On June 20, 2024, the Mental Health Empowerment Project will host a conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on how to “Protect Your Rights!!” The conference, presented by Mental Hygiene Legal Services, will be held in person at 204 Second Street, Albany, NY, or via Zoom. To register, contact Jennifer at jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393. For the flyer, which includes the Zoom link, click here.

N.A.P.S. Extends Workshop Proposal Deadline and Opens Scholarship Applications for Its Annual Conference 

June 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET (8.59 p.m. PT) is the extended deadline to submit a proposal for the 2024 conference (October 16-17 in Chicago) of the National Association of Peer Supporters (N.A.P.S.), organized in partnership with the Alliance for Rights and Recovery. The conference theme is Reclaiming Our Power. (Presenters receive complimentary admission.) June 30 is also the deadline to apply for a scholarship (covering only registration). Early bird registration will close on July 31; sales for virtual tickets will begin on August 1. To submit a proposal, click here. To apply for a scholarship, click here. To register for the conference, click here. For more information, click here.

NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!

The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7! They include Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD, director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; a panel presentation on “Twilight of Liberty II: The Hidden Foundations of Psychiatric Coercion and Oppression, and What Can Be Done”; “Recent Developments in Mental Health Law”; and “Combatting Institutionalization in California in the Face of the CARE Act and other Recent Legislation.” There will be a Pre-Conference Institute for PAIMI Council Members: “PAIMI Councils as Leaders for Systemic Reform,” 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT, on September 4. For more information, click here.

Mental Health America Announces the Tentative Schedule for Its 2024 Conference

The 2024 Mental Health America conference, whose theme is “Disrupt, Reform, Transform,” will be held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Policy Institute is on September 17; Affiliate Day is September 18; and the main conference is September 19-21. For the tentative agenda, click here. Early bird rates close on June 21; to register, click here.

July 1 is the Deadline to Submit a Proposal for the Alliance for Rights and Recovery Conference!

The 2024 conference of the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS) will be held at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, New York, September 25-27. The theme is Leading the Charge for Recovery, Rights, and Justice. Wellness and peer support pioneers Mary Ellen Copeland, Shery Mead, and Peggy Swarbrick will be featured speakers. To submit a proposal, click here. Scholarship applications will be available soon! To register, click here.

WEBINARS AND TRAININGS

Note: The first six webinars below are on June 20, 2024: Three begin at 12 p.m. ET, two begin at 1 p.m. ET, and one begins at 4 p.m. ET.

“Peers as Ambassadors for Career Service”

On June 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS) will present, as part of its “Virtual Career Quest Webinar Series,” a free, one-hour webinar on “ ‘Peers as Ambassadors for Career Service’…The Alliance invites you, especially peers, to join our speaker…as he highlights the positive reasons to assist yourself and others to add career discovery and job search to a personal recovery journey by learning more about Individualized Placement and Support Tools.” To register, click here.   

“Mental Health of Black American Men”

On June 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Central East MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) will present a free, one-hour webinar on the “Mental Health of Black American Men.” “This webinar will highlight aspects of mental health where Black American men appear to be at particular risk of poor outcomes when compared to men of other races/ethnicities. The sources of these disparities and strategies for resilience will be discussed.” For details and to register, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

“Integrating Yoga and Meditation into Individual and Group Peer Sessions”

On June 20, 2024, 12 p.m.-1 p.m. ET, PENTAC will present Tobi Gold, who “has been practicing yoga, breath, and mindfulness meditation for over 20 years. In addition to being a CRPS, she holds a master’s degree in education from Lesley University, and is certified in Yoga for Trauma, Yoga, the 12 Steps to Recovery, and Restorative Yoga.” To register, click here. Questions? Contact Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org.

“Finding One’s Advocacy Community: Stories and Insights from the Disability Community”

On June 20, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the ACL Grassroots Project will present a 90-minute webinar, hosted by HSRI (Human Services Research Institute), “to hear from advocates about the steps they took in finding their disability advocacy community, the trials and tribulations along the way, any tips for success, and ultimately how they see disability advocates maintaining a sense of connection.” To register, click here. Questions? Contact Laura Bernas at grassroots@hsri.org.

Mental Health America to Host Three Upcoming Webinars

On June 20, July 18, and July 23, Mental Health America will present three one-hour webinars, respectively: June 20, 1 p.m. ET, Relax And Restore: Yoga, Breathwork & Mindfulness; July 18, 1 p.m. ET, Cultural Context: Bridging Generational Gaps In BIPOC Mental Health; and July 23, 2 p.m. ET, Transforming Trauma: Healing Justice For Mental Health. To learn more about all three webinars, either click on the links above or click here.

“Warmlines, Helplines, and Crisis Lines Offer the Help You Need When You Need It”

On June 20, 2024, at 4 p.m. ET, NAMI Ask the Expert will present a 90-minute webinar on “warmlines, helplines, and crisis lines.” The presenters will be Alex Boyd, senior manager of The Trevor Project’s 988 Digital Operations; Howard Trachtman, co-founder of Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community; Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI’s chief advocacy officer; and Dawn P. Brown, NAMI’s national HelpLine services director.” To register and submit questions in advance,” click here. (Please see also the first item under NEWS, above: “The Risks Involved with Calling 988 Are Highlighted by Mad In America; ‘National Strategy on Suicide Prevention’ Includes 988.”)

“Healing With Pride, Supporting LGBTQ Youth Mental Health”

On June 21 at 4 p.m. ET, Medpage Today will host an Instagram Live event during which “a panel of experts will discuss solutions to the mental health challenges impacting LGBTQ youth and the provision of equitable care.” Medpage Today writes: Only 28% of youth mental health facilities in the U.S. offered LGBTQ-specific services in 2020, a marginal increase from 25% in 2014. Healthcare professionals have the potential to play a crucial role in improving access amid this shortage, but according to experts, medical schools are not adequately preparing future physicians to care for LGBTQ patients.” To join the webinar, follow @medpage on Instagram. For more information and to submit questions in advance, click here.

“The Living Room: Leveraging the Peer Workforce in Crisis Stabilization” 

(Note: After this workshop was included in the June 2024 Key Update, it was postponed.)

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), has tentatively scheduled the third session in its four-part, SAMHSA-sponsored Crisis Stabilization Learning Series for June 24, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET. “As crisis response services systems continue to evolve, it is imperative that service systems and delivery be informed by those with lived experience of receiving these services…The Living Room Model [is] one such recovery-centered alternative.” For more information and to register, click here. 

“Supervision & Support of the Peer Specialist”

From June 24 through June 28, 2024, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. ET daily, the Copeland Center will present a five-day training about which it writes, “Skills in this course are applicable to anyone who supervises or is learning to supervise peers. If you are from PA, this course meets state qualification[s] to provide supervision for trained and certified peer specialists.” The facilitators are Kyneta Lee and Alexandra Fernandez. “This course includes both Zoom Sessions and independent study through the Canvas platform. Participants must complete all components to receive a certificate.” Tuition is $450. For more information, click here. To register, click here.

“Building an Inclusive Resilient Culture”

On June 25, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a free, one-hour webinar on “Building an Inclusive Resilient Culture.” “We'll explore the crucial intersection of inclusion and resilience within organizational culture. Delving deeper, we'll dissect the nuances between climate and culture and how they impact the workplace environment. You will gain valuable insight into strategies to foster a culture of inclusivity and resilience within mental health support settings.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Asking for Support at Work and in Relationships”

On June 26, 2024, at 11 a.m. ET, Mindspring Mental Health Alliance will present “Asking for Support at Work and in Relationships.” “Choosing to disclose information about mental health is a personal decision that often has to be made more than once. Discuss what factors to consider when making the decision and how to make the disclosure when the time feels right, with a licensed therapist.” To register, click here. For information about other free Mindspring webinars, click here.

NEC Will Present “Creating an LGBTQIA+ Summer Camp” 

On June 27, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET,  the National Empowerment Center will present a free, 90-minute webinar entitled “Creating an LGBTQIA+ Summer Camp: Creating Representation and Safe Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth.” The presenter will be Jess Bowman, the co-founder and director for Camp Beacon, Kentucky’s first and only summer camp experience for LGBTQ+ youth. Her mission is to produce safe, fun and affirming spaces for young people to thrive and find joy.” For more information and to register, click here.  

“SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery Invites You to a Webinar on Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living”

On June 28, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, “learn how psychiatric advance directives (PAD) can promote community living. This event will describe the benefits and challenges of completing a PAD, highlight the role peers can play in advancing PAD usage, and share tools and innovations. Provider, advocate, and peer perspectives will be included.” For more information and to register for the one-hour webinar, click here. For the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives, click here. And for “Advance Self-Advocacy Plan: An easy-to-use, customizable plan for people who want to create a Psychiatric Advance Directive or Mental Health Crisis Plan,” published by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, click here.

“A Chat with Author Antonia Hylton about Madness & Race”

On June 30, 2024, at 12:30 p.m., the Wildflower Alliance will host a one-hour conversation with Antonia Hylton, author of “Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum.” To register, click here. For the July 2024 Wildflower Alliance newsletter, which includes other important information, click here.

MHEP to Host Four Free Virtual Trainings in July

On July 3, 2024, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project will present “Self-Advocacy, with Kenedy.” On July 11, 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Public Speaking and Winning Presentations, with Bryant.” On July 23, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., MHEP will present “Language Matters, with Jen.” And on July 25, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET, MHEP will present “Building Better Boundaries, with Kate.” The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84791633281 . Questions? Contact Jennifer at jhastings@mhepinc.org or call 518.434.1393

Update! There Will Not Be a Judi’s Room in July!

“Judi’s Room is a free monthly public event for facilitating intersectional dialogue on the subjects of disabilities and mental illness. It is presented remotely by MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On via Zoom on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. ET, and typically begins with an educational presentation by one or more expert panelists followed by an open discussion in which any attendees may take part.” For more information, click here. Please make a note of the Zoom link, which will be live sometime before the next Judi’s Room, which will likely be on August 7 at 6 p.m. ET: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189

“Hold Onto Hope” Webinar Is for Suicide Loss Survivors 

On July 11, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET, Honor Connor will host “Hold Onto Hope,” a “community-based education program specifically designed to support individuals who have personally experienced a suicide loss and individuals who want to support others experiencing suicide loss…We typically host the Hold Onto Hope webinar every first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. ET.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Recovery-oriented Practice Webinar Series with Patricia E. Deegan, PhD”

“In this webinar series, Patricia E. Deegan, PhD, will offer proven frameworks and tools for navigating risk, managing professional boundaries and engaging with people around psychiatric medications. Drawing on her own lived experience of recovery after being diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, as well as over 30 years developing recovery-oriented practices, Pat will emphasize practical approaches to supporting folks in their recovery. Peer specialists, direct service staff, clinicians and psychiatric care providers are welcome and will find the information helpful.” The four sessions are recorded and can be viewed at your convenience. For the series, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

MacArthur Foundation Announces Competition for a Single $100 Million Grant

“We are launching a new round of 100&Change, our competition for a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world's most critical social challenges,” the MacArthur Foundation writes. “100&Change remains open to organizations and collaborations working in any field, anywhere in the world. Competitive proposals will address a significant problem and provide a solution that is impactful, evidence-based, feasible, durable, and just. Are you ready to solve a problem?” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Saenger)

“Interested in Participating in More Meaningful Activities?”

The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has “developed a new online peer group workshop called REACH (Resilience, Education, Action, Community, Health) with the goal of bringing activity into, or back into, your life. The Copeland Center is partnering with Temple University on a research study to examine the impact of REACH…You may be eligible for up to $100 in gift cards as compensation for your time.” The study involves a 12-session peer-delivered online intervention. If you are interested, please contact tucollab@temple.edu.

Do You Have a Child with a Mental Health Condition? Researchers Want Your Input.

Researchers at Cal State Monterey Bay are recruiting working parents and caregivers of children with mental health disabilities in the U.S. for a study of the difficulties associated with disclosing a child's mental health status to an employer, and the factors that affect if, when, and how to do so. The results of the myChoice Project will inform the development of resources for working parents to help them decide when and how to disclose their children's disability-related care demands to supervisors. Participants may complete a virtual 30-minute to 40-minute individual interview, via Zoom, or a 20-minute online survey. Interview participants will receive a $50 Amazon gift card; survey participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. To sign up for an interview, click here. Questions? Contact LiStewart@csumb.edu or click here.

“Thieves Like Us” Survey Is Recruiting Participants

“The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on burnout, compassion fatigue, and the loss of compassion satisfaction among peer support specialists” is the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso. The study “aims to combat these issues and empower participants through individual character strengths.” Participants, who can be any gender and ethnicity, must work either full-time or part-time as a peer support specialist, and must speak English. Participants can earn “up to $25 in certificates.” For more information, contact Eugene Lopez, 915.316.6158 or elopez48@miners.utep.edu. (Courtesy of Peer Support Coalition of Florida)

July 9 Is the Deadline to Apply for Individualized Technical Assistance from NCAPPS

“NCAPPS (National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems) is providing free short-term direct technical assistance to states who need support implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the HCBS Final Rule requirements…Preference will be given to states with strong leadership buy-in and established relationships with advocacy organizations.” To apply for technical assistance, complete the online application form. Questions? Write to ncapps@hsri.org. (This opportunity originally ran in the May 2024 edition of the Key Update.) For more information, click here. And scroll down at the same link for a new “NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning.” (Or see RESOURCES, below, for details.)

RESOURCES

Artists for Change Picks Up Where Altered States of the Arts Left Off

Artists for Change, created by a team led by movement pioneer Gayle Bluebird, has evolved from Altered States of the Arts, which was co-founded decades ago by Bluebird, Howie the Harp, and others. Artists for Change is a “ ‘home’ for historical works of artists who participated in the Consumer/Survivor Movement,” and “is intended to serve as a remembrance for those who were there, a resource for those who want to know more about the movement, and a place to view some of the art of that period.” The site also provides “historical videos and presentations, information about peer-run art centers, art programs, and art projects that peer specialists can easily do with people to help them use creative expression in healing trauma.” Bluebird writes: “Art that elicits emotions in the viewer–whether shock, surprise, disgust, humor, anger, or joy–requires time to sink in, not only to appreciate what is seen but also to feel at a deeper level what the artist might be communicating.” To view the website, click here.

“Peer-Run Respite Approaches to Supporting People Experiencing an Emotional Crisis”

“Research shows that guests experience peer-run respites as empowering and safe places where they feel more seen, heard, and respected than they do in conventional settings.” So begins a recent article by Lauren Spiro, MA, and Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, published by the American Psychiatric Association. “In a discussion informed by their experiences and the literature, the authors examine how peer-run respites differ from conventional psychiatric crisis response services in their basic philosophy: how emotional crisis is understood, the goal of crisis response, how trauma is viewed, the importance of self-determination, power dynamics, and relationality.” For the article, click here.

MHA to Publish Free BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit on June 21

Mental Health America writes: “July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” and its new toolkit will “provide free, practical resources to help navigate mental health stigma, bridge generational differences, dismantle mental health myths, and encourage meaningful conversations. The toolkit will be available for download on June 21 at mhanational.org/july and Spanish translations will be available shortly thereafter. We’re also working to improve our online BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.” 

“Inpatient Psychiatric Care in the United States: Former Patients’ Perspectives on Opportunities for Quality Improvement”

The researchers write: “We fielded a national survey online in 2021, in which we asked participants to report their recommendations for care improvement through a free-response box….Most responses described negative experiences, with suggested improvements implied as the inverse or absence of the respondent's negative experience. Among 510 participants, we identified 10 themes: personalized care, empathetic connection, communication, whole health approach, humane care, physical safety, respecting patients’ rights and autonomy, structural environment, equitable treatment, and continuity of care and systems….” For the article, click here.

“New NCAPPS Resource: A National Environmental Scan of Technical Assistance Needs for Person-Centered Planning”

NCAPPS writes: “Despite progress, states continue to grapple with how to effectively implement person-centered planning in a way that aligns with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Many states continue to seek technical assistance to support maintaining or coming into compliance with the requirements. This environmental scan seeks to understand common themes across those states that continue to need technical assistance around person-centered planning.” For the 32-page document, click here.

STAT Offers Free E-Book on “Improving Care for the Aging Population”

“Aging populations can often feel lonely, need to make nutritional sacrifices, or find themselves unable to pay essential bills. Many also have difficulty navigating the health care system and government and community resources, all of which pose substantial challenges. This collection of STAT journalism tackles these and other critical issues facing an aging population. STAT reporters spotlight gaps in care, including the absence of tailored food delivery services for Medicare recipients and the hurdles faced in accessing insurance coverage due to AI-based denials.” To download STAT’s free e-book, click here.

The June-July 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “First Aid Instructions for 10 Medical Emergencies,” click here. For “Ice Vs. Heat: When to Use Which for Aches & Pain,” click here. For “What to Do When Your Spouse Refuses to See a Doctor,” click here. For “Getting Started on the Path to Better Balance,” click here. For “Treating COVID-19 at Home: Care Tips for You and Others,” click here. For “Advantages of Water-based Exercise,” click here. For “How to limit microplastic exposure in your daily life: ‘The less processed, the less plastic,’ professor says,” click here. For “Lifesaving Advice for Recognizing Signs of a Stroke,” click here. For “A 20-Minute Intense Workout That’s Easy on Your Joints,” click here. For “The Psychological Importance of Wasting Time,” click here. For “What is a plant-based diet and why should you try it?” click here. For “Becoming a Vegetarian,” click here. For “7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Vegetarian: I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 15 years. Here’s what I wish I knew before I gave up meat,” click here. For “The Vegan Diet,” click here.

The June-July 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “They Were in a Mental Health Crisis at a Hospital. This Is How They Landed in Jail. In Washington, like most states, laws intended to protect health care workers are leading to prosecutions of people with severe mental illness,” click here. For “This Mississippi Hospital Transfers Some Patients to Jail to Await Mental Health Treatment: Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto doesn’t have a psychiatric unit, so it sends patients elsewhere for mental health treatment. When publicly funded facilities are full, some patients go to jail to wait for help. One doctor said that’s ‘unthinkable,’” click here. For “A transgender man was in mental distress. Police wound up killing him. The parents of Jasper Aaron Lynch, shot by a Fairfax County officer in 2022, recall his years of emotional turmoil and fatal encounter with police in their home,” click here. For “Can State Supreme Courts Preserve—or Expand—Rights? With a lopsided conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, progressive activists are seeking legal opportunities in state constitutions,” click here. For “ ‘How do you get hypothermia in a prison?’ Records show hospitalizations among Virginia inmates. The AP obtained records showing inmates at Marion, which houses predominantly mentally ill offenders, were hospitalized for hypothermia at least 13 times in three years during cold-weather months while medical providers expressed concern about temperatures at the prison,” click here. For “Officials Failed to Act When COVID Hit Prisons. A New Study Shows the Deadly Cost. People in prison died at 3.4 times the rate of the free population, with the oldest hit hardest. New data holds lessons for preventing future deaths,” click here. For “Serving Time for Their Abusers’ Crimes: The Marshall Project found nearly 100 people who were punished for the actions of their abusers under little-known laws like ‘accomplice liability,’ ” click here. For “Op-Ed | New York City must move forward on closing Rikers with a budget that invests in care, not DOC budget bloat,” click here. For “Both Prisons and the Public Rely On Incarcerated Writers: New York tried and failed to limit art and writing behind bars. The attempt should remind us all of the public and personal benefits of encouraging creative expression inside,” click here. For “AP Investigation: In hundreds of deadly police encounters, officers broke multiple safety guidelines,” click here. For “Inside Georgia’s Crusade to Make Bail Unpayable: Rather than address its deadly jail system or predatory bail industry, the state has made mutual aid the enemy,” click here. For “A Legal Doctrine That Shields Police From Many Lawsuits May Be Losing Support: A federal judge in Mississippi joined other courts in recently rejecting police arguments that qualified immunity protected their actions,” click here. For “The Rise of Life-Without-Parole Sentences,” click here. For “Crime victims may get fewer services as federal aid drops. States weigh how to help. Some state legislators want to establish permanent victim services funds,” click here. For “The Little-Known Reason Counties Keep Building Bigger Jails: Architecture Firms–All over the country, architecture firms make the case for bigger jails — then get hired to design them,” click here. For “New Jersey's cash bail reform reduced incarceration without increasing gun violence, study says,” click here. For “Dying Behind Bars: At least 220 people died in Ohio jails over 4 years: Investigation found that jail personnel ignored serious medical conditions and injuries, withheld life-saving medicine and did not adequately monitor prisoners at risk for suicide,” click here. For “Colorado will offer in-person voting behind bars in November: Gov. Jared Polis signed a first-of-its-kind bill that aims to make it easier for incarcerated people awaiting trial or serving time for misdemeanors to vote,” click here. For “ ‘They Slave Us’: Prison Workers on Life Behind Bars,” click here. For “Used paperbacks change lives behind bars, even with growing prison book bans: Rejected books include how-to manuals like ‘Nutrition for Dummies’ as well as thousands of other titles, including ‘Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements,’ ” click here. For “The secret death of Darryl Dean Mefferd: Amid a mental health crisis in 2016, Mefferd was killed during an encounter with a police officer…The officer whose actions caused Mefferd’s death was never disciplined and was instead promoted in 2022,” click here. For “I Started Using Heroin Inside. Now the Federal Bureau of Prisons Won’t Give Me Treatment. Drug overdose was the second most frequent cause of death among people in the federal system’s custody from 2014 through 2021, according to an audit by the inspector general,” click here. For “What can journalists do when prisons and jails cite HIPAA to withhold information about deaths in custody? If you're a journalist who's been stonewalled while seeking public records about deaths in custody, you are not alone. We offer tips for requesting sensitive medical information and strengthening your story against HIPAA-related denials,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

NTTAC Promotes Its Community Wellness and Peer Support Training Academy

The National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health offers its Community Wellness and Peer Support (CWAPS) Training Academy, which it describes as “a diverse collection of presentations, trainings, and resources that together share a commitment to fostering resilience, promoting empathy, and cultivating collaborative relationships within communities.” Their offerings include trainings on June 26 and July 24, 2024. “No-cost continuing education hours are available for mental health providers and peer support specialists!” For more information and to register, click here. 

ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27

The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference to Be Held November 1-3, 2024

The ISPS-US 23rd annual conference will take place November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information and to submit a proposal, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

Registration Opens for National Federation of Families Conference 

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

Deadline for Applications for the Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program Is June 24, 2024!

The College for Behavioral Health Leadership writes: “The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 cohort of the Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program is June 24, 2024. The 2024-2025 Cohort will convene from September 12, 2024, to August 1, 2025. Full details can be found in the Application Form (click here).” (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the Series

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

“Do You Work with People Who Hear Voices?” You Are Invited to Participate in Research 

University of Sydney researchers seek to evaluate a set of online resources to help mental health workers support voice-hearers using an evidence-based approach. The resources were co-designed by voice hearers and clinical experts. You are eligible if you are a mental health worker (e.g., clinician, support worker, peer worker, psychiatrist) who works with voice-hearers. Participation involves fewer than three hours spread over eight weeks. It includes going through the online resources (two hours) and filling out three questionnaires (five to 20 minutes each). You will be randomized to receive the resources after completing the first questionnaire, or in four weeks (after completing the second questionnaire). For more information or to volunteer, contact Dr. Anne Honey anne.honey@sydney.edu.au. For the Participant Information Statement, click here. 

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. (PLEASE SEE THE TESTIMONY ON ECT DIRECTLY BELOW.)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Launch National Online Survey Study of Black Women’s Health

Researchers at the University of Oregon, with others at UNC-Charlotte and Drexel University, “are working with Black female scholars, clinicians, and community members on a national online survey study investigating negative (e.g., discrimination) and positive (e.g., community ties, embodied joy) experiences and health behaviors among Black women. The goal of this project is to examine the links between systemic injustice, resilience, and mental and physical health…Participation will consist of a 20- to 30-minute online survey; participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.” For a link to the survey, email therenewlab@uoregon.edu. For questions, email the research intern, ohosh@uoregon.edu, or the PI, mosa@uoregon.edu. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 21, No. 1, June-July 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, June 2024, Volume 20, Number 12

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that, in the WEBINARS AND OTHER ONLINE TRAININGS category, there are events happening on May 22, 23 and 24, respectively! There are also upcoming deadlines in the CONFERENCES (INCLUDING CALLS FOR PROPOSALS) category! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

HHS Finalizes Rule Strengthening Protections Against Disability Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has finalized a rule that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Reflecting more than 50 years of advocacy by the disability community, the Section 504 Final Rule clarifies and strengthens civil rights protections for people with disabilities, addresses discrimination in medical treatment, adds enforceable standards for accessible medical diagnostic equipment, and ensures accessible web content and mobile apps. The rule advances the promise of the Rehabilitation Act and helps protect people with disabilities from experiencing discrimination in any program or activity receiving funding from HHS because of their disability. For the press release, which includes a link to the Final Rule and a fact sheet about it, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

“New Study Finds Continuing Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment”

“Out-of-network use [is] much higher for behavioral health care than medical care, with greater financial burden for patients,” according to a recent study by health economists at nonprofit research institute RTI International. “The study’s findings, detailed in the [284-page] report Behavioral Health Parity – Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Care Continue, show that people went out-of-network 3.5 times more often to see a behavioral health clinician than a medical/surgical clinician, 8.9 times more often to see a psychiatrist, 10.6 times more often to see a psychologist, 6.2 times more often for acute behavioral inpatient care, and 19.9 times more often for sub-acute behavioral inpatient care.” For the press release, click here.

“Is Loneliness Impacting Your Brain Function?”

“Alarming results from a 2024 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Association show that loneliness is worse for your health than alcohol abuse, obesity, or even smoking 15 cigarettes a day....According to a 2021 systematic review on the neurobiology of loneliness, being lonely has been associated with abnormal brain structure, including both white and gray matter…Loneliness has also been linked to changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study in JAMA Psychiatry.” For the article (which is on the Amen Clinics website), click here.

“Nearly Half of Older Adults Take At Least Five Drugs Daily, and the Side Effects Can Add Up” 

The dangers of polypharmacy—taking five or more drugs at the same time—are well known. “Yet over the past two decades, the percentage of people aged 65 and older taking five or more prescriptions has tripled, from 14 percent to 42 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” AARP has reported. The dangers are substantial. “Elderly patients taking at least five medications are at increased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia,” according to a study, “Geriatric Cognitive Decline and Polypharmacy,” available on a National Institutes of Health website. A recent New York Times article suggested that people get a full medication review at least annually, adding, “Many pharmacies offer such evaluations under free medication therapy management programs.” For “Medication Overload: America’s Other Drug Problem (How the Drive to Prescribe Is Harming Older Adults),” a 56-page report published in 2019 by the Lown Institute,” click here. For the AARP article, click here.

FDA Clears an App to Treat Depression, But a Sham App Performed Just About As Well

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the smartphone app Rejoyn, made by Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Click Therapeutics, for people 22 and older who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. It’s a six-week program–meant to be used alongside treatment with antidepressants–that uses cognitive-emotional training and cognitive behavioral therapy lessons. However, a study found that Rejoyn did not do significantly better than a sham app in improving symptoms of depression, CNN reported. For the CNN article, click here.

WEBINARS AND OTHER ONLINE TRAININGS

“Embracing Your Own Path and Recovery While Supporting Family Members in Theirs”

“Are you a caregiver navigating the complexities of supporting your family member’s recovery journey? Look no further! The CAFÉ TA Center invites you to an enlightening webinar and interactive conversation about family mental health, ‘Embracing Your Own Path and Recovery While Supporting Family Members in Theirs,’ at 2:00 p.m. ET on May 22, 2024.” For details and to register, click here.

“The Role of Peer Supporters in Mobile Crisis Response and Respite Services”

On May 22, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. ET, NAMI and NASMHPD will co-present a SAMHSA-sponsored 90-minute webinar that “will focus on the crucial role of peer support specialists in providing an in-person response to a range of mental health concerns, including serious mental illness, ultimately helping to improve outcomes and divert individuals from justice system involvement or emergency department boarding.” For more information and to register, click here.

WHO QualityRights to Present Training on “Recovery Planning: Practice & Tools”

On May 23, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. ET, the World Health Organization (WHO) will present a 90-minute webinar on “Recovery Planning: Practice and Tools.” The speakers–from Norway, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, and Switzerland–will include mental health professionals, administrators, and individuals with lived experience. To register, click here. For questions, contact Natalie Drew (drewn@who.int).

“Beyond Stereotypes: Homelessless, Community Coercion & Extreme Cases”

On May 24, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, ISPS-US will present a 90-minute webinar called “Beyond Stereotypes: Homelessless (sic), Community Coercion & Extreme Cases.” A recording will be emailed to all registrants. For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

“Peer Perspectives on Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs)”

On May 28, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a free, one-hour webinar “about the key components of a crisis plan and how psychiatric advance directives (PADs) can empower individuals and caregivers, giving them control during times of crisis.” For details and to register, click here. For more about Doors to Wellbeing’s Peer Specialist Webinar Series, click here. For the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives, click here. And for “Advance Self-Advocacy Plan: An easy-to-use, customizable plan for people who want to create a Psychiatric Advance Directive or Mental Health Crisis Plan,” published by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, click here.

“From Algorithms to Empathy: Exploring AI's Innovations and Challenges”

On May 28, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, a Mental Health America webinar will cover “how computer scientists are building AI with a mental health lens, how AI is being used in mental health tools, and the ethical considerations, risks, and complex challenges specific in mental health.” For details and to register, click here.

Wildflower Alliance to Present “Exploring Informed Consent”

On May 29, 2024, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, the Wildflower Alliance will present “Exploring Informed Consent with David Cohen,” professor of social welfare and associate dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. The Wildflower Alliance writes: “David will offer a 90-minute presentation on the practice of informed consent as it exists (or doesn’t exist) in the psychiatric system, how people’s right to informed consent is commonly violated, and what true informed consent would look like. The talk will include Q&A and time for us to speak as a community about what this means for us.” To register, click here.

“The Living Room: Leveraging the Peer Workforce in Crisis Stabilization” 

THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN POSTPONED: The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), will reschedule the third session in its four-part, SAMHSA-sponsored Crisis Stabilization Learning Series, which had been scheduled for May 30, 2024. “As crisis response services systems continue to evolve, it is imperative that service systems and delivery be informed by those with lived experience of receiving these services…The Living Room Model [is] one such recovery-centered alternative.” The final Crisis Stabilization Learning Series session–Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics’ (CCBHC’s) Synergies With Crisis Systems–is tentatively scheduled for July 12, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. ET. For more information and to register, click here.

“Building Hope: A Journey Through Crisis Residential Services”

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing writes: “Join us June 3, 2024, 1:30-3 p.m. ET, for ‘Building Hope: A Journey Through Crisis Residential Services,’ hosted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). This is the second session in our four-part ‘Crisis Stabilization Learning Series,’ sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).” For details and to register, click here.

“PAIMI Advisory Councils: Sleeping 800-Pound Gorillas?”

On June 5, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a Judi’s Room discussion on “the potential of the PAIMI [Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness] Act and its Advisory Councils to ensure people's rights are protected,” and “possible means to achieve that potential,” despite the fact that “the Councils have largely been stymied in exercising their power...” The presenters will be Kristina (KK) Kapp, who has chaired Ohio’s PAIMI Council, and disability rights attorney Jim Gottstein, founder of the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights and author of The Zyprexa Papers. For the Zoom link, click here.

“Breaking Down Barriers: Fostering Community Inclusion in Rural Communities for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness”

On June 6, 2024 (2 p.m.-3:15 p.m. ET), the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, in partnership with the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), will present “a webinar on strategies for enhancing community inclusion of adults with serious mental illnesses who reside in rural communities.” For details and to register, click here. Questions? Hannah.wells7@temple.edu 

MHEP to Host Four Virtual Trainings in June

The Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) will present four virtual trainings in June 2024: “Legal Advocacy with Westchester OPWDD [Office for People With Developmental Disabilities] & DRNY [Disability Rights New York]” (June 6, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET); “PowerPoint Best Practices with Bryant” (June 11, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET); “Cultural Curiosity with Kenedy (June 18, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. ET); and “Healing Narratives with Jen” (June 27, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. ET). For the schedule and to register, click here. 

“Personal Growth Through Healthy Boundaries” Is Next Topic in PENTAC Speaker Series

On June 7, 2024 (12 p.m.-1:30 p.m. ET), the Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present Imani Badie, a community recovery specialist at Girard Medical Center in Philadelphia, who will speak about “Personal Growth Through Healthy Boundaries.” For more about Imani and to register, click here.

Wildflower Alliance to Present a Six-Session (Virtual) Hearing Voices Group Facilitator Training

June 17, 2024, is the deadline to apply to participate in the Wildflower Alliance’s Hearing Voices Group Facilitator Training. The online training will be held on July 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, and 30, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PT). “This training is primarily intended for people who have some basic facilitation skills and/or training, though [it is] not absolutely required so long as it is understood that the training is not designed to provide these basic skills. You should have an active interest in starting a Hearing Voices group or supporting an existing one…It is not required to have lived experience of voices, visions or unusual beliefs to facilitate Hearing Voices groups. However, a co-facilitation model is recommended and involvement of individuals with lived experience is strongly encouraged.” For additional information, and to apply, click here.

NTTAC Promotes Its Community Wellness and Peer Support Training Academy

The National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health offers its Community Wellness and Peer Support (CWAPS) Training Academy, which it describes as “a diverse collection of presentations, trainings, and resources that together share a commitment to fostering resilience, promoting empathy, and cultivating collaborative relationships within communities.” Their offerings include several trainings in June and July 2024. “No-cost continuing education hours are available for mental health providers and peer support specialists!” For more information and to register, click here. 

CONFERENCES (INCLUDING CALLS FOR PROPOSALS)

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference Issues Call for Proposals

June 3, 2024, is the deadline to submit a proposal for the ISPS-US 23rd annual conference, November 1-3, 2024, at the University of Pittsburgh (pre-conference workshop on November 1) and Duquesne University (November 2-3), and hybrid online on November 2-3. The conference theme is “New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US.” For more information and to submit a proposal, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

National Federation of Families to Host Free (Virtual) Health Equity Summer Institute 

On June 4, 5, and 6 (1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET), the National Federation of Families will host its free, completely virtual Health Equity Summer Institute. NFF writes: “Be inspired and learn about social justice for families, equitable youth suicide prevention strategies and more from these dynamic speakers!” For more information and to register, click here.

Free Virtual First Episode Psychosis Conference to Be Held June 5-6

The theme of the free virtual 2024 First Episode Psychosis (FEP) conference is “Pausing with Purpose: Guiding FEP Care with Human Connection.” It is sponsored by the South Southwest MHTTC, which writes: “We invite those committed to transforming FEP care, including providers, researchers, and those with lived experience, to join us…Let’s pause and reflect on how being in a relationship can drive FEP care.” The conference begins on June 5, 2024, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET (9 a.m.-4 p.m. CT) and continues on June 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET (9 a.m.-4 p.m. CT). For more information and to register, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous trainings from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

“Building the Justice Peer Community 2.0” to be Hosted by the NYC Justice Peer Initiative

On June 12, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, “Building the Justice Peer Community 2.0: Moving Lived Experiences to Lived Expertise!”--a free conference “for folks formerly impacted by systems who now work in these systems using lived experience assisting those still caught up”--will take place at St. Francis College, 179 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY. For more information and to register, click here.

N.A.P.S. and the Alliance Issue Call for Proposals for Annual Conference

The National Association of Peer Supporters (N.A.P.S.), in partnership with the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, will co-sponsor the N.A.P.S. Annual Conference, whose theme is "Reclaiming Our Power," on October 16-17, 2024, in Chicago. Workshop submissions will be accepted until June 12, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. ET. For more information and to register, click here. To submit a proposal, click here.

Registration Opens for National Federation of Families Conference 

Early Bird registration for the 35th annual conference of the National Federation of Families is available until September 30, 2024. The conference will be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. For details and to register, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

NIMH Seeks Your Input on Addressing Mental Health Disparities

“The National Institute of Mental Health seeks input on (1) Identifying determinants of mental health disparities beyond the individual level, and (2) Developing culturally responsive, multilevel interventions to address mental health disparities. All responses must be submitted electronically on the RFI submission website. NIMH encourages organizations (for example, patient advocacy groups, professional organizations) to submit a single response that reflects the views of the organization and membership as a whole.” Individual responses are also welcome.) “Responses must be received by May 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET." For details and to submit responses, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) (Note: A version of this item ran in the May 2024 Key Update, but it is included in this edition “above the fold” rather than in the “...But Still Fresh” department in case you missed it.)

Applications for the Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program Are Open!

The College for Behavioral Health Leadership writes: “The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 cohort of the Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program is June 24, 2024. The 2024-2025 Cohort will convene from September 12, 2024, to August 1, 2025. Full details can be found in the Application Form (click here).” (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

“Do You Work with People Who Hear Voices?” You Are Invited to Participate in Research 

University of Sydney researchers seek to evaluate a set of online resources to help mental health workers support voice-hearers using an evidence-based approach. The resources were co-designed by voice hearers and clinical experts. You are eligible if you are a mental health worker (e.g., clinician, support worker, peer worker, psychiatrist) who works with voice-hearers. Participation involves fewer than three hours spread over eight weeks. It includes going through the online resources (two hours) and filling out three questionnaires (five to 20 minutes each). You will be randomized to receive the resources after completing the first questionnaire, or in four weeks (after completing the second questionnaire). For more information or to volunteer, contact Dr. Anne Honey anne.honey@sydney.edu.au. For the Participant Information Statement, click here. 

Peer Workers Sought for Participation in Doctoral Research

A PhD candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida is "seeking to interview peer workers about their professional roles, experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team, and how that role impacts their lives and recovery. [The researcher] would love the opportunity to include peers who are active in advocating for the value peers bring to a recovery experience. Participation involves an approximately one-hour long interview over Zoom. Those who complete the interview will be compensated $30 for their time." To screen for the study, click here. (Courtesy of the N.A.P.S. News Brief)

RESOURCES

NCAPPS Offers Resources on Person-Centered Planning

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is featuring several resources on person-centered planning: “Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person” (eight pages), “Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Person-Centered Thinking Toolkit” (39 pages), “Person-Centered Planning,” a 14-page SAMHSA issue brief, and the Community Living Policy Center’s “Association of Person-Centered Planning with Improved Community Living Outcomes” (10 pages). For links to all four documents, click here.

SAMHSA Offers Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health”

SAMHSA writes: “The ‘Behavioral Health Barometers, Region 1-10, Volume 7: Indicators as Measured in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health’ is a series of 10 reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in each of the 10 HHS regions. The reports [published in April 2024] present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).” To download the report on the Indicators, click here. For a map of the SAMHSA Regional Offices, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

The June 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How to Spot Medical Gaslighting and What to Do About It,” click here. For, “Should I Incorporate Sprints Into My Workout Routine?” click here. For “Walking Alone? Remember These 10 Tips,” click here. For “What Is a Sound Bath? The Healing Power of Sound,” click here. For “Caring for the Caregiver: 25 Ways to Care for Yourself,” click here. For “Exploring the Role of Elder Mediation in the Prevention of Elder Abuse,” click here. For “Learning to Not Be the Jerk With Knee-Jerk Reactions: Self-centered perception and the momentology antidote,” click here. For “Eight Ways to Give Yourself a Pep Talk When You Feel Stuck,” click here. For “We All Need Solitude. Here’s How to Embrace It,” click here. For “The 6 Best Exercises to Control High Blood Pressure,” click here. For “Study Links Nature's Diversity to Mental Health,” click here.

The June 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in Which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Treatment Denied: The Mental Health Crisis in Federal Prisons: The Bureau of Prisons set higher standards for psychiatric care. But instead of helping more inmates, the agency dropped thousands from its caseload, data shows,” click here. For “Disability Justice Demands Abolition: When people need care, then the solution should be to get them care, not increase the risk of police violence,” click here. For “DP3 Analysis: More Than 10% of U.S. Exonerations in 2023 Involved Wrongful Use or Threat of the Death Penalty. The damage from threatening defendants and witnesses with the death penalty extended far beyond just wrongful capital convictions,” click here. For “The Executioner’s Last Meal: Death row prisoners rarely get last meals, writes Lyle May, who is on death row in North Carolina. But on the night of an execution, the prison staff break room is full of cookies and cake,” click here. For “What Being Trans in Prison Is Really Like: Amid a wave of anti-trans legislation, and the violence that often follows, four people share their experiences in the criminal justice system,” click here. For Road Rage Shootings Have Surged Over the Past Decade: An analysis by The Trace shows that gunfire on roads and highways is becoming more common as drivers increasingly use firearms to express their anger,” click here. For “They Killed Their Abusive Partners. Now Their Sentences Could Be Reconsidered. Oklahoma could re-examine how it punishes people whose crimes came after years of domestic abuse. Other states may follow,” click here. For “Former deputy found guilty of reckless endangerment in Christian Glass’s death, but no verdict on murder charge,” click here. For “Myth of ‘superhuman strength’ in Black people persists in deadly encounters with police,” click here. For “Superpredator: The Media Myth That Demonized a Generation of Black Youth,” click here. For “The New Sundown Towns: As Grants Pass, Oregon—and the nation—await a Supreme Court ruling on just how far cities can police the homeless, a volunteer mayor and her unhoused constituents try to weather the backlash,” click here. For “After Showing Promise in Four Cities, a Collaborative Anti-Violence Initiative Expands to Four More. The Coalition to Advance Public Safety hopes to replicate and refine its model of community-driven violence reduction as it adds a new cohort,” click here. For “Documenting Police Use of Force,” click here. For “ ‘He Died Like an Animal’: Some Police Departments Hogtie People Despite Knowing The Risks The U.S. Department of Justice in 1995 warned that people may die when police tie handcuffed wrists to bound ankles,” click here. For “Deb Haaland Confronts the History of the Federal Agency She Leads: As the first Native American Cabinet member, the Secretary of the Interior has made it part of her job to address the travesties of the past,” click here. For “An AI tool used in thousands of criminal cases is facing legal challenges: Cybercheck's founder has said the software tops 90% accuracy. Defense lawyers have said he lied under oath about his expertise and made false claims about when and where the technology has been used,” click here. For, “The AI Lawyer is Here: How Artificial Intelligence is making its way into the legal system,” click here. For “When Prison and Mental Illness Amount to a Death Sentence: The downward spiral of one inmate, Markus Johnson, shows the larger failures of the nation’s prisons to care for the mentally ill,” click here. For “America’s prison system is turning into a de facto nursing home: Why are more and more older people spending their dying years behind bars?” click here. For “Shadow Budgets: How mass incarceration steals from the poor to give to the prison. Revenues from communication fees, commissary purchases, disciplinary fines, and more flow into ‘Inmate Welfare Funds’ meant to benefit incarcerated populations. However, our analysis of prison systems across the U.S. reveals that they are used more like slush funds that, in many cases, make society’s most vulnerable people pay for prison operations, staff salaries, benefits, and more,” click here. For “Inside the Underground Economy of Solitary Confinement: Goods are scarce in any correctional facility, but the circumstances are especially dire for those in isolation. Here’s how people in ‘the box’ use their ingenuity, collaboration skills and a form of ‘fishing’ to get what they need,” click here. For “N.Y. Prisons Holding Mentally Ill People in Solitary, Lawsuit Says: A complaint filed by the Legal Aid Society and others accuses the state prison system of holding mentally ill and disabled people in isolation despite a law against the practice,” click here. For “Giving Incarcerated People What They Want—Better News Access: The Marshall Project explains its decision to offer free news to incarcerated people on tablets that otherwise charge users,” click here. For “Juvenile life without parole Unusual & Unequal: The unfinished business of ending life without parole for children in the United States,”(a 13-page report by the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth), click here. For “A Rare Bright Spot for a Canine Lover Doing Time: Raising Puppies to Become Service Dogs. Adam Roberts reflects on the highs and occasional lows of training Labrador retrievers for the Puppies Behind Bars program,” click here. For “Hands Off My Yacht: Left and right unite against forfeiture laws. But can they convince the Department of Justice? Update: Yes,” click here. For “How Originalism Ate the Law: America is captive to a legal theory that dictates our laws on guns, abortion, and so much more. We need to act,” click here. For “Death row inmate Wade Lay spared from execution because of mental state,” click here. For “When Bad Cops Become Private Security Guards: There’s growing evidence that former officers with troubling histories of abuse can easily find second careers in private security,” click here. For “Death by Deadline, Part One: How bad lawyering and an unforgiving law cost condemned men their last appeal,” click here. For “The 1990s Law That Keeps People in Prison on Technicalities: How the Supreme Court expanded the most important law you’ve never heard of,” click here. For “Mississippi Lawmakers Move to Limit the Jail Detentions of People Awaiting Mental Health Treatment: Supporters say the measure is a step forward in curbing the number of people jailed during civil commitment. But some local officials say the impact will be limited unless the state makes other changes, including adding psychiatric beds,” click here. For “New Laws Are Turning Police Into ‘Supercitizens’: A series of legislative and judicial efforts have removed police oversight from oversight boards and communities,” click here. For “Trusted Sources: Why Mainstream Media Needs Incarcerated Voices,” click here. For “The Stigma of Felon Disenfranchisement: In an excerpt from his new book on the Supreme Court, Joshua A. Douglas shows how conservative justices have undermined voting rights for 50 years by using an obscure Constitutional phrase to bless the disenfranchisement of millions,” click here. For “Millions of People With Felonies Can Now Vote. Most Don’t Know It. In a handful of key states, no more than 1 in 4 formerly incarcerated people registered in time for the 2020 election, a Marshall Project analysis found,” click here. For “Shot by a Civilian Wielding a Police Gun: Our investigation found that more than 52,000 police guns have been involved in crimes since 2006. Many of those weapons were resold by law enforcement agencies sworn to protect the public,” click here. For “DC police dealt thousands of guns; ATF demands answers after concerning number found at crime scenes,” click here. For “US prisoners are being assigned dangerous jobs. But what happens if they are hurt or killed?” click here. For “The Second Look Movement: A Review of the Nation’s Sentence Review Laws” (a 42-page report by the Sentencing Project), click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

ISEPP 2024 Conference to Be Held October 26-27

The 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP) will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27, 2024. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

VA Presents National Mental Health Recovery and Wellness Webinar Series

The next one-hour webinar in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs series is “VISION Coalition (Veteran-Informed Safety Intervention & Outreach Network)” (June 11). It begins at 1 p.m. ET. The list also includes archived webinars. For details, click here.

“With Everyone Else: Fundamentals of Community Inclusion and Participation and Implications for Coordinated Specialty Care”

The TU Collaborative writes: “Community inclusion and participation in a wide range of areas–including work, school, social relationships, and leisure activities–are vitally important during the period of young adulthood, yet can be challenging for those who experience a serious mental illness. This 3-part webinar, designed for a mental health service provider audience, will provide attendees with knowledge needed to promote community inclusion and participation among this young adult population.” For more information and to register for the training, which will take place on May 28, June 4, and June 11, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET, click here.

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

The 2024 NARPA (National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy) Conference Will Be September 4-7!

NARPA’s 2024 conference will be held in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7. For details of the presentations at last year’s conference, as well as other information, click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. (PLEASE SEE THE TESTIMONY ON ECT DIRECTLY BELOW.)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Launch National Online Survey Study of Black Women’s Health

Researchers at the University of Oregon, with others at UNC-Charlotte and Drexel University, “are working with Black female scholars, clinicians, and community members on a national online survey study investigating negative (e.g., discrimination) and positive (e.g., community ties, embodied joy) experiences and health behaviors among Black women. The goal of this project is to examine the links between systemic injustice, resilience, and mental and physical health…Participation will consist of a 20- to 30-minute online survey; participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.” For a link to the survey, email therenewlab@uoregon.edu. For questions, email the research intern, ohosh@uoregon.edu, or the PI, mosa@uoregon.edu. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES 

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

Mental Health America Conference to Be Held September 17-21

The 2024 Mental Health America Conference will be held September 17-21, 2024, in Washington, D.C. For details, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the Series

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

RESOURCES

Mental Health America Offers May Is Mental Health Month Toolkit

Mental Health America writes: “This year’s theme is "Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World." Our goal is to help people start their mental health journey by understanding the impact of modern life on mental health, and equipping them with coping tools to navigate the challenges they face. Whether you’re looking to work on your own well-being, organize activities for your workplace, become an advocate for mental health, or put together resources for your community, MHA’s toolkit has something for everyone.” For details and to download the toolkit, click here.

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

Does Your State Need Help to Comply with the HCBS Final Rule Requirements? NCAPPS Offers Support.

“NCAPPS is providing free short-term direct technical assistance to states who need support implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the HCBS Final Rule requirements…Preference will be given to states with strong leadership buy-in and established relationships with advocacy organizations.” For details, click here. Questions? ncapps@hsri.org 

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”–launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 12, June 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, May 2024, Volume 20, Number 11

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that, in the WEBINARS, TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS category, there are events happening on April 25 and 26, respectively! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

“Bazelon Center and Mental Health Experts File Amicus Brief Opposing the Criminalization of Homelessness and Presenting Proven Solutions in Landmark Supreme Court Case”

On April 3, 2024, “the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, together with the American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Rural Mental Health, and National Association of Social Workers, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Grants Pass v. Johnson, addressing the impact of efforts to criminalize homelessness on people with mental health disabilities and refuting arguments that such efforts are necessary to combat homelessness.” For the press release, click here. For the amicus brief, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak) For “This Supreme Court Case on Homelessness May Limit Prisoner Rights and Expand Executions: In Grants Pass v. Johnson, a town in Oregon asks the court to reconsider what constitutes ‘cruel and unusual punishments,’” click here.

“New Study Quantifies Social Cost of Untreated Traumatic Childhood Experiences at $14 Trillion” and “Youth Mental Health Crisis Driven by Adverse Childhood Experiences”

“The U.S. economy could be $14 trillion larger if adult health conditions caused by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are prevented, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed more than 820,000 people to find out the direct and indirect economic impact of ACEs — childhood abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, seeing family members with substance use disorder, mental health struggles, having a parent incarcerated…The study’s researchers make a case for more funding in early childhood interventions.” For the Connecticut Public article, which includes a link to the JAMA study, click here. And for “[n]ew research finds adverse childhood experiences are widespread and linked to poor sleep, lower academic achievement, and emotional and behavioral problems,” in Mad In America, click here. (Note: For the April 15, 2024, edition of the Mad In America newsletter, which includes other research studies and articles of interest, click here.)

“Long-term Outcomes Better for Those Who Stop Taking Antipsychotics”

“Research undermines the prolonged use of antipsychotics in schizophrenia treatment, suggesting improved social functioning and quality of life with discontinuation,” according to a recent article in Mad In America. For the article, which includes a link to a summary of the study, click here.

“Some People Who Attempt Suicide Do Not Meet Criteria for Psychiatric Disorders”

“Approximately 20% of people who attempted suicide did not meet criteria for a psychiatric disorder, challenging clinical consensus on who is at risk for suicidal behavior, according to a cross-sectional study,” MedPage Today reported. "‘From a clinical standpoint, these findings suggest that a history of suicide attempts should be obtained regardless of whether the person has a psychiatric disorder given that suicide attempts are associated with future attempts and future suicide,’” [the authors of the study] wrote in JAMA Psychiatry.” For the MedPage Today article, click here.

“The Role of Peers in the Health and Human Service Field Is Expanding,” Open Minds Reports

“The role of peers in the health and human service field is expanding,” according to Open Minds. For its April 22, 2024, report, which includes numerous links to articles about peer support around the U.S., click here.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

PENTAC Continues Its Speaker Series on April 25 and May 2

On April 25 and May 2, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) will present 90-minute trainings. The April 25th training, on “Leading Through Trauma,” will feature Debra Bell-Campbell, “a seasoned leadership expert who delivers high-energy keynote presentations that empower introverted women in leadership to leverage their introversions and elevate.” The May 2nd training, on “Integrating Peer Services into Private Practice,” will be presented by Max Guttman, LCSW, “a distinguished author, social worker, and mental health advocate whose journey from overcoming personal challenges with schizophrenia to becoming a beacon of hope and recovery for others is truly inspiring.” For details and to register for the April 25th training, click here. For details and to register for the May 2nd training, click here. For more about PENTAC training and events, click here. Questions? sherry@peersupportfl.org 

Veterans Administration Peer Specialists Are Invited to an Online Social Skills Training

On April 26, 2024, 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET, VISN 5 (Veterans Integrated Services Networks) MIRECC (Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center) will present “Let’s Talk About Social Skills Training (SST): Overview of SST for Peer Specialists,” a 90-minute, “evidence-based psychosocial intervention.” “Learners at this overview will be able to describe the benefits of SST, describe what occurs in SST sessions, and access SST training and resources. This overview is not sufficient training to be able to implement SST groups.” For details and to register, click here.

SAMHSA Invites You to the Office of Recovery Quarterly Recovery Exchange Meeting

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) invites you to participate in SAMHSA’s Recovery Exchange Meeting on April 29, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. “Please join us as we bring recovery stakeholders together for an open dialogue. The Office of Recovery will be sharing the launch of the new training & technical assistance initiative The SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK) as well as upcoming events for Recovery month. We invite recovery leaders and allies from across the nation to be part of this conversation.” To register, click here. For more about SPARK, click here. (Courtesy of Anthony Fox)

Doors to Wellbeing Presents “Peer Support in the Latinx Community”

On April 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a free, one-hour webinar which “will review the unique health disparities that the Latinx community faces while presenting Latino Behavioral's peer support model as an effective tool for supporting the community's mental health and substance use needs.” For details and a link to register, click here.

“Disability-Led and Consumer-Driven Systems Advocacy”

IL-NET T&TA Center for Independent Living writes: “The Independent Living Movement was founded on disability-led and consumer-driven systems advocacy. However, some Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are struggling to provide this core service. Join us for a conversation with System Change Advocates who are doing disability-led and consumer-driven systems advocacy at Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs).” The event will take place on May 1, 2024, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance E-News)

Judi’s Room to Present “When Calling for Help Gets You Killed”

On May 1, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will “explore the subject of police shootings related to mental health, Deafness, and/or disabilities, including the factors that contribute to [these shootings] and proposed solutions. Participants are encouraged to join in the conversation as time permits.” For more information and the Zoom link, click here.

International Mad Studies Journal to Present “Maddening Poetics”

On May 2, 2024, 9 p.m.-10 p.m. ET, the International Mad Studies Journal will present “‘Maddening Poetics’...an opportunity to explore the possibilities for poetics to be maddened through and with Mad Studies. Bringing together poetic performance and community dialogue, this event will highlight the mad poetic pieces featured in the first issue of the International Mad Studies Journal. For details and to register for free, click here. 

“Supporting Extreme States, Dissociation & Experiences Labeled as Psychosis”

On May 4, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, Mad In America will host a 90-minute panel discussion on “Supporting Extreme States, Dissociation & Experiences Labeled as Psychosis.” For details, including information about the panel, which “includes survivors, family members, and therapists,” click here. “[T]he discussion will conclude with an open audience Q&A.”

NEC to Host Two Free Emotional CPR Trainings

The National Empowerment Center (NEC) is hosting two virtual eCPR trainings, one for youth aged 16-25 and one for adults. Both trainings are online and free. The youth training, co-hosted by Youth MOVE and NEC, will be on May 6, May 13, and May 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. The training for adults will be on May 14 and May 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. For details and to register for either the youth or adult trainings, click here.

Copeland Center Issues Call for Workshop Proposals for Taking Action for Wellbeing Conference 

May 6, 2024, is the deadline to submit a workshop proposal for the Copeland Center’s Taking Action for Wellbeing conference, to be held From August 11 to 13, 2024, at the Philadelphia Marriott Old City. Presenters will receive 50% off registration! For details and to submit a proposal, click here.

“Amplifying Equity: Peer Support Profession Summit”

“Join hundreds of Peer Supporters in Niagara Falls, NY, May 22-23, 2024, for Amplifying Equity: Peer Support Profession Summit. “This cost-effective professional development summit brings together hundreds of organizations from across New York and various areas of North America….[It] will offer…new ideas and best practices that amplify the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Peers with a goal of transforming systems, services, and the workforce through the lens of equity…” Please book hotel accommodations by May 6, 2024. For details and to register, click here. For questions, please email Tonya at positivestepsnyevents@gmail.com 

“Safety, Compassion, and Dignity: A One-Day (Virtual) Symposium on Harm Reduction, Healing Justice, and Mental Health Approaches”

On May 7, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT), “Join the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (PS MHTTC) for a special, no-cost, full-day symposium to uplift the origins, approaches, and practices of harm reduction in mental health work.” For details and to register, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous webinars from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

“With Everyone Else: Fundamentals of Community Inclusion and Participation and Implications for Coordinated Specialty Care”

The TU Collaborative writes: “Community inclusion and participation in a wide range of areas–including work, school, social relationships, and leisure activities–are vitally important during the period of young adulthood, yet can be challenging for those who experience a serious mental illness. This 3-part webinar, designed for a mental health service provider audience, will provide attendees with knowledge needed to promote community inclusion and participation among this young adult population.” For more information and to register for the training, which will take place on May 28, June 4, and June 11, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

APA Seeks Comments on Its Proposed Revised Guidelines on Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters and on Telepsychology

The American Psychological Association is asking for feedback on its revision of guidelines for “Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters (2013)”–comments due by May 5, 2024 (click here)–and of “the Practice of Telepsychology (2013)–comments due by May 20, 2024 (click here). If you have questions or difficulty accessing the system, please contact CouncilSupport@apa.org. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

NIMH Invites Input on Mental Health Disparities

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) “invites input on addressing gaps in: (1) Identifying determinants of mental health disparities beyond the individual level, including, but not limited to, social determinants of health (SDOH) at the social, systemic and structural levels, and (2) Developing culturally responsive, multilevel interventions to address mental health disparities…All responses must be submitted electronically on the RFI submission website by May 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET…The NIH [National Institutes of Health] encourages organizations (e.g., patient advocacy groups, professional organizations) to submit a single response reflective of the views of the organization and membership as a whole.” For detailed information, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Latina/o/e/x or Hispanic Volunteers with a Diagnosis of Psychosis Are Sought

University of Pittsburgh and University of Texas/Dallas researchers write: “We are looking for individuals who have been given a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis to participate in a study on everyday social situations. The study will involve a 90-minute virtual interview via Zoom. We will NOT ask you to change medications or any part of your treatment. We will ask you about your Latina/o/e/x culture and have you perform various tasks (for example, answering questions about pictures of people). You will be paid $50 for your time and participation.” Interested? Click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

Researchers Launch National Online Survey Study of Black Women’s Health

Researchers at the University of Oregon, with others at UNC-Charlotte and Drexel University, “are working with Black female scholars, clinicians, and community members on a national online survey study investigating negative (e.g., discrimination) and positive (e.g., community ties, embodied joy) experiences and health behaviors among Black women. The goal of this project is to examine the links between systemic injustice, resilience, and mental and physical health…Participation will consist of a 20- to 30-minute online survey; participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.” For a link to the survey, email therenewlab@uoregon.edu. For questions, email the research intern, ohosh@uoregon.edu, or the PI, mosa@uoregon.edu. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

Researchers Seek Input on “Understanding Psychosis in Asian Diasporas”

“Individuals from Asian diasporas have unique experiences, concerns, challenges, and opportunities when engaging with mental health care in the United States,” University of Pittsburgh researchers write. “This study seeks to interview Asian and Pacific Islander (API) individuals who have experienced psychosis or been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The perspectives of the API community are essential to understanding their experiences and creating meaningful supports.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

RESOURCES

Mental Health America Offers May Is Mental Health Month Toolkit

Mental Health America writes: “This year’s theme is "Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World." Our goal is to help people start their mental health journey by understanding the impact of modern life on mental health, and equipping them with coping tools to navigate the challenges they face. Whether you’re looking to work on your own well-being, organize activities for your workplace, become an advocate for mental health, or put together resources for your community, MHA’s toolkit has something for everyone.” For details and to download the toolkit, click here.

“Lost in Translation: A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the Published International Literature on Mental Health Research and Translation Priorities (2011–2023)”

The background of this study, published online on March 27, 2024, is that “Priority-setting in mental health research is arguably lost in translation. Decades of effort has led to persistent repetition in what the research priorities of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health are.” From the abstract, the conclusion is as follows: “One lived-experience research led survey was identified. Few studies reported lived-experience design and development involvement. Five of the seven papers reported responses, but no further progress on priorities being met was reported.” For the full paper, click here. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

“Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health”

“...there is a broad recognition that far too often people experiencing mental health challenges encounter the criminal legal system rather than accessing mental health supports. In response, many policymakers have championed policies that aim to divert people experiencing mental health challenges away from prisons and jails and into mental health treatment. However, some of these policies, particularly those involving forced treatment, rely on carceral tactics and replicate incarceration. The following brief analyzes state and local policies that adopt carceral approaches to mental health treatment.” For more information and to download the free 16-page report, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, click here. (Courtesy of Joe Marrone via Jacek Haciak)

“We Gotta Stop Criminalizin’ Mental Illness” Developed by the University of Chicago

This report, subtitled “Experiences with Mental Health Crisis Response in Chicago,” was developed by a team of sociologists from the University of Chicago, who interviewed 23 residents of Chicago about their experiences with mental health crisis response from July through October 2023. To download the free 34-page report, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

The recent Cafe TA Center Newsletter, Focus 2.0, Issue 13, highlights “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

A free 94-page manual published by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and subtitled “How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective,” is the focus of Focus 2.0, Issue 13. The Bazelon Center writes: “As state and local governments seek alternatives to a police response to calls involving people with mental health disabilities or who are in crisis, stakeholders are asking critical questions about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. Among these are whether the alternative response will come quickly enough to keep people safe…There is an answer: Make the supports provided by people with lived experience serving as peer support workers, working in peer-led organizations, central to the delivery of mental health crisis services.” (The manual was featured in the February 2024 edition of the Key Update.) To download the free manual, click here. For the newsletter, click here.

LAST WORDS

RIP Heroic Medical Crusader Dr. David Egilman 

Rest in Power, Dr. David Egilman, a heroic doctor who saved what may have amounted to millions of lives by taking on drug companies, including Eli Lilly, as documented in The Zyprexa Papers, by Jim Gottstein. Dr. Egilman “dug up incriminating emails and memos showing that, in many cases, drug companies knew the risks involved with putting a new medication on the market but went ahead anyway,” according to an obituary in The New York Times. “[O]ver a 35-year span, [Dr. Egilman] gave testimony in some 600 trials involving corporate malfeasance, resulting in billions of dollars in awards for victims and their survivors; [he] died April 2 at his home in Foxborough, Massachusetts. He was 71.” For the New York Times obituary, reprinted in The San Juan Daily Star, click here.

The May 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “9 Tactics to Win Any Negotiation (From an FBI Hostage Negotiator),” click here. For “How to Live with a Messy Partner,” click here. For “Working With Your Hands Does Wonders for Your Brain: Activities that use your hands relieve stress and help you solve problems,” click here. For “Feeling Overwhelmed? Try Tallying Your Tiny Wins,” click here. For “Float Hopes: The Strange New Science of Floating,” click here. For “Flotation Therapy for Mental Health Conditions,” click here. For “How To Stop Seasonal Allergies From Ruining Your Outdoor Workout: Fight back against seasonal allergies and enjoy fitness in the great outdoors,” click here. For “I Used to Hate Running. Here’s How I Learned to Actually Enjoy It: If your attempts at jogging have been absolutely miserable or just painfully boring, I get it,” click here. For “Escaping the Perfectionist Trap: 7 Signs and 7 Solutions: It’s time to make your life easier,” click here. For “A Little Dirt Is Helpful,” click here. For “What Is Social Prescribing?” click here.

The May 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Prison Journalism Project Releases First-of-Its-Kind Journalism Handbook for Incarcerated Writers: Partner Organizations to Use Handbook to Teach Courses and Support Incarcerated Writers; Initial Partners Include The Marshall Project, Open Campus and Northwestern Prison Education Program,” click here. For “Prison Abolition: A Curated Collection of Links,” click here. For “Officers to become mental health liaisons through new training program: St. Petersburg College in Florida has developed an innovative certificate program to bring mental health training and resources to officers through a peer support model,” click here. For “Mom's 911 Call for Her Son's Mental Health Ends With His Death After Police Response—Over 1,000 deaths recorded in past decade after police responded with force, investigation finds,” click here. For “The Enduring Use of Solitary, and New Proposed Limits That Will Likely Fail (Again): Isolation’s damaging effects are widely known. But many facilities confine people — even youth — virtually all day, sometimes in shower stalls,” click here. For “After Reforms to Solitary Confinement, Massachusetts Prisoners Say Officials Just Renamed It: The state passed a law curtailing restrictive housing in 2018, but people in prolonged isolation say the practice continues and are now pushing for new reforms,” click here. For “Officials Failed to Act When COVID Hit Prisons. A New Study Shows the Deadly Cost: People in prison died at 3.4 times the rate of the free population, with the oldest hit hardest. New data holds lessons for preventing future deaths,” click here. For “At the Supreme Court, Public Corruption Jurisprudence and Lack of Meaningful Ethics Reform Go Hand-in-Hand,” click here. For “I spent 48 years in prison for a murder I didn’t commit. Here’s how I fought my way to freedom,” click here. For “Coming Out of Concrete Closets: A Report on Black & Pink’s [68-page] National LGBTQ Prisoner Survey” (2015), click here and scroll down to “Full Report.” For “I Had a Tough Job at My Brooklyn Jail: Keeping Men From Taking Their Own Lives: As a suicide prevention aide, I had to make sure my fellow detainees didn’t harm themselves. It was surprisingly easy to get such a complex job,” click here. For “One in Five: The Sentencing Project’s four-part ‘One in Five’ series examines racial inequities in America’s criminal legal system, as well as highlights promising reforms,” click here. For “Five Things to Know About Women and Reentry,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

ISEPP Issues Call for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference, to Be Held October 26-27

May 1, 2024, is the deadline to submit a proposal for the 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP), to be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

There Are Two Sessions Left in ISPS-US’s “Diverse Psychotherapeutic Approaches for Voice Hearing.”

“This series features…expert-led [three-hour] sessions, each delving into a distinct therapeutic modality.” The remaining two sessions are Creative Arts Therapy (May 14, 11 a.m. ET), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) (May 28, 5 p.m. ET). ISPS-US writes: “These workshops are interactive learning experiences and, therefore, should be attended live. There are only 40 spaces available." Because the first four sessions have already occurred, you must register for individual sessions rather than for the whole series. For details, including cost, and to register, click here.

VA Presents National Mental Health Recovery and Wellness Webinar Series

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has posted a list of its upcoming one-hour webinars: “Collaborative Decision-making for Veterans with SMI” (May 14), and “VISION Coalition (Veteran-Informed Safety Intervention & Outreach Network)” (June 11). Both webinars begin at 1 p.m. ET. The list also includes archived webinars. For details, click here.

“Working with Hearing Voices and Unusual Beliefs”

The Wildflower Alliance writes: “Participants in this 6-session training will learn how to better understand and support people to make meaning of their experiences with voice hearing and/or unusual beliefs or what gets called ‘paranoia.’ Attendance at all sessions is required to fully complete the training. All sessions will be held online, and all times listed are in Eastern USA time. Registration is required. Space is limited.” The dates and times are July 17, 2024 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), July 18 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), July 19 (10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.), July 24 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), July 25 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), and July 26 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.). For details and to register and pay, click here.

National Federation of Families Conference Seeks Workshop Proposals

The National Federation of Families is looking for “60-minute proposals and a very limited number of 3-hour intensive workshop proposals” for its 35th annual conference, to be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. “The National Federation welcomes proposals from professionals, family members, and youth who support the well-being of our children—of all ages—and promote family voice.” For details and to submit a proposal—deadline: May 1—click here.

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week Will Be May 5-11, 2024

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week, sponsored by the National Federation of Families, will be held May 5-11, 2024. Previously called National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, it was established in 1992 and updated in 2022 from Awareness to Acceptance. For more information, click here.

Are You a Peer Who Is Interested in Entrepreneurship? Attend This National Workshop Series in June and July!

On six consecutive Tuesdays from June 4 through July 9 (12 p.m.-2 p.m. ET), PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) will host a free live, virtual workshop series that is “designed to assist individuals in the United States living with mental health and substance use issues in their consideration and pursuit of entrepreneurship as a route to occupational and financial wellness.” Participants must be able to commit to full attendance for all six sessions, with cameras on. For details and to register, click here.

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

The 2024 NARPA (National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy) Conference Will Be September 4-7!

NARPA’s 2024 conference will be held in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7. For details of the presentations at last year’s conference, as well as other information, click here.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here. (PLEASE SEE THE TESTIMONY ON ECT DIRECTLY BELOW.)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

Learn How to Engage in More Meaningful Activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or 215.204.9021. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES 

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

Mental Health America Seeks Nominations for Its Annual Awards

“We are excited to announce that nominations are now open for seven Mental Health America awards that recognize peers, individuals, journalists, advocates, and MHA affiliates making a difference in mental health,” MHA writes. “These awards will be given out during formal ceremonies at the 2024 Mental Health America Conference, held September 17-21, 2024, in Washington, D.C.” For details and to submit a nomination by the May 10th deadline, click here.

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the Series

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

RESOURCES

Does Your State Need Help to Comply with the HCBS Final Rule Requirements? NCAPPS Offers Support.

“NCAPPS is providing free short-term direct technical assistance to states who need support implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the HCBS Final Rule requirements…Preference will be given to states with strong leadership buy-in and established relationships with advocacy organizations.” For details, click here. Questions? ncapps@hsri.org 

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation” --launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 11, May 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, April 2024, Volume 20, Number 10

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that, in the WEBINARS, TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS category, there are nine events happening on March 26, 27, and 28, respectively! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $36.9 Million in Behavioral Health Funding Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recently announced $36.9 million in grant programs supporting behavioral health services across the U.S. “SAMHSA grant programs like these help communities implement comprehensive, evidence-based strategies that prevent and address substance misuse and promote mental health across the country,” said SAMHSA leader Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, HHS assistant secretary for mental health and substance use. For the press release, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak) (A notice of the Statewide Consumer Network Program grants was included in the March 2024 Key Update.) 

“Can Music Heal Trauma? Exploring the Therapeutic Powers of Sound”

“An increasing number of music therapists are now treating people touched by traumas both big and small, highlighting humanity’s deepest connections with music in the process,” according to a report on Pocket Worthy. For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Michael Skinner)

Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law Receives $2 Million Gift from Yield Giving Open Call

On March 19, 2024, “MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. The Bazelon Center received $2 million. This is the largest unrestricted single contribution in the organization’s history.” For the press release, click here.

Oxevision, a Controversial Inpatient Surveillance System, Won FDA Approval in 2021

Oxevision is “a patient monitoring system consisting of an infrared sensor and camera, which can be used to take vital signs and observe patients remotely. Currently, increasing numbers of psychiatric hospitals in England use Oxevision, in all patient bedrooms, thus enforcing blanket, 24-hour surveillance without ongoing informed consent and individualized risk assessments,”  the Stop Oxevision campaign writes. “The use of these devices is an excessive use of force and an unnecessary invasion of privacy.” Among the groups that have organized to stop the use of Oxevision in the UK is the National Survivor User Network. While there is a petition to “Stop the rollout of Oxevision and invasive video surveillance in psychiatric hospitals” in the UK (click here), there does not seem to be a similar effort in the U.S.–yet. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Does Your State Need Help to Comply with the HCBS Final Rule Requirements? NCAPPS Offers Support.

“NCAPPS is providing free short-term direct technical assistance to states who need support implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the HCBS Final Rule requirements…Preference will be given to states with strong leadership buy-in and established relationships with advocacy organizations.” For details, click here. Questions? ncapps@hsri.org 

Learn how to engage in more meaningful activities! Join the TU Collaborative’s Research Study.

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate in a six-month intervention to get out of the house and engage in more meaningful activities; who are available to meet on the day the intervention takes place; who are experiencing significant mental health issues; who live in the U.S.; and who are at least 18 years old. If you are interested in participating, please contact switch@temple.edu. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $440 for your time and effort.”

Mental Health America Seeks Nominations for Its Annual Awards

“We are excited to announce that nominations are now open for seven Mental Health America awards that recognize peers, individuals, journalists, advocates, and MHA affiliates making a difference in mental health,” MHA writes. “These awards will be given out during formal ceremonies at the 2024 Mental Health America Conference, held September 17-21, 2024, in Washington, D.C.” For details and to submit a nomination by the May 10th deadline, click here.

The Latest Wildflower Alliance Newsletter Includes News, Trainings, Opportunities, and Resources!

The latest edition of the Wildflower Alliance newsletter includes legislative alerts on a peer respite bill and an involuntary outpatient commitment bill, and a training on legislative advocacy to support the peer respite bill (April 16, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET OR April 17, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. ET). It also includes an invitation to people who are willing to testify on video (with $100 in compensation). And that’s only a fraction of what the newsletter includes: There are more trainings and other opportunities too (some of which are described below)! For the newsletter, click here.

Have You Been Psychiatrically Hospitalized Within the Last Two Years in the U.S.? CAHPS Researchers Want to Hear From You

Researchers are recruiting for a project funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) “to develop questions about people’s inpatient mental health care experiences for a nationally distributed Consumer Assessment of Patient Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS) survey. The individual interviews [in Spring 2024 via Zoom] will help us figure out what topics are important to ask about, and if the questions make sense to people who have had experiences in an inpatient mental health facility.” “Only the researchers will listen to the recordings, which will be destroyed within two months of the end of the study. Reports based on the interviews will not identify any of the participants.” To be eligible, participants must have been at least 18 years old when they were hospitalized. Respondents will receive $100. The principal investigators are from the Center for Survey Research at UMass Boston and Yale University School of Public Health. Questions? Carol.Cosenza@umb.edu. (Courtesy of Nev Jones)

RESOURCES

CAFÉ TAC Offers Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM)

“The Consumer Pathways to Inclusion and Engagement Model (CPIEM) is a [138-page] guidebook created by peers, for peers, to help them develop the skills they need to turn their lived mental health experience into meaningful change in the mental health system of care.” For more about the guidebook, including a link to download it (or you can click on the link attached to the title, above), click here. A webinar to introduce the guidebook was presented on March 14, 2024. For a recording of the webinar, click here. (Jeremy Countryman writes: “Recordings of all of our webinars are at https://cafetacenter.net/tac-trainings/. Just scroll down to “Recent Trainings and Webinars.”)

A Mental Health Recovery Workbook Has Garnered Many Endorsements from the Field

Your Mental Health Recovery Workbook: A Workbook to Share Hope, by Katherine Ponte, BA, JD, MBA, CPRP, has been highly praised by an array of individuals with lived experience, family members and other allies and advocates, and mental health professionals. Katherine, who has lived experience, is “a mental health advocate, author, non-profit founder, entrepreneur, coach, consultant, and lawyer. She is a faculty member of the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry's Program for Recovery and Community Health at Yale University, Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner, and New York Certified Peer Specialist-Provisional.” For more about Katherine and the workbook, including the many testimonials and how to order it, click here. 

“Introducing Alternatives to Suicide: An Interview with Caroline Mazel-Carlton about a New Approach to Crisis”

In this interview, published in The Community Psychologist, Shira Collings (née Emily Cutler) asks Caroline Mazel-Carlton, director of learning opportunities at the Wildflower Alliance, about Alternatives to Suicide, which the Wildflower Alliance (formerly the Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community) developed. For the interview, click here. For more about Alternatives to Suicide, “a peer-to-peer support practice for voicing, sitting with, understanding, and moving through suicidal thoughts,” click here.

“Treatment Not Trauma: A Community Care Infrastructure for Crisis Response, Mental Health, and Shared Safety”

A recent STAT article—”Moving from crisis response to crisis prevention in U.S. mental health systems” (February 8, 2024)—describes “Treatment Not Trauma,” a plan that organizers in Chicago have devised, which “begins from the recognition that the most important part of addressing mental health crises is to prevent them from ever arising. It therefore calls for neither a psychiatric nor police model of mental health response—both of which are dominated by reaction rather than prevention—but instead for a public health model of community wellness.” For the 26-page white paper about this approach, published in July 2023, click here.

Ward 81: Voices Documents the Lives of Women in the Locked Ward at Oregon State Hospital

In 1976, photographer Mary Ellen Mark and writer Karen Folger Jacobs “set out to document the lives of the women in this locked ward at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem—the only one in the state…Ward 81: Voices, an expanded edition of the 1979 book, includes previously unpublished photographs, excerpts from interviews with patients and recorded conversations between Mark and Jacobs, as well as new essays examining the influence of their project. For an article about the book, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak) 

A Digital Booklet Explains the UN’s “Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care”

MindFreedom International writes: “Monirul, a MindFreedom member in Bangladesh, has launched a website called MindfulRights in order to promote human rights in various fields in Bangladesh, including mental health care, and to raise public awareness of related issues within the country. Although the site is still a work in progress, it already offers educational resources, such as a digital booklet that Monirul has composed to explain the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care in simple terms...To access these resources, click on the links above.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

“The Black Immigrant & Disability Experience: Breaking Down Misconceptions and Bridging the Gap”

On March 26, 2024, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT), Disability Rights California “will discuss the experience of Black Immigrants with disabilities at the intersection of family, community, and culture and explore policies and programs that can help Black immigrants with disabilities overcome the barriers and challenges they face.” For details and to register, click here.

Doors to Wellbeing’s March Webinar is on the CPS Career Outcomes Study

On March 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, “join Laysha Ostrow, PhD, as she discusses some of the results from the Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Career Outcomes Study, a 3-year effort to document the career outcomes of CPS.” For details and to register, click here.

SAMHSA Will Hold a Meeting of ISMICC on March 27—and You Are Invited

On March 27, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, SAMHSA will hold a meeting of ISMICC (Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee) in person and virtually. To register for the virtual meeting, click here. For more information, click here. 

The March 2024 Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC Newsletter Includes Many Items of Interest. And the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar Includes Even More.   

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) writes at the top of its newsletter: “Below you will find a list of featured events and products brought to you by our Center, the MHTTC Network, and beyond.” One such webinar is “Addressing Myths About Substance Use, Addiction, Treatment and Recovery,” on March 27, 2024 (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET). For details and to register for this webinar, click here. For the newsletter, click here. For the MHTTC Training and Events Calendar, which includes numerous webinars from each of the MHTTC regions, click here.

NASMHPD to Host Two SAMHSA-sponsored Webinars Focused on Youth Mental Health

On March 27, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. ET, NASMHPD (National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors) will present “Building a framework for developing a comprehensive school-based mental health program,” which will “share a mental health framework for schools that has been proven to be effective and successful in helping students to manage their mental health challenges and achieve academic success.” For details and to register, click here. And on April 3, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. ET, NASMHPD will present “Youth in Crisis: Supporting Youth through School- and Clinic-based Mental Health Programs,” which “will offer helpful strategies for addressing trauma and grief, substance abuse, and other barriers that can negatively affect student learning, growth, and development through school- and clinic-based mental health programs.” For details and to register, click here. Questions? kelle.masten@nasmhpd.org or paige.thomas@nasmhpd.org.

CRDJ Presents a Panel on “The Politics of Psychiatric Reinstitutionalization”

On March 27, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET, the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ) will host a free virtual panel on "The Politics of Psychiatric Reinstitutionalization." CRDJ writes: “This important and timely panel will discuss reinstitutionalization under the guise of recent policy efforts to force and coerce people with psychiatric disabilities and unhoused folks into ‘treatment’ and hospitalization. This panel will be moderated by CRDJ's executive director, Jordyn Jensen. Panelists include Luke Sikinyi (director of public policy, Alliance for Rights and Recovery), Andrea Wagner (managing member, LaVoy Wagner LLC), and Stefen Short (supervising attorney & director of the Prisoners' Rights Project, The Legal Aid Society). To register for this free panel, click here.

ISPS-US Presents “Diverse Psychotherapeutic Approaches for Voice Hearing”

“This series features…expert-led [three-hour] sessions, each delving into a distinct therapeutic modality, including Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) (March 27, 12 p.m. ET), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) (April 9, 2 p.m. ET), Psychodynamic Therapy (April 23, 2 p.m. ET), Creative Arts Therapy (May 14, 11 a.m. ET), [and] Internal Family Systems (IFS) (May 28, 5 p.m. ET).” ISPS-US writes: “These workshops are interactive learning experiences and, therefore, should be attended live. There are only 40 spaces available." Because the first session, on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), occurred on March 5, you must register for individual sessions rather than for the whole series. For details, including cost, and to register, click here.

CAFÉ TAC Invites You to Join a Rapid-Fire Recovery Q&A with Peer Leader Cherene Caraco!

On March 28, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, Cherene Caraco–CEO of North Carolina’s Promise Resource Network and 2022 Bazelon Center Innovator of the Year–will facilitate a conversation “about innovative peer-centered, recovery-focused practices in mental health, touching on topics from warm lines and peer respites to human rights and systems-level change...Use this link to submit your question or comment, and we’ll bring it up during the webinar! We’ll also take additional questions and comments live! Register here!” 

Moblize Recovery Will Host Two Virtual Workshops Focused on the “Interconnected Recovery Community”

On March 28, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET, Mobilize Recovery will present “Spirituality in Recovery: A walk into the present moment”…This workshop explores wellness of the mind, body, and spirit for individuals and families looking to deepen their personal scope of Spirituality in recovery…” To register, click here. And on April 25, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET, Mobilize Recovery will present “Rethink Recovery: Creating inclusive communities with intention,” which “will challenge how we define and talk about recovery. Accepting that there are multiple pathways is not enough; we must believe that all pathways are equally valid.” To register, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)

The Next Judi’s Room Will Feature Noted Journalist and Author Rob Wipond

On April 3, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships, will host a conversation about involuntary commitment. To ask Rob questions about his research and request specific topics for him to discuss, you can fill out this brief questionnaire before April 1. Rob will use these responses to guide his presentation, which will be followed by a question-and-answer and discussion period. For the Zoom link, click here.

SHARE! Supervision of Peer Workforce Conference Extends the Deadline to Submit a Proposal

The new deadline is April 5, 2024, to submit a proposal for the third virtual SHARE! Supervision of Peer Workforce Conference, “Bridging Research and Practice.” The virtual conference will be held Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT). To submit a proposal & to register, click here.

Now I See a Person Institute to Present a Virtual Conference on “Normalizing Ourselves for the Clients”

On April 7, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), the Now I See a Person Institute will present a two-hour virtual conference on “Normalizing Ourselves for the Clients. Freeing Ourselves and Finding Freedom.” During the conference, a panel of clinicians will discuss “how therapeutic relationships and conversations foster a cure from mental illness narratives.” To register for the free conference–donations are gratefully accepted–please contact admin@nowiseeaperson.com. For more information, click here.

VA Presents National Mental Health Recovery and Wellness Webinar Series

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has posted a list of its upcoming one-hour webinars: “Treating the Whole Person: Special Considerations for Addressing Behavioral Health Comorbidities in Serious Mental Illness” (April 9), “Collaborative Decision-making for Veterans with SMI” (May 14), and “VISION Coalition (Veteran-Informed Safety Intervention & Outreach Network)” (June 11). All webinars begin at 1 p.m. ET. The list also includes archived webinars. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Michelle Colder Carras)

Wildflower Alliance Presents Alternatives to Suicide Group Facilitator (Online) Training

This six-session online training (April 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, and 26, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. ET) is accepting applications on a rolling basis until the training is full. For details, including cost (although “no one will be turned away for lack of funds”) and a link to apply, click here. 

National Center for Victims of Crime Offers Grant Opportunity

On April 15, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, the National Center for Victims of Crime will present a pre-application webinar for its Peer-to-Peer Program (P2P) grant opportunity, whose purpose “is to establish or enhance peer-to-peer support programs designed for victims and survivors of all crime types and underserved or marginalized communities who have experienced victimization. Through the P2P grant opportunity, the National Center for Victims of Crime will fund 10 subrecipients. To register for the webinar, click here. View the full request for proposals here. May 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET is the deadline to apply for funding here. Questions? Ask Program Manager Ashtyn Buechler (abuechler@victimsofcrime.org). (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Copeland Center Hosts Interactive Six-Hour CE Course “for Peer Workers and Beyond”

On April 16 and April 18, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET on both days, the Copeland Center will present “Talking with Intention: Effective Communication and Purposeful Self-Disclosure.” The Copeland Center writes: “This online course is designed for peer specialists and peer workers to examine effective communication strategies.” For details, including cost, and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Wildflower Alliance Presents “Creating Family-Based Crisis Alternatives to Emergency Rooms and Psych Hospitals

On April 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, “Join Cindy Hadge and Sera Davidow for this training on families learning to navigate crisis without ending up in Emergency Rooms, hospitals, and other invasive interventions that can too often be traumatic and lead to further breakdowns in trust and connection.” For details and to register, click here.

Copeland Center to Host Taking Action for Wellbeing Conference in Philadelphia

From August 11 to 13, 2024, at the Philadelphia Marriott Old City, the Copeland Center will host “Taking Action for Wellbeing,” a national conference. “Hear about the most cutting edge research from top researchers in the field, learn supervision, team building, and leadership skills, and connect with hundreds of people who are also taking action for their wellbeing in a supportive environment driven by our values and ethics,” the Copeland Center writes, adding that Call for Workshop proposals will follow. For details and to register, click here. 

ISEPP Issues Call for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference, to Be Held October 26-27

May 1, 2024, is the deadline to submit a proposal for the 26th annual conference of the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP), to be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, October 26-27. For questions, contact pepe.santana.phd@gmail.com

“Working with Hearing Voices and Unusual Beliefs”

The Wildflower Alliance writes: “Participants in this 6-session training will learn how to better understand and support people to make meaning of their experiences with voice hearing and/or unusual beliefs or what gets called ‘paranoia.’ Attendance at all sessions is required to fully complete the training. All sessions will be held online, and all times listed are in Eastern USA time. Registration is required. Space is limited.” The dates and times are July 17, 2024 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), July 18 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), July 19 (10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.), July 24 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), July 25 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), and July 26 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.). For details and to register and pay, click here.

Mad Camp Is Scheduled for July 18-22, 2024

“The second annual Mad Camp is scheduled for July 18-22 this year at Four Springs near Middletown, California. Applications are now being accepted, and some scholarships are available. Mad Camp is a week-long summer camp for mad people in the mountains: a place for singing, dancing, cavorting, telling stories, reading poetry, naps, meditation, community, hiking, playing games, yoga, swimming, art and craft creating, eating delicious food, making friends, listening to music, hanging out, open mic... and much more! The deadline to apply for tickets is April 8th. To learn more about Mad Camp, click on madcamp.net."

The April 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Health misinformation is rampant on social media – here’s what it does, why it spreads and what people can do about it,” click here. For “Study Puts a Cork in Belief That a Little Wine Helps the Heart: If you think a glass of wine in the evening is good for your heart, think again,” click here. For “Do You Still Need to Wash Pre-Washed Produce?” click here. For “The benefits of reading aloud,” click here. For “15 Fitness Fads That Do More Harm Than Good,” click here. For “Lying on the Floor Can Help You Feel More Grounded, According to Trauma Specialists—Here’s What Happened When I Tried It for a Week,” click here. For “You can fight existing signs of dementia with a healthy lifestyle, a new study suggests,” click here. For “How memory and thinking ability change with age,” click here. For “The Four Keys to Well-Being: Dr. Richard Davidson explains that well-being is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened,” click here. For “What are the health benefits of dark chocolate? Dark chocolate is rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. it can have various health benefits, including reducing inflammation and decreasing the risk of heart disease,” click here. For “Presidential Physical Fitness Test: Can You Pass It Now?” click here. For “Antidepressants Could Trigger Some Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” click here. For “Acting Out Dreams Predicts Parkinson’s and Other Brain Diseases: Enacted dreams could be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease,” click here. For “Hitting the activity mark: Guidelines recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, but how can you consistently reach this number?” click here. For “Exercise even better than anti-depressants at treating depression, study finds: Walking, jogging, yoga and strength training appeared to be the most effective types of exercise, according to a major new analysis,” click here. For “How to Heal from Trauma,” click here. (The previous two items were Courtesy of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter) For “How to stop living on auto-pilot: Are you going through the motions? Use these therapy techniques to set meaningful goals and build a ‘life worth living,’” click here. For “States have hodgepodge of cumbersome rules for enforcing sunshine laws,” click here.

The April 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “The ‘Bad Guys’: Police academies socialize officers into an ‘us-versus-them’ mentality–particularly when it comes to activists–and harden them to any attempts at reform. They are taught that activists will purposely target police with lies, belligerence, and baiting. Thus police are primed to treat activists with distrust and disdain before they’ve even spent a single day on the job,” click here. For “When Police Encounters With Autistic People Turn Fatal: The death of a 15-year-old is once again raising questions about training on neurodivergent and mental health diagnoses among law enforcement agencies,” click here. For “Bedbugs, Rats and No Heat: How One Woman Endured a Decade of Neglect in New York’s Guardianship System: Judith Zbiegniewicz lived in squalor, yet every month, her legally appointed guardian was paid $450 from her bank account. She is one of the thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers left stranded by a system meant to protect them,” click here. For “Lawmakers Ignored Warnings About New York’s Broken Guardianship System for Decades. Here’s How They Can Fix It,” click here. For “Her Story: Issue 16 highlights women’s experiences in the U.S. criminal justice system,” click here. For “The effects of cash bail on crime and court appearances: Research suggests that curtailing the use of monetary release conditions among low-risk defendants would not result in dramatic drops in court attendance or increased risk of reoffending,” click here. For “Forty-six States Paid for Violent, Racist Police Training. We should ban pretextual stops instead: A recent report by the New Jersey Comptroller’s office found that a company called Street Cop trained police to shoot indiscriminately at people, medically experiment on the injured, and treat virtually anyone who isn’t a white, straight, cisgender male with open disdain. More training like this won’t make America safer,” click here. For “The National Registry of Exonerations says 153 innocent people were freed last year. A new report credits an increase on innocence organizations and conviction integrity units working on cases,” click here. For “Harassment and violence have become routine at Tewksbury’s overburdened psych hospital, workers say,” click here. For “Federal prison employees falsified logs in case where inmate committed suicide, IG says: The Justice Department inspector general last week urged the Bureau of Prisons to adopt stricter rules governing special housing unit rounds logs after lax policies potentially impaired the ability to prosecute the employees,” click here. For “Supreme Court says Georgia can’t retry mentally ill man who killed his mother: The high court said that despite an unusual split verdict, Georgia could not bring another trial against Damian McElrath because doing so would violate the double jeopardy clause,” click here. For “Supreme Court Blocks Retrial of Georgia Man Accused of Murder,” click here. For “Read the Ruling [in the above-noted case],” click here. For “Turns Out It’s Really Useful to Have a Former Public Defender on the Supreme Court,” click here.  For “U.S. Police Dogs Originated from Slavery–and Must Be Abolished: The Thirteenth Amendment bans all ‘badges and incidents’ of slavery. But the use of police dogs enacts cruelty on both people of color and the dogs themselves. To fully rid society of slavery, the dogs must be retired,” click here. For “Unmaking Prison Walls: Reacquainting ourselves with practices that made prisons more permeable can be a step toward ending mass incarceration,” click here. For “Rat fur, arsenic and copper: the dangerous ingredients lacing US prison water,” click here. For “Prison deaths report finds widespread missteps, failures in latest sign of crisis in federal prisons,” click here. For “The State of Prison Reform: A Conversation with Nazgol Ghandnoosh,” click here. For “This Mississippi Court Appoints Lawyers for Just 1 in 5 Defendants Before Indictment: Mississippi is known as one of the worst states for public defense. In one lower court, most defendants went without any lawyer before indictment,” click here. For “This court program helps at-risk youth with autism avoid juvenile detention,” click here. For “Advancing Transgender Justice: Illuminating Trans Lives Behind and Beyond Bars,” click here. For “Travis County to launch $23 million project to keep mentally ill from jail: Next month, mentally ill individuals accused of committing minor crimes will be “diverted” to a new 25-bed facility instead of jail cells in Travis County,” click here. For “Gaskin: The prison system needs a theory of change: ‘How can we effectively and justly improve recidivism rates to warrant the financial investment and ensure returning citizens flourish and contribute?’” click here. For “Revealed: at least 22 Californians have died while being held face down by police since 2016,” click here. For “‘He Died Like an Animal’: Some Police Departments Hogtie People Despite Knowing The Risks: The U.S. Department of Justice in 1995 warned that people may die when police tie handcuffed wrists to bound ankles,” click here. For “Cheap Jail and Prison Food Is Making People Sick. It Doesn’t Have To. Penny-pinching on food services fleeces incarcerated people and their families and has adverse health impacts, all while lining the pockets of corporations. Better ways exist,” click here. For “How Federal Prisons Are Getting Worse: Government watchdog agencies found hundreds of preventable deaths and excessive use of solitary confinement,” click here. For “Editorial: New lawsuit points to obvious truth: Solitary confinement is cruel and must end,” click here. For “ICE's wanton use of solitary confinement defies even its own standards: ‘We cannot sit idly by and allow tens of thousands more to suffer and develop debilitating mental and physical conditions as a result of this inhuman practice,’” click here. For “American Psychological Association Resolution Calls for Ban on Youth Solitary…and Other News on Solitary Confinement,” click here. For “‘Is a Life in Solitary “Cruel and Unusual?’ In Pennsylvania, the heart of solitary confinement reform, an intellectually disabled inmate says he’s been held in wretched isolation for 36 years (2016),” click here. For “Understanding the Trajectories of Women who use Violence Through an Intersectional Feminist Analysis,” click here. For “The FBI Catches Suspects by Utilizing Phone 'Push Alerts': The investigative technique has raised alarms from privacy advocates, who worry the data could be used to surveil Americans at a time when police and prosecutors have used cellphone data to investigate women for potentially violating state abortion bans,” click here. For “Graying in Prison: There's no aging with dignity for people serving extreme sentences. Freeing them is only a start to a deeper paradigm shift,” click here. For “Prisoners with developmental disabilities face unique challenges. One facility is offering solutions,” click here. For “Dozens of Minnesotans have been killed in high speed police chases since 2017,” click here. For “Motor vehicle crash deaths related to police pursuits in the United States,” click here. For “Department of Corrections: The Thirteenth Amendment says, ‘Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted (emphasis added), shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.’...Until this ‘Exception Clause’ is removed from the Constitution and it reads, ‘Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction,’ then call us what we are. Call us slaves,” click here. For “Women in Recovery, Oklahoma: “This profile discusses  Women in Recovery’s approach to integrating employment services into its treatment and recovery programs,” click here. For “‘This is torture': State of health care in U.S. prisons leads to brutal inmate deaths,” click here. For “Federal courts move against ‘judge-shopping’: The new policy is aimed at combating litigants’ attempts to direct their cases to specific judges,” click here. For “A Welcome Judicial Reform: Towards Random Case Assignment,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER TRAININGS

NARPA (National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy) Issues Request for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference!

The deadline is April 1, 2024, to submit a workshop proposal for NARPA’s 2024 conference, to be held in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7. For details and to apply, click here. For details of the presentations at last year’s conference, as well as other information, click here.

Sixth (Online) World Mental Health Congress to Be Held April 15-16, 2024

“Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience: Nurturing Mental Health in a Changing World” is the theme of the Sixth World Mental Health Congress, a virtual event to be held April 15-16, 2024. For more information and to register, click here.

Suicide Research Symposium to Be Held April 17-19, 2024

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

National Federation of Families Conference Seeks Workshop Proposals

The National Federation of Families is looking for “60-minute proposals and a very limited number of 3-hour intensive workshop proposals” for its 35th annual conference, to be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. “The National Federation welcomes proposals from professionals, family members, and youth who support the well-being of our children—of all ages—and promote family voice.” For details and to submit a proposal—deadline: May 1—click here.

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week Will Be May 5-11, 2024

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week, sponsored by the National Federation of Families, will be held May 5-11, 2024. Previously called National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, it was established in 1992 and updated in 2022 from Awareness to Acceptance. For more information, click here.

Are You a Peer Who Is Interested in Entrepreneurship? Attend This National Workshop Series in June and July!

On six consecutive Tuesdays from June 4 through July 9 (12 p.m.-2 p.m. ET), PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) will host a free live, virtual workshop series that is “designed to assist individuals in the United States living with mental health and substance use issues in their consideration and pursuit of entrepreneurship as a route to occupational and financial wellness.” Participants must be able to commit to full attendance for all six sessions, with cameras on. For details and to register, click here.

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

Academy of Peer Services Offers “Honest, Open Proud”

The Academy of Peer Services has opened enrollment for its new, self-paced, five-part Continuing Education Series, “Honest, Open Proud (HOP).” “HOP was developed by Dr. Patrick Corrigan, director of the National Consortium of Stigma and Empowerment (NCSE), through extensive community-based participatory research led by people with lived experience.” For the announcement, which includes a link to the flyer and to directions for registering, click here.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

“Submit Future Research Topics by March 30 to Effective Health Care Program”

“Nominations for new research topics for Effective Health Care (EHC) Program evidence reviews are due March 30, 2024. AHRQ [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality] encourages the public to participate in the agency’s EHC Program, which conducts evidence reviews to inform healthcare decision-making on drugs, devices, surgeries, and approaches to healthcare delivery.” For information about how to submit a research topic, click here. Questions? epc@ahrq.hhs.gov. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the Series

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here.

UIC Researchers Are Recruiting for Two Studies, Both with Cash Incentives

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are recruiting for two studies: “a program where you work with a personal virtual wellness coach to improve your wellbeing and quality of life,” and a “research study testing an online program called Enhancing Your Immune Health.” Participants in the wellbeing study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $100 to complete two phone interviews.” Participants in the immune health study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing three phone interviews." To find out if you are eligible for the wellbeing study, email HealthyReStart2021@gmail.com or text/call 1-312-725-2966. To find out if you are eligible for the immune health study, email enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text/call: 1-312-725-2966. When texting or leaving a message, please let UIC know which study you're interested in, and provide your name, phone number, and email address. (Judith Cook, PhD, is the principal investigator of both studies; Jessica Jonikas, MA, is the co-investigator.)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

RESOURCES

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation” --launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

“When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has published a 94-page manual entitled “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer: How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective.” “When peers support those in crisis, individuals who need help are less likely to be admitted to emergency rooms and hospitals to receive inpatient care. They are more likely to participate in community-based services—which can help them avoid future crises and resulting institutionalization or incarceration—and be more engaged in the services they receive. They experience less self-stigma and more self-empowerment and hope. They are less likely to need crisis services in the future.” For the manual, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 10, April 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, March 2024, Volume 20, Number 9

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are trainings and webinars that begin (in the case of trainings) or occur tomorrow (Feb. 21) and the following day (Feb. 22)! And there is another webinar tomorrow (Feb. 21) in the “...But Still Fresh!” Department! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in “…But Still Fresh!” Check them out!

NEWS

SAMHSA Announces Funding Opportunities for Statewide Consumer Networks

April 8, 2024, is the due date for applications for SAMHSA’s Statewide Consumer Network Program. SAMHSA writes: “The purpose of this program is to strengthen the capacity of statewide mental health peer-led organizations to partner with state efforts to improve mental health support systems and related services for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) or serious emotional disturbance (SED) as agents of transformation.” For more information, including eligibility requirements and application materials and resources, click here. (Courtesy of Jeremy Countryman)

“Watchful Waiting” Is the Best Course of Action for Non-Suicidal Depression

Reported in the April 2024 edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, Serbian researchers found that “watchful waiting, when coupled with psychosocial advice, depathologization and shared decision making, was effective in 64.5% of patients who ended up with no pharmaco- or psychotherapy after the three-month follow-up period. Severity of depression did not correlate with the efficacy of watchful waiting. Expectations from pharmacotherapy were the dominant factor influencing whether a patient will enter or finish the study without pharmacotherapy.” For the study, click here. And for “Psychotherapy Without Antidepressants Shows Best Results for Depression,” in Mad In America, click here.

Research on “Trauma-focused Therapy in Early Psychosis” Found “Promising Signals of Efficacy” 

A recent study, published in Psychological Medicine, describes British researchers’ attempts to “determine the feasibility of a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for psychosis (EMDRp) intervention for early psychosis service users.” They concluded that “...EMDRp was associated with promising signals of efficacy on a range of valuable clinical outcomes. A larger-scale, multi-center trial of EMDRp is feasible and warranted.” For the study, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

SAMHSA Will Hold a Meeting of ISMICC on March 27—and You Are Invited

On March 27, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, SAMHSA will hold a meeting of ISMICC (Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee) in person and virtually. To give a three-minute testimony, you must register for the virtual meeting (click here). “Individuals interested in submitting a comment must notify Pamela Foote on or before March 18, 2024, via email to: Pamela.Foote@samhsa.hhs.gov.” For more information, click here. 

“Submit Future Research Topics by March 30 to Effective Health Care Program”

“Nominations for new research topics for Effective Health Care (EHC) Program evidence reviews are due March 30, 2024. AHRQ [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality] encourages the public to participate in the agency’s EHC Program, which conducts evidence reviews to inform healthcare decision-making on drugs, devices, surgeries, and approaches to healthcare delivery.” For information about how to submit a research topic, click here. Questions? epc@ahrq.hhs.gov. (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Stone)

ISEPP Seeks Contributions for an Upcoming Volume of Its Series on Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry, and Has Published Two More Volumes in the Series

ISEPP (International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry) seeks “authors to contribute to an upcoming volume of the Ethics International Press Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. Don't miss the opportunity to speak your mind.” Contact any of these editors with your ideas for a chapter: Eric Maisel, PhD, ericmaisel@hotmail.com; Arnold Cantu, MSW, Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu; Chuck Ruby, PhD, docruby@me.com. ISEPP has also released two more volumes in the series: Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models and Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND PODCASTS

NEC’s Quarterly Newsletter Includes Trainings, Webinars, and a Survey 

On February 21 and 22, 2024 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET), the National Empowerment Center will present Virtual Emotional CPR (eCPR) for Adults (limited to 14 participants). Fee: $250. And on March 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 (5 p.m. - 7 p.m. ET), NEC will present Virtual Youth eCPR (aged 16-25) for free (donations optional). Also, on February 21 at 2 p.m. ET, NEC will present a free, 90-minute webinar on “Reaching Success and Connection: Peer Support Integration in the Workplace,” and will present the same webinar in Spanish on March 4 at 1 p.m. NEC is also seeking educators and parents/guardians to respond to its survey on the needs of children aged 5 through 11 concerning learning and mental health. For details and to register for the trainings and webinars and/or to participate in the survey, click here.

“Addressing Spirituality in the Clinic & Community: Strategies for Expanding a Continuum of Mental Health Care and Sustained Recovery” Is One of Many Upcoming Webinars Listed in the MHTTC Calendar

On February 21, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Southeast MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network) will present a one-hour webinar during which “[p]resenters will share ways that spirituality/religion (S/R) can promote strengths and struggles in the context of mental health challenges as well as discuss the process for offering spiritually competent care within mental health service organizations. Attendees will discover ways to collaborate with faith-based organizations in order to provide more holistic and long-term care as well as assess one's own clinical competence at attending to a client's spirituality/religion.” For details and to register, click here. Please note: The Training and Events Calendar of the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network includes many webinars that you may find of interest. To review the calendar, click here. 

“Wisdom from the Streets: Unhoused, Criminalized, and Hospitalized”

On February 22, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, the Cafe TA Center will host “a conversation about the lived experience of being unhoused in America while experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, what helps and harms, and alternative solutions to hospitals and jails.” For details and to register, click here. 

“The Perfect and the Good: Engaging People in Harm Reduction”

On February 22, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET, Pacific Southwest ROTA-R will present Part 2 of a two-part webinar on “Engaging People around Harm Reduction in the New Drug Landscape.” “Part 2 will review the current literature on harm reduction, discuss factors that affect the suitability and effectiveness of different strategies, and show how to use motivational interviewing and the ‘START’ acronym to help clients choose strategies to minimize potential risks.” To register, click here. (Courtesy of Sandy Goodwick)

Doors to Wellbeing to Present Webinars in February and March

On February 27, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a webinar about the Copeland Center’s “Taking Action for Whole Health & Wellbeing” course, “a co-facilitated group process that supports individuals in creating a personalized system for recovering, sustaining, and/or improving their whole health outcomes and enhancing their lifestyle.” And on March 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, “join Laysha Ostrow, PhD, as she discusses some of the results from the Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Career Outcomes Study, a 3-year effort to document the career outcomes of CPS.” For details and to register for either or both webinars, click here.

Mental Health Empowerment Project to Present Free Advocacy Trainings

From March 4 through March 8, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, the Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP, 204 Second Street, Albany, NY) will present free individual advocacy training, virtually and in person (lunch provided). Topics will include negotiation skills, human rights, assertiveness, and more! Contact Jen Hastings to register (by February 28, if possible) or for questions: jhastings@mhepinc.org or 518.434.1393. In addition, MHEP will present free systems advocacy training (virtually and in person) from March 12 through March 14, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. ET. For more information, including a detailed agenda, and to register, click here.  

“An Introduction to Centers for Independent Living”

On March 5, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Integration will host a free webinar on “Fostering Collaborations Between Mental Health Advocates and Centers for Independent Living [CILs].” “We will explore the history of CILs, tracing their evolution and impact, along with the core services offered by CILs. We will also discuss how mental health agencies can identify CILs in their area and build collaborations.” For details and to register, click here.

The Next Judi’s Room Will Feature SAFE (Survivors and Families Empowered)

On March 6, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a Judi’s Room featuring Kristina Kapp, Ron Bassman, and Peter Stastny, discussing SAFE (Survivors and Families Empowered). For more information and the required registration link, click here. The Zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189

PENTAC to Present National Peer Supervision Series

On March 7, 21, and 28 (1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET), PENTAC (Peer Experience National Technical Assistance Center) will present a three-part supervision training. “Facilitated by Achara Consulting, Peer Supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills in these workshops.” To register, click here.

“Mastering the Mundane”: A Free Webinar Sponsored by PENTAC

On March 14, 2024, at 11 a.m. ET, PENTAC will present a free, one-hour webinar on “Mastering the Mundane,” featuring guest presenter Michael Jones, founder of Northern Star Peer Network. PENTAC writes, “Learn how to master the mundane–a vital skill that will propel you toward a successful path as a leader. Because, let's face it, long-term wins are all about consistently showing up and executing with the same level of urgency and attention to detail every single day...even when you're not feeling it. Trust us, this webinar will change the game for you.” To register, click here.

Meaningful Minds United presents HOPE (Healthy Outcomes for Positive Experiences) 

On March 14, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT), Meaningful Minds United Inc., the statewide peer-run network in Louisiana, invites you to participate in “this educational program that supports optimal development in the face of adversity…This exciting presentation, from Tufts, will help to change your perspective on how we feel about our experiences as children. [It’s a] program that does take into account adverse childhood experiences but allows you to think about what is strong and not wrong!” To join the meeting, click on the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84937107470. Meeting ID: 849 3710 7470 (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“What It Takes: Supervising Peer Support Specialists/Advocates”

On March 15 and March 22, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, the Peer Support Services Technical Assistance Center (PeerTAC) will present “a free Virtual 2-Day Summit for Supervisors of Peer Support Services. Join us to learn more about approaches, tools, and strategies that can increase the effectiveness of your supervision of Peer Support Specialists/Advocates across the lifespan.” For more information and to register, click here.

Six-Part Aspiring Entrepreneurs Workshop Series for Peers in June-July

Every Tuesday (12 p.m. - 2 p.m. ET) from June 4, 2024, through July 9, 2024 , PENTAC will present a free national Aspiring Entrepreneurs Workshop Series for peers. The six modules will cover Self-Awareness, Wellness Planning, Interpersonal Skills, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Getting Your Business Started, and Planning for Personal and Professional Success. The workshops will include “a supported hand-off to business mentors with free ongoing support.” To register, click here. 

Academy of Peer Services Offers “Honest, Open Proud”

The Academy of Peer Services has opened enrollment for its new, self-paced, five-part Continuing Education Series, “Honest, Open Proud (HOP).” “HOP was developed by Dr. Patrick Corrigan, director of the National Consortium of Stigma and Empowerment (NCSE), through extensive community-based participatory research led by people with lived experience.” For the announcement, which includes a link to the flyer and to directions for registering, click here.

“Is Psychiatry Working?” The BBC Offers a Series of Eight Episodes Organized Under This Topic

Besides “Is Psychiatric Working?” the topics covered on these half-hour podcasts are, broadly stated, Anxiety, Healing and Recovery, Therapy, Medication, Diagnosis, Detention, and Crisis. To listen to the free podcasts, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

Crestwood’s Recovery Resilience Solutions Offers “Welcome to Recovery Practices”

The latest podcast by Recovery Resilience Solutions is about “the power of a recovery-based welcoming practice.” Dr. Lori Ashcraft writes: “In this podcast on welcoming, I give you lots of ideas about how to welcome (not intake) people into your programs. It is so important to get this right because it’s the first and lasting impression the person has of both us and our program. We can set the stage for a solid working relationship, or for a struggle as you try to connect later on.” For a link to the podcast and more information about “Viva La Evolution,” click here.

CONFERENCES

SHARE! Supervision of Peer Workforce Conference Announces Call for Proposals 

The deadline is March 29, 2024, to submit a proposal for the third virtual SHARE! Supervision of Peer Workforce Conference, “Bridging Research and Practice.” The virtual conference will be held Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT). To submit a proposal & to register, click here.

NARPA (National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy) Issues Request for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference!

The deadline is April 1, 2024, to submit a workshop proposal for NARPA’s 2024 conference, to be held in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7. For details and to apply, click here. For details of the presentations at last year’s conference, as well as other information, click here.

National Federation of Families Conference Seeks Workshop Proposals

The National Federation of Families is looking for “60-minute proposals and a very limited number of 3-hour intensive workshop proposals” for its 35th annual conference, to be held November 7-9, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. “The National Federation welcomes proposals from professionals, family members, and youth who support the well-being of our children—of all ages—and promote family voice.” For details and to submit a proposal—deadline: May 1—click here.

RESOURCES

“The Ethics of Survivor Research: Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Carried Out by Mental Health Service Users and Survivors”

“Drawing on the experience of survivors and service users, [this accessible manual] considers key issues such as informed consent and confidentiality with particular reference to mental health settings.” For more information and to download the free, 56-page manual, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

WHO Publishes Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity

The World Health Organization writes: “This Operational Framework for Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Equity provides countries with critical guidance on monitoring the social determinants of health–broadly defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and people’s access to power, money and resources–and actions addressing them, and using data for policy action across sectors to improve health equity. The publication is meant as a resource for national governments and their partners.” For more information and to download the free 140-page manual, click here.

IAAPA Proposes a Pathway to End Coercive Psychiatry

Following up on the landmark report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”--launched on October 9, 2023, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights–the International Association Against Psychiatric Assault (IAAPA) has issued a proposal to end coercive psychiatry. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher) To download the 208-page “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice”—originally reported in the September 23 edition of the Key Update—click here. 

SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

“SAMHSA’s updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.” For more information and to download the free toolkit, click here. 

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

“This comprehensive guide is designed to support BIPOC employees, allies, and leadership in fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment,” the New England MHTTC writes. “By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by People of Color, promoting allyship, and empowering leadership, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. This guide provides practical strategies, exercises, and resources to enhance well-being and promote equity within your organization.” To download the free 65-page guide and to view a series of webinars for guidance and support for the use and implementation of the guide, click here.

“Study: To Reduce Jail Populations, Increase Mental Health Services in Communities”

A new study by researchers at George Mason University “concludes that U.S. jails are de facto mental health institutions, with nearly 10 times as many individuals with serious mental health conditions in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. The study also found that access to affordable healthcare services and behavioral health treatment in the community changes how the jail is used and reduces the size of the jail population.” For more information and a link to the study, click here.”

LAST WORDS

RIP Ginger Phillips, a Passionate Mental Health Advocate and Dancer, and “a Fun and Loving Person Every Day of Her Life”

On January 26, 2024, Ginger Phillips, “an incredible advocate for mental health recovery,” died of lung cancer. “The world is a better place for her having been part of it,” wrote Judene Shelley of the National Empowerment Center. (The subject line also quotes Judene.) For Ginger’s obituary, click here. For a five-minute excerpt from a 65-minute interview that Judene recorded with Ginger in October 2023, click here. For the 65-minute interview, click here.

The March 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How to Savor Life,” click here. For “How to Start Exercising and Stick to It: Making exercise an enjoyable part of your everyday life may be easier than you think. These tips can show you how,” click here. For “Feeling Stuck? Here Are 5 Ways to Overcome It,” click here. For “5-minute breathing exercises can improve your mood and reduce anxiety: Cyclic sighing appears to be particularly effective among different breathing exercises and better than mindfulness meditation, a study says,” click here. For “Recognise the point of giving advice and you can do it better,” click here. For “February is best for resolutions, click here. For “Exercise Can Modify Fat Tissue in Ways That Improve Health–Even Without Weight Loss,” click here. For “Finding it tough to motivate yourself? These strategies can help. These science-based strategies can turn your good intentions into enduring habits,” click here. For “Sleep Deprivation and Memory Loss,” click here. For “How to Apologize Like You Mean It,” click here. For “‘Into the Wild’: A meta-synthesis of talking therapy in natural outdoor spaces: “Psychologists, counselors, and psychotherapists are increasingly using talking therapy outdoors,” click here. For “3 ways to measure how fit you are, without focusing on weight,” click here.

The March 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Reimagining Paths to Healing & Justice: Perspectives on Community Diversion” (a 56-page report by the Urban Justice Center Mental Health Project), click here. For “Called a 'model for success,' advocates seek to bring Durham's HEART program to Raleigh,” click here. For “Racial Bias in Arrests for Mental Health Symptoms: Black Americans with mental health symptoms are more likely to face arrest than White Americans, suggesting systemic racism in criminal justice responses,” click here. For “An ‘Execute-Them-At-Any-Cost Mentality’: The Supreme Court’s New, Bloodthirsty Era: The death penalty survived decades of decline. Now it’s back, thanks to capital punishment-prone prosecutors and a compliant Supreme Court,” click here. For “The Food on Your Table, Brought to You By Prison Labor: Incarcerated workers help produce some of America’s most popular food brands, but get few of the benefits and protections afforded to others,” click here. For “Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands,” click here. For “Asymmetrical Partners: Activism must involve incarcerated people–but few outside advocates truly understand the dangers and limitations imprisoned organizers face,” click here. For “Spit Hoods Can Be Deadly. Police Keep Using Them Anyway: Police cite studies saying the mesh bags are safe. But experts say the studies are flawed — and deaths in custody raise troubling questions,” click here. For “How training in the trades is helping women succeed after prison,” click here. For “One in Five: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety,” a 20-page report by The Sentencing Project, click here. For “Doctors question use of ‘excited delirium’ to explain deaths of suspects in police custody,” click here. For “The problem with criminal records: Discrepancies between state reports and private-sector background checks,” click here. For “Wall Street’s New Prison Scam: As states crack down on prison-phone price gouging and resulting government kickbacks, telecom companies and their private equity backers have new ways to game the system,” click here. For “Proposed Biden junk fees rule provides lots of transparency but little protection for incarcerated people: We called on the Federal Trade Commission to strengthen its proposed rule to explicitly prohibit some of the most abusive junk fees,” click here. For “ ‘It’s Known as “Death by Incarceration.’ These People Want to End It. More people are serving life sentences without parole in Pennsylvania than almost anywhere else in America. An increasingly vocal movement is trying to change that,” click here. For “The impact of large language models on police report writing and beyond. Exploring the transformative role of ChatGPT in policing — from streamlining report writing to enhancing operational effectiveness,” click here. For “Somebody’s Child: Amid the Lingering Trauma of Trump’s Executions, a New Project Brings Families to Federal Death Row,” click here. For “Redemptive Theater Project at FPC Duluth: Acting course demonstrates FBOP's vision,” click here. For “If You Can’t Afford an Attorney, One Will Be Appointed. And You May Get a Huge Bill: In Iowa, people too poor to pay for a lawyer are on the hook for big fees they can’t afford,” click here. For “The AI Lawyer is Here: How Artificial Intelligence is making its way into the legal system,” click here. For “Active shooter training: State-specific requirements for schools and law enforcement: No states mandate annual active shooter training for police officers, according to an analysis by The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and FRONTLINE. In comparison, at least 37 states require such training in schools, typically on a yearly basis,” click here. For “Bureau of Prisons failed to prevent nearly 200 deaths by suicide, DOJ watchdog finds: The Justice Department's inspector general said ‘numerous operational and managerial deficiencies’ contributed to many of the deaths it reviewed, over half of which were suicides,” click here. For “Evaluation of Issues Surrounding Inmate Deaths in Federal Bureau of Prisons Institutions” (111-page report),” click here. For “Qualified Immunity Is Not Limited to Police Brutality. It Protects a Wide Variety of Abusive Officials. An analysis of appeals involving the doctrine finds that less than a quarter ‘fit the popular conception of police accused of excessive force,’" click here. For “Gun Violence Affects Suicide Risk Among Black People, Study Finds: In the United States, people of color are the most vulnerable to gun violence, and they’re also the least likely to receive mental health care. The New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center has explored the connections,” click here. For “New SPLC report highlights disparities in Alabama’s juvenile justice system: Black students suspended more than white students and incarcerated more, according to the report,” click here. For “New York Spends Millions on Mental Health Street Teams. Do They Work? The city has poured funding into a program to aid severely mentally ill people while doing little to ensure it was getting results, an audit shows,” click here. For “The New York Slave Conspiracy Trials: A Deadly Hoax,” click here. For “Family of Black girls handcuffed by Colorado police, held at gunpoint reach $1.9 million settlement,” click here. For “How we’re failing to cover the cops: “A healthy relationship between the police and the press requires both regular contact and close scrutiny. That’s why we need beat reporters. Their decline, ultimately, is bad for accountability, and bad for our democracy,’” click here. For “First Amendment Disequilibrium: Can Modernizing Outdated First Amendment Doctrines Enhance Democracy? New legal protections are needed to empower the media to play its vital role in informing citizens about their government,” click here. For “Bureau of Prisons: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Restrictive Housing Practices–‘The Bureau of Prisons has not fully implemented 54 of the 87 recommendations from two prior studies on improving restrictive housing practices,’” click here. For “The effect of police violence on Black Americans’ health is documented in 2 new studies: Two studies published on Monday found racial disparities in sleep habits in the months following a police killing and in injuries caused by police using tasers,” click here. For “Police Departments Are Turning to AI to Sift Through Millions of Hours of Unreviewed Body-Cam Footage,” click here. For “Hair Sample That Put a Man in Prison Turned Out to Be Dog Hair: From bite marks to shaken babies, the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences is debunking bad science,” click here. For “How many are jailed awaiting mental health treatment in Mississippi? We still don’t know,” click here. For “Responding to Crimes of a Sexual Nature: What We Really Want Is No More Victims,” a 14-page report by the Sentencing Project, click here. For, “Is There Hope for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women? A hashtag and a political campaign have brought attention to the epidemic of violence, but a New Mexico woman is fighting case by case,” click here. For “Why Mandatory Reporting Doesn’t Keep Children Safe,” click here. For “When the Misdiagnosis is Child Abuse: The power of child-abuse pediatric specialists and parents' unequal journey toward justice,” click here. For “‘Independent’ Investigations Into Sexual Abuse Are Big Business. Can Survivors Really Trust Them? When an aid organization hired agents to investigate her father’s violence, the resulting probe became her new nightmare,” click here.

"FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!"

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

“2024 Disability Freedom & Justice Caravan” Kicks Off on March 5

From March 5 to September 30, 2024, “we the people with disabilities, and our allies, will cross America visiting cities, honoring people and places significant to us, and take action to bring justice to our people,” according to an announcement by I Love You, Lead On, founded in memory of Justin Dart, who is considered the “father” of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A goal is “voter education, engagement, and registration to educate our community and the public on issues important to us—and where elected officials stand on these issues—leading up to critical elections in November 2024.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

Sixth (Online) World Mental Health Congress to Be Held April 15-16, 2024

“Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience: Nurturing Mental Health in a Changing World” is the theme of the Sixth World Mental Health Congress, a virtual event to be held April 15-16, 2024. For more information and to register, click here.

Suicide Research Symposium to Be Held April 17-19, 2024

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week Will Be May 5-11, 2024

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week, sponsored by the National Federation of Families, will be held May 5-11, 2024. Previously called National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, it was established in 1992 and updated in 2022 from Awareness to Acceptance. For more information, click here.

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

WEBINARS AND TRAININGS

Two Upcoming Webinars and Much More in the January Edition of an MHTTC Newsletter

On February 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center) will present a 90-minute webinar on “Job Development: Building Skills to Connect with the Business Community.” On February 29 at 9:30 a.m. ET, it will present a one-hour webinar on “Post-Pandemic Impacts on School-Age Youth Mental Health.” And there is much more than that in the January edition of the newsletter. For more information and to register for either or both of the webinars, and for the rest of the newsletter’s offerings, click here.

National Peer Supervision Series Offered Virtually in March

In this three-part series, on March 7, 21, and 28 (1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET), sponsored by PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center), “peer supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills.” For more information and to register, click here.

Are You a Peer Who Is Interested in Entrepreneurship? Attend This National Workshop Series in June and July!

On six consecutive Tuesdays from June 4 through July 9 (12 p.m.-2 p.m. ET), PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) will host a free live, virtual workshop series that is “designed to assist individuals in the United States living with mental health and substance use issues in their consideration and pursuit of entrepreneurship as a route to occupational and financial wellness.” Participants must be able to commit to full attendance for all six sessions, with cameras on. For details and to register, click here.

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

OPPORTUNITIES

“National Study Asks People with Disabilities to Share Their Experiences”

“The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities, including people with mental health challenges, and documents their experiences with a variety of issues. Those include access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, long COVID, employment, community participation and more. Be sure that the perspective of people with lived experience of mental health conditions are represented!” For details, click here. If you are interested in participating, click here.

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here.

UIC Researchers Are Recruiting for Two Studies, Both with Cash Incentives

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are recruiting for two studies: “a program where you work with a personal virtual wellness coach to improve your wellbeing and quality of life,” and a “research study testing an online program called Enhancing Your Immune Health.” Participants in the wellbeing study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $100 to complete two phone interviews.” Participants in the immune health study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing three phone interviews." To find out if you are eligible for the wellbeing study, email HealthyReStart2021@gmail.com or text/call 1-312-725-2966. To find out if you are eligible for the immune health study, email enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text/call: 1-312-725-2966. When texting or leaving a message, please let UIC know which study you're interested in, and provide your name, phone number, and email address. (Judith Cook, PhD, is the principal investigator of both studies; Jessica Jonikas, MA, is the co-investigator.)

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

RESOURCES

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“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)

“When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has published a 94-page manual entitled “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer: How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective.” “When peers support those in crisis, individuals who need help are less likely to be admitted to emergency rooms and hospitals to receive inpatient care. They are more likely to participate in community-based services—which can help them avoid future crises and resulting institutionalization or incarceration—and be more engaged in the services they receive. They experience less self-stigma and more self-empowerment and hope. They are less likely to need crisis services in the future.” For the manual, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 9, March 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, February 2024, Volume 20, Number 8

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there is a webinar tomorrow (Jan. 24) at 3 p.m. ET! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

ACTION ALERTS

“Mobilize to Increase the SSI Savings Limit”

On January 30, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT), the National Disability Leadership Alliance (NDLA) Disability Organizers Forum is hosting a 90-minute Zoom meeting to organize around passing the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act. “Disabled people should be able to save for future expenses and have a safety net!” NDLA writes. “Find out how you can help get it passed. Brainstorm with other organizers.” To register, click here. For accommodations or questions, please contact Jessica Lehman at jlehman7@gmail.com. (Courtesy of Dan Fisher)

NEWS

New Study Finds That Many DSM-5-TR Panel Members Had Conflicts of Interest

In a study “[t]o assess the extent and types of financial ties to industry of panel and task force members of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR), published in 2022…168 individuals were identified who served as either panel or task force members of the DSM-5-TR. Ninety-two met the inclusion criteria of being a physician who was based in the U.S. and therefore could be included in Open Payments. Of these 92 individuals, 55 (60%) received payments from industry. Collectively, these panel members received a total of $14.2m...” For the BMJ article, “Undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in DSM-5-TR: cross sectional analysis,” click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

Study of BZRA (Sedative) Discontinuation Reports Barriers, Facilitators, and Regrets 

The most commonly reported barriers to discontinuing the use of long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRA)–often prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia–were withdrawal symptoms and the possibility that the original symptoms would return, according to a recent study. In addition, “[s]everal respondents expressed regret over ever taking BZRAs and/or reported that, with the benefit of hindsight, they should never have taken BZRAs in the first instance…” For the study, click here.

“Caregiving Can Be Stressful, But It Could Also Lower Risk of Depression”

A new study by a University of Texas at Austin researcher is questioning the idea that family caregiving is also a risk factor for depression. "It's widely assumed…that caregiving is a chronic stressor and that it contributes to worse health and well-being,” said Sae Hwang Han, the author of the paper. “But the evidence doesn't always bear that out." Recent studies have found that caregivers live longer than non-caregivers and that many caregivers describe caregiving as a positive experience that gives them meaning and purpose, according to a Science Daily article. For the article, which includes a link to the study, published in the journal Advances in Life Course Research, click here. (For a WebMD article on “Why Caregiving Can Lead to Depression,” which includes tips on how to avoid depression, click here.)

CMS Announces the Innovation in Behavioral Health Model

On January 18, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model, “which will focus on improving the quality of care and the behavioral and physical health outcomes for Medicare and Medicaid populations with moderate to severe mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders.” For more information, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

“National Study Asks People with Disabilities to Share Their Experiences”

“The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities, including people with mental health challenges, and documents their experiences with a variety of issues. Those include access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, long COVID, employment, community participation and more. Be sure that the perspective of people with lived experience of mental health conditions are represented!” For details, click here. If you are interested in participating, click here.

“International [Anonymous] Survey of People Who Have Had Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), and Their Family and Friends”

Researchers at the University of East London (UK) write, “The purpose is to understand the experience of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in order to enhance the information given to people being offered ECT, and their families. This is your opportunity to share your experiences of this treatment, positive and negative. The survey is for people around the world who have received ECT at any time (except the past month). It is also for relatives or friends of people who have received ECT and are aware of how ECT affected that person.” For details and to complete the survey, click here.

UIC Researchers Are Recruiting for Two Studies, Both with Cash Incentives

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are recruiting for two studies: “a program where you work with a personal virtual wellness coach to improve your wellbeing and quality of life,” and a “research study testing an online program called Enhancing Your Immune Health.” Participants in the wellbeing study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $100 to complete two phone interviews.” Participants in the immune health study “have a 50/50 chance of either receiving the new program or receiving an extra payment instead, but everyone will be paid $135 for completing three phone interviews." To find out if you are eligible for the wellbeing study, email HealthyReStart2021@gmail.com or text/call 1-312-725-2966. To find out if you are eligible for the immune health study, email enhanceimmune@gmail.com or text/call: 1-312-725-2966. When texting or leaving a message, please let UIC know which study you're interested in, and provide your name, phone number, and email address. (Judith Cook, PhD, is the principal investigator of both studies; Jessica Jonikas, MA, is the co-investigator.)

PENTAC Is Seeking Speakers on Leadership and Professional Development for Peers

“We’re looking for engaging speakers in the Northeast, Southwest, West, and/or Midwest regions,” PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center)  writes. Topics include “Mapping out a personal career advancement plan,” “Gain and enhance your presentation skills,” “What employers want: resume and interviewing skills,” and “What funders want: how to pitch your ideas.” For more information, email Sherry Warner at sherry@peersupportfl.org 

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND OTHER EVENTS

“Strengthening Families in Times of Perceived Crisis”

On January 24, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, the Cafe TA Center will host a free webinar on “Strengthening Families in Times of Perceived Crisis.” “Are you a family member or caregiver supporting a loved one dealing with mental health challenges and/or addiction?...Join us for a live Zoom event that could be a turning point for your family’s well-being! Together, we’ll delve into resilience and discover actionable strategies to navigate the complexities of supporting someone you care about.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Ethical Tensions and Harms in Peer Research and Engagement”

On January 25, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, the Empowerment Council of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in Toronto, will present a 90-minute webinar on “Ethical Tensions and Harms in Peer Research and Engagement.” The organizers write, “In this webinar, you will hear insights from a participatory, qualitative research project concentrating on four intersecting communities often engaged in peer research: mental health service user communities, communities of people who use drugs, trans and non-binary communities, and racialized communities.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

Doors to Wellbeing Continues Its Monthly Webinar Series

On January 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present “Navigating Authentic Advocacy: Uplifting Black and Queer Communities.” For details and to register, click here. (The January webinar was included in the December 2023 Key Update.) And on February 27, Doors to Wellbeing will likely continue its monthly webinar series. To check for details as they are posted, click here.

SHARE! Self Help Peer Workforce Conference to Take Place January 31

SHARE! Self Help, based in Los Angeles, will hold its virtual Peer Workforce Conference on January 31, 2024. “Bridging Research and Practice brings together researchers and peer workers to share best practices in peer services.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Making Sense of Employment Research”

On January 31, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET, Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation will present a webinar on the “Benefits and Challenges of Employment for Individuals Diagnosed with Mental Illness: Qualitative Findings and Ongoing Research,” a paper published by Community Health Journal, co-authored by the presenter, Marta Elliott, PhD. For more information and to register, click here. (Note: This presentation may be controversial, based on a review of the paper it is based on. For the abstract, click here.)

“Mad Studies Genealogy and Praxis: A Conversation with Lori Ross and Lucy Costa”

On February 1, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. ET, International Mad Studies Journal will host a free one-hour conversation with the authors of “ ‘Mad Studies Genealogy and Praxis,’ which appeared in the first issue of the International Mad Studies Journal. You can access a copy of their paper here. (Prior reading recommended but not essential.)” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Konstantina Poursanidou)

Wildflower Alliance to Present “Working with Hearing Voices & Unusual Beliefs”

From February 5 through February 14, the Wildflower Alliance will present a six-session training, during which participants “will learn how to better understand and support people to make meaning of their experiences with voice hearing and/or unusual beliefs or what gets called ‘paranoia.’ Attendance at all sessions is required to fully complete the training. All sessions will be held online, and all times listed are in Eastern USA time. Registration is required. Space is limited.” For more information, including the dates and times of each session, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

The Next Judi’s Room Will Highlight Peer-run Crisis Respites

On February 7, 2024, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a Judi’s Room featuring presenters Lance Hicks and Amanda Hill of Detroit Peer Respite, which is described on its website as “a 100% consensual, 100% voluntary, 100% non-clinical alternative place to stay during a mental health and/or substance-related (non-medical) crisis.” (Presenters from other peer respites may also be included.) (To register, click here.)

Two-Part Webinar on “Advancing the Science on Peer Support and Suicide Prevention”

On February 8 (11:00 a.m.-3:45 p.m. ET) and February 12, 2024 (11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET), the National Institute of Mental Health will present a two-day virtual workshop during which it will convene “experts in peer-support suicide prevention to discuss relevant conceptual frameworks, recent advances in understanding what works and for whom, service settings, and service-user characteristics that inform intervention strategies…” For the agenda, click here. For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Mental Health America Issues Call for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference

February 12, 2024, is the deadline to apply to present a workshop at Mental Health America’s annual conference, to be held September 17-21 in Washington, DC, and online. The conference theme is “Disrupt. Reform. Transform.” For more about the conference, click here. To apply to speak, click here. (Presenters must attend the conference in person.)

Two Upcoming Webinars and Much More in the January Edition of an MHTTC Newsletter

On February 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center) will present a 90-minute webinar on “Job Development: Building Skills to Connect with the Business Community.” On February 29 at 9:30 a.m. ET, it will present a one-hour webinar on “Post-Pandemic Impacts on School-Age Youth Mental Health.” And there is much more than that in the January edition of the newsletter. For more information and to register for either or both of the webinars, and for the rest of the newsletter’s offerings, click here.

National Peer Supervision Series Offered Virtually in March

In this three-part series, on March 7, 21, and 28 (1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET), sponsored by PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center), “peer supervisors will be able to learn all the ins and outs of their role as supervisor, learn effective supervision techniques, and practice new skills.” For more information and to register, click here.

NARPA (National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy) Issues Request for Proposals for Its 2024 Conference!

The deadline is April 1, 2024, to submit a workshop proposal for NARPA’s 2024 conference, to be held in Portland, Oregon, September 4-7. For details and to apply, click here. For details of the presentations at last year’s conference, as well as other information, click here.

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week Will Be May 5-11, 2024

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week, sponsored by the National Federation of Families, will be held May 5-11, 2024. Previously called National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, it was established in 1992 and updated in 2022 from Awareness to Acceptance. For more information, click here.

Are You a Peer Who Is Interested in Entrepreneurship? Attend This National Workshop Series in June and July!

On six consecutive Tuesdays from June 4 through July 9 (12 p.m.-2 p.m. ET), PENTAC (Peer Experience National TA Center) will host a free live, virtual workshop series that is “designed to assist individuals in the United States living with mental health and substance use issues in their consideration and pursuit of entrepreneurship as a route to occupational and financial wellness.” Participants must be able to commit to full attendance for all six sessions, with cameras on. For details and to register, click here.

IDHA Presents a “Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum”

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) offers a self-paced, virtual mental health curriculum containing more than 20 hours of original video content. Its eight modules include “how racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression intersect with mental health; diverse narratives of lived experience and the powerful impact of grassroots movements, past and present; a variety of community-based and peer-led practices that support healing; and a transformative mental health lens and how to apply it to your life and work.” For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of N.A.P.S. News Brief)

PENTAC Offers Comprehensive Learning Programs For Recovery Professionals

“Become lifelong learners with courses designed to engage, educate, build skills, define and develop leadership capacity, and provide continuing education credits for certification,” PENTAC writes. For details, click here.

RESOURCES

“When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has published a 94-page manual entitled “When There’s a Crisis, Call a Peer: How People with Lived Experience Make Mental Health Crisis Services More Effective.” “When peers support those in crisis, individuals who need help are less likely to be admitted to emergency rooms and hospitals to receive inpatient care. They are more likely to participate in community-based services—which can help them avoid future crises and resulting institutionalization or incarceration—and be more engaged in the services they receive. They experience less self-stigma and more self-empowerment and hope. They are less likely to need crisis services in the future.” For the manual, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

“New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities”

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the Vera Institute have published a seven-page report entitled “New Federal Guidance for Alternatives to Police for People with Behavioral Health or Other Disabilities.” “Vera and the Bazelon Center agree with the new guidance, from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), that ‘jurisdictions should not assume that the proper response to a crisis is always to send law enforcement.’” Boiling down the guidance, they write, “sending police in response to a mental health crisis where there is no immediate safety risk to the public is discriminatory and violates civil rights laws.” For the seven-page document, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

SAMHSA Publishes Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

“This infographic accompanies the more comprehensive NSDUH annual national report. Together, they provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health,” SAMHSA writes. For the 21-page infographic, click here. For the 162-page “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” click here.

“New Year’s Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently published some suggestions about building good mental health habits. SAMHSA writes: “Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.” For SAMHSA’s guidance, click here. And for “Top 8 New Year's Resolutions to Make if You Have Anxiety: Making unrealistic New Year's resolutions can be damaging to your mental health. Here's how to do it right,” click here. And for “9 Mental-Health Resolutions for 2024, According to Therapists,” click here.

“Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member Is Arrested or Incarcerated”
The American Psychiatric Association, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offer an 11-page guide on “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: What to Expect When You or a Family Member is Arrested or Incarcerated.” The guide includes “Helpful tips for individuals and family members,” “What happens if an individual is found guilty,” “What happens after release from incarceration,” and more. For the guide, click here.

Two Mental Health Toolkits Can Help Develop, Maintain, and Expand Rural Mental Health Services

The Rural Health Information Hub offers the “Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit,” which “features evidence-based models, resources, and program examples for the successful development and implementation of mental health programs to serve rural communities,” and the “Rural Suicide Prevention Toolkit,” which “highlights innovative, evidence-based models and resources to develop and implement successful suicide prevention programs in rural communities.” For more about rural mental health, click here. (Courtesy of Amy Smith)

Latest Cafe TA Center Newsletter Focuses on Social Determinants and Mental Health

The Cafe TA Center writes: “This time we take a look at the growing mental health crisis, the role of social determinants in it, and how the peer support and recovery community can bring a new and necessary perspective to addressing its root causes. We also share some new employment resources, details of an exciting job opportunity, and an update on our ‘Advancing Recovery in Your Community’ webinar series. You’ll also find the latest edition in our ‘Capacity Corner’ column, which provides tips on collaborating with partner organizations,” For the Focus 2.0 newsletter, click here.

The February 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Family History of Alcoholism: Are You at Risk?” click here. For “Neanderthal DNA may explain why some of us are morning people: Scientists find genes inherited from our prehistoric cousins increase tendency to rise early – useful in regions with short winter days,” click here. For “The Only Question You Should Ask Your Partner When They Need Support,” click here. For “10 Nutrition Tips for a Healthy New Year,” click here. For “Longevity Decoded: the Seven Keys to Healthy Aging,” click here. For “Your brain needs rest. Here are five ways to get some,” click here. For “Wearing hearing aids could reduce your risk of dying earlier: For people with hearing loss, regular use of hearing aids could reduce the risk of dying earlier by 24 percent vs. not wearing them at all,” click here. For “How To Get Back Into Working Out (No Matter How Long It’s Been) Because it's never too late!” click here. For “5 Health Lessons We Learned in 2023,” click here. For Better Report, which offers tips in a variety of areas relating to health, click here. For “How to Get Fit Without Going Broke,” click here. For “How to Tackle Chores When You’re Feeling Super Overwhelmed and Unmotivated: Tried-and-true tips from a therapist who’s been there,” click here. For “A Pilates Routine You Can Do Anywhere in Under 10 Minutes: Studies suggest the workout method can improve strength and posture, but it’s not cheap to join a studio. Here’s how to test the waters at home,” click here. For “Quick-start guide to nuts and seeds,” click here. For “For More Plant-Based Protein in Your Diet, Try These Legumes,” click here.

The February 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Adults With Mental Illness Are Overrepresented in Probation Population. But many probation agencies lack specialized training or tools to supervise them effectively,” click here. For “How Rikers Island Became New York’s Largest Mental Institution: A seemingly endless rotation between state forensic hospitals and city jails has meant that some mentally ill detainees stay in the system for years without ever standing trial,” click here. For 5 Takeaways From Our Investigation Into How Mississippi Counties Jail People for Mental Illness: We’ve been reporting on the state’s civil commitment process in partnership with Mississippi Today. These are the most important findings,” click here. For “How Phase III came to be: Though they once applauded the jail’s ambitious, federally overseen reforms, community groups and political leaders in New Orleans united in opposition to a key mandate stemming from those efforts: the construction of a $109 million mental health jail,” click here. For “DOJ issues new guide for specialized police units in the wake of Tyre Nichols' death,” click here. For “Former Death Row Prisoner Craigen Armstrong Pioneers ‘Vital’ Mental Illness Treatment Program in L.A. Jail,” click here. For “The Mercy Workers: For three decades, a little-known group of ‘mitigation specialists’ has helped save death-penalty defendants by documenting their childhood traumas. A rare look inside one case,” click here. For “The Mercy Workers, Illustrated: Her mission was to save him from death row–by telling the story of his life,” click here. For “Fatal LAPD shooting of mentally ill man who threw objects at vehicles was justified, commission rules,” click here. For “What Bodycams Tell Us About the Challenges of Policing the Police: The cameras and other police accountability steps are popular with the public — but not always particularly effective,” click here. For “NYPD Will Stop Withholding Body-Camera Footage of Police Shootings From Civilian Investigators: After questions from ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, the New York Police Department pledged to end its practice of not sharing videos in ongoing investigations with the Civilian Complaint Review Board,” click here. For “Recovery Court: ‘All Rise!’ Judges Join Drug Defendants in Court-Sponsored Fitness Program: Two judges in rural Southwest Virginia are integrating fitness training into an incarceration diversion program. Instead of heading to jail, some people who are facing charges related to substance abuse disorder can participate in a structured fitness program. The preliminary results are promising, say the judges,” click here. For “New Chicago police contract includes protections for cops accused of misconduct, large raises: A Reader analysis shows the agreement places new time limits on disciplinary investigations, restricts body camera use, and raises officer salaries across the board,” click here. For “Jail populations are bouncing back to near pre-pandemic levels,” click here. For “Justice Dept. launches database to track misconduct by federal officers,” click here. For “U.S. Marshals Act Like Local Police with More Violence and Less Accountability: The federal agency’s teams have killed an average of 22 suspects and bystanders a year,” click here. For “Old-School Hair Analysis Is Junk Science. But It Still Keeps People Behind Bars: The technique, developed before DNA testing, can’t definitively tie suspects to crime scenes. Try explaining that to juries — or some judges,” click here. For “‘I get to tell my story’: incarcerated journalists are making podcasts, going viral and winning awards,” click here. “Some of Our Best Work of 2023: In podcasts, broadcasts and narrative stories, we examined prison conditions, prosecutions of pregnant women, Dungeons & Dragons on death row, and more,” by The Marshall Project, click here. For “These Oklahomans Needed Mental Health Care. Instead, They Died in Jail,” click here. For “Pennsylvania is off the ‘no state funding’ list. Is South Dakota next? Pleading the Sixth: At the start of 2023, Pennsylvania and South Dakota were the last two states remaining to contribute no funding to indigent defense. This morning, Pennsylvania is no longer on that list. And just last week, the South Dakota Governor publicly supported increasing the state’s role in indigent defense in response to a state supreme court task force. This means that America may finally be able to do away with its ‘no state funding’ list in 2024,” click here. For “Boom, bang! Tales from a cell below the ‘crazy unit’ of a US prison,” click here. For “The Most Memorable Gun Violence Journalism of 2023: These are the stories from across the media landscape that stuck with us,” click here. For “4 Reasons We Should Worry About Missing Crime Data: The FBI’s crime data is still incomplete — and politicians are taking advantage,” click here. For “New York Closed Psych Beds for Youth in Crisis. Now, Foster Care Programs and Host Towns Are Being Pushed to the Limit. Bucolic Pleasantville, N.Y., is seeing a showdown between leaders of a century-old children’s residence unequipped to treat acute mental health challenges and locals tired of troubled young people disturbing the peace. What happens to the kids?” click here. For “Finding Jordan Neely: He had places he belonged and people looking out for him. How did he end up dying, alone, at the hands of a stranger?” click here. For “Do Studies Show 'Lasting Benefit' Of Anticrime Programs?” click here. For “[New York] City Council votes to ban solitary con­finement in city jails,” click here. For “In Spite of Prison: How does a former gang-banging, gun-toting Latino serving a thirty-year prison sentence, the product of an elderly uneducated immigrant father and a drug-addicted mother, go from a prison cell to law school? It was not because of prison, but in spite of it,” click here. For “Staff Warned About the Lack of Psychiatric Care at a VA Clinic. They Couldn’t Prevent Tragedy,” click here. For “Trauma, severe stress in childhood linked to criminal legal involvement in next generation: Study is the first to show an intergenerational relationship between parental ACE exposure and a young person’s involvement in the criminal legal system,” click here. For “The Marshall Project: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, 2023,” click here. For “Six U.S. Execution Methods and the Disastrous Quest for Humaneness: This chapter concludes that every execution state's desire to ensure the death penalty's survival at any cost propels each execution method's celebrated introduction and disastrous perpetuation,” click here. “2023 saw record killings by US police. Who is most affected? Officers killed at least 1,232 people last year – the deadliest year for homicides by law enforcement in over a decade, data shows,” click here. For “Exonerated, graduated, and ready for law school: James Soto was released from prison in December after a 42-year fight to prove his innocence,” click here. For “A Death Row Lawyer Blunders. Must His Client Pay the Price? The Supreme Court will consider whether to hear an appeal from an inmate who says his lawyer filed shoddy papers, including a brief saying the inmate must lose,” click here.

"FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!"

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

“2024 Disability Freedom & Justice Caravan” Kicks Off on April 5

From April 5 to September 29, 2024, “we the people with disabilities, and our allies, will cross America visiting cities, honoring people and places significant to us, and take action to bring justice to our people,” according to an announcement by I Love You, Lead On, founded in memory of Justin Dart, who is considered the “father” of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A goal is “voter education, engagement, and registration to educate our community and the public on issues important to us—and where elected officials stand on these issues—leading up to critical elections in November 2024.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

Sixth (Online) World Mental Health Congress to Be Held April 15-16, 2024

“Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience: Nurturing Mental Health in a Changing World” is the theme of the Sixth World Mental Health Congress, a virtual event to be held April 15-16, 2024. For more information and to register, click here.

Suicide Research Symposium Announces to Be Held April 17-19, 2024

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

OPPORTUNITIES

2023 National Survey on Health and Disability Seeks Participants

The University of Kansas Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies — funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) of the Administration for Community Living — is seeking adults with disabilities to complete the 2023 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD). “The NSHD gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities and documents their experiences with a variety of issues, including access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, Long COVID, employment, education, and more. The survey is open to U.S. adults 18 and older with any disability and/or health condition. Participants may complete the survey by phone. For more information, please call 855-556-6328 (Voice/TTY) or email healthsurvey@ku.edu.” To access the survey, click here.

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“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)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 8, February 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, January 2024, Volume 20, Number 7

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there is a webinar tomorrow (Dec. 20)! And there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

NEWS

“Traumatic Memories Are Represented Differently Than Regular Sad Memories in the Brains of People With PTSD, New Research Shows”

Brain scans of 28 people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) found that their brains processed “sad” memories, such as the death of a loved one, differently from traumatic memories, such as sexual assaults or terrorist attacks, according to a new study by researchers at Yale and Mt. Sinai. “We observed that brain regions known to be involved in memory are not activated when recalling a traumatic experience,” said a co-author of the study. “This finding…focuses the goals of returning traumatic memories into a brain state akin to regular memory processing.” For a press release about the study, click here.

“Idaho Keeps Some Psychiatric Patients in Prison, Ignoring Decades of Warnings About the Practice”

“A temporary program for ‘dangerously mentally ill’ patients has continued for five decades, despite calls from critics to provide better care. Soon, Idaho will be the only state still using prisons to house patients who face no criminal charges,” according to a recent article by ProPublica. For the article, click here.

“2024 Disability Freedom & Justice Caravan” Kicks Off on April 5

From April 5 to September 29, 2024, “we the people with disabilities, and our allies, will cross America visiting cities, honoring people and places significant to us, and take action to bring justice to our people,” according to an announcement by I Love You, Lead On, founded in memory of Justin Dart, who is considered the “father” of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A goal is “voter education, engagement, and registration to educate our community and the public on issues important to us—and where elected officials stand on these issues—leading up to critical elections in November 2024.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Braunwynn Franklin)

“Psychiatrists Call for Transition to Social Rather Than Biological Treatments”

“Leading scholars write that psychiatric disturbances are social in nature and that current treatments often cause more harm than good; [they] highlight alternative social approaches to mental health,” according to a recent article in Mad In America. For the article, click here.

WEBINARS, TRAININGS, AND PODCASTS

“Alternatives to Suicide: A Harm Reduction Approach”

On December 20, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET, the Cafe TA Center will present “a conversation about alternative approaches to suicide driven by genuine openness, recovery values, and authentic peer connection,” For more information and to register, click here.

“The Psychological Origins of Stigma & Bias”

On January 3, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, Mindspring Mental Health Alliance will present a free, one-hour webinar on “The Psychological Origins of Stigma & Bias.” Mindspring writes: “How does cultural bias impact treatment, prevention & recovery? Discuss the origins of understanding mental illness, how misinformation is spread, and how stigma impacts individuals and communities…” For more information and to register, click here. For additional free Mindspring webinars, click here.

NCAPPS Newsletter Promotes Two Upcoming Webinars and a Podcast

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) has announced two webinars and a podcast: On January 9, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, NCAPPS team members and the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center will present a one-hour webinar on “The Role of Person-Centered Planning for Employment Support.” On January 10, at 2 p.m. ET, CMS will present a 90-minute webinar on “Person-Centered Service Planning in HCBS (Home and Community-Based Services): Requirements and Best Practices.” The podcast, by the Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, available now, is on “moving toward an authentically person-centered system of supports and services for people with disabilities.” For details and to register for the two webinars and to listen to the podcast, click here.

C4 Innovations Presents “Changing the Conversation Webinar Series”

“ ‘Changing the Conversation’ is the official C4 Innovations podcast, where hosts and guests discuss critical and timely topics focused on equity, substance use, mental health, homelessness, and trauma. Day One: January 17, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET. Register for day one here. Day Two: January 24, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET. Register for day two here.

Recovery Resilience Solutions Hosts “Viva La Evolution” Podcast

“Viva la Evolution,” featuring Lori Ashcraft, includes podcasts and interviews, including interviews with Dr. Mark Ragins (“Learning and teaching about the possibility of recovery”), Dr. George Woods (“The healing power of relationship”), and Gloriana (“How recovery happens”), among others. To listen to the podcasts, and to learn more about other resources offered by Recovery Resilience Solutions, click here.

PENTAC Presents a “Transformational Peer Support Series”

On January 25, February 8, and February 15, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, PENTAC will host a three-part training, created by Achara Consulting, during which “peer support workers will be challenged and equipped to provide higher level, transformative peer support services.” To register, click here. Questions? sherry@peersupportfl.org

“Navigating Authentic Advocacy: Uplifting Black and Queer Communities”

On January 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present a one-hour webinar on “Navigating Authentic Advocacy: Uplifting Black and Queer Communities.” Doors to Wellbeing writes: “Black and Queer individuals experience unique challenges and systemic barriers that have significant impact on their mental health, well-being, access and quality of behavioral health care received, and more…Explore tangible strategies for how to engage in authentic advocacy that promotes equity, inclusion, justice, and diversity and the pivotal role of peer support…” For more information and to register, click here. 

“Mental Health Recovery: Does Setting Goals Help?”

On January 31, 2024, at 9 a.m. ET, Mid West ARIES (Advancing Recovery in Ireland Education Service), in partnership with Mental Health Ireland, will present a free, one-hour webinar on “Mental Health Recovery: Does Setting Goals Help?” For more information and to register, click here. For information about additional free Mid West ARIES webinars, click here.

CONFERENCES

International Online Conference on Stress, Anxiety and Depression (SAD 2024)

The theme of the International Live, Virtual Conference on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression (SAD 2024), starting January 19, 2024, is Frontiers in Research on Stress, Depression & Anxiety Management. “The speakers’ contributions include all types of original, published or unpublished, experimental, constructive or theoretical work/findings in the field of SAD Occurrence & Management.” For more information and to register, click here.

Sixth (Online) World Mental Health Congress to Be Held April 15-16, 2024

“Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience: Nurturing Mental Health in a Changing World” is the theme of the Sixth World Mental Health Congress, a virtual event to be held April 15-16, 2024. For more information and to register, click here.

Psychosis Is the Topic for the 2024 Online Law & Mental Health Conference

The 2024 online Law & Mental Health Conference on psychosis will be June 10, 11, and 12, 2024. Topics will include: “What is psychosis exactly – from a medical or clinical perspective, from a legal or criminal perspective, and from the perspective of those who have experienced psychosis? What are our best practices with psychosis for treatment, for housing, for families and friends, for courts, jails, and hospitals? How can those who have psychosis practice self-care and find mutual aid?” Among the speakers will be investigative journalist Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. For more information and to register, click here.

Save the Date! NARPA Announces Its 2024 Annual Rights Conference, September 4-7!

The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced that its 2024 conference will be held September 4-7 in downtown Portland, Oregon, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton! Check NARPA’s website for the upcoming Request for Proposals, and for information to make early reservations. For more information, contact narpa4rights@gmail.com

OPPORTUNITIES

2023 National Survey on Health and Disability Seeks Participants

The University of Kansas Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies — funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) of the Administration for Community Living — is seeking adults with disabilities to complete the 2023 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD). “The NSHD gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities and documents their experiences with a variety of issues, including access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, Long COVID, employment, education, and more. The survey is open to U.S. adults 18 and older with any disability and/or health condition. Participants may complete the survey by phone. For more information, please call 855-556-6328 (Voice/TTY) or email healthsurvey@ku.edu.” To access the survey, click here.

RESOURCES

“Solving Homelessness Through Better Information”

At the link below are six reports about how to address homelessness in the Portland, Oregon, region. Although the reports, by Homeless Strategic Initiatives of Portland, are geared specifically for the Portland area, many of their lessons are broadly applicable. For the reports, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Testimony on ECT by Acclaimed Author Linda Andre Is Available on YouTube

The 2000 presentation on ECT by shock survivor Linda Andre to a legislatively mandated committee chaired by the Vermont Department of Mental Health is now available on YouTube. Linda Andre wrote the acclaimed and authoritative book Doctors of Deception: What They Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment (2009), called “brilliant analysis” and “a masterpiece of scientific writing” by the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine. For the 33-minute video, click here. (Courtesy of Laura Ziegler and Jim Gottstein)

SAMHSA TIP 59: “Improving Cultural Competence”

“The primary objective of this TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol] is to assist readers in understanding the role of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services (both generally and with reference to specific cultural groups).” For the free, 341-page manual, click here.

“The State of Mental Health in America”

“Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals,” according to Mental Health America’s report on “The State of Mental Health in America.” Among other “2023 Key Findings” is that “[o]ver half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals,” and “[o]ver 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.” In addition, “59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.” To download a free copy of the report, click here.

World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All

“The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All is designed to inspire and inform better mental health for everyone everywhere. Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice from around the world, and voicing people’s lived experience, it highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health, and strengthen the systems that care for mental health.” For the free, 296-page report by the World Health Organization (WHO), click here.

The January 2024 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “4 Tips for Booze-Free Holiday Fun,” click here. For “How to put your envy to good use: Envious feelings can eat you up, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to transform envy into a guide and motivator,” click here. For “36 foods that may help lower your cancer risk: Looking for a list of cancer-fighting foods to add to your grocery list? Our expert says you can reduce – but not eliminate – your cancer risk by focusing on plants and making healthy food choices,” click here. For “Protein and Older Adults,” click here. For “Napping: Benefits and Tips,” click here. “Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory,” click here. For “It’s Not Too Late to Get in Better Shape,” click here. For “Is Sparkling Water Bad for Your Teeth,” click here. For “U.S. Rate of Suicide by Firearm Reaches Record Level,” click here. For “Why short-term memory falters and how to improve yours: There are simple tricks — and some pretty complicated ones, as well — to hang onto that thought,” click here. For “Things You Should Never Say To Your Partner,” click here. For “How to Exercise With Your Kids (Work out as a Family!),” click here. For “How to Protect Your Brain Health During Menopause: A leading expert explains how declining hormones at menopause impact the brain, and what you can do to improve your brain health and lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” click here. For “Are you a chronic people-pleaser? Here's how to be kinder to yourself,” click here. For “How a bench and a team of grandmothers can tackle depression,” click here. (For another story about Friendship Benches, from the July 2023 Key Update, click here.) For “Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience,” click here. For “The Top 9 Health Benefits of Flaxseed: One serving of flaxseed provides a good amount of protein, fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids. It may help lower the risk of some cancers, help maintain a health weight, and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure,” click here. For “Our 7 Best Tips to Build an Exercise Habit,” click here. 

The January 2024 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Jailed for Their Own Safety, 14 Mississippians Died Awaiting Mental Health Treatment: Local officials often say they have no choice but to jail people awaiting treatment for mental illness and substance abuse — even if they’re not charged with a crime. But some people have died in the system that's supposed to protect them,” click here. For “My Family Saw a Police Car Hit a Kid on Halloween. Then I Learned How NYPD Impunity Works. ProPublica Deputy Managing Editor Eric Umansky’s family saw an unmarked NYPD cruiser hit a Black teenager. He tried to find out how it happened, and instead found all of the ways the NYPD is shielded from accountability,” click here. For “How Police Have Undermined the Promise of Body Cameras,” click here. For “Winnable criminal justice reforms in 2024: We list some high-impact policy ideas for state legislators and advocates who are looking to reform their criminal justice system without making it bigger, [including] "Fund and implement alternative response systems for calls involving people who have disabilities or who are experiencing mental health crises,” click here. “Gideon at 60: Summarizing A Snapshot of State Public Defense Systems and Paths to System Reform,” click here. For the 87-page “Gideon at 60,” click here. For “Sentenced to Life for an Accident Miles Away: A draconian legal doctrine called felony murder has put thousands of Americans—disproportionately young and Black—in prison,” click here. For “The Felony Murder Reporting Project,” click here. For “Four Suicides in L.A. and the Mental Health Problem in Law Enforcement: Four suspected suicides in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department highlight a problem affecting agencies across the country,” click here. For “For Years, Prison Life Was Isolated From Tech. Now Tech Is Beginning to Define It. Introducing Time, Online, a new Future Tense package that explores how technology is changing prison as we know it,” click here. For “High-profile attacks on Derek Chauvin and Larry Nassar put spotlight on violence in federal prisons,” click here. For “Report: Bureau Of Prisons Not Getting Value From Accreditation Agency,” click here. For “Audit of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Contract Awarded to the American Correctional Association,” click here. For “Police Misconduct Costs Cities Millions Every Year. But That’s Where The Accountability Ends. If not for inconsistent and shoddy record-keeping, we might know if settlements make a difference in police misconduct” (2021), click here. For “DA charges six officers on scene of Christian Glass’ shooting death: Six officers were charged with failure to intervene as a former deputy shot and killed the 22-year-old inside his car in Silver Plume in June 2022,” click here. For “Massachusetts becomes fifth state in nation to make prison calls free,” click here. For “‘Prison Within a Prison’: New Mandate Offers Lifeline for Deaf People in Custody: The new rule, which goes in effect in January 2024, applies to phone companies serving prisons, jails and detention facilities nationwide,” click here. For “No, Criminal Justice Reform Isn’t Driving Rising Crime: States around the country are enacting common-sense, bipartisan reforms that will help break the cycle of poverty, crime and incarceration, making our system fairer and our communities safer,” click here. For “Police Commission rules LAPD shooting of mentally ill man was not justified,” click here. For “These Missouri inmates run their own corner of the prison. The warden is OK with that,” click here. For “I Did It Norway: Some American prisons are singing a European tune” (2017), click here. For “Secretive White House Surveillance Program Gives Cops Access to Trillions of US Phone Records: A WIRED analysis of leaked police documents verifies that a secretive government program is allowing federal, state, and local law enforcement to access phone records of Americans who are not suspected of a crime,” click here. For “I Spent 3 Years in Solitary Confinement. Why Isn’t Philanthropy Doing More to End this Torture? A movement to end solitary confinement is gaining momentum, but criminal justice donors feel their money is better spent elsewhere. That’s a mistake,” click here. For “Minnesota lawmakers changed felony murder laws, which could mean the release of prisoners: One-third of prisoners in for murder were imprisoned under the felony murder doctrine,” click here. For “Can It Be Murder If You Didn’t Kill Anyone? A distinctly American legal doctrine holds getaway drivers and lookouts as responsible for a death as the actual killer. California is having second thoughts (2018),” click here. For “‘We need more high-impact learning practices in prison,’” click here. For “How Medical Examiners Shield Violent Cops From Scrutiny: They wield the important power of determining a victim’s manner of death—but they’re susceptible to both political pressure and racial bias,” click here. For “High fees, long waits cast shadow over new criminal expungement laws: A clear record helps people seeking employment, housing and education,” click here. For “How Criminal Records Hold Back Millions of People: More than 70 million Americans with arrest records face barriers to find work or a decent place to live,” click here. For “Building a Better Beat: A New Approach to Public Safety Reporting,” click here. For “NYU Policing Project aims to change Minneapolis public safety and policing: A new contract with the NYU Policing Project could see a shift away from MPD and toward community-based groups for public safety,” click here. For “US prison deaths soared in 2020, new study finds: While the total deaths in U.S. prisons jumped 77% in 2020, not all death increases are directly attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic,” click here. For “Women coming home from prison get little help rebuilding,” click here. For “Why Black Women With Incarcerated Loved Ones Face Loneliness: Nearly 1 in 2 Black women have a loved one who is incarcerated. From the initial arrest to sentencing to release, navigating the changes can be isolating,” click here. For “Michigan Enacts Laws to Reform Its Juvenile Justice System: In the aftermath of revelations from ProPublica, a government task force pushed for changes. New laws aim to keep low-level offenses out of court, provide more resources to young offenders and eliminate fines,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES

SHARE! Peer Workforce Conference Issues Call for Proposals

The Fourth Annual SHARE! Peer Workforce (online) Conference, on January 31, 2024 (12 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET), has issued a call for proposals (deadline: January 5, 2024). “Bridging Research and Practice, a virtual Peer Workforce conference, brings together researchers and peer workers to share best practices in peer services…Registration is $50 with scholarships available.” For more information, to submit a proposal and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18

An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.

Suicide Research Symposium Announces to Be Held April 17-19, 2024

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

OPPORTUNITIES

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

RESOURCES

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“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)

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 7, January 2024. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, December 2023, Volume 20, Number 6

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

NEWS

“...Pharma Dominates/Biases Clinical Trials Across All Medicine”

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Allen Frances, MD, citing a study posted on November 14, 2023, on JAMA Network Open, wrote: “Shocks even me how much Pharma dominates/biases clinical trials across all medicine. Research literature/FDA approvals driven by commercial interest–not search for real efficacy/safety. Crazy to allow Pharma foxes [to] guard [the] henhouse of public well being.” According to JAMA, “This cross-sectional study illustrates how industry involvement in the most influential clinical trials was prominent not only for funding, but also authorship and provision of analysts and was associated with conclusions favoring the sponsor.” For the study–“Industry Involvement and Transparency in the Most Cited Clinical Trials, 2019-2022”–click here.

Medicare to Be Expanded to Support Mental Health

“Beginning in January 2024, Medicare will allow…licensed mental health professionals to join its pool of approved providers. The change will open access to another 400,000 professionals, or 40 percent of the current mental health workforce. In addition, Medicare will allow a maximum of 19 hours per week of intensive outpatient mental health care, increasing peer support for people with severe mental illness and making mobile crisis services more available to people in their homes or on the streets, if they’re unhoused…(click here)...But, now that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have finalized updates to their physician fee schedule for 2024, providers are vexed by cuts in payment rates the agency is offering, they told MedCity News.”

“Suppressing Negative Thoughts May Improve Mental Health, Contrary to Popular Belief, Study Finds”

“New research suggests that blocking out fearful thoughts could reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,” according to a study recently published in Science Advances, as NBC News recently reported. “One hundred and twenty adults from 16 countries underwent 3 days of online training to suppress either fearful or neutral thoughts. No paradoxical increases in fears occurred. Instead, suppression reduced memory for suppressed fears and rendered them less vivid and anxiety provoking.” For the NBC News article, click here. For the study in Science Advances, click here.  

“Depression Not So ‘Treatment-Resistant’ After Psychodynamic Psychotherapy”

“A recent study published in Psychotherapy suggests that Intensive Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The study found that ISTDP had positive results, especially for patients who did not experience relief from depressive symptoms while taking antidepressants,” Mad In America writes. For the article, click here. For more about ISTDP, click here.

“Adding Antipsychotics Worsens Outcomes in Psychotic Depression”

According to a November 20, 2023, article in Mad In America, “outcomes were worse for all, with young people on combination therapy twice as likely to experience rehospitalization or death by suicide than those on antidepressants alone.” The researchers, in Sweden, found that, “after two years, 42.3% of those in the combination group were either readmitted or died by suicide, while slightly fewer (36.6%) in the antidepressants-alone group met this outcome. That is, adding antipsychotics didn’t help prevent this outcome, it increased the risk.” For the article, click here.

SAMHSA Launches SPARK (SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge)

SAMHSA has announced the creation of “a new national technical assistance center to support transformational, recovery-oriented change for every state, tribal, and territorial behavioral health system in the U.S.” SAMHSA writes: “Our charge is to embed recovery-oriented approaches in behavioral health systems and address systemic inequities that disproportionately impact access to recovery supports and services for under-served and under-resourced populations and communities.” The SAMHSA initiative, supported by SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery, will be led by C4 Innovations with Faces & Voices of Recovery, Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS), National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, and additional partners. For more information, contact SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery (click here).

“Biden-Harris Administration Announces $74.4 Million in Funding Opportunities to Improve Behavioral Health”

On November 16, 2023, “the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced notices of funding opportunities for grant programs that address behavioral health challenges in local communities by preventing substance use initiation, reducing the progression of substance use, and addressing other related concerns,” including “the mental health crisis.” For the press release, click here. (Courtesy of Alliance Enews)

WEBINARS

“Striving and Thriving Among Certified Peer Specialists”

On November 27, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, “SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery invites you to join Laysha Ostrow, PhD, as she discusses some of the results from the [three-year] Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Career Outcomes Study...Dr. Ostrow will present some of the findings around wages and financial wellbeing, workplace burnout, and CPS in rural areas. The presentation will conclude with lessons learned and suggestions for future research and policy changes to support the peer workforce.” For the latest findings in a variety of areas, click here. To register for the webinar, click here.

“The Role of Peer Support as an Indigenous Practice”

On November 28, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will “explore the critical role of peer support, relationships, and genuine human connection in re-indigenizing and decolonizing society.” This free, one-hour webinar will be presented by Vesper Moore. For more information and to register, click here.

iSPS to Host a Webinar on Storytelling and an Eight-Week Storytelling Training

On December 6, 2023, at 4 p.m. ET, iSPS-US will host a 90-minute webinar on “Rewriting the Narrative: Healing and Advocacy Through Storytelling.” Tickets range from $0 to $40. And on December 20, 2023, iSPS-US will launch “‘Life Writing with ISPS-US,’ an eight-week course aimed at individuals interested in crafting personal narratives centered around experiences of altered states or what some may call ‘psychosis.’ We welcome both experiencers and family members.” Each of the biweekly, two-hour sessions, on Wednesdays, will begin at 4 p.m. ET. The sliding scale ranges from $50 to $200. For details and to register for the December 6th webinar, click here. For details and to register for the eight-week training, click here.

“Challenging the Broken Guardianship System” Is the Topic of the Next Judi’s Room

On December 6, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will present a Judi’s Room panel on “Challenging the Broken Guardianship System.” Misty Dion, Katrina Kapp, and Tom Olin—for more about the presenters, click here and scroll down—will talk about “advocating for individuals with disabilities, and how this work placed them on a path to challenge outdated and unjust guardianship laws and policies, ultimately leading them to build a new coalition, Liberators for Justice.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Best Practices to Engaging Consumers in Mental Health Care”

On December 14, 2023, at 12 pm. ET, Southeast MHTTC will host a free, 90-minute webinar on “engaging consumers with mental health and/or substance use disorders to be active participants in their care…This interactive seminar will cover engagement both within the context of evidence-based practices focused on outreach and general skills and engagement strategies outside of those unique programs…We will reserve some time for small groups to identify engagement strategies that have been or might be helpful in their treatment setting.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Promoting Equity through Police-Mental Health Collaborations (PMHCs): A Community Workshop”

On December 14, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance will host a free, 90-minute webinar that “will provide guidance in three key areas: Key factors contributing to persistent racial and social inequities in law enforcement and behavioral health (LE-BH) service delivery, including the underlying determinants of structural and systemic racism found across justice and health systems; integration of data analysis to inform and evaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges impacting LE-BH policies, practices, and outcomes; and emerging and evidence-based best practices from across the country.” For more information and to register, click here.

CONFERENCES

31st Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference to Be Held December 6-7, 2023

The Drexel University Division of Behavioral Healthcare Education is hosting the 2023 Virtual Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference on December 6-7, 2023. The organizers write: “We have a dynamic educational event that addresses topics such as human trafficking, moral distress in human services, grief and resilience experienced by individuals and their families and working with juveniles. Additionally, we will feature an application of crisis intervention teams (CIT) used by police when working with persons with serious mental illness.” For details, including a link to the conference brochure, which includes the complete detailed schedule and a link to register, click here. (Note: Although the conference organizers welcome a national audience, some of the CEs are Pennsylvania-based, and attendees from other states and DC will need to ask their accrediting entities for reciprocity. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

SHARE! Peer Workforce Conference Issues Call for Proposals

The Fourth Annual SHARE! Peer Workforce (online) Conference, on January 31, 2024 (12 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET), has issued a call for proposals (deadline: January 5, 2024). “Bridging Research and Practice, a virtual Peer Workforce conference, brings together researchers and peer workers to share best practices in peer services…Registration is $50 with scholarships available.” For more information, to submit a proposal and/or to register, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

OPPORTUNITIES

SAMHSA Is Recruiting Peer Grant Reviewers. Do You Qualify?

“SAMHSA's three Centers are always looking for qualified grant peer reviewers who can evaluate applications for discretionary grants,” SAMHSA writes. “SAMHSA peer reviewers must have related program experience and education.” (SAMHSA's Office of Recovery has confirmed that peer reviewers do not need a graduate degree.) One incentive to apply is that “[r]eviewers will receive $140 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.” For details about qualifications for peer reviewers and how to apply, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Input on Its Community Integration Calendars

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “Each year, we release a calendar resource designed to help individuals engage more in the community!” The TU Collaborative is considering adding a guided component and would like your input on how to structure it. For more information and to participate in an anonymous survey, click here.

The November 2023 Newsletter of the Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC

The November edition of the Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC newsletter includes articles about the benefits of gratitude, a request for responses to a study on “Assessing Experiences, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Needs of Mental Health Providers in Delivering Services and Supports to Individuals who are Blind or Visually Impaired,” a podcast, a number of self-paced online courses, and MHTTC’s “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Reference Guide.” For the newsletter, click here.

RESOURCES 

“Mental Health Crisis Services: Promoting Person-Centred (sic) and Rights-based Approaches”

The World Health Organization (WHO), which published this 80-page “Technical Package” in 2021, writes: “By showcasing good practice mental health services from around the world this guidance supports countries to develop and reform community-based services and responses from a human rights perspective, promoting key rights such as equality, non-discrimination, legal capacity, informed consent and community inclusion. It offers a roadmap towards ending institutionalization and involuntary hospitalization and treatment and provides specific action steps for building mental health services that respect every person’s inherent dignity.” For the manual, click here. 

“Introducing Alternatives to Suicide: An Interview with Caroline Mazel-Carlton about a New Approach to Crisis”

“Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) describes an approach to suicide that focuses on connection and relationship-building among those who are struggling. This approach was informed by ‘Alternatives to Suicide’ peer support groups where people can share openly and authentically about their suicidal thoughts and feelings.” To read the interview, click here.

Frontiers in Psychology Adds to Its Archive of Articles About Open Dialogue

The latest addition to Frontiers in Psychology’s trove of articles about Open Dialogue is “Open Dialogue services around the world: a scoping survey exploring organizational characteristics in the implementation of the Open Dialogue approach in mental health services.” For the article, published online on November 10, 2023, click here. For all 21 articles, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

“Supporting Employees with Mental Health Conditions: A Short Case Scenario on Facilitating Peer Connection”

The Café TA Center writes: “How can managers that know their team members would benefit from connecting with each other and sharing experiences bring people together while respecting boundaries? This new case scenario explores the possibilities and offers some guidance on how employers can create a space for connection and mutual support while still respecting privacy and best practices around disclosure.” For the article, click here.

Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) Directory Offers Helpful Resources

“PARC mails a free national directory of resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. This year, we have expanded the content and the directory is now 28 pages listing nearly 300 organizations serving folks on the inside!! Thank you to all of our community partners for supporting the mailing of this directory.” For the PARC website, which includes a link to the Directory, click here.

“The Happiest Man in the World” and Phenomenological Psychopathology

“Harry’s psychotic delusions bring him cheer. His psychiatrist embraces them,” according to a recent article in Nautilus. "[M]any clinicians are now embracing methods that empower patients to live with their voices and visions if they so choose, including a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy in which patients learn to cope with hallucinations. In one recent paper, for instance, researchers pointed out that clinical guidelines from countries around the world suggest that people with psychosis should have a say in their own therapy—even if that involves refusing to take medications." For the article, click here. For “New Perspectives in Phenomenological Psychopathology: Its Use in Psychiatric Treatment,” click here.

LAST WORDS

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, a Tireless Mental Health Advocate, Dies

On November 19, 2023, Rosalynn Carter, who worked relentlessly to improve the lives of individuals with mental health conditions, died at the age of 96. Her many accomplishments include initiating the Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy in 1985–held annually at the Carter Center, which she co-founded with President Carter–and creating the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in 1996 to combat the prejudice and discrimination associated with mental health conditions. She was instrumental in the successful fight to pass legislation requiring insurance companies to cover behavioral health conditions on a par with physical health conditions; and she also had an indelible impact on Georgia’s mental health system. Mrs. Carter wrote or co-authored several books, including Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers, and Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis. “I was lucky enough to meet Mrs. Carter several times over the years,” said Joseph Rogers, Clearinghouse founder and executive director. “She was always gracious and very generous, and cared deeply about people with mental health challenges.” For more about her life and accomplishments, click here.

The December 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “FDA warns consumers not to purchase or use certain eye drops from several major brands due to risk of eye infection,” click here. For “A diet rich in beans, nuts, and whole grains could add 10 years to your life, according to a new modeling study,” click here. For “What to Know About Seasonal Depression,” click here. For “Do you need a daily supplement? Most older adults take some kind of over-the-counter dietary supplement. But are these products right for everyone?” click here. For “Should I Be Taking Supplements? There are thousands on the market, but relatively few situations where they’re proven to be beneficial,” click here. For “Why Your Grip Strength Matters, and How to Improve It,” click here. For “How Music Can Be Mental Health Care: In music therapy, clients play and listen to music as treatment for stress, depression and anxiety. Here’s how it works,” click here. For “Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Compliment,” click here. For “DASH Eating Plan: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life,” click here.For “How to thrive amid ‘imposter syndrome’: Worries that you’re incompetent and undeserving could be holding you back. Try these steps to move toward the life you want,” click here. For “Walking vs Running: Which Form of Cardio Has Better Health Benefits? Both of these activities have incredible (and similar) physical and mental health benefits when they’re included in your regular fitness routine,” click here. For “Muscle Soreness After a Workout: Can It Be Prevented?” click here. For “Understanding the Psychology of Interrupting: How to Deal With Chronic Interrupters,” click here. For “Sexual side effects of SSRIs: Why it happens and what to do: Coping with this common side effect from antidepressants,” click here.

The December 2023 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For the 26-page report by The Sentencing Project–“One in Five: Disparities in Crime and Policing. The wide net that police cast across people of color is at odds with advancing safety because excessive police contact often fails to intercept serious criminal activity and diminishes the perceived legitimacy of law enforcement”--click here. For “Mississippi Jailed More Than 800 People Awaiting Psychiatric Treatment in a Year. Just One Jail Meets State Standards. Counties are allowed to hold people awaiting court-ordered psychiatric treatment in jails only if the facilities meet safety and health standards, but there’s no funding to help them comply and no penalties if they don’t,” click here. For “Book Review — Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom: A former New York City probation commissioner highlights how well-intentioned community supervision has gone awry and makes a compelling case for systemic change,” click here. For “Books as Decarceral: By helping non-incarcerated people to experience a human connection with people inside, volunteering can open a curtain in the mind,” click here. For “Children in Mental-Health Crisis Surge Into Hospital E.R.s,” click here. For “The Scandal That Never Happened: Years ago, the all-white judges of a Louisiana appellate court decided, in secret, to systematically ignore petitions filed by prisoners, most of them Black, who claimed they had been unjustly convicted. This is the story of a horrendous injustice and the three people who tried to expose it. It begins with a suicide note,” click here. For “New 47% Low Say Death Penalty Is Fairly Applied in U.S.,” click here. For “Here’s How I Use My Story to Teach Incarcerated Kids That Writing Matters: At 18, Bobby Bostic was sentenced to 241 years in prison. Now out on parole, he’s sharing the healing power of writing in juvenile detention centers,” click here. For “6 Stories About All the Ways You Can Die in Prison: More than 6,000 people passed away in U.S. prisons in 2020, a 46% increase from the previous year,” click here. For “Expanding the Vote: State Felony Disenfranchisement Reform, 1997-2023,” click here. For “Liberal justices object as Supreme Court rejects prisoner's exercise claim. The case concerns Michael Johnson, a prisoner with mental health issues, who was denied almost all opportunities to exercise for three years while in solitary confinement,” click here. For “Elderly and Imprisoned: ‘I Don’t Count It as Living, Only Existing,’” click here. For “P2P and Partners Awarded Multi-Million Dollar, Multi-Year Funding to Support Community-led Project to Advance Digital and Educational Equity for Currently and Formerly Incarcerated People,” click here. For “Your Arrest Was Dismissed. But It’s Still In A Police Database. In New York City, officers are illegally using information from arrests that have been sealed, according to a lawsuit. The practice is legal in more than two dozen states,” click here. For “This Youth Detention Center Superintendent Illegally Locks Kids Alone in Cells. No One Has Forced Him to Stop. The Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center has been punishing kids with seclusion more than any other facility in Tennessee. And as the laws and rules on how to treat kids changed, the facility failed to keep up,” click here. For “Young Black men in areas of Chicago, Philly more likely to die from guns than troops in battle: A young man living in an area around Garfield Park is 3.23 times more likely to die from a bullet than U.S. service members deployed to Afghanistan, a Boston College criminologist writes about a recent study,” click here. For “We studied jail conditions and jail deaths − here’s what we found: Relatively high turnover rates, we found, were associated with higher death rates overall, as well as due to suicide, drugs and alcohol, and homicide,” click here. For “Inside The Nation’s Overdose Crisis in Prisons and Jails: Behind bars, drug use is rampant and uniquely deadly, new data shows,” click here. For “A Warden Tried to Fix an Abusive Prison. He Faced Death Threats. He was tasked with ending abuse at a federal penitentiary, but he says his own officers and the Bureau of Prisons stood in the way,” click here. For “Incarcerated students earn degrees in groundbreaking US university program. Participants in Northwestern University prison education program will graduate despite having to work through Covid-19 pandemic,” click here. For “Prison Labor, Low Wages and the Side Hustle: Incarcerated workers turn to side hustles to survive. On the outside, comedian Luenell reflects on her time behind bars — and in show business,” click here. For “Cash bail policies are under fresh scrutiny. Some places have done away with the system, while others are considering stricter guidelines,” click here. For “Incarcerated Journalist Juan Moreno Haines Named Editor-in-Chief of Solitary Watch. The Award-Winning Reporter and Editor Will Work from Behind Bars at San Quentin,” click here. For “A ‘Constitution of Empire’ has failed Native Americans for generations. ‘Rather than engage with questions born of American colonialism, we have instead declared these puzzles as beyond our constitutional theory and left them to the “plenary power” of the political branches to solve,’” click here. For “Yearning to Go Home: Life-without-parole sentences hit families especially hard. Yet they fight on, committed to their loved ones’ freedom,” click here. For “Stripped: Unveiling the unseen trauma of strip searching juveniles in the Allegheny County Jail,” click here. For “Supreme Court Takes on Gun Cases as State Laws Shift: The court is considering the safety of victims of domestic violence, bump stocks and more,” click here. For “Deaths in Pa. jails are undercounted. Our investigation found dozens of hidden cases,” click here. For “Hundreds of Women File Rape Lawsuits Against City Jails: The suits filed as part of the state’s extension of the statute of limitations under the Adult Victims Act allege a culture of abuse and cover-up at the Department of Correction,” click here. For “Inside Illinois’ Youth Lockups, Children Go Without Basic Services and Face ‘Excessive’ Punishments: State audits point to troubling conditions in juvenile detention centers, but no agency has strong enough oversight to bring about change,” click here. For “Nearly one in five state prisoners go directly from maximum security to the street,” click here. For “From Solitary to the Street: What happens when prisoners go from complete isolation to complete freedom in a day?,” click here. For Prison Telecom Giant Deletes Months of Incarcerated Writers’ Work: Securus Technologies says a ‘technical glitch’ last week caused the deletion of Washington prisoners’ writings. They offered compensation of two e-stamps—a value of less than $1,” click here. For “ ‘Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change’: A cleareyed, compassionate, urgent appeal for prison reform,” click here. For “It’s time to rethink parole in the age of mass incarceration: Ben Austen’s ‘Correction’ focuses on the stories of two men to show how we might change the process of giving people second chances,” click here. For “Your Local Jail May Be a House of Horrors. But you probably wouldn’t know it, because sheriffs rule them with little accountability. After one man's death in a notorious lockup, residents of a Missouri town fought back,” click here. For “Redemption Songs: The Forgotten History of American Prison Music. From blues to gospel, country to rap, people have been making music behind bars for decades. Here’s why we should all tune in,” click here. For “New Data Shows Violent Crime Is Up… And Also Down. Property crime and violence against young people are both up, recent federal data shows, but other crime trends are murkier,” click here. For “The history of racism in Tennessee executions is why capital punishment is unjust: Executing the innocent, cost and competence should make all look at alternatives,” click here. For “The Era of Progress on Gun Mortality: State Gun Regulations and Gun Deaths from 1991 to 2016,” click here. For “People with dementia are being assaulted, improperly housed in Baltimore jail, report finds,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES

An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18

An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.

Suicide Research Symposium Announces to Be Held April 17-19, 2024

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

WEBINARS

The MHTTC Calendar of Events Offers Many Webinars in Late September, October, and Beyond

To consult the MHTTC Calendar of Events for upcoming webinars (which are too numerous to include here), click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

CMHJ Extends Call for Papers Deadline to December 1

The Community Mental Health Journal (CMHJ) has extended its call for papers for a special issue on “Recovery at 30: Emancipation, cooptation, or the end of an era?” “The year 2023 marks exactly three decades since the publication of Bill Anthony’s seminal “Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s" (click here)...The editors write: ”We are soliciting both concept pieces (commentaries, critical reviews) and empirical work (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or mixed methods) that explore the question of whether recovery policy remains relevant and emancipatory today or whether the psy-fields are instead in need of fresh thinking and new, more diverse values-based frameworks.” The submission deadline is now December 1, 2023. For more information, click here.

International Mad Studies Journal Invites Submissions

For a special issue of the International Mad Studies Journal, the deadline for abstract submissions is December 15, 2023, via email to mkrazins@syr.edu. For details, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience.” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”

Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 6, December 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, November 2023, Volume 20, Number 5

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

ACTION ALERT!

Help End Health Care Discrimination! Submit Comments by November 13 on Proposed Updates to Disability Rights Legislation!

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has invited comments on proposed updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; the deadline is November 13, 2024. The proposed rule, Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities, updates and improves regulations for this landmark national law that protects qualified individuals in federally funded programs from discrimination based on their disability. Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) has provided helpful information for individuals nationally to show support for the new rule and offer suggestions “to make it even stronger.” For more information, click here. For suggested language proposed by DRO and a link to submit comments, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

NEWS

WHO and UN Publish Landmark Report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have jointly issued an important report on “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” To view a video about the launch, click here. To download the 208-page publication, click here. ACTION ALERT: Share it with elected officials and mental health policymakers! (Courtesy of Janet Paleo) (The October 9, 2023, launch of the joint publication was announced in the September 2023 edition of the Key Update.)

“NIH Designates People with Disabilities as a Population with Health Disparities”

“Access to quality health care is a basic human right. It is unacceptable that in 2023, every person in the United States of America does not have that access,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Research to understand the barriers and unmet needs faced by people with disabilities, and to develop effective interventions to address them, is needed. This designation will help to improve access to healthcare and health outcomes for all people.” However, individuals with mental health conditions do not appear to be specified as part of the designated population. For the NIH press release, click here. 

“Brain Changes from ECT Linked to Worse Outcomes”

“New research questions the assumption that brain changes after ECT are beneficial to service users,” Mad In America reports. “To the contrary, this study found that a post-ECT rise in grey matter volume corresponded with worsening depressive symptoms in the short run. This initial increase in grey matter volume was then succeeded by significant decreases over the subsequent two years. These reductions were correlated with deteriorating long-term outcomes.” For the article, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

Certified Peer Specialists Are Sought for a Survey to Assess the Changes in, and Growth of, the Peer Specialist Position

Doors to Wellbeing is working with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion to produce a document that captures the current voices of peer supporters working in various roles and settings as peer specialists. The goal is to update the results of a 2009 survey by the TU Collaborative, available at this link. “Our hope is that these documents, when referenced together, can be used to recognize how peer specialists’ jobs, tasks and duties have changed throughout the years,” Doors to Wellbeing writes. The 15-minute survey will remain open until November 1, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. For the survey, click here.

“Trinity Study Aims to Develop Research Questions about Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Drugs”
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin are seeking people to take part in two anonymous online surveys as part of the Priorities for Future Research on Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Medicines (PROTECT) study “to help shape the research agenda about reducing and stopping psychiatric medicines.” For the Mad In Ireland article about the study, click here. For more information and a link to the survey, click here.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand the Day-to-Day Social Experiences of People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Health Conditions

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks participants diagnosed with serious mental health conditions to participate in a paid research study of their “day-to-day experiences of social isolation and loneliness…so that we can develop better interventions for people in the future.” Eligible participants will complete an intake interview (for a $20 gift card) and an exit interview (for a $30 gift card). Four one-minute surveys will be sent via smart phone in the 14 days between interviews. Questions? Contact drrp@temple.edu or (215) 204-3230. 

CONFERENCES

Suicide Research Symposium Announces Call for Proposals. Deadline: November 3

The third annual free, virtual Suicide Research Symposium, cohosted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held April 17-19, 2024. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT (November 4, 2023, at 2:59 a.m. ET). For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Beckie Child)

Youth Peer Support Action Summit on November 10-11

On November 10-11, 2023, Doors to Wellbeing and Mental Health America will present a national, free, virtual, “youth-led summit to unite and inspire youth and young adult leaders in peer support, including peer specialists, program leaders, and advocates.” For more information and to register, click here.

Trauma Summit 2024 to be held in Belfast and Virtually!

On June 17-18, 2024, the Action Trauma Network–a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of psychological trauma and trauma recovery throughout the world–will present its Trauma Summit 2024, in Belfast and online! For more information and to register, click here! 

WEBINARS

“Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF): An Approach to Understanding Mental Distress”

On October 25, 2023, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET, the New England MHTTC will host a webinar about PTMF, “an alternative, non-diagnostic conceptualization of distress created by providers and service users, published by the British Psychological Society and attracting international attention.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Your Community, Your Vote! A Case Example of Promoting Voting from the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute”

On October 25, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative for Community Inclusion is hosting a one-hour webinar focused on promoting voting, a vital area of community participation! The TU Collaborative writes: “During this webinar, we will discuss reasons why folks who experience mental health challenges are less likely to vote, why voting is important,” and how to promote voting in both inpatient and outpatient settings. For more information and to register, click here.

“Fighting for Recovery”

On October 31, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will present “Fighting for Recovery,” a one-hour webinar. “Author Phyllis Vine will discuss the sweeping history of activist movements in grossly underserved and misunderstood mental health communities. Hear stories of former psychiatric patients, families, and courageous activists within government and psychiatry who rebelled against inhumane and outdated treatments and policies and created the path that we are on today.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Human Rights Approaches to Mental Health”

On November 1, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET, ​​the CAFÉ TA Center invites you to attend “Human Rights Approaches to Mental Health,” a conversation about what it means to take a human rights approach to mental health advocacy, and how looking at support, recovery, treatment, and policy through a human rights lens can shift perspectives for peers and the public alike. Register here!

November Judi’s Room Will Feature Dr. William Bronston, Who Helped Close Willowbrook State School 

On November 1, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), MindFreedom International and I Love You, Lead On will host Dr. William Bronston, author of Public Hostage Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America, about the infamous Willowbrook State School. Back by popular demand after his initial appearance on Judi’s Room, Dr. Bronston–who was the catalyst for a federal class action lawsuit to close Willowbrook–will also speak about “Tower of Youth”--21st Century Digital Media, Arts & Technology: Engaging, Educating & Empowering the Next Generation!--of which he is the president and founder. To register, click here. 

“Ethical Psychedelic Therapy And Process Work: Challenges and Dilemmas”

On November 3, 2023, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m.-1 p.m. PT), Will Hall, MA, DiplPW, assisted by Michal Lasocik of the Polish Psychedelic Society, will present on “Ethical Psychedelic Therapy and Process Work: Challenges and Dilemmas.” There is a $45 fee; scholarships are available. Will Hall writes: “If you are thinking about training in using psychedelics, or already use them yourself or with your clients, this is a class you won't want to miss!” For more information and/or to register, click here.

“Holding on for Others: Caregiving, Chronic Illness, and Self-care”

On November 9, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Mental Health America will host a one-hour panel discussion of “the mental health impacts of chronic health conditions on individuals and their caregivers, the unique challenges caregivers face that strain their mental health, and ways that caregivers can prioritize their mental health.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness at Work”

From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET on November 15, November 29, and December 6, 2023, the New England MHTTC will host the “Embracing Authenticity: A Guide to Authenticity and Cultural Awareness as Work” webinar series, which “will provide guidance and support for the use and implementation of the accompanying workbook, which is intended to be used as a guide for deeper levels of processing and to support healthier conversations in the workplace around identity and wellness.” For more information and to register, click here. A link to the workbook will be available soon; for more information, write to newengland@mhttcnetwork.org.  

RESOURCES

“The Lived Experience of Depression: a Bottom-up Review Co-written by Experts by Experience and Academics”

"This journey in the lived experience of depression can also help us to understand the nature of our own emotions and feelings, what is to believe in something, what is to hope, and what is to be a living human being." For the article, click here. (Courtesy of Ann Kasper)

“The Little Known Threat of Extreme Heat”

“In this issue, CAFE TAC discussed the unique threat that extreme heat poses to people with serious mental health conditions due to a number of factors, including the effects of psychiatric medications. We also share updates on supported education research and federal action on mental health parity, and ask for your input on the direction of our ongoing innovative recovery practices webinar series.” For more information and a link to the newsletter, click here.

Movement History of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Expatient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community 

This 647-page comprehensive history and timeline, mostly compiled by award-winning mental health advocate Pat Risser (b. 1952, d. 2016), begins: “The history of the Consumer/ Client/ Survivor/ Ex-patient/ Ex-Inmate/ User Community is deeply enmeshed in and with other civil and human rights movements. To understand the depth of this intertwining, it is necessary to cover the history of slavery, women, children, people with disabilities, education, labor and other factors that play a role in creating who we are today.” To download the document, click here. (Courtesy of Judene Shelley)

LAST WORDS

Two Extraordinary Movement Leaders Are Mourned

The c/s/x movement for social justice mourns Linda Andre, author of Doctors of Deception, What They Don’t Want You To Know About Shock Treatment, and director of the Committee for Truth in Psychiatry, who devoted decades of her life to fighting for truly informed consent on ECT; and Yvette Sangster, an award-winning advocate, founder of Advocacy Unlimited in Connecticut and its executive director until 2002, and later Georgia’s PAIMI (Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) program director. For “Remembrances of Linda Andre, Leader in the Fight Against ECT,” click here. For Yvette Sangster’s obituary, click here.

The October 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Here’s Exactly How to Break Up with Your Therapist,” click here. For “This Full-Body Workout Fits in a Backpack,” click here. For “What Is Paxlovid Rebound? 9 Things to Know,” click here. For “Am I Still Contagious? Here’s how to navigate eight of the most insidious and infectious illnesses,” click here. For “What Does It Really Mean to Dissociate?” click here. For “Healthy lifestyle can help prevent depression -- and new research may explain why,” click here. For “Don’t Let Rain Cancel Your Workout,” click here. For “Peace Corps lawsuit says some offers rescinded over mental health,” click here. For “Want to Believe in Yourself? ‘Mattering’ Is Key,” click here.

The October 2023 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “US prisons rife with human rights abuses, especially against Black people, UN says,” click here. For “A Chaotic Moment For The Death Penalty: Political and legal opinions are shifting on mental illness and capital punishment, but those on death row may be left behind,” click here. For “Many Prisons Restrict Books to Stop Drug Smuggling. Critics Say It Doesn’t Work. Battling an overdose crisis, more prisons are blocking books based on the sender or packaging. Free speech advocates call it a de facto book ban,” click here. For “The Books Banned in Your State’s Prisons,” click here. For “Probation and parole do not make us safer. It’s time to rethink them,” click here. For “Reform in Action: Findings and Recommendations from a 3-Year Process Evaluation of New York's 2020 Criminal Legal Reforms,” click here. For “One in Five: Ending Racial Inequity in Incarceration. The number of Black people imprisoned in the U.S. has decreased 39% since its peak two decades ago, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project…but there are still significant racial and gender disparities in sentencing and incarceration rates across the U.S.,” click here. For “Will the Supreme Court Make Life Worse for America’s Homeless? What few constitutional rights the homeless enjoy may soon be on the line at the high court,” click here. For “California Bans Controversial ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis,” click here. For “Federal Prison Censors Reason Issue About How Federal Prison Employed Serial Rapists: The issue was rejected because it ‘jeopardizes the good order and security of the institution,’" click here. For “New California law aims to force people with mental illness or addiction to get help,” click here. For “Prisoners Say New Jersey’s Alternative To Solitary Confinement Is Pretty Much The Same: Progressives celebrated a 2019 law meant to reform solitary confinement. But the state’s Department of Corrections doesn’t seem to be following it,” click here. For “Police Diversion Programs Work. Here’s Why: Officers offer drug treatment programs instead of arresting some suspects they believe are abusing drugs,” click here. For “The ‘Miserable Spectacle’ of Executing People With Serious Mental Illness: André Thomas gouged out both his eyes. Can he still be given the death penalty?” click here. For “He Pocketed His Victims’ Organs. Was His Death Penalty Trial Fair? As Andre Thomas faces execution for three gory murders, a court questions jury bias and his competency,” click here. For “The Gun Industry’s Trade Group Is Using Flimsy Data in Big Court Cases: The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s unsupported evidence about the number of high-capacity magazines in the U.S. has been introduced in cases that could have major implications for gun restrictions nationwide,” click here. For “How a former prison cook became one of the country’s top pizza chefs: ‘The kitchen was always the place where I could survive in,’ said Mike Carter, executive chef at Down North Pizza in Philadelphia,” click here. For “How a New Approach to Public Defense Is Overcoming Mass Incarceration: Public defenders represent eighty per cent of all people charged with a crime in this country, and they typically work in offices that are underfunded and understaffed,” click here. For “The Musical Legacy of a Mississippi Prison Farm: The new album ‘Some Mississippi Sunday Morning’ collects gospel songs recorded inside a notorious penitentiary,” click here. For “Redemption Songs: The Forgotten History of American Prison Music. From blues to gospel, country to rap, people have been making music behind bars for decades. Here’s why we should all tune in,” click here. For “‘Hysterical’ Women Out for Revenge: Family Court’s Misogynistic Tropes Traumatize Women and Children,” click here. For “The Case for Child Welfare Abolition,” click here. For “A Death Row Opera Goes to Sing Sing, With Inmates Onstage: Metropolitan Opera stars joined prisoners for a one-night-only performance of ‘Dead Man Walking,’” click here. For “Reform plan still has Paterson police responding to mental health crises: Some changes made, but not yet addressed is what many see as main problem — armed officers intervening instead of mental health experts,” click here. For “Pennsylvania Solitary Unit Pushes People to Suicide, Lawsuit Alleges,” click here. For “Prison Money Diaries: What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars: We asked people in prison to track their earning and spending — and bartering and side hustles — for 30 days. Their accounts reveal a thriving underground economy behind bars,” click here. For “Montana inmates with mental illnesses languish in jail awaiting treatment before trial,” click here. For “Predictive Policing Software Terrible At Predicting Crimes: A software company sold a New Jersey police department an algorithm that was right less than 1% of the time,” click here. For “The Prisoner and the Pen: Writing from a cell at Sullivan Correctional Facility, I’m part of a renaissance of prison journalism. If prison authorities had their way, no one would be writing from the inside at all,” click here. For “Should Money Decide Who is Kept in Jail? More Locations Are Saying No. Los Angeles and Illinois are the latest jurisdictions to change their cash bail system,” click here. For “D.C. settles suit over failure to provide special ed to jailed students: The plaintiffs claimed the city ‘effectively abandoned efforts to teach’ them during the pandemic,” click here. For “Washington State Prison System Sued for Using Unreliable Drug Tests To Put Inmates in Solitary: Reason reported in 2021 how prisons use cheap field kits to test mail for contraband—and use the faulty, unconfirmed results to severely punish inmates,” click here. “Study Points to Gentrification as Trigger for Gun Violence: Disruption and displacement may fuel increased firearm injuries in neighborhoods experiencing gentrification, according to a new analysis,” click here. For “NC’s move toward alternate crisis response will allow police to focus on crime,” click here. For “You’re Sexually Assaulted. You Report. And Police Make You the Suspect. Police unleash a slew of interrogation techniques meant for criminal suspects on vulnerable people,” click here. For “Georgia Prisoners Can Be Denied Vital Halfway House Placement Due to Medical Conditions,” click here. For “Exceptional Punishments: No one should be made to give up their rights in exchange for being spared from prison,” click here. “For Incarcerated Women and Their Families, Equal Access to Education Transforms Lives: How providers and corrections departments are working to address the unique challenges system-impacted women face to get an education,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES

NIMH to Host Global Mental Health Conference: “Research Without Borders”

From October 30 to November 1, 2023, the National Institute of Mental Health and partners will present the 12th Global Mental Health Research Without Borders Conference. The first of the six listed objectives of the conference is to provide a “space for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and those with lived experience to meet and share innovative developments in the field of global mental health.” The conference will be held at the Natcher Conference Center at the NIH Main Campus, 45 Center Drive, Building 45, Bethesda, Maryland. For more information and to register (for free), click here. Questions? GMHConference@bizzellus.com

“The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity”

The Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a four-part training on “The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity.” Participants will gain “a deeper understanding of both the drivers and impact of health inequities on people of color.” The 90-minute sessions will meet on the following Thursdays: October 12, October 26, November 9, and November 16, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET. To register, click here. Questions? Sherry Warner, sherry@peersupportfl.org

ISEPP’s 25th Annual Conference Will Be Held October 28-29

ISEPP’s 25th annual conference will be virtual (click here). (Please note that the conference dates have been changed from the original dates of October 20-22.)

ABCT 2023 Conference Is November 16-19 in Seattle

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 2023 conference will be held November 16-19 in Seattle. Its theme is “Cultivating Joy with CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy].” For more information about the conference, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18

An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.

WEBINARS

The MHTTC Calendar of Events Offers Many Webinars in Late September, October, and Beyond

To consult the MHTTC Calendar of Events for upcoming webinars (which are too numerous to include here), click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

CMHJ Extends Call for Papers Deadline to December 1

The Community Mental Health Journal (CMHJ) has extended its call for papers for a special issue on “Recovery at 30: Emancipation, cooptation, or the end of an era?” “The year 2023 marks exactly three decades since the publication of Bill Anthony’s seminal “Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s" (click here)...The editors write: ”We are soliciting both concept pieces (commentaries, critical reviews) and empirical work (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or mixed methods) that explore the question of whether recovery policy remains relevant and emancipatory today or whether the psy-fields are instead in need of fresh thinking and new, more diverse values-based frameworks.” The submission deadline is now December 1, 2023. For more information, click here.

International Mad Studies Journal Invites Submissions

For a special issue of the International Mad Studies Journal, the deadline for abstract submissions is December 15, 2023, via email to mkrazins@syr.edu. For details, click here.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"

For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience.” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Open Dialogue Around the World—Implementation, Outcomes, Experiences, and Perspectives”

Frontiers in Psychology offers 16 articles about Open Dialogue. These include “Introducing Peer-supported Open Dialogue in Changing Mental Health Care,” “Using Open Dialogue-inspired Dialogism in Non-Psychiatric Medical Practice: A 10-Year Experience,” “Development of the Peer-supported Open Dialogue Attitude and Competence Inventory for Practitioners: A Delphi Study,” and 13 more. For links to all 16 articles, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” Leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”

Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 5, November 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

ReplyForward

Key Update, October 2023, Volume 20, Number 4

To subscribe to the monthly Key Update, send an email to selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

NEWS AND ACTION ALERTS

Please Share Your Memories of Linda Andre and Yvette Sangster

NYAPRS–partnering with NCMHR–has generously offered to create memorial web pages for two extraordinary leaders of our movement for social justice whom we’ve lost: Linda Andre (September 2023) and Yvette Sangster (April 2023).  Both were tireless in their efforts to improve the lives of individuals with mental health conditions. Please share your memories of Linda or Yvette or both in emails with the subject line of either Linda, Yvette, or Linda and Yvette, and send them to susan.rogers.advocacy@gmail.com for their respective memorial pages.

September 29 Is the Public Comment Deadline for the Upcoming ISMICC Meeting 

The next Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) Virtual Meeting, open to the public, is scheduled for October 18, 2023 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET). “The ISMICC coordinates federal and non-federal members to make specific recommendations for actions that agencies can take to better coordinate the administration of mental health services.” Information about the meeting is in the Federal Register Notice. Or register by clicking on this link and email your comment to Pamela Foote, ISMICC Designated Federal Officer, SAMHSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857; telephone: 240–276–1279; email: pamela.foote@samhsa.hhs.gov by September 29, 2023.

“National Association of Peer Supporters Endorses the PEER Support Act”

“The Providing Empathetic and Effective Recovery (PEER) Support Act, cosponsored by Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Mike Braun…aims to address barriers faced by peer support specialists, ensuring the provision of quality care to individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges.” For the N.A.P.S. press release, click here. For additional information from Sen. Kaine, including a list of supporting organizations, click here. ACTION ALERT: Urge your U.S. Senators to sign on as co-sponsors.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards Nearly $130 Million to Expand CCBHCs Across U.S.

On September 21, 2023, the Federal Government announced that it has awarded $127.7 million to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) across the country. The awards will work with provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to expand access to the CCBHC model across the United States. Under BSCA, HHS will enable up to 10 additional states to create state CCBHC programs under Medicaid every two years starting in 2024, providing sustainable funding for CCBHC services to Medicaid beneficiaries. For details, click here. (Courtesy of Jacek Haciak)

Award-winning Writer Reports on Housing First in New York City

In “A Journey from Homelessness to a Room of One’s Own,” where, “[a]t a supportive-housing facility, chronically unhoused New Yorkers get a new lease on life, with a gym, a computer room—and on-site mental-health and medical services,” award-winning novelist Jennifer Egan reports on a Housing First program in New York City. For the article, click here.

WEBINARS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS

“Strategies for Enhancing the Success for Peer Support on College Campuses”
On September 26, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will host a webinar that “aims to share tools and strategies for peer supporters and peer programs to partner with college administrators to build robust and successful peer support programs within campuses and universities.” For details and to register, click here.

NYAPRS Has Released Its Full Conference Schedule, and Announces Rebranding

“NYAPRS is very pleased and proud to provide details of the full program schedule for our upcoming Annual Conference, to be held September 26-28, 2023, at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, New York.” For the schedule and other details, click here. In addition, effective October 9, 2023, NYAPRS will change its name. Executive Director Harvey Rosenthal writes: “As the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, our broadened national focus and profile will make our support and impact on behalf of our New York and national grassroots recovery and peer support communities that much stronger and successful.”

“The Importance of Dual Recovery”

On September 26, 2023 (10:30 a.m. ET, 9:30 a.m. CT), Great Lakes MHTTC will present a 90-minute “informational celebration of dual recovery.” They write: “Substance use disorders and mental illness overlap at the rate of 50%–70%. Despite this significant overlap, there is often not enough attention paid to co-occurring mental health concerns or dual recovery within SUD treatment.” For details and to register, click here.

“Peer Support for Dual Recovery in Treatment Settings”

On September 26, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, Southeast MHTTC will present “Peer Support for Dual Recovery in Treatment Settings.” They write: “Two-track programs focusing their energy on either substance use or other mental health challenges have continued to be the norm in many treatment settings despite the evidence showing improved outcomes for people who are dually diagnosed that receive specialized treatment. In this webinar we will explore why we should work to change this standard, and how peer support can be deployed to better support people in dual recovery. For details and to register, click here. (Note: Please see the item directly below.)

The MHTTC Calendar of Events Offers Many Webinars in Late September, October, and Beyond

To consult the MHTTC Calendar of Events for upcoming webinars (which are too numerous to include here), click here.

TU Collaborative to Present “Fall into Leisure” Webinar for Young Adults

On September 27, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, the Temple University Collaborative on Community inclusion will present “an action-oriented webinar to support young adults with mental health challenges to set and achieve their leisure goals this fall.” To register, click here. Questions? Contact connectionsrx@temple.edu

“Broadening the Reach: Ensuring Equitable Access to Early Psychosis Care for All”

On September 28 and 29, 2023—from 12 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT to 12 p.m. PT) on both days—this free, live, online mini-conference, presented by the Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education, “will focus on the themes of inclusion and diversity within both clinical high-risk and early psychosis care. This conference will bring together experts in the field to highlight the importance of ensuring inclusive and accessible early psychosis services, including adolescents who are at clinical high risk for psychosis.” For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

MHA to Host Webinars in late September, October, and Early November

Mental Health America will present “Regional Policy Council Webinar: Getting And Funding Mental Health Services In Schools” (September 27 at 2 p.m. ET); “Yo Pertenezco Aqui (I Belong Here): Supporting Latinx Professionals And Building Inclusive Teams” (September 28 at 1 p.m. ET); “Beyond the Stereotypes: Understanding OCD” (October 5 at 1 p.m.ET); “Living Authentically Me: Coming Out LGBTQ+” (October 11, at 1 p.m. ET), and Holding On For Others: Caregiving, Chronic Illness, And Self-Care (November 9, at 2 p.m. ET). For details and to register, click on the links above.

“Ask Us About Money: Building Financial Wellness to Enhance Recovery”

On September 28, 2023, at 4 p.m. ET, NAMI will present a webinar about “Building Financial Wellness, a peer developed program that empowers people to increase their sense of control over their personal finances, develop the knowledge they need to better manage the financial resources they have, and use tools to improve their overall financial situation.” For details and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

October Judi’s Room Will Focus on Reinventing the Mental Health System…to Give People Hope

On October 4, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT), Jim Gottstein—founder of the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights and author of The Zyprexa Papers—will speak about a recently published report he co-authored, entitled “Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes.” Judi’s Room is presented by MindFreedom International and “I Love You, Lead On.” For more information and to register, click here. Note: For more about the Report, see the first item under RESOURCES, below. The Report is available for free download (click here).

PENTAC’s National Peer Entrepreneur Speaker Series Continues on October 5

On October 5, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, PENTAC (Peer Experience National Technical Assistance Center) will present Laysha Ostrow, founder and CEO of Live & Learn, Inc.! For more information and to register for this free, one-hour event, click here.

“Abnormal No More: A DARN Conference on Incorporating Disability into the Teaching of Psychology”

On October 6, 2023 (12 p.m.-4 p.m. ET) and October 7, 2023 (12 p.m.-5 p.m. ET), the Disability and Advocacy Research Network (DARN)—“a community for disabled psychology scholars and allies”—will present a free, virtual conference “for psychology educators to learn about cutting edge research, theory, and pedagogy related to teaching about disability.” However, all are welcome. Please contact darndisability@gmail.com with questions or accommodation requests. All sessions will be recorded and available on DARN's website after the event. For more information and to register, click here. (Courtesy of Sandy Goodwick)

WHO and OHCHR to Launch Joint Publication with Interactive Dialogue on October 9

On October 9, 2023, (12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. CEST), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will launch ”Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” “An interactive dialogue among persons with lived experience as well as UN officials and high-level government and civil society representatives will underscore why urgent action is needed and how the new WHO/OHCHR guidance has the potential to support person-centered, recovery-oriented, rights-based” mental health law reform internationally. To register, click here. For a time zone converter, click here. (Courtesy of Philip Benjamin)

Peerpocalypse Has Extended Its Workshop Proposal Deadline to October 15!

The theme of Peerpocalypse (May 6-9, 2024) is Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion. Peerpocalypse will be held in person at the Seaside Convention Center in Seaside, Oregon, and virtually via Whova. To submit a proposal (deadline: October 15, 2023), click here. For more information about the conference, click here.

“Rewriting the Sentence II Summit” to Be Held October 16-17

On October 16-17 (9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET), the Center for Justice and Human Dignity will present the Rewriting the Sentence II Summit on Alternatives to Incarceration at George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. The Summit will be hosted by GW Law and the Aleph Institute. For more information, the fee schedule, and to register, click here.

IIPDW to Host “Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs 3”

On October 20 and 21, 2023, the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal will present the third in its conference series, “sharing the latest research, practice, and lived experience from around the world.” For times, fees, and other details, click here. For the “Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs,” Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, by Will Hall, published by the Icarus Project and the Freedom Center, click here. For “The experiences of 585 people when they tried to withdraw from antipsychotic drugs,” by John Read, click here.

RESEARCH AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Request for Information: Potential Changes to SAMHSA’s Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center

October 13, 2023, is the deadline to provide input on potential changes to SAMHSA’s Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center (EBPRC), “specifically regarding the possible introduction of three new domains for the EBPRC website. In addition to addressing four general questions about the EBPRC overall, SAMHSA encourages members of the public to comment on several questions pertaining to each of the domains described.” For details, including how to submit comments, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

CMHJ Extends Call for Papers Deadline to December 1

The Community Mental Health Journal (CMHJ) has extended its call for papers for a special issue on “Recovery at 30: Emancipation, cooptation, or the end of an era?” “The year 2023 marks exactly three decades since the publication of Bill Anthony’s seminal “Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s" (click here)...The editors write: ”We are soliciting both concept pieces (commentaries, critical reviews) and empirical work (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or mixed methods) that explore the question of whether recovery policy remains relevant and emancipatory today or whether the psy-fields are instead in need of fresh thinking and new, more diverse values-based frameworks.” The submission deadline is now December 1, 2023. For more information, click here.

International Mad Studies Journal Invites Submissions

For a special issue of the International Mad Studies Journal, the deadline for abstract submissions is December 15, 2023, via email to mkrazins@syr.edu. For details, click here.

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for REACH Intervention

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks individuals with “significant mental health concerns” for a “study to increase engagement in meaningful activity.” You must be 18-65; available on Mondays and willing to participate in a 12-session, online, peer-delivered intervention by the Copeland Center to explore meaningful activities. You may be eligible for compensation of up to $100 in gift cards. Interested? Contact TUCollab@temple.edu.

Researcher Seeks LGBTQ+ People of Color Who Have Experienced Psychiatric Hospitalization for “Suicidality”

A PhD candidate at the University of Maryland is recruiting LGBTQ+ People of Color for her dissertation study of those who have experienced psychiatric hospitalization for “suicidality.” To be screened for eligibility, click here. The study is currently scheduled for completion in March 2024. For questions, contact selimaj1@umbc.edu. (Courtesy of Ben Cooley Hall)

RESOURCES

“Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes” Is Published

The Report’s Executive Summary begins: “The mental health system’s standard treatments are colossally counterproductive and harmful, often forced on unwilling patients. The overreliance on psychiatric drugs is reducing the recovery rate of people diagnosed with serious mental illness from a possible 80% to 5% and reducing their life spans by 20 years or so…” To download the free, 55-page report—by James B. (Jim) Gottstein, Esq.; Peter C. Gøtzsche, MD; David Cohen, PhD; Chuck Ruby, PhD; and Faith Myers—click here. (Note: The Report is intended to be used by advocates and is a modification of an earlier "White Paper," without the Alaska-specific information that it included. The "White Paper" was first included in the Key Update in April 2023, and in every subsequent edition in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department.)

MHA Offers "Evidence for Peer Support"
For Mental Health America's nine-page fact sheet offering evidence of the benefits of peer support, click here.

Wellness Activity Manual Helps People Learn Healthy New Behaviors & Habits

The free, 64-page Wellness Activity Manual: A Guide for Group Leaders “focuses on helping people with mental health conditions learn new behaviors and habits to improve their personal wellness. Each lesson has been constructed as a group activity that maximizes learning through building positive interpersonal relationships and actively involving participants. The Wellness Group meets weekly for one hour. The manual contains nine lessons focused on physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness. Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone group or combined into a multi-session series.” For more information and to download the free manual, click here.

“A Manual for Coping with Extraordinary and Remarkable Experiences”

“Extraordinary and remarkable experiences should not interfere with your mood and daily functioning. This manual will help you to keep your extraordinary experiences manageable in daily life, although your extraordinary experiences may be annoying and intruding at times. You can work through this manual with your therapist…Solutions will be sought for your problems. The described method consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and an educational course.” For the free, 34-page manual, copyrighted in 2013 by Mark van der Gaag, Dorien Nieman, and David van den Berg, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova) Note: This manual has not been reviewed, so no judgment about its value should be inferred from its inclusion in this e-newsletter.

The October 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “Why Do We Play? Rats Can Teach Us How It Improves Mental Health,” click here. For “Music can serve as therapy. Here’s how it can help reduce anxiety. Start with music that matches your frame of mind and slowly shift to more soothing themes. A suggested playlist can serve as a guide,” click here. For “The Best Relationship Advice We’ve Gotten So Far This Year,” click here. For “Can’t Sleep? Try This Proven Alternative to Medication,” click here. For “The Art of Being a Morning Person (Even if You’re Actually Not One),” click here. For “Does the MIND Diet Prevent Dementia?” click here. For “How to Change Your Mind-Set About Aging,” click here.

The October 2023 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “The Footprint: Tracking the Size of America's Criminal Justice System,” click here. For “In Much of the Country, Cities Can’t Enact Their Own Gun Laws: Here’s what you need to know about NRA-backed preemption laws, which limit local regulation of firearms,” click here. For “Justice Department proposes clarity on background checks for gun purchases: The regulation would close potential loopholes for online and gun show sales,” click here. For “More (early) results from the First Step Act [published August 2023]. The Bureau of Prisons has created or defended obstacles to the early release of federal prisoners. But there are clear signs the Trump-era law is succeeding in some areas,” click here. For “Sentencing Commission Backs Retroactive Cuts For 1st Timers,” click here. For “Man struggling with mental health issues shot, killed by Jersey City police, family says,” click here. For “Dying and disabled Illinois prisoners kept behind bars, despite new medical release law: The Joe Coleman Medical Release Act was expected to have freed hundreds of terminally ill and medically incapacitated prisoners in Illinois by now. But only a few dozen have been released, an investigation from Injustice Watch and WBEZ reveals,” click here. For “The Mercy Workers: For three decades, a little-known group of “mitigation specialists” has helped save death-penalty defendants by documenting their childhood traumas. A rare look inside one case,” click here. For “Bureau Of Prisons Warns Of Scams: Fraudsters are reportedly calling family members of prisoners, identifying themselves as Bureau of Prison employees, and illegally seeking money for a transfer to pre-release custody,” click here. For “Is This the End of Prison Phone Fees? How a group of activists took on the telecom industry—and won,” click here. For “How Social Justice Activists Lost the Plot: The leftist writer Fredrik DeBoer’s new book is an entreaty to white, college-educated progressives: Stop obsessing over identity and language and start fighting for working people. Defunding the police was purely an elite fixation that ignored the desires of Black community members, most of whom ardently wished for more policing in their neighborhoods, not less. The ‘defund’ movement was destined to fail, and, in doing so, to foreclose other, more promising alternatives,” click here. For “It’s Long Past Time to Ban Pretextual Stops–Take It from a Public Defender,” click here. For “Ending the Golden State Era of Solitary Confinement: California could reshape the practice as other states limit isolation. Meanwhile, prisons aren’t keeping pace,” click here. For “Why Aren’t Cops Held to Account? Decades of Supreme Court decisions have converted qualified immunity from a commonsense rule into a powerful doctrine that deprives people injured by police misconduct of recourse,” click here. For “How Norway is helping to restore humanity inside US prisons,” click here. For “I Did It Norway: Some American prisons are singing a European tune (from 2017),” click here. For “Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change,” click here. For “State tells Baltimore jail monitor to stop talking to doctors, ratchets up legal defense: What does Maryland have in common with Alabama? A new strategy to defend against correctional healthcare lawsuits,” click here. For “What Federal Judges’ Rulings Reveal About the Memphis Police Tactics: Five judges in recent years have found that officers violated residents’ constitutional rights during traffic and pedestrian stops,” click here. For “Do You Know Their Names? When slain by police, Black women and girls rarely garner the same communal outcry or political response as their fallen Black brothers,” click here. For “Chained by Debt: Erasing court costs and fines is a relatively small change that would have an outsize impact on those harmed by mass incarceration,” click here. For “National Public Defense Workload Study: ‘Existing national public defense workload standards are outdated, not empirically based and inadequate,’ concludes a new study designed to help ensure that defendants are given adequate representation,” click here. For “California lawmakers approve key changes to landmark mental health law,” click here. For “The U.S. Sentencing Commission Quarterly Data Report”: “Immigration and drug cases again dominated all others in the first quarter of 2023, federal officials announced this week,” click here. For “Family of man who died while being admitted to psychiatric hospital agrees to $8.5M settlement,” click here. For “Juvenile Life Without Parole Sentences Are a Failed Policy That Needs to End: This op-ed calls for the end of juvenile life without parole,” click here. For “Sheriff says 9 deputies charged in death of man beaten in Memphis jail: ​​Nine jail deputies in Memphis have been indicted for their role in the death of a 33-year-old Black man who was allegedly beaten while he was suffering from a psychotic episode,” click here.

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES

NIMH to Host Global Mental Health Conference: “Research Without Borders”

From October 30 to November 1, 2023, the National Institute of Mental Health and partners will present the 12th Global Mental Health Research Without Borders Conference. The first of the six listed objectives of the conference is to provide a “space for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and those with lived experience to meet and share innovative developments in the field of global mental health.” The conference will be held at the Natcher Conference Center at the NIH Main Campus, 45 Center Drive, Building 45, Bethesda, Maryland. For more information and to register (for free), click here. Questions? GMHConference@bizzellus.com

“The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity”

The Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a four-part training on “The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity.” Participants will gain “a deeper understanding of both the drivers and impact of health inequities on people of color.” The 90-minute sessions will meet on the following Thursdays: October 12, October 26, November 9, and November 16, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET. To register, click here. Questions? Sherry Warner, sherry@peersupportfl.org

The 2023 N.A.P.S. Conference Is Coming Up on October 25-26!

N.A.P.S. looks forward to seeing you in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel on October 25-26! To register, click here! And for information about featured speakers, to book accommodations, become a sponsor/exhibitor, and/or to ask questions, click here!

An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18

An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.

ISEPP’s 25th Annual Conference Will Be Held October 28-29

ISEPP’s 25th annual conference will be virtual (click here). (Please note that the conference dates have been changed from the original dates of October 20-22.)

ABCT 2023 Conference Is November 16-19 in Seattle

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 2023 conference will be held November 16-19 in Seattle. Its theme is “Cultivating Joy with CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy].” For more information about the conference, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

OPPORTUNITIES

ISEPP Invites Contributions to an Upcoming Volume in Its Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series

The International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) is inviting potential contributors to submit chapters for inclusion in the fourth volume–Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing–in its Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. (To view the first three volumes, click here.) The preferred length–although shorter or longer chapters would be considered–is 4,000-5,000 words, including a paragraph abstract, references, and a mini-bio. Lead editor Arnoldo Cantú, LCSW, writes that an already-published article or book chapter would be considered as well. Finished contributions are due by October 1, 2023. If you’re interested and/or have questions, contact Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

“Research Study for People with Lived Experience of Suicidality”

Researchers at Illinois Tech in Chicago are seeking adults with lived experience of suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt to take a 20-minute survey about suicide disclosure (i.e., communication about your suicidal thoughts or behaviors). To see if you qualify and to learn more about the study, click here. 

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience.” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Open Dialogue Around the World—Implementation, Outcomes, Experiences, and Perspectives”

Frontiers in Psychology offers 16 articles about Open Dialogue. These include “Introducing Peer-supported Open Dialogue in Changing Mental Health Care,” “Using Open Dialogue-inspired Dialogism in Non-Psychiatric Medical Practice: A 10-Year Experience,” “Development of the Peer-supported Open Dialogue Attitude and Competence Inventory for Practitioners: A Delphi Study,” and 13 more. For links to all 16 articles, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”

Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 4, October 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH

Key Update, September 2023, Volume 20, Number 3

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion.

TO CONTACT: THE CLEARINGHOUSE: SELFHELPCLEARINGHOUSE@GMAIL.COM  … SUSAN ROGERS: SUSAN.ROGERS.ADVOCACY@GMAIL.COM … JOSEPH ROGERS: JROGERS08034@GMAIL.COM 

THE KEY UPDATE IS COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND EDITED BY SUSAN ROGERS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS’ SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE.

NOTE: THE "FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!" DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MONTHLY CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DIGEST, INCLUDES ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTED "ABOVE THE FOLD" IN EARLIER EDITIONS BUT ARE STILL RELEVANT. THESE INCLUDE ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES, AND OTHER ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST. DON'T MISS IT!

DEADLINE ALERT: Please note that there are opportunities and upcoming deadlines throughout the Key Update, including in the “…But Still Fresh!” Department!

NEWS

Could Depression Be Considered a "Helpful Warning Sign"? And a Manual Offers Other Strategies to Fight Prejudice and Discrimination 

“A shift in perspective from seeing depression as a disease to recognizing it as a helpful warning sign can promote a healthier understanding and lessen self-stigma, researchers find,” according to Mad In America. For the article, click here. And prominent psychologists Eleanor Longden and John Read theorize that “framing individuals as ‘people with problems’ as opposed to ‘patients with illnesses’ is a more promising and robustly evidence-based strategy [than biomedical explanations] for reducing stigma and prejudice.” To read Tackling Mental Health Prejudice and Discrimination (2019), published by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES

PRJ Extends Deadline for Call for Papers on Psychiatric Drug Choices to September 15, 2023

“The Editors of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal (PRJ) are soliciting papers for a special issue—“Broadening understanding of individual choices about psychiatric medication use in psychiatric rehabilitation”—devoted to better understanding of how psychiatric rehabilitation values and practices can support people's choices regarding psychiatric medication, specifically antipsychotic medication.” “We are especially interested in the perspective of people with lived experience,” co-editor Helene Speyer wrote in an email, For details and to submit a paper, click here. (At this writing, the website still includes the original deadline of August 1 although it has been extended to September 15.)

WEBINARS AND OTHER EVENTS

“Employing Peer Workers: An Organization’s Perspective”

On August 29, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, “panelists will answer questions about the challenges and opportunities organizations experience when establishing new peer roles. Leaders at organizations with established peer roles will talk about the process of onboarding peers, such as building organizational buy-in, addressing stigma in policies and in the workplace, and recruiting and employing peer workers in an equitable way.” For more information and to register, click here.

“SAMHSA's National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification”
On August 29, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will host a webinar on SAMHSA’s "National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification." The webinar will be presented by public health advisor David Awadalla, who works with SAMHSA’s Office of Prevention Innovation and Office of Recovery, and Paolo del Vecchio, director of SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery. To register, click here. For SAMHSA's "National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification," click here.

“Peer Support Series, Session 5: Connection Building & Next Steps”

On August 30, 2023, 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m. ET (10 a.m.-11:15 a.m. PT), Pacific Southwest MHTTC will present the fifth session in its Peer Support Series, “Connection Building & Next Steps.” For more information and to register, click here. (Registration deadline: August 29.)

“Peer-Operated Respites: Is It Time for National Standards?”

On August 30, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET, the Café TA Center will present “Peer-Operated Respites: Is It Time for National Standards?” “We will dispel myths, dig into controversial topics, answer some of the most frequently asked questions, and debate about defining peer respite and associated standards.” For details and to register, click here.

September 2023 Judi’s Room to Focus on “Care Courts”

Award-winning journalist and author Robert Whitaker will be among the panelists to discuss “Care Courts” during the next Judi’s Room, on September 6, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT). Judi’s Room is presented by MindFreedom International and “I Love You, Lead On.” For more information and to register, click here. (If the registration link is not yet available, check back closer to September 6.)

PENTAC’s National Peer Entrepreneur Speaker Series Continues in September

On September 7, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET, the Peer Experience National Technical Assistance Center (PENTAC) will present an hour-long conversation with Mattie Velasco, co-founder of the Peer Network of Tampa Bay and client care manager at American Addiction Centers, River Oaks. To register, click here.

Community Reentry from Jail or Prison Is the Topic of a Webinar and Three Manuals

On September 7, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, the MHTTC Network will present a one-hour webinar–“Best Practices for Successful Reentry From Criminal Justice Settings for People Living With Mental Health Conditions and/or Substance Use Disorders”–that “will highlight findings from SAMHSA’s guide of that title, due to be published before September 7. For details and to register, click here. For SAMHSA’s 32-page Guidelines for Successful Transition of People with Mental or Substance Use Disorders from Jail and Prison: Implementation Guide (2017), click here. And for Reentry and Renewal: A review of peer-run organizations that serve individuals with behavioral health conditions and criminal justice involvement, published by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, click here.

National Empowerment Center Newsletter Includes Interviews, Resources, and a Webinar

On September 7, 2023 (2 p.m.-3:15 p.m. ET), the National Empowerment Center will present “Creating Sustainable Community Partnerships.” For more information about the webinar, to view past webinars, and for other information, click here.

“Barriers for Individuals with Disabilities in the Scientific Workforce: Current Data and Recommendations for a More Inclusive Field”

On September 12, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET, the American Psychological Association will present a webinar on the underrepresentation of, and the barriers faced by, individuals with disabilities in the biomedical and behavioral research workforce, as well as recommendations for making the workforce more inclusive. For details and to register, click here. For “Ableism In Biomedical And Behavioral Research At NIH,” click here. 

Café TA Center Launches “Supports for Families Workshop Series”

“This interactive workshop series has been designed to help family members and caregivers of people with serious mental health conditions support their family member by promoting recovery and taking a strengths-based approach to encouraging resiliency and self-direction…And stay tuned for details about an accompanying webinar on September 13, 2023.” For more information, click here.

VA to Hold a Virtual Listening Session Focused in Part on Peer Specialists

On September 21, 2023, (2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold the fifth in its series of five virtual listening sessions “for stakeholders to provide input on State variances for specific health care occupations. VA is hosting these listening sessions to support the development of VA national standards of practice, which are the standardized set of services that all VA health care professionals in a given occupation can perform if they have the education, training, and skill to perform the services.” For more information and to register, click here.

“Strategies for Enhancing the Success for Peer Support on College Campuses”

On September 26, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET, Doors to Wellbeing will host “Strategies for Enhancing the Success for Peer Support on College Campuses.” The presenters will be Kelly Davis and Mark Salzer. To register, click here.

“The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity”

The Peer Support Coalition of Florida will present a four-part training on “The Role of Peer Specialists in Promoting Health Equity.” Participants will gain “a deeper understanding of both the drivers and impact of health inequities on people of color.” The 90-minute sessions will meet on the following Thursdays: October 12, October 26, November 9, and November 16, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET. To register, click here. Questions? Sherry Warner, sherry@peersupportfl.org

CONFERENCES

N.A.P.S. Has Extended the Early Bird Registration Deadline for Its 2023 Conference

The new deadline for the 2023 conference of the National Association of Peer Supporters (N.A.P.S.) is August 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.! The rate for members is $275; for non-members, $335; for youth members, $240; and for groups of five or more, $250 per person! We look forward to seeing you in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel on October 25-26! To register, click here! And for information about featured speakers, to book accommodations, become a sponsor/exhibitor, and/or to ask questions, click here!

Registration for NYAPRS’s 41st Annual Conference Is Open! Scholarship Deadline: September 1

NYAPRS’s 2023 annual conference, “Promoting Rights Across the Nation, Recovery Across the Lifespan,” will be held September 26-28 at the Villa Roma Hotel in Callicoon, New York! For information about the exciting keynote presentations and longtime favorite events and to register, click here. To book hotel accommodations, click here. The deadline to apply for the limited number of scholarships is September 1 at “close of business.” For the scholarship application, click here.

“Connecting at the Intersection of Faith, Community, and Mental Health: The Urgency of Now”

On September 7, 2023, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will host a day-long conference “focused on strengthening the response of faith and community leaders to those experiencing a mental health crisis in their communities. It will include additional sessions on clergy burnout, best models and practices led by the faith community, youth mental health and suicide prevention and more. We will also host a philanthropic roundtable and capacity building session for faith and community leaders related to public funding.” This event will take place at the HHS, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. To register, click here. (Space is limited.)

NARMH 50th Annual Conference to Be Held September 19-21

The National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) will hold its annual conference September 19-21, 2023, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For details and to register, click here.

AD4E Festival Challenges the Culture of Psychiatric Diagnosis

The 2023 “A Disorder for Everyone!” (AD4E) Festival will be held on September 22, 2023 (9 a.m.-8 p.m. GMT). For more information and to register, click here. For a time zone converter, click here.

NIMH to Host Global Mental Health Conference: “Research Without Borders”

From October 30 to November 1, 2023, the National Institute of Mental Health and partners will present the 12th Global Mental Health Research Without Borders Conference. The first of the six listed objectives of the conference is to provide a “space for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and those with lived experience to meet and share innovative developments in the field of global mental health.” The conference will be held at the Natcher Conference Center at the NIH Main Campus, 45 Center Drive, Building 45, Bethesda, Maryland. For more information and to register (for free), click here. Questions? GMHConference@bizzellus.com

The September 2023 Digest of Articles Offering Healthy Lifestyle Advice

For “How to Meditate if You Can’t Sit Still,” click here. For “Adding just a few minutes of wall-sits to your workout routine can lower your blood pressure, new research shows,” click here. For “How to Stop Overthinking at Night: 7 Ways to Quell Nighttime Mental Chatter,” click here. For “9 Shortcuts To Fake A Clean House,” click here. For “For a Better Workout, Think Like a Kid,” click here. For “How to measure happiness: hedonia vs. eudaimonia. A lot of research assumes happiness is measured by comfort and material conditions. For Aristotle, it is about being the best we can be,” click here.

The September 2023 Digest of Articles about the Criminal Legal System, in which Many Individuals with Mental Health Conditions Are Incarcerated (and the Key Update continues after this Digest)

For “Their Families Said They Needed Treatment. Mississippi Officials Threw Them in Jail Without Charges. In Mississippi, serious mental illness or substance abuse can land you in jail, even if you aren’t charged with a crime. The state is a stark outlier in jailing so many people for so long, but many officials say they don’t have another option,” click here. For “A jail grows in Brooklyn, but at the expense of people with mental illness,” click here. For “Exclusive: DOJ report recommends ways to improve detainee access to lawyers in prisons. The review led by the Bureau of Prisons and the Office for Access to Justice coincided with the 60th anniversary of a Supreme Court decision that guaranteed a right to counsel for criminal defendants,” click here. For “San Antonio community wonders if the death of Melissa Perez at the hands of SAPD will be a ‘wake up call’: Critics ask why resources for the mentally ill meant to help her were not used — and she was instead killed,” click here. For “Family of man killed by Modesto police says it will ‘keep happening’ without accountability,” click here. For “New Book Edited by Incarcerated Writers Explores Oppression Beyond Prison Walls: American Precariat explores the ways in which people have been pushed to the edge by myriad social ills,” click here. For “New York police officer indicted after allegedly using stun gun 7 times on handcuffed man. Sgt. Mario Stewart, a commander on the force in Mount Vernon, fired his Taser at the man seven times in two minutes in the March 2019 incident, according to the indictment. He is charged with violating the person’s constitutional rights by using excessive force,” click here. For “Officials see promise in a South Carolina prison unit where ‘restorative justice’ has boosted safety,” click here. For “Video shows 5 officers tackling mentally ill man. Experts question why. The Arlington police officers took down Delgardo Franklin II after he refused to surrender. It defied their training, a Post investigation found,” click here. For “Miami’s Model for Defendants With Severe Mental Illness,” click here. For “Kids Are Being Kept in Solitary Confinement, Former Death Row Unit With No AC: ‘The state’s treatment of kids in Angola has been a series of broken promises,’ said one civil rights lawyer,” click here. For “Guest column: The devastation from locking up kids at Angola will last for decades to come. Louisiana spent over half a million dollars on renovations to keep youth under Angola's roof. The State of Louisiana used this funding on ineffective, punitive practices rather than evidence-based care to address behavioral, mental health and substance use disorders to minimize incarceration and recidivism risks of children and youth…The vast majority of youth in the Louisiana youth incarceration system are Black teens, including many who have behavioral and mental health issues and have experienced trauma. Black youth are six times more likely than White youth to face incarceration,” click here. For “I’ve Reported on Dementia for Years, and One Image of a Prisoner Keeps Haunting Me,” click here. For “They Know What They Did. They’d Like You to Know Who They’ve Become,” click here. For “Connecticut Has Done Something Remarkable With Crime. The state cut incarceration in half, while crime plummeted,” click here. For “The Unceasing Noise of Solitary Confinement: In solitary, you’re bombarded by the sounds of humans forced into a grinding monotony of hunger, uncertainty, and madness,” click here. For “Youth placed in adult prison have their lives cut shorter, study says,” click here. For “Purgatory behind bars: He’s spent 11 years in jail — and no one knows if he’s guilty,” click here. For “The alarming Americanisation of British prisons,” click here. 

FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE KEY UPDATE BUT STILL FRESH!

CONFERENCES

An Infinite Mind Hybrid Conference Is February 16-18

An Infinite Mind will host its annual hybrid conference in Orlando, Florida–”or live in your own living room!”–February 16-18, 2024. The organizers write: “Healing Together is our one-of-a-kind annual conference for people living with dissociation and DID, their loved ones, and mental health professionals.” For information about the conference, click here.

Peerpocalypse Issues Call for Proposals and Seeks Volunteers for Advisory Committee

Peerpocalypse (May 6-9, 2024) is seeking workshop proposals for its annual (hybrid) conference, to be held in person at the Seaside Convention Center in Seaside, Oregon, and virtually via Whova. The conference theme is Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion. For more information and to submit a proposal (deadline: September 6, 2023), click here. For more information and/or to volunteer for the Peerpocalypse Advisory Committee, click here.

NARPA 2023 Annual Rights Conference Will Host an Exceptional Array of Presentations!

The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) has announced the complete schedule for its 2023 Annual Rights Conference, September 6-9 in New Orleans!  It includes three distinguished keynote speakers—Ira Burnim JD, David Cohen PhD, and Robert Dinerstein JD—as well as exciting panel presentations on “Working For Racial Justice and Equity” and “Innovative Non-Police Responses in Crisis Situations,” along with many inspiring workshops! There will also be a pre-conference institute for PAIMI Council members on September 6, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. ET. For the complete schedule, click here. For more information and to register, click here.

ISEPP Announces Its 25th Annual Conference and a Call for Award Nominations 

August 31, 2023, is the deadline for submitting nominations to the International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry for its Lifetime Achievement Award (for a lifetime pursuing the goals and principles espoused by ISEPP and who has made a significant contribution toward that end), Special Achievement Award (for a particular accomplishment in support of ISEPP goals and principles), and Mary Karon Memorial Award for Humanitarian Concerns (awarded to someone who is not a mental health professional who has made significant contributions to ISEPP goals and principles). The awards will be presented at its annual conference, in Marina del Rey, California. ISEPP writes: “Please email docruby@me.com with the nominees' name(s), position(s), and a narrative explaining their accomplishments and why they are deserving of the particular award.” For the 2022 recipients, respectively, click here and here and here. ISEPP’s 25th annual (hybrid) conference will be held in Marina del Rey, California, October 27-29, 2023 (click here). (Please note that the conference dates have been changed from the original dates of October 20-22.)

NARMH Will Hold Its 2023 Annual Conference in Pittsburgh September 19-21

The theme of the National Association for Rural Mental Health conference is “Building Your Bridge: Linking Voices to Promote Rural Mental Health.” The conference will be held in person at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square. For more information, click here.

ABCT 2023 Conference Is November 16-19 in Seattle

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 2023 conference will be held November 16-19 in Seattle. Its theme is “Cultivating Joy with CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy].” For more information about the conference, click here. (Courtesy of Yulia Mikhailova)

OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Papers: “Recovery at 30: Emancipation, cooptation, or the end of an era?”

“The year 2023 marks exactly three decades since the publication of Bill Anthony’s seminal “Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s" (click here)...”In this special issue of Community Mental Health Journal,” the editors write, “we are soliciting both concept pieces (commentaries, critical reviews) and empirical work (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or mixed methods) that explore the question of whether recovery policy remains relevant and emancipatory today or whether the psy-fields are instead in need of fresh thinking and new, more diverse values-based frameworks.” The submission deadline is September 1, 2023. For more information, click here.

ISEPP Invites Contributions to an Upcoming Volume in Its Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series

The International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) is inviting potential contributors to submit chapters for inclusion in the fourth volume–Practical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Illness: Beyond DSM and ICD Diagnosing–in its Critical Psychology and Critical Psychiatry Series. (To view the first three volumes, click here.) The preferred length–although shorter or longer chapters would be considered–is 4,000-5,000 words, including a paragraph abstract, references, and a mini-bio. Lead editor Arnoldo Cantú, LCSW, writes that an already-published article or book chapter would be considered as well. Finished contributions are due by October 1, 2023. If you’re interested and/or have questions, contact Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu.

“Are You a Leader with a CMHC? Partner with the Temple University Collaborative!”
“The Clinical Treatment Act is a new law to encourage participation of low-income and minoritized healthcare recipients in research as a matter of equity. The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion seeks to partner with community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the U.S. to help get information about current and future research studies to service recipients in various programs. In return we are also available to support your organization with free trainings and other supports. Please contact Professor Bryan McCormick (bryan.mccormick@temple.edu) about this important partnership opportunity.” To read this announcement online, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

“Research Study for People with Lived Experience of Suicidality”

Researchers at Illinois Tech in Chicago are seeking adults with lived experience of suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt to take a 20-minute survey about suicide disclosure (i.e., communication about your suicidal thoughts or behaviors). To see if you qualify and to learn more about the study, click here. 

TU Collaborative Seeks Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions to Share Their Perceptions About Participating in Research

If you’re 18 to 30 years old, have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, and are willing to complete a one-time interview of 30 to 60 minutes via phone or Zoom on your feelings about participating in research, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion hopes to hear from you. Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card. Interested? Email elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, text "INTERESTED" to (267) 845-5165, or call (215) 204-1699. 

UCSF Study Seeks BIPOC and/or LGBTQ Participants for Small Study

For a two-part study whose goal is “to understand the experiences of people who identify as minorities in recovery from psychosis,” a University of California San Francisco researcher is seeking “15 adults aged 18-35 who are from communities of color or are LGBTQ to share their lived experiences in video recordings that can be used to help reduce fear and shame associated with psychosis and encourage cultural sensitivity from providers.” Participants in Part 1 will be anonymous; in Part 2 they can give limited permission about where their videos are shared. Participants will be paid $100-$200. For details, including the time commitment, click here. If you qualify and are interested, please contact Stephanie.Ekey@ucsf.edu. 

Research Opportunity for Young Adult Peer Supporters

The Mental Health Services Research Lab of the Temple University College of Public Health invites youth peer support workers ages 18-30 who are currently working full-time or part-time in a peer support role to participate in a survey that aims to gather information about their workplace experiences. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Thomas at 215.204.1699 or elizabeth.thomas@temple.edu, or Haley Payne at haleypayne097@gmail.com. Those who complete the survey may be entered into a raffle to win cash prizes! For the Informed Consent Form and the survey, click here.

EPICC Works to Help Parents with Mental Health Conditions Connect with Their Kids

Engaging Parents and Increasing Connections with Children (EPICC) is a 10-week program created by the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion that is focused on helping parents with serious mental health conditions connect with their children through meaningful activities. For details and to apply, click here.

Young Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Sought for Study on Community Participation

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is recruiting young adults (ages 18-30) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression to take part in ConnectionsRx, designed to support engagement in meaningful community activities. Participants will be enrolled in the peer-led study for six months, and receive support to help meet community participation goals. Interviews (approximately 60 minutes each) will take place on Zoom. Participants will receive a $30 Amazon or Visa gift card (to a maximum of $90) for each survey completed. For the website, click here. Questions? Write to ConnectionsRx@temple.edu. 

South Southwest MHTTC Launches Youth and Young Adult Peer Supporters Survey

“Are you a peer specialist who provides peer support to other people under the age of 30? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey to assist the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (South Southwest MHTTC) in learning more about youth peer support across the country! The intent is to be able to include these peer supporters in research, training, and technical assistance activities surrounding youth peer support. The form should take 5-10 minutes to fill out, and can be done from a phone or a computer browser. To take the survey, click here.” Questions? Write to southsouthwest@mhttcnetwork.org.

Are You Interested in Pursuing Graduate School and/or a Research Career? Read Below.

Stephania Hayes (UC Davis), Shannon Pagdon (Columbia/NYS Psychiatric Institute/University of Pittsburgh), and Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) write: “We are gathering information from people with lived experience in the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) or early psychosis space (including peer specialists, current/former CSC participants, and CSC youth coordinators) who are potentially interested in pursuing graduate school and/or a research career. All of us identify as having lived experience, work in CSC, and are invested in supporting the next generation of scholars who also have lived experience. We would like to create a discussion group and/or other supports for people interested in this career path. The link below leads to a very brief survey that will help us understand the level of interest in such supports, as well as areas of career interest. (Please note that this is not a research study.)” To participate in the anonymous survey, click here.

“Help Us Map the Landscape of Lived Experience and Family Involvement in 988 Policy and Related Crisis Response System Planning!”

“As 988 implementation rolls out alongside additional efforts to strengthen crisis response systems throughout the U.S., it's important to gauge the extent to which direct stakeholders (i.e., individuals who use or have used mental health crisis services and their families) have been involved in related policy, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, state or federal levels. To map out involvement nationally, Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis), Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Keris Myrick (National Association of Peer Supporters) have developed a survey aimed at documenting the extent of stakeholder involvement, the forms this involvement has taken, and, where available, what concerns stakeholders have raised. Any individual with knowledge of lived experience and family involvement is eligible to participate; individuals completing the survey do not have to have lived experience themselves.” For more information and to access the survey, click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Have Taken Mental Health Courses Involving Their Own Diagnoses

Have you taken a mental health course that covers a diagnosis you have? If so, you are invited to participate in a brief, anonymous, online survey--designed by a University of Pittsburgh MSW student--about what it's like for students with lived experience to study their own diagnoses in a classroom. The survey covers students' experiences of studying such subjects as "abnormal psychology," "psychopathology," and diagnosis and assessment when their own diagnoses are covered. "The goal of the project is to better understand what it feels like to take courses in which someone’s diagnosis is being taught/defined/discussed. There is currently no literature or reporting on the experiences of students in the above circumstances, or the associated impact." Interested? Please click here. Questions? Please email the project lead, Charlie Clement, at cjc204@pitt.edu

Peer Support in Higher Education Survey Seeks Respondents

“Peer support programs are growing on college campuses across the U.S. Mental Health America, Doors to Wellbeing, and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion want to better understand the availability of peer support in higher education as well as the experiences and needs of students accessing peer support programs…We hope to use this research to support the expansion of peer support in higher education, including developing a national database of peer support programs in higher education and documenting pressing issues in campus programs…You may also indicate if you are interested in having your school’s peer support program listed in a national database of peer support programs in higher education.” For more information and to complete the survey, click here. 

Supported Education Survey Needs Your Help

Do you operate a program that provides dedicated supported education services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities/mental health conditions? If so, you are invited to complete the survey at the link below. The primary goal of the survey is to help create a National Supported Education Database (NSEdD) that will be "a searchable listing of diverse supported education programs and services for individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities and/or mental health challenges...across the US and its territories." The NSEdD project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and co-administered by the five SAMHSA-funded national consumer and consumer-supporter technical assistance centers, in collaboration with research partners Drs. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh) and Mark Salzer (Temple University). For a link to the survey, which includes a definition of supported education, click here. For a flyer with information about the survey, click here.  

National Survey on Student Rights, Discrimination, and Accommodations in Higher Education Seeks Respondents  

"Have you experienced psychiatric disability-based discrimination or the denial of an accommodation in a postsecondary institution in the United States? Interested in informing national advocacy focus on psych disability rights in higher ed? Mental Health America (lead: Kelly Davis) and collaborators Dr. Nev Jones (University of Pittsburgh), Stefanie Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (Project LETS) and Brit Vanneman Esq. (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) have developed "a survey aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences of campus-based discrimination, mandated leaves of absence, and/or denial of academic, administrative and/or student-work accommodations in the U.S. Data will be used to inform national advocacy efforts and future projects, and in reports, presentations and publications." For eligibility and to access the survey, click here.

If You've Had, or Been Labeled with, "Negative Symptoms" in the Context of Psychosis...

"If you have experienced or been labeled with 'negative symptoms' in the context of psychosis, please consider contributing an anonymous account of your views and experiences," Dr. Nev Jones writes. "Currently, there is nowhere one can go to find lived experience perspectives/accounts on this topic—even though 'negative symptoms' regularly feature in research and clinical trials. Help us change this!" This survey is a companion to Psychosis Outside the Box; for that survey, click here. For more information and/or to share your story about "negative symptoms," click here.

“Are You Between the Ages of 21 and 60 and Drink Alcohol?”

"Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking adults--[both smokers and non-smokers]--to study whether a gene and smoking may affect drinking alcohol. Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free, and not seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems. Research participation includes three outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD; alcohol consumption; brain scans (MRI), blood draws, and filling out questionnaires. There is no cost to participate and compensation may be provided." For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Fran Hazam)

TU Collaborative Seeks Participants for Its Parenting Through Leisure Project; See Also the TU Collaborative's Parenting Resources, Including Information on Custody Issues

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is seeking parents with lived experience of a mental health condition to participate in a paid research study. The TU Collaborative writes: "Our program, Parenting Through Leisure, focuses on helping parents with a serious mental illness participate in leisure activities with their child. We are looking for individuals who are 18 and older; are an adult parent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression; have a child who is 7 to 15 years old and is interested in participating in family leisure with you; have legal visitation rights, joint custody or full custody of the child, with at least weekly contact; and have a desire to engage in more leisure activities with their child." For details about the study and the remuneration as well as other benefits to eligible participants, and a link to sign up, click here. Questions? Please contact TUCollab@temple.edu. And for the TU Collaborative's Parenting web page--which includes links to many resources for parents with lived experience, including information about custody laws and a model family reunification statute--click here.

Survey Seeks Respondents Who Are in Administrative/ Leadership Positions in the Mental Health Field

If you are in an administrative/leadership position in the mental health arena, “the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on Psychiatric Administration and Leadership invites you to participate in the International Survey on Administrative Psychiatry. The survey has two purposes: 1. To identify the concerns and needs of mental health professionals/psychiatrists in administrative and leadership positions. 2. To determine training needs in administrative psychiatry. We ask you to complete this brief, [15- to 20-minute] questionnaire to help us in developing recommendations for action. We also want to let you know that, if you fill out this questionnaire, you permit the committee to use your anonymous data for scientific work.” Peer providers are included. For the survey, click here. (Courtesy of Oryx Cohen)

International Survey on Antipsychotic Medication Withdrawal Seeks Respondents

“Have you taken antipsychotic medication (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Haldol, Geodon, Stelazine, and others), for any condition or diagnosis, with or without other medications? And did you ever stop taking antipsychotics, or try to stop taking them? Are you 18 years or older? If yes, you can take this survey about antipsychotic withdrawal and attempts to withdraw, including if you stopped taking them completely or if you tried to come off and still take them. The survey aims to improve mental health services by better understanding medication withdrawal. Lead researcher is Will Hall, a therapist and Ph.D. student who has himself taken antipsychotics. Service users/survivors/consumers from around the world also gave input. The study is sponsored by Maastricht University in the Netherlands; co-sponsors include the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. Questions? Please contact will.hall@maastrichtuniversity.nl.”  For more information or to take the survey, click on www.antipsychoticwithdrawalsurvey.com

RESOURCES

Lived Experience Leadership Offers Numerous Research Studies Focused on Peer Supporters

Lived Experience Leadership features the findings of 12 years of research studies focused on [the peer support] workforce in a range of settings, to foster a better understanding of and respect for Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and build clarity on what makes this work unique and valuable. Importantly, this body of research was led by Lived Experience researchers.” For the website, click here.

International Peer Respite/Soteria Summit Offers Abundant Related Resources

For numerous resources about peer respites, Soteria, and related movements, click here.

“SAMHSA TIP 64: “Incorporating Peer Support into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services”

“This TIP [Treatment Improvement Protocol’ supports learning about the key aspects, functions, and uses of Peer Support Services (PSS) in recovery from problematic substance use, which will help providers, supervisors, and administrators in SUD treatmen tprograms getter understand and respond to these changes.” To download the free, 301-page document, click here. For 39 additional manuals, click here.

Resources for Supervisors of Peer Workers Offered by BRSS TACS and Pat Deegan 

BRSS TACS writes: “This group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.” For details, click here. And the Northwest MHTTC offers a recorded webinar on ”How supervision can help peer specialists remain peer when working on clinical teams,” presented by Pat Deegan. For details, click here.

“You Matter: Stories from People with Lived Experience.” 

The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes: “In this documentation project, we interviewed individuals with [serious mental health conditions] to hear their stories of times they felt like they did or did not matter and learn about what mattering means to them.” For the free 15-page document, click here.

“Podcast: The Rise in Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships”

“[M]illions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to ‘help,’ but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains how most states have broadened their criteria for psychiatrically detaining someone far beyond ‘imminent harm’ and that as a practical matter, this could happen to almost anyone.” For the podcast, click here.

“Alternatives to Coercion in Mental Health Settings: A Literature Review”

This 214-page report was commissioned by the United Nations Office at Geneva to inform the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was published in 2018 by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. To download the free report, click here.

“Open Dialogue Around the World—Implementation, Outcomes, Experiences, and Perspectives”

Frontiers in Psychology offers 16 articles about Open Dialogue. These include “Introducing Peer-supported Open Dialogue in Changing Mental Health Care,” “Using Open Dialogue-inspired Dialogism in Non-Psychiatric Medical Practice: A 10-Year Experience,” “Development of the Peer-supported Open Dialogue Attitude and Competence Inventory for Practitioners: A Delphi Study,” and 13 more. For links to all 16 articles, click here.

“Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes”

“Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded,” researchers at La Trobe University and the Self Help Addiction Resource Center in Australia write. “Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles…[W]e present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.” For the article, published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services (Springer), click here.

Mental Health Activists Publish “White Paper on Improving Patient Outcomes”

Jim Gottstein, founder of the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights and author of The Zyprexa Papers, writes: “Faith Myers, Susan Musante, Peter Gøtzsche, David Healy, David Cohen, the International Society for Ethical Psychology & Psychiatry (ISEPP)—through its executive director, Chuck Ruby—and I have just published a ‘White Paper’ on improving psychiatric patient outcomes.  While it was written for a specific situation in Alaska, most of it is generally applicable; and…it presents compelling evidence for abolishing unwanted psychiatric interventions in favor of non-coercive approaches, such as Soteria houses, peer respites, Open Dialogue, warm lines, the Hearing Voices Network, emotional CPR (eCPR), [and other such approaches].” To download the free, 68-page “White Paper on Improving Patient Outcomes, Addressing Treatment-Caused Trauma & Injuries, Enhancing Patient Rights, and Grievance Procedures…,” click here.

“WHO’s New Series to Enhance the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience”

The World Health Organization’s “new ‘Intention to Action’ series is tackling both an evidence gap and a lack of standardized approaches on how to include people with lived experience into decision- and policy-making…The first publication—‘People power: Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’—includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.” For more information and a link to download the 80-page publication, click here. (Courtesy of Matthew Jackman)

“What Is Mental Illness?”

“This conversation between Justin Garson (philosopher), Nev Jones (community mental health researcher), and Marco Ramos (psychiatrist/historian)”--sponsored by The Philosopher–“will aim to offer a sense of the scope of what is at stake in our understanding of mental illness, considering the place of biology, society, histories of oppression, evolution, and lived experience in such an understanding.” For the video, click here. (Courtesy of Kevin Fitts)  

“Optimizing Recovery Funding, Volumes 1 & 2”

“In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (PR CoE) with supplemental funding for a special project to identify and recommend best practices and strategies to optimize funding for high-quality and effective recovery support services. The result was 'Volume 1: Barriers to Acquiring Funding for Organizations in the Ecosystem of Recovery Volume' and 'Volume 2: Strategies for State Funding of Recovery Support Services.'” To download the full, 130-page report, click here. For more information about the reports, including a brief video, click here.

TU Collaborative Wants to Hear Your Story!

“We are working on a project to better understand social connections among adults with significant mental health challenges,” the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion writes. “We are seeking your stories on your social connections generally” and “what those connections mean to you.” The TU Collaborative will compile these stories based on a series of brief surveys. For details and to share your story, click here.

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness

Common Threads: Stories of Survival & Recovery from Mental Illness, a 108-page compendium, includes “tales of survival and recovery” by a number of Floridians. To quote from the Introduction, “Many of the people in these stories have lived significant portions of their lives in psychiatric institutions, and only through their strengths have they found their way back to the community…In these tales, we hear about the importance of education and peer support…” To download the free document, click here.

“Crisis Now” Offers a “Roadmap to Safe, Effective Crisis Care”

The goal of Crisis Now: Transforming Crisis Services—led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and developed with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and RI International—is “to provide all communities a roadmap to safe, effective crisis care that diverts people in distress from the emergency department and jail by developing a continuum of crisis care services that match people’s clinical needs.” Among the resources offered on the website are SAMHSA’s 80-page “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practice Toolkit” (2020), an “Overview of Crisis Funding Sources Available to States and Localities” (last updated March 2, 2022), and assessment tools, such as “How Does Your Crisis System Rate?” The Crisis Now partners write: “Are you interested in adding your organization to the list supporting Crisis Now, or do you have questions? Reach out to us at info@crisisnow.com. For the website, click here.

“What Is the Meaning of Life?” This Free Online Collection Offers Answers

Excellence Reporter offers more than “1,200 articles-interviews on ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’ written by renowned spiritual leaders, mindfulness experts, great thinkers and authors, elders, artists, musicians, CEOs, etc.” The contributors include such renowned figures as Bertrand Russell; Carl Jung; the Dalai Lama; Eleanor Roosevelt; Epicurus; Erich Fromm; Kahlil Gibran; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Ron Bassman, executive director of MindFreedom International. To browse the free compendium, click here.

The UIC Center’s Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery Offers Free Tools

"The UIC Center offers tools, curricula, and implementation manuals for free use in community-based programs, peer-run programs, or one's own life. You can introduce the entire complement of products to foster improved health, wellness, and mental health recovery. Or, you can choose the ones that will work best for your program or your life. The Suite was developed in collaboration with Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. The UIC Center is funded by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). For the UIC Solutions Suite for Health & Recovery, click here. (Courtesy of Peggy Swarbrick via Jacek Haciak)

U.S. Surgeon General Creates Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

"The U.S. Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, developed in collaboration with the HHS Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES), provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities." For information about the toolkit (a 22-page overview of health misinformation, and resources to stop it), and links to a “Talk to Your Community About Health Misinformation” Infographic, a “Health Misinformation Checklist” Infographic, and the Surgeon General's press release, click here.

“Psychiatrist with Philosophical Interests” leads “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry,” a Psychiatric Times Series

Awais Aftab, who describes himself as a "psychiatrist with philosophical interests" in his Twitter bio, leads "Conversations in Critical Psychiatry," which, he says, "explores critical and philosophical perspectives in psychiatry and engages with prominent commentators within and outside the profession who have made meaningful criticisms of the status quo." Among those interviewed are Jim Gottstein, author of The Zyprexa Papers, on “The Fight for Pharma Accountability and Psychiatric Rights”; Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal; Sandra Steingard, M.D., and G. Scott Waterman, M.D., on "Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry"; Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, on "50 Shades of Misdiagnosis"; Kathy Flaherty, J.D., executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc., on "Reconsidering Care and Coercion in Psychiatry"; Nev Jones, Ph.D., on "Phenomenology, Power, Polarization, and the Discourse on Psychosis"; Dainius Puras, M.D., on "Global Psychiatry's Crisis of Values"; and many others. For the archived interviews, click here.

U.S. DOL Releases Guidance on FMLA Leave and Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s newly issued Fact Sheet #280 about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) explains when eligible employees may take FMLA leave to address mental health conditions, and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) offers additional information. (Although the FMLA covers public and private employers nationwide, only those private employers who have 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year are required to provide their eligible employees with FMLA leave.) For details, click here.

Hearing Voices Network Is Now Hosting Online Groups

“There are now ONLINE opportunities to connect, share experiences, and find mutual support,” the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) writes. “These groups are accessible via web-based platforms and by phone…Online groups are specifically for those with personal lived experience with hearing voices, seeing visions, and/or negotiating alternative realities. They are voice-hearer facilitated. With further questions and for details on how to access the group[s], please email info@hearingvoicesusa.org.” To read this announcement online and for more information, click here.

Virtual Group Works to Advance Peer Research Capacity, Leadership, and Involvement

Nev Jones, PhD—a strong advocate for building research capacity, leadership, and involvement among peers, survivors, and service users—leads a virtual group dedicated to this effort. Dr. Jones—assistant professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh—was part of the team that developed “User/Survivor Leadership & Capacity Building in Research: White Paper on Promoting Engagement Practices in Peer Evaluation/Research (PEPPER),” published by the Lived Experience Research Network. For the white paper, click here. Anyone interested in joining the virtual group can email Nev at nev.inbox@gmail.com.

Mad In America Invites You to Submit Your Personal Story (Within Certain Guidelines)

Mad In America writes: “A ‘personal story’ is defined as your story of being in relationship to psychiatry and/or the mental health system, whatever that means to you. It might involve your opinions and analysis of what happened to you, as well. It can be about a specific event, or about your overall journey, provided it fits the length requirements (1,500 to 3,000 words) and has a narrative arc. The piece should be about your personal experiences, not psychiatry or the mental health system in general. Submissions should fall under the theme of rethinking psychiatry and the mental health system, and should be original works not previously published elsewhere. For examples of the types of stories we publish, view our personal stories archive here.” For more information and/or to submit a personal story, click here.

“Where DNA and Medications Meet”

Not all drugs are effective for all people; therapeutic response rates for many drugs are only 50%-75%. “OneOme, co-founded by [the] Mayo Clinic, provides evidence-based pharmacogenomic solutions that help improve patient outcomes and reduce costs through more personalized medication decisions.” OneOme’s RightMed Test is “a doctor-ordered pharmacogenomic (PGx) test that analyzes your DNA and provides your doctors with genetic information to help them determine how you may respond to certain medications. The results may help your doctors reduce medication trial and error, minimize risk of side effects, save you time and money, and make more informed prescribing decisions. Because your DNA doesn’t change over time, your doctors can use your test results to make more personalized medication decisions for you over the course of your lifetime.” For more information, click here. (Courtesy of Robin Osborne)

Doors to Wellbeing Offers “State Selfies: A Picture of Peer Services Reported by Peers”

Doors to Wellbeing’s “Peer Album” is a directory of nearly 600 peer-run organizations throughout the U.S. They invite updates and offer instructions for providing them and add, “If your entry has not made this first draft, we encourage you to re-submit.” For the 158-page directory, click here.

Disclaimer: The Clearinghouse does not necessarily endorse the opinions and opportunities included in the Key Update.

About the Key Update

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse is affiliated with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion. The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse. Volume 20, No. 3, September 2023. For content, reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at selfhelpclearinghouse@gmail.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH