Consumer Health Group News Forum

Disability Presidential Candidates' Forum, Nov. 2, 2007

2007-10-30T17:59:00.000-04:00

Dear colleagues: I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of the
upcoming National Forum on Equality, Opportunity and Access: a presidential
candidates' forum being sponsored by disability groups based in New
Hampshire and nationally. The forum will take place this Friday, November
2nd and will be broadcast over the internet. More information is below.
Please share with anyone who may be interested in learning about what
presidential candidates have to say on disability issues. Regards, T.J.
Sutcliffe, The Arc of DC
*****************************************************
http://www.aapd.com/News/election/070920aapd.htm
November 2, 2007
Manchester, New Hampshire

The National Forum on Equality, Opportunity, and Access is a presidential
candidates' forum hosted by Granite State Independent Living Center (GSIL)
and a New Hampshire coalition of disability organizations and sponsored by
more than fifteen of the country's largest national disability
organizations. Manchester Community Television will televise the event,
which will feature live appearances by the presidential candidates and an
audience of over 500 New Hampshire voters with disabilities, their families,
and their friends. During the forum, each candidate will have an opportunity
to present his or her vision for the future of national disability policy
(including employment, healthcare, long-term community-based supports,
transportation, education, etc.) and receive questions from an audience
through a moderator. Lunchtime keynote addresses from key Democratic and
Republican leadership are also planned. National leaders from the disability
community will also be in attendance, including Ted Kennedy, Jr., Tony
Coelho, and Cheryl Sensenbrenner.

CONFIRMED ATTENDANCE:

1. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)
2. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
3. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
4. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
5. Senator John McCain (R-AZ, to participate by phone)
---------------------------------------------------------
Forward of message above by DCMHCL.ORG
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.
===================================================
To add a friend, family member or co -worker goto WWW.DCMHCL.ORG and
use the link to the upper left to join this mailing list, and/or learn more
about DCMHCL.ORG, Thank You!

Fw: Housing Justice & Community Service Awards on Wed., 10/24/07, 6-8pm @ Busboys & Poets

2007-10-21T23:09:00.000-04:00

----- Original Message -----

From: lester cuffie

Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 11:56 AM

D.C. COALITION FOR HOUSING JUSTICE, INC.,

_DECENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT_

CELEBRATE AND HONORS OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS

This year the D.C. Coalition for Housing Justice, Inc. "Coalition" a 501( C ) 3 non-profit tax-exempt organization will honor those who have contributed to the "Social Justice and Affordable Housing" struggle, at our "5th Annual Housing Justice & Community Service Awards Ceremony", to be held @ 7pm on Wed., October 24^th, 2007 at Busboys & Poets Restaurant located at 1421 V St., N.W. DC.. Celebrating these persons for their community service efforts, has become a true "Coalition" and District of Columbia tradition in the housing industry. We invite our neighbors to take part in this community observance, in honor of those persons that advocate for "affordable housing".

FACTS ABOUT HOUSING IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

· ONE THIRD (1/3) OF MOST RESIDENTS INCOME GOES TOWARD HOUSING EXPENSES

· APPROXIMATELY 65% OF RESIDENTS IN D.C. ARE RENTERS

· D.C. HAS THE STRONGEST "RENT CONTROL LAWS", ON THE EASTCOAST

· DC COALITION FOR HOUSING JUSTICE, HELP LEAD THE FIGHT, for the passage of the "Rent Control Reform Act of 2006", which included, "Tenants Rights to Organize Bill", the "Tenant Information Act", and created the "Tenant Advocate Office". Our successful efforts of coalition building and action with others, positively impacted over 72,000 apt. units in D.C. We believe that tenants, homeowners, individuals, businesses, government and families are the fundamental building blocks of our communities, and the city.

WHAT: 5^TH Annual Housing Justice & Community Service Awards Ceremony

WHEN: Wednesday, October 24, 2007

WHERE: BUSBOYS & POETS RESTAURANT

1421 V St., N.W., WDC

(METRO Green. Ln /13^th & U St.,)

TIME: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

FREE & OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. For further information contact: Lester Cuffie, Exec. Director on (202)

986-4449 or 210-4882. DC Coalition for Housing Justice, Inc., is a 501 ( C ) 3 tax-exempt charitable organization. All donations are tax deductible.

coalitionforhousingjustice@yahoo.com / www.coalitionforhousingjustice.org / lestercuffie15@hotmail.com

Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Café. Stop by today!

Mama Dharma

2007-07-02T20:20:00.000-04:00

Mama Dharma: "Friday, June 29, 2007"
The Mommune Manifesto

I have had a thought, an idea, a dream that has gone off like a cannon in my head today, and won't leave me alone, and I would like to share it with you.

The Mommune.

I have a dream.

I have a dream of a place where "it takes a village" is real and not a nice-sounding theory.

I want a place where I can truly live my values of conscious, sustainable living. A place on the land, yet close enough to a city to allow for occasional urban day-trips. A place where single mothers could pool their resources to create a true village of sisterhood and support. We would help each other raise our kids, we would share babysitting so that we could take much-needed breaks for ourselves--to meditate, write, paint, do yoga, or just sit under a tree and be.

We would create the conditions of economic self-sufficiency so that no one would have to work long hours at a job that did not nourish their souls because they felt trapped, without choices. We would not have to kill ourselves working to try to make ends meet after childcare and mortgages or rent sucked it all away. We would not have to miss out on huge swathes of our children's lives because we were too busy working to sustain some kind of artificial cultural construct that says that everyone should live in these discrete economic units called houses that literally keep us apart from one another, and that we should pay someone else to watch our children even though it breaks our hearts when we drop them off all day, five days a week, everyone spinning in their own individual orbits trying to keep it all together even though it just doesn't feel right.

We could collectively educate our kids in a wonderful kind of free school. We would teach our kids about nonviolent communication and we would teach them how to think for themselves and to love themselves unconditionally and to care for the earth and each other. We would use gentle discipline and most of all we would heal ourselves so that we could teach primarily by our own authentic example.

Together we would cook and we would clean and wash and maintain the land and these tasks would not be burdensome or overwhelming because we would all just have a little bit to do, just our small share, our contribution to the collective effort.

We would all bring our own unique skills and talents into the mix and we would all have the opportunity to constantly teach and learn from one another. With our remarkable pooled skill set, we could create a small business or businesses that would enable us to fund our crazy and beautiful venture in a sustainable way.

The Mommune would bring together the best of intentional/collective living without any strange, scary charismatic leaders or hierarchical, cult-like formations. The Mommune would be both utopian and utterly grounded.

Heck, even nuclear "intact" families could join us on the Mommune, although the community's primary purpose would be to be a network of emotional, financial, and creative support for single mothers.

Maybe this is a crazy pipe dream, but it is delicious to let myself dream in this way. I feel like I and others really could dream The Mommune into reality. All it takes is enough of us to believe in this dream wholeheartedly. There is no such thing as an impossible dream.

I am just putting it out there, and delighting in the infinite possibilities that unfurl before me when I dare to dream outside the box.

CBH HEALTH GOURMET PIZZA PARTY/OPEN HOUSE IN ROCKVILLE FRIDAY, JULY 6TH--TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM AVAILABLE.

2007-07-02T20:13:00.001-04:00

> Based upon the overwhelming response to Dr. Bob Litman's "Beatniks Club"
> talk last Wednesday--he's the founder and major domo behind the local CBH
> Health empire--this multi-faceted company is hosting a gourmet pizza
> party/open house at their offices off of Medical Center Drive in Rockville
> (near Potomac Ridge hospital) this coming Friday afternoon, July 6th, and
> quite possibly stretching into the evening. Doctors and recruiters will
> be on hand to answer all of your questions about the myriad clinical drug
> trials which this company sponsors (and for which consumers get paid to
> participate in!!); answer questions about existing and upcoming
> psychotropic meds; and answer all of your questions about CBH Health's
> popular "Life Skills" day-treatment program which also meets weekdays in
> Rockville, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and Gaither Road.
>
> Anyone who's had gyrations with their meds...anyone who wants to know
> about newer drugs which will be coming out over the next few
> years...anyone who's had nasty side-effects from their existing
> meds...anyone who wants to actually get paid to be a little bit of a
> guinea pig, and contribute to medical science in the process...anyone
> curious about "Life Skills," will want to attend. Family members are also
> welcome.
>
> A CBH Health shuttle bus will ferry people to and from the Shady Grove
> Metro stop, starting at about 11:00am this Friday and continuing for as
> long as necessary. For those who can't conveniently make it to Shady
> Grove Metro, Dr. Bob is willing to spring for cab fare (within reason).
>
> Here's your chance to learn from the experts, free of charge, and gorge on
> Zio's pizza, arguably the best in the county. (At roughly $25 per pizza
> pie, it had better be good.)
>
> Your first step to register is to call me, Beatnik Pete, at (240)449-5988,
> and I'll hook you up with the right people at CBH Health.
>
> EVENT WHEN: FRIDAY, JULY 6TH, 2007. STARTS 12:00PM NOON...UNTIL?
> EVENT WHERE: CBH HEALTH EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 9695 MEDICAL CENTER DRIVE,
> ROCKVILLE.
> TRANSPORTATION: WILL BE PROVIDED IF NECESSARY.
> QUESTIONS?: BEATNIK PETE, (240)449-5988.
>
> HOPE TO SEE YA' THERE!!
>
> Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###
> ---------------------------------------------------
> To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
> send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
> "remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.
> ===================================================
> To add a friend, family member or co -worker goto WWW.DCMHCL.ORG and use
> the envelop to the left to join this health list.
>
> This message was sent via healthlist, a mailing list created through
> http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Burned out on synthetic psychotropics? Herbal/botanical/alternative medicine expert talks to Beatniks before fireworks this Wednesday night, July 4th.

2007-07-02T20:12:00.002-04:00

> Are you burned out on very expensive synthetic psychotropic drugs? Tired
> of nasty side effects? Want to try something natural...and generally much
> less expensive? One of the world's top experts in natural herbal and
> botanical treatments for the whole spectrum of psychiatric disorders, Dr.
> Jerry Cott, has the answers and will address the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner
> Club--BEFORE THE FIREWORKS START--at Alfio's in Friendship Heights on
> Wednesday night, July 4th. Dr. Jerry, Ph.D., is a researcher, writer,
> lecturer, and scientific consultant for conventional and complementary
> health care and academia. He has lectured at major universities and
> international meetings for more than 25 years. His research interests
> include psychotherapeutic drug development and the treatment of mental
> disorders by the rational use of conventional drugs and/or nutritional
> (essential fatty acids) and botanical (e.g. hypericum, ginkgo, kava,
> valerian) supplements. A current specialty is herb-drug interac!
> tions.
>
>
>
> He has more than 80 scientific publications and was most recently Chief of
> the Psychopharmacology Research Program at the National Institute of
> Mental Health at NIH. Jerry has also done research in the pharmaceutical
> industry and currently reviews new drugs with the U.S. Food and Drug
> Administration (FDA). Obviously, this man knows whereof he speaks.
>
> WHEN: Wednesday, July 4th, 2007, dinner starts 6:30pm, lecture/discussion
> starts 7:15pm.
> WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, three
> blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop.
> Free valet parking.
> QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (240)449-5988.
>
> Hope to see ya' there...then it's off to the fireworks displays!!
>
> Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

Fw: July 2007 calendar; RE: Wash Nationals Sat. July 7, 07, at 7:05 pm

2007-07-02T20:12:00.001-04:00

July calendar in PDF. A run down of events (highlights) will arrive in a few
days. Meanwhile, here's a one page calendar for this month.

Two highlights that you should know about right now:

1. We still have tickets left for the Washington Nationals game on Sat. July
7 at 7 pm, scroll down for old email. You must become a member of SSDIC
(free application/membership) in order to get a ticket, and they will only
be available for pick up on Sat. July 7, between 1 and 5 pm. Then, a group
of us will take the metro down to RFK Stadium Armory.

2. Donna Lewis, an EEO attorney, will conduct a workshop on Sat. July 21, at
2pm, on "Whether or not to disclose mental illness in the workplace." She
held a very successful workshop in March, sponsored by NAMI Montgomery
County, and we are thrilled that she is willing to hold one here at the drop
in! Please RSVP for this event by no later than Thursday July 19, if you
can. Light refreshments will be served.

Cheers,

Miriam L. Yarmolinsky
Director
Silver Spring Drop-In Center at Affiliated Santé Group
7961 Eastern Ave., First Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Voice: (301) 589-2303 X 108; X 111 direct, during drop-in center hours
Fax: (301) 585-2965
myarmolinsky@santegroup.org
visit www.thesantegroup.org and click on Drop-In Center (left on menu)
~ The Silver Spring Drop-In Center's current hours of operation (for
visiting the center) are M, T, and Th 4 - 7 pm, and Sat 1 - 5 pm.~
* If you have never visited the drop-in center before, please arrange for a
brief interview beforehand. Membership applications are available online at

https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can
request an application in person. Thanks! *

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Thu 6/28/2007 8:19 PM
Subject: Wash Nationals Sat. July 7, 07, at 7:05 pm

Hello,

Opportunity for Sat July 7: Washington Nationals game at RFK stadium at 7:05
pm. YOU MUST BECOME A SILVER SPRING DROP IN CENTER MEMBER BEFORE getting a
ticket~ free application included, or go online, see signature line. We only
have 20 tickets, 6 people have signed up already but some often drop off at
last minute, so we will have a waitlist. You must pick up ticket from here
on Saturday July 7, between 1 and 5 pm ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS!
Flyer and application attached in PDF (please note the application for
membership is two, two-sided pages; documents entitled dicmemberapp1.pdf and
dicmemberapp2.pdf)

Silver Spring Drop-In Center presents Washington Nationals vs. Milwaukee
Brewers on Saturday July 7, 2007.

Game starts at 7:05 p.m.

The Washington Nationals have been very kind to donate 20 tickets to us
again this year.

The first 14 - 15 people who sign up, who are either already SSDIC members
or who will fill out a free SSDIC member application, and can come and pick
up their tickets here on the same day of the game, will have a chance to
attend the game. Others can be placed on a waitlist, as we have 20 tickets,
and plans sometimes change between now and next Saturday.

Bring your own $ for transportation (RFK metro, we will be leaving the
center around 5:15 pm). Please note that the food costs are pretty high, and
expect to pay at least $8 for a hotdog! For information on the game, visit

www.washingtonnationals.com <http://www.washingtonnationals.com/> or call
202.675.NATS(6287).

LEAVING FROM: Silver Spring Drop-In Center at Affiliated Santé Group, 7961
Eastern Ave., first floor, Silver Spring MD, by 5:15 p.m.

YOU MUST COME AND GET YOUR TICKET FROM THE CENTER ON SAT JULY 7, 07, between
1 and 5 pm ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS!

https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can
request an application in person. Thanks! *

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Mon 6/25/2007 10:28 PM
Subject: Tues, Thurs and Sat activities, 6/26 - 6/30/07

Please forward to clients, etc.

Highlights for this week (excluding today):

Tues June 26: Open 4 - 8 pm ; June Birthdays around 4:30 p; WRAP (week 3 of
4), 5:30-7:30 pm (if you haven't been to the first two WRAP classes, this
class will repeat itself in the future, details when they arrive) flyer
attached

Thur June 28: Open 4 - 7 pm; Game Day (board games) or, if people prefer,
some other activity flyer attached

Sat June 30: Open 1 - 5 pm; Arts, minor crafts, 2 p.m. flyer attached

Thanks!
PS July Calendar will be available soon, stay tuned

If you'd like to be removed from these mailings, please send an email w/
UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line, and we'll try to take care of it. Thanks!
(it may take a couple of attempts to get it sorted out)

https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can
request an application in person. Thanks! *

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Wed 6/6/2007 6:24 PM
Subject: June activities update

Next series of announcements...

Thur June 7: Open 4 - 7 pm; Resources & Referrals, by appt. Sign up for help
w/ specific issues, like housing, food stamps, disability, etc.

PLEASE NOTE: Poetry w/ JoAnne Growney HAS BEEN CANCELLED due to family
health issues. You may still come and share your poetry or hang out and
discuss literature and poetry, or get help in editing from staff. We will
let you know when the next Poetry class will resume

Sat June 9: Open 1 - 5 pm; NAMI C.A.R.E. support group, 3 - 4:30 p (Miriam
will be at the offsite event below that day)

OFFSITE: Borderline Personality Disorder conference/symposium, at Suburban
Hosp, 9 - 4 pm, visit

www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.com/Conferences/Washington-07/WDC-07-registration.shtml

for more info; ($20 registration for consumers)

Mon June 11: Open 3 - 7 pm; Intro to Mindfulness Meditation w/ Leah Harris,
3:15 - 4:45 pm flyer attached
PC/Computer help will be available from 3 - 7 pm, by Mike Wells. We're
trying to get a group going for computer lessons, so come w/ questions and
suggestion. flyer attached

Tues June 12: Open 4 - 8 pm; CLASS (1 of 4) of WRAP - Wellness Recovery
Action Plan, with Beverly McCollum We may have one or two more slots left.
You must contact Miriam in advance and plan to attend all four classes.
flyer attached (NOTE: This class has a 15 person limit, so please RSVP in
advance)
Thur June 14: Open 4 - 7 pm; Game Day (board games)

Sat June 16: Open 1 - 5 pm; NAMI Montgomery's In Our Own Voice's Brenda
McArthur and James Vurpillot will present powerful stories of their journey
in recovery, starting 2 pm; Pet visit (usually a cat, but contact me if you
want your pet to be the June guest visitor!)

Mon June 18: Open 4 - 9 pm; NAMI Peer to Peer class (1 of 10), 6:45 - 9pm;
open later for 10 successive Mondays due to the class, but the kitchen and
the back rooms will be off limits except to the Peer to Peer class, starting
6:30 pm

Tues June 19: Open 4 - 8 pm ; Pizza eve, 3rd Tues of month, starting around
4:30 pm; WRAP (week 2 of 4), 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thur June 21: Open 4 - 7 pm; Resources & Referrals - sign up for help w/
housing, food stamps, benefits, SSI/SSDI, whatever, or drop by.

Fri June 22: OFFSITE: DORS/MHA conference, on employment & dual diagnosis,
8 - 4:30 pm, Best Western Conference & Hotel Cntr., Baltimore, MD . Call
410.646.7758 or Steve Reeder 410-402-8484

Sat June 23: Open 1 - 5 pm; NAMI C.A.R.E. support group, 3 - 4:30 pm

Mon June 25: Open 4 - 9 pm ; NAMI Peer to Peer class 2 of 10, 6:45 - 9 p

Tues June 26: Open 4 - 8 pm ; June Birthdays around 4:30 p; WRAP (week 3 of
4), 5:30-7:30 pm

Thur June 28: Open 4 - 7 pm; Game Day (board games) or, if people prefer,
some other activity

Sat June 30: Open 1 - 5 pm; Arts & Crafts, 2 p.m.

Stay tuned for July: follow-up focus group on Trauma-Informed Care by Mary
Blake, formerly of CAN-DC may be scheduled. (Consumer Action Network of DC)

Miriam

Seniors to keep affordable homes, HOC buys Forest Oak Towers for $20.7 million, saves subsidies

2007-07-01T22:27:00.001-04:00

http://www.gazette.net/stories/062007/gaitnew203855_32362.shtml

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Seniors to keep affordable homes

HOC buys Forest Oak Towers for $20.7 million, saves subsidies

by Chris Robinson | Staff Writer

E-mail this article \ Print this article

Brian Lewis⁄The Gazette

Grayce Ward, the longest residing resident of Forest Oak Apartments, talk with County Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg. Next to Ward are Forest Oak Towers residents Hazel Krouse (left) and Nancy Mayo.

A housing authority that serves Montgomery County this week celebrated the purchase of a 175-unit Gaithersburg apartment complex that will now be able to retain subsidies for its low-income senior tenants.

The Housing Opportunities Commission's $20.7 million purchase of Forest Oak Towers ensures the continued renewal of the Housing Assistance Payment Contract, a federal subsidized housing program, said Peter Engel, assistant director of the HOC real estate division.

The move preserves affordable housing for the city's most vulnerable population, said the city's Director of community development Louise Kauffmann.

Gaithersburg has about 4,000 affordable housing units, based on a 2005 survey, she said.

That's more than in most areas of the county, but with major redevelopment projects coming up such as at the Broadstone Apartments, it's important for Gaithersburg to retain as much affordable housing as possible, Kauffmann said.

Housing in Forest Oak Towers is available to those 62 years and older, or those with disabilities, and whose average annual income is about $14,000, said Susan Krimer, assistant director in the HOC office of legislative and public affairs.

However, to comply with fair housing regulations that limit occupancy, the facility is not expected to receive new disabled people under 62 years old, Krimer wrote in an e-mail.

The current affordable housing contract was set to expire in 2009.

The HOC acted to purchase the property when it learned that some developers had inquired about purchasing it.

''If somebody else were to buy it ... come 2009, we wouldn't have any clear idea of what would happen," Engel said. ''Our mission is to provide affordable housing. It serves very low-income seniors, and there is a shortage not just in the county, but throughout the state and it certainly fits our goal."

More than 100 seniors and officials from local to federal levels packed under a tent Monday afternoon outside Forest Oak Towers, located at 101 Odendhal Ave., to praise the purchase.

''For us to preserve and increase affordable housing, we must first keep what we have," said County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

Ella Mae Burton, 77, a Forest Oak Towers resident since 2004, said during the ceremony that she was shocked to hear she might lose her home, but is delighted that won't happen.

''I plan to be with you for a long time to come," she said.

Sale of the 26-year-old building by Bethesda-based real estate company The Artery Group was finalized March 30.

The facility provides 100 percent Section 8 housing, which allows residents to devote only 30 percent of their income to rent while the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development covers the remainder, Krimer said.

The HOC began working to purchase Forest Oak Towers in 2005, Krimer said.

Payment was assisted by state-issued tax credits, programs with Montgomery County and Gaithersburg that reduce property tax to $1 per year and a risk-sharing agreement with HUD's Federal Housing Administration that insures 75 percent of a $18.1 million HOC loan, Krimer said.

The deal also includes $2.6 million for renovation and other contingencies. Upgrades include new appliances for the rooms, fresh carpet and other amenities, said Martha McClelland, regional property manager with Realty Management Service, the company that operates Forest Oak Towers

But for three-year Forest Oak Towers resident John Jackson, 66, it's plenty just to know he'll stay with all his friends.

''I feel very much relieved because this is home," Jackson said.

Top Jobs

Classifieds

Search Directories

Search all directories
or pick a category below to search now

Pentagon may drop mental health question, By PAULINE JELINEK and ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press Writers 10 minutes ago

2007-06-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

By PAULINE JELINEK and ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press Writers 10 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops would no longer be asked to reveal previous mental health treatment when applying for security clearances under a proposal being considered by the Pentagon. The idea stems from the finding that service members avoid needed counseling because they believe that getting it and acknowledging it could cost them their clearance as well as do other harm to their careers, The Associated Press has learned.

"This is just one of several items under review by the Department of Defense and the services in an effort to remove the stigma associated with mental health issues," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Ryder.

The proposal is to omit a question regarding mental health treatment that appears on a form required by the Office of Personnel Management, the agency that does the majority of investigations for granting clearances to military and civilian workers in the federal government.

Currently, the questionnaire asks applicants whether they have consulted a mental health professional in the last seven years. If so, they are asked to list the names, addresses and dates they saw the doctor or therapist.

The Pentagon has been working for some time to end the stigma of counseling. Studies indicate that soldiers most in need of post-combat health care are the least likely to get it because they fear that others will have less confidence in them, that it will threaten career advancement and that it could result in loss of their security clearance and possibly removal from their unit.

Statistics indicate that the perception of stigma is "far worse than the reality" when it comes to getting security clearances, Ryder said. Last year, less than .05 percent of some 800,000 people investigated for clearances were rejected on the sole issue of their mental health profile, he said.

That's because the clearance process is done on the "whole-person concept" that is, it weighs a number of factors about the person's past and present, favorable and unfavorable. People can be prevented from getting a clearance if they have been convicted and imprisoned, are addicted to any controlled substance, have been discharged dishonorably from the service or are currently mentally incompetent.

If the application for clearances is changed to omit the question on previous counseling, it would be just a small part of the effort to encourage service members to get mental health care.

An education program for personnel at all levels of the military is among main recommendations of a yearlong mental health study. The task force study, ordered by Congress, called for urgent action to improve care for members of the military, under strain from simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said earlier Friday.

A change already made is a program called Respect.mil, Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, the acting surgeon general of the Army, said at a news conference on the task force report. Under the program, instead of requiring soldiers or their family members to go to a designated location where it's clear they're getting behavioral health care, they can get the care at a primary care center.

The overall conclusion of the report was that it will take more money and staff to keep up with health care needed because of the high tempo of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Long and repeated deployments in the wars have been blamed for some of the mental health problems.

The two "signature injuries" from the conflicts mostly Iraq are post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, the task force said, adding that the new demands "have exposed shortfalls" on a system that has not been war-focused for decades.

The military also needs to train leaders to understand that physical health and psychological health are equally important, said Vice Adm. Donald Arthur, co-chair of the task force.

"We concentrate a great deal on ... how fast can you run a mile, how many sit-ups and push-ups can you do," Arthur told reporters. "But we don't often concentrate on the psychological health of the service member."

"If you break your leg, it's not your fault; if you get cancer, it's not your fault; if you have a post-traumatic stress reaction, it's not your fault," he said.

Noting that the problem of stigma is pervasive not only in the military, but in American society as a whole, they said the evidence in the military is overwhelming. Fifty-nine percent of soldiers and 48 percent of Marines said thought they would be treated differently by leadership if they sought counseling, according to a survey among troops who had been deployed.

Of even greater concern, the report said, are recent findings that service members who screened positive for symptoms consistent with mental illness were twice as likely as those without symptoms to express concerns about stigma.

"Individuals exhibiting the greatest need were the most hesitant to seek care, even though empirical data from at least one military study indicates that service members do not suffer any negative career impact from seeking services related to their psychological health," the report said.

"Post-traumatic stress, combat stress is an absolutely normal reaction to a very abnormal situation," Arthur said, adding that care can prevent it from turning into a disorder.

"Combat is like nothing else that one can experience in peacetime. It is not like you see in the movies," he said. "It's not 90 minutes of show with 30 minutes of commercials and the good guy wins in the end. You have a real chance of being seriously injured or killed in your service to your nation."

___

Associated Press writer Lolita Baldor contributed to this report

Trauma Champions, FREE all day workshop, Wed 6/20/07, Core Service Agency, RSVP!

2007-06-15T13:22:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm passing along a really interesting all day workshop on trauma and
healing. Email from Kim Allen, below, and flyer attached in PDF. PLEASE RSVP
to Kim Allen, info below!!!

"Hello Everyone -

The Office of Consumer Affairs of the Montgomery County Core Service
Agency is holding a Trauma Champions Institute on Wednesday, June 20th.
We are encouraging consumers to come and participate. Please RSVP as we
will have lunch. It would be great if we could show Jacki a warm
welcome, so consider attending the morning session and lunch or the
lunch and the afternoon session if you cannot attend the full day.

Thanks and call me if you have any questions.

Kim Renee Allen
Program Manager
Office of Consumer Affairs
240.777.4571"

Text of flyer:
Trauma Champions Institute

Trauma Healing and Peer Counseling

June 20, 2007 9:00 - 4:00

Presenters: :

Jacki McKinney

Director - Trauma Knowledge Utilization Project

Susan Mockus

Trauma Practitioner - Trauma Knowledge Utilization Project

Rhonda Elsey -Jones

Trauma Project - Trauma Knowledge Utilization Project

Networking Brunch for Service Providers

12:00 - 2:00

Part 2: How Women Heal

Presenters: Trauma Knowledge Utilization Project

2:00 2:- 4:00 4:

Location:

Mental Health Core Service Agency

751 Twinbrook Parkway

Rockville, MD

Please Contact and RSVP: Please Contact and RSVP:

Kim Renee Allen, Program Manager Kim Renee Allen, Program Manager

Office Of Consumer Affairs Office Of Consumer Affairs

Mental Health Core Service Agency Mental Health Core Service Agency

240.777.4571 240.777.4571

Kim.Allen@montgomerycountymd.gov

The Goals of this Training: The Goals of this Training:

To assist mental health consumers address trauma issues and To assist mental
health consumers heal. To introduce therapists to trauma informed care and
its impact on therapy retention, peer involvement, empowerment , and
meaningful recovery. .

https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can
request an application in person. Thanks! *

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Wed 6/13/2007 7:46 PM
Subject: NAMI In Our Own Voice presentation, Sat. June 16, 2 pm

Please pass this information along ....
plain text below, flyer attached in PDF:
(scroll down for more June events in previous email)

Silver Spring Drop-In Center hosts a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental
Illness) Montgomery County chapter sponsored "In Our Own Voice" presentation
on Saturday June 16, 2007, at 2 p.m.

(We may have a pet visit this day as well)

Where: Silver Spring Drop-In Center at the Affiliated Santé Group, 7961
Eastern Rd., 1st floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910

For driving directions, check out www.mapquest.com; for accurate public
transportation info, visit www.wmata.com

Today's speakers will be Brenda McArthur and James Vurpillot

Light refreshments will be provided

What It Is:

¨ A presentation by consumers that creates awareness about what is
involved in recovery from mental illness

¨ A powerful anti-stigma tool to change hearts, minds, and attitudes
about mental illness

¨ Living proof that recovery from mental illness is an ongoing reality

The Presentation:

¨ Hear from people who have struggled with disorders such as
depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other severe mental
illnesses

¨ A brief video features consumers speaking about the topics of Dark
Days,
Acceptance, Treatment, Coping Skills, and Successes, Hopes, and Dreams

¨ Gain insight into how people with serious mental illnesses cope with
the realities of their disorders while reclaiming productive lives

¨ Ask questions from the real experts -- the consumers are the ones
who "have been there"

¨ A Take Home Folder is distributed to all attendees, which includes
resources and an opportunity for program evaluation

RSVPs preferred but not required:
Miriam at 301.589.2303 X 108 or

email myarmolinsky@santegroup.org

The Silver Spring Drop-In Center's current hours are normally M, T, & Th.
4 - 7 pm and Sat 1 - 5 pm

Thanks!

https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can
request an application in person. Thanks! *

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Wed 6/6/2007 6:24 PM
Subject: June activities update

Next series of announcements...

Thur June 7: Open 4 - 7 pm; Resources & Referrals, by appt. Sign up for help
w/ specific issues, like housing, food stamps, disability, etc.

Sat June 9: Open 1 - 5 pm; NAMI C.A.R.E. support group, 3 - 4:30 p (Miriam
will be at the offsite event below that day)

OFFSITE: Borderline Personality Disorder conference/symposium, at Suburban
Hosp, 9 - 4 pm, visit

www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.com/Conferences/Washington-07/WDC-07-registration.shtml

for more info; ($20 registration for consumers)

Tues June 19: Open 4 - 8 pm ; Pizza eve, 3rd Tues of month, starting around
4:30 pm; WRAP (week 2 of 4), 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thur June 21: Open 4 - 7 pm; Resources & Referrals - sign up for help w/
housing, food stamps, benefits, SSI/SSDI, whatever, or drop by.

Fri June 22: OFFSITE: DORS/MHA conference, on employment & dual diagnosis,
8 - 4:30 pm, Best Western Conference & Hotel Cntr., Baltimore, MD . Call
410.646.7758 or Steve Reeder 410-402-8484

Sat June 23: Open 1 - 5 pm; NAMI C.A.R.E. support group, 3 - 4:30 pm

Mon June 25: Open 4 - 9 pm ; NAMI Peer to Peer class 2 of 10, 6:45 - 9 p

Tues June 26: Open 4 - 8 pm ; June Birthdays around 4:30 p; WRAP (week 3 of
4), 5:30-7:30 pm

Thur June 28: Open 4 - 7 pm; Game Day (board games) or, if people prefer,
some other activity

Sat June 30: Open 1 - 5 pm; Arts & Crafts, 2 p.m.

Stay tuned for July: follow-up focus group on Trauma-Informed Care by Mary
Blake, formerly of CAN-DC may be scheduled. (Consumer Action Network of DC)

Miriam

A DC Mental Health Dialog

2007-05-29T12:18:00.000-04:00

The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

and

the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI

invites you to attend "A DC Mental Health Dialog: Roadmap for Collaboration" on June 5, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 Fifteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Learn about the most pressing issues facing the mental health community and how to advocate your preference with local officials.

Guest Speaker, Carol L. Alter, M.D, Georgetown University Department of Psychiatry, who will discuss "Fail First".

Angela Kimball, NAMI, will lead a discussion on how to advocate your local officials.

For more information or to make a reservation (required) please contact either

Daryll Griffin, Executive Director
DC Behavioral Health Association
202.207.0755
dgriffin@dcbha.org

Steven Newman, Executive Director
NAMI DC
202.646.0646
namidc@juno.com

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Stun gun use on mentally ill questioned, 1 hour, 55 minutes ago HOUSTON - Advocates for the mentally ill

2007-05-27T14:21:00.000-04:00

Stun gun use on mentally ill questioned

1 hour, 55 minutes ago

HOUSTON - Advocates for the mentally ill are questioning Houston police officers' use of stun guns on suspects with mental problems, many of whom were unarmed and then never charged with a crime.

Since officers started carrying Tasers in December 2004, nearly 130 people known or suspected to be mentally ill were shocked by officers responding to calls, according to a Houston Chronicle review of more than 1,000 incidents involving the stun gun.

The department also had its first Taser-related death recently that involved a mentally ill man, the newspaper reported Sunday.

Often, police knew they were responding to calls involving people with mental health issues but rarely called officers who are specially trained to deal with the mentally ill, according to police records.

"Using a Taser is easy," said Arlene Kelly, who became an outspoken advocate for the mentally ill after her daughter was shot and killed by a Houston police officer in 1999. "There's no waiting. There's no need to be patient with someone who may not understand orders. The Taser has represented a step backward in how police deal with the mentally ill."

Some of those stunned had committed violent crimes, threatened others or harmed themselves. But most were people who failed to follow officers' orders in the fog of their mental confusion, records show.

Police Chief Harold Hurtt said the use of Tasers has prevented dangerous situations from becoming deadly.

"Crisis-intervention training is a critical part of our approach to the mentally ill, and our officers are well aware of the necessity to use the minimum force necessary," Hurtt said.

The newspaper found that most of the mentally ill people shocked by police were not armed and fewer than one in four were later convicted of a crime.

One case involved a 63-year-old man who needed a metal walker to move around. Another involved Carol Ann Vickery, a 49-year-old woman with a history of bipolar disorder who disrupted a local convenience store. When police arrived, she picked up a can of soda as if to throw it. Police responded with three 50,000-volt shocks from a Taser.

"She may have gotten excited, but two male officers should be able to defuse a situation with one woman without pulling out a Taser," said Vickery's husband of 10 years, Tim Byus. "In this case, it's clear they did not try."

Some dispatchers fail to identify people experiencing mental problems and send untrained officers to those calls, said Lt. Michael Lee, who is in charge of the department's crisis-intervention team that was developed in 1999 to train officers how to calm people with mental illness.

Other circumstances do not allow officers to wait for support, he said.

"Most officers are using Tasers to prevent a situation from escalating, and that can happen very quickly," Lee said. "Sometimes de-escalation techniques just don't work."

The crisis-intervention team had 600 patrol officers and more than 100 officers in other divisions, but the force has since been depleted by retirement, transfers and other strains. Its ranks have dropped to 410 officers, less than 20 percent of those on patrol.

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Average (17 votes)

» Recommended Stories

Coming Soon SAMHSA's eNetwork

2007-05-23T12:11:00.000-04:00


SAMHSA is improving how we communicate with you by developing the SAMHSA eNetwork.
You are receiving this email because you are currently subscribed to SAMHSA's existing email communication system.
To continue receiving information from SAMHSA, you will need to Sign Up for the new SAMHSA eNetwork.
Next week we will send you an email inviting you to join our new system so that you can stay informed about: Grant Announcements Announcements of Publications and Products Information on Campaigns and Programs Statistics and Data Reports Be on the lookout for an email from the SAMHSA eNetwork. If you do not find an invitation in your inbox next week, please check your spam (junk or bulk) folder.

Blood pressure rising around the globe - Yahoo! News

2007-05-14T23:49:00.000-04:00

Blood pressure rising around the globe - Yahoo! News: " Blood pressure rising around the globe "
By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer
Mon May 14, 7:59 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The numbers are a shock: Almost 1 billion people worldwide have high blood pressure, and over half a billion more will harbor this silent killer by 2025. It's not just a problem for the ever-fattening Western world. Even in parts of Africa, high blood pressure is becoming common.

That translates into millions of deaths from heart disease alone. Yet hypertension doesn't command the attention of, say, bird flu, which so far has killed fewer than 200 people.

"Hypertension has gone a bit out of fashion," says Dr. Jan Ostergren of Sweden's Karolinska University Hospital, who co-authored a first-of-its-kind analysis of the global impact of high blood pressure.

The idea: to rev up world governments to fight bad blood pressure just as countries have banded together in the past to fight infectious diseases.

International heart specialists welcome the push.

"Even in the U.S., the majority of people with high blood pressure are not treated adequately," says Dr. Sidney Smith of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who advises the World Heart Federation. "Look at China, look at Africa, go around the world. It is a major risk factor."

And the dangers go well beyond the heart. High blood pressure is a leading cause of strokes and kidney failure. It also plays a role in blindness and even dementia.

Patients seldom notice symptoms until organs already have been damaged.

Yet treating high blood pressure before that happens is a medical best-buy. Improving diet and exercise can help. When that's not enough, blood pressure drugs are among the oldest and thus cheapest on the market — 21 cents a day for a leading diuretic.

Ostergren joined experts from the London School of Economics and the State University of New York to assemble two teams of specialists and map what they call the coming crisis of hypertension: 1.56 billion people are expected to have it by 2025.

With funding from drug maker Novartis Pharma AG, they're providing copies to governments and health officials around the globe; a briefing in Washington is set for Thursday.

The report essentially calls for a cultural change. Consider: In the U.S., commiserating over blood pressure readings is an accepted dinner-table topic. Because black Americans are at especially high risk — roughly 40 percent are affected — hypertension has become a sermon topic at majority-black churches, and post-service screenings aren't uncommon. The government even advertises about the condition.

That adds up to an openness about blood pressure not seen in much of the world, says report co-author Dr. Michael Weber of SUNY's Downstate College of Medicine.

In some regions, "it's sort of an insult to your manhood if you have to take a blood-pressure medicine," Weber says, citing estimates that hypertension affects about one in three adults in Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela.

"We need to break those barriers as well and make it perfectly fashionable. We need to get role models in those countries to say, 'You know what? I've got high blood pressure.'"

The U.S. still needs to improve, too, Weber hastens to add. High blood pressure affects nearly one in three adult Americans as well, or 72 million people. About a third have their condition well-controlled, not nearly enough but better than other countries that track treatment, the report found.

Normal blood pressure is measured at less than 120 over 80. Anyone can get high blood pressure, a level of 140 over 90 or more. But being overweight and inactive, and eating too much salt, all increase the risk. So does getting older.

The world's population is aging and fattening, fueling a continued increase in blood pressure problems. Remarkably, the report cites worse hypertension rates in much of Western Europe than in the U.S., despite cultural similarities: 38 percent in England, Sweden and Italy; 45 percent in Spain; 55 percent in Germany.

But the biggest jump is expected in developing countries and nations rapidly moving to more Western-style economies, the report warns. In parts of India, studies suggest one in three urban adults has high blood pressure, while it's still rare in rural areas with more traditional lifestyles. More than a quarter of adults in China have hypertension. So do one in four in Ghana and South Africa.

Treatment is difficult, because patients often quit their medicine, not understanding it's necessary even when they feel good. Also, doctors may be reluctant to prescribe the two- or three-drug combinations that half of patients wind up needing.

For poorer countries, the tab for even low-cost diuretics is an issue — not to mention public education about sticking to treatment, notes Smith, the World Heart Federation adviser, who was not involved in the new report.

But fighting bad blood pressure could mean that developing countries avoid epidemics of full-blown heart disease, which they definitely can't afford, Smith stresses. World health and economic groups already are brainstorming strategies to help, such as whether industries that move into poor countries should be required to screen their workers for high blood pressure.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE — Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington.

RE: HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

2007-05-14T16:36:00.000-04:00

As someone who has assisted hundreds, if not thousands, of consumers in
accessing benefits, it is vital to pay attention to Continuing
Disability Reviews, which is what is being discussed below. SSA
categorizes people as either "Medical Improvement Expected," Medical
Improvement Possible, or Medical Improvement Unlikely. From this, they
determine how often to review the case.

In practice, how frequently they do it has a lot to do with the
workload. Occasionally, the agency issues edicts for all the local
offices to catch up with their reviews, and that is when you'll get a
spate of people receiving them.

You need to treat these reviews seriously, and be sure and include all
of your treating professionals' contact information, and to indicate on
the questions about functioning the things that you still struggle with.
If your functioning tends to decompensate in stressful situations, you
need to say that.

Inform your doctor that he/she may be getting a request for information
about your treatment and functioning, and to be sure and respond to it,
including any concerns they have about your returning to full time
employment.

SSA regulations state that the agency has to have proof of "improvement"
before they can take you off benefits. If you've had any failed work
attempts, be sure to include that in the comments section of the review
form. If you need to add extra sheets to include all the info they will
need to adequately assess your case, don't hesitate to add them.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club [mailto:info@dcmhcl.org]
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 3:21 PM
To: dcmhcllist
Subject: HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL
ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

The Social Security Administration is cracking down on consumers--many
Beatniks, including yours truly, are being audited and denied further
benefits. Not only losing crucial income, but in many cases losing
Medicare coverage as well. But this need not be a prescription for
disaster. Join the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club and specialist
attorney Ms. Suja Varghese on Wednesday night, May 16th, for an overview
of Social Security law, followed by a practical guide to dealing with
reviews, audits, and appeals. Learn why it is advisable to have an
expert attorney in your corner, what kind of document trail to establish
to strengthen your case, and how you can best work with your attorney to
maximize your chances of success. Free gourmet coffee, gourmet cheeses,
and crackers will be served, compliments of Ms. Varghese's law firm and
big Beatniks booster, Greenberg & Bederman of Silver Spring.

WHEN: Wednesday night, May 16th; dinner starts 6:30pm, presentation
starts 7:15pm.
WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue, Friendship Heights, three
blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop.
Free valet parking.
QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org
###
---------------------------------------------------
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.
===================================================
To add a friend or co -worker goto WWW.DCMHCL.ORG
and use the envelop to the left to join the list.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through
http://www.dcmhcl.org/

**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the sender by email, delete and destroy this message and its
attachments.

**********************************************************************

HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

2007-05-14T16:23:00.000-04:00

The Social Security Administration is cracking down on consumers--many Beatniks, including yours truly, are being audited and denied further benefits. Not only losing crucial income, but in many cases losing Medicare coverage as well. But this need not be a prescription for disaster. Join the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club and specialist attorney Ms. Suja Varghese on Wednesday night, May 16th, for an overview of Social Security law, followed by a practical guide to dealing with reviews, audits, and appeals. Learn why it is advisable to have an expert attorney in your corner, what kind of document trail to establish to strengthen your case, and how you can best work with your attorney to maximize your chances of success. Free gourmet coffee, gourmet cheeses, and crackers will be served, compliments of Ms. Varghese's law firm and big Beatniks booster, Greenberg & Bederman of Silver Spring.

WHEN: Wednesday night, May 16th; dinner starts 6:30pm, presentation starts 7:15pm.
WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue, Friendship Heights, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop. Free valet parking.
QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###
---------------------------------------------------
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.
===================================================
To add a friend or co -worker goto WWW.DCMHCL.ORG
anf use the envelop to the left to join the list.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

2007-05-14T16:20:00.000-04:00

The Social Security Administration is cracking down on consumers--many Beatniks, including yours truly, are being audited and denied further benefits. Not only losing crucial income, but in many cases losing Medicare coverage as well. But this need not be a prescription for disaster. Join the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club and specialist attorney Ms. Suja Varghese on Wednesday night, May 16th, for an overview of Social Security law, followed by a practical guide to dealing with reviews, audits, and appeals. Learn why it is advisable to have an expert attorney in your corner, what kind of document trail to establish to strengthen your case, and how you can best work with your attorney to maximize your chances of success. Free gourmet coffee, gourmet cheeses, and crackers will be served, compliments of Ms. Varghese's law firm and big Beatniks booster, Greenberg & Bederman of Silver Spring.

WHEN: Wednesday night, May 16th; dinner starts 6:30pm, presentation starts 7:15pm.
WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue, Friendship Heights, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop. Free valet parking.
QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

[tenac] Solidarity with Public Housing Tenants from NYC & Chicago (Tuesday, 5/15/07)

2007-05-13T00:19:00.000-04:00

> Subject: Solidarity with Public Housing Tenants
> from NYC & Chicago
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Please JOIN Public Housing Residents from NYC &
> Chicago
>
> RALLY on Capitol Hill
> Tuesday, May 15, 2007
> 11 am to 4 pm
> Upper Senate Park
> (Constitution Ave. & Delaware Ave., NE)
>
> Union Station, Red line, 4 blocks from event
> Capitol South, Orange/blue lines, 4 blocks from event
> Metro bus # 96
> (Metro information number - 202.637.7000)
>
> The City-wide Council of Presidents (public housing
> tenants) of New York City is mobilizing thousands of
> Public Housing resident delegations from 9 cities to
> converge on Washington DC, to get their fair share of
> federal appropriations.
>
> This mobilization is being organized by residents of
> public housing to stop what has been characterized as
> an all out attack on people in Public Housing. The
> goal is to restore budget deficits at public housing
> agencies, fix massive policy problems, and reverse
> standing issues generated during the last 8 years of
> massive budget cuts by the Senate, Congress and major
> policy shifts at the US Department of HUD.
>
> For More Info:
> Contact: Reginald H. Bowman
> Director of Media Relations
> Director of Legislative and Political Affairs
> E-mailto: ReginaldHBowman@aol.com
> Cell Phone: 347-731-4351, Phone: 718-385-2729
>
> Thanks team,
> Please let me know if you can make the demo.
>
> Linda Leaks
> lleaks1@juno.com
> EmpowerDC
> www.empowerdc.org
> (202)234-9119, fax (202)234-6655
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________Yahoo!
> oneSearch: Finally, mobile search
> that gives answers, not web links.
> http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ========================================================================
> TENAC's web site: http://tenac.org
> TENAC's Mobalization list archive: http://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/tenac
> ========================================================================

FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH THE BEATNIKS.

2007-05-07T16:22:00.000-04:00

Much stricter gun controls? Weapons bans? Mandatory screening for youth? Mandatory screening for just about everyone? Join the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club this coming Wednesday night, May 9th, as the top political lobbyist for the American Psychiatric Assn., Nick Meyers, and CAN's Mary Blake discuss legislative developments locally and nationally, and their impact on the mental health community, especially in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy. With a new Democratic U.S. Congress, new Maryland and Virginia governors, new U.S. senators, a new DC mayor, new state representatives, and a new Montgomery County executive, changes are sure to come in droves.

WHEN: Wednesday night, May 9th, dinner starts 6:30pm, discussion starts 7:15pm.
WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop. Free valet parking.
QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

"Bush orders probe into the mentally ill"

2007-04-25T21:21:00.000-04:00

Bush orders probe into the mentally ill - Yahoo!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_virginia_tech;_ylt=AmPFPhl3V24HdtAeExmYQeSyFz4D

Fri Apr 20, 8:46 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Responding to the Virginia Tech shootings, President Bush says he has directed federal officials to conduct a national inquiry into how to prevent violence by dangerously unstable people. The White House said Friday that the departments of Education, Justice and Health and Human Services will travel around the country to meet with educators, mental health experts and state and local officials, reporting back with recommendations.

They also will work with the Virginia Tech community to better understand what might have led a troubled student to kill 32 people on the campus and then commit suicide.

This was to be the topic of Bush's weekly radio address, taped on Friday and set to air on Saturday. The White House took the rare step of making the text of the address available for publication before its Saturday delivery.

"We can never fully understand what would cause a student to take the lives of 32 innocent people," Bush says in the address. "What we do know is that this was a deeply troubled young man, and there were many warning signs. Our society continues to wrestle with the question of how to handle individuals whose mental health problems can make them a danger to themselves and to others."

The president wore a maroon-and-orange tie Friday in honor of the school colors on a statewide day of mourning. In the days since, writings and other evidence have emerged to paint a disturbing psychological portrait of Seung-Hui Cho, the 23-year-old gunman.

Some of the warning signs in Cho's past include two stalking complaints against him and a psychiatric hospital visit in which he was found to be a danger to himself. Videos mailed to NBC the morning of the killings revealed a man angry at rich kids, snobs and people who had wronged him.

"This week at Virginia Tech, we saw a glimpse of humanity at its worst, and we also saw humanity at its best," Bush said. "This week we reflect on what has been lost and comfort those enduring a profound grief. And somehow we know that a brighter morning will come."

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

National Coalition of People with Psychiatric Histories Responds to Virginia Tech Tragedy

2007-04-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

Please distribute widely by all means. It has been released to the press
###

Press Release

For Immediate Release

National Coalition of People with Psychiatric Histories Responds to Virginia Tech Tragedy

WASHINGTON (4/20/07) � The National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations ( http://www.ncmhcso.org/), an organization of people with psychiatric histories, asks that everyone learn from the tragic events at Virginia Tech, in which a student was responsible for 33 deaths, including his own.

"We offer sincere sympathy to the families and friends of those killed and injured, including the family of Cho Seung Hui, as well as the entire Virginia Tech community," said Lauren Spiro, the Coalition's director of public policy. "We urge everyone to think compassionately about how to better engage people who are isolated, severely distressed, fearful and/or confused."

"Let's turn this crisis into an opportunity to understand more about mental health and create a more healthy and peaceful community," said Coalition member Can Truong. The Coalition endorses this approach and the importance of supporting one another, and promotes peer-run mental health education, awareness and advocacy organizations such as Active Minds on Campus ( http://www.activemindsoncampus.org/ ).

The Coalition also applauds Mental Health America for urging the public to avoid diagnosing others or engaging in "profiling" of groups such as those who appear to be foreign-born or people with psychiatric diagnoses.

"Reacting with judgment and labeling, fueled by the media, perpetuates misinformation and is a disservice to us all," said Spiro. According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health in September 2002, "Violent crimes committed by psychiatric patients become big headlines and reinforce the social stigma and rejection felt by many individuals who suffer from mental illness. But our findings suggest that serious violence is the rare exception among all people with psychiatric disorders. The public perception that people who are mentally ill are typically violent is unfounded." In fact, research shows that people with psychiatric disabilities are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crime.

Given what has been reported about Cho's abuse by bullies, the role of trauma in the tragedy should be understood. "Ninety percent of persons receiving services in public mental health systems have been exposed to trauma," said Coalition member Mary Blake, a trauma survivor and a consultant to the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care. "Services must be sensitive to the fact of trauma in people's lives."

The National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations works to ensure that people who have experienced severe emotional distress have a major voice in the development and implementation of health care, mental health, and social policies at the state and national levels. The Coalition advocates for mental health policies that promote full participation and integration in the community and end discrimination.

"This tragedy is a reminder of the fragility of our humanity and the importance of reaching out with compassion to each other, especially those in distress," said Spiro.

Contact: Lauren Spiro, NCMHCSO director of public policy, 703-862-6512

--
Lauren Spiro
Director of Public Policy
National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations
1300 L Street NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
V: 978-590-2014
www.ncmhcso.org
info@ncmhcso.org

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

In the Wake of Virginia Tech

2007-04-25T21:14:00.000-04:00

>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: [NYAPRS Enews] In the Wake of Virginia Tech Tragedy: Calls to
>Action, Media Responsibility
>Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:59:56 -0400
>From: Harvey Rosenthal <harveyr@nyaprs.org>
>Reply-To: HarveyR@nyaprs.org
>To: <nyaprs@kilakwa.net>
>
>NYAPRS Note: Following are two very timely pieces by NYAPRS Board member
>Steve Miccio and Marcie Granahan, executive director of our national
>organization, the United State Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.
>
>
>
>A Call to Action
>
>By Steve Miccio, executive director PEOPLe, Inc.; immediate Past
>President, NYAPRS
>
>
>
>Whenever there is a tragedy of any kind that involves the loss of people
>it is extremely painful and I can't express enough sympathy for the
>families, students, colleagues and friends at Virginia Tech. I only hope
>that they find comfort in one another and in the joyful memories of
>their loved ones. This not only affects the people directly connected to
>the incident, it has affected all of us and right now we need to be
>cognizant that this event has traumatized a nation.
>
>
>
>The unfortunate outcome of this tragedy will no doubt take aim at the
>mental health community as it so often does when someone has a history
>of mental illness prior to such a tragic event. As professionals and
>people that use mental health services, we must be prepared to address
>this fallout in a respectful and proactive manner.
>
>
>
>We will most likely see the media report stories on mental illness and
>hear overgeneralizations concerning perceived "dangers" of mental
>illness. We will here stories blaming the mental health professionals
>for not protecting the community and we will be witness to the anger and
>fear from people in our communities surrounding mental illness. These
>reactions should not impede our progress of developing a recovery-based
>mental health system. We have been witness to media persecution for too
>long and it has resulted in increased fear and discrimination.
>
>
>
>As we are confronted with the stigma, fear and blame we must assure
>people that there are literally millions of people being successfully
>treated for mental illness each year in our country. It is important to
>note that the majority of people with mental illness are our neighbors,
>friends and relatives and that mental illness should not be equated with
>violence.
>
>
>
>Now is the time to stress the reality that people can and do recover
>from mental illness with proper supports and treatment. We should
>intelligently educate and infuse our knowledge of recovery into the
>media and within our communities and discuss how important it is for
>individuals to reach out for help. It's time to tell families and
>friends to support one another in getting help and treatment rather than
>ignoring a problem. This should be our time to illustrate the fact that
>it is acceptable to talk about mental illness or mental health in our
>schools and communities so that people can begin to understand that
>there are choices, hope and options for a better quality of life.
>
>
>
>This is not the time to fade quietly into the background and wait for
>the storm to blow over. It may not feel comfortable, but if we don't
>address and educate our communities with a strong factual and supportive
>voice we will witness the destruction of the wonderful work that we have
>been doing in promoting better recovery outcomes for all of the people
>we serve.
>
>
>
>This is the time that we must embrace the opportunity and teach while at
>the same time help a community to heal. Please find your voice and get
>out and educate your community about the work that you do and talk about
>where the mental health field is going to ensure that all people are
>treated with respect in an effective and efficient recovery-based mental
>health system.
>
>
>
>Steve Miccio
>
>PEOPLe, Inc.
>
>
>
>-------------
>
>
>
>United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Concerned Media
>Coverage Of Virginia Tech Shootings Will Increase Stigma
>
>
>
>Linthicum, MD. - April 18, 2007 - The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation
>Association (USPRA) wishes to express its deepest sympathies to the
>family, friends and classmates of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute
>shooting victims. As details surrounding the shootings continue to
>unfold, USPRA has become increasingly more concerned that the media's
>focus on the killer's mental illness will lead the public to believe
>that all persons will mental illness are potentially violent. Public
>perceptions that violence is strongly associated with mental illness are
>fueled by graphic media reports of violent crimes.
>
>
>
>Studies have shown that it is incredibly rare for someone with a mental
>illness to commit gross acts of violence, especially on such a scale as
>the Virginia Tech shootings. Violence is no more prevalent among
>individuals with mental illness than the general public, and often are
>more likely the victims of violence than the perpetrators. Along with
>its continued disapproval of media portrayals of mental illness, USPRA
>is concerned that the focus on the student shooter's possible mental
>illness will cause many students with mental illnesses on college
>campuses to not seek mental health services or be treated with suspicion
>as potential murderers, leading to their further isolation and
>discrimination.
>
>
>
>"USPRA is disheartened that the media continues to play to people's
>misperceptions by painting mental illness as evil and something to
>fear," said Marcie Granahan, CAE, chief executive officer of USPRA. "For
>thirty years, we have been working to break down the barriers and stigma
>associated with severe mental illness. Along with our members, we have
>developed the practice of psychiatric rehabilitation that leads to
>recovery and provides hope. Our hearts go out to the family and friends
>of the 32 victims and also to those of the suspected shooter. This
>incident underscores the need for quality campus mental health services
>and psychiatric rehabilitation support for college students with mental
>illnesses."
>
>
>
>Psychiatric rehabilitation professionals have conducted research on the
>experiences of college students with mental illnesses and have created
>state-of-the-art rehabilitation interventions to support these students
>to maximize their success and full inclusion. Mark Salzer, Ph.D., from
>the University of Pennsylvania Collaborative on Community Integration,
>recently conducted a survey where he found that college students with
>mental illnesses feel more alienated from other students and their
>campuses compared to the general college student. "The response to
>college students with mental illnesses should be to embrace and support
>them, rather than further alienate them by greatly overemphasizing any
>supposed inclination toward violence," stated Dr. Salzer.
>
>
>
>It is the hope of USPRA that the nation may learn from the Virginia Tech
>shootings that all individuals, college students included, have the
>right to necessary and appropriate mental health and rehabilitation
>services, and should be treated with dignity and respect, not with fear
>and shame. The continued portrayal of mental illness as a cause or
>precursor for violent acts is stigmatizing and discriminatory to a
>vulnerable population. In the wake of such a national tragedy receiving
>world-wide media coverage, USPRA urges all media networks to avoid over
>generalizations about the link between mental illness and violence.
>
>

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington, "NAMI DC",

2007-04-17T21:06:00.000-04:00

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington, "NAMI DC", is
seeking volunteers to lead its "Family to Family" and "Familia a
Familia" programs as well as to be speakers in its "In Our Own Voice"
program. Also, its "Bridges" program which will be presented in the
DC Jail is seeking peer leaders. If you are interested in
volunteering or attending these programs, please contact NAMI DC at
namidc@juno.com or 202.546.0646.
Thank you,
Steve at NAMI-DC

=====================================================
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through
http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Fw: News from CMHS's National Center for Trauma-Informed Care

2007-04-17T21:02:00.000-04:00


	New Web Site Available!

CMHS's National Center for Trauma Informed Care (NCTIC) is pleased to announce the launch of its new web site (http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/nctic/ ).

Trauma is now understood to be an almost universal experience of public mental health, substance abuse, crime victim, and many other human health and social service consumers. The need to address trauma has become a fundamental obligation for effective public mental health services delivery, and is increasingly recognized as essential for the growth and recovery of survivors of all types of trauma.

The new NCTIC Web site is designed to help public mental health systems integrate trauma informed approaches and interventions into their programs to improve efficacy and outcomes. It represents a growing and diverse community that is committed to transforming traditional programs and services to be more supportive of and empowering to trauma survivors.

The NCTIC Web site features...

details about free or low-cost trauma training and technical assistance
the NCTIC Speakers Bureau
information about healing from trauma
a training and event calendar
useful resources and links

The site will also include case studies from the perspectives of survivors and consumers who have benefitted from trauma-informed systems, as well as from organizations that have undergone the transformation and experienced the benefits.

Stay Informed by Joining the NCTIC Mailing List

The NCTIC web site also brings you the latest news and information on trauma.
Join the NCTIC e-mail list to receive notices, announcements, and other useful information--including Trauma Matters, NCTIC's monthly e- newsletter.

National Center for Trauma-Informed Care

email: nctic@abtassoc.com

phone: 301-634-1785

NCTIC has taken steps to minimize any duplicate deliveries of this e-mail to individual recipients. However, since this is being sent to a number of e- mail lists, some duplicate deliveries may be unavoidable, and we apologize if you have received more than one copy. If you have not already done so, signing up to the NCTIC e-mail list is the most reliable way to receive NCTIC news and information in a timely manner.

Forward email
This email was sent to hwest@witnessjustice.org, by nctic@abtassoc.com Update Profile/Email Address \| Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe \| Privacy Policy.	Powered by
CMHS's National Center for Trauma-Informed Care \| 4550 Montgomery Avenue \| Suite 800 North \| Bethesda \| MD \| 20814

Message Forward from
Daniel B. Fisher,MD,PhD
Executive Director
National Empowerment Center
599 Canal St.
Lawrence, MA, 01840
V:800-POWER2U
Fax:617-492-5729
daniefisher@gmail.com
www.power2u.org

=====================================================
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through
http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Pickup your copy of the latest "Newz & Viewz U can Uze" on the web. It's a jam packed issue...

2007-04-17T02:16:00.000-04:00

Our latest issue of "Newz & Viewz U can Uze" is know on the web.

The Spring 2007 addition is a 28 page guide it is jam packed with information.

http://www.dcmhcl.org/Spring_2007__Newz_and_Viewz_U_Can_Uze.pdf

There are many of you on the DCMHCL.ORG e-mail list who are not on our

USPS printed mailing list, so do pickup your copy. For those of you, who are on

our USPS print mailing list, you will be receiving your printed copy very soon in

the USPS mail.

Enjoy,

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through
http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club Spring 2007 after-dinner speakers And special events calendar.

2007-04-17T01:29:00.000-04:00

Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club*

Spring 2007 after-dinner speakers

And special events calendar.

*(The dinner club for people who are a little off-beat.)

(Subject to last-minute changesvisit our Web site at www.bethesdabeatniks.org,

Or call the Beatniks hotline at (301)279-2578 several days in advance for speaker confirmation.)

v Wednesday night, April 11^th: Wondering what's up, as the County shifts from a "criminal paradigm" to a "mental health paradigm" re: consumers who run afoul of the law? As the County Council mulls 24-hour-per-day operation of the Crisis Center? Join veteran County Police Officer Joan Logan, and Crisis Center Manager Mike Chappell, to learn more.

v Wednesday night, April 25^th: The Beatniks' First Annual Open Mic Poetry Marathon, featuring a five-man instrumental section, gourmet coffee brewing, fresh popcorn, and over 20 budding poets reading their best original material. To the best of our knowledge, nothing on this scale has ever been done before, anywhere in the country. This event has been plugged extensively on ABC Radio, on Bonneville Radio, in "Montgomery Gazette," and upcoming on Clear Channel Radio and CBS Radio at the very least. A pro recording of the entire event will be made, for a possible National Public Radio special. Come early for best seating...don't miss this one!! Come and and support the club!!

v Wednesday night, May 9^th: Wondering which ways the political winds are blowing, with a new Democratic U.S. Congress, a new DC mayor, new Maryland and Virginia governors, new senators, and a new Montgomery County executive? Join the American Psychiatric Assn.'s top lobbyist, Nick Meyers, and District-based activist Mary Blake from the Consumer Action Network, for a legislative outlook on the federal, state, and local levels, and how impending legislation may affect the mental health community.

v Saturday afternoon, May 12^th: Join DCMHCL for a special coffee klatsch at The Potter's House bookshop and coffeehouse in Adams Morgan from 3:00pm until 5:00pm, then stay for dinner and listen to the sounds of featured singer/songwriter/guitarist Lea. 1658 Columbia Road NW in the District.

v Wednesday night, May 16^th,back at Alfio's: Have you been hit with a Social Security Administration audit or review? Do you have to file an SSDI or SSI-related appeal? Join Attorney Suja Varghese from the Greenberg Bederman law firm for a brief overview of SSA law, with an emphasis on the review/appeals process. Learn why it is wise to have a qualified attorney in your corner, and how you can best work with your attorney to improve your chances of success.

v Wednesday night, May 23^rd: Join Attorney Matt Famiglietti for a two-hour legal clinic, "Keys to Social Security Benefits." After a brief introduction, topics covered will include SSA definition of disability, disability benefits eligibility, SSI benefits eligibility, factors negatively impacting disability determination, the application/reconsideration/administrative hearing process, what kind of documentation and paper trail consumers should develop to improve their chances, etc. There will be a long Q&A session after the two hour clinic.

v Wednesday night, June 13^th: Dr. Jonathan Dalton, Ph.D., from big Beatniks booster Dr. Charley Mansueto's "Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington," will give a general overview of anxiety disorders and the types of therapy which can help alleviate them. Dr. Jonathan runs the popular Anxiety Psycho-Education Groups for BTC.

v Wednesday night, June 20^th: Hot on the heels of the highly successful "NIMH Night" with the Beatniks, comes "Johns Hopkins Night," featuring two of the Medical Institute's top doctor/scientists. Dr. Ann Pulver, one of the world's top experts in studying the inter-relationships between mental illness, genetics, and population studies, and chief of the Family Study program, will speak on the current status and future implications of individualized medicine. In the not-too-distant future, it will be possible to tailor a treatment regimen based upon an individual's unique genetic profile. Dr. Russel MargolisJHMI's Director of the Laboratory of Genetic Neurobiology, the Neurogenetics Testing Laboratory, and the Schizophrenia Programwill discuss "SchizophreniaLessons from Other Brain Diseases." Lessons learned from studying such disorders as Huntiington's Disease for example can shed new light on who is most susceptible to developing schizophrenia, and how the disease progresses. Clinical trial recruiters from three different JHMI branches will be on hand, so you won't want to miss this one!!

v Wednesday night, June 27^th: Big Beatniks booster Dr. Bob Litman, from CBH Health and the Mar-Lyn group homes, discusses, "Putting the 'Community' Back in Community Mental Health." Though this model of community care and supportwhich was designed to supplant the massive state mental hospital systemhas failed in many parts of the country, Dr. Bob will present his vision as to how this model of deinstitutionalized care can be made to succeed.

Unless otherwise indicated, all events take place at Alfio's Trattoria restaurant, 4515 Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friedship Heights Metro stop on the Red Line. Wednesday night dinners start promptly at 6:30pm, with the speakers starting at about 7:15pm. Great food at affordable prices, and free valet parking. Questions? Call Pete at (301)279-2578 or visit www.bethesdabeatniks.org.

Potential partner/sponsors & others: do you, or any member of your staff, have a particular burning issue which you'd like to speak about to an audience of eager mental health consumers? Some of our Wednesday night dinners have drawn over 80 people; one of our special events drew over 250 people. Call Pete to discuss your speaking engagement, at (301)279-2578.

Police Response to Mentally Ill Waiting to Improve in DC

2007-04-15T00:42:00.000-04:00

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007

Police Response to Mentally Ill Waiting to Improve
By Diane Rusignola

Advocates and government officials have been trying for months to work with the Metropolitan Police Department to establish a Crisis Intervention Team in D.C. in order to improve police responses to mentally ill people.

But since listening to the initial recommendation in September 2006, the District government has taken no action on the proposal.

"Being the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. should be a leader in protecting our most vulnerable citizens those living with mental illness," said Michael Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "Until we have adequate mental health care in this country, people living with severe mental illness will continue to populate our nation's jails unless we train police officers

to recognize the signs of mental illness."

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, located in Arlington, endorses the creation of the Crisis Intervention Team, especially as it is already in place and working in Baltimore and Montgomery County.

The Crisis Intervention Team program in D.C. would not involve hiring new officers, but rather training current police throughout the city. According to the Police Complaints Board, an independent police oversight committee appointed by the District government, trained officers would have the "expertise to deescalate a mental health crisis and quickly connect individuals in crisis to appropriate treatment."

The idea for such training came in response to citizen complaints about interactions between people living with mental illness and D.C. police. The Police Complaints Board estimates that 7% of calls responded to by the Metropolitan Police Department on an annual basis involve a person with mental illness. In certain cases, people demonstrating behavior stemming from or symptomatic of mental illness have been arrested or subjected to use of force by police.

Sometimes, although far less common, police force with mentally ill people has even resulted in death, as in two recent incidents: the fatal shootings of Terrance Andre Nowlin in April 2005 and Justin Fisher in nearby Anne Arundel County in May 2006.

The Office of Police Complaints first proposed the Crisis Intervention Team after its executive director Philip Eure learned about the Memphis Police Department implementing the program in 2005. He then sent two staffers to Memphis to investigate the program, and the policy recommendation followed in September 2006.

"Considering the length of the proposal, the process flowed pretty quickly," Eure said. "The program should have been instituted a long time ago, actually."

The September recommendation lists 14 steps that need to be followed in order to implement the program, including designating a Crisis Intervention Team task force and a liaison within the Metropolitan Police Department and applying for grants to help fund officer training.

"The program will require training for officers but no increase in hiring," Eure said. "And in other cities and counties, it has really resulted in an elite core of officers. They are very proud of it, they are recognized for it, they apply specifically to be part of it. The idea really generates the best possible officers."

Besides participation from officers, the D.C. Department of Mental Health, mental health service providers and mental illness advocates will also need to collaborate and embrace the program, Eure said.

With the recent mayoral change in the city, the institution of the program has not been immediate. Rumors of potential appointees within Police Chief Cathy Lanier's camp who would be very empathetic to the mental illness plight are circulating nonetheless, so there may be hope for the policy initiative yet.

"Good discussions went on last fall, but it's too early to tell what will happen to the proposal," Eure said. "I have respect for the new police chief [Cathy Lanier]. She can't put people into positions until she's confirmed, so it's a waiting game right now."

More information on the Office of Police Complaints, including the full report on Crisis Intervention Team proposal is available at www.policecomplaints.dc.gov.

[DupontForum] Launching of Citizen Preparedness Academy

2007-04-11T21:41:00.000-04:00

ARE YOU READY?

Serve DC Launches Local Neighborhood Preparedness Academy

WASHINGTON - (April 10, 2007) - Neighborhood Corps of the DC Citizen Corps, an integral component of the city government's emergency response team, is launching the Neighborhood Corps Academy April 14, 2007, 9 am at the Fire Training Academy.

The Neighborhood Corps Academy will act as a medium for all volunteer emergency response teams (i.e. CERT, DAT), throughout the District. The Neighborhood Corps Academy will disperse information via classrooms sessions and practical learning opportunities.

Neighborhood Corps members live, work, or worship in the District of Columbia. Every member of a Neighborhood Corps Cluster Team is trained in emergency preparedness and response through an approved program such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. Neighborhood Corps members will meet regularly to participate in neighborhood-based training, presentations by other Emergency Preparedness partner organizations, table-top exercises and full-field exercises. These sessions are customizable and designed to meet neighborhood-specific needs.

Consisting of 5 classes instructed by Metropolitan Police Department, DC Fire/EMS, District Department of Transportation, and the Emergency Management Agency, the Neighborhood Corps Academy will be held in the spring and at the end of the summer, leading into September which is Emergency Preparedness Month.

"Particularly in the District of Columbia, where our nation's capitol is located, it is inspiring to see so many agencies working together for the safety of all Washingtonians," said Millicent Williams, Serve DC's Executive Director, in praise of the citywide efforts.

The Neighborhood Corps Academy will prepare participants to educate their families, friends and neighbors about emergency preparedness, as well as respond to local emergencies before professionals reach the scene.

To register on-line visit serve.dc.gov under DC Citizen's Corps.

###

Dy Brown

Executive Office of the Mayor

Serve DC

Communications Director

w 202.727.7931, c 202.615.0094

dy.brown@dc.gov

Fw: Poetry class Thur April 12, info on Day of the Book Sun April 22, NAMI C.A.R.E. Sat April 14

2007-04-11T21:40:00.000-04:00

Plain text for first flyer only:

Silver Spring Drop-In Center presents
POETRY etc.
Thursday April 12, 2007,
from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
JoAnne Growney will lead this class (and the next, Thursday April 26, 07) in editing our poems for a compilation for a booklet/newsletter. Please bring your works with you, and be prepared to edit!
For info on JoAnne Growney, please visit www.joannegrowney.com
WHERE: Silver Spring Drop-In Center, 7961 Eastern Avenue, first floor, SS MD 20910
Please note that we would like to have essays, poems, and art (8.5 x 11", black and white) ready for a small newsletter or booklet (shoestring budget, but we want to have something to show!) for distribution at the annual International Day of the Book, on Sunday April 22, 12 - 5 p.m. in Old Town, Kensington (East Howard Ave.) For more info on the Day of the Book, visit www.dayofthebook.com; for directions, visit www.mapquest.com or www.wmata.com
If you want to submit material (poems, articles, essays, or black and white art, 8.5 X 11" max) for this particular purpose, please email or hand deliver your submissions by no later than Thursday April 19, 5 p.m.
The drop-in center will have a booth at the festival; if you would like to booth sit with us, please contact Miriam, 301.589.2303 X 108; email myarmolinsky@santegroup.org Booth sitters can arrange for shifts; we will need to set up at 10 a.m., and take down after 5 p.m.

Our current hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 4 - 7 p.m. (occasionally opening up earlier, or closing later), and Saturdays 1 - 5 p.m.
INFO: Miriam, 301.589.2303 X 108 or email myarmolinsky@santegroup.org

* If you'd like to be removed from this email list, please let me know, with UNSUBSCRIBE as subject, thanks! *

Miriam L. Yarmolinsky
Director
Silver Spring Drop-In Center at Affiliated Santé Group
7961 Eastern Ave., First Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Voice: (301) 589-2303 X 108; X 111 direct, during drop-in center hours
Fax: (301) 585-2965
myarmolinsky@santegroup.org
visit www.thesantegroup.org and click on Drop-In Center (left on menu)
~ The Silver Spring Drop-In Center's current hours of operation (for visiting the center) are M, T, and Th 4 - 7 pm, and Sat 1 - 5 pm.~
* If you have never visited the drop-in center before, please arrange for a brief interview beforehand. Membership applications are available online at https://dropin.thesantegroup.org/membership_application.htm or you can request an application in person. Thanks! *

Fw: [DC-clf] Advance Directives training and article

2007-04-11T21:39:00.000-04:00

Below is a very good article on Psychiatric Advance Directives and how they can help people in their recovery process. You also can access the article at this link: http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/marapr2007p20.shtml.

Also, I will be working with Dave Norman (attorney at Public Defender Service and former Acting General Counsel, DMH) in providing a pilot training on Advance Directives in DC on June 4 and 5 from 1:00`-4:00 PM. Would be great to have consumers attend and I think people might find it helpful. You can contact Patricia Porter on 202-671-4039 or Tonia Shelton on 202-671-4084 if you'd like to register for the trainings. Also, you can call me anytime if you have any questions.

For your reference, I'm giving you another link to the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives: www.nrc-pad.org. This web site is the product of collaboration between the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and Duke University and is a wonderful resource for DC and states across the country on Advance Directives. Hope you find all this helpful. Please pass the word. MB
-----------------------------------------------

March/April 2007

Get It in Writing Psychiatric Advance Directives
By Lynn K. Jones, DSW
Social Work Today
Vol. 7 No. 2 P. 20

A relatively new document may make a big difference in the quality of care your client receives in a mental health crisis.

"I was inpatient more than I was outpatient," says Mary Blake. "I was a frequent flyer." It has been a long journey to recovery, since high school, when Blake had her first psychotic break. She has been diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, "but I think that schizophrenia is the one that stuck," she says. Blake has spent many of the past 30 years, often years at a time, in psychiatric hospitals and community placements and has experienced firsthand nearly every mental health intervention. What helped turn her situation around, she believes, is her psychiatric advance directive (PAD).

PADs, like health advance directives, provide persons with mental health conditions the opportunity to determine in advance the treatments they would choose, should they become incapacitated. The PAD is a witnessed legal document and may include information about a healthcare power of attorneya trusted person who will make decisions and speak for the consumer when necessary.

Federal legislation supporting PADs has been around since 1991, when the Patient Self-Determination Act passed new requirements for healthcare facilities to implement advance directives. Since then, 25 states have passed legislation authorizing advance directives specifically for psychiatric patients.

Despite the increasing interest and support of PADs across the country, many social workers don't know anything about them and how they can be used to support the recovery of people with severe mental health conditions. A recent survey of mental health professionals in North Carolina found that two thirds of social workers lacked familiarity with PADs. "We found that clinicians are mostly supportive of PADs, once they're aware of them, but they've had very little experience with them," says Jeffrey W. Swanson, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. In North Carolina, PADs have been in effect since 1997, when the state legislature passed the Advance Instruction for Mental Health Treatment Act.

Developing PADs
Ideally, developing a PAD is a process that encourages reflection and dialogue, explains Anna M. Scheyett, MSW, clinical associate professor at the School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "It is not a one-shot deal."

For Blake, it was this dialogue that helped her turn the corner. "It was revolutionary for me when my psychiatrist first asked me to think about making decisions for myself. It was a painful processI had never experienced that before, and I didn't think that I was capable of making decisions about my treatment. But it was very helpful in breaking my institutional mindset, and it also gave me some hope."

Scheyett suggests that a challenge for social workers is facilitating this kind of discussion without becoming prescriptive. Exploring what does and doesn't work and what will be helpful in a crisis, without telling the person with a mental health condition "what they ought to include in their PAD," can be difficult.

"I think the beauty of the PAD, if it is done well, is that it allows for deeper conversations between the social worker and the consumer about what is really going on," explains Blake. "So, for example, when the consumer says, 'I reject Haldol; I don't want Haldol under any circumstance,' even though the social worker may have the viewpoint, 'It is the Haldol that keeps you calm,' the conversation doesn't end there. It allows for more meaningful conversation because the consumer has the right to say why they don't like Haldol. It is a structured way for the consumer to explain what may be very difficult to explain. And it may not be in one conversationit may be many conversations over six months."

Don't rush the process of developing a PAD, cautions Scheyett. "It is hard to think about what your life was like when you were in crisis, and that takes time," she says.

Blake explains, "If we have a hard time articulating our experience and what helps, it doesn't mean that we aren't able to. It just means that we need to find a way to do that. There is no timetable [for] a PAD. The PAD should be carefully thought out and should allow for much deeper conversation."

Blake advises that social workers who are helping people develop a PAD should ask them to talk to many different people regarding it. "Different people will help you to see things in a different way. Or they may help you to articulate what you weren't able to in a clinical setting."

Blake's PAD has evolved over the years. Her early PADs focused on helping her caregivers identify the symptoms that would necessitate hospitalization. "The idea was for me to be hospitalized before I was too far gone because it took so long for me to rebound from that. Every down cycle required a longer period to bounce back." Breaking this downward spiral was the beginning of Blake's recovery. As Blake's PAD developed, it also addressed issues, such as what medication she would prefer and how seclusion and restraint should be handled.

Blake says:"What was really remarkable was when the PAD started to become a recovery plan, and I was able to learn coping strategies that the hospital never taught me. The PAD was a legal document set up for me as a last resort to help me gain more control. But as a clinical document, it was able to stop me from going into a full-blown psychotic episode. I compare it to the experience of a brittle diabetic: when your blood sugar goes up and down, up and down, that is when your organs really start to pay a price. My experience with my psychosis was that when I could even out the severity of my episodes, I could work out coping strategies for myself; that is very hard to do when you are sick."

Schyett says her adrenaline gets going when she talks about PADs. "What is exciting is that the process and the conversations that result are, in and of themselves, very positive and can really help people move toward recovery. The dialogue builds a stronger therapeutic alliance with the social worker. You are honoring the person's lived experience, and that is empowering. It also starts building greater trust." The bottom line: "More engagement, better trust, more effective social work."

Blake agrees: "The real empowerment work was with me. I needed all the various tools and supports to help me to figure it out the best that I could. The PAD as a tool was just unbelievable. It is the whole idea of self-directed care. If I hadn't had the PAD, I would still be institutionalizedI am convinced of it."

PADs: Roadmaps to Recovery
Marvin Swartz, MD, professor and head of the division of social and community psychiatry at the Duke University School of Medicine, and Jeffrey W. Swanson, PhD, became convinced that PADs are an important innovation in reducing coercive treatment for people with severe mental illness. They began studying the experiences of people who had used a PAD in crisis. Because clinicians often fear a person with a severe mental health condition will use the PAD as a way to refuse all treatment or to demand unreasonable interventions, "like Ginkgo for psychotic episodes," Swartz studied what people actually wrote in their PADs.

Were the clinician's fears founded? "No," says Swartz. "Generally, consumers included a mix of what they wanted or didn't want. Nobody refused all treatment and all medication." (See sidebar for what consumers want in their PADs.)

Swanson says one request that comes up in most people's PADs is that they want to be treated with respect. "I think it is a commentary [on society] that people think that they need a legal document to be treated with respect, but people do put that in a lot."

Swartz suggests that engaging in the process of developing a PAD with a clinician, such as a social worker, helps a person with a severe mental health condition write advance directives that are feasible and consistent with community practice.

The PADs Experience
What do the stories of those who have used PADs tell? According to Swanson, some stories have been hopeful, and some are cautionary tales about what can go wrong.

In one case, everything that could go wrong did, and nothing in the PAD was followed. It was such a disaster that Swanson assumed that the person would say his PAD "wasn't worth the paper that it is written on." On the contrary, he said, "this is the best thing that I have ever done!" The man believed his experience showed PADs are necessary, but "we just need to work on getting the system to follow what they say." Swanson believes that if everything goes wrong that can go wrong and it is still the best thing a person has done for himself, then that is compelling evidence. "Now this man keeps his PAD in the visor of his car so he can take it everywhere he goes. I think that story shows the problems and also what these documents mean. PADs take on a symbolic, as well as a real, role in people's lives, especially people who have felt disempowered and helpless."

Sometimes the PAD works just the way it should, however. When one participant in Swanson's study was admitted to the hospital, she said, "The doctor didn't treat me like a nut case, because some do. Do you know what the doctor said to me? He said, 'You've got rights, and it is great that you know that you have them.' That's what he said to me! And he said, 'Now you know your rights, and we'll try to respect those completely.' That's the purpose of the PAD."

Facilitating Effective Treatment
One benefit of developing a PAD is that it collects important information critical to a person's mental health treatment into one document. In a fragmented mental health system where many consumers have a tendency to be transient, "it creates a précis of someone's clinical history and treatment record," says Swartz. "That is just enormously helpful in a person's treatmentit helps the provider get a better fix on what is going on, what has worked, and what the diagnosis is."

Another benefit is that it allows, through the healthcare power of attorney, family members and others to share important information and to be designated to be able to do so. Without the PAD, issues of confidentiality obstruct communication. "If you include in your PAD a healthcare power of attorney, then as soon as you are in crisis for incapacity, a family member or other designated person can be fully informed of the situation, make decisions, and share important information that might not be otherwise known. All of a sudden, this veil of secrecy around treatment is lifted," says Swartz.

PADs can usually be kept anywhere the consumer chooses. Some states have electronic vaultsessentially an electronic directory for both health advance directives and PADswhere a PAD can be securely filed and accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere. For states that don't have electronic vaults, the national organization, the United States Living Will Registry, is an option. "[Hurricane] Katrina illustrated the problem of having fixed records in one place," says Swartz.

Perhaps the most important benefit is that the PAD can be regularly revisited so it accurately reflects the consumer's wishes. Blake says, "As we change and grow in our knowledge of ourselves, our recovery and support systems, our specific instructions may evolve. In this way, the PAD is a useful tool for assessing people's movement in self-direction and recovery."

Role for Social Workers
For Blake, even though her days of being a "frequent flyer" seem to be over, she still has a PAD. She is a firm believer. As the director of training and communications of the Consumer Action Network in Washington, DC, she is trying to help professionals and consumers learn about the value of PADs. "We use the concept of the PAD in everything we do."

According to Swartz and Swanson's research, two thirds of the people studied said that, if given help, they would develop a PAD. But only 3% to 5% of people with severe mental health conditions actually have PADs. This gap between the demand for PADs and the existence of them suggests an important place for social workers to step in and help people with severe mental health conditions write PADs, which may well change the course of their lives. Scheyett says that in addition, social workers can play an important role in the education of providers about PADs, advocating not only for access to PADs for all individuals with mental health conditions but also ensuring that PADs are honored when they are used.

"My family was told that I was custodial," says Blake. "It has been slow; it has not been, 'Whee now I'm cured!' But I have done very well. And I know my PAD was a very big part of how well I have done."

Lynn K. Jones, DSW, is a freelance writer and an executive coach and organizational consultant in Santa Barbara, CA. As a specialist in organizational culture, she supports leaders and organizations in developing mission-driven cultures.

What Consumers Want in their PADs
Marvin Swartz, MD, professor and head of the division of social and community psychiatry at the Duke University School of Medicine, and Jeffrey W. Swanson, PhD, studied what people want in their PADs. Everyone they studied listed at least one risk factor for relapse and 20% provided detailed descriptions of what they looked like when they are decompensating; 94% gave advanced consent to treatment with at least one psychotropic medication; 77% refused some medication, and the vast majority of those (76%) gave reasons for their refusalmostly side effects of the medication. No participant refused all treatment and all medication; 88% gave advanced consent to hospitalization in at least one facility; 62% documented advanced refusal of admission to a particular hospital; 52% wrote instructions to staff on ways to reduce or avoid the reliance on seclusion and restraint; 62% refused electroconvulsive therapy in any circumstance; 16% listed additional medical conditions they wanted providers to be aware of, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and hypertension; 28% documented medication or food allergies.

It is important to note that some states preclude disallowing certain treatments in advance. Also, if a specific directive is written in a PAD, and it is not feasible in the situation, the healthcare facility does not have to follow it.

LKJ

Resources for Developing PADs
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has developed templates for psychiatric advance directives (PADs) that can be downloaded and used as a starting point for developing a PAD.

The National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives is an online resource available for patients, families, and clinicians to learn about PADs and obtain up-to-date information on PADs (along with links to information about the legislation and development in various states): www.nrc-pad.org

Other organizations that can provide helpful information about PADs are:

The Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.

Disability Rights Center

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Mental Health Association

Mary M. Blake, Director of Training/Communications
Consumer Action Network

TEL: 202.842.0001
FAX: 202.842.2685
E-mail: mblake@can-dc.org OR info@can-dc.org

1300 L St., NW -- Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005

BEATNIKS CLUB HOSTS COUNTY POLICE & CRISIS CENTER, WEDNESDAY NIGHT APRIL 11TH.

2007-04-09T11:12:00.000-04:00

Please post this to your respective mental health list-serves as soon as conveniently possible. Thanks!!
------------------------------------------------------------
From: Peter R. "Beatnik Pete" Warner peterwarner2@mac.com
To: dc-clf@yahoogroups.com
Date: April 09, 2007 02:02:39 AM EDT
Subject: BEATNIKS CLUB HOSTS COUNTY POLICE & CRISIS CENTER, WEDNESDAY NIGHT APRIL 11TH.

Want to know what's up, as Montgomery County, Maryland shifts from a "criminal paradigm" to a "mental health paradigm" re: consumers who run afoul of the law? As the County Council mulls 24-hour-per-day operation of the Crisis Center? What the criteria are, for forcible involuntary commitment to a mental hospital by the police?

Join the Bethesda Beatniks Club Wednesday night, April 11th, as we host veteran County Police Officer Joan Logan, and Crisis Center Manager Mike Chappell for a lecture and lengthy Q&A session after dinner.

WHEN: Wednesday night, April 11th, dinner starts 6:30pm, lecture starts 7:15pm.
WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop. Free valet parking.
QUESTIONS? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###
-----------------------------------------------------------
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

BEATNIKS CLUB "ANGEL" BTC OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE HOARDING PSYCHO-EDUCATION GROUP STARTING TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

2007-04-05T02:28:00.000-04:00

Subject: BEATNIKS CLUB "ANGEL" BTC OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE HOARDING
PSYCHO-EDUCATION GROUP STARTING TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

The internationally-known Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington,
managed by Dr. Charles Mansueto, Ph.D., offers mental health consumers
throughout the greater Washington DC area cutting-edge group therapy for
compulsive hoarding, commencing tonight (Thursday, April 5th). Interested
mental health consumers are encouraged to call Dr. Bell (see below) for
further information, and may attend the first session at no charge to see if
it is a good "fit" for them. Several BTC Ph.D. therapists, including Dr.
Charley himself, have spoken to the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club; the
Beatniks heartily endorse this program.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###

From: "Dr. Elspeth Bell" <ebellphd@yahoo.com>
To: <peterwarner2@mac.com>
Date: April 04, 2007 07:51:37 PM EDT
Subject: BTC offering Introductory Hoarding Group

Compulsive Hoarding Group
Thursday Evenings
April 5th ? May 24th
7:00pm ? 9:00pm

**Registration has been extended through April 20th with make-up sessions
offered**

To register for this group or to request further information regarding
hoarding-related services,
please contact:
Elspeth Bell, Ph.D. at 301-593-4040, ext. 237

The group will help answer the following questions:
* What is hoarding?
* Why is it so difficult to let go of seemingly useless items?
* How do I organize so many different things?
* Why are decisions so difficult to make?
* How did my belongings take control of my life?

The Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington offers an introductory
group for individuals who
struggle with hoarding and its impact on their lives. This 8-week group
uses Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy (CBT) strategies to:
* educate you about hoarding,
* develop skills to address hoarding problems,
* address barriers to overcoming hoarding,
* and develop strategies for working with setbacks.

Topics addressed include:
* Manifestations of hoarding
* Causes of hoarding
* Emotional Attachment and Erroneous Beliefs
* Reinforcement of new behaviors
* Replacement of past behaviors
* Strategies for letting go and getting organized
* Making goals

Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington
11227 Lockwood Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Tel: 301-593-4040
Fax: 301-593-9148

Elspeth N. Bell, Ph.D.
Psychology Associate

Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington
11227 Lockwood Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20901
(301) 593-4040, x. 237
(301) 593-9148 (Fax)

------------------------------
The information contained in this transmission is private. It may also be
legally privileged and/or confidential information of the sender or a third
party, authorized only for the use of the intended recipient. If you are
not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, distribution, or copying of
this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message
in error, please return the original message and notify the sender
immediately. ###

To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list, send a message to
info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through

http://www.dcmhcl.org/

Download the Spectrum broadcast via the Beatniks home page of "Day of the Book" radio special Sunday, April 1.

2007-04-04T23:52:00.000-04:00

Download and Catch the ABC Radio/WJZW/"Smooth Jazz" unber-producer Thomas
Grooms' half-hour
special about "First Annual Beatniks' Rite of Spring Open-Mic Mental
Health Poetry Marathon," and "Old Town Kensington International Day of the
Book 2007" festival Sunday morning, April 1, at 6:00am EST;or click on the
link just below to download.

http://bethesdabeatniks.homestead.com/Smooth_Jazz_105.9_Spectrum_4.1.2007_show.mp3

" Beatnik event will take place Wednesday night, April 25th, at Alfio's
Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue in
Friendship Heights, Maryland. Comments? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

A special thanks to all of you on the SmoothJazz 105.9 ABC Radio Network!!
from Phillip at http://www.NationalHealth.US for a copy of the broadcast.

Join host Tom Grooms on Sunday mornings, 6:00AM-7:00AM for informative
discussions with guests from local government, business, non-profit
organizations and the private sector about topics that affect you and your
community.

http://www.smoothjazz1059.com/Article.asp?id=237760
For Sunday April 1st , 2007

Our guest this week will be Mr. Pete Warner, Founder of the Bethesda
Beatniks Club, Ms. Miriam Yarmolinski, Director of the Silver Spring Drop in
Center, Ms. Beth Youkel, Organizer for "The Third Annual Town of Kensington
Day of the Book Festival 2007" and Mr. Larry Moffi, Author of "The
Conscience of the Game"...Our focus will be the Silver Spring Drop in Center
and the programs and services offered for Montgomery County adults who have
experienced mental health difficulties.Other highlights will include the
reading of Poetry by some of the Poets participating in two very special
events. (1) The Day of the Book Festival on April 22nd. in the Town of
Kensington, Maryland and (2) The First Annual Rite of Spring Open Mic Poetry
Marathon on April 25th in Friendship Heights, Maryland.For more information
please call 301-589-2303 ext 1087 or 301-279-2578 or visit

www.bethesdabeatniks.org or

www.dayofthebook.com or

www.TheSanteGroup.org

------------------------------------------------------------
To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list,
send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line of message.

BEATNIKS CLUB "ANGEL" BTC OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE HOARDING PSYCHO-EDUCATION GROUP STARTING TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

2007-04-04T23:08:00.000-04:00

The internationally-known Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington, managed by Dr. Charles Mansueto, Ph.D., offers mental health consumers throughout the greater Washington DC area cutting-edge group therapy for compulsive hoarding, commencing tonight (Thursday, April 5th). Interested mental health consumers are encouraged to call Dr. Bell (see below) for further information, and may attend the first session at no charge to see if it is a good "fit" for them. Several BTC Ph.D. therapists, including Dr. Charley himself, have spoken to the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club; the Beatniks heartily endorse this program.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###

>From: "Dr. Elspeth Bell" <ebellphd@yahoo.com>
>To: <peterwarner2@mac.com>
>Date: April 04, 2007 07:51:37 PM EDT
>Subject: BTC offering Introductory Hoarding Group
>
>Compulsive Hoarding Group
>Thursday Evenings
>April 5th ? May 24th
>7:00pm ? 9:00pm
>
>
>**Registration has been extended through April 20th with make-up sessions offered**
>
>To register for this group or to request further information regarding hoarding-related services,
>please contact:
>Elspeth Bell, Ph.D. at 301-593-4040, ext. 237
>
>
>The group will help answer the following questions:
> * What is hoarding?
> * Why is it so difficult to let go of seemingly useless items?
> * How do I organize so many different things?
> * Why are decisions so difficult to make?
> * How did my belongings take control of my life?
>
>The Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington offers an introductory group for individuals who
>struggle with hoarding and its impact on their lives. This 8-week group uses Cognitive-Behavioral
>Therapy (CBT) strategies to:
> * educate you about hoarding,
> * develop skills to address hoarding problems,
> * address barriers to overcoming hoarding,
> * and develop strategies for working with setbacks.
>
>Topics addressed include:
> * Manifestations of hoarding
> * Causes of hoarding
> * Emotional Attachment and Erroneous Beliefs
> * Reinforcement of new behaviors
> * Replacement of past behaviors
> * Strategies for letting go and getting organized
> * Making goals
>
>
>Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington
>11227 Lockwood Drive
>Silver Spring, MD 20901
>Tel: 301-593-4040
>Fax: 301-593-9148
>
>
>
>Elspeth N. Bell, Ph.D.
>Psychology Associate
>
>Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington
>11227 Lockwood Drive
>Silver Spring, MD 20901
>(301) 593-4040, x. 237
>(301) 593-9148 (Fax)
>
>------------------------------
>The information contained in this transmission is private. It may also be legally privileged and/or confidential information of the sender or a third party, authorized only for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, distribution, or copying of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please return the original message and notify the sender immediately. ###

To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list, send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with
"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line.

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations

2007-04-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations: "National Coalition of Mental Health
Consumer/Survivor Organizations"

The Power of a National Voice:
The Coalition Enters a New Era
On November 28, 2006, the collective voice of the mental health consumer/survivor movement was heard on Capitol Hill for the first time. On that day, two representatives of the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations had hour-long meetings with aides to Senator Edward Kennedy (Health and Human Services Authorization), Senator Tom Harkin (chair of the subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Appropriations) and Congressman Patrick Kennedy (House lead on mental health).

[Click for more]

Notes From Our First In Person
(Face-to-Face) Organizational Meeting
October 26, 2006, Portland, Oregon
The room was filled to capacity - 130 consumer/survivors from across the country gathered to continue organizing our national voice. This was a time of great celebration and anticipation. We are putting old differences aside and coming together in a new spirit of cooperation to form our own genuine voice. We declared that our movement rallies behind the principle of nothing about us without us.

After music, pizza, salad, greeting one another and socializing, the town meeting style gathering began. Everyone received a handout of information on the coalition to date, such as the mission, statement of purpose, website, and a membership application. We had a circular seating pattern, with seven members of the steering committee or their alternates (Dan Fisher, Joseph Rogers, Sally Zinman, Mary Blake, Emily Hoffman, Doug DeVoe, and Jane Winterling) and our newly hired director of Public Policy, Lauren Spiro introducing themselves.

Dan Fisher gave a summary of our progress in organizing in the last six months. Though there have been several attempts to form a national voice of consumer/survivors over the last 20 years, the conditions seem most favorable now. We as a people are realizing that our need to organize outweighs our need to assert our individual differences. The constant threats to the SAMHSA funding of 19 statewide consumer/survivor groups, Alternatives Conferences, and TA centers have to be countered. There is a threat to the very existence of SAMHSA. There is a need to ensure that the recommendations of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Report (www.mentalhealthcommission.gov) for a transformation to a recovery-based, consumer-driven system are carried out. There has been the growth of a number of strong statewide organizations.

The current building of trust among consumer/survivor leaders enables a new cooperation. Dan described that in May, the National Empowerment Center (NEC) obtained a grant from the Public Welfare Foundation for the purpose of organizing a national coalition. (The early history of the Coalition is on this website). The purpose of the meeting was to report on progress to date, to introduce the Steering Committee and Lauren Spiro, and especially to gain feedback from the gathered representatives to help guide the further formation of the Coalition. Each of the Steering Committee members then gave a brief talk on what they would like to see this Coalition become.

[Click here for full story]

DOWNLOAD TOM GROOMS/ABC RADIO SPECIAL ABOUT BEATNIKS/"DAY OF THE BOOK" TUESDAY-FRIDAY.

2007-04-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

Dear friends of the Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club:

Due to an unexpected technical snafu--a computer server crashed--most of
you were unable to download, and listen to, the terrific half-hour ABC
Radio/Tom Grooms/WJZW/"Smooth Jazz" half-hour pub affairs special about
the upcoming Beatniks' poetry night and "Kensington Day of the Book 2007"
happening later this month, from Saturday through today. Please follow
the link below and try again tomorrow, anytime Tuesday through next
Friday, April 6th.
http://www.smoothjazz1059.com/Article.asp?id=237760
and
Attn: the file of the show will be posted to the beatniks home page later this week possable.
http://www.smoothjazz1059.com/getpodcast.aspx?sid=0&lid=5121&id=237760&source=2&url=http://podcasting.fia.net/5121/1139144.wma

Tom Grooms asked Pete late last night to "call off the dogs," SO PLEASE DO
NOT SEND THE STATION ANY MORE E-MAILS, COMPLAINING THAT YOU ARE UNABLE TO
DOWNLOAD THIS EYE-OPENING PROGRAM. Our good friend Tom was flooded with
them, and he got the message.

Thank you.

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org

###

Poetry rehearsal this Thursday.

2007-04-02T15:58:00.000-04:00

Dear advanced, beginner, & intermediate poets: The Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club and the "Day of the Book 2007" festival will hold their 3rd poetry dress rehearsal with three pro musicians and a pro sound engineer this Thursday afternoon and evening, April 5th, at Panera's Bread coffee shop on Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, Maryland, two blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and the Friendship Heights Metro stop. Complimentary coffee and sandwiches will be served. Please bring three copies each of your best original poetry, and arrive as close to 5:00pm as possible. Questions? Call Pete at (301)279-2578. ###

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

[tenac] Empower DC, 4/3/07, DC Budget Training: What's in it, What's Been Cut, What You Can Do!

2007-04-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

--- Parisa Norouzi <parisa@empowerdc.org> wrote:
>
> Subject: 4/3/07 DC Budget Training: What's in it,
> What's Been Cut, What You Can Do!
>
> DC Budget Training
>
> How is the City Spending Your Money?
>
> Affordable Housing, Child Care - Are the programs
> you care about being funded?
>
> Mayor Fenty has submitted his budget to the City
> Council, and now they will hold hearings and make
> final changes. Already $4.5 million has been cut
> from Child Care that we will need to fight to restore.
> What else has been cut? Find out.
>
> Tues, April 3rd 6:30-8:30 PM
>
> 1419 V St, NW - 1st floor conference room
>
> Training Provided by DC Fiscal Policy Institute
>
> For more info contact Empower DC (202) 234-9119
>
> Parisa B. Norouzi
>
> Co-Director/Organizer
>
> District of Columbia Grassroots Empowerment Project
> Empower DC)
> 1419 V St, NW
> Washington, DC 20009
> (202) 234-9119
>
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
> TV dinner still cooling?
> Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV.
> http://tv.yahoo.com/
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beatniks/"Day of the Book" radio special Sunday, April 1.

2007-03-31T19:09:00.000-04:00

Catch ABC Radio/WJZW/"Smooth Jazz" uber-producer Thomas Grooms' half-hour special about "First Annual Beatniks' Rite of Spring Open-Mic Mental Health Poetry Marathon," and "Old Town Kensington International Day of the Book 2007" festival Sunday morning, April 1, at 6:00am EST;or click on the link below, then click "download now." Beatnik event will take place Wednesday night, April 25th, at Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue in Friendship Heights, Maryland. Comments? Call Pete at (301)279-2578.

http://www.smoothjazz1059.com/Article.asp?id=237760

This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through http://www.dcmhcl.org/

It's culpable and Mentally cruel of our US Congress not to give DC citzens a full voting member of, Join us in a march 4/16/07.

2007-03-25T15:01:00.000-04:00

Demand The Vote. March With Us On April 16.

Where: Gather at Freedom Plaza and March on the capitol, is the Park at 14th and Constution St NW

When: 2:30 PM, April 16, DC Emancipation Day

What: Voting Rights March--

The Largest Demonstration Ever for DC Voting Rights

Why: Because Congress Heeds To Hear:

No More Taxation Without Representation!

Join the Voting Rights March.

Visit http://votingrightsmarch.org to register, learn more and help spread the word.

Brief Strategic Family Therapy Training Tampa, Florida April 12-15, 2007

2007-03-12T17:37:00.000-04:00

Family Therapy Training Institute of Miami

Level I

Level I Training:

Tampa, Florida April 12-15, 2007

Conducted By:

Olga E. Hervis, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.

Co-author / Co-developer

Director, Family Therapy Training Institute of Miami

Olga E. Hervis is the co-author and co-developer of Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) © and Family Effectiveness Therapy (FET). BSFT is a nationally recognized-award winning, evidence-based, effective and practical approach to reducing problem behaviors, eliminating substance avuse risk factors, and strengthening families.

Workshop for Clinicians
This Brief Strategic Family Therapy workshop features an overview of the model and basic concepts. Completion of Level I Training can be applied toward training requirements for certification in Brief Strategic Family Therapy© (time restrictions may apply). Sixteen (16) CEUs/contact hours available for mental health professionals, addictions prevention/treatment counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, health professionals.

Program Agenda
Thursday, April 12 to Sunday, April 15

Arrive Thursday afternoon / early evening

Depart Sunday noon

Research and Theoretical Foundation
Systemic Diagnostic Process for Use with Families
Skills for Forming the Therapeutic System
Restructuring Techniques
Skills to Diagnose and Engage Resistant Families
Overcoming Common Obstacles to Working Systemically

Training format includes lecture, videotape presentations, case presentation and interactive trainee participation

Registration & Cost Information
Register before April 1st

Registration Fee: $325 per person (before April 1st)

$400 per person (after April 1st)

Click here to request a registration form:

kshea@bsft-av.com

Visit our Website: www.bsft-av.com

For more information contact:

Kathleen A. Shea, Ph.D.

Administrator

kshea@bsft-av.com

305-668-0850 (direct)

Special Announcement

Level I Training: Tampa, Florida

April 12-15, 2007

Program Agenda

Registration Information

This message was sent from Kathleen A. Shea to pkq66@erols.com. It was sent from: FTTIM, 2000 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 104, Miami, Florida 33133. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.

To be removed click here

Beatniks' NIMH Night this Wednesday, March 14th.

2007-03-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

> Dear friends of the Maryland-based "Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club" for
> mental health consumers, family members and friends: The Club hosts the
> National Institute of Mental Health at Alfio's restaurant in Friendship
> Heights, MD this coming Wednesday night, March 14th. Two top
> doctor/scientists--one from the bipolar branch and one from the
> schizophrenia unit--will discuss the latest research findings, and field
> questions from the audience. In addition, patient recruiters from the
> many ongoing NIMH clinical drug trials will be on hand to answer
> questions.
>
> WHEN: Wednesday night, March 14th, 2007. Dinner starts 6:30pm, lectures
> start 7:15pm.
> WHERE: Alfio's Trattoria, 4515 Willard Avenue, Friendship Heights, MD,
> right across the District line, three blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue and
> the Friendship Heights Metro stop on the Red Line. Free valet parking.
>
> No RSVP necessary--just show up.
>
> Questions? Call Beatnik Pete at (301)279-2578. ###
>
> To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list, send a message to
> info@dcmhcl.org with
> "remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line.
>
>
> This message was sent via dcmhcllist, a mailing list created through
> http://www.dcmhcl.org/

March 07 events, calendar

2007-03-10T14:55:00.000-05:00

----- Original Message -----
From: "Yarmolinsky, Miriam"
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 2:12 PM
Subject: March 07 events, calendar

March calendar finally out, 1 page in PDF. If you do not have the free Adobe
Acrobat PDF Reader, you can download it here for FREE:
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Synopsis of the rest of the month (please note there are some days where
suggestions for activities would be great!):
Today, Sat. March 10: NAMI C.A.R.E. support group, 3 - 4:30 pm (Open 1 to 5
pm)

Monday March 12: Open 4 to 9 pm (NAMI Peer to Peer class 5 of 10 starts at
6:45 pm; the kitchen and the back rooms will not be accessible as of 6:30
pm);
We welcome suggestions for activities!
(Games, movies, art, writing, poetry, impromptu support groups?)

Tuesday March 13:
Steering Committee meeting, 2 - 3:30 pm, back room?
Open 4 - 7 pm
Workplace support group, 6 - 7 pm

Thursday March 15: Open 4 - 7 pm
Miriam will be attending an ABC studio taping of poetry by SSDIC members
along w/ Pete Warner of the Bethesda Beatniks; please submit more poetry
before then! There will be another meeting at Alfio's in Chevy Chase
(Willard Ave., visit alfios.com starting 5:30 pm to rehearse). People are
welcome to come to Alfio's, contact Pete Warner at 301 279 2578 or visit
www.bethesdabeatniks.org for more information

Saturday March 17:
OFFSITE: Disclosing Mental Illness in the Workplace, 1 - 3 pm at Warner
Memorial Presbyterian Church, 10123 Washington St. (off of Connecticut Ave.
in Kensington). Please RSVP to NAMI Montgomery County office by no later
than Thursday March 15, 12 pm, at 301 949 5852.
ONSITE: The drop-in center will be open 1 - 5 pm; there will also be Pet
Therapy (a visit from Arwin, Maggie's Siberian Husky) visiting probably
around 2 pm.

Monday March 19: Open 3:15 - 9 pm
Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation: 3:45 to 4:45 pm with Leah Harris
NAMI Peer-to-Peer class 6 of 10, 6:45 to 9 pm

Tuesday March 20: Open 4 - 7 pm
Pizza Eve, 3rd Tues of the month, 5 pm. Please RSVP! Donations accepted!
(even a dollar or two would help defray our costs)

Thursday March 22: Open 4 - 7 pm
Poetry with JoAnne Growney, 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Friday March 23:
OFFSITE, for NAMI Peer-to-Peer graduates and current students: NAMI
Peer-to-Peer Graduate and current student reunion, 6:30 pm at Tastee Diner,
8601 Cameron St., SS, MD 20910. (Tastee Diner's phone # was 301-589-8171)
(please RSVP to Sarah Karney by Monday 3/19, to 301 949-5852 X 105 or email
p2p@namimc.org <mailto:p2p@namimc.org> or skarney@namimc.org
<mailto:skarney@namimc.org> )

Saturday March 24: Open 1 - 5 pm
NAMI C.A.R.E. 3 - 4:30 pm

Monday March 26: Open 4 - 9 pm
We welcome suggestions for activities!
(Games, movies, art, writing, poetry, impromptu support groups?)
NAMI Peer to Peer class 7 of 10, 6:45 to 9 pm

Tuesday March 27: Open 4 - 7 pm
March Birthdays starting 4:30 pm; please RSVP!

Thursday March 29: Open 4 - 7 pm
We welcome suggestions for activities!
(Games, movies, art, writing, poetry, impromptu support groups?)

Saturday March 31: Open 1 - 5 pm
We welcome suggestions for activities!
(Games, movies, art, writing, poetry, impromptu support groups?)

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Tue 3/6/2007 5:05 PM
Subject: Disclosure of Mental Illness in Workplace, thrue NAMI MC, Sat.
March 17, 07, 1 - 3 pm, please register

Attached is the PDF flyer for this event on disclosing about mental illness
in the workplace, Sat. March 17, 1 - 3 pm, at Warner Memorial Presbyterian
Church, 10123 Washington St. (off of Connecticut Ave. in Kensington). Please
RSVP up to Thursday March 15 at NAMI MC office (NOT THROUGH ME!), 301 949
5852 or namioffice@namimc.org

We will have the drop in center open that day, but Miriam may be attending
this event, and will return to drop in center afterwards (Mychele will keep
the center open regular hours, 1 - 5 pm)

Maybe some of us could carpool back to the drop in after the event in
Kensington!

________________________________

From: Yarmolinsky, Miriam
Sent: Mon 3/5/2007 8:43 PM
Subject: Poetry participants rehearsal Tuesday March 6, 5 pm here, for
Thursday March 8 event in Chevy Chase

From Peter Warner:
(Please note that the event says 5 pm at the drop in center, and it can go
on until 7 pm, although I will be leaving at 6:15 pm to go to a Board
Meeting elsewhere. Pete and Ron Goad will probably stay til 7 pm.)

To: All budding Silver Spring Drop-in Center Poets.

Tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday March 6th 5:00 pm at Drop-in Center: Calling all
poets!! Come rehearse your best original material with professional
drum-player and mental health consumer Ron Goad, prepping for the taping of
a series of radio spots Thursday afternoon by WTOP Radio's "Man About Town"
DJ Bob Madigan at Alfio's Trattoria restaurant in Friendship Heights, three
blocks from Friendship Heights Metro. "Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"
manager "Beatnik Pete" Warner will also be on hand to answer questions about
heavily-publicized consumer open-mic poetry night marathon, to be held April
25th also at Alfio's with--count them--five professional musicians backing
up the poets. Don't be shy--beginning poets welcome. Here's your chance to
get commercial radio exposure, and quite possibly "Montgomery Gazette"
exposure too, for your creative work and your personal story. ###

Beatnik Pete/"Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club"/www.bethesdabeatniks.org ###

[DC-clf] THE CLF NEEDS YOU PLEASE TO ATTEND DPRA EVENT MONDAY MARCH 12th

2007-03-09T19:28:00.000-05:00

Thank you for RSVPing for the DRPA Letter Delivery Day! It looks like we'll
>have about 10 people participating. Attached is a one-page fact sheet that
>provides an overview of the bill and the budget needs. We'll be using this
>as our talking points.
>
>As a reminder, the details are:
>
>WHAT: DRPA Letter Delivery Day
>DATE: Monday March 12, 2007
>TIME: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
>WHERE: John A. Wilson Building
> 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
>CELL: 202-486-3567
>
>MEET: Let's officially convene inside the building on the first floor, in
>the "lobby" area just beyond the security gates on the Pennsylvania Avenue
>(front side of the building at the top of the front stair). This is one
>floor up from the accessible entrance on the front side; the elevator will
>take you directly up. If you're running late or for any reason having
>trouble getting in or finding us, call my cell at 202-486-3567. We will
>also
>have a lookout person out front.
>
>Once we're all together we can go over logistics. This is an easy and fun
>event. Several offices plan to have staff members speak with us and at
>least
>one office has indicated we may get to say hello to the Councilmember,
>although I assume that will be brief.
>
>Again, thank you so much!! I'll look forward to seeing you all Monday. Many
>thanks and all the best, TJ
>
>---------------------------------
>T.J. Sutcliffe, Director of Advocacy & Public Policy
>The Arc of the District of Columbia
>817 Varnum Street, NE Suite 229
>Washington, DC 20017
>Phone: (202) 636-2963 / Fax: (202) 529-1854
>Email: tjsutcliffe@arcdc.net
>Web site: http://www.arcdc.net

__________________________________________________________
Find what you need at prices you’ll love. Compare products and save at MSN®
Shopping.
http://shopping.msn.com/default/shp/?ptnrid=37,ptnrdata=24102&tcode=T001MSN20A0701

__._,_.___

Messages in this topic () Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

Fund the Disability Rights Protection Act of 2006!

While 1 in 5, or approximately 114,000, DC residents is a person with a disability, individuals with disabilities are too often unable to access DC government buildings and services.

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires the DC government to be open and accessible to people with disabilities. However, for many years the DC government has not had an overall plan, the knowledge or the means to make sure this happens. As a result, people with disabilities are often excluded from much-needed government services and DC has been repeatedly sued for violating disability rights laws under the ADA.

The Disability Rights Protection Act

The Disability Rights Protection Act of 2006 will become law on March 12, 2006. The law will:

Create a city-wide ADA Compliance Program. All DC government agencies will have an ADA Coordinator, and will have a plan for how the agency will be accessible to people with disabilities.
Create an Office of Disability Rights. The Office will oversee the city-wide ADA Compliance Plan and help DC government agencies learn how to be more accessible. It will also help people with disabilities who have questions about their disability rights.
Put the Mayor’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities in the Office of Disability Rights so that people with disabilities have a voice in the new Office.

Benefits

Ø Making DC a better place for individuals with disabilities to live, work and play.

Ø Helping people with disabilities access DC government buildings and services.

Ø Giving DC agencies the know-how to assist people with disabilities.

Ø Saving DC money by reducing costly lawsuits against the DC government.

Ø Making sure the Mayor and public have the information needed to improve the city’s accessibility year after year.

Funding Needed for Implementation

The Disability Rights Protection Act will not take effect without funding. Mayor Fenty has committed to implement the new Office of Disability Rights with 4 staff members in FY 2007 and 10 staff members in FY 2008, at an estimated cost of $1.5 to $2.0 million for FY 2008.

Community Support

The Disability Rights Protection Act is supported by DC residents with disabilities and 69 community organizations which formally endorse the legislation.

For more information, contact Amber W. Harding, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless,

(202) 328-5503 or T.J. Sutcliffe, The Arc of DC, (202) 636-2963.

Alternatives 2007

2007-03-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

Alternatives 2007

HealthSquare

2007-02-24T20:33:00.000-05:00

HealthSquare

Women's Health Vital information on major women's health concerns. From Major Illnesses to Common Disorders. Details on their symptoms, causes and treatments.
Men's Health Detailed information regarding men's health concerns. Including Treatments, Conditions and Symptoms.
Drugs and Medicines Accurate, up-to-date information on the major FDA approved prescription drug products.
Sex, Reproduction, and Birth Control What you should know about: Reproduction, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) and Birth Control.
Lung Cancer Learn more about lung cancer and treatment options.

WEB CHAT ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY WITH SAMHSA ADMINISTRATOR

2007-02-23T10:34:00.000-05:00

> Media Advisory
>>
>> In an effort to improve access to quality, effective mental health care
>> and overcome the obstacles of stigma, the Bush Administration recently
>> announced the formation of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. -
>> charged to study the problems and gaps in our current system of mental
>> health treatment and make concrete recommendations for immediate
>> improvements to be implemented at the federal, state and community level
>> as well as public and private health care providers.
>>
>> SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W., will host an
>> online
>> discussion to discuss mental health parity and the President's New
>> Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Issues to be addressed include
>> identifying needs of patients, examining barriers to care and
>> investigating community-based care models that have success in
>> coordinating and providing mental health services. This webchat is being
>> held in recognition of May as National Mental Health Month.
>>
>> The stigma of mental illness often discourages patients from seeking care
>> despite the existence of new drugs and therapies that have vastly
>> improved
>> the chances for effective treatment and recovery. Without access to
>> necessary and effective quality care, far too many Americans will live
>> with untreated mental illness that too often can lead to homelessness,
>> drug and alcohol addiction or incarceration.
>>
>> Curie was appointed by President George W. Bush in November 2001 as
>> Administrator of SAMHSA, the lead federal agency for improving the
>> quality
>> and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and
>> mental health services in the United States. He has over 20 years of
>> professional experience in the mental health and substance arena. His
>> core commitment to ensuring that people with addictive and mental
>> disorders have the opportunity to realize the dream of equal access to
>> full participation in American society has earned him national
>> recognition.
>>
>>
>> WHO: Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W., Administrator SAMHSA
>>
>> WHEN: May 23, 2002; 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m., EST
>>
>> WHERE: http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/newsroom/webchat/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

Fw: National Women's Hall of Fame Inducts Rosalynn Carter

2007-02-23T08:11:00.000-05:00

>> National Women's Hall of Fame Inducts Rosalynn Carter
>>
>> ATLANTA, Oct. 2 (AScribe Newswire) -- On Oct. 5, former First Lady
>> Rosalynn Carter, vice chair of The Carter Center, will be inducted into
>> the
>> National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Widely recognized for
>> her
>> advocacy work on mental health issues over the last 30 years, Mrs. Carter
>> has
>> galvanized key partnerships in the campaign to eliminate stigma against
>> those
>> with mental illness, to achieve mental health insurance coverage parity,
>> and
>> to screen our youth early for mental and behavioral disorders.
>>
>> "Her life-long work on behalf of women, children, and the mentally
>> ill
>> is a living testament to her vision and character. In this day and age,
>> Mrs.
>> Carter's ongoing dedication to making our country a better place for all
>> is,
>> indeed, a great and worthy achievement," said Marilyn Bero, president of
>> the
>> National Women's Hall of Fame.
>>
>> A full partner with President Carter in all of the Carter Center's
>> activities, the former First Lady also created and chairs the Carter
>> Center's
>> Mental Health Task Force, an advisory body of experts and advocates
>> promoting
>> positive change in the mental health field. She also has spearheaded the
>> annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy. In addition,
>> Mrs.
>> Carter has chaired the World Federation for Mental Health's International
>> Committee of Women Leaders for Mental Health since its establishment. As
>> First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Carter served as honorary chair of
>> the
>> President's Commission on Mental Health. Within one year, the Commission
>> assessed the current system and made recommendations for new legislation
>> by
>> undertaking a series of public hearings across the country. In September
>> 1980, Congress passed the Mental Health Systems Act.
>>
>> Mother of four, Mrs. Carter has maintained a life-long dedication
>> to
>> issues affecting women and children. In 1991, she launched with Mrs.
>> Betty
>> Bumpers, wife of former U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, "Every Child
>> By
>> Two," a nationwide campaign to publicize the need for early childhood
>> immunizations. Mrs. Carter is president of the board of directors for the
>> Rosalynn Carter Institute of Georgia Southwestern State University (RCI),
>> which was established in her honor on the campus of her alma mater in
>> Americus, Ga., to help family and professional caregivers.
>>
>> Mrs. Carter has received many honors in the health and mental
>> health
>> fields and is the author of four books: First Lady from Plains,
>> Everything to
>> Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life, Helping Yourself Help
>> Others:
>> A Book for Caregivers, and Helping Someone With Mental Illness: A
>> Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers.
>>
>> Mrs. Carter will be only the third First Lady ever inducted into the
>> Hall
>> of Fame joining Abigail Adams (inducted in 1976) and Eleanor Roosevelt
>> (inducted in 1973). Other Georgians already so honored have been:
>>
>> Jacqueline Cochran (1906-1980) - first woman aviator to break the
>> sound barrier and to pilot a bomber across the Atlantic (WW II). Jeanette
>> Rankin (1880-1973) - first woman elected to U.S. Congress. Ella Baker
>> (1903-1986) - civil rights leader and co-founder of the Southern
>> Christian
>> Leadership Conference, headed by Martin Luther King, Jr. Mary McLeod
>> Bethune
>> (1875-1955) - teacher who began a school to help educate young African
>> American women and worked to end discrimination through her leadership of
>> the
>> National Council of Negro Women. Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927) founder
>> of
>> the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Bessie Smith (1898-1937) one of the
>> country's
>> greatest blues singers.
>>
>> Originally named to the Hall of Fame in 2001, Mrs. Carter's
>> induction
>> was postponed a year, due to the Sept.11 attacks. The other 2001
>> inductees to
>> be honored include Dorothy Andersen, Lucille Ball, Lydia Maria Child,
>> Bessie
>> Coleman, Dorothy Day, Marian de Forest, Althea Gibson, Beatrice Hicks,
>> Barbara Holdridge, Harriet Strong, Emily Warner, and Victoria Woodhull.
>> Joining them are the 2002 inductees Paulina Davis, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
>> Katharine Graham, Bertha Holt, Mary Engle Pennington, and Mercy Otis
>> Warren.
>> The October induction will bring the total number of inductees to 195.
>> Seneca
>> Falls, N.Y. is the birthplace of the women's rights movement and site of
>> the
>> first Women's Rights Convention in 1848.
>>
>> The not-for-profit, nongovernmental Carter Center was founded in
>> 1982
>> by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. In
>> partnership
>> with Emory University, the Center works to wage peace, fight disease, and
>> build hope for millions of people around the world. Led by Mrs. Carter
>> since
>> its inception, the Center's Mental Health Program will host the annual
>> Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy, November 6-7. This
>> year's
>> topic is a Status Report: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of the Country
>> in
>> the Wake of September 11, 2001.
>>
>> To learn more about the Carter Center Mental Health Program, please
>> visit: www.cartercenter.org.
>>
>> -30-
>>
>>

Fw: Program to Support Recovery - Enhancing Dr./Pt. Communication is Key

2007-02-23T06:35:00.000-05:00

New Program Will Support Recovery for People With Mental Illness; Enhancing Doctor/Patient Communication Is Key

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is launching an educational program, Dialogue for Recovery, to improve communication between healthcare professionals and people with serious mental illness.

"Communication between consumers of mental health services and their entire healthcare team is vital to finding a road to recovery that is effective and enhances quality of life," said Michael M. Faenza, NMHA president and CEO. "Millions of Americans have serious mental illnesses; recent medical advances and improved community support programs allow most to recover faster and lead fuller lives in their communities."

Dialogue for Recovery features a new tool called the Antipsychotic Side-Effects Checklist (ASC), designed to facilitate communication about treatment successes and medication side-effects. "Unfortunately, side-effects caused by antipsychotic medications can be a major impetus for patients to discontinue their treatment, which ultimately hinders their recovery," said Faenza.

In fact, 50 to 70 percent of patients with schizophrenia stop taking their medication at some point over the course of their illness, leading to recurrences of symptoms and relapses -- which can have an enormous impact on the course of an illness and on the healthcare system. In 2000, $40 billion was spent on direct and indirect costs relating to schizophrenia.

The Dialogue for Recovery program includes the ASC tool, a video, tips on how patient and physicians can improve their communication with each other, fact sheets and other educational pieces. The program will be distributed through NMHA's 340 Mental Health Association affiliates.

The ASC tool was developed by a medical steering committee led by Peter Weiden, MD, SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, NY and Alexander Miller, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX.

Dialogue for Recovery and ASC are supported by unrestricted educational grants from AstraZeneca.

The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service.

Source: PRNewswire

You are subscribed to HealthNewsList
NEWS You Can Use!
Inquiries to: HealthNewsList@aol.com

Fw: New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Meeting

2007-02-23T06:28:00.000-05:00

New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Meeting
>
>
>> fyi
>>
>> Carole Schauer
>> Consumer Affairs Specialist
>> Center for Mental Health Services
>> 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15-99
>> Rockville, Maryland 20857
>> Telephone: (301) 443-8304
>> FAX: (301) 443-5163
>>
>> SUBSCRIBE To the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News!!
>> For the latest news and information on CMHS and federal
>> consumer-related programs and
>> activities, grant announcements and funding opportunities, policy
>> statements, reports and
>> press releases, requests for public comment, and news on upcoming
>> meetings and
>> conferences, subscribe to the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News by visiting
>> the
>> Consumer/Survivor page of the Center for Mental Health Services Web
>> site at:
>> http://www.mentalhealth.org/consumersurvivor/
>>
>>

Fw: Treat Yourself or Someone You Love

2007-02-23T04:59:00.000-05:00

>> LAURA MANCUSO is a very good friend with a lot of energy, vitality, and
>> goodwill. She's also ingenious and has tapped into an important part of
>> the
>> healing and recovery process. It's all contained in a wonderful Web
>> site -
>> www.LunaGifts.com. Visit and Enjoy! Treat yourself or someone you love
>> who
>> is in need of support.
>>
>> Happy New Year!
>> Laura
>>
>> From Laura (Mancuso) "As you will see, we have a special gift basket for
>> people experiencing depression. As with all of the disease-specific
>> gifts, it
>> was designed on
>> the basis of interviews with people living with depression. We also have
>> a
>> Breast Cancer Recovery Gift Basket already for sale, and are just now
>> completing our HIV/AIDS interviews.
>>
>> The other two current products are a more generic, uplifting "Basket of
>> Laughs" and "Basket of Joy."
>>
>> We donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale to a related charity.
>> For the depression one, it's the local chapter of the National Mental
>> Health
>> Association, which provides lots of direct services to
>> consumers/survivors."
>>
>> *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
>>

Here's Your Weekly Store Special, DCMHCL Inc.

2007-02-23T01:03:00.000-05:00


EVERY Day can be Shop for DCMHCL Inc. Day! Use this link to access all 1,000 + merchants uniquely coded for DCMHCL Inc.
Clothing
Spiegel- 2.10% Spring Selections have arrived! Up to 75% off in "clearance" "End of Season" Sa1e!	Dickies- 5.60% Lined Denim Jeans - $34.99! Insulated Coveralls! Pullover Hooded Fleece Jackets just $26.99!	Fashion Bug- 3.50% 30% off Denim and Active Wear! 25% off Spring Coats! 40% off Sleepwear!
Office Supplies!
Discount Office Supplies- 2.80% Order your 2007 Calendars/Planners Fr~ee Shiping-No Minimum Order Weekly Deals, 20%-50% Off	MyInks.com- 21.0% Sa~ve up to 80% on cartridges! Fr~ee shipping on orders of $50! Easy to find by brand name!	Office Max- 2.80% Everyday Home/Officeproducts FR~ee Delivery on most orders of $50 or more No payments for 90 Days!
Miscellaneous
Easy Tax Returns- $5.25 Services starting as low as $14.95! Guaran~teed 100% Accurate! Fr~ee E-File Included!	VSwipe- $17.50 Merchant Services Flat Monthly .fee No Application .fee	Tickle- 56.0% World's largest Introduction network! Fr~ee to join! Easy as 1-2-3!
Gift Certificates
Give Fun - 3.50%	Restaurant.com- 10.50%	Gift Certificates.com - 3.50%
More Popular Stores coded for DCMHCL Inc..
Target - 7.0%	Kohl's- 2.8%	Blair - 6.6%
Overstock.com - 4.20%	PetCraze - 13.30%	Flower Delivery.com - 14.0%
TWCCTW Publishing - $5.00	PETsMART - 5.60%	K Mart - 1.4%
Need a reason to go shopping at our mall? Use one of our fun "Let's Celebrate" days: Love Your Pet Day (20th), Presidents' Day (20th), Card Reading Day (21st), George Washington's Birthday (22nd), Be Humble Day (22nd), Walking the Dog Day (22nd), Thinking Day (22nd), Tennis Day (23rd), International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day (23rd), National Tortilla Chip Day (24th), Carnival Day (26th), National Pistachio Day (26th), or Tell A Fairy Tale Day (26th) Have a great week! Use this link to access all 1,000 + merchants uniquely coded for DCMHCL Inc.

SFCD
58 Lake Louise Drive
Bellingham, WA 98229
United States

To be removed from the DCMHCL.ORG mailing list send a message to info@dcmhcl.org with

"remove me from dcmhcl.org list" in the subject line.

Fw: National Survey

2007-02-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

>> UPenn Collaborative
>> National Survey on Education and Mental Illnesses
>>
>> Participate in an Online Survey Study
>>
>> A study on the postsecondary education experiences of people diagnosed
>> with mental illnesses is looking for students interested in
>> participating in a brief and anonymous online survey. If you have been
>> diagnosed with a mental illness, are or have been a college student for
>> at least one semester, and are 18 years old or older, then you are
>> eligible to participate.
>>
>> Participants will be eligible to enter a raffle and win up to $150!
>>
>> If you are interested, please click:
>> <http://www.upennrrtc.org/research/education.html>
>>
>>
>>

Fw: District of Columbia Hospital Association

2007-02-19T17:39:00.000-05:00

http://www.dcha.org/

Fw: Do the Frost Bite for Housing

2007-02-19T17:37:00.000-05:00

Hope to see you there!

The Frost Bite 5K, sponsored by Discovery Communications Inc., is a great race for the entire family to run, walk or stroll through downtown Silver Spring. Proceeds will go towards your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate and help to continue the struggle against substandard housing in Montgomery County. Registration is $15 and will increase to $20 after the 1st of December. On site registration will be $25 and will end at 8:30 am. This event will take place on Saturday the 7th of December.

Start/Finish: Old Blair High School/Silver Spring International Middle School
313 Wayne Avenue

http://www.signmeupsports.com/index_run.htm
Select Maryland to sign up online.

http://www.habitat-mc.org/news/news_cal.htm
Habitat for Humanity - Montgomery County

Fw: Media Advisory - SAMHSA Hosts Grant-Writing and TechnicalAssistance..

2007-02-19T17:36:00.000-05:00

>
>> SAMHSA Hosts Grant-Writing and Technical Assistance For Grassroots Faith
>> and Community Groups
>>
>>
>> Faith-based and community organizations have a long history of
>> providing essential services to people in need in the United States. In
>> recognition of the unique ability that these organizations have to meet
>> the special needs of their communities, the Bush Administration has made
>> it a priority to improve funding opportunities for faith-based and
>> community organizations. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
>> Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a series of workshops to help remove
>> unnecessary barriers that may prevent these organizations from receiving
>> federal funding.
>>
>>
>

Fw: Mental Health and Rehabilitation

2007-02-19T17:33:00.002-05:00

>>>>> "Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation" <psyrehab@bu.edu> 10/07/02
>> 10:04AM >>>
>> MENTAL HEALTH & REHABILITATION eCAST
>> October, 2002
>>
>> The purpose of the Mental Health & Rehabilitation eCast is to
>> inform mental health and rehabilitation networks worldwide about
>> the activities and resources produced by the Center for
>> Psychiatric Rehabilitation as well as to disseminate general
>> mental health and rehabilitation news. This eCast is jointly
>> supported by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS),
>> Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and
>> the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
>> Research (NIDRR), Department of Education.
>>
>> **********************************
>> DR. MICHAEL HOGAN TO LECTURE AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
>>
>> On October 16, 2002, Dr. Michael Hogan, Chair of President Bush's
>> New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and Commissioner of the
>> Ohio Department of Mental Health will discuss "Perspectives on
>> Mental Health: Science, Services or Recovery" at the fourth annual
>> Dudley Allen Sargent Distinguished Lecture at Boston University's
>> Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. For
>> information on attending the lecture, visit:
>> http://www.bu.edu/sargent/about/daslecture.html
>>
>> **********************************
>> UIC SELF-DETERMINATION BROADCAST LIVE ON THE WEB
>>
>> The University of Illinois at Chicago National Research and
>> Training Center on Psychiatric Disability (UIC NRTC) will hold a
>> live webcast on October 22, 2002, 3:00-4:30 EST on "Using the
>> Internet to Promote Self-Determination & Emotional Well-Being."
>> Trends and web-based resources related to mental health, online
>> communities, peer support, community activism and employment will
>> be addressed. Personal stories of self-determination and a panel
>> discussion will conclude the webcast. For more information and to
>> register, visit: http://www.psych.uic.edu/uicnrtc/sdworkshop3.htm
>>
>> The UIC NRTC is supported by the National Institute on Disability
>> and Rehabilitation Research, USDOE, and the Center for Mental
>> Health Services, SAMHSA.
>>
>> **********************************
>> BEHAVIOR HEALTHCARE TOMORROW FEATURES
>> RECOVERY ARTICLE
>>
>> The October 2002 issue of Behavioral Healthcare Tomorrow cover
>> article "A New Word in Serious Mental Illness: Recovery"
>> highlights the history and vision of recovery with contributing
>> perspectives from Courtenay Harding, William Anthony and Jeffery
>> Lieberman in addition to consumer perspectives offered by Moe
>> Armstrong, Daniel Fisher and Kathryn Cohan-Haerry. A full-text
>> version of the article including quotes and resource information
>> is available from the web address below:
>> http://www.bu.edu/cpr/about/publicity/
>>
>> **********************************
>> INTEGRATED TREATMENT FOR CO-OCCURRING
>> SUBSTANCE ABUSE
>>
>> "A Comprehensive Guide for Integrated Treatment of People with
>> Co-Occurring Disorders," edited by Diane Doyle Pita and LeRoy
>> Spaniol, is a compilation of reprinted articles addressing
>> critical issues related to substance abuse and serious mental
>> illness. The book is intended as a text in an academic course or
>> for in-service training with an instructor or trainer providing
>> clinical guidance. For more information access the web address
>> below:
>> http://www.bu.edu/cpr/catalog/books/titles/integrated.html
>>
>> **********************************
>> If you do not wish to receive future emails from the Center
>> for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, please reply to this message
>> <psyrehab@bu.edu> with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the SUBJECT line.
>>
>> Carole Schauer
>> Consumer Affairs Specialist
>> Center for Mental Health Services
>> 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15-99
>> Rockville, Maryland 20857
>> Telephone: (301) 443-8304
>> FAX: (301) 443-5163
>>
>> SUBSCRIBE To the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News!!
>> For the latest news and information on CMHS and federal
>> consumer-related programs and
>> activities, grant announcements and funding opportunities, policy
>> statements, reports and
>> press releases, requests for public comment, and news on upcoming
>> meetings and
>> conferences, subscribe to the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News by visiting
>> the
>> Consumer/Survivor page of the Center for Mental Health Services Web
>> site at:
>> http://www.mentalhealth.org/consumersurvivor/
>>

Fw: ACT brings services to mentally ill

2007-02-19T17:33:00.001-05:00

> Michigan City News-Dispatch
> Sep 23 2002
>
> ACT brings services to mentally ill
> By Deborah Sederberg
>
> Back in the 1970s, when the country began to shutter psychiatric
> hospitals,
> the experts said people with mental illness are best served when they are
> treated in their community.
>
> For nearly 30 years, mental health care providers have been grappling with
> serious questions.
>
> Who will treat the seriously mentally ill? How will clinicians see that
> clients who are not hospitalized take their medications? Where should
> treatment be offered?
>
> The Swanson Center, LaPorte County’s community mental health facility, is
> one
> of a handful in the state to launch a pilot program designed to bring
> services to clients. In traditional programs, therapists expect clients to
> come to them for services.
>
> Lia Hicks, a trainer and consultant with Indiana’s Assertive Community
> Treatment (ACT) initiative, spoke about the program Friday during a
> seminar
> organized by the Swanson Center.
>
> An ACT team, typically six to 10 members, might include a registered
> nurse, a
> vocational specialist, a psychiatrist, other mental health professionals,
> a
> substance abuse specialist and a case manager. The idea, Hicks said, is to
> build a cocoon of care around clients. Therapists visit clients in their
> homes.
>
> ACT is a long-term program. “Clients are not expected to graduate. The ACT
> team says, ‘We’re here forever,’” said Hicks.
>
> Bert Clemons, executive director of the Swanson Center, said ACT services
> are
> offered to clients with the most severe forms of mental illness.
>
> The Swanson Center was selected as an ACT pilot site by the Indiana
> Division
> of Mental Health and Addictions, which also picks up the tab.
>
> Currently, the Swanson Center has about 35 clients enrolled in ACT, under
> the
> care of a seven-member team. Typically, a client would have face-to-face
> contact with a team member two or three times a week, more in times of
> crisis. In addition, clients receive telephone calls.
>
> “A team member might call to remind them to take their medication,” said
> Norma Durr, supervisor of case managers for the Swanson Center’s Michigan
> City outpatients.
>
> The team nurse visits some clients. Other clients get advice and
> assistance
> from team members who know how to secure safe, affordable housing. Other
> clients might enlist the aid of a team member to help with family
> difficulties.
>
> A client in the audience Friday said her grown children wonder why she
> needs
> so much medication. That question, Hicks said, is precisely the kind a
> team
> member might be able to answer.
>
> ACT team leader Jeff Pollack is excited about the program. He believes it
> has
> the potential to keep some clients out of jail and get them a job and keep
> them employed. Clients enrolled in ACT are hospitalized less frequently
> than
> are similar clients in traditional therapy.
>
> Pollack moved from Chicago to work in this program. “To have this program
> and
> to be able to wrap ourselves and our services around clients to get them
> what
> they need is ideal.”
>
> A client in the audience agreed. “This is the best thing to happen to M
> ichigan City in a long time,” she said.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> --
>
> Program’s primary goals
>
> Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), a relatively new program for treating
> people with mental illness, lists five primary goals:
> • To lessen or eliminate the debilitating symptoms of mental illness and
> minimize or prevent recurrent acute episodes of the illness.
> • To satisfy the client’s basic needs and to enhance the quality of life.
> • To improve functioning in adult social and employment roles and
> activities.
>
> • To increase individual control and support recovery.
> • To lessen the family’s worry, concern and total responsibility for
> providing care and promote the restoration of normal family relationships.

Fw: Advocacy Group Tells Lawmakers 'Don't Blow It'

2007-02-19T17:33:00.000-05:00

>> Advocacy Group Presses for Congressional Action for Children With Mental
>> Disabilities: Bazelon Center Tells Lawmakers 'Don't Blow It'
>>
>> WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Bazelon Center for
>> Mental Health Law, the nation's leading legal-advocacy organization
>> representing people with mental disabilities, today urged lawmakers to
>> act on
>> legislation to expand coverage of health care services for children with
>> severe emotional disturbances.
>>
>> "Congress can make a difference for families struggling to get
>> mental
>> health services for their children" said Laurel Stine, Director of
>> Federal
>> Relations at the Bazelon Center. "Lawmakers must not miss this critical
>> opportunity to act."
>>
>> The Family Opportunity Act would help families of children with
>> severe
>> disabilities - including children with serious mental and emotional
>> disorders
>> - get needed health and mental health care for their child. Stine and
>> other
>> mental health advocates spent the day lobbying Members of Congress to
>> pass
>> the legislation this year by handing out whistles to remind lawmakers not
>> to
>> "blow it" for families who have long waited for enactment of the bill.
>>
>> "For three years, this bill has had remarkable bipartisan support
>> in
>> both the House and the Senate," continued Stine. "If I were a member of
>> one
>> of these families, I'd be wondering why more wasn't getting done."
>>
>> The bill was first introduced in early 2000, but has died each
>> year.
>> Supporters in the Senate tried last week to pass the bill - a move
>> advocates
>> believe would have increased pressure on the House of Representatives to
>> take
>> up the measure. But efforts to move the legislation were blocked when an
>> unidentified Senator objected.
>>
>> "Families across the country are being torn apart," said Mary
>> Giliberti, a senior staff attorney at the Bazelon Center and co-author of
>> the
>> 1998 book, Relinquishing Custody: The Tragic Result of Failure to Meet
>> Children's Mental Health Needs. "The Family Opportunity Act could help
>> change
>> that."
>>
>> Currently, many families who lack adequate insurance to cover
>> much-needed mental health services for their child must face difficult
>> decisions. For some, Medicaid can offer comprehensive services, but
>> becoming
>> eligible often requires parents to choose between living in poverty or
>> giving
>> up custody of their child to the state. One in five families with
>> children
>> with mental illnesses are told by the state to give up custody of their
>> child, according to a study by the National Alliance for the Mentally
>> Ill. To
>> avoid giving up custody, many parents turn down hard-earned promotions
>> and
>> pay increases, effectively spending down to remain eligible for Medicaid
>> coverage.
>>
>> "I can think of few policies that are more regressive than the way
>> we
>> cover kids with mental illnesses," concluded Giliberti. "Something is
>> definitely broken here and it's past time we started fixing it."
>>
>> The Senate may again take up the Family Opportunity Act this week.
>>
>> The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is the nation's leading
>> legal
>> advocate for people with mental disabilities. Since its founding in 1972,
>> the
>> nonprofit organization's precedent-setting litigation and public-policy
>> advocacy has successfully challenged many barriers and expanded access to
>> public schools, workplaces, housing and many other opportunities for
>> community life. For more information, please visit the Bazelon Center
>> online
>> at www.bazelon.org.
>>
>> -30-
>>

Fw: Washington state is rethinking its mental hospitals

2007-02-19T17:31:00.001-05:00

>
>> Washington state is rethinking its mental hospitals
>>
>> 08/27/02
>>
>> JIM LYNCH
>> Oregon Live
>>
>> TACOMA -- Ringed by a rock wall and studded with century-old brick
>> buildings,
>> Western State Hospital stands out amid the south Tacoma sprawl like a
>> historic university or a strangely preserved city from the early 1900s.
>>
>> It has its own stores, pharmacy, steam plant, library, bowling alley and
>> graveyard. It has 2,000 workers and 1,000 patients scattered among 56
>> buildings on 264 acres. It even has its own patients' rock band, called
>> N.G.R.I -- not guilty by reason of insanity.
>>
>> The largest mental hospital west of the Mississippi has been one of
>> Washington's fixtures and priciest ventures since before statehood, when
>> Fort
>> Steilacoom's barracks were transformed into "The Insane Asylum of
>> Washington
>> Territory" in 1871.
>>
>> But the landmark hospital, which costs $400 a day per patient to operate
>> and
>> has a budget of $121.5 million this year, is increasingly seen as an
>> outdated
>> behemoth Washington can't afford. The state has begun closing wards,
>> which
>> will, by next spring, move 150 patients into neighborhoods and
>> community-based psychiatric care.
>>
>> An additional 200 patients may eventually be released from the
>> institution if
>> the state heeds the advice of a consultant who suggests almost a third of
>> Western State's patients should be let out.
>>
>> The looming ward closures alarm some mental health experts who see them
>> as
>> foolish and inhumane.
>>
>> "The fact is we don't have the beds at the community level to keep these
>> people," said Dean Brooks, Western State's recently retired board
>> chairman
>> and the former longtime superintendent of Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
>> "We've ultimately only got two places for them to go -- in jail or under
>> the
>> bridge."
>>
>> Brooks also said Western State is an easy target for people who cast
>> large
>> mental institutions as villainous boondoggles. "Just because it's big
>> doesn't
>> mean it's bad."
>>
>> But the Washington Legislature, faced with a $1.5 billion budget hole
>> this
>> year, lunged at the prospect of downsizing the institution and saving
>> about
>> $100,000 a year per mental patient by putting them into community care
>> instead.
>>
>> Other states' hospitals are closed The decision to cut beds fits into a
>> national movement that seemingly bypassed Washington until now. State
>> mental
>> hospital populations peaked in 1960 and have steadily declined since then
>> with 44 hospitals closing in the 1990s alone, three times as many as the
>> combined closures in the 1970s and 1980s.
>>
>> Oregon, for example, shut its 390-bed Dammasch State Hospital in 1995,
>> with
>> two-thirds of its patients going into community-based care and the other
>> third folding into Oregon State Hospital facilities in Salem and
>> Portland.
>>
>> A draft copy of a consultant's recent report on Washington's mental
>> health
>> program concludes that the state has a 90 percent higher reliance on
>> state
>> hospital beds than similar-sized "peer states."
>>
>> Washington also spends far less than its peer states on creating
>> community-based psychiatric support and supervised housing to help
>> patients
>> live safely outside hospitals. For comparison, Oregon spends $10.56 per
>> capita on residential mental health care, while Washington spends $3.93
>> per
>> capita, the study said.
>>
>> The study also concluded that about 30 percent of the admissions to
>> Western
>> State every year are unnecessary, resulting from a shortage of
>> appropriate
>> residential and nursing home options.
>>
>> Kari Burrell, a policy adviser to Washington Gov. Gary Locke, said budget
>> pressures helped spur the state to do what it's needed to do for years:
>> make
>> sure everyone in the state's two mental hospitals needs to be there.
>>
>> "It's just not appropriate care for someone to be institutionalized if
>> they
>> can live in the community with support," Burrell said. "We began to ask,
>> 'Are
>> we institutionalizing people just because it's easier for us?' "
>>
>> Outpatient care is also costly Jess Jamieson, director of Compass Health,
>> a
>> nonprofit community mental health center that offers 400 community-based
>> beds
>> north of Seattle, praises the goal of moving Western State patients back
>> into
>> society. But Jamieson says the state underestimates the startup costs
>> involved with expanding and creating quality housing and psychiatric
>> services.
>>
>> "It's not a cost-saving measure, not if you do it correctly," he said.
>>
>> Stan Mazur-Hart, superintendent of Oregon State Hospital's 687-bed
>> institution in Salem, says closing the Dammasch hospital produced mixed
>> results: Many patients thrived in the community setting -- with the help
>> of
>> modern anti-psychotic drugs -- but the loss of hospital beds made it
>> harder
>> to find beds for people experiencing psychiatric emergencies.
>>
>> The waiting list to get into Oregon State Hospital now often swells to 20
>> or
>> more people who have been evaluated as needing the level of psychiatric
>> care
>> available only at a state institution, he said, noting that some patients
>> wait months for admission.
>>
>> Western State Hospital CEO Jan Gregg recalls hearing grumbles that the
>> institution was too big years before she became its leader. She now
>> argues
>> that size isn't its problem. She says it's actually three separate, large
>> and
>> well-run hospitals -- one for adults, one for geriatrics and one for the
>> criminally insane -- sharing the same real estate.
>>
>> But Gregg concedes that for too many years, hospital staff viewed it as a
>> place where the mentally ill lived indefinitely. "This should not be the
>> place where they live," Gregg said. "They should come here when they need
>> care."
>>
>> "Psychiatric hospitals have changed," she added. "They're no longer
>> warehouses. And the perceptions of our staff about patients' ability to
>> live
>> in the community has changed."
>>
>> A stroll around Western State Hospital can feel like a time warp. From
>> many
>> vantages, the institution looks remarkably unchanged from the early
>> 1900s, or
>> at least from its peak year -- 1955 -- when it housed 3,067 patients and
>> electric-shock therapy was routine.
>>
>> Criminal wards get money That's why the new $50 million building for the
>> criminally insane stands out.
>>
>> Built with sledgehammer-proof windows, bedecked with colorful hall
>> stripes
>> and wall art, and outfitted with red "duress" buttons throughout, the
>> Center
>> for Forensic Services holds as many as 230 patients sent by the courts.
>>
>> The big investment in criminal wards when the state is also trying to cut
>> its
>> mental health tab is testament to the growing overlap between criminal
>> justice and mental health services in Washington and nationwide. The
>> hospital's staff conducts about 1,600 psychiatric evaluations of
>> criminals a
>> year -- five times as many as it did in 1990.
>>
>> Not surprisingly, the forensics wards are the only ones seemingly immune
>> to
>> closures. The closure of one adult psychiatrics ward is almost complete.
>> A
>> geriatric ward is scheduled to be closed in December, an "adapted living
>> skills" ward in January and yet another geriatrics ward next April.
>>
>> Hospital CEO Gregg hopes to minimize layoffs, but she isn't on a crusade
>> to
>> stop ward closures. Her primary goal, she says, is to de-stigmatize
>> mental
>> illnesses.
>>
>> Walk across Steilacoom Boulevard from Western State into the hospital's
>> old
>> cemetery and it becomes clear how far public acceptance and understanding
>> of
>> the mentally ill has come in 50 years.
>>
>> The brown grass covers the graves of 2,763 patients who died between 1876
>> and
>> 1952. Many of the graves are unmarked. Most of them are simply defined by
>> small stones with four-digit numbers etched into them.
>>
>> During the 76 years that patients were buried there, mental illnesses
>> were
>> considered so embarrassing that families didn't want their names on the
>> stones. In recent years, however, several numbered stones have been
>> replaced
>> with name-engraved granite.
>>
>> Some of the numbered stones are getting attention too, such as "2288,"
>> which
>> recently had a plastic sunflower planted next to it.

Fw: 3rd National Self-Determination Workshop Series Session

2007-02-19T17:31:00.000-05:00

>> FREE LIVE WEBCAST
>>
>> The University of Illinois at Chicago National Research and Training
>> Center
>> on Psychiatric Disability
>> Announces the 3rd National Self-Determination Workshop Series Session:
>>
>> Using the Internet to Promote Self-Determination & Emotional
>> Well-Being
>> Tuesday, October 22, 2002, 3:00-4:30 ET
>>
>> The Internet can be a useful tool for the promotion of
>> self-determination
>> and emotional well-being. By providing access to diverse information,
>> the
>> Net provides new and enhanced opportunities for increasing
>> self-determination for people with psychiatric disabilities. It links
>> individuals with online communities, like-minded peers, thorough
>> mental
>> health and health information, and tools for taking charge of their
>> own
>> lives. This webcast will address current trends and web-based resources
>> in
>> these areas, with sessions focusing particularly on community activism
>> and
>> employment. A moderated panel will conclude the webcast with personal
>> stories of self-determination and a brief discussion about how one
>> might
>> assess the reliability of information found on the Internet.
>>
>> Session I
>> NetActivism: Leveling the Playing Field
>> Presented by Edward Schwartz (3:00-3:30pm ET)
>>
>> Session II
>> The Electronic Career Stairway: Steps to Finding the Right Work via
>> the
>> Internet
>> Presented by Howard Dansky (3:30-4:00pm ET)
>>
>> Session III
>> Moderated Panel Discussion
>> Panelists: Sylvia Caras, Howard Dansky, Frances Preister, Edward
>> Schwartz
>> Moderator: Judith A. Cook (4:00-4:30pm ET)
>>
>> For more information and to register, go to:
>> <http://www.psych.uic.edu/uicnrtc/sdworkshop3.htm>
>>
>> You won't want to miss this free workshop!
>>
>> Carole Schauer
>> Consumer Affairs Specialist
>> Center for Mental Health Services
>> 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15-99
>> Rockville, Maryland 20857
>> Telephone: (301) 443-8304
>> FAX: (301) 443-5163
>>
>> SUBSCRIBE To the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News!!
>> For the latest news and information on CMHS and federal
>> consumer-related programs and
>> activities, grant announcements and funding opportunities, policy
>> statements, reports and
>> press releases, requests for public comment, and news on upcoming
>> meetings and
>> conferences, subscribe to the CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News by visiting
>> the
>> Consumer/Survivor page of the Center for Mental Health Services Web
>> site at:
>> http://www.mentalhealth.org/consumersurvivor/
>>

Fw: Learn from the Research: Mental Health and Teens

2007-02-19T17:30:00.002-05:00

>
>> Mental and Emotional Health Problems Among Teens: What Parents,
>> Practitioners
>> and the Public Can Learn About Prevention and Treatment From Research
>>
>> WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (AScribe Newswire) -- Anxiety disorders.
>> Depression.
>> Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Eating disorders. Drug
>> and
>> alcohol addiction. While many adults hold a stereotype of American teens
>> as
>> moody and dramatic, these are examples of some of the serious mental and
>> emotional health problems confronting a significant minority of
>> adolescents.
>> How can we prevent these problems from occurring? What are the most
>> effective
>> treatments once teens are diagnosed?
>>
>> To help answer these critical questions, Child Trends reviewed more
>> than 300 research studies to determine the factors that contribute to the
>> development of mental and emotional health problems among teens and to
>> determine what research has shown to be the best treatments for teens.
>> The
>> review reveals which programs and approaches work, which don't work, and
>> which look promising and therefore warrant closer investigation. The
>> findings
>> are based on an extensive review of research studies done in partnership
>> with
>> the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
>>
>> The results of this comprehensive review are presented in two
>> companion
>> products: a research brief, Promoting Positive Mental and Emotional
>> Health in
>> Teens: Some Lessons from Research, and a web-based What Works table that
>> summarizes key research and evaluation findings. The What Works table is
>> a
>> point-and-click resource for the web. It presents information on specific
>> problems (such as depression, ADHD, drug and alcohol abuse) and gives
>> users
>> the option to access short, readable summaries or to delve deeply into
>> the
>> research studies.
>>
>> View and download this brief at
>>
>> www.childtrends.org/PDF/K5Brief.pdf.
>>
>> The interactive What Works table and the rest of the American Teens
>> series can be found at
>>
>> www.childtrends.org/youthdevelopment_intro.asp.
>>
>> Findings from the review include:
>>
>> -- Effective treatments for depression and anxiety include
>> psychotherapy (such as cognitive therapy), drug therapy (specifically,
>> serotonin-specific re-uptake inhibitors), making a youth's environment
>> more
>> supportive and changing a young person's environment from high-risk to
>> low-risk (for example, providing housing vouchers to move into a
>> neighborhood
>> with more resources).
>>
>> -- For ADHD, a combination of medication and psychotherapy appears
>> to
>> be more effective than the use of a single intervention.
>>
>> -- The impact of drug therapy on children and youth is
>> controversial
>> and new research for these age groups is needed.
>>
>> -- Homes and schools that are emotionally supportive and warm and
>> that
>> provide support for adolescents' autonomy may boost teens' psychological
>> and
>> emotional well-being.
>>
>> -- Prevention should begin as early as possible - many mental and
>> emotional health problems may be prevented with early intervention at the
>> individual, family and community level during childhood and early
>> adolescence.
>>
>> "From our review, the research shows that there may not be a
>> "single
>> bullet" for addressing all of the mental and emotional health issues that
>> teens face," said Kristin A. Moore, Ph.D., president and senior scholar
>> at
>> Child Trends. "Just as many of these problems may stem from a number of
>> influences, like a teen's family and environment, a number of prevention
>> and
>> treatment strategies may be needed."
>>
>> Child Trends' American Teens series summarizes and "translates" key
>> research and evaluation studies on preventing teen pregnancy, encouraging
>> better eating and exercise habits, promoting mental and emotional health,
>> motivating teens in school, promoting positive social skills and
>> encouraging
>> responsible citizenship.
>>
>> Knight Foundation's Community Partners Program works in 26 U.S.
>> communities to identify promising approaches to locally identified needs.
>> With Knight funding, several Knight communities are concentrating on
>> better
>> lives for children and families. The Child Trends American Teens work
>> helps
>> the communities better identify strategies that might work locally for
>> at-risk youth.
>>
>> Child Trends, founded in 1979, is an independent, nonpartisan
>> research
>> center dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families by
>> conducting research and providing science-based information to the public
>> and
>> decision-makers.
>>
>> The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in
>> journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities.
>>
>> -30-
>>
>>

Fw: EU News: Mental Health Network

2007-02-19T17:30:00.001-05:00

>
>
>> Thanks to Karen from Brussels for sending this along!
>>
>> http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph/programmes/health/proj00_14_en.html
>>
>> MENTAL HEALTH EUROPE : THE NETWORK TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH
>>
>> MHE-SME - as a broadly representative NGO, both geographically in Europe
>> and
>> thematically in its partnership representation - is committed to the
>> development of an active Europe-wide Network on Mental Health Promotion.
>>
>> The more specific aims of this project will be :
>>
>> - to raise awareness for Mental Health Promotion, prevention and a
>> delivery
>> of better services
>>
>> - to initiate and support activities in mental health promotion
>> addressing
>> issues of specific concern in children, adolescents and young people up
>> to
>> age 25 years
>>
>> - to implement and consolidate the recommendations of the mental health
>> promotion project in supporting the development, implementation and
>> maintenance of initiatives to promote mental health and well being in
>> different settings and to support research, training and knowledge
>> transfer
>>
>> - to develop policy instruments and innovative interventions bringing
>> European value to enhance the protection and promotion of positive mental
>> health features in different age groups
>>
>> - to provide a platform supporting initiatives in Mental Health Promotion
>> to
>> the candidate incoming countries.
>>
>> Acknowledging the Resolution on the promotion of mental health by the
>> Council
>> of Ministers on 18 November 1999, the project will analyse the impact of
>> community activities on mental health, more in particular in the field of
>> young people and adolescents, and draw up proposals for the Council on
>> the
>> promotion of Mental Health
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

Consumer Health Group News Forum

Disability Presidential Candidates' Forum, Nov. 2, 2007

Fw: Housing Justice & Community Service Awards on Wed., 10/24/07, 6-8pm @ Busboys & Poets

Mama Dharma

CBH HEALTH GOURMET PIZZA PARTY/OPEN HOUSE IN ROCKVILLE FRIDAY, JULY 6TH--TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM AVAILABLE.

Burned out on synthetic psychotropics? Herbal/botanical/alternative medicine expert talks to Beatniks before fireworks this Wednesday night, July 4th.

Fw: July 2007 calendar; RE: Wash Nationals Sat. July 7, 07, at 7:05 pm

Seniors to keep affordable homes, HOC buys Forest Oak Towers for $20.7 million, saves subsidies

Seniors to keep affordable homes

HOC buys Forest Oak Towers for $20.7 million, saves subsidies

Featured Jobs

More News

Top Jobs

Classifieds

Search Directories

Pentagon may drop mental health question, By PAULINE JELINEK and ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press Writers 10 minutes ago

Trauma Champions, FREE all day workshop, Wed 6/20/07, Core Service Agency, RSVP!

A DC Mental Health Dialog

Stun gun use on mentally ill questioned, 1 hour, 55 minutes ago HOUSTON - Advocates for the mentally ill

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Coming Soon SAMHSA's eNetwork

Blood pressure rising around the globe - Yahoo! News

RE: HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

HIT WITH AN SSDI OR SSI AUDIT? LOST YOUR BENEFITS? NEED LEGAL ADVICE? BEATNIKS LEGAL CLINIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 16TH.

[tenac] Solidarity with Public Housing Tenants from NYC & Chicago (Tuesday, 5/15/07)

FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH THE BEATNIKS.

"Bush orders probe into the mentally ill"

National Coalition of People with Psychiatric Histories Responds to Virginia Tech Tragedy

In the Wake of Virginia Tech

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington, "NAMI DC",

Fw: News from CMHS's National Center for Trauma-Informed Care

Pickup your copy of the latest "Newz & Viewz U can Uze" on the web. It's a jam packed issue...

Bethesda Beatniks Dinner Club Spring 2007 after-dinner speakers And special events calendar.

Police Response to Mentally Ill Waiting to Improve in DC

[DupontForum] Launching of Citizen Preparedness Academy

Fw: Poetry class Thur April 12, info on Day of the Book Sun April 22, NAMI C.A.R.E. Sat April 14

Fw: [DC-clf] Advance Directives training and article

BEATNIKS CLUB HOSTS COUNTY POLICE & CRISIS CENTER, WEDNESDAY NIGHT APRIL 11TH.

BEATNIKS CLUB "ANGEL" BTC OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE HOARDING PSYCHO-EDUCATION GROUP STARTING TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

Download the Spectrum broadcast via the Beatniks home page of "Day of the Book" radio special Sunday, April 1.

BEATNIKS CLUB "ANGEL" BTC OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE HOARDING PSYCHO-EDUCATION GROUP STARTING TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations

DOWNLOAD TOM GROOMS/ABC RADIO SPECIAL ABOUT BEATNIKS/"DAY OF THE BOOK" TUESDAY-FRIDAY.

Poetry rehearsal this Thursday.

[tenac] Empower DC, 4/3/07, DC Budget Training: What's in it, What's Been Cut, What You Can Do!

Beatniks/"Day of the Book" radio special Sunday, April 1.

It's culpable and Mentally cruel of our US Congress not to give DC citzens a full voting member of, Join us in a march 4/16/07.

Brief Strategic Family Therapy Training Tampa, Florida April 12-15, 2007

Beatniks' NIMH Night this Wednesday, March 14th.

March 07 events, calendar

[DC-clf] THE CLF NEEDS YOU PLEASE TO ATTEND DPRA EVENT MONDAY MARCH 12th

Alternatives 2007

HealthSquare

WEB CHAT ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY WITH SAMHSA ADMINISTRATOR

Fw: National Women's Hall of Fame Inducts Rosalynn Carter

Fw: Program to Support Recovery - Enhancing Dr./Pt. Communication is Key

Fw: New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Meeting

Fw: Treat Yourself or Someone You Love

Here's Your Weekly Store Special, DCMHCL Inc.

Fw: National Survey

Fw: District of Columbia Hospital Association

Fw: Do the Frost Bite for Housing

Fw: Media Advisory - SAMHSA Hosts Grant-Writing and TechnicalAssistance..

Fw: Mental Health and Rehabilitation

Fw: ACT brings services to mentally ill

Fw: Advocacy Group Tells Lawmakers 'Don't Blow It'

Fw: Washington state is rethinking its mental hospitals

Fw: 3rd National Self-Determination Workshop Series Session

Fw: Learn from the Research: Mental Health and Teens

Fw: EU News: Mental Health Network