This electronic update is written by SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health (ADS Center), a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Office of Consumer Affairs. We invite you to share this information with your friends and colleagues who share your interest in confronting prejudice and discrimination associated with mental illness and to post this information in your own newsletters or listservs. Visit the ADS Center on the Web at promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov.
A Letter from the ADS Center
Spotlight: Archived Training Teleconferences
Online Resources
Research
Models, Programs, and Technical Assistance Tools... Say It Out Loud
In My Experience... Share Your Story
In My Experience... Gen's Story
A Letter from the ADS Center
October is Emotional Wellness Month and this year, we have much to celebrate.
On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed the economic bailout bill which included a provision that requires equal health coverage of mental and physical illnesses. Businesses that employ 50 or more people and that offer health insurance with mental health coverage must make sure that the coverage for mental illnesses is equivalent to the coverage for physical illnesses. The new laws will make it easier for people to obtain treatment for a wide range of mental health problems, including depression and schizophrenia.
The bill's passing marks a new era in the history of mental health care and a turning point for advocates who have long championed parity for mental illnesses.
In celebration of this event and in honor of Emotional Wellness Month, we give you an Update full of resources to help you, your family, and your community be well.
Sincerely,
The ADS Center
Spotlight: Archived Training Teleconferences
The ADS Center recently conducted two successful training teleconferences: "Mental Health & Women in the Military: Promoting Social Acceptance and Inclusion" and "Addressing the Challenges of Medical Providers in Treating Persons with Mental Health Issues." These calls were recorded and are available for playback.
Mental Health & Women in the Military: Promoting Social Acceptance and Inclusion
This training:
- Explores research on women in the military, mental health, and feelings of fear and shame that keep women from seeking care
- Provides an overview of strategies that may help promote acceptance and understanding and reduce negative attitudes in the military related to women, mental health and trauma issues
To access the archived recording via telephone:
- Call the free playback dial-in number: 1-800-262-0844
- When prompted, enter the reference number: 154837#
- Click here to access the presentation files.
Addressing the Challenges of Medical Providers in Treating Persons with Mental Health Issues
This training:
- Describes what research shows about the challenges providers face in providing general and mental health care to persons with mental health problems; and the challenges, including attitudinal barriers, persons with mental health problems face when attempting to get quality mental and general health care from providers who do not specialize in mental health.
- Offers first-hand accounts from individuals about their health care experiences with health care providers-both of what worked and what didn't work.
- Provides an overview of strategies that may help providers to develop accepting, recovery-focused attitudes that help to improve the diagnosis and care of persons with mental health problems.
To access the archived recording via telephone:
- Call the free playback dial-in number: 1-800-262-0844
- When prompted, enter the reference number: 155359#
- Click here to access the presentation files.
Online Resources
The 10 by 10 Pledge for Wellness
The early mortality rates of people with serious mental illness - up to 25 years life lost - have recently received much-needed attention. This disparity in life expectancy is unacceptable. People with serious mental illnesses deserve to live as long and healthy lives as other Americans. The 10 by 10 Pledge for Wellness was the result of a two-day meeting, sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to develop a coordinated and strategic action plan to promote wellness and reduce early mortality. Take action to prevent and reduce early mortality by 10 years over the next 10 year time period by joining the 10 by 10 Pledge for Wellness.
Building Bridges: Mental Health Consumers and Primary Health Care Representatives in Dialogue
In March 2005, CMHS sponsored a dialogue between consumers of mental health services and representatives of various sectors of the primary health system. In an effort to develop improved mutual understanding, respect, and partnerships, the two dozen participants accomplished the following:
- Identified issues involving mental health consumers and their experiences with primary care providers, including those that both hinder and help recovery; and
- Developed recommendations regarding attitudinal shifts and systems transformation that can lead to improved mental and general health care responses to people with mental illnesses by primary care and mental health providers.
The findings and recommendations from the dialogue are summarized in this publication.
Get it Together: How to Integrate Physical and Mental Health Care for People with Serious Mental Disorders
Get it Together examines model programs for improving integration and coordination of behavioral health and primary health services for adults and children with serious mental health problems who rely on the public mental health system for their care. It summarizes findings of a series of studies and offers recommendations for policymakers.
A Guide to Mental Wellness in Older Age: Recognizing and Overcoming Depression
The purpose of this toolkit is to help older adult mental health consumers, in partnership with their health care providers, identify and treat late-life depression. This recovery kit contains a series of fact sheets and resource material to help individuals recover from mental illness and maintain mental wellness.
Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSP-NJ)
The Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives of CSP-NJ (Institute) promotes and provides innovative, state-of-the-art services aimed at creating wellness, recovery and economic self-sufficiency for persons living with disabilities. Their online newsletter contains a wealth of information on wellness and mental health.
The NAMI Provider Education Program
The Provider Education Program, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, presents a penetrating, subjective view of family and consumer experiences with serious mental illness to line staff at public agencies who work directly with them. The course helps providers realize the hardships that families and consumers endure and appreciate the courage and persistence it takes to find ways to reconstruct lives which must be lived, through no fault of the consumer or family, "on the verge."
Research
Bluthenthal R., Jones L., Ellison M., Koegel P., Minnium K., Lucas-Wright A., Wells K. Witness for Wellness: A Community-University Participatory Research Mental Health Initiative. AcademyHealth Meeting. 2004 : San Diego, CA.
Chung. B et al. Talking wellness: a description of a community-academic partnered project to engage an African-American community around depression through the use of poetry, film, and photography. Ethnicity & Disease. 2006; Volume 16,67-78.
Golberstein, E., Eisenberg, D. Gollust, S. Perceived stigma and mental health care seeking. Psychiatric Services. April 2008;59:392-399.
Schmetzer A., Lafuze J., and Jack M. Overcoming stigma: Involving families in medical student and psychiatric residency education. Academic Psychiatry. May-June 2008;32(3):265
Spagnolo, A., Murphy, A. and Librera, L.A. Reducing stigma by meeting and learning from people with mental illness. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. 2008; Volume 31, No. 3,186-193.
Models, Programs, and Technical Assistance Tools: Say It Out Loud
Launched on May 1, 2008, the Say it out loud public awareness, engagement and education campaign was developed to increase awareness of mental health as a vital component of our overall health and well-being and motivate sustainable change in behaviors that promote good mental health. The campaign was developed and launched by the State of Illinois, Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health, and The Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership supported by a network of more than 30 organizations. May is traditionally known as Mental Health Awareness Month, but on May 1, 2008, Illinois Governor Blagojevich proclaimed May 'Say it out loud' month in Illinois.
The Say it out loud campaign is based on current research indicating that the best way to reduce the discrimination associated with mental illnesses is via the contact approach, by interaction through which people can engage with one another on this subject in a truly meaningful way and share their experiences and knowledge.
Say it out loud reframes mental health as a key component of our overall health and well-being by raising the subject in a non-threatening way that is both empowering and informative. It creates both 'virtual' and real contact opportunities with people who have mental illnesses, as well as medical and mental health professionals, family, employers, colleagues, neighbors or friends. It transmits reliable and valued information through the media, the Internet, advertising, word-of-mouth, and through personal stories that are the essence of the campaign.
Visually, the campaign is represented by photographs of people wearing T-shirts that tell their stories of mental health promotion or recovery. Other people in the photographs are wearing Say it out loud T-shirts that will be available to the public for purchase. These images will be used to share stories about mental health on posters, in advertisements and other printed materials.
For further information on the Say it out loud campaign, contact Katherine Rush, Senior Communication Director of Metropolitan Group; 35 E Wacker Drive, Suite 1750, Chicago, Illinois, 60601-2208; 312-628-1452; krush@metgroup.com.
In My Experience... Share Your Story!
The story below is posted on the ADS Center Web site as part of our new "My Story" section, which features personal accounts of real people and their experiences with mental illnesses. These people have confronted prejudice and discrimination, but with help and hope are in recovery or know someone who has experienced recovery. They have chosen to share their stories to inspire others and help people understand that mental illnesses are real, common, and treatable-and that recovery is possible.
We invite you to share your story! Visit our Web site for information and submission guidelines.
In My Experience... Gen's Story
During the 1990's I was working as a medical assistant and hurt my back on the job. I ended up having 2 back surgeries. At that time I was diagnosed with major depression. The pain pills and muscle relaxers became my best friends. I got addicted.
I was unable to work so I got on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). My husband of 10 years left me to raise our 3 children alone. It was during this time that a social worker, who was working my young son, started talking with me. This caring woman listened to me and talked with me. She believed in me. She held the hope for me until I had the hope to continue on. She got me out of the house, where I was isolating myself, and took me around town. We would go for coffee and even to her office. She got me into the local mental health agency for counseling. I was able to get off of my pain pills and muscle relaxers too.
I started to feel like I was someone again. I had something to offer the world. I was tired of lying on the couch and doing nothing. My children were resenting me. I needed a job and wanted off disability. This social worker told me I could do anything! I actually believed her. I applied for a job as a mental health ombudsman and got the job.
I worked as the mental health ombudsman for Chelan and Douglas Counties, here in Washington State for 4 years. During that time I decided I wanted to give even more back to the mental health agency that helped me. I went back to college and got my BA degree in Social Sciences. I was called by the director of the clinic, where I had been a client, and asked to come to work for them as a counselor/case manager. I took him up on his offer.
Here it is a year later and I am at the same agency. I continue to learn and grow. I am a certified peer counselor for the State of Washington, WRAP (Wellness, Recovery, Action, Plan) facilitator, and a Peer to Peer mentor for NAMI. I know what it is like to be a client coming through the doors at a mental health agency. When my clients say, "You don't know what it is like," I tell them, "Yes, I do. I was a client too." It gives them hope that they too someday, can get well. I believe that people can, and do, recover from mental illness. I am living proof! Today, I am offering something to the world and it feels great!
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